Dr Lawton Hikwa

Felex Share Herald Reporter
Political parties championing resource nationalism are gaining popularity in Africa’s body politic.
By embarking on successful land reforms and empowering Zimbabweans through indigenisation and empowerment laws, Zanu-PF has remained the dominant player in Zimbabwe’s politics.
Now, other African parties of like mind are following suit.
Barely eight months after its formation, South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters — led by firebrand politician Julius Malema — made tremendous inroads in the May 7, 2014 polls with more than one million votes.

The party, which wants to nationalise mines and banks and pursue land reforms, yesterday had 6,2 percent of the vote with most ballots counted.
The result made EFF the third largest political party in South Africa and is on course to get around 20 seats in that country’s parliament.

A “political infant”, the EFF also scored big in North West province where it is now the official opposition to the ruling African National Congress party, which had 62,4 percent of the national vote at the time of writing.

Resource nationalism, analysts say, is finding currency among indigenous Africans who do not have much to show despite decades of independence.
Guinea, the DRC, Zambia, Ghana, Botswana and Namibia have taken stern measures on their mineral resources by raising State participation to ensure their people benefit more.

Analyst Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri said empowerment was an issue close to the hearts of many black people.
“Cde Malema and his supporters are speaking the language of Zanu-PF, which rings clear and true to ordinary people,” he said. “With time the ANC will have a formidable competitor whose ideology is empowering historically marginalised South Africans. This is the kind of ideology presented to the people by Zanu-PF.”

Dr Mhiripiri said the ANC had been liberal in its outlook.
“It speaks the same language (as Zanu-PF) but they seem liberal in implementation and are not as aggressive. African politicians, and Cde Malema in this case, are taking a cue from Zimbabwe that the willing-buyer willing-seller model for land reform does not work.”

He added: “Indigenisation and empowerment ideas started long back in Africa but one person who has aggressively implemented the ideas is President Mugabe, and many are beginning to like the idea. The ideas have been articulated before but they have not been put into action.”

National University of Science and Technology dean of Communication and Information Science, Dr Lawton Hikwa, said the “long-yearned desire” in Africa’s political struggle was that of owning resources.

“Malema is pushing that agenda and that explains why he has become an attraction,” he said.
“He is pursuing the same agenda as Zimbabwe, albeit in a different environment. People want to own their resources as evidenced by their support for Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and empowerment.

“It is a process, not an overnight thing and with African governments interacting, having a meeting of minds, they will achieve those ideas eventually.”
Zimbabwe’s indigenisation policy requires foreign firms worth at least US$500 000 equity to cede a 51 percent stake to locals.

Midlands State University dean of International Relations Mr Christopher Gwatidzo said there was growing realisation among African countries that “flag independence” did not pay.

“What is coming out is that the six percent Malema got are votes from former ANC members, meaning there are issues South Africans expected to have been solved by now but have not.

“The architecture of the economy is not in favour of blacks and Malema’s points resonate with original ideals you find in the ANC.”
The wave is spreading across Africa.

In 2011, Namibia declared all minerals — except zinc and fluorspar — “strategic” and handed over all exploration rights to newly-created State mining arm, Epangelo Mining Limited. Foreign investors must partner with Epangelo if they want to exploit any strategic mineral in Namibia.

Other mineral-rich countries such as Guinea, the DRC and Zambia are pushing through wide-ranging policy reforms.
The DRC which holds some of the world’s largest deposits of copper and cobalt, is amending its mining code to enable the State to hold no less than 35 percent equity.

Guinea, with probably the world’s largest deposits of bauxite and iron ore, has a law that gives the State 35 percent equity in mining projects. The country is also reviewing all mining contracts with a view to raising State participation and boosting mining revenues.

Zambia wants no less than 35 percent of all mining projects and reforms to this end are underway.
Ghana, Africa’s second-biggest gold producer, has announced a review and possible renegotiation of all mining to ensure mining profits are “maximised for the good of the country”.

Nigeria may renegotiate offshore oil contracts, because “unfair fiscal terms” are costing the country billions of dollars annually in revenue.
Beyond Africa, India two years ago started working on modalities for a new levy on minerals extracted from its forested regions.

In 2011, Peru enacted a new mining tax and royalty regime using the example of Chile, which in 2010 enacted measures to base levies on net mining income.
Mongolia, Peru, Indonesia, Poland and the United States increased taxes and royalties, while others have introduced or are in the process of introducing export levies on raw minerals.

Indonesia capped foreign ownership at 49 percent after 10 years of operations. In Mongolia, foreign ownership of strategic minerals is capped at 49 percent.

Mrs Mary Munetsi (81) of Highfield, Harare, wakes up to a dry tap after Harare City Council disconnected water supply at her house for non-payment of the water bill yesterday. The High Court recently ruled that municipalities must not disconnect supplies without a court order. —(Picture by William Mafunga)

Fidelis Munyoro and Farai Kuvirimirwa
Harare City Council risks being charged with contempt of court for disconnecting water to defaulting residents despite last week’s High Court decision declaring the practice unconstitutional and compelling all municipalities to seek court orders before cutting supplies.
Council staff were yesterday disconnecting water to defaulters in Tynwald, Highfield, Glen Norah, Budiriro and Westgate.
Legal experts warned that council officials could soon be cited for contempt of court.

Justice Chinembiri Bhunu’s landmark ruling described Section 8 of the Water By-law Statutory Instrument 164 of 1913, which empowers local authorities to arbitrarily cut water supplies, as unconstitutional.

This was after lawyer Mr Farai Mushoriwa contested disconnection of water to his Harare home.
The section in question reads: “Council may, by giving 24 hours notice in writing and without prejudicing its right to obtain payment for water supply to its consumer, disconnect supplies to the consumer: (a) If he shall have failed to pay any sum, which in the opinion of the council, is due under these conditions or the water by-laws.”

Justice Bhunu said the by-law breached Section 77 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, which classifies clean water and food as basic rights. Section 44 of the same Constitution imposes a duty on State and Government institutions, like councils, to respect fundamental human rights and freedoms.

Prominent lawyer Mr Terence Hussein said, “Council must obey court orders and if they choose not to obey a court order those who are ultimately responsible for managing council such as mayors and councilors will find out from the discomfort of a jail cell that it is not a very wise thing to do.”

Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba said the city was breaking the law.
“Residents have a right to clean water in terms of the Constitution. They cannot be deprived of water without the due process of the law. There is a possibility that council may be cited for contempt of court if they continue with disconnections.”

Another lawyer who spoke on condition of anonymity said the council should be guided by the judgment in its conduct going forward.
“The court has spoken once and the council must hear it twice over.”

But council lawyer Mr Charles Kwaramba said: “The essence of the order given by the court was interdicting council from disconnecting Mushoriwa’s water without a court order and the judgment was specific to Mr Mushoriwa. You must note that the court did not strike down the regulation in terms of which council have been acting all this while.”

Ambuya Mary Maponga of Old Highfield told The Herald yesterday that she had asked her grandchildren to get water from an industrial sites borehole because council cut her off this week.

“I was surprised to see council workmen shutting my water when I can go for days without water. The figures they are charging do not change despite the water shortages.

“We heard they were told to stop shutting the water but we tried to ask the people who came, and they said it was an order from their offices and not the courts.
“We are now using a borehole in the industrial areas where it is risky for my grandchildren to cross the busy Willowvale Road,” she said.

Richard Munetsi said Government should intervene to assist the residents who have resorted to using contaminated water for domestic use.
Mrs Mabel Magura of Westgate, who has a borehole, said her water was disconnected over a US$400 debt.

“There is no water most of the times and we drilled a borehole to help ourselves. The bills unjustifiably increase and we paid the fixed charge but there was no difference.

“They disconnected our water and threatened to disconnect the pipes from the main line if we were to connect it,” she said.
Mrs Felistas Mukangiro of Budiriro 1 said they had gone three months without water but received bills showing monthly consumption.

“Our neighbours get water but we get nothing and we dug a well which is assisting us at the moment,” she said.
Harare Mayor Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni said residents should pay for services.

“Residents should pay for the water they use and that is when they can be assured of it. We are there to observe the law and we will try to comply but we need money for us to avail more water.

“I am not aware that there have been subsequent disconnections after the (court) ruling. I can get further advice about the issue on Monday after getting full understanding of the ruling and the actual position from the management,” said Cllr Manyenyeni.

Local authorities countrywide have been using water disconnections to force residents to pay overdue bills.

Peter Matambanadzo and Ruvimbo Chakanyuka—
Government has gazetted regulations empowering local diamond companies to grade, cut, polish, crush and process the stones as well as sell them to international buyers. This is in line with the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (Diamond Sales to Local Diamond Manufacturers) (Amendment) Regulations of 2014 (Number 1).

Government is establishing a diamond park in Harare as it reforms the mining sector to realise maximum benefits from mineral resources as enshrined in the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

“Every local diamond manufacturer who has obtained rough diamonds from the local diamond pool shall sort by grading the rough diamonds by shape, clarity, colour and size and cut and polish or otherwise process the workable rough diamonds within the time and in the manner specified in its application for the purchase of the rough diamonds,” read Friday’s Government Gazette.

Diamond companies are compelled to submit written returns to the MMCZ general manager in relation to that quota of carats of rough diamonds purchased from the local diamond pool. Defaulters of this regulation may be barred from further business in the sector.

“Any local diamond company selling rough diamonds shall account for the source of such rough diamonds and apply to the (MMCZ) general manager for permission to sell them. Every local diamond manufacturer shall account for the source of unworkable rough diamonds by submitting a return that links the unworkable rough diamonds to the purchase source.”

Unworkable diamonds are diamonds that a manufacturer has no capacity to cut, polish, crush or process and realise maximum possible material or monetary recovery.

Government said every diamond processor could participate in international rough diamond sales upon application to the MMCZ general manager.

“Any unworkable rough diamonds from the rough diamond pool or the international diamond sale shall be exported subject to satisfactory compliance to export regulations for rough diamonds,” the Gazette said.

Firms that fail to securely transport rough diamonds from point of purchase to the factory would be penalised and prohibited from conducting business.

Illegal dealers and those obstructing inspectors, and anyone breaching provisions the regulations would be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine or three months imprisonment, or both.

Government also reviewed diamond licence fees from US$100 000 to US$20 000 for 10 years.
Meanwhile, the Diamond Technology Centre in Mt Hampden is set to open in June.

Speaking to The Herald, the chair of the centre, Mr Lovemore Kurotwi, said that “the country is set to benefit immensely from the project with the creation of 100 000 new jobs”.

Other benefits he listed were local value addition, increased tourism as the centre would attract foreign buyers to the country, and the resultant spillover effects on the transport and hospitality sectors.

Mr Kurotwi said the diamond centre would “create confidence with investors as they would be proper management and trade of the resource”.

“Investors will help fight the liquidity challenge that the country is facing with the injection of much-needed foreign direct investment that comes through the trade of diamonds in the country.

“The centre is a one-stop shop as it will have everything needed for trade and of world-class standards were billionaires and millionaires meet,” he said.

Project cost has been estimated at upwards of US$50 million.
Some of the facilities at the centre are a five-star hotel, banks and a mall.

The auction floor will accommodate 50 companies, and the centre will also host insurance companies, courier firms and regulatory services.
Talks with private air charter operators to ferry buyers from Harare International Airport to Charles Prince Airport were progressing.
It will be linked with similar centres globally such as in Belgium, Botswana and the United Arab Emirates.

The centre will also provide training for skills transfer in the diamond processing sector.

Mkhululi Chimoio and Mxolisi Ncube

Felex Share  Herald Reporter—
THE two journalists behind the Facebook page, Baba Jukwa, admitted to lying to their followers in addition to extorting an undisclosed amount of money to fund their project, a sensational cache of emails hacked from their Gmail account, babajukwa2013@gmail.com, revealed over the weekend.

The two, Mkhululi Chimoio and Mxolisi Ncube, work for the shadowy, Zimbabwean newspaper, published by Wilf Mbanga in Britain before being shuttled for sale in Zimbabwe.

The expose has come as an anti-climax to many who had been taken in by the Facebook character because of the complete contradiction between what he claimed to be, a senior Zanu-PF Politburo member, and what the pair are in real life, two struggling journalists who had no qualms conning their employer and unsuspecting followers of an indeterminate amount of money.

The two, last year, claimed that President Mugabe and Zanu-PF had put up a US$300 000 bounty on their heads but in an e-mail dated July 6, 2013 addressed to one Commander Milan, they owned up to lying about the alleged bounty.

e-mail exchanges

‘’Did you see people say they can catch me with $300 000,’’ Baba Jukwa wrote, ‘’kikikiki I made that one up to cause chaos. Now everyone thinks they are really after me but they can’t stop this freedom train commander. I got the money, thanks (sic) god for your support. Let me know if you need any resources from my end because we are in this together to the last day.’’

The sensational claims were picked up by some sections of the Zimbabwean and international media, among them CNN, BBC, ABC and the Daily Telegraph,  who claimed Baba Jukwa had so unsettled Zanu-PF that a bounty had been put on his head.

Chimoio and Ncube also promoted the bounty line in their articles in The Zimbabwean where they claimed Zanu-PF had launched an operation code-named ‘’Clean House’’ which they said was aimed at them along with CNN’s Robin Curnow, the BBC’s Andrew Harding and one Thuso Khumalo of Studio 7.

They also launched an appeal for funds through PayPal, an online payment platform, from their followers that they claimed would go towards funding a sustained media campaign against Zanu-PF.

They reassured their followers that the donations would remain a secret since the PayPal account they were using had been ‘’opened and secured in Switzerland’’.

Though it is not clear how much Chimoio and Ncube made, the campaign did not appear to have brought the desired rewards as evidenced by an exchange between Baba Jukwa and another troll going by the name Sahwira waBaba Jukwa, who is believed to be Mkhululi Chimoio where Mxolisi berated their followers for not opening the purse strings.

In a Google chat dated May 30, 2013 with Sahwira WaBaba Jukwa and in response to his question on how the fundraising was going, Baba Jukwa complained that the money they had received through PayPal was too little.

‘’Not gud at all zimbos (colloquial for Zimbabweans) are fools they don’t appreciate good things just imagine 30 dollars so far.”
Despite this, the documents at hand show that the two received up to eight transfers in one day broken down as US$30, £36, and 60 Australian dollars.

fake reward

This money was ostensibly meant to contribute to the development of a new mega media platform to fight Zanu-PF.
It is unclear how much was actually realised or what it was used for but what is clear is that the two journalists made money even from their employer, Wilf Mbanga whom they duped  into believing he was dealing with a senior Zanu-PF Politburo member.

The game Mbanga engaged Baba Jukwa as a columnist, and agreed to pay him for promoting his paper on his page.
Baba Jukwa was paid US$50 per article published by The Zimbabwean and an undisclosed amount of money for promoting the paper on the Facebook page.

Herald Reporter—
THE syndicate behind the “Baba Jukwa” Facebook page apparently panicked yesterday and was busy removing some sensational posts that can potentially lead to criminal charges from the account. Hackers at the weekend identified two South Africa-based Zimbabwean journalists – Mkhululi Chimoio and Mxolisi Ncube – as the people administering the page that is believed to be the face of a syndicate involving several people who supplied Chimoio and Ncube with material, most of it contrived to cast Zanu-PF in bad light in a bid to prop up the fortunes of the opposition MDC-T.

The Jukwa expose, a throwback to the Julian Assange WikiLeaks saga, that sent a chill down the spines of several politicians, apparently brought an early winter for some given the tonnes of confidential data released by the hackers which exposes some renegade politicians who tried to use the hitherto faceless character to settle scores.

While the hackers took control of Baba Jukwa’s e-mail accounts before locking out the pair of Chimoio and Ncube, the duo were still in control of their Facebook page and yesterday made five posts on various issues one of which tried to deny that Baba Jukwa had indeed been unmasked despite irrefutable evidence gathered by the hackers linking the pair to the site.

Information Communication Technology experts, however, said the clean-up of the Facebook page timeline was akin to closing the stable doors when the horses have already bolted as the material gathered, including emails, was enough to make the two liable for prosecution.

Harare lawyer Norman Mugiya of Mupindu and Mugiya law chambers said the pair could be charged with “publishing information likely to cause despondency.”

“This is an issue of national interest that is likely to cause panic and despondency,” he said, “another charge will be that of criminal defamation but the hurdle would be the process of extradition here. They have to get through the extradition process to have them otherwise that will be their escape route.”

Another lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange said the Jukwa duo were likely to face both civil and criminal charges.
“The Criminal Law  (Codification and Reform) Act prohibits any person from sending statements that are misleading resulting in someone suffering prejudice,” he said.

“These guys claimed that they were Zanu-PF members and Politburo members knowing that they were false claims resulting in alarm and despondency.”

Mr Samukange said both Zanu-PF and other individuals whose civil rights had been infringed by the publication of those false stories could now make formal police reports.

Our news crew was, yesterday, combing the page looking for some of the more damaging, ludicrous and potentially criminal posts but could not find them as they were apparently deleted.

These included, among other things, the bald claims that President Mugabe was planning on poisoning thousands of young Zimbabweans who were to attend his annual Children’s Party ahead of the 2014 21st February Movement celebrations, and those with private cellphone numbers of public officials.

“Baba Jukwa” at one point posted a cell number that he claimed belonged to President Mugabe, a development Presidential Spokesperson Cde George Charamba scoffed at.

Posting of private cell numbers could lead to criminal charges under telecommunications laws, as the posts encouraged people to harass the people in question.

“Baba Jukwa” has also on several occasions claimed President Mugabe’s death and/or being in a coma at a Singapore medical facility; all lies that were designed to foment instability in the country.

Further, “Baba Jukwa” made several posts in which he accused people of murder, assault, rape, theft and fraud, among other things, which could fall foul of criminal defamation laws.

While “Baba Jukwa” has lost control of the email account to the unidentified hackers, he/they retain(s) control of the Facebook page, and indications last night were that the account was being cleaned up to remove the damaging posts.

The claims related to certain individuals dying “soon” – including Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo – have not come to pass, something that led people to start questioning “Baba Jukwa’s” credibility more than a year ago.

Dr Chombo

Municipal Reporter—
Government has summoned companies that are allegedly polluting the water system across the country. Among the culprits are funeral parlours, service stations, fuel holding depots and food processing plants. Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo and Harare City Council officials would meet the company’s representatives at Town House today to find ways of mitigating pollution.

A report by permanent secretaries submitted to a committee established to probe causes of water pollution nots that service stations, chemical processing plants and transport operators’ garages release oil, grease and silt which pollute underground water and corrode sewer systems.

Tanneries have organic solids, dyes and paints which are poisonous and dangerous to human and aquatic life, while food outlets and food processing plants produce oils and fats that block sewer reticulation systems.

Funeral parlours are releasing the embalming fluid formaldehyde, which kills bacteria that is important in sewage purification.
Breweries and beverage producers produce alkaline that also kills bacteria for sewer purification and abattoirs have fats and organic solids that reduce biological oxygen demand, thus destroying aquatic life.

Government has since ordered thousands of such businesses to immediately install waste interceptors and pre-treatment plants to curb pollution or face closure.

The Zim-Asset cluster on infrastructure and utilities stipulates that for the economy to register growth in a competitive and effective manner, there is need to develop robust, elaborate and resilient infrastructure in water and sanitation.

The committee recommended that the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate immediately gazette a Statutory Instrument enforcing the “polluter pays principle”.

The Cabinet Committee includes the ministries of Finance and Economic Development, Energy and Power Development, Industry and Commerce, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Mines and Mining Development and Health and Child Care.

Local authorities are also notorious for discharging waste into water bodies and the Cabinet Committee recommended that sewage pump stations be rehabilitated

Companies fingered included Delta Beverages, Schweppes, Ingwebu Breweries, Colcom, CSC, Treger Kango and United Refineries.
These operate with bad pre-treatment plants or without any.

President Mugabe greets Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, while his Environment, Water and Climate counterpart Saviour Kasukuwere looks on at the zanu-pf Politburo meeting at the revolutionary party’s headquarters in Harare yesterday. — (Picture by Justin Mutenda)

Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter—
Implementation of the country’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, is progressing well with several projects already at various stages of progression as Government revives the sanctions-battered economy, Zanu-PF’s Politburo heard in Harare yesterday.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa briefed the ruling party’s Politburo on progress in the implementation of Zim-Asset, saying projects worth hundreds of millions of United States dollars were already underway.

Zanu-PF information and publicity secretary Cde Rugare Gumbo said: “We had Cde Chinamasa updating us on the Zim-Asset implementation. His views are that things seem to be moving well.

“(New) ZimSteel in Kwekwe (formerly Ziscosteel) has come back and they are now in the process of resuscitating the company. He also talked about the housing programme he is carrying out, that he commissioned a housing programme or laid the ground work for a housing programme to the south of Harare.

“There is also a cement factory which is being done here in Harare as well as in Rushinga. So, all he said is (that) it demonstrates that Zim-Asset is working and there is progress taking place.”

Government and Essar Holdings recently agreed on resumption of operations at New ZimSteel after the Mauritian investor pledged US$650 million for the first phase of the project.

Further, Minister Chinamasa commissioned a US$160 million Fidelity Life Assurance housing scheme last week, which will see construction of at least 6 000 houses in Harare’s Southview Park.

Pretoria Portland Cement has finalised plans to set up a US$200 million cement plant in Rushinga, while Lafarge Cement is expected to invest US$20 million to boost production at its Harare plant.

Over and above this, several ministries are working on projects related to fruition of Zim-Asset.
Small to medium enterprises are being assisted with funds, with those in mining last week benefiting from a US$700 000 gold facility.
A Cabinet committee on Water and Sanitation last week publicised a raft of measures to minimise pollution of water bodies.

Zim-Asset lists water management and sanitation as a core Government objective, and within this scope the State will oversee construction of related infrastructure – including dams and conveyance systems.

Zanu-PF’s Politburo resolved that conservancies, especially in Masvingo province, be indigenised although people that got land under the A2 land reform scheme would not benefit from this.

This was adopted after the Politburo received a report from Environment, Water and Climate Change Minister Saviour Kasukuwere.
“The Politburo took the position that there shouldn’t be double-dipping,” said Cde Gumbo. “People who got A2 farms cannot get conservancies, so the Minister of Environment will be working on the mechanics and modalities of that.”

Save Valley Conservancy has been rocked by ownership wrangles pitting new farmers, local communities and white owners – some of whom have been accused of resisting incorporation of indigenous Zimbabweans in the lucrative sector – in the past three years.

The Politburo discussed the plight of Tokwe-Mukosi Dam (Masvingo province) flood victims, and directed Minister Chinamasa to source funds to compensate affected families.

“There is quite (some) resistance from the people affected in terms of going to areas they have been allocated, only 357 so far have accepted going to those areas out of about 2 640,” said Cde Gumbo in reference to families that should be relocated.

“One of the reasons why the people are unwilling to go is because others were compensated. The decision of the Politburo was that Minister Chinamasa should find the money to compensate those people so that they are moved as quickly as people from that area.”

Cde Gumbo could not divulge the amount of money needed to compensate the families.

zanu-pf secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa

Herald Reporters—
Zanu-PF is probing which of its senior officials fed information, some of it false, to the discredited “Baba Jukwa” Facebook page, while police have said they are ready to investigate potential criminal activity related to the whole saga if formal reports are made. Legal experts also dared Mkhululi Chimoio and Mxolisi Ncube, the administrators of the page, to make good their threat to sue the hackers and papers that exposed them, saying this would give citizens an opportunity to grill the syndicate behind the scandalous page.

In separate interviews yesterday, zanu-pf secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa and spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo, said there was need to probe the matter, more so because most of the “information” was false and malicious.

Hackers, who worked on the expose since last year, identified South Africa-based Zimbabwean journalists Chimoio and Ncube as part of a syndicate behind the scandalous Facebook page.

The two work for The Zimbabwean newspaper published by Wilf Mbanga in Britain and sold here.
“Baba Jukwa” claimed to be a disgruntled senior zanu-pf Politburo member before “his” exposure as a donor-funded regime change project. Cde Mutasa said he believed some ruling party officials supplied information to “Baba Jukwa” in a bid to discredit zanu-pf ahead of last year’s harmonised elections that the party nonetheless won with a landslide.

“It is necessary and essential to discuss the matter as a party and investigate what could have happened,” said Cde Mutasa. “I agree that some among us were supplying those accused people with information with a view to cast the party in bad light and there is need to probe the matter.
“But we have to get a detailed information of what was happening because what we only have is from the media.”

Some of the information the syndicate posted on their page was highly misleading and appeared designed to ignite civil disturbances and even insurrections, which is prohibited under various laws including the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Cde Gumbo said a lot of what “Baba Jukwa” wrote was malicious and meant to destabilise Zanu-PF.

“The pair’s behaviour is unacceptable for it destroyed the image of political leaders in the country,” he said. “All I can say is that whatever happened on that social network, innocent people whose images were damaged should report to the police.”

He added that the alleged involvement of senior party officials was “worrisome”.
“Some of the information was completely accurate and at times outlandish,” he said. “Zvimwe zvacho waitoshaya kuti zvabva nekupi (Some of it left one wondering where it was coming from and what it meant).

“We have to keep probing to discover who was doing that, but it is quite a worrisome phenomenon. It is difficult to identify those individuals, but the matter has to be looked into intensively.”
A top cop said once reports were made they would investigate.

“At the moment no reports have been made, but once the complainants have made the reports, then we will be able to investigate the cases,” said a senior officer.

On Monday, the syndicate that conned people of various sums of money, apparently removed some of the more sensational posts that could lead to criminal charges from the Facebook page.

Legal experts said Ncube and Chimoio could be prosecuted because they waded into matters of national security in a manner “likely to cause despondency”.

A cache of emails hacked from their Gmail account, babajukwa2013@gmail, also revealed that many people were conned of their money as the administrators claimed to need donations to further their shadowy agenda.

Mbanga was duped into paying for a weekly column in The Zimbabwean, which carried a lot of false information.
Some of the posts gave the public the private cellphone numbers of officials so that people could harass them, which could lead to criminal charges under telecommunications laws.

“Baba Jukwa” has also on several occasions claimed President Mugabe’s imminent death and/or being in a coma at a Singapore medical facility.
Further, “Baba Jukwa” made several posts in which he accused people of murder, intent to murder, assault, rape, theft and fraud, among other things, which could fall foul of criminal defamation laws.

Thupeyo Muleya
A total of 70 tourists from across the globe arrived in the country through Beitbridge border post yesterday in 28 vintage cars. The convoy arrived at the border post at around mid morning and were welcomed by officials from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) who facilitated their smooth passage with the assistance of the departments of Immigration and the Zimbabwe Revenue Services.

They then made a stopover at the Rainbow Beitbridge Hotel where they had some snacks before proceeding with their journey to Matopo National Park.

The group will spend three days in Zimbabwe at various tourists such as Matopo National Park and Victoria Falls as part of the Classic Safari Challenge which started in Cape Town in South Africa.

Event coordinator Vincent Taylor said they started in Cape Town before proceeding to Swaziland.

Taylor said they will be touring game parks and other tourist attraction centres in Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia before returning to South Africa.

“We have a group of 70 tourists from countries including Britain, Switzerland and Australia. Basically the Classic Safari Challenge is about having fun driving in old cars especially those manufactured in the 1920s.

“We are touring five countries in Southern Africa this year,” he said.

He said the safari, which was sponsored by Endura Rally Association, is held once every two years.

Taylor said they have toured South Africa five times adding that it was their first visit to Zimbabwe this year.

He added that the group had brought their vehicles from their various countries of origin.

He said from their experience at the border post and the general public they were very confident that Zimbabweans were hospitable people.

“Our experience in the country will help us recommend other tourists to visit Zimbabwe on the same safari or on private visits. We are looking forward to a good time in this country,” said Taylor.

Mr Chitukutuku

Herald Reporter—
Zimbabwe National Roads Administration chief executive Mr Frank Chitukutuku has resigned under unclear circumstances, cutting short his contract as he will leave at the end of this year rather than in March 2015 when his contract was due to expire. His resignation comes after Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu voiced concern at how accountability was lacking at Zinara, especially on funds collected at tollgates.

A source said Mr Chitukutuku informed the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development of his intention to leave in December in writing, giving various reasons for his decision.

The source would not disclose all the reasons for his departure, but said one of them was that he wanted to “pursue personal business”.
“He gave notification that he will leave on December 31, 2014,” said the source.

“He will go on leave on 31 October pending departure on 31 December. His contract is supposed to expire on March 31, 2015. His reasons for departure are contained in his resignation letter.”

Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure Development Mr Munesu Munodawafa said yesterday that he would comment on the matter today after meeting Dr Mpofu.

Dr Mpofu could not be reached for comment as he was said to be out of the country.
Mr Chitukutuku said he needed clearance from Mr Munodawafa before he could speak.

Minister Mpofu recently placed Zinara under daily surveillance to monitor revenue collection to improve transparency.
This was after he had dissolved the Zinara board chaired by Mr Abdullah Kassim, as well as the boards of Air Zimbabwe, the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, the Meteorological Services Department, Road Motor Services, CMED (Pvt) Ltd, the Vehicles Inspection Department, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe and National Handling Services. Minister Mpofu directed that Zinara operations be directly linked to the ministry for better monitoring.

He said Zinara officials were “not accountable to anybody, they were not reporting to the ministry or the permanent secretary, so we were giving them guidelines on how they should operate”.

The public, legislators and local authorities have been complaining that Zinara was not properly disbursing funds for road maintenance despite collecting millions annually.

Mr Chitukutuku joined Zinara in 2005 as an auditor and was promoted to the position of human resources manager in 2006.
He was appointed chief executive officer in 2009.

Mr Chitukutuku is understood to have invested heavily in farming and he could be heading towards full-time private enterprise.

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter—
Funeral parlours, service stations, fuel holding depots and food processing plants yesterday admitted to dumping waste in drinking water systems countrywide and asked Government to give them time to institute measures to stop the pollution. Experts have linked the pollutants in water to the incidence of cancer in adults and the fatal heart condition called “blue baby” syndrome (or methemoglobinemia) in newborns.

The firms’ representatives said this in a meeting with a Government committee established in line with the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) to probe causes of water pollution and raw sewage disposal and to rectify the situation.

The meeting between the committee, the companies and local authorities was to find ways of reducing water pollution.
The committee gave the companies a four-week deadline to install waste interceptors and pre-treatment plants to prevent discharge of raw effluent into water bodies’, failure of which they will face closure and hefty fines from the Environmental Management Agency.
But the companies and local authorities took a swipe at EMA for fining them without providing solutions.

Zimbabwe Phosphate Company general manager Mr Tapuwa Mashingaidze conceded that they were regarded among the major polluters and were working on reducing levels of pollution.

“Although we have done much work on the ground, we need a more realistic timeframe for a huge place like Zimphos,” he said.
Mr Mashingaidze said the liquidity crunch was hurting Zimpos, hence the reequest for more time to address the problem.

Ruwa Local Board chairman Mr Pinias Mushayavanhu said EMA was obsessed with enforcing punitive measures on offenders without helping address challenges faced by local authorities.

“They say continue to pollute and we will fine you,” he said. “They do not want to sit down with us and find ways of addressing the problem. Right now we do not have anywhere to dispose our refuse.”

Other companies represented at the meeting were Delta Beverages, Chibuku, Nyaradzo Funeral Services, Lyons Maid, Colcom, Olivine and Innscor.

Harare Metropolitan Minister of State Miriam Chikukwa and Harare town clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi were also present.
Minister Chikukwa said all polluters should immediately take remedial action, while Dr Mahachi said councils and environmental authorities should work together to ensure companies complied with regulations contained in the EMA and Urban and Local Authorities Acts.

EMA representative Ms Petronella Shoko said solid waste pollution had to be addressed, adding that some chemicals used in tanneries exposed residents to cancer if not properly managed.

Harare provincial administrator Mr Alfred Tome took a swipe at mayors and chairpersons of councils and local boards for politicking instead of providing service delivery.

Government’s Zim-Asset Cluster on Infrastructure and Utilities empasises the need for robust, elaborate and resilient water and sanitation infrastructure for economic growth.

Ms Michelle Gudo (fore) of UN Women and Ms Caroline Matizha (left) from the Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development Ministry protest at the Nigerian embassy in Harare yesterday against the kidnapping of girls by Boko Haram in Nigeria.

Herald Reporter—
National Assembly members from different political parties yesterday expressed solidarity with the people and government of Nigeria following the abduction of more than 200 girls from a school three weeks ago by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram. The parliamentarians were debating a motion moved by Mufakose representative Ms Paurina Mpariwa to present a report on a conference in South Africa last November on legislators’ responses to violence against women and girls in Africa.

Buhera Central representative Cde Joseph Chinotimba said Africa should take action against Boko Haram as a matter of urgency.
“As Zimbabweans, we should all condemn what happened in Nigeria. As African countries, we should all condemn that act and unite and send forces to Nigeria to find those girls,” Cde Chinotimba said.

Southerton representative Mr Gift Chimanikire said the abduction of the girls was a primitive act.
“The heinous activities by Boko Haram are condemnable. In this day and age we are supposed to be civilised and not act in this barbaric manner,” he said.

Cde Sabina Mangwende added that it was unacceptable that human trafficking was continuing unabated.
“What has happened in Nigeria is painful especially to women. It is also painful that women continue to be the victims of human trafficking,” Cde Mangwende said.

The girls were abducted at a boarding school in Chibok, northern Nigeria on April 14.
A video from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau on Monday showed some of the abducted girls. Shekau demanded the release of Boko Haram militants held in Nigeria’s jails in exchange for the girls’ freedom.

Cde Annastancia Ndlovu also expressed her solidarity with Nigeria.
“We don’t know where they are and pray to God for their speedy release,” she said.

The Senate also condemned the abduction and Sen Chitaka said Africa should unite to secure the release of the girls.
“It is important that this Senate sends a strong message of disapproval. Africa must not tolerate this abuse. These girls must be released without conditions,” said Sen Chitaka.

Manicaland Senator Judith Mawire (Zanu-PF) said she never thought Africans would do that to each other.
“I am shocked by men in Africa who have no respect for women,” she said, sentiments echoed by Matabeleland North Senator Thokozile Mathuthu.

The Nigerian government is searching for the girls while China, United States, Britain and France have offered assistance.

Chief Court Reporter
The High Court has ordered Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana to issue a certificate for the private prosecution of Bikita West Member of Parliament Dr Munyaradzi Kereke on charges of rape.

Dr Kereke is alleged to have raped the then 11-year-old girl at gunpoint at his home in Vainona, Harare.

Related articles:

• Lawyer wants Kereke prosecuted

• Kereke granted leave to counter rape allegations

• Guardian of Kereke’s alleged rape victim seeks his arrest

He denies the allegations, saying this was a smear campaign emanating from his acrimonious feud with the former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr Gideon Gono.

Dr Kereke for years worked as Dr Gono’s advisor, but the two have since fallen out.

The ruling by Justice Happias Zhou follows an application by the complainant’s guardian Mr Francis Maramwidze  seeking the arrest and prosecution of Dr Kereke on charges of rape.

The complaint’s family lawyer Mr Charles Warara of Warara and Associates had argued that Mr Tomana’s decision to decline prosecuting Dr Kereke was an infringement on his client’s constitutional rights to access justice.

This, he said, was detrimental to justice delivery and Mr Tomana should not be allowed to make improper decisions.

Mrs  Sharon Fero  who appeared for the PG’s office  had opposed the application, arguing that Mr Tomana used his discretion vested upon him in terms of the supreme law of the country.

She said her office could not be compelled to prosecute where there was no incriminating evidence against a suspect.

Mr Maramwidze claimed that he reported the alleged rape in October 2009, but police did nothing about it.

Dr Kereke

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Bikita West legislator Dr Munyaradzi Kereke is set to appear in court soon facing charges of rape after the High Court yesterday ordered Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana to issue a certificate allowing private prosecutors to take up the case if he is not interested.
Dr Kereke is alleged to have raped the then 11-year-old girl who is related to him at gunpoint at his home in Vainona, Harare, sometime in October 2010.
Justice Happias Zhou allowed an application by the girl’s guardian to institute private prosecution against Dr Kereke.

Related articles:

• Lawyer wants Kereke prosecuted

• Kereke granted leave to counter rape allegations

• Guardian of Kereke’s alleged rape victim seeks his arrest

Private prosecution is a criminal proceeding initiated by an individual or private organisation, instead of a public prosecutor who represents the State.
“The second respondent (Prosecutor-General) be and is hereby ordered to grant the applicant a certificate in terms of Section 16 (1) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07),” read the judgment.

Justice Zhou said where the Prosecutor-General declined to prosecute, he was enjoined to issue a certificate once he was requested by a party who intended to institute a private prosecution.

“He has no discretion to refuse to issue the certificate,” said Justice Zhou.
“His constitutionally guaranteed independence and the concomitant discretionary powers relate to making of a decision as to whether or not to prosecute, the discretion does not extend to refusing to give a certificate once there has been a request for that certificate by a party intending to prosecute.”

Justice Zhou dismissed the relief sought by the guardian to force the police to bring Dr Kereke to court on the rape charge.
He said the order sought was incompetent because the police was not responsible for the prosecution of suspects.

The guardian claimed that he reported the alleged rape in October 2010, but police did nothing about it.
Dissatisfied with the progress of the case, the guardian approached the High Court for relief.

The guardian’s lawyer, Mr Charles Warara argued that Mr Tomana’s decision to decline prosecuting Dr Kereke was an infringement on his client’s constitutional rights to access justice.

This, he said, was detrimental to justice delivery and Mr Tomana should not be allowed “to make improper decisions”.
Ms Sharon Fero, who appeared for the PG’s office, had opposed the application, arguing that Mr Tomana used his discretion vested upon him in terms of the Constitution.

She said her office could not be compelled to prosecute where there was no incriminating evidence against a suspect.
Dr Kereke is denying the rape allegations, saying this was a smear campaign emanating from his acrimonious feud with his former boss and former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Dr Gideon Gono.

Dr Kereke for years worked as Dr Gono’s advisor, but the two have since fallen out.

Tendai Mugabe and Lloyd Gumbo
DESPITE infantile denials that they had nothing to do with the Baba Jukwa Facebook page, or that their e-mail had not been hacked to expose the identity of those behind the page, the shadowy Facebook character on Tuesday admitted that hackers locked “him” out of his e-mail account last year.
Hackers, who were working to unravel the identity of Baba Jukwa since last year, at the weekend identified two South Africa-based Zimbabwean journalists — Mkhululi Chimoio and Mxolisi Ncube — as the people administering the scandalous Facebook page.

The pair, in their private chats, admitted to fabricating most of the information on the page to cast Zanu-PF, its leadership, members and supporters in bad light and to prop up the fortunes of the opposition MDC-T.

The hackers took control of the e-mail account, babajukwa2013@gmail.com, and locked out its owners last year, though the administrators — who are still in control of the Facebook page — opened another account to continue operating.

And in a bid to hit back at the Sunday Mail, and Chronicle for breaking the story and the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services for commenting on the expose, Baba Jukwa posted his usual scandalous allegations against the editors of the paper and Minister Jonathan Moyo in which he unwittingly let the cat out of the bag.

Said Baba Jukwa in a post on Monday posted: “If hackers hacked why didn’t (they) take control of the famous Baba Jukwa page since they claim to have control of MY EMAIL I ABANDONED IN 2013?”

In their responses several people asked why Baba Jukwa was denying that he was exposed when he had just admitted that the hacked email was his.
‘’What I don’t understand is that this BJ has admitted owning the email address but still claims he is not those two guys, confusing indeed. But the clear thing is BJ chaiye akabatwa kare either way because uyu akadhakwa,’’ said one Reason Ben.

Wilberforce Nyamustsika quipped with ‘’So the e-mail hacked belonged to Baba Jukwa, but was abandoned 2013 kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk. Seka zvako mwana waNenguwo naMutoko.’’ while Brighton Chiwola took exception to the attempted smear on the two journalists and the minister, ‘’ You sound bitter! Why do u include Mathuthu when you know he is no longer with New Zim? Does the fact that Joram Nyathi is now with Zimpapers make the ZimInd a Zanu-PF project? The fact remains you were fooled and you thought you could fool us Zimbos, but now you have been CAUGHT! contrary to what you said in your chat with Sahwi, Zimbos are not fools!’’

The syndicate apparently panicked at the weekend and removed some of the more sensational posts that can potentially lead to criminal charges.
A cache of emails hacked from Gmail account babajukwa2013@gmail.com last year exposed the duo admitting to lying to their followers in addition to extorting an undisclosed amount of money to fund their project.

“Baba Jukwa” last year claimed that President Mugabe and Zanu-PF had put a US$300 000 bounty on their heads. But an e-mail dated July 6, 2013 addressed to one Commander Milan, “Baba Jukwa” laughed about how he had made up the bounty claim.

Some media organisations, including British newspaper The Guardian, ran stories based on “Baba Jukwa’s” lies.
The Facebook page also carried posts of private cell numbers of prominent people and exhorted the public to call them and harass them.

Several affected people said they experienced serious trauma in the form of insults and verbal abuse and called for the arrests of the administrators.
In interviews with The Herald, they recounted how they were affected by the intrusion into their privacy.

Some of them said those behind the Facebook page should apologise to the nation.
Environment, Water and Climate Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said: “It was a very bad situation where I received phone calls from all over the world with people intruding into my family unnecessarily. Obviously we are going to take action on that.”

Presidential spokesperson Mr George Charamba added, “They gave Charamba’s number claiming it to be President Mugabe’s number. I received numerous calls and most of them were, however, congratulating the President and of course some were insulting me.

“There was gross intrusion in my life and those behind that Facebook page should apologise to the nation and my person if we are to have a starting point.”
Mr Charamba said another time “Baba Jukwa” posted his cell phone number claiming that it was that of a girl searching for “a serious boyfriend”.

“I endured three months of courtship from several boys from South Africa and others in the United Kingdom who were using hidden numbers,” he said.
Mr Charamba said he reported the matter to the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.

A senior security official who declined to be named said the architects of “Baba Jukwa” character were an extension of the illegal regime change agenda and must be sued.

Lloyd Gumbo Senior Reporter
At least 290 backbencher legislators will get brand new all-terrain vehicles under the Parliamentary Vehicle Loan scheme between Parliament and a local motor vehicle dealer Croco Motors, expected to gobble over US$10 million.
Government set a ceiling of US$35 000 per vehicle with MPs who would have settled for vehicles priced beyond the figure being asked to pay the difference.
Croco Motors will supply the vehicles on a credit facility to be settled by Government in eight months, while the legislators will payback the dues during their five-year tenure.

Effectively, the deal sidelines Willowvale Mazda Motor Industry, a local vehicle assembly firm that indicated recently that if adequately supported by Government and local firms, had the capacity produce vehicles that meet local market specifications.

The latest legislators’ deal would see all the 290 vehicles (Ford Rangers) being sourced from foreign markets including South Africa and millions being exported.
According to the deal, the legislators will repay the loans while those from the Seventh Parliament who are still owed by Government, will have their outstanding allowances liquidated through the vehicle loan scheme.

Some MPs viewed the vehicles at the Croco Motors depot in Harare yesterday.
Chairperson of a sub-committee of Parliament’s Standing Orders and Rules Committee responsible for Welfare of MPs and Staff, Cde Joram Gumbo, confirmed the deal after meeting parliamentarians from Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC formations.

“We have agreed that MPs can buy vehicles on loan from one supplier (Croco Motors) who has agreed to give them vehicles on delayed payment because at the moment Government has no money,” said Cde Gumbo.

He said since the vehicles were bonded, MPs would be given certificates exempting them from paying duty and value added tax.
“Government was supposed to pay a deposit for these vehicles but because there is no money and the dealer has agreed to give out the vehicles on loan, MPs can only get the Ford make that Croco Motors has agreed to supply.

“If they want any other make then it means Government will have to pay deposit so that Croco Motors can pay for those vehicles. But at the moment that will be difficult because Government has already indicated that it has no money,” said Cde Gumbo.

MDC-T Chief Whip Mr Innocent Gonese said he agreed with everything Cde Gumbo said.
MPs from across the political divide had grown exasperated with the delay by Government to provide them with new vehicles saying it frustrated their constituency work.

They claimed the executive and the judiciary were allocated top-of-the-range official vehicles soon after swearing in while they went for months without vehicles.
MPs prefer all-terrain vehicles since most of them have rural constituencies where roads are not in good state, attributed to the effects of the illegal sanctions for the last decade.

Some of the MPs who viewed the vehicles yesterday said while they welcomed the development they were not amused that they were limited to one make.
“Some of the vehicles we viewed at Croco range from $28 000 for single cab to $44 000 for double cab,” said one of the MPs.

“The other worry is that the $35 000 cap is insufficient for all terrain vehicles. And if you look at the executive and the vehicles they were given, their prices are almost double what they are giving us.”

A policeman escorts the commuter omnibus driver who knocked down and killed a four-year-old boy into the Harare Magistrates Courts

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The commuter omnibus driver who recently knocked and killed a four-year-old boy while fleeing police in Harare, was today sentenced to two years in prison for culpable homicide.

His license was cancelled and fined $100 for driving without a medical endorsement.

Lloyd Kusotera (28) pleaded guilty to driving without medical endorsement and pleaded not guilty to culpable homicide.

However, Harare provincial magistrate Mr Douglas Chikwekwe, convicted Kusotera after a full trial.

Mr Chikwekwe evoked mandatory provisions of the Traffic Act after ruling that there were no special circumstances and sentenced Kusotera to two years in prison on culpable homicide charges.

In addition, Kusotera was barred from driving all classes of vehicles for six months. He was also prohibited from driving heavy vehicles and commuter omnibuses for the rest of his life.

Mr Chikwekwe cancelled Kusotera’s driver’s licence.

On the second count of driving without a medial endorsement, Kusotera was fined $100 or two months in prison.

In passing sentence Mr Chikwekwe said it is by luck that one goes into town and comes back alive because of the erratic driving of commuter omnibus drivers.

“Something must be done to ensure sanity prevails in our roads. Many people have been injured and a dear life was ended prematurely, there is a public outcry.

“The police had a constitutional mandate to approach Kusotera as an offending person but running away from the police against a one way is not a special circumstance.

“Ignorance of the law or greed for money led him to drive without a medical endorsement,” he said.

In aggravation prosecutor, Ms Francesca Mukumbiri, told the court that cases of commuter omnibus drivers who hit pedestrians are on the increase.

“It is now scary to move around the CBD to the extent that people anticipate writing a will before going for shopping. It is wrong for Kusotera to transfer liability to the police,” she said.

While presenting Kusotera’s special circumstances his lawyer, Mr Tawanda Takaendesa, told the court that his client was attacked by the police and became confused leading to the accident.

Ms Mukumbiri closed the State case after calling Norest Masiiwa, Tawanda Maere and James Thomas as witnesses.

Ms Mukumbiri said Kusotera of Zengeza 5 in Chitungwiza was employed as a commuter omnibus driver by Jinga Tours.

On the fateful day at around 5 pm, Kusotera was driving a white Toyota Hiace and was picking passengers at an undesignated pick-up point.

Trying to evade the police, Kusotera drove the wrong way down a one-way street and hit Tanatswa Neil Mutyora who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Avenues Clinic.

The court said Kusotera was negligent when he travelled at excessive speed, failed to keep a proper lookout, travelled against the one-way signs and failed to stop or act reasonably when the accident seemed imminent.

The vehicle carrying Tafadzwa Mapako being escorted into Civil Court by riot police today.

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter

Sungura musician Alick Macheso has been ordered to pay  US$1030 in maintenance to his estranged second wife Tafadzwa Mapako and their two children.

Magistrate Tafadzwa Muvhami ordered Macheso to pay US$750 in child support and US$280 for Tafadzwa.

Mr Muvhami said the sungura star is legally liable to maintain Tafadzwa as there are no witnesses to confirm that Macheso gave her a divorce token (gupuro) meaning their union legally subsists.

The magistrate ordered the two to agree on  a date to conduct paternity tests but not later June 6, 2014.

Meanwhile, Tafadzwa had to be escorted in and out of the Civil Court premises by riot police as scores of Macheso fans who had gathered at the complex threatened to physically attack her.

Details to follow…

Mxolisi Ncube

Herald Reporter
ONE of the two discredited journalists behind the Baba Jukwa saga unmasked by anonymous hackers last weekend, Mxolisi Ncube, made use of his extensive contacts within the police force to gather information which he then twisted to defame senior Government officials, investigations by The Herald reveal.
Ncube, who was previously a police sergeant based in Bulawayo before fleeing Zimbabwe under unclear circumstances, made use of contacts he acquired during his time in the police force including his media stint with the police publication, Outpost Magazine, to gather information on the activities and whereabouts of politicians and senior Government officials which then allowed him to purport to be in different parts of the country at various and sometimes the same time when in fact he was in Pretoria, South Africa, where he has been resident since 2007.

Apparently working in cahoots with some rogue police officers who served as his informants, Ncube and his sidekick, Mkhululi Chimoio, managed to get detailed information about Government and Zanu-PF events and would then issue accurate information on their Facebook social network page, creating the illusion that Baba Jukwa was a senior official in attendance.

In some instances pictures would be taken to give credence to the Baba Jukwa propaganda about his fictitious role and imaginary status in Government and Zanu-PF.
In a chilling case, documents seen by The Herald show that Ncube’s connections with rogue police officers took on a violent angle that is likely to cause concern to the security services.

This is an Internet chat between  Sahwira waBaba Jukwa (Chimoio) and Baba Jukwa (Ncube) during which Ncube boasted of his links to a shadowy group calling itself the Gunda-Nleya Brigade which Ncube said was made up of rogue former security operatives.

“Let’s fight on, have you ever heard of Gunda-Nleya Brigade, a movement of former security forces? Yes they are here to stay n deal with all. Yesterday they striked succeful (sic) somewhere yes I am happy,” Ncube bragged in an apparent reference to acts of sabotage that had been carried out by the group inside the country.
A quick Internet search shows that the group has some form of organisational structure and boasts a Facebook following of nearly 7 000.

On its Facebook page the shadowy group claims that, “Gunda Nleya Brigade has been founded by 100 members of Zimbabwe’s Security Forces to protect our brothers and sisters from JOC-sponsored violence, expose corruption from within the ranks and professionalize our institutions. Read our manifesto below…”

The group’s manifesto goes on to list 10 objectives including a desire to fight what they describe as “JOC-sponsored mercenaries.”
In a Facebook post on July 30, 2013, on the eve of the harmonised general election, the group posted a chilling threat to General Constantine Chiwenga, the ZDF Commander, saying, “FREEDOM! I am angry, excited, hopeful and proud. I feel like I can conquer the world on my own today. Chiwenga, I will be the one to deal with you personally, WITH MY OWN HANDS. Nothing can get in between me avenging the assassination of my father, which you ordered. Vapanduki, see you all in heaven.”

These revelations are in addition to documents already seen by The Herald which showed another group of apparently disgruntled former security agents seeking to raise over US$30 million dollars to wage a guerrilla struggle against the Zanu-PF Government.

While there has been speculation that the intelligence services were behind the hacking operation that saw Baba Jukwa lose control of the babajukwa2013@gmail.com <mailto:babajukwa2013@gmail.com> email account which he was using to communicate with collaborators as well as collect financial donations, none of the security services has come out to confirm or deny these allegations.

It remains unclear how the authorities will respond to these increasingly troubling revelations with analysts saying inaction by the authorities would set the wrong precedent by suggesting that lawlessness in cyberspace is beyond the long arm of the law.

Meanwhile The Herald has gathered that the group of computer hackers who unmasked Baba Jukwa is apparently based in New Zealand.   Please see page 2 for some of the private communications hacked from Baba Jukwa’s voluminous email exchanges.

Dr Chombo

Innocent Ruwende Municipal Reporter
Government has put in place measures to address access to water and to reduce its pollution through the construction of US$250 million new sewerage works in Harare, and a US$13,261 million sewer rehabilitation and upgrade for Bulawayo.
This follows the realisation that Harare and Bulawayo city councils were among the major polluters, discharging raw sewage into water bodies.
As a result, the cost of purifying water has increased.

The US$270 million is coming from the China Export-Import Bank and the African Development Bank.
The country’s economic blueprint, the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation, identifies water management and sanitation as core development objectives and within this scope, Government will oversee construction of related infrastructure, including dams and conveyance systems between 2013 and 2018.

According to a Status Report on Harare Metropolitan Waste Water Infrastructure, there is heavy pollution of the Harare metropolitan catchment area emanating from the poor state and/or absence of waste water infrastructure, non-adherence to trade effluent by-laws by industry, rapid population growth and unplanned settlements.

“The metropolitan has eight waste water treatment works with a combined design capacity of 299,5 mega litres a day with a combined water reticulation system of 6 900. The waste water facilities are characterised by dysfunctional treatment plans, corroded and undersized trunk mains.
“The province is only utilising 30 percent of the design capacity of the plants.

“In addition, the waste water inflows outstrip the design capacity. The situation is further aggravated by non-reticulated households polluting the environment,” reads part of the report.

Bulawayo City is discharging raw sewer into Khami Dam and Umguza River; and experts were recently dispatched to carry out a detailed study of water quality and determine the impact of the polluted water on agriculture and people living in the Umguza area.

Addressing the media in Harare on Wednesday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said as a result of erratic water supplies by local authorities, the urban population had been relying on unsafe shallow wells.

He said councils had presented plans to mitigate pollution.
Harare, he said, would re-commission Firle Treatment Works by May 31, 2014 for US$1 million, as well as re-commission the Crowborough effluent ponds.
“Desludging of Crowborough and Firle Holdings Ponds by August, 2014 at a cost of US$2 million under Zimfund phase 1, pump and pipe replacement at Borrowdale Brooke Sewage Pump Station by December 2014 at a cost of US$5,93 million funded by China Eximbank,” he said.

Dr Chombo said in the long-term, the City of Harare would spend US$55,21 million on sewer rehabilitation and upgrades using funds from China Eximbank and AfDB.
He said Bulawayo, on May 13 this year, unveiled a US$13,261 million project and borrowing power applications to 17 potential financiers who have expressed willingness to support the local authority in sewer rehabilitation and upgrades.