ONE HOT MEAL A DAY FOR THREE MILLION LEARNERS

CLOSE to three million children in public schools will be receiving at least one hot meal a day during learning hours this term under the Government’s schools feeding programme meant to insulate learners from the effects of the El Niño-induced drought while promoting high nutrition levels among them.

The programme will take off on Tuesday when schools open for the second term.

Under the initiative, which will cover schools in both rural and urban areas, the Government will provide meals to each learner from Early Childhood Development (ECD) class through to secondary school level daily.

There are roughly 10 000 public schools in Zimbabwe, with an estimated enrolment of three million.

Boarding schools account for 25 000 of the total enrolment.

Overall, the feeding programme seeks to curb school drop-outs and absenteeism as a result of difficulties occasioned by the drought.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, chief director for learner welfare and psychological services in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Ms Kwadzanai Nyanungo said all schoolchildren will be entitled to at least one meal per day.

Faced with the El Niño phenomenon and its impact on food and nutrition security, the Government is mobilising resources to sustain the home-grown school feeding programme to ensure that learners attending day school receive at least one hot and balanced meal per day without exception,” she said.

“Boarding schools already provide meals as part of their package, so they are not included here.

“The programme covers both rural and urban schools.

“The budget (for the programme) has been an annual thing; however, this year, definitely there is a need for supplementary spending to meet the gap created by the El Niño phenomenon.”

The programme, Ms Nyanungo said, will require the participation of various stakeholders, including local authorities, community leaders, parents, teachers and traditional leaders.

“In the past, the Government had been providing maize with no relish.

“The (Education) Secretary’s Circular No.5 of 2019 points out that, while the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is responsible for school feeding, the success of the home-grown approach requires mutually beneficial linkages with other ministries and stakeholders,” she said.

“The home-grown feeding programme requires the active participation of ministries responsible for agriculture, health, social welfare, women affairs, youth and finance.

“It operates in such a way that the demand for agricultural produce is created through the design of nutritious school meals that offer a balanced diet to all learners on every day of the school calendar.”

Apart from its benefits for children’s nutrition, the programme also serves as an attraction for learners to religiously attend school.

When dropouts are curbed, Ms Nyanungo added, child marriages, child prostitution, and drug and substance abuse, among other social vices, will be reduced.

Director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of Primary and Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said health protocols have been put in place to ensure the food is fit for consumption.

“During a drought period or any potential outbreak of diseases like cholera, additional measures are taken to ensure the safety of children participating in the school feeding programme,” he said.

“These measures include regular monitoring of food safety and hygiene practices, proper storage and handling of food, promoting handwashing and sanitation practices, and providing health education on preventive measures.” Sunday Mail

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COUNCIL CHASES TOUTS FROM FOURTH STREET BUS TERMINUS

AFTER years of an illegal takeover by touts and rank marshals, Harare City Council (HCC) has finally regained control of the Simon Muzenda Bus Terminus (formerly Fourth Street Bus Terminus).

These rogue groups reportedly collected thousands of dollars daily in fees from transporters. The city council is now collecting over US$800 daily from the terminus in rank use fees. It is now considering an operation to wrest four other bus termini in the city centre — Market Square, Rezende, Charge Office and Speke Avenue (also known as Copacabana).

All the four places are under the control of touts, who are extorting money from bus operators.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, HCC town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango said: “Every bus terminus from now on will be controlled by the City of Harare. We will be responsible for collecting fees from all ranks, instead of the touts.

“We are now in charge of the Fourth Street rank and per day, we are collecting around US$800.”Presently, he said, the council was only operating the terminus between 8am and 4pm, but plans were underway to extend the operating hours. We were getting that little revenue because of our operating times,” said Eng Chisango. “Now, we are looking to extend our working hours beyond 4pm as we have noted that the rank is busier after that time. We are targeting to work up to 8pm.

“As we are now in charge of the Fourth Street rank, we are looking forward to doing the same at Rezende, Copacabana and Charge Office, then we will finish off at Market Square. This is just us taking control of everything.

“Basically, we are restoring order. We want to use our assets to generate revenue so that we can spruce them up.”

The council, Eng Chisango said, planned to refurbish all bus termini.

Harare has at least five associations representing bus and commuter omnibus operators, boasting approximately 800 members.

Under the unauthorised taxation, rank marshals are reportedly collecting up to US$240 000 per month from each association, bringing the cumulative figure to about US$1 million monthly.

Eng Chisango added: “For the safety of our employees, we will build guardrooms and will have cash-in-transit vehicles collecting money from the ranks at regular intervals throughout the day. “Council is accepting all forms of payment, including point-of-sale electronic transactions. We are also working on introducing an electronic system that shows the head office all money that would have been paid by transporters in real-time.”

He encouraged transport operators to make use of the council’s holding bays. Sunday Mail

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NO-ONE WILL STARVE UNDER MY WATCH, SAYS ED

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has reiterated that no Zimbabwean will die of hunger despite challenges posed by the El Niño-induced drought, emphasising that the Government is working tirelessly to ensure sufficient food stocks until the next harvest.

The President said he had directed the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, as well as Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, to secure enough food stocks.

He was addressing a gathering that included First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, family members, senior Government and ruling party officials and ordinary people who thronged the Mnangagwa family homestead in Masvingo North constituency for the memorial service and tombstone unveiling of his late grandson, Yasha Mafidi Mnangagwa, the son of one of his sons, Sean, who died in October 2022.

He was five.

The Government, he said, had launched a nationwide initiative to establish business units in all 35 000 villages across the country.

The exercise is meant to primarily support rural women to enhance food security and bolster local economies, in line with Vision 2030. These units will consist of solar-powered boreholes to irrigate one hectare and facilities for fish farming.

“Yes, this year there is drought, but we want to assure you that, as your Government, we are doing everything in our power and capacity so that there is no family in Zimbabwe, from Zambezi to Limpopo, that succumbs to hunger because of lack of food,” said the President.

“I have my minister responsible for agriculture here, whose name is Dr Anxious Masuka and we sat down and asked ourselves what we should do so that no one and no place remains behind, and he counted all the villages in the country, and they numbered 35 000.

“So, he is rolling out a nationwide programme so that each village in this country gets a solar-powered borehole that will irrigate a fenced one-hectare plot, and women in that particular village will form a company that will run a business unit, which will also comprise a fish pond . . . Water will be there from the solar-powered borehole, so the women will be breeding fish.

“To date, so many such business units have been set up around the country. Work is ongoing and all 35 000 villages in the country will get these business units.”

President Mnangagwa, who has since declared a State of Disaster, said he was working closely with the two ministries to make sure Zimbabwe has enough food to avert hunger.

“I am working closely with him (Minister Masuka) and Minister Ncube and we have already worked out how long the food that we have in stock will last the country and also how long the food imports will last us.

“So, we want to assure you that, as a country, yes, we faced drought, but, as a country with a functional Government, no one will die of hunger or starve because we faced drought; we must agree on that!” President Mnangagwa, whose address was laced with humour, also showed his deep knowledge of the Bible.

He highlighted the need for Zimbabweans to uphold their culture and traditional values, saying they were the foundation of all progressive nations.

The Second Republic, he said, was forging ahead with developing Zimbabwe into an empowered, modern, prosperous and highly industrialised country within the next six years.

He hailed the First Lady, Dr Mnangagwa, describing her as a champion and ambassador of the country’s rich culture and traditions.

The First Lady, said the President, deserved to be honoured for conceiving the national dress that has helped define and identify Zimbabweans as a unique people with their own culture and traditional values.

“Sometimes when we are seated in Cabinet, we say, as the people of Zimbabwe, we must never forget our roots; we must not forget our culture,” he continued.

“I didn’t even know what the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme was, but now I know what it is.

“There were girls who were dancing here while putting on the national dress . . . now, if you go to Ghana, they have their own national dress.

“In Eswatini, they also have theirs such that whenever you see them even at the United Nations, you can easily identify that this person is from Ghana or Eswatini.

“Here in Zimbabwe, we are now also going to be identified by our own national dress, and this national dress is a result of the First Lady’s vision.”

Turning to the memorial service and tombstone unveiling, the President said yesterday was a day to celebrate his late grandson’s short life.

He also briefly narrated his grandson’s last day, saying Yasha Mafidi was very close to his grandmother, Dr Mnangagwa.

He thanked his in-laws, the Kutyauripos; the Mangwiros, who are the family of his daughter-in-law, Yasha Mafidi’s mother; and other relatives for joining the Mnangagwa family in celebrating his late grandson’s life.

Addressing the same gathering, the First Lady thanked Zimbabweans for the support they extended to her family following the passing on of her grandson.

“From the time we lost our grandson, you have been standing with us,” she said.

“I want to thank you — the people of Masvingo; the people of Zimbabwe in general — for your love and kindness, and for standing with us during the time we lost our beloved grandson.

“I watched my grandson as he was growing up, and he was a passionate farmer, and I tried my best to support him to hone his interest in farming.

“I also challenge you fellow Zimbabweans to look at your children as they grow and help them hone their talents and areas of interest.”

She thanked everyone who attended the memorial service and tombstone unveiling, including her family members from Mashonaland Central province, saying the day was for remembering and reflecting on the life of her late grandson.

Present at the memorial service were senior Government and ruling party officials, including Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere; Minister of Mines and Mining Development Winston Chitando; Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Lovemore Matuke; Chief Fortune Charumbira, the president of the Pan-African Parliament; and Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira, among others.

The Mnangagwa family donated food hampers to those who attended. Sunday Mail

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FOREX FEES : ZACC, RBZ DESCEND ON SCHOOLS

THE Government has launched a multi-agency operation to account for schools demanding tuition fees exclusively in foreign currency while refusing to accept Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), in contravention of exchange control regulations.

Officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and police will be deployed to pursue school authorities that are breaking the law.

Preliminary investigations by the FIU have since established that some schools are demanding up to 80 percent of tuition fees in United States dollars and the rest in the local currency.

Other school authorities are reportedly claiming their accounting systems are yet to be configured to process ZiG payments, and yet others are demanding fees at black market exchange rates.

The FIU, however, indicated that most schools have been co-operating.

A survey by our Harare Bureau last week also established that some public and private schools were demanding at least partial payment of tuition and school development levies in US dollars or at inflated exchange rates.

Most Government and mission boarding schools have pegged their school fees at between US$300 and US$600 and some are requiring full payment upfront in foreign currency.

Day schools are also requesting levies in foreign currency, though some are offering payment plans.

Those accepting the local currency are pegging their fees at black market rates, which can be as high as US$1: ZiG22.

In addition to law enforcement agencies, the Government will deploy school inspectors nationwide to ensure schools offer various payment options.

In an interview, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary, Mr Moses Mhike, said schools were obliged to accept payments in ZiG.

“As shared by the RBZ in their Monetary Policy Statement as monetary authorities, schools are obliged to accept ZiG as part of the multi-currency system that is operating in the country,” he said.

“Therefore, school authorities are expected to abide by the pronouncement made by the RBZ in terms of the new currency that has been introduced.

“It is not a matter of choice but to simply accept ZiG as legal tender, which is among the basket of other currencies. Therefore, as usual, schools are expected to provide to parents and guardians all the payment modalities, like payment in cash, online transfers and swipe.”

Parents and guardians, he added, must be allowed to pay tuition and levies in the currency of their choice.

“The ministry will be working with other Government agencies, including, ZACC, FIU, the police, as well as our school inspectors to ensure compliance with the use of the multi-currency system.

“Any school heads who defy this directive will have disciplinary measures taken against them.”

Last year, the Government set up close to 100 rapid response centres countrywide for parents to report schools that unilaterally hike tuition fees and turn away learners for non-payment of fees, among other malpractices.

More than 250 officials in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education were assigned to handle cases of alleged misconduct.

Mr Mhike said these centres have since been revived.

“These command centres have been a good feedback mechanism to the ministry on matters that concern us as a sector and they are still functional,” he said.

“Over and above the specific individuals who were seconded to handle concerns from our stakeholders, our offices, including head office, remain open to deal with any matters of concern.

“As a ministry, we are grateful that a lot of issues were brought to our attention.

“For this reason, we would like to encourage our stakeholders to approach our offices — district, provincial or even head office.

“All reported cases are being actioned.”

In a separate interview, FIU director-general Mr Oliver Chiperesa said the agency was receiving numerous complaints about exchange control violations by school authorities.

“We are getting more and more complaints against schools. Some of them are refusing to accept ZiG altogether, while others are taking ZiG but using parallel market rates,” he said.

“One school in Masvingo is limiting payment in ZiG to 20 percent of the total fees while demanding the other 80 percent in US dollars.

“That is illegal. We are taking action against all the schools reported to us.”

He said most schools that have been red-flagged “have been co-operative and have immediately reversed their illegal demands”.

National Association of Secondary School Heads president Mr Arthur Maphosa said all members had been informed that the new local currency was legal tender.

“As schools, we have not faced any challenges with ZiG and we have asked our members to accept it,” he said.

“As an association, we have said parents and guardians should be given options to pay fees and not forced to pay exclusively in US dollars.

“However, there will be instances where schools will need to negotiate with parents and guardians to ensure there is foreign currency to buy commodities such as fuel.

“This will be negotiated with parents and again no one will be forced to pay fees in foreign currency so that these commodities are bought.” Sunday Mail

 

 

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GWERU VULNERABLE COUPLE LOSES HOME OVER 2009 LOAN SCAM

A GWERU couple with hearing, talking and mental impairments lost their home after they were tricked into giving up their title deeds as surety for a US$100 000 loan taken by a stranger around 2009.

Now the couple, Mr Paul John Frank Navratil and Mrs Beauty Marimira-Navratil, their family, and tenants have been living outside their Athlone suburb home for the past 15 days after they were evicted by the Messenger of Court.

A Maggie Dlodlo purchased the house for US$20 000 in 2016 but only evicted them on 19 April this year.

Sunday News visited the Navratil family in Gweru where the crew found them sitting in despair outside what used to be their home.

Because both Mr and Mrs Navratil cannot hear and talk much, this reporter spoke through Ms Joselyne Marimira, a sister to Mrs Navratil, who has been living with them for the past 12 years.

“This issue started in 2009 when a man called Noble Maguwu took a loan from Agribank (now AFC Bank) in Gweru and gave two of his residential stands in Mkoba 9 as surety. He was supposed to repay the loan in 60 days but he failed and was taken to court by the bank.

“He then approached Mr Navratil, my brother-in-law who has a psychiatric problem and cannot hear or talk well. Mr Maguwu asked for the title deeds and said he would return them after six months as he wanted to get a loan.

“He bought my brother-in-law a meal and promised to give him US$200 a month until the deeds returned but he never paid him and did not return the documents,” said Ms Marimira.

It was later gathered that Mr Maguwu and his wife Busisiwe fraudulently added Mr Navratil to their company documents — Nacbol Investments (Pvt) Limited (Parama Bakery) — saying they were business partners.

“The title deeds were surrendered to the bank together with a fake Power of Attorney and Mr Navratil signed some documents agreeing to release his title deeds under what is called Continuous Surety Bond. This meant the deeds were going to remain at the bank and he could borrow more money even after the payment of the US$100 000,” she said.

Ms Marimira said she made a report in Harare at the Police Headquarters and at Agribank headquarters too where she was told that the bank could not attach the house.

“I was told that the paperwork was not clear and the bank could not attach the house and I was told to make a police report that would ensure investigations commence,” she said.

“We made an application to the High Court and we were told the house could not be sold but after three days the house was sold. We were left confused.” 

What also baffled the family was that the US$100 000 that was paid to Nacbol Investments was too much money for an investment into a small bakery in Gweru in 2010.

Mr Maguwu was called by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and asked about his relationship with Mr Navratil. He reportedly said he did not know him but had just used his title deeds. However, it is said he  was never arrested.

News then filtered through  that the manager who had authorised the US$100 000 loan fled to the United Kingdom after the case was unearthed.

Mr Alfred Marimira, a brother to Mrs Marimira-Navratil tried to get information from the Sheriff of the High Court in Bulawayo in 2017 on the sale of the house and was shown the case file.

“Surprisingly when I went there last year they refused to show me the file, they said the file had been mixed with a case file for Dairiboard. I insisted that the lady who served me put it in writing to that effect. I understand that the woman has since left her job too.

“I wanted to find out what exactly was realised from the sale of the house who bought it and when the title deeds were transferred too,” said Mr Marimira.

Mr Maguwu would channel all correspondence regarding the sale of the property and court documents to his residential address in Lundi Park, such that the family was unaware of what was taking place until they lost the house.

Ms Marimira also questioned why Maggie Dlodlo only showed up at the house on the day of eviction in April this year and how she purchased a house seven years ago without ever viewing it or communicating with its owners.

“We were shocked when we saw the water bills coming under her name last year yet we had never seen her before or heard from her,” she added.

Asked about the relationship between Mr Maguwu and Mr Navratil, Ms Marimira said they were not friends.

“They never hung out together, neither were they friends, but there is a friend of Mr Navratil called Uncle Joe, a musician, who used to borrow musical instruments from him, he is the one who came with Mr Maguwu and introduced him before he took the title deeds.

“But Joe knew the state of my brother-in-law, he was in no capacity to enter into any legal agreements alone without an assistant. They took advantage of him and robbed him of his property,” she lamented.

Mr Navratil has been a victim of other locals who have been helping themselves to his property taking advantage of his condition.

A 15-hectare plot in Christmas Gift in Gweru was exchanged for a car and at one time he had 12 vehicles but does not have a single one after he was duped by people.

Efforts to get a comment from Mr Muguwu were fruitless and reports are that Ms Dlodlo has applied to the High Court to have the blind couple and their family moved from the front of the house.  Sunday News

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THREE COPS ACQUITTED

A MUTARE regional court has acquitted three senior police detectives from the Asset Forfeiture Unit headquarters who were accused of digging up a homestead in Nyanyadzi, Manicaland province, in search of an undisclosed hidden treasure in 2022 saying they were acting within the confines of the law.

The trio — Shephered Tachiona, Mkhululi Nyoni and Monica Madzima — was acquitted by magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni at the close of the State case.

They were charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers, as defined in section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].

According to the State, the trio was accused of not informing relevant departments that include Mines and Mining Development, National Housing as well as Defence ministries and CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna department of police.

The three, who were represented by lawyers Joseph Nemaisa, Musindo Hungwe and George Manokore, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Their main witness, police Assistant Commissioner Themba Mushoriwa’s testimony was discredited under cross-examination and he ended up making concessions, which confirmed the accused’s defences.

Mushoriwa had told the court that the accused persons acted outside their policing area, but ended up conceding under cross-examination that Tachiwona and Nyoni’s areas of policing included the whole Zimbabwe, while Madzima operates in the northern region which covers Mashonaland, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.

Mushoriwa also conceded that the place of scene was under Madzima’s policing area, but failed to provide the operating standard procedure prohibiting the accused persons from operating within the said area.

Despite Mushoriwa having testified that they had not notified him, he conceded under oath that the accused persons had performed at law and there was no standard procedure that obligated any of them to first inform him before they could search or seize anything from anyone.

Mushoriwa conceded the accused had lawfully applied for a warrant of search and seizure.

It was proven that the accused persons investigated a crime that fell well within their mandate as officers deployed to the Criminal Investigations Department Asset Forfeiture Unit.

The accused persons were executing a warrant of search issued by a court of law, saying there was no need to inform other government departments.

The second State witness, Simangaliso Memory Mushaya, an agricultural extension officer, also confirmed that the police were empowered with a warrant of search and seizure and also confirmed that the premise owner was aware of the hidden treasure as her husband once dug the same premise in search of it.

The third witness, Victor Mukungunugwa, a scientist employed by the Zimbabwe National Geospacial Space Agency, was also present in his capacity as a scientist employed by the State and that he had been cleared by his own director to assist the accused persons with the survey.

He also confirmed the presence of the hidden treasure.

Another State witness, Revesai Zvigodini Matimba, a prophet and an individual with the skill to detect hidden minerals through the use of wires, told the court that he was invited by the accused persons to assist with the survey.

He told the court that he met with the accused persons at ZRP Mkushi Depot (formerly Morris Depot) in Harare, where he was shown a search warrant, after which the accused asked for his help.

The witness also told the court that he agreed to help for no payment as he wanted to help the State.

The accused persons, through their lawyers, submitted that the State failed to prove their actions were unlawful.

Mthombeni, however, ruled in favour of the trio, saying the State failed to prove a case against the accused persons.

“Once the court has made a finding to the effect that there is no evidence that the accused committed the offence charged or any other offence arising from that charge, it has no option but to find the accused not guilty and discharge him or her.

“In this case, there was no evidence to prove an essential element of the offence.

“There is no evidence on which a reasonable court acting carefully might properly convict. No evidence was also led to prove a breach of general law,” Mthombeni ruled.

According to the prosecution, Tachiona, Nyoni and Madzima purportedly dug the yard of Mushaya’s homestead without authorisation from their superiors or engagement with relevant government experts.

On December 22, the accused officers reportedly arrived at the Nyanyadzi Irrigation Scheme armed with a search and seizure warrant issued on October 18, 2023, obtained at Chipinge Magistrates Court.

They informed the homeowner, Mushaya, of their intention to dig up her yard in search of the hidden treasure. Newsday

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TSHABANGU LOYALISTS SET FOR PARLY

THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) has announced the appointment of six more lawmakers from the Sengezo Tsabangu-led Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) into the National Assembly to fill the vacant proportional representation seats.

According to a notice published in the Government Gazette yesterday, Zec chairperson Priscilla Chigumba confirmed the appointments.

“The public is hereby notified, in terms of section 39(7)(a) of the Electoral Act [Chapter 2:13], that the persons specified in the Schedule below, who were nominated by the Citizens Coalition for Change party to fill the vacancies in the National Assembly by virtue of section 120(1)(b) and of the Constitution that occurred following the recall of incumbent members, have been appointed with effect from the date of publication of this notice,” the notice read.

The six are Vivian Chitimbe (Harare), Nyasha Batitsa (Manicaland), Samantha Mureyani (Manicaland), Diana Marikano (Mashonaland East), Tsungirirayi Rungwave (Masvingo) and Melphiner Gwabeni (Midlands).

Zec also announced the appointment of five CCC candidates to fill vacant senatorial posts.

These are Tambudzai Kunaka (Harare), Murisi Zwizwai (Harare), Moses Manyengavana (Harare), Spiwe Munemo (Mashonaland West) and Tawanda Bvumo (Mashonaland West). Newsday

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MATIZA ESTATE IN US$2M PAYMENT ROW

THE late Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Joel Biggie Matiza’s estate is up in flames as it emerged this week that a business partner is allegedly refusing to honour a US$2 million payment after a construction deal.

Matiza, who held several ministerial posts, died on January 22, 2021 at St Annes Hospital in Harare after battling COVID-19.

He was declared a national hero and was buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.

He was also an internationally-acclaimed architect, who had vast construction businesses across the globe.

His wife, Lillian, died two years later.

However, the chief executive officer at Commerce Veritas (Pvt) Limited, Martin Mutenda, whose company specialises in civil engineering, yesterday appeared in court accused of defrauding Lillian of US$2 million.

The complainant in the matter is the late couple’s son, Batsirai (26), who was appointed the executor of his mother’s estate after she had passed on.

Mutenda (55), from Hyde Park in Harare, was remanded in custody to Monday for his bail application by Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei.

The investigating officer, Ngonidzashe Chimuto, who appeared in court to help the prosecution oppose Mutenda’s bail application, said the accused had a permanent residence in South Africa.

“The police have been looking for the accused person since March and we were told that he was in South Africa, where he owns another house,” Chimuto said.

He said the accused was arrested on April 30 at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport as he came to Zimbabwe.

“We were told by the police officers who arrested him at the airport that he had been arrested while coming from South Africa. We only learned that the accused was in Zimbabwe after investigations were done prior to his court appearance,” he said.

“He is also likely to tamper with evidence because he is the secretary of the company, hence being the sole custodian of all the paperwork and bank accounts.”

Prosecutor Mercy Masamvi told the court that sometime in June 2022, the accused person entered into a construction business partnership with Lillian.

In the agreement, the accused person reportedly misrepresented to Lillian that herself, Jorome Leroy and Taurai Negonde, would become directors of the company, with the accused being positioned as the company secretary.

Mutenda allegedly told Lillian that she would be given a payment of US$2 million at the completion of the construction project.

The State revealed that in exchange for the accused person’s offer, Lillian  would inject road equipment namely a pneumatic roller, paver, a roller and office furniture which she took from her company called Studio Arts (Pvt) Limited.

The court heard that Lillian duly supplied the equipment as part of the deal.

On November 25 last year, Lillian passed on, which led to his son, Batsirai, to be duly appointed as the executor of his late mother’s estate.

It is further alleged that in December 2023, Batsirai approached Mutenda requesting him to transfer the money due to his late mother, Lillian, to the Biggie Joel Trust, where the complainant and his other relatives are beneficiaries, but the accused refused.

Investigations revealed that the accused person had misrepresented the structure of the company and payment of the US$2 million. Newsday

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ROBBERS BREAK INTO CHURCH, BLOW UP SAFE

Robbers invaded St Gerard’s Catholic Church in Borrowdale and stole undisclosed amounts of cash in the early hours of yesterday.

In a statement Rector and Parish Priest Father Mark Chikuni said the robbers invaded the church premises and broke into the parish office, blowing safes and taking cash that was being kept there before banking.

“Between 01:30hrs and 0200hrs this morning we heard sounds of explosions in our compound.

“These culprits also entered the main church through the cry room and broke into the Parish Priest’s office, the sacristy, and the altar server’s room. They desecrated the sacred rooms, turning things upside down most likely looking for more cash,” he said.

Father Chikuni said no one was harmed including the guard on patrol.

He said the church’s finance council is now working hard to increase security urging the public to support them in any way possible.

Father Chikuni also said the church does not keep cash on the premises. Herald

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BROTHER KILLS BROTHER OVER MONEY

A tragic incident unfolded in Chipetsani Village under Chief Tshovani in Chiredzi when a dispute over money between two brothers left one dead.

Details emerged that 37-year-old Pedzanai Sithole of Mapangano Village, Chief Musikavanhu in Chipinge was killed by his younger brother, Witness Sithole (33) during a late-night drinking spree at their aunt, Joyce Gwenzi’s homestead in Chipetsani Village.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa, confirmed the incident.

“At around midnight, Pedzanai and Witness were drinking opaque beer with David Gwenzi when a misunderstanding arose between the two brothers over money that Pedzanai had allegedly lent to Witness.

“In a fit of rage, Pedzanai reportedly grabbed a mopane log and struck Witness on the head, causing him to fall to the ground.

“David fled the scene. Witness, who had fallen to the ground, managed to get up, grabbed an axe from a nearby hut and struck Pedzanai on the head before dragging his body for about 15 metres and leaving it behind a cattle kraal,” said Insp Dhewa.

Blood stains led to the discovery of Pedzanai’s body, and Witness confessed to the murder. Witness was arrested and Pedzanai’s body was taken to Chiredzi Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem.

Insp Dhewa urged members of the public to seek peaceful means of resolving conflicts.

“The public should refrain from resolving disputes under the influence of alcohol and drugs,” said Insp Dhewa. Herald

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ZiG WILL NOT FAIL, SAYS GOVERNOR

The new currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), will not fail as it was not imposed on the market, but a well-thought out and purely Zimbabwean idea that should be embraced by all citizens, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr John Mushayavanhu has said.

He was responding to questions floor during a business meeting organised by the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Masvingo chapter yesterday.

Dr Mushayavanhu said contrary to views by some people that the ZiG was proposed by foreigners, he actually conceived the idea, adding that he remains confident the currency will work if everyone embraces it.

The ZiG is expected to firm from mid-year on the back of its anticipated high demand in the market, he said.

“No one told us to introduce the ZiG currency, of course, when doing something, one might seek for ideas and advice from others just to fine-tune but it does not mean that if you consult on something you want to do, it means you did not originate it.

“We consulted widely yes, but ZiG is my product as the Governor of the Reserve Bank and if it fails it’s my fault; it’s my brainchild,” said Dr Mushayavanhu.

He said he started thinking about the new structured currency in September last year when President Mnangagwa revealed to him that he would be the next RBZ Governor.

The ZiG was introduced on April 5 after wide consultations and Dr Mushayavanhu is upbeat about its prospects of success.

“If at all it fails, but I don’t see the reason why the ZiG should fail and it will not fail; but in the unlikely event that it fails, then it’s entirely our responsibility as Zimbabweans and my responsibility as Governor of the central bank.

“ZiG is a Zimbabwean-born currency, it’s a Zimbabwean product made by Zimbabweans, myself included,” he said.

Dr Mushayavanhu said the reserves backing the currency, including gold and other precious minerals and cash reserves, would be subjected to an independent audit every year, with results being declared publicly while the auditors will also be given leeway to make known their opinions on the state of affairs as a way of building confidence in the new currency.

He ruled out concerns that the central bank would print more money, which will eventually result in more money in circulation, causing inflation.

When ZiG was introduced, said Dr Mushayavanhu, the country had US$285 million worth of reserves in the form of 2,5 tonnes of gold and US$100 million.

Presently, the economy has about ZiG 1 billion in circulation, which is about US$80 million worth of ZiG, implying that the country has almost three- times cover in its reserves.

Dr Mushayavanhu said reserves to support the ZiG were expected to grow through inflows of mineral royalties accruing to Government and feeding from a share of the 25 percent export proceeds surrender requirement.

Half of the proceeds from the 25 percent export surrender requirement will be released into the market while 25 percent will be given to Government to meet its foreign currency obligations, with the remaining 25 percent taken by the RBZ to build its reserves.

Dr Mushayavanhu said he was upbeat that the willing-buyer, willing-seller model was going to work with time and anticipated the strengthening of the ZiG by June when demand for the local currency was likely to spike as companies would need it to settle their June quarterly payment dates.

Government is insisting that companies pay 50 percent of the taxes in ZiG, a move expected to trigger its demand and subsequent firming.

Said Dr Mushayavanhu: “The question that I have is where will companies get the ZiG to pay their 50 percent of taxes in the June QPD?

“It means that those who have the ZiG will benefit because it will be in demand. So, ideally, some businesses that sell their products exclusively in foreign currency like fuel stations, should even consider to start selling part of their fuel in ZiG so that they raise the local currency for paying their taxes.”

On those selling their goods and services using the ZiG black market rate, especially pharmacies, Dr Mushayavanhu strongly warned them saying such actions were illegal.

He called on the public to report such culprits to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) so that action is taken against them.

“The onus is on the members of the public to report those who are pegging the US$ to the ZiG black market rate to the FIU because the businesses that are doing that are acting illegally and they will be heavily fined that it will almost be impossible to continue doing that,” he said.

Those who genuinely need foreign currency to pay for things like school fees and medication, among others, would get the money from their banks but ruled out allowing people to get into banks with their ZiG to exchange it for US dollar on the counter saying doing so would be tantamount to dollarising.

Dr Mushayavanhu said by 2028, the composition of transactions in the economy would be 80 percent ZiG and 20 percent US dollar as the country moves towards Vision 2030 when it is expected to have fully de-dollarised.

Efforts would be made by the RBZ to keep lines of communication open between the bank and the citizens to build trust and confidence in the currency. At the moment, the RBZ is conducting awareness campaigns to educate people mainly in rural areas about the ZiG. Herald

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METHODIST CHURCH SPLIT OVER HOMOSEXUALITY

The Zimbabwe United Methodist Church (UMC) described as “a betrayal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” a decision by its mother body to recognise homosexuality.

This comes after General Conference delegates of the UMC early this week, in the United States, voted overwhelmingly in favour of homosexual practices in the church that has a footprint globally.

By a vote of 523 to 161 after about an hour-and-a-half of debate, General Conference delegates eliminated the 52-year-old assertion in the denomination’s Social Principles that “the practice of homosexuality . . . is incompatible with Christian teaching”.

In the same vote, delegates affirmed “marriage as a sacred, lifelong covenant that brings two people of faith (adult man and adult woman of consenting age or two adult persons of consenting age) into a union of one another and deeper relationship with God and the religious community.”

Randall Miller, who chaired the Social Principles Task Force that led the development of the revisions approved over the past week, said this was a historic moment.

“It’s been 40 years of work for me and others to remove the incompatibility clause from our Social Principles and really live in through our belief that all people are sacred,” said Miller, who is gay and long advocated for the full inclusion of LGBTQ people in church life.

“Just deeply grateful and it’s wonderful to have come to this moment.”

However, the Zimbabwean delegation, which was in the minority, said Western culture was eroding traditional church values and posed a risk to younger generations.

Speaking from the US, one of the delegates Reverend Forbes Matonga said the decision passed was a betrayal to all Africans and the church at large. 

“Indeed, the Church has decided to change the historic teaching of the Church of over 2000 years that homosexuality is a sin and the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman to between two consenting adults,” he said.

“This is for us a betrayal of The Gospel of Jesus Christ in favour of Western secular culture. The United Methodist Church is a Connectional Church, meaning one Church found on four Continents.

“So, what happens to one part of the body affects all. Our children are at risk of being introduced and being dragged into this heathen culture as they go and get educated in United Methodist Universities and Colleges in the USA,” said Rev Matonga.

Furthermore, he said, in the long-term most children will be indoctrinated into believing that this “sin” is a human right.

Anesu Kapanga, one of the congregates, who was also arrested last year for demonstrating against homosexuality, said with such policies, the church was now exposed.

“It was now obvious that the legalisation of homosexuality in the United Methodist Church was fast approaching and there was nothing the members of the church would do. We as the church cannot wait for the nation to denounce such evil deeds but rather the church must be in the forefront denouncing it.”

Administration assistant to the Bishop, Mr Allen Gurupira responded to the congregates of his church stating that Zimbabwe’s position regarding the issue of homosexuality remained clear and was a complete abhorrence to the practice.

“Regarding the acceptance of homosexuality, whatever will be done at the General Conference is subject to ratification by annual conferences, of which the Zimbabwe position is very clear,” he said.

The decision of the UMC also sparked debate on social media platforms with many denouncing it as “unholy” and a “sin”.

Zimbabwe Council of Churches president, Bishop Ignatius Makumbe, who is from the Anglican Church, said churches should align their policies with Government statutes.

“There is a need for churches to align themselves with the country’s statutes, and as of now the country’s (statutes) state that marriage is only between a man and a woman,” he said.

“UMC in Zimbabwe and in Africa at large needs to draw lessons from what the Anglican and the Roman Catholic Churches did, by refusing to go against the idea of God to allow homosexuality in their churches and defend their dignities as Africans.”

Bishop Makumbe said ZCC will never condone homosexuality.

“ZCC has agreed from the time of its birth that we will not allow homosexuality in any form as the Bible has clearly spelt out that it is a sin,” he said.

“We will follow the issue with the UMC administration in Zimbabwe and see how will can help as an organisation.” Herald

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