HARARE – Dancehall stars, Soul Jah Love and Seh Calaz seem to be mending their differences amid reports that they are now on talking terms.
Soul Jah Love and Seh Calaz
Sources claim that the two have buried the hatchet and are now on talking terms.
Seh Calaz’s manager, Godfrey ‘Vokal’ Bakasa told H Mtero that they were now on talking terms with the Jah Love camp but could not get into details.
He said that something big is underway but could not shed light for fear of ‘jeopardizing’ the deal.
“Talks have been made and the two are now on talking terms. We cannot say much at this stage. There is something big going on and it will be announced when it is done,” he said.
The two are supposed to travel to South Africa, Cape Town, together for a show with Jamaican, Charly Black on July 31 and both artistes have been holding in rehearsals.
BodySlam boss, Simba Chakare is behind the peace pact and has planned a series of shows for the two artistes.
Calaz has a busy schedule ahead of him with his birthday bash on July 18.
He is also scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom for shows on July 24 and 25 together with fellow chanters, Ricky Fire, Terminator, PTK and raunchy dancer, Beverly Sibanda.
“We have a busy schedule at the moment and we are rehearsing.
“We have a UK tour ahead of us but before that we have a birthday bash.
“After the UK tour, we will then travel to South Africa for the Charly Black show, said Bakasa. H Metro
A Harare elderly man is reported to have fled his home after a court ordered him to pay US$150 for the upkeep of his child.
Harare Civil Courts
Edward Tsvetu left his wife of nine years- Regina Matiza- soon after she had dragged him to the Harare Civil court demanding maintenance.
This came to light at the same court where Edward was seeking a downward variation to the US$150 per month.
“In February the court ordered me to pay US$150 maintenance. Some people told me that I could approach the court after three months and plead for a downward variation.
“The US$150 I am suppose to pay is too much.,” he said.
Regina, in response, was not in a position to accept the variation and told court that Edward had left their matrimonial home in February.
“He left home the day he was ordered to pay US$150. He told me that I was going to suffer for bringing him to court. I don’t know where he is currently residing.
“When I went to his workplace, I was arrested. He doesn’t allow me to visit his workplace anymore and it is the only place I can see him.
“Back home, we have bills that need to be paid, his child needs creche fees. He has also removed me from his medical aid.
“I lost my job, he came to my workplace and created problems and my superiors terminated my contract, ” she said.
Presiding magistrate, Gamuchirai Siwardi dismissed his application on the basis that there were no changes in circumstances.
A Chitungwiza man who is said to be part of a gang of armed robbers which pounced on one house, before stealing goods valued almost US$6 000, has appeared in court.
Chitungwiza armed robber nabbed
Tendayi Ndava, 30, was brought before Harare magistrate, Tendai Mahwe but he was asked not to plead to the allegations of armed robbery.
Tendayi was remanded in custody and he was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
He’s will be back in court on July 22.
The State, led by prosecutor Idah Mateke-Maromo, alleges that Tendayi along with Tonderai Muduwakure and Washington Murasiranwa who have already appeared in court, went to one house armed with pistols and wearing face masks.
Suggestions are that at the house, they broke the kitchen screen door using some object and they got in.
Reports are that they then held the occupant hostage before stealing three laptops, a 42 inch television set, some cellphones and US$130 among other things.
It is said that Tendayi led to the recovery of one of the stolen items and it is said that there are witnesses who can testify against him.
And it is the State’s case that the stolen property which was recovered was then identified by the complainant.
A fake drivers license scam is said to have been unearthed after one of those who had benefited, realized that his (licence) was fading.
Police road block in Zimbabwe
The alleged offence led to the arrest of Christopher Mukawa, Edson Mashiri and Kenneth Mujuru who are said to have been behind the manufacture of the fake licenses.
When Christopher, Edson and Kenneth appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe, they were not asked to plead to the allegations of fraud.
They were all remanded in custody after the court ruled that they were all not proper candidates and they will be back (in court) on July 21.
Christopher is said to be unemployed while Edson and Kenneth are technician and police constabulary respectively.
The State, led by prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa, alleges that sometime in October last year, Kenneth was approached by Stephen Piwai Takavinga who wanted to get a driver’s license for his son, Elliott, who is based in South Africa.
It is said that Kenneth then asked for a US$300 payment and he also asked to be given particulars of the person who wanted the license.
Suggestions are that from October last year to December of the same year, Kenneth was given particulars for Elliot, Tobias Tafirenyika, Killian Zvavamwe and Blessing Rugwadi and he was given US$300 from each of the people.
Claims are that the offence cane to light when Elliot complained that his license was fading and he came back to the country to get it sorted.
But Kenneth is said to have been evasive to last Sunday when a trap was set at the corner of Third Street and Livingstone Avenue and he was arrested by Detective Inspector Matoka of CID Forensic Laboratories Harare.
Upon Kenneth’s arrest, he was found with four fake licenses and he also implicated Edson and Christopher.
All the license discs were disowned by the Central Vehicle Registry.
Municipal police burn vendors clothing bales in Harare
By Brown Moyo | Harare Bureau |
HARARE Municipal police who are engaged in a vicious war with vendors this morning invaded the footbridge at Speke Avenue and Julius Nyerere road and burnt hundreds of wares worth thousands of dollars as the vendors eviction turns nasty.
Municipal police burn vendors clothing bales
Sources said vendors at the footbridge used to keep their wares which include shoes, bales of clothes, blankets and assortment of various electronic equipment.
“We were shocked this morning to hear that the municipal police invaded the footbridge around 0400 hours this morning and set alight stocks of goods,” said one vendor who refused to be identified for security reasons.
“A bale of clothes ranges between US$300 to $500 and there were more than 100 bales owned by different people,” the source said.
“What the council is not aware of is that what it is doing is tantamount to human rights abuse and they can be taken to court for that,” the source said.
Scores of people were arrested in Harare on Thursday as street vendors resisted eviction from illegal trading sites in a crackdown being spearheaded by the Harare Municipality.
Municipal police destroyed market stalls and allegedly looted some vendors’ wares as the local authority’s eviction of Illegal Street traders entered its second day.
Although Zanu PF secured power on the back of promises to revive the economy through a populist theme “Indigenise, Empower, Develop and Create Employment”, there is very little on the ground to show for it so far.
In its election manifesto, Zanu PF promised to create 2 265 million jobs in the next five years as part of an economic growth initiative based on the empowerment and indigenisation drive.
However since Zanu PF controversially won the disputed polls the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions estimate that more than 6 000 people have been retrenched and they form the bulk of the vendors as they try to eke out a living.
Hopes of a quick economic turnaround under the new Zanu PF government appear to be fading even faster as more and more companies close shop, throwing tens of thousands of workers onto the streets to join the teeming ranks of the unemployed estimated at above 88%.
Zimbabwe Informal Sector Organisation (ZISO) director Promise Mkwananzi said vendors will continue to show the council their resilience.
“We will return and reconstruct our structures and continue with our trade until government avails jobs and other opportunities,” Mkwananzi said.
“We continue to urge Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere to appraise himself with the goings on at the ministry. At the present moment he is making impulsive uninformed decisions with detrimental consequences to an amicable solution to the issue of vendors and far reaching consequences for the economic wellbeing of the affected families.
The MDC is deeply appalled by the decision of Robert Mugabe to embark on another costly and completely unnecessary jamboree to New York in the United States to attend some low key conference on Ebola.
File Picture: Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace using an Air Zimbabwe plane on a trip to South Africa
While the country’s economy is virtually grinding to a halt, Mugabe has seen it fit to take along his wife and a whole litany of other Zanu PF hangers – on to attend a conference that is hardly topical to the key interests of Zimbabwe as a nation.
Zimbabwe is now being run aboard an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 jet! In Harare and other cities and towns, desperate vendors are being ruthlessly and heartlessly chased away from their vending sites by Robert Mugabe’s police force and other security operatives of his dictatorial regime.
Zimbabwe is definitely at the crossroads. Instead of creating 2,2 million jobs as loudly proclaimed in its thoroughly discredited Zim – Asset economic policy blueprint, the Zanu PF regime is fast managing to create 2,2 million desperate and poor vendors who have no other option but to occupy the streets in order to sell their merchandise.
The national economy is in deep deflation mode as Robert Mugabe and his moribund regime remain clueless as to what to do in order to rescue the situation. For how shall the peace – loving and downtrodden people of Zimbabwe bear this untold political subjugation and socio – economic bondage at the hands of the insensitive and corrupt Zanu PF regime?
The MDC calls upon Robert Mugabe to spend more time at his Munhumutapa Building offices; crafting and implementing workable and viable economic policies, rather than spending more time aboard an aircraft; globetrotting and leading life on the fast lane at the expense of a virtually bankrupt national treasury.
Time has now come for the toiling masses of Zimbabwe to draw a line in the sand. Enough is enough. The renegade Zanu PF regime cannot and indeed, should not be allowed to reduce the majority of Zimbabweans into paupers and scavengers in the land of their ancestors.
Robert Mugabe should be brought to order. He should be told, in no uncertain terms, that he has hopelessly failed to run the country and that the only honourable thing that he can do is to proceed to resign immediately.
After stealing the harmonised elections on July 31, 2013, Robert Mugabe has proceeded to conduct himself like a bull in a china shop; smashing and destroying everything in its way.
His regime is failing to raise the sum of around US$265 million that is required every month in order to pay the salaries and wages of the bloated civil service that has more than 550 000 workers on its payroll; the majority of whom are ghost workers.
Zimbabwe is being run by a kleptocracy that is spending at least 92% of all government revenue on salaries and allowances every month. This is an unsustainable state of affairs that should not be allowed to subsist a day longer.
The MDC would like to implore all the patriotic and peace – loving people of Zimbabwe to do whatever is within their democratic and lawful power, to tell the Zanu PF regime to immediately stop harassing the thousands of vendors who have been created as a direct result of the regime’s ruinous, corrupt and irresponsible financial and economic policies.
Zimbabwe should return to political legitimacy to enable an accountable and transparent government to take over the running of matters of the State. Zimbabweans should not just look aside and watch as their country is being run down by a tyrannical and corrupt regime that doesn’t care one iota about the suffering of the people. This is the time for action.
Obert Gutu is the national spokesman for the MDC led by Morgan Tsvangirai
A robbery and rape suspect attempted to commit suicide in court yesterday after accusing the magistrate of being biased against him.
Robbery and rape suspect attempts suicide in court
Prince Banda, 24, of no fixed abode, went berserk during his trial and threw himself onto the floor, banging his head against the iron bars in the dock.
He kept shouting he would bang his head on the bars until he died.
Banda cracked under cross examination by Tinashe Dzipe, the prosecutor.
He suddenly lost it and refused to answer questions.
Banda went on to accuse senior regional magistrate Mark Dzira of discrimination saying: “I don’t care what happens, I won’t answer that question, just sentence me.
“This court is not fair, I just want to die.”
Prison officers tried to restrain him from banging his head until magistrate Dzira ordered them to leave him to calm down.
“I don’t see where your anger is emanating from, you must just respond to the question you were asked and we move on with the matter,” said magistrate Dzira, talking to deaf ears.
Banda continued shouting at the magistrate until the court was adjourned.
“You’ll come back tomorrow for judgment,” said magistrate Dzira about an hour later.
Banda pleaded guilty to five counts of robbery and dismissed rape allegations saying his two accomplices who are on the run had raped a woman whom they robbed of cash and gadgets.
The woman testified and told magistrate Dzira that Banda and his two friends attacked her and her boyfriend last year in May.
“Banda was the ring leader and after robbing us they led me to a bushy area. I was raped by one of his friends,” said the woman.
Banda was quick to object to the woman’s testimony saying: “I was only interested in money that day, not sex!”
Dzipe said on May 21 at around 3.30PM near Norwood Farm, Banda and his accomplices stood in the road as the woman — who cannot be named to protect her identity — and her boyfriend were driving from Nyamandlovu.
“As the woman’s boyfriend tried to manoeuvre around the men with the vehicle, one of the men smashed the windscreen and asked them to get out the vehicle,” said Dzipe.
“They robbed the couple of $40, sneakers, a laptop, his clothes and cellphones.”
Dzipe said the trio also pounced on a man from St Peters who was cycling whom they hit with a log on July 3.
“He fell and they frisked him and took away his cellphone, identity card, clothes, a wallet and 2kg sugar. The men also took his bicycle and fled from the scene,” said Dzipe.
On August 21 at around 1PM at a Bushy area in Cowdray Park, the trio met a man walking home.
The prosecutor said: “They forced him to surrender his property and he resisted.
“Two of the men struck him with an axe handle and robbed him of property valued at $270.
“Banda was identified at a police identification parade and his accomplices are still at large.” The Chronicle
GWERU – A prominent Gweru businessman allegedly kidnapped, drugged and sodomised two primary school boys aged 11 and 12 years.
Smile Madhaka
Smile Madhaka, 34, of Mkoba 19 suburb, who runs night clubs in Mkoba 1, 9 and 11 and a Pool Club in the Midlands capital, allegedly picked the boys from school and abused them for a period of three months.
He appeared briefly before Magistrate Judith Taruvinga on Wednesday facing two counts of aggravated indecent assault.
The court heard he gave the boys $5 to buy their silence.
Madhaka was not asked to plead.
He was remanded in custody to July 21 for trial after his bail application was denied.
The court is also awaiting medical results from the doctor who examined the boys.
For the State, Daniel Tafuma told the court that sometime in April this year, Madhaka who has a night club in Mkoba 1 which is close to Bumburwi Primary School went to the school where he met the two juveniles.
He said Madhaka offered the boys a lift.
“Inside his vehicle, he offered them bread and drinks. After consuming the food which could’ve been laced with a drug, the boys fell unconscious,” said Tafuma.
He said after some time the boys gained consciousness only to realise they were in Mkoba 3 near the Salvation Army Church.
Tafuma told the court that the boys had been dumped there by Madhaka.
“When the boys recovered they realised that they were near Salvation Army Church and that their pants were soiled,” said Tapfuma.
He said before he dumped them, Madhaka told the boys that he was going to pick them up at Mkoba Police Station bus stop on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The abuse went on till June 26 this year.
Tafuma said Madhaka would intoxicate the boys with laced food and drinks before sodomising them.
He said he also gave them $5 to share.
Tafuma said the matter came to light after the boys’ parents reported to the police leading to his arrest.
Meanwhile, police in Midlands have called on parents and guardians to always keep an eye on their children while monitoring their behaviour.
Midlands Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko said even boys were at risk of sexual abuse.
“Every child is at risk of sexual abuse and we therefore urge parents and guardians to always monitor their behaviour. There are perverts out there who prey on innocent children and we therefore urge parents to always keep an eye on their children to curb such crimes,” he said. The Chronicle
PARLIAMENT was rocked by a new language row on Wednesday when Deputy Speaker Mabel Chinomona told an MP to ask her question in English, instead of Ndebele.
Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga
Umzingwane MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga (MDC) had risen to ask Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi a question, and used Ndebele which is spoken by most of her constituents.
Zimbabwe has 16 official languages under the Constitution, but only English, Ndebele and Shona have been approved for parliamentary debates.
Parliament employs intepreters and MPs can use supplied headsets when faced with a language barrier, but it is thought these have not worked for months.
“I’d like to ask the Minister of Tourism why when investors come to Zimbabwe they face visa problems,” Misihairabwi-Mushonga said in Ndebele, as one legislator yelled ‘taura neShona!’ (speak in Shona!).
The MP paused, and then pressed on: “Can you work with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that when investors come in they don’t have problems? Some Chinese were chased when they came here. What are you doing to rectify this?”
Chinomona, in the Chair, then asked the MP to speak in English, stating that Mzembi does not understand Ndebele.
“… I would want to appeal to you to speak in English as the Hon Minister is not versed in Ndebele and I know that you’re able to speak in all the languages,” said Chinomona.
“May you ask your question in English so that the Minister can understand your question?”
Misihairabwi-Mushonga complied with the Deputy Speaker’s ruling saying: “I’ll do so Madam Deputy Speaker, but I think that he should be able to understand Ndebele. I think he said he understands Ndebele.”
Minister Mzembi, in his response, said: “I’m born of a Ndebele mother and a Karanga father. For the benefit of the greater audience, because her question is really international, I would plead that she just recasts it in English and I know that the Ndebele audience from my mother’s side will benefit from the answer in English.
“So, may I plead with the Hon Member to just recast it in English?”
Chinomona reiterated: “I thought I had already given a ruling on this issue. Hon Misihairabwi, can you please assist the Hon Minister because he doesn’t understand the language.”
Chinomona was again in the chair this month last year when she told then Transport Minister Obert Mpofu to answer a question in Shona, and the minister refused.
Speaking in Shona, Zanu-PF legislator Monica Chigudu, quizzed the Ndebele-speaking minister about the lack of progress on the upgrading of the Harare-Beitbridge highway where fatal accidents continue to occur.
Since his interlocutor had chosen to speak in their mother tongue, Mpofu, the MP for Umguza, elected to respond in Ndebele.
Said the minister: “Honourable Chigudu ubuze umbuzo oqakathekileyo. Kunzima ukulungisa yonke imgwaqo sikhathi sinye kodwa ngiyathembisa ukhuthi iMasvingo iyabe isile dual road ngesikhathi esifitshane [Honourable Chigudu you asked an important question. It’s very difficult to fix all roads at once, but I promise that Masvingo will have a dual carriageway soon].’’
Out of order, decided the Deputy Speaker who immediately intervened.
“Order! Honourable Minister, I plead with you Honourable Minister to try to respond to the question in the language that she has posed the question. Honourable Members, behave yourselves in the House,” said Chinomona.
Mpofu shot back: “I think it would be better if I use English for the interpretation in the Hansard.”
A raucous noise followed with inaudible interjections from legislators after which Mpofu added: “I’m advised by my colleagues that I should proceed in Ndebele.”
Security has been stepped up in the wake of the attack in Sousse
The first of thousands of British tourists are due to return home from Tunisia after a warning that another terror attack is “highly likely”.
Security has been stepped up in the wake of the attack in Sousse
Thirty Britons were killed in an attack in Sousse last month – and the Foreign Office is urging Britons to leave.
Some tourists waiting to leave the country said they felt disappointed – and afraid – after the warning, adding they saw no option but to leave.
Tunisia criticised the UK’s advice, saying it was “what terrorists want”.
Between 2,500 and 3,000 British package holidaymakers are believed to be in Tunisia, as well as about 500 independent travellers.
The Association of British Travel Agents said its members were aiming to bring customers home in the next 48 hours.
Michelle Ayres, who is among those waiting to leave Sousse, said: “Everyone’s disappointed here – and I speak for many people… but obviously they haven’t got an option.
“We actually feel we’d be safer in the hotel than leaving it at the moment. We’re worried not about getting to the airport. Everybody’s thinking ‘What’s going to happen? Is there a threat to us?’ and that’s why they’re getting us out.
“The people who came in two days ago had armed police chaperone their buses… We didn’t have that when we arrived here so something has obviously changed.”
Security ‘chaos’
A gunman killed 38 holidaymakers in the 26 June beach attack, prompting Tunisia to declare a state of emergency and increase security at tourist sites.
The UK government said there was no new “specific or imminent” threat but intelligence had led officials to the view that a further terrorist attack was “highly likely”.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the Tunisian investigation into the Sousse attack – and an attack in March on the Bardo Museum near Tunis which left 22 dead, including one Briton – was continuing and Tunisian authorities had “made clear they want to track down further individuals who they suspect may have links” to the attacks.
He said a security assessment in tourist areas found more work was needed “to effectively protect tourists from the terrorist threat”. BBC
