Tanaka Mrewa Court Reporter—
THREE women from Bulawayo’s Magwegwe North have been arrested for allegedly assaulting and stripping their neighbour whom they suspected to be dating a husband to one of them. One of the suspects recorded the attack that left Nomcebo Maphosa (21) injured. They allegedly assaulted her with fists together with an accomplice who is at large, a court heard yesterday.

Two of the women were carrying their babies in the dock yesterday. Sibongisiwe Moyo (25), Sicelo Moyo (19) and Samantha Dungeni (21) are facing assault and indecent assault charges.

Sibongisiswe pleaded guilty to both charges. The other two women pleaded guilty to assault but denied that they stripped Maphosa and recorded a video of the scene. Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu remanded the trio out of custody to Monday.

“I am only remanding you out of custody because you have infant children and you claim you have no one to leave them with but with the devious act you did you deserve to go to prison. Make sure when you come back you find people to attend to your children while you stand trial,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Prosecuting, Ms Magret Takawira, said the trio went to Maphosa’s house and dragged her outside her yard. “The three accused persons, in company of one more who is still at large, assaulted the complainant alleging that she was having an affair with one of the accused’s husband. They hit her with fists all over the body and she sustained injuries,” said Ms Takawira.

“Accused persons stripped complainant of her clothes chanting that she is a prostitute. One of them recorded a video of the scene.” — @tannytkay

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
A driver for a Bulawayo-bound Greyhound bus was yesterday crushed to death in a freak accident that happened at Beitbridge Border Post as he attended to a tyre puncture. It is understood that the tyre deflated at around 1PM when customs officers were searching the bus. The driver was trapped as he attempted to put a second vehicle jack, when the first one gave in.

Border authorities said the driver was later pulled out by other travellers and taken to Beitbridge District Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon admission.

“The bus was travelling from Johannesburg in South Africa to Bulawayo. The now deceased had his left upper chest trapped under the bus for a few minutes before some travellers pulled him out,” said an official.

Police are yet to release the driver’s name. Matabeleland South police spokesman, Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he was yet to get details on the incident. An official at the bus company’s Bulawayo office promised to respond to inquiries from Chronicle, but had not done so by late last night.

Prophet Magaya

Zvamaida Murwira Harare Bureau—
Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries will next week launch a housing construction programme in Bulawayo that will see 46 000 houses being built in four cities. The multi-million dollar project is scheduled to be complete in seven months. In an interview last night, church leader, Prophet Walter Magaya said the ground-breaking ceremony for the project will be held in Bulawayo next Wednesday.

He said PHD would build 20 000 houses in Harare and Mutare, 3 000 in Midlands province, and another 3 000 in Bulawayo. “I want to say thank you to my Government, which facilitated the acquisition of 20 percent of the land that I got while 80 percent was bought from private entities who had title deeds.

“I want to say thank you to my Government and I will not let it down on the land that it facilitated my ministry (PhD) to acquire,” said Prophet Magaya. The development is expected to create about 3 000 jobs.

PHD has since employed a 1 500-workforce of various categories who are currently based in Prospect, Waterfalls, Harare, where construction of a more than 200-room hotel is almost complete.

Asked how he was managing to embark on such a huge project running into millions of dollars during these difficult times, Prophet Magaya said he was working with his foreign partners.

“We have foreign partners who are investing back home. They are working with my company Planet Africa, which is into construction,” said Prophet Magaya. He said servicing of the land in all the cities had already started.

“We are in the process of employing workers. To date, we have employed 1 500 and they are still here at Prospect. As a ministry, we are saying to all partners of the ministry, we want you to redeem yourself. It is your time for you to have your own land,” said Prophet Magaya.

Asked how much the houses would cost, Prophet Magaya said the houses would be valued at reasonable prices.

“They will be sold at a much lower price. It will be quite affordable to low income earners, and would be lower than most of these projects. We are determined to fulfil Government’s economic blueprint Zim-Asset in providing infrastructure. Our concept is housing for all,” he said.

On how long he thought the project would take to complete, Prophet Magaya said: “If I managed to complete construction of a hotel in a record five months, what would stop me from completing it in seven months?”

The housing project is one of several that Prophet Magaya has spearheaded. He recently completed construction of a 15 000 seater stadium, in addition to construction of 1 500 houses in Harare and Chitungwiza.

The PHD project comes barely a fortnight after Varun Beverages Pepsi announced that it would start constructing its $30 million bottling plant that would create 400 jobs.

Minister Prisca Mupfumira

Nqobile Tshili in Bulawayo and Felex Share in Harare—
THE Government has announced civil servants’ pay dates for this month, underlying its commitment to timeously fulfil its salary obligations to its workers. According to the payment schedule, members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe will be paid on August 23. Those in the health sector will receive their salaries on August 26, while the police and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services will be paid on August 30.

The Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association recently appealed to the Government to recognise its members as belonging to the essential services sector because of the nature of their job, hence the need to pay them earlier.

After those in the health sector and the security forces have been paid, next to receive their salaries will be teachers on September 2. The rest of the civil servants will be paid on September 5 while pensioners will receive their payments on September 9.

The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Prisca Mupfumira said it was a matter of time before all the civil servants were paid within the month worked as the Government’s strategies to raise money start paying dividends.

“It is a fact that we have revenue challenges but as promised, we have managed to bring forward the pay dates for most of the workers except for teachers who received their July salaries on August 2 and for this month they will be paid on September 2,” she said.

“Just as said by President Mugabe during the Heroes’ Day commemorations that mechanisms are being developed to ensure workers get their salaries on the traditional pay dates, we are working day and night to improve and meet this target.

“We thank Treasury for working to ensure these improvements come. September dates will be availed as soon as modalities are in place because we want the workers, whom we treasure so much, to concentrate on service delivery.”

Minister Mupfumira added: “We will also continue engaging the workers, through the official channels, to update each other on the developments that will be taking place. They have every right to know what will be happening and National Joint Negotiating Council meetings will be held constantly.”

Apex Council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said although they have noted some stability when it comes to their pay dates, they were worried that they overlapped into the next month.

“There has been some steady improvement and in other sectors the Government has maintained the dates as they had last month,” she said. Mrs Alexander implored the Government to continue working on improving on the pay dates.

“So we’re calling on the powers that be to take this matter seriously. And it was our hope that in August the situation would have normalised. But we’ve realised that we’ve not yet achieved normalcy and we will continue to engage,” said Mrs Alexander.

A few weeks ago, President Mugabe appealed to civil servants to be patient, saying the country was faced with an array of challenges that include illegal sanctions, drought as well as the use of the multi-currency system, mainly the US dollar that the country had little control over.

He said the Government would strive to ensure that the problem of delays in salary payments was addressed. — @nqotshili

Police officers and marshals flee angry supporters at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday

Raymond Jaravaza Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS have strongly condemned acts of hooliganism that rocked Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday and warned that the club would be forced to take drastic measures to fish out unruly elements during their home matches.

A police officer was assaulted by a mob after their 1-1 stalemate with Chicken Inn. Scores of people were arrested in the aftermath of the violence that was mainly targeted at the police.

Highlanders’ chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede described the attack on the police officer as tantamount to “treason”.

“The violence was made worse by the attack on a police officer and that is tantamount to treason because that officer enforces the laws of the country and no amount of anger justifies the vicious attack. We strongly condemn such violence be it from aggrieved persons or whoever. Taking the law into one’s hands is just not acceptable,” said Gumede yesterday.

“Football is a family sport and such acts of violence deter people from coming out to stadiums to enjoy the beautiful game. If such acts of violence continue, we will be forced to fish out the unruly elements behind it. We have marshals strategically positioned around the stadium, hence it’s not difficult at all to identify the perpetrators of violence and ban them from the stadium. As a club, we will suffer financially through fines for pitch invasions,” Gumede said.

Premier Soccer League chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said he was waiting for a report from the match commissioner.

“We are waiting for a match report which should be on my desk tomorrow (today) before taking the next course of action,” said Ndebele.

Under PSL standing orders and regulations, pitch invasions by supporters cost the offending club $2 000.

There are, however, indications that Bosso will be hauled before a disciplinary hearing considering the level of violence that marred the match.

Meanwhile, Highlanders coach Erol Akbay believes playing without a notable striker is working against the team.

In the last 20 minutes, Bosso played without a striker, opting instead to push midfielder King Nadolo to play as a lone striker after Ralph Matema was substituted for youngster Adrian Silla in the 73rd minute.

“It’s always a problem playing without an experienced striker and we can’t expect midfielders to get us crucial goals in every game,” said Akbay.

Prince Dube missed the match through injury and was not part of the 18-member squad that was selected for the Chicken Inn encounter.

The departure of Knox Mutizwa and Bruce Kangwa and resultant failure to boost the team with experienced goal scorers during the transfer window is proving to be the Achilles’ heel in Highlanders’ quest to keep abreast with the leading pack.

THE Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) says financial sector support to agriculture is still rather constrained at below 16 percent in the half year to June 30, 2016.

Zimbabwe is still largely an agro-based economy, and the sector is critical to driving manufacturing sector and exports growth.

RBZ director for bank supervision Mr Norman Mataruka said banks should take a more “holistic” approach to funding the agriculture sector.

“Banking sector lending to agriculture 15,8 percent of total banking sector lending as at June 30, 2016.

“As the Reserve Bank, we think that there is scope to upscale support to the agricultural and rural sectors especially in the context of value chain financing,” he said.

Agriculture presently contributes to 60 percent of the country’s foreign exchange earnings, about 15 percent of Gross Domestic Product and 23 percent of employment.

He added:

“With a value chain approach, banks can obtain a holistic view of the connections their clients have with other value chain actors and use this knowledge to offer services tailored financial products to address and mitigate risks traditionally associated with the agricultural and rural sectors.

“Agriculture value chain finance offers an opportunity to reduce cost and risk in financing and reach out to smallholder farmers. For financial institutions value chain finance creates the impetus to look beyond the direct recipient of finance and to craft products that best fit the needs of businesses in the value chain.”

Agriculture markets analyst Mr Charles Dhewa believes that funding agriculture should be taken as a national imperative.

“Injecting money in the market should be a national strategic imperative.

“If banks inject $5 million today, by year end it will be $150 million due to short cycle crop calendars and the diversity of commodities which will drive the multiplier effect of the injected money,” he said.

He said small pockets from microfinance institutions were critical for short term financial challenges but a strategic intervention at national level should see banks thinking big and using the market as a powerful business institution.

Despite the financing to the agriculture sector being viewed as low, RBZ monthly reports generally show that the agricultural sector comparatively receives the larger chunk of private sector credit. — BH24

Tinashe Makichi Harare Bureau
WEEKLY gold exports have increased by 33,3 percent to $16 million over the past four months largely driven by the 5 percent export incentive introduced by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in May this year.

Speaking at the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers SI 64 breakfast meeting yesterday, RBZ Governor Dr John Mangudya said the impact of the policy measures introduced by the central bank has been impressive.

The RBZ established a $200 million foreign exchange and export incentive facility supported by the African Export-Import Bank, as part of policy measures to address challenges affecting the economy.

The initiative was also meant to resolve liquidity problems. The facility was aimed at providing a cushion to the high demand for foreign currency and to provide an incentive of up to five percent on foreign exchange receipts, including tobacco and gold export proceeds.

“The multiple currency system depends on the capacity of Zimbabwe to earn foreign currency. Because of the export incentive, which we introduced on May 5, 2016 we have seen gold exports going up to $15-$16 million every week and this is an increase from $12 million.

“Our aim is to reach $20 million worth of gold exports (weekly). By giving an (export) incentive of five percent, the artisanal miners are now selling gold to the RBZ through the Fidelity Refineries and Printers,” said Dr Mangudya.

“It is a fact that all the companies in Zimbabwe require this export incentive scheme so that they can expand. The intrinsic value of the export bonus or incentive scheme is to attract and enhance exports by Zimbabweans so that at the end of the day there is enough foreign currency in this country,” he said.

Dr Mangudya also said the use of point of sale machines and other electronic payment systems has increased since January this year, demonstrating how far the market has embraced the use of plastic money. POS, and other electronic payment systems have gone up to $5,5 billion as at end of July 2016 from $4,1 billion in January.

Dr Mangudya said that the number of POS machines has increased to 20 000 from 17 000 as at May 2016.

“So we have seen an improvement in value, volumes and the number of agents put in place in this country. We are trying to make sure that we are not putting too much pressure on cash.

“We have been pleased by the impact of the measures that we introduced and as I have always said in my Monetary Policy Statements, it is back to basics,” said Dr Mangudya.

On Statutory Instrument 64, Dr Mangudya said that the instrument is a tool aimed at promoting local production, as productivity is the solution to the current economic challenges.

He said this stemmed from the fact that Zimbabwe over-liberalised its economy in 2009 and forgot to stop importation of products that were produced locally.

“The Zimbabwean situation is that we over liberalised the economy, we opened too many doors. It is a fact the investor perception on Zimbabwe is bad at the moment, which is why investor participation in the country is low.

“The introduction of the SI 64 was done after consultations with various business representative organisations. The idea was to promote local content value chains and therefore out of this we need to increase production. The import priority list is, however, administered by banks and not the RBZ,” said Dr Mangudya.

Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said the challenges faced by the local industry are known and there was need to build a good working relationship between Government and the private sector.

He said industry should engage the Government on all the issues that may be affecting them and get a proper position rather than relying on speculative reports.

A GROWING trend of political extremism and violence seems to be taking root in our domestic football, with generally non-football fans attending matches to fulfil their agenda of disturbing the peace.

There has recently been a disturbing and increasing tendency by “fans” to turn to violence and brutality in games involving Bulawayo giants Highlanders, especially at Barbourfields Stadium, and our question is whether they are genuine Bosso fans or “wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing”. Are the violent-happy people that attend Highlanders’ matches fans or activists taking advantage of the long held fallacy that Bosso fans are violent?

Those that want to brew violence must do it on their own and not hide behind our football disguised as Highlanders’ fans for their selfish ambitions and at the same time tarnishing the image of the club. If you are given to violence, face the police on your own and not under the banner of Highlanders. We don’t claim to speak for Highlanders, but the myth being peddled that Bosso fans are violent is as ridiculous as the once repeated fable that a certain club had seven million followers some years ago.

Football fans are emotional and generally resort to brief skirmishes on the terraces. However, what transpired at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday astonished even diehard Bosso fans. Yes, most of them were clad in Highlanders’ replica jerseys and regalia, but the way they menacingly advanced towards the police lines in a column formation approach betrayed their identity. After all, there was no reason for Bosso fans to be that angry because their club had benefited from a last-minute decision by referee Nkosikhona Moyo to end the match just as Chicken Inn scored. The referee’s contentious final whistle ensured that Highlanders shared the spoils with their neighbours and avoided what would have been an embarrassing fourth straight league defeat.

The match was peaceful until the referee signalled the end. When Bosso lost to newcomers Mutare City Rovers in their previous game at Barbourfields Stadium about a fortnight ago, their fans walked out en masse in disgust, so it was rather shocking for “them” to suddenly pick a fight with the cops instead of breathing a huge sigh of relief that they had been saved from the jaws of defeat by the referee’s final whistle.

Real Highlanders’ fans understand that every act of hooliganism and violence hits the club where it hurts most, the club’s heavily depleted finances. The club is choking from debt of over half-a-million dollars and every violent incident and act of hooliganism at home matches costs the club $2 000, further sinking Bosso into financial abyss.

Bosso fans would not want to be the cause of the club’s ballooning debt and hence our belief that those responsible for Sunday’s violent and brutal acts are not Highlanders’ supporters, but unscrupulous elements pushing a political agenda under cover of the Bosso fans’ banner. Just over a week ago, the shadowy social media-based #This Flag campaign urged people to throng Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo for the second Test match between Zimbabwe and New Zealand, and to stand up and sing the national anthem in the 36th over, as a way of making a political statement.

After the group’s objectives were thwarted by the police, it seems they or another grouping have targeted Highlanders’ matches, taking advantage of the club’s popularity and its fans’ disappointment fed by the team’s recent poor run.

We again repeat what we said then that politics should never be allowed to interfere with our sport and should find a stage somewhere in the political arena where they will meet their counterparts. Genuine fans, especially Highlanders ones, want to enjoy time out watching their favourite team and not some political soap opera.

Richard Muponde Gwanda Correspondent
A WORKER at Vumbachikwe gold mine in Gwanda died yesterday morning after plunging for about 160 metres down a shaft. The incident occurred as workers were reporting for duty.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident.

“I can confirm that a worker at Vumbachikwe Mine plunged to death in the morning when he was going down a shaft to perform his duties. Police are still investigating the matter and more details will come in due course,” said Insp Ndebele.

He identified the deceased as Mugovewashe Kwashira (27) and said the body was taken to Gwanda provincial hospital for a postmortem.

A source who spoke to The Chronicle on condition of anonymity said Kwashira slipped from a “ladder” which he was using to go down the shaft.

“The conveyor cage which the workers always use to go down the mine was down so management authorised that their workers use a ladder to go down the shaft. Some of the workers managed to go down but when Kwashira’s turn came, he slipped and plunged about 160 metres to his death,” said the source.

“Instead of suspending operations awaiting repair of the conveyor cage, the mine management insisted that the workers use the ladder down the shaft. The other problem is that it appeared Kwashira had no safety belt to harness him to the ladder hence he slipped and plunged down the full depth of the shaft leading to his death.”

The latest incident comes barely a year after an employee at Jessie Mine on the outskirts of Gwanda was also crushed to death after a boulder weighing more than a tonne fell on him while he was underground.

In 2014, another Vumbachikwe Mine worker died after he was crushed to death when a boulder weighing more than 1 000 kilogrammes fell on him.

Efforts to get a comment from the mine’s management were fruitless. — @pamssmup.

Jah Prayzah

Bongani Ndlovu Showbiz Correspondent
FANS who have listened to Jah Prayzah’s new 11 track album Mdhara Vachauya have given it a seal of approval with superstar Oliver Mtukudzi commending the contemporary musician for his consistency.

Over the weekend, Jah Prayzah held two album launches, one in Harare at the HICC and the other in Bulawayo at the Large City Hall in front of bumper crowds on both occasions.

At the album launch in Harare, Tuku took to the stage and heaped praises on Jah Prayzah.

“The young man is doing well. Jah aenda nenyika,” said Tuku.

Zimdancehall idol Winky D’s manager Jonathan Banda said it was a great album that has set the standards for others to follow.

“The album has a song with Diamond Platinumz that has transcended the borders which is a good thing for Zimbabwean music. This has set a great platform for other artistes to do the same. All in all this is a great album,” said Banda.

Concurring with the two, some have taken to Jah Prayzah’s Facebook fan page to express their feelings on the album.

From the comments, most people like Watora Mari, Seke and the title track, with some saying the songs will dominate at weddings.

A fan, Richard Sipawe, said he liked Jah Prayzah’s album because it was diverse.

“Thanks for such an outstanding album. Your mouth is a dangerous instrument. It’s so touching to me since am the last born and that’s the way my mom treats me, you always remind me to do great things for my parents. Another point to note is you are creative; your album contains a reggae feel,” he said.

Tindoe Sejo Chizema encouraged Jah Prayzah to collaborate more with artistes outside Zimbabwe.

“Soldier you can collaborate with anyone with your type of music. Please continue collaborating with a lot of internationals. Starting with SA musicians, chimbotiranga takamirira, #soldierRinoendaKure”.

However, some fans said the album was substandard with the only notable song being Watora Mari.

Others said the album failed to surpass the standard set by his previous offering Jerusarema.

“So, Jah Prayzah’s latest album Mdhara Vachauya was the talk of the town. In fact there was a downright racket in central Harare and so I bought myself a copy. Well, save for one song, let me say, Mdhara vakakurumidzisa kuuya, dai vakambogarako (he was hasty in his comeback he should have waited),” posted one fan.

Jah Prayzah said the 11-track Mdhara Vachauya consisted of love and party songs.

The title track – Mdhara Vachauya – which some thought was meant to show who the big boss was – is however, a love song which he composed for his wife.

“Mdhara Vachauya is basically a love song. It’s meant to cheer my wife when I’m not with her. It’s a reminder that each time I’ll be away, I’ll have gone to look for money.

“Whenever she misses me or when people bother her, she should always know that I’m here for her”, he said.

Seke, track number eight on the album, was composed for the artiste’s mother.

“My mother used to cycle to work so that she could fend for us. I decided to compose a song to thank her because I’m where I am today because of her.

“I called the track Seke because she stays in Seke so we call her Seke Mutema.”

His full album is available on video sharing site YouTube for those who can’t get the CDs.

- @bonganinkunzi.

Minister Makhosini Hlongwane

Petros Kausiyo and Grace Chingoma Harare Bureau
THE Government reacted angrily yesterday in the wake of another outburst of violence in the domestic Premiership, with the high-profile Bulawayo derby between Chicken Inn and Highlanders being marred by disturbances, saying the cancer was destroying the image of the country’s top-flight league.

The match ended 1-1, albeit in controversial circumstances sparked by a refereeing decision that torched ugly scenes of violence at Barbourfields, with some hooligans invading the pitch from the Soweto End and even charging and throwing missiles at the police.

Tafadzwa Kutinyu scored what should have been Chicken Inn’s winner, in time added on, but referee Nkosikhona Moyo disallowed the goal saying that he had blown to end the match by the time the midfielder fired home.

However, questions are now being asked as to why Moyo — who is a rookie at this level of the game — was appointed to handle the biggest football derby in the City of Kings given that this referee has handled less than five Premiership matches in the past two years.

Yesterday, the Government challenged Zifa to take more decisive and punitive action against hooligans in order to weed rogue elements out of domestic football.

Sports and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane said the level of violence in the domestic Premiership was unacceptable and the Government will not watch from a distance while hooligans hijack the national game and turn it into their battleground.

Hlongwane told a press conference in the capital yesterday that the Government wanted Zifa, as the country’s football governing body, to put in place a system that will ensure that hooligans who tarnish the image of the game are weeded out, including bans being imposed on known serial offenders.

The Minister said Zifa’s failure to punish football leaders, like Councillor and Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League board member for competitions Cecilia Gambe who invaded the pitch and abused a referee during a league match between Mutare City and How Mine at Sakubva on May 8, had sent the wrong message that such lawlessness was acceptable in domestic football.

Gambe charged at referee Brighton Chimene, accusing him of bad officiating, but the Women’s League official is still to be sanctioned by Zifa while Mutare City Rovers were penalised $2 000 by the PSL’s disciplinary committee for the behaviour of the fans.

The absence of a Zifa Appeals Committee also means that Dynamos’ appeal, against the decision for the Glamour Boys to play in an empty stadium in the wake of the violence that gripped their league match against FC Platinum, is still to be heard.

A Zifa employee, Theresa Maguraushe, is reported to be making the appointments of referees who should, according to the Association’s constitution, be appointed by the Zifa Referees’ Committee.

Zifa have been delaying the naming of their committees, which are crucial in the running of the game, for some time now although they are now set to be finalised at a meeting this weekend.

“The Ministry would like to state in categoric terms that hooliganism and other forms of violence have no place in football, in particular, and sport in general as it defeats the very well established axioms of sport, i.e. promoting peace and a culture of tolerance of difference,” Hlongwane said yesterday.

“Government takes note of the fact that despite earlier warnings for Zifa to take action on hooliganism and violence at football matches, the following matters have not been conclusively resolved:

“Violence at the Mutare City Rovers — How Mine match of 8 May 2016 where a Zifa councillor invaded the pitch and threatened a match official in full view of the fans and spectators of the game.”

The Minister also cited the league match at Rufaro where Dynamos fans turned violent after their team’s 1-0 defeat by FC Platinum.

Police, who fought running battles with the hooligans, had to fire teargas to disperse them with former Dynamos secretary-general Webster Chikengezha’s car having its windscreen smashed.

“The Dynamos-FC Platinum match of 14 May 2016 has not been conclusively resolved despite advice by Government and the Sports Commission.

“It is Government’s view that the lack of decisive action on these very important matters of football by Zifa have allowed the culture of violence to continue to breed at football matches.

“The lack of disciplinary action on the Zifa board member, who invaded the pitch in Mutare and threatened officials, is creating an impression that Zifa itself is sheltering merchants of violence within its structures and promoting a culture of impunity.

“Government is therefore, advising Zifa to lead by example and to take stern action on all perpetrators of violence in all the cited incidences including the Highlanders-Chicken Inn match,” Hlongwane said.

Hlongwane said it was Government’s position that “hooliganism should be stamped out with harsh penalties.”

Further, Government suggests that hooligans should be banned from attending soccer matches and that the underlying causes of violence at soccer matches should be investigated and dealt with decisively.

“Lastly, Government calls on Zifa to immediately expedite as it should have done, the process of constituting its committees to raise the level of capacity and skills of officials, for better and professional handling and management of all matches.’’

Zifa, on their part, also urged clubs to expedite the spectator education programmes in order to ensure the hooligan element is extinguished from the various venues.

The association’s spokesman Xolisani Gwesela said Zifa would strive to ensure that the hooligans are brought to book.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association is utterly dismayed by the heinous acts of hooliganism that characterised the Chicken Inn vs Highlanders match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

“These heinous acts of violence must be condemned in no uncertain terms.

“The beautiful game of football celebrates aesthetic values of peace, tranquility and good sportsmanship. The association takes great exception to any individual or groups who breach these sacrosanct values.

“Zifa encourages clubs to educate their fans and devise strategies to curb these despicable acts of violence. Zifa also urges the law enforcement agencies to be resolute and clamp down heavily on these malcontents to serve as a deterrence for future occurrence,’’ Gwesela said.

Meanwhile, Zifa have sent a condolence message to their president Philip Chiyangwa following the death of his brother Nyadziso on Sunday.

“Zifa joins association President, Dr Philip Chiyangwa and his family in mourning the sad passing on of Nyadziso Chiyangwa, the president’s younger brother.

“We extend our heartfelt commiserations to Dr Chiyangwa and his family and we are deeply sorry for their loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this dark time of grieving. May the Chiyangwa family find comfort in the Lord,” Gwesela said.

Chiyangwa is distressed following his brother’s untimely death but he said this is also a time to celebrate the life of the deceased.

“It is with the most grieving heart that I announce the passing away of my young brother Nyadziso.

“A blooming flower has been plucked from the garden of life and we mourn. Tinoda kupa kutenda kuna Mwari nenguva yaakatipa tiri pamwe. (We thank the Lord for the time he granted us with him [Nyadziso]).

“As we grieve, let us come together again and celebrate the life of Nyadziso in giving him a befitting send-off,” Chiyangwa said.

Nyadziso will be buried at the Chiyangwa rural home in Zvimba this afternoon.

Lusaka — Zambia’s incumbent President Edgar Lungu was yesterday declared the winner of a closely-fought election in the southern African country that the opposition claimed was rigged.

Election commission chief Esau Chulu announced that Lungu was “duly elected” after releasing the final results from Thursday’s election which put the president ahead of his main rival Hakainde Hichilema by around 200 000 votes.

Lungu polled over 1.86 million votes against Hichilema’s 1.66 million, according to results released four days after polling day.

Hichilema had charged on Sunday that unexplained delays in releasing the results were a clear sign of fraud to produce a win for Lungu’s Patriotic Front (PF).

“Clearly this is rigging an election, with the collusion of managers at the Electoral Commission of Zambia or commissioners,” said the wealthy businessman, who had made his fifth bid for the presidency.

“We know that the PF, once they realised that they were behind, they wanted to force a re-run. The winner in the elections could have been announced a day or two ago.”

The electoral commission had initially said that results would be announced within 48 hours of the close of voting. Copper-rich Zambia is usually known for its relative stability, but the run-up to the vote was marked by weeks of clashes between supporters of the rival parties which saw at least three people killed.

Election day — which saw a total of nine candidates run for president — was peaceful, with Zambian officials repeatedly issuing calls for calm to try to avoid a violent reaction to the results.

Zambia’s electorate had also cast ballots in parliamentary and muncipal elections as well as in a constitutional referendum.

The PF had blamed Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND) for the delays, saying it had raised numerous complaints with the electoral commission.

Lungu has been in office for just 19 months after he first took power last year when he beat Hichilema by less than 28 000 votes in a snap election following the death in office of president Michael Sata.

He was re-elected to a full five-year term.

Zambia, a British colony until 1964, recorded GDP growth of 3.6 percent last year — its slowest rate since 1998. The falling price of copper, the country’s key export, has badly damaged the economy with thousands of jobs lost in mining and inflation soaring to over 20 percent. — AFP

Opposition rejects presidential election result
LUSAKA — Zambia’s main opposition party has rejected the result of a presidential election awarded to incumbent President Edgar Lungu yesterday, claiming the electoral commission colluded to rig the vote against its candidate Hakainde Hichilema.

“We have evidence to the effect that the votes for Hakainde Hichilema have been deliberately reduced in collusion with the Electoral Commission of Zambia,” the United Party for National Development’s lawyer Jack Mwiimbu told journalists.

“We have confidence that the constitutional court will rise above board and declare the results a nullity.” — Reuters

Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
ONE person has been arrested while four others have been picked up for questioning in connection with skirmishes that erupted at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday.

The violence started at the end of a Premiership match, a 1-1 stalemate, pitting Highlanders FC and Chicken Inn.

Police have castigated the unruly behaviour of some fans saying hooliganism will never be tolerated.

Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube said police are still conducting investigations following the disturbances.

“One person has been arrested while four others have been picked up for questioning. The one who was arrested has been seriously linked to the violence that occurred. He is the one who first invaded the pitch after the match, resulting in the violence,” said Asst Insp Ncube.

Police could not immediately release the name of the suspect or the other four who were being questioned.

The violence was captured by social media users who posted videos and pictures online.

In one of the videos, police officers are seen retreating from charging hooligans who are carrying all sorts of weapons.

In another one, an unidentified man is seen savagely assaulting a policeman using a police shield.

In the video, the police officer is haplessly lying on the ground with one of his shoes removed.

Some members of the public were speculating that the police officer could have been killed.

However, Asst Insp Ncube said the officer was recovering and is in a stable condition.

He said police were concerned about acts of hooliganism.

“We’re worried about hooliganism at soccer matches. People should learn to restrain themselves so that others can be in a position to bring their families to matches.

“They should leave those assigned with the match task to do their job,” said Asst Insp Ncube.

The mayhem was apparently triggered by the arrest and manhandling of a fan from the Soweto stand by the police.

The hooligan had been arrested for throwing missiles onto the pitch and police set a dog on him while beating him with truncheons at the same time.

Some fans tried to rescue him and all hell broke loose.

The few police details were clearly losing the battle and started retreating to safety towards the VIP area, as fans closed in on them.

The cops kept their distance and allowed tempers to cool. — @nqotshili.

Today we release a video taken during the violent skirmishes that rocked Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

The video was taken by Chronicle Chief Photographer Elias Saushoma, who was covering the PSL match between Highlanders and Chicken Inn.

Watch video below

Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE risks not having referees on the prestigious Fifa panel next year unless Zifa appoints a referees committee and organises a Fifa approved fitness and medical test by early October.

The deadline for nominating candidates for the panel is October 2, according to a communiqué issued by Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura to member associations.

Zifa has not had a referees’ committee since the new administration disbanded all previous committees, saying they wanted new brooms.

In the communiqué, Fifa said all nominated referees ought to have attended and passed a Fifa approved fitness and medical test on or after June 2, but before the close of nominations date of October 2.

The last such test, which was actually physical, was held in April.

Zimbabwe has 17 international referees made up of nine male referees (three referees and six assistants), six female referees (three referees and an equal number of assistants), as well as two Futsal referees.

“When nominating a candidate, the member associations shall observe specific conditions. Referring to your question please read page 2, criteria 7,” said a Fifa spokesperson, when contacted for a comment yesterday on whether those referees already on the panel were affected by the requirements.

Criteria 7 reads: “The proposed referees shall have passed the appropriate Fifa fitness test related to the list they belong to within the four months prior to the deadline for nomination for the lists of international referees and assistant referees.

They shall also have passed a medical examination certifying that they are fit to act as referees within the four months prior to the deadline for nomination for the lists of international referees.

Fifa reserves the right to require referees over the age of 45 to undergo additional technical assessments as well as specific medical examinations and fitness testing on a case-by-case basis.”

Zimbabwe list of Fifa panel referees

Men

Referees: Norman Matemera, Nomore Musundire, Pilan Ncube

Assistants: Thomas Kusosa, Luckson Mhara, Wirimai Muroiwa, Salani Ncube, Brighton Nyika, Edgar Rumeck

Women

Referees: Rusina Majo, Thanks Nyahuye, Tambudzai Tavengwa

Assistants: Faith Mloyi, Stella Ruvinga, Sekai Simango

Futsal: Allen Bhasvi, Lawrence Zimondi — @skhumoyo2000.

Charles Manyuchi

Harare Bureau
WITH just over a month to go before Charles Manyuchi’s World Boxing Council voluntary title defence fight at home, his manager at Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions, Chris Malunga, has said they are on track with their preparations.

The match is set for September 30 at the Harare International Conference Centre.

Manyuchi, who is currently in Zambia for his training, is expected to take on Frenchman Damien Martin but before that he has a warm-up match this month.

Speaking to our Harare Bureau from Zambia yesterday, Malunga said they are stepping up their preparations with an international welterweight non-title fight on August 27.

It will be an eight rounds fight with Manyuchi facing Tanzania’s Deogratias Samwel.

Samwel has won 9 of his 20 matches, drawn six and lost five.

“The preparations are moving on very well. The August 27 fight is just a warm-up fight for him in readiness for the fight in Zimbabwe on 30 September.

“It’s just a warm-up match to keep him in shape. He is doing very well and he is ready for the fight.

“Immediately after that fight we will come to Zimbabwe to start marketing that fight (on September 30).

“He is dropping the weight because of the training we are going through and I don’t see any problem.

“When he was in Zimbabwe he was doing some light training and he has been here for sometime. So he is doing well,” said Malunga.

Manyuchi’s voluntary title defence bout will be the highlight of several other WBC and African Boxing Union matches lined up next month.

Malunga said they are hoping for the boxers to compete in Harare to be in Zimbabwe two weeks before the fights.

“He (Manyuchi) has to remain (in Zambia) because his base is in Zambia. That is where his coaches and managers are, until maybe two weeks to go all boxers will then come to Zimbabwe.

“They will be camped in Zimbabwe,” Malunga said.

Other Zimbabwean fighters that will be on the roster come September 30 are Anyway Katunga, who will take on Alfred Muwowo of Oriental Quarries Boxing Promotions in a non-title flyweight fight.

Barbra Banda clashes with Zimbabwe’s Kudakwashe Chiwandire in another non-title flyweight bout while Gibon Kamota from Oriental Quarries takes on Tinashe Mwadziwana in a non-title bantamweight match.

The ABU match is between Oriental Quarries’ Mbiya Nkanku and Mohammed Lassoued from Tunisia in a super welterweight bout.

Charles Cecil Brewer

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
AN umalayitsha from Bulawayo with his South African wife and two other cross border drivers allegedly killed Zimbabwean travellers, raped dozens, kidnapped more than 100 and extorted cash from others.

The quartet was arrested in July last year and are facing 62 charges ranging from murder, rape, robbery, extortion and assault against fellow countrymen south of the Limpopo River.

They would allegedly lure hikers to Johannesburg from Musina and later attack them at secluded houses in the neighbouring country, during a two month crime spree.

They allegedly demanded at least R3 000 ransom from their victim’s families and raped, severely assaulted or killed those whose relatives failed to pay. The gang, allegedly part of a larger syndicate that preys on hikers at Musina, is set to appear at the Palm Ridge High Court in Johannesburg between October 10 and November 4.

They are accused of killing Olga Gwena (25) of Chitungwiza and Esther Mwenda of Harare, among others.

Charles Cecil Brewer (36), alias Boss of Nketa 7 in Bulawayo, his South African wife, Madida Petition Sicelo (30) alias Sister, Jaheni ‘Satan’ Luphahla (28) of Old Lobengula in Bulawayo and Phathumuzi ‘KK’ Sibanda (27) of Emakhandeni in Bulawayo are accused of committing the offences between May 30 and July 11 last year.

They have been languishing in remand prison since their arrest in July last year and were denied bail at the Thembisa magistrate’s court in Johannesburg before the matter was transferred to the High Court. Luphahla allegedly earned the Satan moniker in the South African underworld for reputedly being “wicked than Lucifer himself.”

The case has been dragging on as the accused have been struggling to get a lawyer after dumping the state’s free legal practitioners.

Officials close to investigations said yesterday: “The gang is believed to be part of a syndicate targeting mostly women travelling between Musina and Johannesburg in Gauteng Province. “They were picked up during a police sting operation in Musina on 25 July. The accused persons have been positively identified by most of the victims,” said the source.

The official said Brewer and Madida were identified as the drivers of a white Opel registration numbers SNB949GP and a red Hyundai Matrix registration numbers ND462078.

The syndicate operates from Total and Engen filling stations and a house in Musina, targeting Zimbabwean hitch-hikers travelling to Gauteng province.

The State has subpoenaed more than 100 witnesses to testify against the four. Brewer, who is allegedly the mastermind of the orgy of crimes, has reportedly approached the prosecution for a plea bargain.

He allegedly wants to turn into a key State witness to expose other members of his syndicate, who became elusive following his arrest last year. It is said they used South African registered private vehicles and touts to lure victims into their cars.

After kidnapping and detaining the travellers at various houses upon reaching Johannesburg, the gang would turn violent and would strip their hostages of various valuables including money. They would then call the victims’ relatives and demand money for their release. The amounts which ranged from R3 000 would be paid through money agencies that include Shoprite, PEP, Spar or Cambridge stores.

Zimbabwe’s Consul General to South Africa, Mr Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro said despite the arrest of Brewer and his accomplices they continued to receive reports of Zimbabweans who are being terrorised in the same manner.

He urged Zimbabweans to always use registered public transport vehicles, especially conventional buses when travelling to the neighbouring country. “We would like to emphasise the Government of Zimbabwe’s gratitude, to our hosts, for the continual assistance rendered through the South African Police Services (SAPS) and other law enforcement agencies in ensuring that justice prevails,” he said.

Harare Bureau
SWIMMING icon Kirsty Coventry says she feels honoured after handing United States’ swimmer Michael Phelps his last medal at the Olympics over the weekend in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Phelps, just like Coventry, was making his fifth and final Olympic Games.

And he capped it with another exceptional performance claiming his 28th medal after winning gold in the men’s 4x100m medley relay at the Rio Olympics.

It was his 23rd gold medal.

“Phelps and I both competed in 5 Olympics so it was an honour to hand him his last medal — Gold #23. Well done Team USA,” Coventry said on Instagram.

Going into the Rio Games Phelps had 22 Olympic medals to his name.

Coventry has also made some indications that the ongoing Games are probably her last having represented Zimbabwe since 2000.

It has also been a successful road for the Zimbabwean swimmer over the past 16 years as she won seven of the country’s eight medals at the Olympics.

While she made her first appearance at the world’s biggest sporting showcase in 2000, Coventry’s first medals came in 2004, in Athens, Greece where she got one gold, a silver and bronze.

In 2008, at the Beijing Games, Coventry went on to win four medals — one gold and three silvers. But in 2012 she could not repeat the same feat.

The 32-year-old is part of Team Zimbabwe taking part at the Rio Games and had her last race on Saturday.

She came sixth in the finals of her favourite race, the 200m backstroke. Just before the 200m event, her bid early last week to win a medal in the 100m backstroke had also failed as it ended in the semi-final.

She went into the Games hoping for her eighth medal but things did not go her way. Despite the setback, Coventry remains Africa’s most decorated Olympian.

Martin Kadzere, Harare Bureau
THE Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe is readying a strategy to focus on the development of rural infrastructure as part of its mandate to support the economy.

IDBZ, whose key mandate involves financing infrastructure covering areas such as energy, ICT, transport, housing and water and sanitation believes the rural economy is a potential key driver of demand, which could support the broader national economy.

The strategy is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 9 which seeks to promote resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.

On Monday, the IDBZ delegation, led by its CEO Mr Thomas Sakala met the management of Mhondoro Ngezi Rural District Council where areas of potential co-operation were explored.

These included road infrastructure, housing, tourism irrigation and water reticulation.

The two teams also deliberated on the need to develop a master plan that shows an overall development concept of the district. This includes urban design, landscaping, infrastructure, service provision, circulation, present and future land use and built form.

Mr Sakala said the move by the IDBZ was done after realising the challenges the Rural District Councils were facing in terms of raising funding for infrastructure development.

“We have been working mostly with Government, parastatals and the private sector but our mandate is national,” said Mr Sakala.

“We are aware of the challenges the RDCs are facing in raising funds for various infrastructure.

“So our interest is to see if there is possibility to work with RDCs and we would want to start with Mhondoro-Ngezi.

“We believe there is sufficient scope to work together. It is not about making profit for IDBZ but to deliver our national mandate. We see it as an obligation. So we will use Mhondoro-Ngezi as a demonstration for other RDCs around the country.”

Mining is the major economic activity in the district where Zimbabwe’s largest mining company Zimplats operates.

Some of the major economic activities in the district, with a population size of about 104 000, are farming and animal husbandry. Mhondoro Ngezi chief executive Mt Itai Mawonde welcomed the IDBZ move, saying such co-operation has potential to enable the district to realise its full potential.

The district has an approximate annual budget of $4,6 million and it supplements its revenues through commercial activities such as borehole drilling and gold milling.

IDBZ has developed a roadmap that seeks to achieve market capitalisation of $250 million by 2018.

The long term strategy of the bank is to become self-financing, leveraging its balance sheet to raise lines of credit, quasi equity capital and medium to long term loans for investments.

Barack Obama & Hillary Rodham Clinton

Chilmark – Adding a touch of politics to his vacation, President Barack Obama on Monday urged Democrats to campaign aggressively for the next 80 days to elect presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, saying “if we do not do our jobs, then it’s still possible for her to lose”.

“When I say do our jobs, what I mean is we are going to have to continue to be engaged, we are going to continue to have to write cheques, we are going to continue to have to make phone calls and rally people behind her candidacy,” Obama said.

He also urged the Democratic donors at a Clinton fundraiser to help counter an “unrelenting negative campaign” against the former secretary of state “that has made a dent in the opinion of people even who are inclined to vote for her.”

Clinton’s standing among voters has suffered from perceptions that she is dishonest, along with her use of a private email server when she ran the State Department and the appearance of conflicts of interest between the department when she was in charge and her family foundation.

“We have to be aggressive in our campaign for 80 days, and that’s not a lot,” Obama said. “But when you think about the stakes, there’s nothing more important” than electing Clinton to continue the economic and other progress he described under his leadership.

Democrats Hank Goldberg and wife Carol Brown Goldberg hosted the event at their home in Chilmark, the same town where the president is renting a vacation home.

About 60 Obama and Clinton supporters paid between $10 000 and $33 400 to attend the event that was held in a tent on the sprawling property.

Servers wore white aprons that said, “Thank You, President Obama”.

The proceeds will benefit Clinton’s campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state parties across the country.

Obama pointedly did not mention Donald Trump, Clinton’s Republican opponent, by name and said he’s tired of talking about the New York businessman he earlier this month dismissed as “unfit to serve”.

“I don’t have to make the case against her opponent because every time he talks he makes the case against his own candidacy,” Obama said.

The president said his wife, Michelle, is “very strict” about him actually being on vacation when he goes on vacation. But, he said, “she gave me special dispensation for this evening because she understands, just as all of you understand, how important this is.”

Obama is expected to campaign aggressively for Clinton in the run-up to the November 8 elections.

Clinton did not join Obama at the fundraiser. Earlier on Monday, she made her first campaign appearance with Vice President Joe Biden in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, a state both she and Trump are competing to win.

Meanwhile, Trump has said he will introduce “extreme vetting” of immigrants and set up a new “commission on radical Islam” if he wins the US election in November.

In a foreign policy speech on Monday, the billionaire businessman said the goal of the new commission would be to “expose” networks within the US “that support radicalisation”.

As president, Trump said, he would ask the state department and department of homeland security to identify regions of the world that remain hostile to the US, and where screening might not be sufficient to catch those who pose a threat.

“We should only admit into our country those who share our values and respect our people,” he said from Youngstown, Ohio.

“In the Cold War, we had an ideological screening test. The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. I call it extreme vetting.”

As part of the plan, Trump, who has previously called for a ban on Muslims entering the US, said that he would “temporarily suspend immigration” from countries that have a history of “exporting terrorism”.

He said that every year, the US admits 100 000 permanent immigrants “from the Middle East”, and hundreds of thousands more temporary workers and visitors from the same region.

“We will stop processing visas from those areas until such time as it is deemed safe to resume based on new circumstances or new procedures.”

Outlining his policy to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Trump also reversed an earlier position, promising that he would work with Nato allies to defeat the armed group if elected. — Al Jazeera