Harare – Southern Africa’s renowned security force, Zimbabwe Republic Police have displayed their no nonsense expertise in combating crime, as they have identified and located six young girls and a boy who were filmed drinking beer at a shopping Centre.
Police National Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Nyathi.
The Police moved in swiftly to deal with the unethical incident that shared a video of the occurrence which was widely shared on social media platforms.
According to a statement posted on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) X page this Tuesday, 02 January, the incident occurred at Juru Growth Point.
Police also mentioned that they located the parents and guardians of the minors, whose video made noise on social platforms. These children are now being counselled by the ZRP Victim Friendly Unit (VFU), said the statement.
‘Reference is made to social media videos which went viral and showed some young girls drinking beer at a shopping centre in the country.
The ZRP has established that the place is Juru Growth Point, in Murewa. The ZRP has identified and located the six young girls and one boy.
Their parents and guardians have also been located. The Police VFU is now counselling the minors in consultation with relevant government departments.’
Meanwhile, Police in Tsholotsho arrested four men who drugged and raped a 15 year old girl, taking advantage of her condition, as she was in a position not to defend herself.
Also in the same situation, a shabeen operator in Harare was arrested for selling alcohol to minors aged between 5 and 11 years on Christmas day. A video showing the minors drinking alcohol went viral on 26 December 2023, making it a mandate for the Police to take action.
In Zimbabwe, the sale of liquor, including beer, is regulated by the Liquor Act, which, among other things, strictly prohibits the selling of beer to children.
Thus, peddling alcohol to children is illegal and highly negligent, according to the laws of the country, as it poses severe risks to their health and progress.
The country’s permissible drinking age is 18 years and above, with all under 18 years not allowed by the law to either buy, consume or touch alcoholic beverages.
Bulawayo – Zimbabwe’s outspoken Political Analyst and Human Rights activist Effie Ncube, revealed an analysis where he openly told Journalists that men have failed the country, due to misrule and incapacity in leadership.
Addressing several Journalists from almost all Media Houses in Bulawayo and during Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) sponsored dialogue, Ncube also challenged women to stand up for their positions.
He also touched on the country’s shrinking political space for women, in both leadership and decision making criteria used by political parties in the country, on their way of appointing females in influential positions.
“We have a country with 70% women and the remaining being men, but still we have males in control, and yet they have dismally failed to develop the country.
Zimbabwe’s current political landscape is also failing to vote for women to be in top leadership, including presidency. It is the environment that we were brought up in, that has lack of respect for women.
We were brought up in an environment where women are supposed not to be in leadership circles, but mothering only and doing some household duties.” Said Ncube in his presentation.
His sentiments were echoed by former Zimbabwe People’s Liberation Army survivor Grace Noko. She is one of the women who served in the liberation struggle and never get any promotion neither elevation after the struggle to date.
“I fought in the liberation struggle and I am surprised to hear that only men have received state of the art vehicles as compensation and yet I am here.
As I speak, there is only one woman from our struggle time, who was laid to rest at the National heroes Acre, ignoring a good number of war of liberation war fighters with grief and sadness. This discrimination has been happening even in the struggle for the liberation and is still taking place long after independence.
I strongly think that we need to work hard to influence and convince all women, so that they will realize their strength in leadership positions.
Sitabile Mlilo who is Citizen for Coalition Change National Women’s Taskforce Committee member, added her voice on the criteria used to appoint women in leadership positions.
“It is true that we still have a long way in climbing the political ladder, because men become vicious when it comes to influential positions.
The political journey has never been that rose for all women, only that we persevere to be where we are. The ground is not even judging from the selection process. We are always abused in social media platforms, labeled as prostitutes and women of loose moral values, just because of our sacrifice.
If you read stories published about our CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere and other women in politics, it really scares away the weak.” Added Mlilo.
Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe chapter, has been this month busy facilitating several workshops on political reporting, investigative journalism and dialogues empowering journalists on important issues to pursue.
Bulawayo – While the second revolution is claiming best service since its inception in 2017, Makokoba and Mbare suburbs have become a no go area, for residents, as many families have been forced to vacate their rented dwellings due to burst sewages.
Makokoba families have since vacated their home of many years, because it is now sewer logged and the family cannot navigate the situation, as they have tried for several years.
The Makokoba housed under sewage blockage. Picture by Marsline Natani
The Makokoba burst sewage pipes have brought a negative impact within the Bulawayo community, despite that they have been living a long time with the situation. It has come to a point that it has reached the unbearable level.
The burst sewage pipes has negatively changed the way of living within the Makhokhoba residence, as they are finding it hard to cross the road, neither to return to their house, because is fully flooded with sewage.
A Makokoba resident captured navigating sewage logged streets. Picture by Marsline Natani
Almost half of Makhokhoba houses are suffering from the sewer burst, a situation that has caused unrest and sleepless nights for the Bulawayo ratepayers. Many people passing through the place are forced to divert their routes especially when going to work.
It has become a threat to children playing outside and along the road as they can easily contract diseases. In an interview with Choice News Africa, Mr Hloniphani Moyo expressed disappointment for the government’s lack of action.
‘I now find it difficult to walk along within the streets as they are now flooded with sewage and the only way is to divert my route,” he said.
The situation has further become a threat to vendors as they are no longer able to fully stand the sewages while selling fresh vegetables within Makokoba. This has also led to the increase in poverty within the Makokoba residents especially those who sell in front of their houses.
“I cannot properly carry out my vending business at home as it is full of flowing sewage, it has fully disturbed my main source of my income” said Thandiwe Nkomo one of the residents in Makhokhoba.
Even thou they have faced a horrible situation, as residents they have tried to control the flow of the sewers as they made ridges so as to avoid the over flowing of the sewer around the community. However they also encounted some challenges especially with some of the residents that did not want to join hands in terms of controlling the sewer, it has therefore led to some houses flooding with the sewer.
In a interview with Choice News Africa, Mrs S. Sibanda who is a resident in Makhokhoba, block 11 has this to say
“It has been two days since my house has been flooded with the sewer, my toiled is fully flooded such that we no longer visit the toilet and the bathroom, this has made life difficult because l cannot go to my back yard and my children have spent two days without bathing, I kindly ask the Councilor to help take action before it leads to the outbreak of diseases that might affect the whole community”
The Burst sewage pipes have made the lives of Makhokhoba residents harder, as they are not able to take a bath nor visit the toilet. Residents are much concerned about their health as it will lead to outbreak of Cholera and other relevant diseases. They are kindly pleading with the city council to come and remove blocking material that is disturbing the flow of sewer and the councilor to come and have an eye witnessing to what the residents are facing at their homesteads.
“We are experiencing the biggest challenge at the moment as the residents of Makokoba, sewers are blocked and they are bursting every day the problem has been caused by the increase in population within Makhokhoba, initially the system was meant for few people. And the other reason is that system is too old, the central government is the one that is supposed to release funds, so that council can be able to carry out the project of rehabilitation of the old sewer system” said the Councilor for Makhokhoba
The Councilor is highly pleading with the Makhokhoba residents to pays their rates in full and on time, he is also highly disappointed with the situation that has strike Makhokhoba and him being one of the residents living within a community with such a situation. He has also promised to try his best to cover up the situation.
“I am so disappointed, to see my fellow residents living in such condition and I want to promise them that as a councilor of the area I will try my level best to attend to all the problems they are facing.” He said.
Bulawayo – Zimbabwe Sports fraternity has plunged into mourning, again following the loss of two soccer greats, George Shaya and Ernest Maphepha Sibanda, whose death robbed the soccer fans of the vibrant football legends.
As if it is not enough, a few weeks ago, Zimbabwe also lost a veteran boxing trainer, Philip Striker Ndlovu, whose legacy unleashed a lot of boxing talent that is still flying the Zimbabwean flag high around the world.
The late Mastermind George Shaya
Sibanda was a dedicated Highlanders Football Club, footballer, Manager and Chairman who is well known for having led Bosso in their several successful games.
He succumbed to diabetes and was laid to rest in Bulawayo, amid pomp and fanfare, as the Bosso fans were celebrating the life of their hero.
The former Highlanders soccer hero was given a hero’s send off, after a long march and parade that flooded the streets of Bulawayo.
The late Ernest Maphepha Sibanda
While in Harare, soccer fans also gathered to bid farewell to George Shaya, a former association football forward, who played for Dynamos and the Rhodesian National team, during the 1960s and 1970s.
He was considered one of Dynamos all time finest players, as well as one of the best ever from the present day Zimbabwe. He was laid to rest in Harare amid emotional scenes.
Several speakers from both funerals spoke of their soccer prodigious neglect from the current government, as the Ministry of Sports never contributed to wellbeing of the two, during their time in health challenges.
The late Striker Ndlovu
The government of Zimbabwe is well known for only associating with sports persons, when they are flourishing at their pick, and that would only be the time the sports specialists will be flying the country’s flag high.
On the other side, when the flag bearers are down with ailments, the government keeps their distance and would sometimes come to the funerals, to address for political mileage.
One such person who died in a pauper status, was Striker Ndlovu, a veteran boxing mentor who was bedridden for a long time without any assistance from the government or any of his subjects, he trained, let alone little help from the local sports organisations.
The once vibrant and powerful physically built boxing trainer, succumbed to prostate gland enlargement after he desperately failed to raise the needed medical fees amounting to USD $1000, which was required for his permanent catheter insertion cure.
Striker has been suffering from this illness (prostate gland enlargement) which has also resulted in kidney failure and a neurologist advised him to undergo kidney dialysis, however his health deteriorated, as not even the boxing unions or associations came to his rescue, regardless of several media coverage.
The now late former boxing coach was in desperate need of urgent assistance, but that never came, as his savings from his previous earnings, was swallowed by the country’s prowling inflation, and also neglect from the Ministry of Sports that is only active, when someone is raising the flag, but fail to look after their welfare in times of needy.
Below are his sentiments, when he was interviewed by Choice News Africa.
“My situation is very bad as we speak because medical doctors said my condition needs urgent solution that they call medical recovery.
I am looking for donations that can help me to pay for the treatment of this predicament, “pleaded Striker.
Striker depended on sport (boxing) to fend for himself but after this sickness took its toll on him, he became physically unable to practice his sport hence had no longer has any source of income. The former boxing trainer was living a, life of a beggar as he was even appealing for food and clothes.
“I live the life of a vagrant now. I have been struggling to walk in the streets to beg for food, clothes and money from well-wishers, as no one is coming to my rescue. I now live on handouts as l am no longer capable of fending for myself since I am bedridden,” said Striker in tears.
His niece, who has been looking after him, and preferred to be identified as Madawu in an interview with Choice News Africa revealed that her uncle Striker, has been suffering a lot from that ailment and that it drained everything from his savings, hence they were pleading for donations to raise the sum of $1000 USD that was obligatory for his medical recovery.
She added that Striker was a passionate man who devoted his life to training youths in boxing discipline at Tshaka Boxing Club.
Many have passed through his hands and he has served the community earnestly and now that he is gone, Zimbabwe’s boxing discipline will never be the same without his proficiency and enthusiasm.
This is the time all sports associations and unions must unite and confront the Sports Ministry, to come out clean on whether they only love the fit and health sports people only when they use them as bet for propping the image of the country or that they must also help them in time of needy.
Johannesburg – Zimbabwe’s high riding presidential hopeful and leader of a political party that has spread its wings to every corner of the country, Hebert Chamuka is tying a knot at the end of the year, in an expected colourful event that will draw high ranking officials from around the country and beyond.
In an exclusive interview with Choice News Africa Editor, from his South Africa office, the vibrant politician, revealed that he will be getting married officially at the end of this year, in his motherland of Zimbabwe, where all his membership will be available to witness the union.
Ideas Party of Democracy President Hebert Chamuka
“I am grateful to the membership and support base of Ideas Democracy Party of Zimbabwe, for their faith in my leadership that they endorsed in utmost faith. I will deliver their needs come 2023. The reason why I decided to inform the people of Zimbabwe of my marriage, is to assure everyone that I am going to be a caring father, who will lead by example.
Leaders need to be married, so that those they lead would have faith in them. I am a leader, who was elected by the people of Zimbabwe, to lead the next government, hence the need to hold a wedding ceremony that everyone will witness.
I would like to thank everyone in the country for support and participating in our developmental activities, that has seen a lot of progress in the projects of employment creation that we are pushing,” said IPD leader Chamuka.
The IPD leader’s helper identity will be revealed in due course. He also added that is within the framework of traditional customs. Norms and values of the leaders to have a wife when in the position, to retain confidents of the people.
Choicemag 