BY STAFF REPORTER

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s junkets have caused a storm after he hired a luxury jet from Dubai early this week to fly him to Victoria Falls, where he officially opened the third edition of the rural district councils chairpersons’ indaba on Thursday.

The development came shortly after MDC deputy president and former Finance minister Tendai Biti told a party rally recently that Mnangagwa could have blown in excess of US$200 million in travelling expenses since coming into power in November 2017.

But Mnangagwa yesterday told the Zanu PF women league that his never-ending trips were good for Zimbabwe.

“The media is busy saying I travel a lot. But look (at) what I bring. On Monday or so, we shall be receiving more medicines from the Arabs. They are giving us
for free,” the President said yesterday.

According to flightware.com, the luxury Royal Jet A6-RJX left Abu Dhabi at 0930hrs on Tuesday and arrived at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare at 1420hrs.

It then left Harare for Victoria Falls on Thursday before departing the resort town on the same day at 1340hrs and arrived in Harare at 1643hrs.

Royal Jet, according to their website, offers luxury executive flight services and can provide their customers VIP treatment when necessary and can charter any
private jet anywhere in the world through their 24/7 charter brokerage service.

NewsDay Weekender understands that it costs between US$10 000 and US$30 000 per hour to fly the luxury jet.

From July 6 this month, the luxury jet has flown the President from Harare to Niger and Benin, and back before returning to its base in Abu Dhabi more than seven times, cloaking nearly US$1 million.

The country is currently facing massive electricity load-shedding lasting for as long as 18 hours a day, while most public hospitals are failing to dispense critical drugs, which many could not afford in pharmacies. Motorists are also spending days in fuel queues across the country.

Although Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has defended Mnangagwa’s frequent international trips, saying he had to travel to countries like China because deals could not be sealed over the phone, it is not clear whether such huge costs were necessary for local travel.

MDC secretary for international relations Gladys Hlatywayo said: “The extravagance displayed by Zanu PF in a sea of poverty, suffering and economic distress is deeply disconcerting. A thorough investigation must be made into these trips, something is just not adding up and there could be more than meets the eye! I fail to understand why Zanu PF would put in so much resources in traveling and get next to no returns for such an investment.”

CAIRO — A Zimbabwean nurse travelled from Cape Town to Cairo by road, enduring visa delays, internet blackouts and revolutionary protests, all for the love of football.

Alvin “Aluvah” Zhakata had intended to make it to Egypt for the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations on June 21, when Zimbabwe’s Warriors took on the hosts.

But he missed the match because his epic journey took much longer than expected.

Yet, thanks to those following his adventures on Twitter, he has now become a celebrity — and the African football boss presented him with a ticket to last night’s final between Algeria and Senegal.

When the 32-year-old arrived in the Egyptian capital last week, completing his 44-day 10 000km trip, he said it was well worth it despite some nerve-wracking experiences.

And he says he has learnt a lot about himself and Africa.

“I used to think I was not patient — but my patience was stretched to the maximum — I’ve got a bigger patience threshold than I thought,” he told the BBC.

His other more sobering discovery was that “Africa is not friendly to Africans” — in terms of visas and borders.

Most people visiting from Europe or the United States were treated better, he said.

“And some of the visa fees for African countries, they are actually more expensive than visa fees when you want to go to Europe — and the waiting period is too long.

“I believe we need a borderless Africa.”

The journey began on May 27 on a route passing through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt.

He started off with his friend Botha Msila, a South African football fan, who lives near Cape Town, and they hitched lifts or caught buses.

“We wanted to make history as the first people to make it from Cape to Cairo by road for a sports tournament,” Zhakata said.

The locum nurse, who lives in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, had kept in touch with Msila since meeting him at the Cosafa Cup final in South Africa’s Sun City two years ago.

He had told him about how he had made a solo road trip in 2016 from Harare to Kigali to support the Warriors at the African Nations Championship in Rwanda.

They then cooked up their plan and raised funds for the journey from well-wishers following the hashtag #CapeToCairo to see their progress across the continent.

But the two friends were separated when Msila turned back at the Kenya-Ethiopian border as he could not get a visa.

Ethiopia only allows online visa applications for travellers by road.

While they had the fee in cash, they needed help to get the funds electronically into their account. But then, their application was further delayed by five days.

“Unfortunately, their system was down because there was a national internet shutdown to avoid examination cheating,” Zhakata explained.

“I was so dejected that I couldn’t finish my food and beer.”

Msila, known for his travels across South Africa and beyond to support Bafana Bafana and his local club, Bloemfontein Celtic, was so distraught he threw in the towel, returning to Kenya’s capital, Nairobi.

A South African broadcaster came to his rescue, paying for a flight for him from Nairobi to Cairo.

But Zhakata was determined to stick to his guns.

And that is exactly what he walked into in Sudan, where the security forces were out in force as protesters took to the streets of the capital, Khartoum, on June 30 demanding an end to military rule.

The country has been hit by turmoil since the military ousted President Omar al-Bashir in April, but Zhakata hadn’t a clue what was going on.

He walked directly into the path of the protest as he was making his way to the Egyptian consulate in Khartoum.

“I could tell that something was happening, but I couldn’t tell what,” Zhakata said.

“I saw graffiti on the walls written in Arabic, with the number 30, but I couldn’t understand it. There were soldiers everywhere and people told me it’s not safe.”

He was detained by police briefly and then released in what he called a “shaking moment”.

People who were following his journey on social media then became extremely concerned as there was no news from Zhakata for more than a week.

The internet had been shut in the country since a crackdown on pro-democracy activists on June 3.

“I did find a place where I could go online for $30 for an hour. I saw all of these messages on social media, with people being worried about me.”

His wry observations about life on the continent have been a subject of debate.

He posted one video as heavy rain turned the streets of Ethiopia’s capital into rivers, saying: “You hear that? These ain’t gunshots. It’s giant hail, the size of tennis balls.”

The Kenyan capital does not get a particularly good write-up: “Enter Nairobi, everything changed, traffic congestion unbearable, filthy and muddy streets, potholes, lots of activity, vendors with megaphones, bikes hooting, and generally dodgy pip.

“Everyone who helped us asked for a tip, even police officers.”

In central Tanzania, he observed that children of school-going age were working as vendors on the highway, “selling farm produce, grapes, honey and fish. It seems education is not a priority in this part of the world”.

Besides the visa headaches, language was the most difficult barrier. In Tanzania, he said most people were unwilling to communicate in English, and they were “even told to learn Swahili at school”.

In Ethiopia, when he was ordered off a bus at 1800 hours local time because of a transport curfew, he tried to find a bar to watch the Warriors’ match that night — but ended up, after many crossed wires and an expensive taxi ride, at a shop selling sports equipment.

But he was welcomed in some towns by people who were following his journey online — like Firew Asrat in Hawassa in Ethiopia, who gave him football shirts and shared a beer with him. He tweeted: “This #Tweethiopian is the walking embodiment of the mantra #AfricaUnite.”

He says he tasted the best beer of his trip in mainly Muslim Egypt — a Stella — perhaps out of relief that his exploits were over. The best food — of roasted meat and maize meal — was in Zambia.

His one disappointment has been the performance of the Warriors, who crashed out in the first round — amidst rows over pay. But he says his achievement — which has become one of the biggest stories of this Africa Cup of Nations tournament — shows it pays to “dare to dream”.

“If you have a passion for something, go for it. Pursue it until you get it. It may be delayed, but delay is not denial — be patient and be strong, because the harder the battle, the sweeter the victory,” he says.

BBC Sport

BY FORTUNE MBELE

FOLLOWING a morale-sapping defeat to Hwange at the Colliery last week, championship chasing Chicken Inn will be seeking an immediate response this afternoon when they face tricky Bulawayo Chiefs at Luveve Stadium.

The Gamecocks coach, Joey Antipas, blamed complacency for their 2-1 defeat that cost his team a position on the top of the log standings.

He has been preaching consistence this week.

“We are busy trying to make up for the defeat to Hwange last week. It was a game that just went awry; a game of halves, in which we played well in the first half and scored and then we just imploded in the second,” Antipas said.

“Consistency is eluding us and the boys sometimes just sit off and become over-confident. I have been preaching to the boys about respecting opponents and that if you approach a team without respect, it becomes a big problem.”

He said the loss was now water under the bridge and they would be out to get a win against struggling Bulawayo Chiefs, who have a knack for troubling big teams.

“All in all, we are going out to redeem ourselves. The boys are down, but we have to lift their spirits. I believe we have good team. We have a clean bill of health and a full squad ready for the game tomorrow (today),” Antipas said.

His talisman, Clive Augusto, who has netted 13 goals to date and was voted the Castle Lager Player of the Month for June, will be out to increase his tally as he aims for the Golden Boot award at the end of the season.

Weekend Fixtures

Today: Chicken Inn v Bulawayo Chiefs (Luveve), Herentals v Hwange (National Sports Stadium), ZPC Kariba v Triangle (Nyamhunga), Yadah v Harare City (Rufaro),

Ngezi Platinum Stars v Black Rhinos (Baobab), FC Platinum v Chapungu (Mandava)

Tomorrow: Manica Diamonds v Highlanders (Vengere), Dynamos v Caps United (Rufaro), TelOne v Mushowani Stars (Luveve)

EDITORIAL COMMENT

THAT corruption must be condemned in all its various forms and manifestations, regardless of who is involved, is not in doubt.

From that perspective, citizens will no doubt agree with the Zanu PF youth league, which seems to be well focused, in their campaign to expose graft among the ruling party chefs.

The naming and shaming of corrupt party heavyweights is, of course, in order if the individuals are found to be in the wrong.

We are aware that Zimbabweans have always complained against corruption at the highest offices, but Zanu PF refused to join all and sundry. We hope that since they have now rediscovered the light with regards to dealing with this scourge, the fight is not going to be self-serving, political or meant to tarnish or soil some among them with a good standing in society, just for power.

Citizens are not interested in power games — the Zanu PF succession politics always. No. The fight should be a genuine one, and for it to be so, this should not be owned by Zanu PF alone, but by every citizen across the political divide.

Indeed, we agree with Zanu PF deputy youth secretary, Lewis Matutu, on corruption. What we do not agree with, though, is the approach that the party’s youth league is using to deal with the problem. Corruption is not only a Zanu PF thing that should be dealt with at party level. The country has sufficient structures and legal instruments to pursue that campaign. Those found to be corrupt should be handed over to the relevant authorities so they are dealt with within the confines of the law.

We are alive to the fact that the land reform programme that began in 2000, to correct land ownership imbalances in the country, was fraught with corruption such that some powerful politicians ended up with many farms, in direct violation of the doctrine of one man, one farm. This problem cannot be rectified by having Zanu PF youths reclaiming those extra farms and redistributing them among themselves. That is another form of corruption. Such farms must be taken over by the State and proper procedures for redistribution must be observed.

Matutu’s sentiments that they feared no one and will gladly take the “war” to anyone who holds multiple farms should be taken seriously. They may point to yet another “revolution” that will not only destabilise Zanu PF, but is also likely to have far-reaching national consequences.

Land should not be given to people on the basis that they are young. In fact, a serious blunder was made in 2000 when land was just given to people because they were war veterans, or Zanu PF apparatchiks, government ministers and associates. Many of the farms that have been stripped bare and had their productivity capacity destroyed are proof of the fallacy of giving land to people who have no expertise in farming.

The distribution of land — which has serious implications on national food security — has largely been done to rub people’s egos as they boast of having farms, but with nothing to show for it. It would have been laughable, if it was not tragic, that a country with so much land and promise as Zimbabwe imports tooth picks and match sticks.

If youths are going to be given land, there has to be proof of their productive capacity, otherwise we will just sit by and watch tragic history repeating itself. This must not be allowed for a second time.

Guest Column Miriam Tose Majome 

THIS continues from last week as we look at actual examples of some of the rot happening in councils reported in the Auditor-General’s Report for Local Authorities 2018.

The report shows the extent of the gross financial mismanagement of council affairs and abuse and mismanagement of ratepayers’ funds and abuse of office.

The report is full of evidence of gross mismanagement, fraud, negligence and general ineptitude by councillors running different local authorities.

Of interest are the curious dealings of the former minister of Higher Education Professor Jonathan Moyo, who is now in political exile.

His opaque dealings with Zimdef funds just won’t go away from the books. On occasions, large funds were mysteriously deposited and transferred back and forth between his then ministry and Tsholotsho Council’s bank account. US$250 000 was transferred to and from Hillside Teachers’ College for ‘Zimdef STEM’ activities on November 14, 2017 and November 16, 2017, respectively. The transactions are even more curious as the dates coincide with the week that saw the unexpected exit of former President Robert Mugabe’s 37 from power and his own flight from the country.

Moyo was one of Mugabe’s closest henchmen.

Another payment of US$25 000 had passed through Tsholotsho Council’s bank account for Zimdef STEM activities.

Tsholotsho RDC received and utilised other Zimdef STEM funds of approximately US$70 000 funds deposited by the ministry.

The council did not avail any supporting documents for auditing and upon enquiry, the AG was told that the transactions were done on the instructions of Moyo.

It is the AG’s opinion and, indeed, anyone else who encounters these unexplained transactions that the council’s bank accounts may have been used as a conduit for processing irregular transactions by the minister and his cohorts.

Moyo was eventually accused of embezzling Zimdef funds, but the matter is still pending due to his inglorious flight from the country in November 2017
There was a noted rise in red flags over governance issues.

Generally, councils are just not being managed and run properly.

It is a complete shambles in many councils. Some councils simply do not have policies and procedure manuals and their accounting is shambolic.

Examples of such are Chitungwiza, Karoi and Bubi councils, among others.

Many are not remitting statutory obligations despite effecting deductions from employees’ salaries for LAPF, Paye, Zimdef, Standards Development Levy and NSSA.

This has serious adverse implications on pensions and individual tax compliance for council employees.

They are just doing what they want. In Chiredzi, allowances paid to council executives for electricity, water, security, school fees, rentals and gardener costs are not being taxed.

This is corrupt, illegal and in breach of the Income Tax Act. Gweru City Council could not reconcile its rates and water accounts with bank statements. In one account, payments of more than US$12 million dollars were irreconcilable with bank statement balances, reflecting only US$303 942. One account with payments of more than US$7 million only showed US$70 582.

This is not to conclude the money was stolen, but may only show poor accounting methods and poor management of ratepayers’ money. In Harare, overall lack of accountability and good governance by the council was noted.

Very questionable decisions were made, which resulted in the council losing ratepayers’ money.

One example was the council’s decision to hire equipment at exorbitant prices when it was substantially cheaper to repair its own equipment.

The council also borrowed US$32 million dollars without the minster’s approval in defiance of the Urban Councils Act.

Almost all councils, including Chegutu, Mwenezi Disitrict Council, Hwange and Bubi, among others, were specifically fingered for their poor financial management systems. However, some of the councils are so underfunded that they are unable to operate.

The poor allocation of resources can be attributed to central government for failing to play its role in ensuring the welfare of all citizens.

While other councils are wasting money like Harare, others like Pfura Rural District Council, Mt Darwin and Dotito are so poorly funded and resourced that they use ox-drawn carts to transport refuse.

In Pfura, there was no evidence of systematic billings being made to ratepayers. They use manual registers and antiquated filing and billing systems, such that council records are in total shambles.

Most of the corruption in councils involves the sale and allocation of residential and commercial stands. Gweru City Council was unable to provide the layout plans for the stands it had sold during the year. Such bungling is inconceivable and is highly suggestive of corruption.

In Karoi, there were no records of stands sold. In Lupane, stands owned by employees were exempted from paying rate charges. This was in contravention of the Urban Council’s Act, which only allows exemption for non-profit organisations.

For the 2018 financial year, only three out of ninety-two local authorities had their financial statements audited and reported on. Seventy local authorities did not submit their financial statements for audit so their affairs are largely unknown, but it is highly suggestive of many bad things.

It was, therefore, impossible for the AG to check if recommendations given in prior reports had been followed. So, it is likely to be the same issues in the 2019 report.

BY SIMBARASHE SITHOLE

THE University of Zimbabwe’s Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering has urged government to support its ongoing Nutritional Post-Harvest estimation (Nutri-P-Loss) programmes, which are aimed at promoting good farming methods.

In an interview at a Grain Post-Harvest Stakeholder Learning Fora in Mbire and Guruve districts, programme team leader Brighton Mvumi urged government to facilitate investment in the initiative.

“The government should facilitate for investment in the ongoing nutritional post-harvest loss estimations we are currently rolling on as UZ. The institution on its own cannot go around the country fostering the programmes due to lack of funding, hence we need their support,” he said

The programme encourages farmers to adopt new technology that is non-chemical.

“Our programme needs thick plastics for hermetic bags and that plastic is imported, thereby making it very difficult for farmers to access it. It is our wish that government and the private sector join hands in coming up with a locally produced plastic that meets the standard to mitigate harvest loss,” Mvumi said.

The programme was launched in the 2017-2018 agricultural season by the UZ. Results from 2018-2019 experiments showed that the hermetic bags method was more efficient than the chemical method.

Addressing farmers at the meetings, UZ PhD candidate Patrick Ngwenyama said they had tested grains of cow peas and maize with hermetic bags to measure the quality of nutrition rather than quantity of the grains for eight months.

“We observed that of late, farmers were worried about the quantitative aspect while overlooking the nutritional aspect of it. Hence, we chose two districts with different climatic conditions, that is Guruve and Mbire. We ran the programme for eight months with different treated and untreated grain in a bid to see the effectiveness of the method,”Ngwenyama said.

“The hermetic bags method proved very useful in fighting weevils and it is chemical-free. A farmer can consume the grains soon after using it, unlike the chemical method. But if attacked by rodents, they become effective.”

Farmers in Mbire said they were trying to adopt the new method, but are facing challenges in accessing the plastics as there was only one type so far available.

Guruve farmer Solomon Chimanikire (60) praised the UZ for fostering education on the safe methods of keeping their grain.

IT is near impossible to put into words the feelings that are experienced in such a treasured National Park like Hwange. Just a two-hour drive from Victoria Falls and you are in this wild, yet totally magical arena. For us at Off 2 Africa, some of our favourite past times have been spent here and these are some of the reasons:

The camps

Sometimes a simple tent shared with your loved one, some easy-to-cook meals, and a 4×4 car to cruise around the park for some game viewing can be the perfect getaway. On the other hand, luxury is certainly not hard to come by in Hwange. Some of our favourite camps here have outstanding reputations for being the best in Africa, and for a good reason! There are not many places where you are able to relax on your private deck by the pool, and at the same time watch a fleet of animals approaching a watering hole to drink… with a cold drink in hand, of course. Pure bliss.

The wildlife

Hwange is famous for the tens of thousands of elephants that reside in the park, but also for the many other exciting species roaming around. Four of the big five are found here and are spotted regularly by our visitors. It is a surreal experience to be putting a real-life scene to “survival of the fittest”. With the help and knowledge of the incredible guides in Hwange, you are bound to be blown away by what wildlife you see and learn about during your stay.

The secluded safari experience

We would be biased if we claimed that Hwange was the best park in the whole of Africa, because there are many others which can boast similar views and possibly very similar wildlife. But one thing that we can confidently say is that the safari experience, in terms of exclusivity, may well be the very best. In visiting the bush, crowds are the last thing you would want. Here, you are able to drive around your camps area with not another vehicle in sight.

The classic bush fires

If you have not sat around a fire, talking with your loved ones, playing games and simply just being in that very moment – then we suggest you do not experience this for the first time in Hwange. It is just unbeatable, to say the least. With a blanket of stars above you, African wildlife all around you and a warm fire in front of you, you will undoubtedly remember this moment for a lifetime.

The photographic opportunities

The park is a photographers’ paradise. In fact, there is nothing that is not worth capturing. The animals is an obvious one, as is the scenery. If you enjoy wildlife photography and haven’t tried out bird life – this might become a new obsession of yours after visiting this area. The different terrains are also worth snapping at as there is something wonderfully creative about the ground as it’s cracking away due to dehydration, or the different colours that go with each season. Essentially, you will have a world of different and exciting photographic opportunities in Hwange.

The painted dog conservation

On a trip to Hwange, we’re able to visit the amazing Wild Dog Centre which educates travellers about one of our most endangered species. The sanctuary provides a great amount of information, emotional stories and, if we’re lucky, we can meet the gorgeous rescued dogs that are loved and cared for so deeply by everyone around them! We are so grateful for this incredible initiative and everyone involved. There is always more to learn and every bit of help towards conservation is so appreciated!

www.victoriafalls24.com

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

THE Grain Millers of Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) has so far procured food worthy $1 million to assist 10 schools that were affected by Cyclone Idai as part of its feeding programme.

GMAZ chairman Tafadzwa Musarara yesterday met headmasters in Chimanimani, whose schools are set to benefit from the school feeding scheme, which he said would run until the end of the year.

“The issue of transparency is very critical in this food aid programme. If there is transparency, this programme will go a very long way in feeding children affected by the cyclone,” he said

“We were deeply affected with the disaster. We never anticipated it. We asked for 10 schools for a start, but it’s not us who chose them.”
Musarara said GMAZ met President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Local Government minister July Moyo and his Primary and Secondary Education counterpart, Paul Mavima, who
helped identify schools to assist with food.

“We are not just providing food, but we are providing food that has nutritional requirements. In the morning, pupils will be given porridge and at around 10am,
they will be given maheu, while at lunch they will get sadza and soya beans,” he said

Hangani Primary School headmaster Lovemore Timbira said the feeding project would go a long way in ending hunger at schools affected by the cyclone.

“This is a good project and we are happy as school heads in Chimanimami, as we hope attendance will improve considerably,” he said.

BY SHINGIRAI VAMBE

GOVERNMENT programmes and policies, including the much-hyped command agriculture, suffered a huge setback due to lack of supervision, monitoring and evaluation by Cabinet ministers and office bearers, a Zanu PF central committee member has said.

Zanu PF central committee and Manicaland provincial council member Moses Gutu said all the programmes that government had rolled out lacked supervision, hence the lack of progress, particularly in the agricultural and industrial sectors.

Addressing land-seekers in Nyanga recently, Gutu said only 35% of land redistributed in 2000 was being utilised in his district and the remainder, though
occupied, was unproductive because those allocated the farms had no interest in farming.

“Most farms here were given to tourists, who only come once in a while to visit their farms. The majority of the people on these farms are workers and some
owners have since abandoned the farms and workers. We have seen cases of human-wildlife conflict escalating in Nyanga because wild animals are now hibernating
in these unused farms,” he said.

The land redistribution exercise was widely condemned as many were allocated farms along political lines without taking into cognisance the ability of the
individual to utilise the land.

Approximately 70% of land that was grabbed from white commercial farmers is unproductive as current owners have no access to lines of credit to fund farming
activities. Some have no knowledge of the types of crops suitable for the areas where they were allocated land; neither do they know weather patterns or soil
types, nor input requirements to ensure the lands yield more.

“I invited the Manicaland provincial lands officer, Clifford Mukoyi here, and went around the district. He was satisfied that most farms are vacant, but
applicants are told everyday there is no land on offer. Since 2010, we have been told about rhe land audit, but nothing is coming out of it. Land should be
given to those with the interest of farming, not selfish tourists,” Gutu said.

The Zimbabwe Land Commission is currently carrying out a comprehensive agricultural land audit. The audit is meant to identify land utilisation patterns and
optimal farming activities which influence appropriate policies for increased agricultural productivity, poverty alleviation and sustainable utilisation of
agricultural land.
Gutu said the command agriculture programme, just like the land audit, had failed to meet its target because of lack of supervision.

“Yes, there is climate change, but in majority of the cases, besides corruption and misuse of inputs, farmers are ill advised by their Agritex officers, who
also lack fundamental farming knowledge”

Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of Africa before the turn of the century, has been reduced to begging for handouts from the international community to feed its
impoverished citizens. The country now also relies on grain imports to augment its poor harvests, blamed on the El Nino-induced droughts.

Manicaland is one of the provinces with vast tracts of unproductive farms, including those allocated to ministers and government officials, with some putting
as much as 300 hectares to waste. The farms have farmhouses, tobacco barns, pivots and vast water sources, including dams, which if tapped into would benefit
the nation.

“If the land audit was of great importance, the Chipinge farm wrangle (pitting Remembrance Mbudzana and former Swiss banker Richard Le Vieux) would not be an
issue at this particular time. But I have noticed that there is corruption and lack of seriousness. Land seekers should be given small pieces of land such as
20ha each. It’s enough to bring back the name of the country on the map as the bread basket of Africa,” Gutu said.

Nyanga district administrator Nyashadzashe Zindove said: “We can only comment after getting an official report from the land audit. Yes, some are utilising
their pieces of land, but there are those who have completely failed and only an audit report can help those who have been applying for land to get an
opportunity replacing those who have failed.”

BY CHARLES LAITON

CONFEDERATION of Zimbabwe Retailers Association (CZRA) president Denford Mutashu has finally divorced wife Nomusa Memory Ruvazhe after High Court judge Justice Alpheus Chitakunye nullified the couple’s marriage 12 months after the couple went on separation due to irreconcilable differences.

On April 30 this year, Mutashu petitioned the High Court seeking a court order to nullify his five-year marriage with his estranged wife, saying he had since lost love and affection towards her.

“The marriage relationship between the parties (Mutashu and Ruvazhe) has irretrievably broken down to the extent that there is no longer any reasonable prospect of reconciliation …,” Mutashu said in his declaration, adding: “… During the subsistence of the marriage, three children were born … The defendant (Ruvazhe) did not adopt the plaintiff’s surname.”

Ruvazhe did not oppose the termination of the couple’s holy matrimony, but rather consented to the move, which was then sanctioned by the High Court on Thursday this week.

“The plaintiff (Mutashu) and defendant (Ruvazhe) both agreed that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and consent to the granting of a decree of divorce subject to the terms herein alluded to being incorporated into the final order, which this honourable court may be inclined to grant,” both parties said in their consent paper filed at the High Court.

As regard the custody of the couple’s two minor children, the parties agreed that custody shall be awarded to Mutashu, while his wife shall have access to the minors during the first two weeks of school holidays and on alternate weekends.

“Plaintiff will provide maintenance for the minor children until each child reaches the age of 18 or become self-supportive, whichever occurs first. There shall be no maintenance obligation by either party to the other,” the parties agreed, adding that each party shall retain movable property currently in his or her possession as his or her sole property.