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Police cordon off collapsed Matobo mineshaft

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

ANTI-RIOT police have sealed off the scene of the Matobo mine disaster, where five gold panners perished when a shaft collapsed at Nugget Mine early this week.

Three of the four injured artisanal miners are nursing injuries at United Bulawayo Hospitals.

The deployment of riot police was after rescue operations were called off on Tuesday evening, when it was ascertained that there were no other casualties except the nine accounted for.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he would comment after he had obtained full information from the ground.

“I am out of office. Phone me after lunch, when I would get all the details,” Nyathi said.

However, on a visit to the mine yesterday, a Southern Eye crew found the mine sealed-off and all the illegal gold panners cleared.

Hordes of panners were hovering around in the peripheries of the mine, presumably waiting for a chance to enter the shafts, but the whole area was a sea of grey and blue, as police in riot gear cordoned off the shaft.

The mineshaft, which was at the centre of a gun battle pitting a well-known gold baron from Esigodini, Baron Dube, collapsed on Monday morning.

After the war involving rival gangs, a scramble for the pit by illegal miners ensued, with some said to be coming from as far afield as Kwekwe, Zvishavane, Filabusi and
Matobo, contributing to the collapse of the shaft.

A police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity at the scene said the rescue operations were called off yesterday night after it was discovered that there was no one trapped.

“All the people who were in the shaft were cleared yesterday. It was only the five bodies and the four who were rescued, who were the casualties of the mishap. No one else
is trapped or was trapped as of 5pm on Tuesday when the rescue operation was called off. We are deployed here to cordon off the whole area, as it was unsafe to leave the
panners to continue with their operations,” he said.

There were also reports that government was planning to bring in graders and front-loaders to seal off the shafts.

Binga man acquitted of attempted murder charges

By Tinashe Mungazi

A 34-YEAR-OLD Binga man, who was facing four counts of attempted murder after he allegedly went berserk and set ablaze his in-laws’ homestead 11 years ago, has been acquitted.

Nelson Munkuli, of Sikalenge village under Chief Sikangele in Binga, in 2008 allegedly flew into a fit of rage and torched his father in-law’s homestead, destroying property while they slept after his estranged wife deserted him.

However, regional magistrate Collet Ncube found Munkuli, who faced four counts of attempted murder and malicious damage to property charges, not guilty.

Ncube said the State had failed to prove a prima facie case, especially when it came to identification and material evidence positively linking Munkuli to the crimes.

“It is trite to know that a number of precautions had to be taken before such evidence can be accepted. What must be mentioned are peculiarities or similarities that are
distinct that a witness recognises as such belonging to accused,” Ncube ruled.

The State led its case through evidence of witnesses who claimed they had all identified Munkuli and had been led to his homestead after following a sandal spoor.

Throughout the trial, Munkuli continually maintained his innocence, arguing he was being framed after having fallen out with his in-laws following a misunderstanding with his wife.

“I deny the allegations and have no knowledge on what could have prompted the complainants to accuse me of trying to kill them by setting their huts on fire. On the day in question, I was fishing with some friends. Besides, no one set huts on fire and remains standing at the scene. It just doesn’t make any sense,” he said.

Before the commencement of trial, Ncube demanded to know from the State what had caused the delay in the prosecution of the matter, to which he was told by counsel led by
Charlene Gorerino that witnesses were defaulting and had difficulties locating Munkuli.

Munkuli was first arrested in August 2008 and placed on remand for seven months at Binga Prison, before being transferred to Hwange, where he spent a year awaiting trial.

He was later released in 2012 after the State could not locate its witnesses, prompting the court to rule that the case should proceed by way of summons.

Chloride aims to double battery production

BY MISHAMA CHAKANYUKA

Battery manufacturer, Chloride, says it is planning to expand its smelting plant to nearly double the firm’s manufacturing capacity.

With its current smelter, Chloride produces 35 000 batteries monthly and the new capacity will take its output to 50 000 units.

The company’s operations manager, Edwin Makhaza told NewsDay Business yesterday that Chloride would make use of its export earnings as well as internal reserves to finance the project.

“We are working on expanding our smelting plant which is still in its initial stage and we are just trying to source funds for that. We are in the process of expanding so
that we are able to fully utilise the capacity that we have in the plant,” he said.

He said last year the company operated at about 89% of installed capacity. This has since declined to 60% due to deposit demand in the market.

“The major challenge we are facing is of foreign currency to import some of the raw materials that we use. The foreign currency requirements against the exports that we
generate do not match, so we are not able to smoothen our operations through the exported materials. We are trying to source foreign currency through export generation and
through the interbank to smoothen our operations,” he said.

The company’s major raw material, lead, which constitutes about 60% of the battery, is locally made from scrap batteries that the company recycles in their smelting unit.

The company supplies about 80% of its product to the local market, while the remaining 20% is for exports.

“We supply batteries to Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia and we intend to expand to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Namibia and South Africa. In Malawi and
Mozambique we are not dominant, but we want to ensure that we are dominant in those markets,” Chloride general manager, Kudzai Pasipanodya said.

Mhofu pleads with govt over Bonne

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

THE Warriors technical team is now banking on the government to give a special dispensation to England-born Zimbabwean striker Macauley Bonne, to enable him to feature for the senior national soccer team in the upcoming 2019 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Egypt.

Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambga is battling to secure the services of Bonne, who plays for Leyton Orient for the biennial continental soccer showpiece scheduled for next month.

However, with amendments to the Zimbabwe Citizenship Bill, it means Bonne, who is a Zimbabwean by decent having been born in England to Zimbabwean parents, and holds a British passport, might have to renounce his British citizenship to be eligible to play for the Warriors.

The England-based star had submitted his application form for a Zimbabwean passport at the Zimbabwean embassy in London last month after choosing to play for Zimbabwe ahead of England.
Warriors team manager Wellington Mupandare yesterday said they were now pinning their hopes on the government to save the situation.

“It’s now a challenge. I don’t see any new players being able to make the squad for the African Cup of Nations because of the new amendments to the Citizenship Bill. We are now banking on the government to give a special privilege to the players so that they can play for their country,” Mupandare said.

Bonne, who has played for the Warriors before under former coach Kalisto Pasuwa and scored against Morocco, has been prolific for his English side, banging in 23 goals in 46 matches to help the team earn promotion into League Two.

Besides Bonne, Chidzambga has also been working to bring into the team Zimbabwean players dotted across Europe.

They include Andy Rinomhota, Adam Chicksen, Reiss Nelson and Kundai Benyu, among others.

There is, however, no problem for such players like Nottingham Forest star Tendayi Darikwa who secured his passport before the new Bill, and has been influential in the qualifiers to help Zimbabwe secure a ticket to the finals for the second successive time having played at the 2017 tournament in Gabon.

Wales-based Alec Mudimu and Leicester City’s Admiral Muskwe, born in Zimbabwe but grew up in the United Kingdom, also played a part in the qualifiers.

The Warriors, who have been given a target of reaching the knock-out stages of the tournament are scheduled to play the Super Eagles of Nigeria in an international friendly on June 8 in Lagos.

Zifa are also lining up more international friendlies for the team with neighbours South Africa and Morocco highly likely to be some of the teams the Warriors will face in a dress rehearsal for the tournament.

Zimbabwe has never gone beyond the group stage of Africa’s premier competition since they took part for the first time in Tunisia in 2004. For this year’s edition, they were drawn in the same group with African heavyweights Egypt, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They will get their campaign off with a clash against the hosts on June 21.

The Warriors’ provisional squad for the Afcon finals is expected to be announced in the coming seven days.

Mamvura’s long journey in stone

BY TENDAI SAUTA

SCULPTOR Elvis Mamvura says he was inspired to come up with the piece, The Love of Once, after losing several family members to HIV and Aids.

The piece captures the plight of people living with HIV, particularly at a time before the anti-retroviral therapy was introduced.

The 42-year-old visual artist has walked a long journey in stone sculpture and fondly recalled the time when he was tasked by government to sculpt a present for British royal family member Prince Charles as a symbol of peace and tranquillity.

Mamvura said most of his artworks – which include Uptown Girl and Bathing Woman – were mainly semi-abstract social commentaries on day-to-day issues.

The artist said he was inspired, and first mentored by his late father, multiple award-winning sculptor, Albert whose works were presented to assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Queen Sofia of Spain in the early 1980s.

Working on stone, Mamvura said, has always been a passion that runs deep in his family.

“It runs in the family. My late uncle, Nicholas Mukomberanwa, was a visual artist of distinction who mentored my father, Albert, who in turn trained me,” he said.

Mamvura has travelled to various parts of the world holding exhibitions that have attracted critical acclaim.

The sculptor’s early international tours were facilitated by Renate Braimah of Africart Gallery and included workshops and exhibitions in Europe, Germany and Canada.

Although he owns a white opal mine, Mamvura said he faced several challenges, including access to raw materials and tools, as well as converting markets into sales.

Luphahla looks ahead

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

TELONE technical manager Joel Lupahla says the next eight games have the potential to break or shape his men’s fate in their mission to avoid relegation at the end of the season.

The Wi-fi Boys started the season with a bang, picking four points in their first two matches, but have been struggling of late.

Two points from their last four matches have left them just above the relegation zone, on 13th position, and their supporters are beginning to get worried.

Their next fixture line-up is not appealing either, with some tough matches coming up, including against champions FC Platinum, Caps United, Highlanders, Harare City and Triangle.

TelOne host FC Platinum at Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo, a venue they are temporarily using as their home ground as Ascot Stadium in Gweru is under renovations.

This will be followed by a trip to the Lowveld for a date with Manica Diamonds.

They then take on Bulawayo giants Highlanders on week nine followed by a date against cross-town rivals Chapungu.

Matches against Black Rhinos, Caps United, Harare City and Triangle are also on the horizon; and if they can pick at least 16 points from those matches, they would have done extremely well.

Speaking to NewsDay Sport yesterday, Lupahla conceded that they face a herculean task, but remains optimistic his side will triumph.

“We face a difficult period, but to gain experience, you need to be playing such games and hope our boys will come through these fixtures with their heads high up,” Luphahla said.

“We have been playing good football, but we are not scoring much and I hope soon enough the boys will start hitting the target. We are a new team, so in every match we learn and we respect the champions we are facing on Sunday, for what they have achieved. But we go to battle for three points just like them, hence we have to take this task without fear,” Lupahla said.

Castle Lager Premier Soccer League week seven fixtures:

Saturday: Harare City v Bulawayo Chiefs (Rufaro), Mushowani Stars v Black Rhinos (National Sports Stadium), Chicken Inn v Highlanders (Barbourfields), ZPC Kariba v Ngezi Platinum (Nyamhunga)

Sunday: Triangle v Caps United (Gibbo), Herentals v Manica Diamonds (National Sports Stadium), Yadah FC v Dynamos (Rufaro), TelOne v FC Platinum (Luveve), Hwange v Chapungu (Colliery)

Wednesday: Black Rhinos v Bulawayo Chiefs (National Sports Stadium)

Thursday: Caps United v Chapungu (National Sports Stadium)

GMC launches photobook to celebrate women parliamentarians

BY KUDZAI MUCHENJEKWA

Gender and Media Connect (GMC); a local non – governmental organisation is set to launch a photobook entitled Counting the Gains on 16 May this year which profiles the Zimbabwe Women 8th Parliamentary Caucus.

For many Zimbabweans it remains blurry as to whether female parliamentarians serve a purpose in the politics of the country, we have had female parliamentarians before, but their work in the parliament has not been well documented or shared with the nation.

GMC is gender and media advocacy and representative organisation that seeks to empower women in various sectors to engage with the media, and works not only to promote the rights of women but also rights of women in accessing media both as a source of information as well as platforms for free expression.

GMC produced the photobook; under a collaborative project with Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) and with the support from Embassy of Sweden, Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean Women Parliamentary Caucus (ZWPC) with the aim of bringing out the unrecognized work that women in parliament have been doing in the background to light.

National Director for GMC Abigail Gamanya highlighted that the stories and interviews in the photobook were compiled from women parliamentarians who were part of the 8th parliament across Zimbabwe, across political parties, across generations and spread across interests.

“Counting the Gains highlights the successes, the challenges and the global aspirations of Zimbabwean women in politics– from local grassroots development projects to the formulation of regional and international laws to promote social justice and a fair world.” said Gamanya

Zimbabwe is known for its political polarization however women parliamentarians through the ZWPC have conquered the enmity among political parties and have worked together to bring positive results.

According to Inter-Parliamentary Union; Zimbabwe is ranked number 41 out of 193 countries with 85 women constituting 31.5 % of parliament, which is a big achievement in the politics of Zimbabwe.

Iran nuclear deal: Tehran may increase uranium enrichment

BY BBC

Iran has suspended commitments under the 2015 international nuclear deal, a year after it was abandoned by the US.

President Hassan Rouhani said he would keep enriched uranium stocks in the country rather than sell them abroad.

He also threatened to resume production of uranium enriched to a higher level in 60 days.

The accord was aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief. Iran-US tensions have risen since Washington quit.

Iran’s economy has since been hit by renewed US sanctions.

Iran informed the remaining parties to the deal – France, Germany, Russia, China and the UK – of its decision on Wednesday morning.

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Iran was acting within its rights under the deal and it was up to the three European powers to act.

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In response, French Defence Minister Florence Parly told French media that the European powers were doing everything they could to keep the deal alive but there would be consequences and possibly sanctions if the deal was not adhered to.

China and Russia both blamed Washington’s withdrawal from the deal for the current situation.

Under the deal Iran is required to sell its surplus enriched uranium abroad, rather than keep it.

This is important as the material, which is a by-product of Iran’s civilian nuclear power generation, can be used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.

By selling it abroad, Iran can continue to generate nuclear power and the parties to the agreement can be sure it is not building nuclear weapons.

Anti-US mural in Tehran – 7 May

Corruption, payment delays stifle Kenyan manufacturers: survey

NAIROBI (Reuters)

Kenyan manufacturers are largely operating below capacity and say economic growth prospects are dim due to a cash crunch, drought and corruption, a survey by their umbrella association showed.

The survey, called the Manufacturing Barometer, was carried out by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers in the first quarter of this year.

It found that 47 percent of those surveyed operated at about half capacity, 33 percent operated at 75 percent of installed capacity and a fifth operated near full capacity.

President Uhuru Kenyatta said the sector was one of his top four priorities when he started his second term in 2017, due to its potential to create jobs.

But the government has struggled to boost the sector due to high electricity tariffs and illicit imports of goods such as sugar and cigarettes.

A Markit Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)survey released on Monday showed activity in Kenya’s private sector contracted for the first time in 17 months in April, hurt by drought and strained cash flows.

The manufacturing sector grew by 4.2 percent in 2018, official data showed, and contributed 7.7 percent of the country’s annual economic output of about $80 billion, down from a share of 8 percent in the previous year.

The sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has been falling gradually since 2014, when it stood at 10 percent.

Kenyatta’s government aims to raise the contribution of manufacturing to 15 percent of GDP by 2022.

The outlook for the sector this year could worsen due to persistent dry weather, the association said in the report.

“The agricultural sector slowed down on account of the delays in rains. This will have an effect on the industry,” it said. “Due to the current cash crunch and runaway corruption, the metrics are not looking promising.”

Private sector credit growth has slumped since the government capped commercial lending rates in September 2016 to lower the cost of credit.

Delays by the Kenya Revenue Authority in processing tax refunds were likely to hurt manufacturers’ cash flow, the report said.

Some survey respondents said delays in clearing cargoes at the Mombasa port were leading to lost sales and higher demurrage charges.

The survey also found 76 percent of respondents planned to freeze hiring of new full-time employees, or reduce their numbers.

The manufacturing sector covers a range of businesses, including food and beverage production, metal products fabrication, pharmaceuticals and cement production.

Editing by Dale Hudson and Mark Potter

New York Times: Tax documents show Trump businesses lost more than $1 billion in a decade

Washington CNN

President Donald Trump’s businesses reported losses of $1.17 billion from 1985 to 1994, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing information from tax documents from those years.

It appears Trump lost more money than nearly any other individual US taxpayer year after year, the Times reports, according to the 10 years of tax information the newspaper acquired.

Trump ran for president branding himself as a self-made billionaire, touting his financial success, but he has been steadfast in his refusal to release his tax returns to the public, despite mounting pressure from Congress. On Monday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin formally denied a request from the House Ways and Means Committee for Trump’s last six years of tax returns, a period not covered by the documents reported by The Times on Tuesday.
In 1990 and 1991, Trump’s core business losses were more than $250 million each year — more than double those of the closest taxpayers in those years, the Times reports.

Trump lost so much money that he avoided paying income taxes for eight of the 10 years, according to the newspaper.

The Times previously reported that Trump helped “his parents dodge taxes” in the 1990s, including “instances of outright fraud,” and that he and his siblings helped his parents hide millions of dollars in gifts in a “sham corporation.”
Trump, starting at the age of 3, received at least $413 million in today’s dollars from his father’s real estate empire, the Times previously reported.

The Times did not obtain Trump’s tax returns, but someone who had legal access to the returns gave the newspaper information about their contents. The Times then matched the information to figures in the public database of IRS information on top earners, where identifying details are removed. The Times used other public documents to confirm significant findings, and used confidential Trump family tax and financial records the newspaper had previously acquired.

Several weeks ago, a senior White House official told the Times, “The President got massive depreciation and tax shelter because of large-scale construction and subsidized developments. That is why the President has always scoffed at the tax system and said you need to change the tax laws. You can make a large income and not have to pay large amount of taxes.”

CNN has reached out to the White House for comment on the Times report.

On Saturday, Charles J. Harder, a lawyer for the President, told the Times that the tax information the newspaper acquired was “demonstrably false” and that the Times’ statements “about the President’s tax returns and business from 30 years ago are highly inaccurate.” He didn’t cite any specific errors, according to the newspaper.

On Tuesday, Harder told the Times, “IRS transcripts, particularly before the days of electronic filing, are notoriously inaccurate” and “would not be able to provide a reasonable picture of any taxpayer’s return.”