BY ADMIRE JAMU-MLAMBO

TOP sungura musician and Chivaraidze Express frontman Liversy Matamba has given a breakdown of the songs on his forthcoming 15th album, Ndozvireva, to be released live on local radio on February 5 this year.

The musician — whose last album Vakakurera Vakuru was released in 2017 — said the new six-track offering was made up of the songs Rudo Harumanikidzwe, Marwisa, Mangamusingavazive, Rongekai, Kuitiswa and Vana Gumi, all of which touch on day-to-day life.

“On the Ndozvireva album I actually sing about what I always come across especially our day-to-day life and the surroundings, reprimanding, encouraging and making people cautious in life,” said the Highfield-based Mutamba.

“In some of the instances, I also sing about my daily experiences.”

In the song Rudo Harumanikidzwe, he encourages lovers to go their separate ways amicably if one partner is no longer interested.

“Rudo Harumanikidzwe is about love and I must say it is in the best interest of lovers that love is between two people and if one of them is no longer interested, then the other one should not force matters to hold on to love because many couples are regretting such moves,” he said.

On the title track Rongekai, Matamba said he was urging people not to get carried away if life is moving smoothly, but to utilise the opportunity to plan ahead.

Mutamba urged fellow sungura musicians to modernise the genre and move with time so as to compete with Zimdancehall.

“As sungura artistes we need to move with time by modernising our music and also assist each other so as to fight competition from Zimdancehall,” he said.

Mutamba formed his band in 1999 and its first release was in 2000. The original band comprised Godfrey Mutakatara (late) on lead guitar, Pererwa Kasiyapfumbi (late) on bass, Eriya Bekele (late) on vocals, Joel Muchemwa on rhythm and former Bundu Boys member Kenny Chitsvatsva on drums.

BY CHELSEA MUSAFARE

ONE of the golden discoveries of the urban grooves movement in the early 2000s, Daniel “Decibel” Mazhandu has hailed the online marketing system saying it has helped place local artistes on the global map.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, Decibel cited how the internet had cemented his conviction to return to the music circles.

“When I released One Shot last year as a pilot project to explore the feasibility of an online release or presence that I used to have, the results were surprisingly pleasant. While I did not hear of any significant airplay, the (online) streaming was crazy. This has cemented my persuasion to return because as we speak dollars are going into my account,” he said.

Crowned king of Zimbabwean urban grooves at the peak of his career, Decibel said good musicians did not have to plead for airplay to connect with fans.

“Streaming music online shows how music consumers have changed over the years. Musicians with good music do not have to beg for airplay to reach their fans. It helps spread music faster. This is also quite liberating for musicians especially at a time Zim DJs are demanding payment for publicity. Radio stations are taking money for airplay, the most played artistes are the ones paying the most,” he said.

Meanwhile, Decibel joins the list of artistes set to release love songs to mark Valentine’s Day on February 14.

Titled Uchi, the song which explores how complicated love can be, was shot by Cosmos Works, produced and mixed by Jusa Robert Solo.

His two singles from last year, One Shot and Kutenda will form part of his album due for release soon.

The singer released Chido, a video that stayed on number one on the charts for more than six weeks at the turn of the millennium. His first album, What Kind of World, in 2004 became the best-selling album under the Country Boy Records stable.

BY FIDELITY MHLANGA

ZIMBABWE Stock Exchange-listed beverages producer, Delta Corporation has continued to sing the blues with trading volumes of almost all products taking a plunge in the nine months ended December 2019, as a result of consumers’ poor disposable incomes, power and fuel shortages.

Zimbabwe is experiencing its worst economic crisis in a decade, with biting shortages of foreign currency, grain, and fuel and rolling power cuts that last up to 18 hours. The shortages have negatively affected the blue chip company’s operations.

“The trading environment is characterised by high inflation and an unstable exchange rate with limited availability of foreign currency in the formal banking channel. Consumer spending is constrained by low disposable incomes as salary and wage adjustments continue to lag behind the increases in prices of gods and services. Our distribution and production operations were impacted by the power outages and constrained fuel supplies,” said Delta company secretary Alex Makamure in a trading update for the nine months ended December 2019.

Lager beer volumes declined 43% for the quarter and 46% for the nine months compared to the same period last year.

At Natbrew Zambia, the volume was 32% down for the quarter compared to last year.

“There are some pricing disparities with other alcohol categories particularly driven by the steep increase in maize prices. The sparkling beverages volume grew by 38% for the quarter and is down 40% for the nine months,” Makamure said.

Furthermore, sorghum beer volume in Zimbabwe declined by 41% for the quarter and 25% for the nine months due to constrained supply of maize and escalation in the cost of imported inputs such as packaging materials. There is renewed focus on the returnable scud pack.

“There is a notable volume recovery response to improved product supply and moderated retail pricing. The recently launched no sugar variants have been welcomed by the consumers,” Makamure said.

African Distillers recorded a volume drop of 10% for the quarter. However the company indicated that the demand for ciders and white spirits remained strong adding there was concern about the illicit trade in some of the product categories.

The beverages volume at Schweppes Holdings declined by 23% for the quarter due to an outage of key imported raw materials for both the Mazoe and minute maid brands.

There was an improved performance on the recently launched Fruitade range of products with the entity having commissioned the megawatt rooftop solar plant to mitigate power outages at the Harare factory during the quarter.

Revenue for the quarter grew by 27% in inflation adjusted terms (646% historical) reflecting the changes in product mix and price increases that are based on replacement cost. The revenue increased 2% for the nine months (346% historical).

Delta conceded that sourcing of imported raw materials and services remained a challenge due to delays in servicing overdue payables.

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

CHIREDZI residents have accused top local police officer Simangaliso Dube of double standards after she labelled their meetings “a national security threat” and banned them while allowing council to hold ward meetings.

United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Uchirra) advocacy officer Bernard Dachi claimed that Dube had on many occasions banned their gatherings citing security threats, while allowing council to organise ward events.

“It is unfortunate that the police has suddenly become biased towards Chiredzi Town Council. Our organisation was formed in 2009 and since then we never had any problems with various Dispols who we worked with for more than 10 years. This is the first time that we are viewed as a security threat,” Dachi said.

“Furthermore our organisation is apolitical so we are left wondering how residents and ratepayers can be a national security threat. We deal with issues that affect residents, not political issues. Council should be answerable to their decisions.”

Contacted for comment yesterday, Dube insisted that public meetings would remain banned until Sunday next week, adding that residents were prohibited from carrying traditional weapons such as machetes and axes until March this year.

“Yes, we have banned all weapons and all the meetings because there is a national security threat,” said Dube.

When quizzed over the alleged selective application of the law, Dube made a volte-face and granted Uchirra permission to start holding their meetings from Monday next week.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was not aware that public meetings had been banned.

“There is no such thing as a national security threat at the moment. The country is currently enjoying peace. I am not aware of any threats or ban of the meetings,” Nyathi said.

BY NIZBERT MOYO

Three people – an elderly woman and her two grandchildren – were burnt beyond recognition when their house in Morningside, Bulawayo caught fire on Wednesday night.

Bulawayo acting fire officer, Lynos Phiri said preliminary investigations indicated that the fire was caused by an electrical fault.

Phiri said when the fire brigade arrived at the scene, they found the entire house in flames with the roof having curved in, and had to watch helplessly because the gate was locked.

“Prisca Mushore (57), Stacy Mushori (14) and Brendon Moyo (9) were severely burnt in a seven-roomed house under tiles and the estimated value of the property was $500 000,” Phiri said.

“Estimated losses were $300 000 and total value of the saved property was $200 000. The cause of the fire was due to an electrical short circuit which caused an explosion from the ceiling that had accumulated some dust.”

Bulawayo police spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the three deaths.

“I can confirm that the (incident) occurred on Wednesday evening. A neighbour at Hillside noticed fire and she immediately informed the police, it was discovered that a woman and a girl aged around 14 as well as a boy aged nine died in the inferno. The cause of the fire is not yet ascertained, but investigations are in progress,’’ Ncube said.

BY NHAU MANGIRAZI

TWO people – a police officer and his prisons counterpart – reportedly drowned in Lake Kariba on Tuesday evening when their boat capsized, a police internal memorandum has revealed.

The leaked memorandum from district intelligence to police Kariba district dated January 29 says police were still searching for the two bodies.

The incident occurred on January 28 around 7pm between Kariba Lake Harvest Bream cages and Nyaodza Fishing Camp.

According to the memo, the missing persons set out for Nyaodza Fishing Co-operative to buy fish aboard a boat, registration number KF 253, belonging to Faula Robson Mumba (36) of Nyamhunga.

“Also on board were the informant (Jephas) Mumari (23 of Kuwadzana, Harare) and Mumba … While on their way, around 1900hrs there were violent winds which made the lake boisterous, resulting in some water getting into the boat. The boat began to sink,” read the memo.

The memo said the pair disappeared underwater. Mumari and Mumba were rescued by a passing dinghy boat at around 11pm.

Stephen Mafolo, who chairs the Nyaodza Fishing Camp, reported the matter to the police under RRB number 4087821.

The incident comes shortly after two rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority drowned in the same lake following a scuffle with suspected Zambian poachers.The incident comes shortly after two rangers from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority drowned in the same lake following a scuffle with suspected Zambian poachers.

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

A 29-YEAR-OLD Gokwe man who fatally stabbed his elder brother in a dispute over gold ore was yesterday sentenced to an 18-year prison term.

Passmore Musanika was convicted for murdering Jaison Musanika by Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese, who was sitting at the Gweru High Court circuit.

Justice Makonese found Musanika guilty of murder with constructive intent.

In passing sentence, Justice Makonese ruled that he had considered that Musanika had served part of the prison term when he was incarcerated for one-and-half years in remand at Whawha Prison.

He, however, castigated Musanika for taking the life of his own brother.

“Your actions in taking the life of your elder brother show the moral decay of our cultural values,” ruled Justice Makonese.

“You acted callously in killing your own brother and your actions and those of other artisanal miners should be punished as the courts cannot tolerate such violence.”

Prosecutor Mirirai Shumba told the court that on August 27, 2018 at Arizona 74 Mine, Matobo Road in Gweru, the deceased was in the company of nephew, Hardline, when the convict approached them accusing Jaison of stealing his gold ore.

A misunderstanding ensued and the convict drew a knife from his trousers, tripped Jaison and stabbed him twice on the chest as he lay on the ground. Passmore fled from the scene after the callous murder.

The deceased bled profusely and died on the spot. A report was made to the police, leading to the convict’s arrest.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

ZIMBABWE’s liberation war fighters have demanded that the proposed Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board, set to take care of their welfare, should be chaired by ex-Zipra and ex-Zanla combatants on a rotational basis.

This came out during public hearings on the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle, 2019 Bill, which were held in the Midlands and Matabeleland North provinces this week. The Bill is currently before Parliament.

Among other provisions the Bill will establish the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board and spell out its composition and functions. Presently, war veterans’ concerns are being championed by the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association.

Sonny Key Mguni (Bubi MP Zanu PF), who led a team of MPs from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs who are gathering evidence from war veterans told Southern Eye that former Zipra fighters were demanding 50/50 representation on the board with their ex-Zanla counterparts.

“Everywhere the committee went in Matabeleland and Midlands, war veterans suggested there must be rotation of board chairpersonship by Zanla and Zipra,” Mguni said.

“They said if a chairperson of the board is Zanla, and their term expires, then the incoming term must be chaired by a person from Zipra,” he said. Mguni said former fighters also demanded that the title of Commander of the Defence Forces be changed to High Commander.

“Everywhere we went – and there was 100% attendance – the committee was told by war veterans that they now want the commander of the army to be a war veteran,” Mguni said.
“They said the term Commander of the Defence Forces must be changed to High Commander, adding that the person they want to command the army must be a very experienced person and not a mafikizolo (Johnny come lately),” he said.

If passed as is, the Bill will have a profound economic impact given that the former freedom fighters are pushing for their pensions to be at the same scale with a retired army major or lieutenant colonel.

“They were clear that they want their legacy respected in the same manner that World War II veterans are cherished and well taken care of. They said their children should benefit and be supported through scholarships, adding that the Bill should stipulate that their medical care should include access to hospitals outside the country,” Mguni said, adding that there were also calls for monthly stipends commensurate with the poverty datum line.Among other privileges, section 21 (1) of the Bill stipulates that war veterans are entitled to 20% of gazetted State land.

BY CHARLES LAITON

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi (pictured), together with his 15 other co-defendants have agreed to pay $85 000 compensation to MDC activist Pieta Kaseke, who was abducted by State security agents in 2008.

Kaseke was abducted during the era of the inclusive government when Mohadi (Zanu PF) and Giles Mutsekwa (MDC-T) were Home Affairs co-ministers. The deed of settlement, presented before High Court judge Justice Edith Mushore last week, is dated October 15, 2019.

“The defendants (Mohadi, Mutsekwa and 14 others) shall, jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved, pay plaintiff the following amounts in full and final settlement of this matter: $35 000 as damages for unlawful arrest and detention, $35 000 as damages for assault, pain, shock and suffering and $10 000 being costs of suit,” read part of the deed of settlement.

“The above amount of $80 000 due to the plaintiff (Kaseke) shall be paid within 30 days of this deed of settlement being signed by the parties. Payment of the above amount shall be made, free of bank charges, through plaintiff’s legal practitioners of record…”

According to court papers, Kaseke had in July 2009 claimed US$1, 2 million compensation from Mohadi, Mutsekwa, former Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa, former State Security minister Didymus Mutasa, former police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri, ex-CIO director-general Happyton Bonyongwe, senior assistant commissioners Nyathi and Chiobvu and several other senior police officers.

Kaseke said she was abducted on October 31, 2008 in Banket during which time several other MDC-T activists also fell victim to the countrywide abductions and were eventually charged on “trumped up offences” of banditry, sabotage and terrorism.

Soon after being released from detention following a pact between the late former President Robert Mugabe and the late MDC-T president Morgan Tsvangirai, Kaseke approached the High Court for compensation.

At some point towards the end of last year, the matter was set down for hearing only to be removed from the roll as parties were negotiating an out-of-court settlement and since then, the matter remained pending.

According to court papers, Kaseke was abducted on October 31, 2008 by police officers and handed over to CIO operatives who subjected her to further unlawful detention and torture.

Kaseke was abducted at a time the Zimbabwe Peace Project director Jestina Mukoko was also in custody facing banditry charges.