Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Harare – Chief Justice Luke Malaba, a figure whose tenure has been steeped in legal and political controversy, is reportedly refusing to go on leave pending his retirement. NewsDay has heard that Malaba, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 75 in May, was expected to commence his pre-retirement leave earlier this month, but has […]

The post Chief Justice Luke Malaba refuses to go on leave as Mugabe’s ZEC boss Rita Makarau is set to succeed him first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Harare – Chief Justice Luke Malaba, a figure whose tenure has been steeped in legal and political controversy, is reportedly refusing to go on leave pending his retirement. NewsDay has heard that Malaba, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 75 in May, was expected to commence his pre-retirement leave earlier this month, but has […]

The post Chief Justice Luke Malaba refuses to go on leave as Mugabe’s ZEC boss Rita Makarau is set to succeed him first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: Chief Murinye takes school fight to ED -Newsday Zimbabwe

TRADITIONAL leader Chief Murinye, born Ephias Munodawafa, has roped in President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his fight against what he describes as corruption and the unlawful invasion of rural areas by politically-connected individuals.

The chief made headlines on Monday after blocking learners from accessing to Riverton Academy Murinye Extension, a private school he said was built unprocedurally and was not regularised.

The development is linked to Masvingo businessman Philemon Mutangiri.

The blockade triggered a tense standoff that resulted in government intervention following an altercation between Murinye and Mutangiri at the disputed site.

“I have written to the president of the Chiefs Council, Chief Khumalo, and copied the President and other government officials to challenge the operation of an unregularised school in my area,” Murinye told NewsDay.

“I will not back off. This should be resolved. Yesterday I was intimidated by the army.

“I went to the offices where I had been summoned armed with the Constitution because we need to follow the supreme law.

“But an army commander aggressively ordered me to close the Constitution, which means it is martial law.”

Mutangiri accused the traditional leader of demanding “endless freebies”, including free education for his children beyond his lifetime, claims which Murinye has strongly denied.

In an interview with NewsDay yesterday, Murinye dismissed the allegations as false, insisting he has never depended on Mutangiri for personal benefits.

“I have a son who was in Malaysia pursuing his studies. I forked out US$20 000 per year,” he said.

“I have never relied on Mutangiri for my children’s education.

“Even if I had failed to pay fees, if I had asked Mutangiri, what would have been the problem?”

He added: “The issue of electricity connection that he is talking about was well before he raised the issue of the construction of the school.

“He is the one who initiated the gesture after realising that I had no power at my new residence after moving from my old residence where there was power that was connected under President Mnangagwa’s leadership.”

Murinye said the operation of the school amounted to violation of procedures, warning that allowing such developments would normalise corruption and undermine governance in rural areas.

“If this is allowed, then we are giving a green light to those who do not want to follow procedure in the future,” he said.

He claimed the school was built clandestinely in connivance with some village heads, adding that it was deliberately concealed from authorities.

“Even if you see the location of the school, it is in a very secluded place such that even when passing along the road, you will not notice that there is construction going on,” he alleged.

“Mutangiri informed me about the construction of the school well after construction had begun.”

Murinye said on August 8, 2025, he wrote a letter, seen by NewsDay, to Mutangiri advising him to halt construction of the school until due process had been followed.

“This letter serves to inform you that as traditional leaders in the Murinye area we have noticed that you have commenced work on the construction of a school without observing due process,” read part of the letter co-signed by Murinye and some headmen.

“We, therefore, advise you to halt all the work until you consult and fully comply.”

He said a high-level government delegation visited Murinye communal lands at the disputed school yesterday, a move he said came too late.

“This should have been done earlier, before the school was allowed to operate,” Murinye said.

Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Ezra Chadzamira told journalists on Monday that the government had permitted the school to operate.

“Construction should be done in line with regularisation,” Chadzamira said.

“We have noted that there is paperwork being processed, but construction is going on ahead of regularisation.”

He said while authorities encouraged regularisation to be completed first, government viewed the school as a development initiative.

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Source: Hopley man caged 15 years for sodomy -Newsday Zimbabwe

A HOPLEY man has been sentenced to 15 years in jail by Harare magistrate Sandra Mupindu after he attempted to sodomise a Grade 6 boy.

John Chamboko denied the charges during trial.

Mupindu ruled that there was overwhelming evidence considering the time the report was made and the convict’s defence.

The State alleges that on November 17, 2025, the minor was bathing when Chamboko entered claiming that he wanted to use the toilet.

The complainant agreed to his request and the convict entered and used the toilet.

The court heard that Chamboko told the boy that he was handsome and requested to have anal sex with him.

He attempted to buy the boy’s silence with US$5, but the complainant turned down the offer.

The court heard that the minor then decided to leave bathroom.

As he attempted to leave, Chamboko grabbed the complainant and pulled him closer, lowered his pair of trousers to knee lever exposing his erect manhood.

The State proved that the minor hit the complainant with an elbow and escaped.

The boy reported the matter to his mother, who took Chamboko with the help of neighbours to ZRP Southlea Park to file a report.

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Source: Hundreds enrol for Discovery ambulance technician courses -Newsday Zimbabwe

HUNDREDS of youths from across the country have enrolled for the Ambulance Technician course at the Discovery Training Academy.

The classes are running in Harare, Mutare, Masvingo and Bulawayo.

Discovery Ambulance Services founder and chief executive officer David Munowenyu said the uptake followed rigorous free first aid campaigns conducted in all the country’s 10 provinces, which helped to ignite interest in life-saving careers among young people.

“We are healing the world one day at a time, in the way that we can. We have hundreds of youths joining us for the ambulance technician course, with more expected to advance their studies and enrol for the National Diploma in Paramedics,” Munowenyu said.

“These are skills that have been missing in our pre-hospital care system, which are very important as far as disaster management is concerned.”

Munowenyu added that the increased intake was also a positive response to the call on youths to shun drug and substance abuse.

“Once they complete the course, we will soon be employing them as life-savers and encouraging them to further their studies until they qualify as paramedics.”

He said the academy was in the process of engaging various stakeholders within the emergency medical services sector beyond Zimbabwe’s borders to introduce exchange programmes and align the institution with international standards.

Late last year, Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora announced a partnership with Discovery Ambulance Services under which the government would procure 200 ambulances annually, a move expected to raise the standard of emergency medical services while creating employment opportunities.

Some of the students are on the David Munowenyu Foundation Full Sponsorship programme that seeks to empower youths with life-saving skills.

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