Category: zimbabwe

Two men who were found in possession of the heads of a hyena and vulture among other animal parts have been arraigned before the courts after being arrested for possession of animal trophies.

Victor Amoni (28) and Wilson Bashiru (26) appeared before Kariba magistrate Tapiwa Banda this week after they were apprehended by law enforcement agents in Makuti.

The two told police officers after their arrest that they were transporting the trophies to a certain woman who had promised to utilise them to enhance their potency as prophets.

According to the State led by prosecutor Jeffrey Makoni, members of the International Anti-Poaching Foundation received a tip-off that Amoni and Bushira were in possession of animal trophies.

They teamed up with police details from ZRP Makuti and proceeded to a local hotel where they arrested the duo.

The police recovered a hyena nose, an aardvark tail and four of its trotters including nose and a vulture skull from satchel which Amoni was carrying.

The suspects failed to produce a permit to prove that they had the right to acquire the trophies leading to their arrest.

The trophies were recovered.

Amoni was convicted and sentenced to 12 months in jail and three months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in five years.

A further nine months were suspended on condition that he performs 315 hours community service at Dariston Farm Secondary School in Mutorashanga.

He was also ordered to pay the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority US$4 000 compensation.

Meanwhile, Bushira will be back in court today for trial.

TWO Mazowe miners have approached the High Court for a revision of judgment accusing the late former Finance minister Christopher Kuruneri of secretly acquiring an order for their eviction without their knowledge.

The miners, Sipho Mlalazi and Thabani Ndhlovu, who are being represented by Tinashe Zinto, want the eviction order rescinded.

They cited Paidamoyo Patience Kuruneri, who is the executor of the estate of Christopher Kuruneri, the mining commissioner Mashonaland Central, the provincial mining director (Mashonaland Central), Mines minister Soda Zhemu and the Mines secretary as respondents.

According to court papers, Mlalazi and Ndhlovu are holders of mining claims and certificates of registration at Ascotvale Farm in Mazowe, which farm is listed in Kuruneri’s estate.

The two are owners of the mines known as Rosary 101 and Rosary 47, respectively.

They have been operating there since 2008 and their certificates of registration were issued sometime in 2002.

The duo claimed that they enjoyed undisturbed and peaceful mining for 15 years until 2016 when Kuruneri tried to evict them.

They were reinstated to the mine via an October 24, 2017 court order.

Mlalazi and Ndhlovu went to the Mines and Mining Development ministry offices in Bindura on December 11, 2023 to submit labour returns and renew inspection certificates.

According to the duo, that is when the Commissioner of Mines Mashonaland Central told them that they could not renew their inspection certificates as there was a court order issued on March 25, 2021 against them.

“Upon perusal of the order, we took notice that this is an order that substantially and directly affects our interests at the mining location, and the same ought to have been served on us,” they submitted.

The applicants argued that they were not cited in the said court application.

“… this honourable court has powers to correct, vary or rescind its judgments and orders when an order has been erroneously sought and erroneously granted in the absence of any party affected thereby.

“I take the advise of our legal practitioners that our case falls squarely in the category stated above,” they submitted.

They added: “The first respondent (Estate of Kuruneri) mischievously avoided citing or making the applicant part of the proceedings because it was clear that as holders of certificates of registration, we are interested parties, and our rights ought to have been protected.

“It is this failure by the first respondent to notify us of the proceedings that were before the honourable court that has seen us approaching this court to have the order granted on March 25, 2021 rescinded so that we be given an opportunity to defend our rights as evidenced by the certificates of registration.

“The first respondent clearly ignored our rights, which makes the order of March 25 erroneous and rescindable in terms of Rule 29 of the honourable court’s rules.”

The application is pending.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has castigated his ministers for failing to respect Cabinet business demanding real-time updates on the fight against the cholera epidemic ravaging Zimbabwe and the Sadc region.

Addressing the first Cabinet meeting for 2024 in Harare yesterday, Mnangagwa told ministers to restrict invitations for him to officiate at high-priority events.

He called for decisive action to scale up efficiencies within all public institutions, in particular the public health system in the context of the cholera outbreak and climate change-induced threats.

“In the last session, I noticed an unbecoming trend where some members prioritise ministerial activities and neglect Cabinet business. This must stop forthwith. Cabinet business takes precedence over all other matters and attendance of Cabinet meetings is compulsory.

“The provision of clean water, sanitation facilities and waste management services are a priority. I expect real-time updates in that regard,” he said.

Mnangagwa also acknowledged disasters attributable to climate change and commended stakeholders for the successful rescue, treatment and care efforts mounted, following mine-related disasters.

“In line with our commitment to leave no one and no place behind, I am directing you all to focus on implementing transformative programmes that promote industrialisation, modernisation as well as rural development throughout the country. Prudent fiscal and monetary policies and the promotion of a conducive business environment remain critically important for the stability and growth of our economy.

“Accordingly, the fiscal and monetary authorities are implementing a raft of policy measures to arrest price increases, stabilise the foreign exchange rate, maintain the value of our currency and ultimately encourage savings,” he said.

He said all ministerial programmes should remain aligned with economic development priorities as outlined in the National Development Strategy 1.

“In addition, bureaucratic hurdles and silo mindsets, which hinder its implementation, must be removed while seamless processes should be nurtured to ensure that its co-ordination architecture is observed,” he said.

Mnangagwa said meetings of the NDS1 steering committees and thematic working groups must be represented at the proper levels.

“These must meet often and generate the requisite reports which show that stakeholder perspectives, including the private sector and development partners, are taken on board, prior to presentation to Cabinet.

“Citizens are the primary beneficiaries of our efforts, and open lines of communication with them should be maintained, including through active thematic working group discussions.

“Their input, support and expertise are invaluable in driving sustainable development and ensuring the success of our initiatives,” he said.

The President said reports of thematic working groups should also form a major part of Cabinet business as the government accelerate the implementation of the National Development Strategy 1.

“Regarding the specific Cabinet programme for this year, all outstanding items must be expeditiously tabled and conclusively decided during this first quarter,” he said.

“Let me once again state that issues requiring thorough consideration must be submitted as substantive items on the agenda and never under ‘any other business’.”

Mnangagwa constituted his Cabinet after a controversial win in the August 2023 harmonised elections that were condemned by several observers including missions from Sadc, the African Union, EU and the Carter Center.

He fired Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs minister Christopher Mutsvangwa and Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Roy Bhila.