Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Tick-borne diseases decimate cattle herd | The Herald March 7, 2019

Cletus Mushanawani Mash Central Bureau
FARMERS in five districts of Mashonaland Central are continuously losing cattle due to tick-borne diseases.

Provincial veterinary officer Dr Wiltmore Chikurunhe confirmed the deaths and said the most affected districts were Mt Darwin, Bindura, Mazowe, Shamva and Muzarabani (Centenary area).

“Many provinces have been affected by tick-borne diseases, particularly Theileriosis, better known as January disease. In Mashonaland Central, five districts, namely Mt Darwin, Bindura, Shamva, Mazowe and Muzarabani (Centenary area) reported massive cattle deaths due to tick-borne diseases during the year 2018 and outbreaks seem to be continuing in 2019.

“Theileriosis, which is usually expected during the months of January and February, has been reported throughout the year in 2017 and 2018,” he said.

Dr Chikurunhe attributed the main cause of tick-borne diseases to failure by the Department of Veterinary Services to adhere to the dipping calendar due to erratic availability of dipping chemicals.

“The result has been failure to control tick populations in both communal and resettlement areas. A2 farms have also not been adhering to dipping regulations. In all areas, farmers are advised to dip their cattle weekly and to report sick cattle and cattle deaths to the Department of Veterinary Services.

“Clinical examinations and post-mortems will help establish which disease is at play and to recommend appropriate treatment. In order to control outbreaks of Theileriosis, cattle may be placed under quarantine so that the tick that is carrying the parasite is not spread to new areas. Farmers are advised to observe this quarantine period which is usually 28 days. Illegal cattle movement does play an important role in the spread of tick-borne diseases,” Dr Chikurunhe said.

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Police in Mutawatawa, Mashonaland East province, have arrested an elderly Pfungwe man for allegedly axing his wife, accusing her of recklessly using grocery without putting into consideration the current economic challenges. Patricia Nyauziyo (41) of Siyakurima village, under Chief Chitsungo was rushed to Mutawatawa District Hospital by villagers after she was struck with an axe […]

Source: MMCZ to embark on riverbank mining | The Herald March 7, 2019

Minister Shiri

Mash Central Bureau
GOVERNMENT, through the  Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), will soon embark on riverbank mining along major rivers in a bid to tap into precious minerals, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri has said.

Speaking in Bindura recently, Cde Shiri said the exercise, which will also help in the desiltation of rivers, was a great opportunity for Mashonaland Central Province where gold is in abundance and would be starting with Mazowe and Angwa rivers which have become shallower because they are now clogged with sand.

The extracted sand will be sold interested parties.

“We have great rivers which are thought to be holding on to a great deal of precious minerals. We will start by desilting Mazowe and Angwa rivers. Government will be involved together with its partners, which means that Government arms like the MMCZ will be coming to mine in those rivers. The extracted sand will sold to those interested. Those interested in looking for minerals will do the processing of the precious minerals,” Minister Shiri said.

“It is an opportunity for this province where gold is in abundance. It is expected that minerals like gold will be found in these rivers.”

He said private players who are interested in the desiltation exercise should first acquire the requisite licences and look for partners who will bring in the technology and equipment.

Government had suspended the desilting of Mazowe River following illegal mining activities which were being carried out under the guise of river desiltation, forcing the river to divert its course and posing a serious threat to surrounding communities who depend on the river for water.

The post MMCZ to embark on riverbank mining  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Chombo tortured, but must face trial: Court – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 7, 2019

BY CHARLES LAITON

THE High Court has dismissed an application for a permanent stay of prosecution filed by former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing several cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance.

The court said his abduction by members of the Zimbabwe National Army, during Operation Restore Legacy in November 2017, was not meant to extract a confession for criminal offences against him.

Following his arrest and his subsequent appearance in court on criminal charges, Chombo petitioned the High Court last year, seeking an order to compel the National Prosecuting Authority and its boss Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi to permanently suspend his prosecution alleging violation of his constitutional rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

In his earlier application, the former minister said on November 15, 2017 at midnight, his premises were raided, commando style, by AK47 assault rifle-wielding soldiers who then forced entry into his main house where they pointed a gun to his head, handcuffed, chained and blindfolded him before whisking him away.

Chombo said on November 23, 2017, he was released by his abductors, but after being dropped at home, he was immediately arrested by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), who detained him and eventually took him to court.

“I have already found that the circumstances under which the applicant (Chombo) was raided, handcuffed, blindfolded and frog-marched to a vehicle which took him to an unknown place where he was held captive for almost nine days, have not been refuted in a meaningful way. I find that indeed that mistreatment occurred as a result of which there were infringements of the applicant’s constitutional rights as alleged. The question which arises, therefore, is whether the appropriate remedy should be an order for permanent stay of prosecution,” Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said in his judgment.

The violation of Chombo’s rights by the army appeared to have been undertaken for no discernible reason at all, the judge said, adding that excessive force and violence was used to capture him leaving a trail of destruction.

“He was then held for sometime in movie-style while nothing meaningful was happening except to keep him in isolation for a lengthy period while extraneous questions were routinely put to him for nothing, but the amusement of his interrogators. He was not subjected to physical assault and neither was there an attempt to extract evidence or a confession from him in respect of the offences he is now facing. It is quite strange indeed,” Justice Mathonsi said.

“I have no choice in the matter, but to apply the principle that where the torture or ill-treatment of an accused person prior to charges being preferred against him or her has not resulted in a confession or the extraction of evidence sought to be used by the prosecution at the criminal trial, but the prosecution is relying on other evidence not obtained illegally, the accused person is not entitled to an order of permanent stay of prosecution even though he or she was ill-treated or tortured.”

The post Chombo tortured, but must face trial: Court  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora are engaged in a fresh fight that could determine the way the party’s first elective congress following the death of founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai, will be handled. A constitutional amendment that gave Tsvangirai power to appoint members who make it into the standing committee has come […]