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Source: Harare moves to merge kombi associations – herald

Remember Deketeke

Herald Correspondent

HARARE City Council is finalising a major overhaul of the capital’s commuter omnibus sector that will see more than 20 associations merged into a single umbrella body, in a bid to restore order to the city’s increasingly chaotic public transport system.

The proposed restructuring, which will create one central association supported by up to six affiliates, is aimed at improving regulation, easing congestion in the central business district and bringing discipline to a sector long blamed for disorder on the city’s roads.

The initiative follows engagements between the National Public Passenger Transport Associations’ leadership and council authorities.

Last month, the group, led by its chairperson Mr Ngoni Katsvairo, met Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume to push for a council resolution, the enactment of a supporting by-law and the introduction of service level agreements to formalise operations.

In an interview, Clr  Mafume said the proliferation of associations had made it difficult for the council to effectively regulate the sector.

“We have too many associations operating in Harare, and that makes regulation extremely difficult,” he said.

“The idea now is for them to come under one umbrella, with a few affiliates responsible for self-regulation.”

Under the proposed model, the affiliates will oversee compliance within their ranks, while the council strengthens statutory enforcement.

“We have engaged the leadership to create one umbrella association for Harare, with about four to six affiliates that can handle the self-regulatory component of public transport,” said Clr Mafume.

“Council will then complement that with a statutory regulatory framework.”

Consultations with police and other stakeholders are ongoing, with authorities expecting to finalise the framework by the end of the month.

Once implemented, the system is also expected to improve management of commuter ranks and unlock investment in modern transport infrastructure.

“Once we are clear on who is operating and paying rank discs, we can attract investors to build proper facilities, including modern ranks,” Clr Mafume said.

“At the moment, commuters are exposed to the elements due to inadequate infrastructure.”

In a letter to the council, the associations said the worsening disorder in the sector — particularly in the CBD — required urgent intervention.

“The disorder in the public transport sector in Harare, particularly in the CBD, has drawn the attention of the highest office and now requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders,” reads part of the letter.

The group also renewed its long-standing proposal to replicate the more organised public transport model used in Bulawayo.

“Since 2015, we have been proposing the Bulawayo system to be introduced in Harare with no success, but we believe it is now time to restore order through such a framework,” the letter said.

Harare has in recent years seen a surge in informal pick-up points, with commuter omnibuses loading passengers at traffic lights, intersections and roundabouts, effectively turning road junctions into makeshift ranks.

This has worsened congestion while exposing commuters to rain and heat due to the lack of proper facilities.

Mr Katsvairo welcomed the move to formalise operations through legislation.

“It is very positive that associations’ operations are being legalised through a by-law and statutory instrument. This is something we have been engaging the council on for over a decade,” he said.

He noted that out of more than 18 000 public service vehicles operating in Harare, only about 5 400 are currently registered.

“It is important that the new framework allows operators to register under associations of their choice while contributing to order and sanity in the city,” he said.

The post Harare moves to merge kombi associations appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Heroes leave legacy of discipline, humility – herald

Joseph Madzimure

Zimpapers Politics Hub

MULTITUDES of mourners turned the National Heroes Acre into a sea of people yesterday as the nation paid tribute to three of its finest: Major General (Retired) Dr Herbert Chingono, Cdes Elison Mupamawonde and Cosmas Chiringa.

The turnout was so large that some mourners were on tree branches for a better view while others gathered under the shade — a clear sign of the affection and respect the nation holds for three national heroes.

It was a day to honour lives spent in service to the country and the atmosphere combined solemnity with a clear sense of pride.

Family members, fellow patriots, Government officials, traditional leaders and citizens from across the country, came together to remember the men who had been central to Zimbabwe’s liberation and its post-independence development.

Such a triple interment is uncommon — only the fourth since Independence — and that underscored the weight of the occasion.

Crowds remembered previous collective burials, recalling Lieutenant General (Rtd) Dr Sibusiso Moyo, Cde Joel Biggie Matiza and Major General (Rtd) Paradzai Zimondi, the grouping of Cde Nash Nyasha Dzimiri, Brigadier-General Shadreck Vezha and Cde Tsitsi Grace Jadagu, and the most recent set of burials for Major-General (Rtd) Solomon Siziba, Cde Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende and Ambassador John Shumba Mvundura.

This continuity of honour places the three latest national heroes in a long line of leaders who shaped the nation.

Political and civic groups were out in force.

Zanu PF affiliate organisations; from BoysDzamudhara to Young Women for ED and Fathers for ED, kept the mood buoyant with revolutionary songs that rang out from the start of the proceedings to the end.

Their chants and rhythms added a communal energy to the formal rites, a reminder that these were not just personal losses, but national moments of recognition.

Relatives and colleagues described the three national heroes as intelligent, steadfast, committed to education and devoted to justice and national sovereignty.

Those personal recollections brought the public honours down to human scale.

Air Vice Marshal Biltim Chingono, brother to Maj-Gen (Rtd) Chingono, spoke warmly of his sibling’s values and the family’s gratitude for the recognition.

“Even during the liberation struggle, he maintained principles of compassion, humility and discipline,” he said, noting how those qualities guided Herbert throughout his life.

The family was “profoundly moved” by the national hero status conferred by President Mnangagwa, and Air Vice Marshal Chingono, thanked the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for their support.

“We thank the Zimbabwe Defence Forces for walking with him, even to his final day,” he added.

For Cde Chiringa, the picture offered by his daughter, Ms Kudakwashe Chingono, was of a quiet, steady man for whom education mattered.

“He was a quiet man who had a strong belief in education. After the war, he never stopped learning and encouraging those around him to go to school,” she said.

She described his heroism not only in military terms, but in how he loved and cared for his family.

“To us, his children, his heroism was not only in the liberation struggle but in the way he loved our mother, the way he raised us, and took care of the family,” she said, and expressed gratitude for the honour bestowed on him.

Cde Chiringa’s long service in public administration was highlighted by Zanu PF Women’s League Secretary for Administration Cde Monica Mutsvangwa, who worked with him in Manicaland when he served as District Administrator.

“He was a seasoned public administrator and servant of the people of Zimbabwe who working tirelessly for the emancipation of the people,” she said, celebrating his dedication during and after the struggle.

Cde Mupamawonde was remembered as a committed fighter whose sacrifice helped secure the country’s independence.

His brother, Mr Peter Mushayavanhu, paid a moving tribute, calling him “the family’s father figure and pillar of strength.”

“He fought for the truth. My brother loved his family and country,” said Mr Mushayavanhu, who also thanked the nation’s leadership for recognising his brother’s contribution with national hero status.

Taken together, the tributes painted a picture of three men who shared common virtues: discipline, humility, dedication and an unwavering commitment to service.

Maj-Gen (Rtd) Chingono’s role in the liberation struggle, Cde Chiringa’s record of public service and Cde Mupamawonde’s contributions to the armed struggle and national defence were all recalled with respect.

As the ceremonies concluded and the crowds dispersed, there was a sense that these men’s examples would continue to guide the nation.

Their lives were held up as models not only of bravery but of quiet integrity; qualities many said are needed as the country works towards unity, development and its Vision 2030 goals.

Though they are gone, their legacy lives on, carried by family memories, institutional honours and the collective voice of a nation that paused to say thank you.

The post Heroes leave legacy of discipline, humility appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

MINING giant Rio Zim have upped their fight for control of Sengwa’s coal fields with a High Court application challenging the decision by the Ministry of Mines through the permanent secretary to cancel their mining special grant and giving it to a rival firm.

The company which has been in control of the coal fields for more than four decades and invested over US$5 million in exploration and feasibility studies, argues that the Special Grant has been unlawfully cancelled and that only the President had the power of cancelling the Special Grant No. 849 for Sengwa Colliery, a key coal asset which was then given to George Mining Private Limited, by the Ministry.

Through their lawyer Admire Rubaya, Sengwa Colliery described the cancellation of their mining special grant in August 2025 by the ministry as “a story of power, impropriety, and the profound betrayal of a national trust, ripped away in a matter of weeks through a process so tainted by illegality, haste, and disregard for the rule of law. . .”

Sengwa Colliery further argues that under the country’s laws only the President has the power to cancel a special mining grant and only after giving at least 12 months’ notice, adding that no such notice was issued and contends that the cancellation was therefore unlawful.

“In cancelling the Special Grant, the ministry did not merely err, they committed a brazen usurpation of executive authority and further compounded this illegality by irrationally handing over this multi-generational asset to the 5th Respondent (George Mining) an entity whose financial substance and technical capacity remain, conspicuously and tellingly, a mystery hidden from this Court.

“The rule of law is not subordinate to administrative caprice, and that titles granted through a process rooted in nullity are themselves void. Applicants ask the Court to stand as a bastion against the erosion of property rights and the shadowy re-allocation of national resources,” their papers read.

“Of the six Respondents, five have elected not to oppose. Only the 5th Respondent, the direct beneficiary of the impugned conduct has come forward to defend the indefensible.

“The silence of the ministry is deafening, as it is damning. It constitutes a tacit, unequivocal concession that the Applicant’s allegations are true and that their own conduct cannot withstand judicial scrutiny.”

Read the original article on 263Chat.

The post Rio Zim Challenges Cancellation of 40-Year Mining Grant appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

Source: Gang member in court for robbing and gang-raping sex worker – herald

Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo

Court Correspondent

A 20-YEAR-OLD Epworth man appeared in court over the weekend, facing charges of robbery and rape in connection with a brutal attack on a commercial sex worker.

Simon Peter Fernando, alongside three unidentified accomplices who are at large, allegedly ambushed the commercial sex worker and her client, robbed them and later took turns raping the woman without protection.

Fernando appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Musaiona Shotgame and was informed that he must seek bail in the High Court, as the charges fall under third-schedule offences.

According to the State, represented by Mrs Heather Mhlanga-Muokoto, the incident occurred on the night of March 20, 2026.

The victim, whose name has been withheld, is a commercial sex worker operating at Greencroft Shopping Centre’s Amigos Night Club.

She was picked up by a client around midnight.

The two drove to a secluded area near Avonlea Primary School in a Toyota Aqua, where they engaged in consensual, protected sexual intercourse. The client then paid Chirunga US$40 for her services.

As they prepared to leave, a white Nissan X-Trail with unidentified registration plates suddenly blocked their vehicle. Fernando and his accomplices exited the vehicle and approached the Toyota Aqua, which was locked with its windows closed.

The client attempted to reverse the vehicle but failed and the car ended up in a ditch. Using metal objects, they smashed the car’s windows to gain entry.

The attackers first demanded money from the client, who handed over his wallet containing US$25, his national ID, and bank cards. They then turned to the victim and, under duress, she handed over her bag, which contained an iPhone 14 Pro Max and US$120 in cash.

The gang forcibly dragged the complainant into the boot of their vehicle and drove her to Blue Lagoon, where they pulled her out of the car and forced her to lie on the grass. Fernando and his accomplices then took turns raping her without protection.

During the ordeal, Fernando reportedly removed his mask, enabling the victim to identify him.After the assault, the gang abandoned the victim at the scene.

The complainant walked back to the Greencroft Shopping Centre, where she disclosed the attack to her friends. The matter was later reported to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Avondale, and the victim was referred to a hospital for medical examination.Just hours after the attack, Chirunga spotted Fernando at Amigos Night Club around 1am on March 21.

She immediately alerted the police, leading to his arrest.

The post Gang member in court for robbing and gang-raping sex worker appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Minister denies bias in military recruitment – herald

Trust Freddy

Zimpapers Correspondent

THE Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) remains a professional, non-partisan and national institution that recruits strictly on merit and regional equity, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has said.

Addressing the National Assembly during a Question and Answer session on Wednesday, Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri dismissed allegations that the military only recruits members from the ruling ZANU PF.

She described such claims—allegedly made at a gathering at Chief Nhema’s homestead on October 6 last year—as hearsay that does not reflect Government policy.

“Mr Speaker Sir, it is not the Government’s policy to only recruit ZANU PF members to the army,” she said. “The alleged utterances are hearsay and do not reflect the Government Army Recruitment Policy.“Mr Speaker, we could not identify the person who made the alleged utterances,” she said.

She also reaffirmed that the ZDF is a “People’s Army” whose operations are guided by the Constitution. “Nevertheless, my response is to apprise this august House of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) recruitment policy.

“The ZDF recruitment policy is guided by the Constitution of Zimbabwe underSection 211, which states that the Defence Forces must respect the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons through being nonpartisan, national in character, patriotic, professional and subordinate to the civilian authority as established by this Constitution.

“Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri also outlined a rigorous, transparent recruitment framework designed to ensure that “no one and no community is left behind.”

“The ZDF must, as a matter of national priority, recruit from all the administrative provinces of the country in equal numbers,” she said.

“Within a given province, the provincial quota shall be spread equally among districts… This confirms Section 18 of the Constitution, which compels the State to ensure fair regional representation.

“To maintain this balance, the Minister said the Government sometimes waives certain academic qualifications in regions where applicant numbers are lower, ensuring the military remains a true reflection of the Zimbabwean population.”

She also outlined the current entry requirements, stressing that the military remains a professional institution open to all eligible citizens. Under the present criteria, general recruits must be aged between 18 and 22, possessing a minimum of five ‘O’ Levels at Grade C or better.

Physical requirements are also strictly enforced, with a minimum weight of 55kg for males and 53kg for females. For those aspiring to join as officer cadets, the bar is set at a minimum of six ‘A’ Level points, alongside five ‘O’ Levels including English and Mathematics. However, the Minister explained that the age limit is extended to 26 for candidates holding specialised qualifications such as diplomas or degrees.

While the ZDF continues to promote gender balance in line with Section 17 of the Constitution, the Minister expressed concern over the low number of young women volunteering for service.

“Regrettably, the numbers for our young girls presenting themselves to serve in the organisation are still very low despite the rigorous campaign by our teams,” she said.

She called on traditional leaders and Members of Parliament to use their influence under the Traditional Leaders Act to disseminate recruitment notices and protect the public from fraudsters.

Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri reiterated that the ZDF maintains an open and professional standard, advising any citizens with factual concerns or allegations regarding military operations to approach the Independent Enquiry Commission for management.

The post Minister denies bias in military recruitment  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.