Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Tungwarara returns, reignites Zanu PF feud -Newsday Zimbabwe

ZANU PF central committee member and businessman Paul Tungwarara has declared a return to his empowerment programmes in Manicaland, reigniting a power struggle with rival businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei as competition intensifies among President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies.

The public re-emergence of the businessman highlights growing jockeying for influence, resources, and political relevance within Zanu PF as the debate over Mnangagwa’s political future continues.

Addressing party supporters during Zanu PF’s National Cell Day in ward 6 of Chipinge Central at the weekend, Tungwarara said his empowerment projects would resume through party structures.

He also claimed that Manicaland provincial chairperson Tawanda Mukodza had criticised him for abandoning projects in the province.

“Your chairman Tawanda Mukodza was after me over projects in Manicaland. I have been away, for sure. I have been forced to work so that I come back to society,” Tungwarara said.

“I am back. I had to go and work and, through Zanu PF structures, you are going to get empowerment projects.”

Tungwarara told supporters that ward 6, where he said he is registered as a party member, would be among the first beneficiaries.

“This is my ward and you are going to benefit more from my projects,” he said.

He also distributed US$50 to each of the 50 party members who attended the cell meeting.

Tungwarara has become an increasingly prominent figure in Zanu PF politics after publicly criticising senior party figures in remarks widely interpreted as targeting Tagwirei, although both businessmen have repeatedly denied any fallout.

The latest developments come after Tagwirei recently pledged to finance development projects in Manicaland, a province widely regarded as one of Tungwarara’s political strongholds.

The rivalry between the two businessmen-turned-politicians has exposed growing competition among Mnangagwa allies for influence within the ruling party as succession questions continue to dominate internal political discourse.

According to party sources, Tagwirei’s pledge, delivered through his ally Obey Chimuka at the funeral of Harry Dumba in Makoni District, angered senior Zanu-PF figures aligned to Tungwarara.

Tagwirei has sponsored a number of development initiatives in Manicaland, including borehole drilling, road construction, and charitable projects.

The tensions mirror a public dispute that erupted in January when Tungwarara — the founder of Prevail Group International and special presidential investment adviser — accused unnamed individuals of using their wealth to buy political influence, positioning themselves as successors to Mnangagwa and interfering in government appointments. Those remarks triggered a backlash from figures aligned to Tagwirei, culminating in the suspension of Tungwarara’s Presidential Economic Empowerment Revolving Fund and the withdrawal of approvals for some of his projects.

In February, Tungwarara sought to downplay reports of a rift, describing Tagwirei as his “mentor and brother.”

The divisions have also played out on social media, where rival groups of Zanu-PF activists have traded accusations in support of either Tungwarara or Tagwirei.

 The rivalry drew further attention after Tungwarara gave social media personality Rutendo Matinyarare a luxury vehicle and US$200 000, saying the funds were intended to persuade him to stop attacking Mnangagwa and his family.

Matinyarare had previously claimed Tagwirei owed him money for lobbying work related to the campaign for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe.

Some Zanu-PF activists have alleged the payment was intended to undermine Tagwirei, although Tungwarara has not publicly endorsed that claim.

After rising to prominence in 2022, Tungwarara secured several government-linked contracts, including projects under the Presidential Borehole Scheme, the Presidential War Veterans Borehole Scheme, the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme, and the Presidential Constituency Empowerment Programme.

He was appointed special presidential investment adviser to the United Arab Emirates in 2024 and has also been associated with the US$500 million Zim Cyber City project being developed in Mount Hampden by UAE-based Mulk International.

The internal contest comes as Zanu-PF grapples with widening divisions between a younger group of influential businessmen and the party’s old guard, including war veterans opposed to proposals to extend Mnangagwa’s term beyond 2028.

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Source: Kariba powers Zim as load-shedding eases -Newsday Zimbabwe

ZESA Holdings says Kariba South Power Station now supplies about 45% of Zimbabwe’s annual electricity generation, reaffirming the hydropower plant’s strategic importance as Parliament praised the utility for achieving 188 consecutive days without nationwide load shedding.

The remarks were made during an oversight visit by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Energy and Power Development to Kariba South, where Zesa outlined plans to diversify its energy mix with new solar and thermal projects while stressing hydropower’s continued importance to national energy security amid increasing climate-related risks.

Zesa acting group chief executive Cletus Nyachowe, represented by Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) acting managing director Nobert Matarutse, said Kariba South Power Station remained one of Zimbabwe’s most strategic generation assets, supplying electricity to the mining, manufacturing, agriculture and commercial sectors, as well as domestic consumers.

“As a renewable energy facility, Kariba South also contributes significantly to Zimbabwe’s energy transition objectives and our broader commitments to sustainable development and decarbonisation.” he said.

Nyachowe told lawmakers that hydropower was critical not only for electricity generation but also for maintaining grid stability, as its ability to respond rapidly to fluctuations in demand enables the system operator to balance the grid and maintain security during disturbances.

“From a cost perspective, hydropower remains one of the most economical sources of electricity in our generation portfolio,” he said.

“Consequently, Kariba South plays an important role in moderating the overall cost of electricity supplied to the Zimbabwean economy.”

However, he cautioned that electricity generation at Kariba South is directly linked to rainfall patterns.

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During a normal season, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) allocates about 40 billion cubic metres of water for power generation to be shared equally between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

During drought years, water allocations decline, forcing the utility to rely more heavily on higher-cost electricity sources.

Nyachowe said Zesa works closely with the bi-national ZRA to manage the shared Kariba reservoir, with water conservation remaining a strategic priority to safeguard long-term generation capacity.

To reduce climate-related risks, he said the utility was diversifying its generation mix.

“We are advancing plans to develop up to 500MW of solar generation capacity across approximately 10 sites nationwide, with each site having a capacity of 50MW. In addition, we are pursuing further thermal generation expansion to enhance energy security,” Nyachowe said.

Portfolio committee chairperson and Chinhoyi legislator Leslie Mhangwa said Parliament’s role was to ensure the energy sector continues to meet current and future national demand.

“This is not a tourist excursion. We are here because a core part of our mandate as the portfolio committee is oversight of the energy and power sector,” he said.

“Without Zesa and ZPC, we cannot fulfil three-quarters of our mandate as a portfolio committee.”

Mhangwa praised Zesa for recording 188 consecutive days without load shedding, describing it as a significant improvement from periods when power cuts lasted up to 18 hours a day.

He urged management to give greater recognition to the technical staff and artisans responsible for maintaining the country’s power stations.

“I listened attentively, and the milestone of 188 days without load shedding is a significant achievement. I note that you did not adequately acknowledge your human resources and the technical teams — the people on the ground,” he said.

“Thank you to everyone, from the artisans and technicians to the engineers managing the power stations across the country, and to those at ZETDC who transmit the power.”

Mhangwa also endorsed the proposed 500MW solar rollout but cautioned against neglecting conventional baseload generation.

“We must not rush to abandon our core baseload capacity. We have those resources, and we must use them strategically,” he said.

The committee said it would carry Zesa’s submissions forward as it considers the policy support needed to stabilise and expand Zimbabwe’s energy sector.

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Source: Govt committed to quality, affordable healthcare – herald

Dr Mombeshora

Tendai Gukutikwa

Mutare Bureau

THE Government has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring every Zimbabwean has access to quality, safe and affordable healthcare through stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors as the country moves towards achieving universal health coverage under Vision 2030.

Speaking at the official opening of the Private Healthcare Association of Zimbabwe (PHAZ) annual general meeting in Nyanga last week, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora, who was represented by Manicaland Provincial Medical Director Dr Munyaradzi Mukuzunga, said achieving universal health coverage required a coordinated health system in which all stakeholders worked together to improve service delivery.

“Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by one sector alone. It requires a coordinated approach where every stakeholder contributes towards building a health system that guarantees quality, safe and affordable healthcare for all Zimbabweans,” said Dr Mombeshora.

He said Government recognises the complementary role played by private healthcare providers in broadening access to healthcare services, investing in modern infrastructure and technology, creating employment and supporting national health priorities.

“Our shared responsibility is to build a patient-centred healthcare system that is fair, sustainable and capable of meeting the needs of every citizen regardless of their circumstances,” he said.

Dr Mombeshora stressed that while healthcare services require sustainable financing, no Zimbabwean should ever be denied emergency medical treatment because of financial constraints.

“When life is at risk, the immediate responsibility of the healthcare system is to save lives and stabilise patients.

“Issues relating to payment should only be addressed after that constitutional obligation has been fulfilled,” he said.

He, however, acknowledged that healthcare providers could not be expected to shoulder unsustainable financial burdens indefinitely, adding that Government continues engaging all stakeholders to develop practical financing mechanisms that balanced patients’ rights with the sustainability of health institutions.

“Strengthening healthcare financing remains central to Zimbabwe’s long-term health security strategy,” he said.

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Source: Harare records decline in HIV prevalence rate – herald

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Senior Health Reporter

HARARE Metropolitan Province is recording progress in the fight against HIV and sexually transmitted infections, with the latest statistics showing declines in HIV prevalence, new infections and repeat STI cases.

This development has been attributed to intensified prevention programmes and improved access to HIV services.

Latest figures show that HIV prevalence has declined to 8,4 percent from about 13 percent recorded a few years ago, while HIV incidence has fallen to 0,4 percent, indicating fewer people are acquiring the virus.

During the first quarter of 2026, the province also attained 72 percent coverage under the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme, with 16 532 pregnant women accessing HIV testing services.

National AIDS Council (NAC) Harare provincial manager Mr Adonija Muzondiona said the declining figures reflect the impact of sustained investment in HIV prevention programmes targeting vulnerable groups.

“The latest HIV burden estimates are encouraging. They point to a reduction in both HIV prevalence and incidence. We believe the positive results are due to the prevention programmes we are implementing, particularly the Brotha-to-Brotha programme,” he said.

He said Harare Metropolitan Province, which comprises Greater Harare, Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa, has intensified targeted interventions focusing on adolescents, young people and other vulnerable populations identified through research as being at greater risk of HIV infection.

Harare has also recorded encouraging gains in the fight against sexually transmitted infections.

Mr Muzondiona said although the province recorded an increase of just over 10 percent in new STI cases during the quarter, this was considerably lower than the increases of more than 20 percent that had previously been recorded.

“This quarter, we recorded an increase of just over 10 percent in new STI cases compared to the previous quarter. This is a significant improvement because we were previously seeing increases of 20 percent or more every quarter.

“More importantly, we recorded a 38 percent decline in repeat STI cases. This is a major success, which we attribute to follow-up programmes being implemented by the National AIDS Council and its partners to ensure clients complete treatment and receive continued support. The most common STIs recorded are gonorrhoea and genital abrasions,” he said.

He said the reduction in repeat infections was also driven by targeted interventions in identified hotspots, strengthened community follow-up and improved availability of condoms at strategic distribution points across the province.

In addition, the National AIDS Council has integrated screening for non-communicable diseases into HIV services, with mobile outreach teams screening communities for hypertension, diabetes, cervical cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer alongside HIV and STI services.

With HIV prevalence and incidence continuing to decline alongside a significant reduction in repeat STI cases, health authorities say the priority is to sustain prevention efforts, expand HIV testing and treatment services, and promote safer sexual practices as the province works towards ending HIV and AIDS as a public health threat.

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Source: Police probe detective’s death – herald

Commissioner Paul Nyathi

Freeman Razemba

Senior Reporter

POLICE have launched investigations into the death of Detective Sergeant Milika Laison, who was killed in a road traffic accident at the 203km peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road last Friday.

The accident occurred at around 10pm, while Det Sgt Milika was driving a Honda Fit towards Masvingo.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and said investigations had been instituted following social media reports relating to the case.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police has noted with concern the misleading, incorrect facts and viral social media posts on the death of Detective Sergeant Milika Laison (43) and the ongoing Sergeants’ Developmental Course at Ntabazinduna Academy,” he said.

“For the record, Sergeant Milika died in an unfortunate road traffic accident at the 203 kilometre peg along Masvingo- Beitbridge Road while driving a Honda Fit vehicle towards Masvingo on 25th June 2026 at around 10pm.

“He was on his way from Beitbridge. He was not coming from Ntabazinduna Police Academy as alleged. Police trainers at the academy have checked their records and indicated that there is no record of the late member checking in at the academy on 19th June 2026 when other trainees came.”

Comm Nyathi said a roll-call conducted on June 20 by the training coordinator established that Det Sgt Milika was among members who had not reported for training.

He said the CID Headquarters training section subsequently advised officers at Ntabazinduna Academy that Det Sgt Milika had tendered his resignation notice and would not be attending the course.

“His name was then removed from the list of absent trainees. If the late Detective Sergeant Milika sneaked into the training academy on June 19, 2026 using unorthodox means or without being accounted for and later sneaked out on June 20, 2026, action will certainly be taken against the concerned instructors who did not observe and follow set standards and protocol for Zimbabwe Republic Police training programmes.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police command is aware of social media posts by the late member alleging inhuman treatment by instructors at the depot.

“The Commissioner-General of Police (Stephen Mutamba) has directed that full facts be established to find out the veracity of the allegations and if indeed the late member used his personal vehicle to sneak into the academy contrary to the parameters which bar trainees from bringing personal or private vehicles to the academy,” Comm Nyathi said.

He said records showed that the late detective was at his station, CID Beitbridge, on June 20, where he engaged his Officer-in-Charge.

“As the Zimbabwe Republic Police command extends condolences to the Milika family, it’s sad that some individuals are using the social media to misrepresent facts and in the process cause alarm in the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police therefore dismisses incorrect facts with the contempt which they deserve. The police command urges the Milika family to engage the Zimbabwe Republic Police for the correct facts and not to be misled by the social media activists or posts,” Comm Nyathi said.

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