Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Police officer shot dead in family row – herald

Arron Nyamayaro

Herald Reporter

A MAN allegedly shot and killed his wife following a confrontation over allegations involving his stepdaughter, police have confirmed.

The deceased has been identified as Sergeant Portia Dzanwa (36), while her husband, Pharaoh Dombodzvuku (52), shot and injured himself afterwards.

The incident occurred in a parked vehicle in Harare’s Southlea Park suburb on Sunday.

National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident and encouraged members of the public to resolve disputes peacefully.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the death of a police officer after being shot by her husband using a firearm,” he said.

“The accused person used the same weapon in an attempt to kill himself following a misunderstanding over allegations of sexually abusing his stepdaughter.

“The suspect injured himself and is currently in hospital under police guard. Investigations are underway to establish the cause and origins of the firearm used.”

Police investigations indicate that Dombodzvuku allegedly sexually abused Dzanwa’s 16-year-old daughter before the teenager disclosed the matter to her mother.

The couple reportedly visited Dombodzvuku’s brother, Trymore, for counselling.

According to police, Dombodzvuku later requested privacy and asked his brother to leave them alone for a few minutes.

During that period, Trymore allegedly heard two gunshots and rushed to the vehicle, where he found Dzanwa dead and Dombodzvuku unconscious inside the parked car.

Dzanwa was later pronounced dead, while Dombodzvuku was admitted to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, where he remains under police guard.

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Source: Deal to assemble electric vehicles in Zim sealed – herald

Ivan Zhakata

Herald Correspondent

CHINESE electric vehicle manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD) and indigenous firm Tsapo Group have signed a landmark agreement that will see the local assembly of electric vehicles and buses, alongside a skills transfer programme aimed at developing Zimbabwe’s automotive manufacturing capacity.

The agreement, unveiled at the launch of BYD’s new Atto 8 electric vehicle in Harare last week, is also expected to pave the way for the assembly of earth-moving equipment and the development of a nationwide electric vehicle charging network.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Skills Audit and Development Dr Jenfan Muswere said the partnership was in line with the Second Republic’s engagement and re-engagement policy and will strengthen industrial cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.

“The signing of the agreement between BYD China and Tsapo is also a part of the re-engagement strategy in terms of the economic trust between Zimbabwean-owned institutions and Chinese-owned institutions,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the agreement includes a structured skills transfer programme that will run for between 12 and 24 months.

“So part of what is within the framework also includes a structured skills transfer programme which will run between 12 months to 24 months, commencing with the assembly of buses, then we are moving to the yellow machines, the earth-moving equipment and we also have electrical vehicles,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the initiative dovetails with Government’s thrust to accelerate industrialisation through innovation, value addition and human capital development.

“This also becomes one of the institutions where Zimbabweans are in a position to acquire a lot of knowledge and skills in terms of electrical vehicles, in terms of the automotive industry,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the partnership will also support beneficiation of Zimbabwe’s vast lithium resources and complement Government’s efforts to develop a green economy anchored on renewable energy and sustainable industrial growth.

“As we continue to share skills, knowledge and experience between these two institutions, we are very confident that this framework is going to expand to various sectors of the economy and support the development, the value addition and the beneficiation of lithium,” he said.

Minister Muswere said the long-term vision was for Zimbabwe to graduate from vehicle assembly to becoming an original equipment manufacturer of electric vehicles, buses and heavy-duty machinery.

Tsapo Group chief executive officer Dr Patrick Masocha said the widespread adoption of electric vehicles will depend on the availability of charging infrastructure supported by enabling Government policy.

“In order to really promote the EVs and the smart charging in this country, we must have a policy that helps us to roll out the charging system,” he said.

Dr Masocha proposed that Government consider making it mandatory for all fuel service stations to install electric vehicle charging facilities.

“I would like to adopt a policy where the Government would say at every service station, it is mandated that we should have a charging station for EVs. That way it will boost the confidence and it will help in the adoption of the EVs in this country,” he said.

Dr Masocha said Tsapo has already signed memoranda of understanding with CMED, the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority and private electricity suppliers to facilitate the nationwide rollout of charging stations.

“At the moment we have quite a number of agreements and MOUs that we have signed with CMED, with ZERA with private power supply companies so that we can have a roll-out of EV chargers across the nation,” he said.

The partnership is expected to commence with bus assembly before expanding into electric vehicles and construction equipment as Zimbabwe moves to establish a competitive electric mobility industry underpinned by local skills development and value addition.

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Source: President praised for leadership during Madagascar crisis – herald

Kudakwashe Mugari in DURBAN, South Africa

SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has commended President Mnangagwa for his leadership as SADC outgoing Chairperson during the region’s interim period following disturbances in Madagascar.

Speaking at the official opening of the 46th Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government at the International Convention Centre here yesterday, President Ramaphosa said President Mnangagwa provided steady guidance that ensured continuity in the community’s  work.

“Your stewardship during this interim period ensured that SADC remained focused on peace, stability and regional integration,” said President Ramaphosa as he officially assumed the SADC Chairmanship from President Mnangagwa yesterday.

South Africa had been holding the position on an interim basis and sharing responsibilities with Zimbabwe.

The 46th Summit is running under the theme: “Resilient, Sustainable and Inclusive Industrialisation through Infrastructure Development, Agricultural and Critical Minerals Transformation in Pursuit of a Just World.”

Addressing the summit, African Union Commission Chairperson, Mr Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, commended President Mnangagwa for his leadership as SADC outgoing Chairperson.

Mr Youssouf said President Mnangagwa provided firm and visionary leadership during a challenging period for the region.

“We commend His Excellency President Mnangagwa for the manner in which he steered SADC, particularly during the interim period following the situation in Madagascar,” Mr Youssouf said.

“He ensured that the principles of solidarity, peace and integration remained at the centre of our regional agenda.”

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Source: Govt intensifies liberation war combatants vetting – herald

Nyore Madzianike

Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT has stepped up efforts to identify all those who participated in the liberation war, with comprehensive nationwide verification and mop-up vetting exercises targeting war collaborators and non-combatant cadres already underway.

The move seeks to ensure that all those who participated in the liberation struggle receive rightful recognition, welfare support and national benefits.

Addressing mourners at the burial national hero Brigadier General (Rtd) Albert Nyamuronda at the National Heroes Acre in Harare yesterday, Vice President Mohadi, who was Acting President, said Government was engaging neighbouring countries where fallen freedom fighters were interred with a view to afford them decent burials.

VP Mohadi said engaging such regional countries would help safeguard invaluable liberation heritage sites for the benefit of present and future generations.

He said young Zimbabweans must understand that the freedoms they enjoy today came at a great cost, hence the need to preserve the national history.

The VP said this year’s Heroes Day commemorations theme — Lest We Forget — challenges every generation to preserve the values of sacrifice, resilience, unity, hard work and patriotism that characterised the liberation struggle.

Brig-Gen (Rtd) Nyamuronda died on August 11 at Chitungwiza General Hospital after suffering from a respiratory tract infection.

He was 67.

“Following my regional visits to countries such as Zambia and Mozambique last year, to assess the state of our liberation struggle shrines, under the stewardship of His Excellency President Mnangagwa, I am pleased to report that significant progress has been made towards the rehabilitation and improvement of these sites.

“Through the Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Government has stepped up the rehabilitation, upgrading, and preservation works at these historical sites.

“This ongoing process ensures that the sacred resting places of our heroes and heroines properly reflect their immense sacrifices and are preserved as enduring monuments of our shared regional history,” said VP Mohadi.

He reported that tremendous progress had been recorded at Freedom Camp, Nampundwe, Mkushi, Kavalamanja and St Mary’s Cemetery in Zambia.

In Mozambique, shrines at Changara 1 and 2, Chibavava, Espungabeira and Chimoio, among others, have been refurbished.

The rehabilitation programme also saw the construction of social amenities for communities around the sites.

He said Government remains committed to ensuring that no hero or heroine is forgotten, whether in Zimbabwe or in neighbouring countries, with sites such as Boma in Angola also earmarked for refurbishment.

“As we move forward, we shall continue working closely with our sister Republics in the region to safeguard these invaluable liberation heritage sites for the benefit of present and future generations.”

Acting President Mohadi reiterated that the Second Republic fully appreciates that the liberation struggle was won through collective sacrifice by many people around the country.

He said the Second Republic also appreciates that all of them contributed in different, but equally significant ways and other forms in support of the liberation movements.

“Through the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs, the Government has rolled out comprehensive nationwide verification and mop-up vetting exercises specifically targeting war collaborators and non-combatant cadres.

“This ensures that all deserving contributors are registered under the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act (Chapter 17:12), clearing the path for them to receive their rightful recognition, welfare support, and national benefits,” he said.

The Acting President said Government’s commitment to recognise liberation war contributors was witnessed during the Heroes and Defence Forces Day celebrations that were held last week and saw veterans being awarded Independence medals.

He said Government believed that every genuine contribution to the liberation of Zimbabwe deserved recognition and preservation within national history.

“The liberation struggle was a people’s war, and every Zimbabwean who made a contribution has a place in that proud history.

“As the Second Republic, we reaffirm Government’s commitment to preserving the legacy of every deserving son and daughter of Zimbabwe who contributed to our liberation.

“The greatest tribute we can pay to them is not only to remember their sacrifice, but also to build the peaceful, united, prosperous, and sovereign nation for which they fought.

“In that regard, Government will continue to pursue initiatives that ensure our liberation history remains complete, inclusive, and faithfully preserved for generations to come,” he said.

Acting President Mohadi added that although the National Heroes Acre remained a symbol of collective liberation history, Government equally placed importance on provincial, district and community shrines.

He said the shrines were repositories of Zimbabwean history and preserve the memory of liberation fighters, whose sacrifices inspired communities and contributed immensely to the attainment of independence.

“To this end, Government, through the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe, is strengthening the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach when it comes to sites of historical significance.”

Acting President Mohadi said Government remained committed to preserving liberation heritage in all its dimensions.

He said the theme for this year’s Heroes Day commemorations — Lest We Forget — symbolised national commitment to honouring every sacrifice, preserving every story and ensuring that the liberation heroes and heroines’ legacy continued to inspire present and future generations.

Acting President Mohadi encouraged youth to actively seek to understand the liberation heritage, saying a nation that forgets its history loses its direction.

He said a youth informed by the struggle becomes the bedrock of the future.

He said the values that drove liberation fighters — unwavering patriotism, selflessness and national unity — must guide daily lives.

“Freedom was won so we could build our own country. Today, the new frontier of patriotism is economic liberation, innovation, and unity of purpose as we work toward Vision 2030, guided by His Excellency the President, Cde Mnangagwa’s philosophy, ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’.

“I urge our youth to visit these shrines, learn the stories of those who lie there, and carry forward the torch of unity, peace, and hard work,” he said.

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Source: Government intensifies fight against drug supply chains – herald

Sukuwenkosi Dube-Matutu sukulwenkosi.dube@chronicle.co.zw

GOVERNMENT has intensified efforts to combat drug and substance abuse, with renewed focus now being placed on dismantling supply networks responsible for bringing harmful substances into communities.

Vice President Kembo Mohadi said authorities will not rest until the root causes of the scourge, particularly the supply of illicit drugs, are addressed.

Speaking recently during the Zanu PF Matabeleland South’s National People’s Conference fundraising luncheon in Gwanda, VP Mohadi said while progress had been made in awareness campaigns, rehabilitation and law enforcement, drug supply remained a major challenge.

“Week in and week out we get reports of people being arrested either for the consumption of drugs, possession and related offences. The National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse is looking into this and I can say that we have recorded some positive results here and there.”

The Vice President said the supply part is still a problem as some of the drugs come from outside the country.

“As Government we will not relax on that but we will fight until we win. We need to address the issue of supply. We need to know where these harmful substances are coming from and who is supplying them,” he said.

Drug and substance abuse has emerged as one of the country’s most pressing public health and socio-economic challenges, particularly among young people.

In response, Government developed the Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral National Action Plan on Drug and Substance Abuse (2024-2030), a comprehensive framework aimed at tackling the problem through prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, law enforcement, policy reform and community participation.

A National Committee on Drug and Substance Abuse has also been established to spearhead the response through a multi-pronged approach guided by key pillars that include supply reduction, demand reduction, harm reduction, treatment and rehabilitation, legal and policy reforms, community reintegration, media and communication, and resource mobilisation.

VP Mohadi said there was also a need to strengthen efforts to reduce drug consumption while expanding treatment and rehabilitation services for those already affected.

He said young people, who constitute a significant proportion of the population and represent the country’s future workforce and leadership, needed protection from the devastating effects of drugs.

The Vice President said President Mnangagwa’s development philosophy, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo”, places young people at the centre of national development.

“Youths have a critical role in developing the nation as future leaders, but they will not be able to fulfil this responsibility if they are constantly under the influence of drugs and harmful substances,” he said.

VP Mohadi also called on traditional leaders to play a more active role in identifying drug peddlers and mobilising communities against the scourge.

Chief Masuku of Gwanda said the activities of drug dealers were causing extensive social and economic harm.

“It’s concerning to see the level of damage which is being caused by drug and substance abuse in our communities. Our children and even adults are always high because of drugs. They can’t contribute to the development of their communities because of the state that they will be in,” he said.

Chief Masuku said rehabilitation efforts alone will not be sufficient if drugs remained readily available in communities.

“There is also a need for deterrent sentences for culprits to discourage such illegal activities. Even if we establish rehabilitation centres and admit people, as long as they are released and get exposed to drugs again, we will continue facing this challenge,” he said.

Zimbabwe, like many countries across the world, has witnessed a rise in drug use, misuse and abuse, with youths being among the most affected groups.

To strengthen the national response, President Mnangagwa launched the Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024-2030), which seeks to tighten enforcement of anti-drug laws, disrupt supply chains and expand prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services.

Government has also mainstreamed anti-drug programmes from national level down to provinces, districts, wards and villages to ensure communities actively participate in combating the scourge.

Provinces have been tasked with developing local strategies, including mobilising resources to support anti-drug interventions, following the launch of the National Drug and Substance

Response Resource Mobilisation Programme by President Mnangagwa in July last year.

Government has already allocated ZWG$865 million towards the programme, while individuals, companies and development partners have been called upon to contribute through partnerships and donations.

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