Harare — THE ambitious Watervlei Burial Park project along Seke Road has reached a significant milestone, with developers injecting US$3.8 million into the first phase of an initiative designed to provide a dignified final resting place for liberation war heroes.
The development sits on 80 hectares and is earmarked to accommodate approximately 8 000 liberation war heroes whose remains are currently in unmarked graves in neighbouring countries.
Beyond its commemorative significance, the project is set to provide critical burial capacity for the capital as existing facilities, including the Provincial Heroes Acre at Warren Hills, face mounting pressure. The development is also expected to create over 200 jobs for local residents.
Project manager Ismail Nanabawa, speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, confirmed that construction commenced in late 2024 and the site is on track to become operational by the final quarter of this year.
“In terms of total investment for the whole Watervlei Burial Park, we’re looking at investing US$3.8 million for the first phase of the project,” said Nanabawa. “This includes everything, bearing in mind we are putting a massive fence around the entire site. We have a major plant as part of rehabilitating the ground to plant close to 1000 trees.”
Nanabawa said that significant financial and logistical resources were required to rehabilitate the site, which had suffered extensive environmental damage due to illegal dumping and sand poaching.
“What has taken us, I can’t put it in words exactly how much time and effort has gone into rehabilitating the sites. When I say illegal dumping, people often think it’s just a smoker, but some of these are higher than this gazebo. So that’s a significant cost for us,” he explained.
Extensive earthworks were necessary over the past two years to fill pits, introduce quality soil, and ensure proper compaction.
“The main portion of the works or the highest cost will be the roads. We have an irrigation system we have to build. We have the herse ways we have to build,” Nanabawa added.
“We also have the traffic circle, or depending on the Ministry of Transport’s final approval, whether we are building access lanes or traffic lights, we have a significant development to do on the intersection as well.”
The project has secured the endorsement of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) and the Memories of Zimbabwe Armed Struggle Trust (MOZAST).
In recognition of the sacrifices made for the country’s Independence, developers have donated 8,000 burial plots to MOZAST specifically for the repatriation of veterans.
The initiative aligns with wider national efforts to address the status of those lost during the struggle.
“An estimated 30,000 Zimbabwean war veterans are buried outside of the country in unmarked graves and even mass graves, some 45 years after the country’s liberation struggle,” Nanabawa said.
Meanwhile, the recently tabled Reburial and Memorialisation Bill, once passed, will enable the Government to formally collaborate with the War Veterans, churches, traditional leaders and families in a structured and well-resourced reburial programme.
Nanabawa further said o preserve history, the development will feature a War Veterans Archway at the entrance of the dedicated section and a Museum within the Remembrance Village to be curated by MOZAST.
This US$3.8 million investment marks a pivotal step in the national mandate to honour the country’s liberation icons, ensuring that those who fought for Zimbabwe’s sovereignty receive the formal recognition and dignified burial they have long been denied.
Harare— THE High Court has dismissed an application by businessman Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo seeking to strike out claims filed against him by his ex-partner, Sonja Louise Madzikanda regarding the division of assets, spousal maintenance and the dissolution of their union, Express Mail Zim can report.
In a ruling delivered Thursday, Justice Fatima Maxwell rejected Chivayo’s attempt to dismiss the action, characterizing the move as “a veiled attempt to get the assistance of the court to defeat an extant order by consent.”
The legal conflict stems from an earlier agreement between the two parties.
On April 2, 2026, Justice Amy Tsanga granted a consent order that established a framework for resolving their disputes, specifically stipulating that “the question of the proprietary consequences of the termination of the parties’ union shall be adjudicated under case number HCHF 62/2026.”
Justice Maxwell found that by filing a new application on April 27, 2026, to dismiss the claims, Chivayo was attempting “to resile from the agreement that the proprietary consequences of the termination of the parties union shall be adjudicated under case number HCHF 62/2026.”
The court was particularly critical of Chivayo’s failure to disclose the existence of the previous consent order in his filing. “Applicant did not address or refer to the existence of the order in HCHF 892/26,” Justice Maxwell remarked. “I take it as an attempt to pull wool over the court’s eyes.”
Regarding the binding nature of judicial decisions, the judge emphasized: “It is trite that once a court has made an order, it binds all and sundry concerned. Everyone is bound by the court order until it is lawfully altered or discharged by a court of competent jurisdiction or statute.”
Justice Maxwell further invoked the legal doctrine prohibiting litigants from taking contradictory positions, stating that “no person can be allowed to take up two positions that are inconsistent with one another, commonly expressed as to blow hot and cold, to approbate and reprobate.”
The judge also ruled that the specific court rule cited by Chivayo for the dismissal, rule 31(1), was inapplicable because Chivayo had already “compromised his right by consenting that the proprietary issues be determined in case number HCHF 62/26.” Furthermore, the court noted that the rule is intended for cases where an entire action is “frivolous or vexatious,” not for instances “in which part of the claim is valid.”
“I am not persuaded that the summons can be termed totally hopeless to warrant dismissal,” the judge concluded, ultimately dismissing the application with costs.
Advocate Sylvester Hashiti and Edley Mubaiwa represented Chivayo, while Advocate Regina Mabwe represented Madzikanda.
The ruling comes amid public confusion regarding the status of the couple’s relationship. While Madzikanda has claimed on social media that a court previously ruled they were never married, her own legal counsel has stated they are unaware of any such judgment. Madzikanda is currently seeking a $25 million settlement, while Chivayo’s legal team maintains that no marriage existed between the two, who share two children.
I NO not remember the exact date in 2023, but I remember the moment with painful clarity. It was the day the Nomination Court sat for the 2023 general elections. I was in Chambers, minding my own business, when Nelson Chamisa walked in, darkening my doorway. He had just met Tendai Biti, who came in with him.
Nelson looked at me and said, in that familiar, earnest way of his:
“My brother, if you are able to assist, I would love for you to lead the legal team going into the elections. As usual, and as you know, we are unable to pay you.”
I have always regarded service to the people of Zimbabwe as an honour, not a burden. So my answer was immediate, plain, and resolute: I would do it.
Legal minds: Attorney General Virginia Mabhiza and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi
My first public duty as leader of the legal team came that very instance, I was to accompany Nelson to the High Court, to ensure the presidential nomination process was proceeding properly and to satisfy ourselves that all was well. As we walked, my mind was alive with questions. What structure would I have? Who would form part of it? How would we run the operations? And how, pray, would this all be funded? Because the truth is this: my team received not a single dollar for everything it did.
The rituals at the High Court where the nomination court for the presidential election was held went by without event. We had to make our way back to Chambers. By then the day was already far spent. It must have been around 6PM.
That was when I received my baptism of fire.
The Nomination Court sitting at Rotten Row had rejected the Proportional Representation CCC parliamentary nominations. It was a mess. A stinker. A rotten, humiliating, dangerous mess. It was not of my making, but it had landed on my head all the same, and I had to clean it up.
Fortunately, I knew the Electoral Act as intimately as the prayer we recite at home before dinner. I had to rely on that knowledge, on my oratory, and on my presence. When I arrived at Rotten Row, the atmosphere shifted. The sullen faces of the candidates lifted. They may lack in many respects but these opposition stalwarts command a belligerent presence.
Within minutes, the Harare problem was solved. The things I said impressed me but I can’t even remember them. I then had to return to Chambers and continue working for my family, or so I thought.
On the way back, I received a call. I cannot remember from whom. Twelve Bulawayo MPs were having problems with their papers. This was after the cut-off time. A disaster was brewing.
The idea that an election in which the traditional opposition stronghold would simply be handed over to ZANU PF was not something that could happen under my watch. But at that point, I did not yet have all the facts.
After a flurry of calls, I had at least gotten on top of the facts. But I still had no legal team in place. My mission was becoming a storm. I had nothing to do with the original problems, but if I was not careful, I would end up wearing them like a mask. And as so often happens in these moments, everyone was now looking at the lawyer.
I called David Coltart. I needed someone to go to the Nomination Court and advance an argument I had crafted. He sounded exhausted; he had had a difficult day and could not assist. I then tried Welshman Ncube and struggled to reach him. I searched high and low until I finally got Tinashe.
Tinashe was honest with me: the Electoral Act was not his terrain. But at that point I did not need his technical mastery. I needed his heart. My own expertise could be channeled through another person. On that score, I was calm and confident. I assured him that all would be well.
He was willing to serve the motherland, and so he drove to the Nomination Court. All the while, I was on the phone with him, breaking down both the legal argument and the strategy. Tinashe is a clever lawyer. Before long, he was making my points as though they had come from his own mouth.
But there was resistance at first. They did not want to hear him. He handed the phone to the person in charge, and after I softened that heart, they agreed that he would be heard.
Long story short: Tinashe did not leave until 2AM. That was when we finally solved the problem of the twelve.
I was awake throughout, cleaning up someone else’s mess and fighting on an uneven field with the lights of justice flickering uncertainly overhead.
A few days later, after the usual high-fives and the brief relief that follows a crisis, twelve applications were filed against the candidates. By then I had a legal team in place—twenty formidable minds ready to defend the motherland.
The candidates remembered Tinashe as the face that had saved them, and they all agreed to take their papers to him. Tinashe himself, now a full member of the team, was prepared to assist with the administrative work. That left me to draft twelve defences. I did it overnight. I prepared the heads of argument and shared them with the team. Then I had to fly to Bulawayo, and because of an exchange that has left me bitter and upset to this day, I paid all my expenses.
At the Bulawayo High Court, the twelve people who were under threat of disqualification were not even present.
I told Tinashe to read the riot act and make it clear to them that if they were not in attendance, I would not represent them. In fairness, I had expected to arrive in a boiling, anxious Bulawayo. Instead, I was met with indifference and capitulation, and that shocked me deeply. In fact, it upset me gravely to this very day.
Long story short, Welshman Ncube and I argued the matter. To my sweet surprise, ZEC fought in our corner. It fought as though it meant it. I realised it was a matter of honour, Zanu PF having abused it all this while was effectively questioning its integrity. The vulgarity was even supported by that Tshinga fellow who was in attendance. That was a dim and disappointing sight.
Notwithstanding ZEC’s defence, we lost.
And let me be clear: it was not the loss itself that drove me mad. It was the circumstances under which the news was delivered.
My wife and I had travelled to England for an important family engagement. We arrived at Manchester Airport, where my father-in-law was waiting for us. I was tired as I had worked the entire flight and so I slept on the long drive to Yorkshire. Meanwhile, disaster had struck in Bulawayo. The High Court had barred the twelve from contesting. The whole of Bulawayo.
I only received the news when I walked into my in-laws’ home. I could not bathe. I could not eat. My mind was on fire. I was beside myself. But I was determined to reverse the injustice, and so I set to work drafting a notice of appeal.
I understood the political sensitivities, and I knew the narrative had to be changed quickly. The judgment had to be neutralized by an appeal. The appeal would also suspend the effect of the judgment and ensure that ZEC did not do anything underhanded, like printing ballot papers that excluded the twelve.
In no time at all, I was done. I asked my team to file the appeal. They delayed. It was a slight delay but which no mad man could take.
My in-laws had never seen me that angry, that agitated, that belligerent. I threatened to dissolve the entire team. I was losing control. I was screaming at everyone. Perhaps I was unfair to them. But they responded like mature men and the appeal was filed. Only then did my mother-in-law greet me in her traditional Manyika way. Yes it was the other way round. Until that moment, I had not formally “entered” the house, and there I was, behaving like a man possessed by her hearth.
The elections were fast approaching, and there were further processes that had to be pursued, so the appeal had to be finalized. I had to prepare the application for the urgent hearing of the appeal and the heads of argument. There was a reason these processes fell on me but those do not matter for now. My trip was a nightmare. I spent all my time working on these legal processes. I was also working on the Polling Agents Manual.
I must pause here and say that for purposes of the appeal, I suggested that I and Paida Saurombe would represent six candidates, while Welshman Ncube and Runganga would represent the other six. The heads prepared by Welshman were a thing of beauty. I am angry with Welshman over many things, but whenever I remember those heads of argument, my heart softens.
I then had to travel back to Zimbabwe, and in accommodating me, the Supreme Court set the matter down for 2:30PM a departure from the traditional 9:30AM. I arrived in the country just after mid-morning and was on my feet in the Supreme Court by 2:30PM.
Once again, Welshman was brilliant. Our appeal was allowed, and the twelve were restored to contest—and all of them won the election.
I think only about six attended the Supreme Court hearing. They had to share cars from Bulawayo, or some other pitiful excuse.
I personally went through a great deal for these people. If I had charged them, not even the Zanu PF bribe money some of them have now received would have discharged their indebtedness.
My official position is that they owe me nothing. They never forced me into this and my foolish heart must not leave them in debt.
But today, my broken heart and shattered soul sank as I watched some of them vote in favour of an indecency that even sacrifice cannot cleanse; a vulgarity that cannot be atoned. I found myself asking questions I never thought I would ask. I reviewed my sacrifices. I cursed. I swore. Anger gave way to rage, rage to bitterness, and bitterness to frustration.
Ngezi- IT will be pomp and fun fare on Saturday 27 June 2026 as women in Turf area in Ngezi Ward 11 will be holding a Women’s Day Commemorations event spear headed by the area councillor, Kurebwa Javangwe Nhomboka.
Nhomboka said the day which will also incorporate sporting events , is an important one as it realizes and take into cognisance, the essential roles played by women in the society and especially in labour issues.
“It will be an important and special day for women as we commemorate their day at Turf Council ground,”said Nhomboka.
“We are going to have various sporting events such as netball and soccer among other sporting disciplines.Winners will get some token of appreciation and there would be food and drinks galore.I am calling all women in Turf community to come in their hundreds and support this important function,” he said.
Nhomboka added:
“Women are a vital cog community and societal development..they are a special entity as they motivate and support their males spouses in labour places particularly in mining communities such as Ngezi.I have decided to hold this important event to show my solidarity to their well being in the country’s economic development,” he said.
Harare- ARMED robberies across the country show no sign of slowing down. The latest incident targeted a Mukuru.com agent at Glen Norah B shops in Harare on Wednesday night.
The robbers reportedly escaped with over US$20 000 in cash and an undisclosed amount in rand.
According to early reports from citizens, the attack was carried out with precision, suggesting the suspects had detailed information about the agent’s operations.
The timing and execution of the heist have sparked concern among residents and business owners, who now fear that no business is safe from the rise in violent crime.
“The robbers gained access through a backyard alley within the Rufaro Marketing bar and it leads to an unoccupied shop next to the agent. They cut the burglar bars and destroyed the demarcation dividing the unoccupied shop and the agent,” said a resident who preferred anonymity.
“I also think the odd hours of the Soccer World Cup games beaming are also to blame. There will be noise and excitement distracting security.
“Remember there are more than 40 something bars and nightclubs in the proximity of the agent,one of the bars is called KwaSatani,munofunga mhepo hadzifambe pakadaro (imagine there is a bar called Satan,don’t you think a bad omen wont follow).We need more night patrols,”said another resident.
The security personnel was reportedly tied with a rope and had his mouth covered with a cloth.
Zimbabwe Republic Police statics show that robberies are rising, with many linked to inside jobs.
The ZRP said armed robbery cases rose 4% between January and August 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. Deputy Commissioner Leny Ncube told Parliament that while total robbery cases fell 8%, “there is a concerning 4% increase in the most violent category, robberies committed using firearms”.
Police data released in August 2025 shows that between 3 January and 21 August 2025, 531 suspects were arrested for robbery, with 206 already convicted.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi has repeatedly attributed the precision of many heists to insider involvement. He said the ZRP continues to encounter cases “where criminals appear to have had prior knowledge of the exact amount of money being transported, where it was being taken and the route being used”.
Nyathi warned businesses to tighten internal controls, stating:
“Details concerning cash holdings, payroll schedules, banking arrangements and cash movements should never be disclosed to unauthorised persons.”
He urged firms to bank cash promptly and use professional Cash-In-Transit services, and called on employers to review “recruitment and vetting procedures” to curb collusion.
The ZRP has been cracking down on syndicates, citing recent arrests in Beitbridge and Harare, including suspects linked to multiple armed robberies. Police say resource shortages, with only 1,823 of 9,320 required vehicles operational, are hampering rapid response.
Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment at the time of writing on Thursday night.
HARARE — The government has abandoned controversial plans to merge the Zimbabwe Gender Commission with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and scrapped a proposal that would have allowed traditional leaders to engage in partisan politics, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told Parliament on Wednesday.
The concessions came as Ziyambi wound up the Second Reading debate on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 3) Bill, a day before the National Assembly is expected to hold a crucial vote on the legislation.
Addressing lawmakers, Ziyambi confirmed the two provisions had been removed in line with recommendations from the Joint Parliamentary Committee that scrutinised the Bill, following widespread opposition.
On the proposed merger of the Gender Commission and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, Ziyambi said legislators from across the political divide had unanimously rejected the measure.
“If you allow me to speak about the issue of the Gender Commission, all the Members were in unity that this clause and that the provision be not adopted,” he said.
The minister said government had initially proposed the merger to achieve institutional efficiency but had ultimately yielded to public consultations and parliamentary scrutiny.
“The argument was made in good faith, but consultation is not theatre,” Ziyambi said. “Let no-one say the people spoke into the wind.”
The proposal was formally withdrawn during the Committee Stage of the Bill on Wednesday evening.
Ziyambi further confirmed that government had dropped a clause that would have permitted chiefs to participate in partisan politics. He said the amendment had sought to address what government viewed as a constitutional contradiction allowing chiefs to sit in Parliament while barring them from political activity.
However, he said parliamentary consultations had raised concerns that traditional leaders, who preside over customary courts and community disputes, must maintain political neutrality.
“This principle is unassailable. The government is persuaded,” Ziyambi said.
The clause was subsequently removed during the Committee Stage.
According to Ziyambi, debate on the Bill attracted unprecedented participation, with 182 MPs contributing over seven sitting days. He said 111 legislators supported the Bill, 31 backed it with reservations on specific provisions, 10 raised concerns without taking a final position, and 30 opposed it outright.
He also cited figures from the Joint Committee’s consultations, saying more than 540,000 written submissions had been received, the majority supporting the Bill.
Much of the debate centred on the Bill’s most contentious proposals, including replacing the direct popular vote for President with election by Parliament, and extending the current electoral cycle from 2028 to 2030.
Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change MPs argued that the proposed changes would unlawfully benefit incumbents and should be subjected to a referendum.
Ziyambi rejected those claims, arguing that the amendments do not alter the Constitution’s two-term presidential limit.
“The national electoral cycle provisions, which this Bill amends, carry no cap or limit on any person and they never have,” he said.
He maintained that the constitutional provision limiting a president to two terms remained untouched.
Following Ziyambi’s response, MPs entered the Committee Stage, debating the Bill clause by clause into the early hours of Thursday. The amended Bill was subsequently referred to the Parliamentary Legal Committee before returning to the House for consideration and a final vote.
With Zanu PF commanding a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and overwhelming control of the Senate, the Bill is widely expected to pass before being transmitted to the upper chamber for consideration.
HARARE- Government is set to establish an Advisory Council to ‘oversee’ the management of the Tourism Fund, Express Mail Zim can report .
The landmark resolution was revealed at the historic inaugural Zimbabwe Tourism Authority AGM convened in Harare on Wednesday, for the first time since the Authority’s inception in 1996.
The proposed Advisory Council is a hybrid body comprising both private and public sector players and will advise the Tourism Minister in her capacity as Trustee of the Fund.
The measure is one of several critical interventions aimed at closing systemic gaps that had previously undermined public confidence in the previous dispensation.
“We are awaiting the new Tourism Bill to be signed by President Mnangagwa, and in our quest to restore accountability of the Tourism Fund, we will set up a Council to advise the Trustee,” revealed DrTakaruza Munyanyiwa, Permanent Secretary of the Tourism Ministry, who stood proxy for Minister Barbara Rwodzi at the meeting. “The advisory council will be a hybrid consisting of both private and public sector players.”
The announcement came in response to concerns raised by legislator Joana Mamombe (who was in the house) , Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Environment, Climate and Wildlife, signaling a new era of stakeholder engagement and parliamentary oversight.
Dr Munyanyiwa made it unequivocally clear that the AGM was not merely a procedural formality but a fundamental reset for ZTA, founded on stakeholder confidence, performance excellence and uncompromising accountability.
In a candid appraisal of past failures, Dr Munyanyiwa subtly but firmly pointed to systemic accountability lapses under the stewardship of the late chief executive Karikoga Kaseke, revealing that proper financial protocols had been routinely bypassed.
“The procedure is the collected levies belong to the State and the Trustee is the minister; it’s not ZTA money,” he explained. “The chief executive then awaits authority from the minister after submitting budgets, and it seems such was not the case.”
The Advisory Council, alongside other governance reforms, is designed to permanently seal such loopholes, ensuring that the Trustee’s authority is respected and that public funds are subjected to rigorous scrutiny and oversight.
Delivering Minister Rwodzi’s formal address, Dr Munyanyiwa said that the raft of measures adopted at the AGM, from the Advisory Council to enhanced financial protocols and board restructuring, constitutes a comprehensive governance overhaul.
“This gathering marks a significant milestone in strengthening governance, accountability, transparency and stakeholder engagement within our tourism sector,” he said. “The convening of this inaugural AGM reflects the Authority’s commitment to sound corporate governance, institutional renewal and responsible leadership.”
The minister acknowledged the governance challenges that necessitated the suspension of the previous Board, revealing that Government had undertaken a comprehensive reform process aimed at restoring accountability, institutional credibility, and public confidence which is a process that has now culminated in the appointment of a substantive Board and Chief Executive Officer.
“We are pleased that this process has culminated in the appointment of a substantive Board and Chief Executive Officer, laying a firm foundation for a stronger and more effective Authority,” Munyanyiwa said.
The Board Chairperson, Mr. Farai Chimba, Management led by Dr George M. Manyaya, and the entire ZTA team were commended for their “commitment to rebuilding systems, strengthening governance structures, and restoring stakeholder confidence.”
The minister emphasised that good governance remains the cornerstone of sustainable institutions, urging the Board and Management to continue fostering a culture of professionalism, integrity, ethical leadership, and prudent stewardship of public resources. With the Advisory Council now poised to become a reality upon the signing of the new Tourism Bill, the inaugural AGM has effectively served as the launchpad for a new era where the old systems of unchecked authority and opaque management are definitively swept aside in favor of a transparent, accountable and stakeholder-driven future.
HARARE- FORMER father in-law to billionaire Wicknel Chivayo David Madzikanda is embroiled in a messy love triangle compelling Mutseriwa Madzikanda to take legal action.
The matter spilled to Harare magistrate’s court and a hearing begun in which the ‘side chick’ Millicent Murape faces charges of cyberbullying and malicious damage to property following a complaint filed by Mutseriwa.
The man is mine: David Madzikanda’s alleged girlfriend Millicent Murape at court
Murape appeared before Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki facing charges under the Cyber and Data Transmission Act, alongside malicious damage to property allegations, after reportedly sending insulting WhatsApp messages to the complainant.
In testimony before the court, Mutseriwa Madzikanda told the magistrate that Murape was initially a lodger at the family property before becoming involved with her husband.
“This woman (Murape) is our lodger and now my husband’s girlfriend. She insulted me on WhatsApp and also broke my window panes,” Mutseriwa testified.
The complainant further alleged that Murape accused her of witchcraft, claiming traditional charms had been placed on her doorstep.
“She accused me of bewitching her, saying I placed a charm on her doorstep so she would miscarry her pregnancy with Madzikanda’s child,” Mutseriwa said.
Mutseriwa revealed that her husband has four other wives, including some from the “touchline,” but insisted her police report was motivated by self-protection rather than jealousy.
“I have no problem with Madzikanda sleeping with other people’s wives,it’s not his first time. His problem is that he’s searching for a son since he only has daughters. Even if he goes to the touchline, I don’t care,” she said.
The court heard that Mutseriwa had previously obtained a protection order against Murape, but after it expired, she received another abusive message.
“Murape used to call my husband while she still had her own husband because she didn’t want to pay rent. I’m surprised why she wants to sleep with a 65-year-old man when men her age are plenty,” Mutseriwa added.
In her defense, Murape told the court that both she and the complainant are girlfriends to Madzikanda, and accused Mutseriwa of stalking her to damage her reputation.
Murape also denied throwing stones or breaking window panes at the complainant’s residence.
According to court documents, Mutseriwa received offensive WhatsApp messages from Murape’s number on July 5, 2025, at approximately 9 PM, with a second batch of messages following on July 6, to which the complainant did not respond.
The matter was postponed to next week, when David Madzikanda is expected to testify.
Harare – ZIMBABWE has committed US$1 million to support the Africa-led response to the Ebola outbreak and endorsed the “One Plan, One Budget, One Team” framework, Express Mail Zim can report.
The pledge was announced by President Mnangagwa Tuesday during a virtual meeting of African Heads of State, government officials and health partners convened by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation.
The meeting was called following confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe would work with regional and global partners to strengthen disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and rapid response.
“In line with our mandate, Zimbabwe pledges one million U.S. dollars to Africa CDC for immediate containment and regional preparedness,” he said.
Zimbabwe has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has heightened screening at ports of entry and reinforced capacity at provincial isolation centres as a precautionary measure.
The summit resolved to fast-track vaccine deployment and logistical support to affected areas.
For over a decade, Harare’s winter nights told a story of endurance.
Thousands would rise as early as 0400 hours to queue at boreholes, braving the cold to secure water.
This winter, the story is different, multitudes across the capital are heaving a collective sigh of relief as taps flow with a consistency unthinkable just years ago.
Yet even as residents celebrate, a legal storm is brewing.
On 15 June, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights filed a High Court application seeking to suspend the prepaid water meter rollout, arguing it is unlawful under the Harare Water By‑Laws of 1913 and the Urban Councils Act.
The ZLHR contends that the city cannot introduce a new billing regime without amending existing by‑laws through proper legislative processes.
But on 16 June, the Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART) issued a statement firmly backing the initiative.
“Prepaid water systems have the potential to improve revenue collection, reduce billing disputes, eliminate estimated charges, minimise water losses, encourage responsible water consumption and generate resources necessary for infrastructure rehabilitation, maintenance and expansion,” said ZNOART National Chairman Shepherd Chikomba.
The voices of residents themselves tell a story of profound gratitude.
In Warren Park 1, Elvis Mukawa said, “I am delighted by the fact that as residents we will only get water that we paid for, which means there are no fears of being overcharged.”
In Westlea, Sharon Mhlanga echoed, “We are happy with the prepaid water meters as they will make residents responsible, at the same time people will receive what they would have paid for, thus reducing estimates which most residents did not agree with.”
Fellow Westlea resident Tinashe Moyo added, “Now, I only pay for what I actually use. It brings fairness back to the community.”
The system, similar to prepaid electricity, allows residents to buy water credits via mobile platforms, eliminating contentious estimated bills.
More than 23 000 smart meters have been installed, with suburbs including Warren Park, Westlea, Belvedere, Mabelreign and the Avenues already benefiting.
Over 21 000 meters and 20 kilometres of new piping have been laid, and Helcraw Water is replacing 106 kilometres of ageing pipes.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has called it “the best solution for Harare residents.”
ZNOART Chairman the human rights argument head‑on:
“Water is a fundamental human right. However, that right can only be fully realised when local authorities possess the financial and technical capacity to treat, distribute, maintain and expand water infrastructure. Sustainable financing mechanisms are therefore essential,” he said.
“As residents’ representatives, we believe that Public‑Private Partnerships (PPPs) offer a practical and sustainable model for improving service delivery.”
The juxtaposition is stark.
In the same week that ZLHR argues prepaid meters commercialise a basic right, residents in suburbs like Westlea and Warren Park celebrate a winter of running water, something many had not experienced in decades.
For those who once spent freezing pre‑dawn hours queuing at boreholes, this winter has brought the simple dignity of turning on a tap and finding water.
As one elderly resident reflected on four decades of struggle, “For all the years since I started staying here, more than 40 years ago, this is the first time I have managed to see water coming from our taps.”
Whether the courts will halt the rollout remains to be seen.
But for now, across Harare’s sprawling suburbs, the queues at boreholes have dwindled, the early morning chills no longer carry the dread of a waterless day, and residents are quietly enjoying a winter that feels, for the first time in years, like a season of hope.
