Reported deaths in Zimbabwe from Cyclone Idai have risen sharply to 65, according to Chimanimani East MP, Joshua Sacco.

The state owned Herald has also reported that a ministerial delegation is stuck at Mvumvumvu River bridge which was washed away by floods.

Cyclone Idai has become the worst natural disaster in Zimbabwe in decades..in Chimanimani and Chipinge bridges were washed away and some roads destroyed.

Meanwhile President Emmerson Mnangagwa has returned back home from his visit to United Arab Emirates to deal with the cyclone challenges.

More to follow…

By Own Correspondent| Students, teachers and staff at St Charles Lwanga in Chimanimani are still stuck at the school with 3 dead bodies 3 days after cyclone Idai hit Manicaland, ZimEye can exclusively reveal.

The students at the Catholic run boarding school are reportedly still marooned at the school disconnected from the rest of the country following the destruction of bridges linking the school to other areas.

Said one parent who spoke to ZimEye who is currently in Mutare central business district waiting for her son to be rescued.

“I can imagine the trauma my Form 1 son is going through knowing that they cannot be rescued.

They have told us that they cannot fly and rescue them because of the bad weather. We have been told that they are going to try and rescue them using ground tactics.

We were however optimistic that they would rescue them today because the weather was much better.

Please pray for our children.”

The Zimbabwe Republic Police is urging motorists to be cautious as the nation braces for the impact of cyclone IDAI in some parts of the country.

The Police appeal follows an incident in Chimanimani on 15 March 2019 where a TripTrans bus which had twelve occupants tried to cross a flooded river near Skyline Area and was swept away.

Nine people survived and are currently seeking shelter at a mountain whilst three others, who include two women and the conductor are missing. The bus is yet to be retrieved or located from the river.

Drivers are strongly advised not to cross flooded rivers, bridges or any other water points inorder to safeguard lives. Motorists should ensure vehicle lights, wipers, brakes and other relevant panels are in perfect condition to curtail chances of colliding with other vehicles in the wet conditions.

Meanwhile, Police are also investigating a Road Traffic Accident which occurred at the 134km peg along Harare-Bulawayo Road near Kadoma at 0545 hours this morning where a CAG bus which had 43 occupants veered off the road and overturned.

All of the occupants were injured, with seven of them being referred to Harare whilst the rest were treated at Kadoma General Hospital

Own Correspondent| NORTON member of the House of Assembly Temba Mliswa (INDEPENDENT) has launched a campaign to raise donations to victims of Cyclone Idai which ravaged the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe.

To kick off the campaign, Mliswa donated his own US$2,000 to the fund. 

“Nortonians here in Zimbabwe and in the diaspora, let’s unite to make a family contribution to the victims of Cyclone Idai. Companies and individuals kindly send your donations to CBZ Bank, Norton branch, Norton Development Association, Acc# 669-61444950012 Ref: Idai or Ecocash: 0779513164 (Brighton Savanhu),” Mliswa said.

“I’ll start the ball rolling with my donation of USD$2,000.00 We are one! Let’s do this! For more information please get in touch with Brighton on 0775157694/0774133236. As usual accountability will be made available,” he added.

Mliswa urged those who may wish to make any donations in kind to please come through with their valued contribution to his Norton office: 1st Floor Beamoff Complex, Stand 1142, Norton Town Centre (Govans), Norton.

At least 31 deaths have been reported in Zimbabwe since Friday night when the tropical cyclone crossed into Zimbabwe from Mozambique.

Hudrends others are missing, raising fears that the death toll could climb upwards

Mozambique’s National Institute (INAM) has forecast more rains in several provinces in the country, including Manica which borders Zimbabwe.

Says Mozambican publication Club Of Mozambique:
INAM forecasts heavy rains, severe thunderstorms and strong winds gusts in the provinces of Sofala and Manica and in some districts of the provinces of Tete, Inhambane and Gaza…

INAM forecasts persistent heavy to very heavy rains, winds with strong gusts up to 60 kilometres per hour and severe thunderstorms, due to continue into Thursday, March 21, in all of the above-mentioned areas.Club of Mozambique

Students at Monte Cassino Girls High, an elite boarding school in Macheke, were sexually abused by teachers in incidents that date back months ago, according to a police report lodged by the girls on Friday.

When the Catholic-run boarding school — ranked among Zimbabwe’s top 10 schools in terms of pass rate and supported by the Precious Blood Sisters and the Benedictines — learned of sexual misconduct by teachers, it handled the improprieties internally and quietly rather than reporting them to police, the girls’ report lodged with the police said.

The sexually-violated girls, numbering 150 — miffed by the school authorities’ inaction — marched to Macheke Police Station, which is 6km away to file complaints of sexual abuse, corporal punishment, substandard food menu and verbal abuse by teachers.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told the Daily News on Sunday the case is being handled by the Primary and Secondary Education ministry, and investigators have been sent to the school to look into specific criminal allegations.

Primary and Secondary Education ministry permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela told the Daily News on Sunday yesterday that she cannot comment at the moment and instructed the reporter to call after two hours.
She was not picking up her phone later.

Apart from the sexual abuse complaints levelled against the school teachers, the girls also accused the school of punishing pupils who did not pay for holiday lessons during the normal course of the term.

Macheke police reportedly invited officials from the district education office to address the pupils on the non-criminal aspects of their complaints.

The girls are said to have left the school premises at 4am and reached the police station before 6am to lodge their complaint.

The school authorities later sent the school bus to fetch the pupils, who left the police station just after midday.
This is not the first time teachers have been fingered in sexual abuse scandals as last year, a Fatima teacher in Lupane district was accused of indecently assaulting four deaf-blind pupils during an auditory training session, before raping them on separate occasions over a period of two months.

Another incident was also recorded
year in Marondera where a teacher was slapped with a 15-month jail term for fondling a Grade 6 pupil.Daily News

Correspondent|THE Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children programmes manager Maxim Murungweni has said schools should do away with corporal punishment and use other disciplinary methods.

This follows an incident in which 145 girls from Monte Cassino High School in Mashonaland East province on Friday manoeuvred their way out of the school, evading the highly-rated security system at the Catholic institution to walk 7km in soaking rain to report cases of abuse at Macheke Police Station.

“It is a cause for concern that schools continue to administer corporal punishment on children instead of using other forms of disciplining them,” Murungweni said.

“As child rights organisations, we have been advocating for the total abolishment of corporal punishment in all settings — that is school, judiciary and at home — as stipulated in the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and also in our country’s constitution.

“We are happy that government is in the process of putting laws that will clearly outlaw the use of corporal punishment.

“However, we need to fully explore and provide adequate information on the other alternative methods of disciplining children.”

Monte Cassino High School is a girls’ learning institution located in Macheke and is popular for its regular 100% pass rates for both O’ and A’ levels.

Even calls to be wary of the ravaging Cyclone Idai, whose effects have since been felt in Mashonaland East, could not deter the 145 girls at Zimbabwe’s top school, Monte Cassino High, from executing their mission.

On Friday, Macheke Police Station was their assembly point as police officers woke up to witness a group of young girls scattered all over the premises.

As early as 4am, the girls manoeuvred their way out of the school, evading the highly-rated security system at the Catholic institution.

Their destination was 7km away and for some it was the first time to walk such a distance.

But with the determination of athletes, the girls pulled through, and in three hours they had arrived at Macheke Police Station to air their grievances.

However, fate and misfortune was on their side, as the young girls passed through a bridge that is usually flooded at this time of the year. The bridge is under construction.

They comprised mainly of Form 4 and 6 students while a lesser number were Form Ones and Threes.

The girls revealed that their unusual protest was triggered by corporal punishment meted on them by teachers and the confiscation of their laptops as punishment.

The girls also complained of sexual harassment and a litany of other allegations.

Mashonaland East acting provincial education director Kennedy Maturure said preliminary investigations had indicated that the school does not have properly laid-out grievance-handling mechanisms as the incident could have been avoided.

The girls wanted to open a case against the teaching staff.

However, it took officials from the Primary and Secondary Education ministry to convince the girls to return to the school.

It was easy, and they were happy that at least they got attention. In response, the school authorities brought buses and trucks to ferry the girls back to school.

AS the first batch of Warriors start trooping in camp today, Zimbabwe need more than a prayer for their talisman Knowledge Musona to be available for the crucial African Cup of Nations football qualifier against Congo at the National Sports Stadium this coming Sunday.

The forward, who suffered an adductor strain last week, failed a fitness test last Friday ahead of his Belgian club Sporting Lokeren’s last game of the season.

However, he has been keeping his fingers crossed ahead of further tests by the Zimbabwe national team medical staff to ascertain his availability for the do-or-die clash with Congo.

Team manager Wellington Mpandare has been in constant touch with the 28-year-old who is expected in the country tomorrow from his base in Belgium. The majority of the foreign-based players have been scheduled to report for duty today.

While Musona sounded upbeat in his last conversation with the technical team, the Warriors team management have been keeping their fingers crossed.

“The club wrote to us about the injury. I have been talking to him and he indicated that he was given one-week off to allow him to recover, so we are hoping for the best.

“In fact, it’s not like he cannot play with his current condition but it’s all about managing him to avoid aggravating the injury. So the fact that he didn’t play this weekend could actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise for us as well because he needed the rest. We will see how it will unfold,” said Mpandare.

Musona missed Sporting Lokeren’s closing game in the Belgian Pro-League last night due to the injury he suffered last week, capping a depressing season that also saw the side getting relegated.
Lokeren indicated in their website that Musona suffered a strain on his adductor muscles. The type of injury usually takes between one to six weeks to heal depending on severity.

The Warriors forward, who is on loan from giants Anderlecht, played 75 minutes in last week’s 0-1 defeat to Genk and had to watch from the terraces when Lokeren paid homage to the home fans in their “Last Supper” against Cercle Brugge.

Musona has remained a vital cog for Zimbabwe despite the woes he has faced since he made the move to Belgian giants Anderlecht, who then loaned him to Lokeren.

Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa is praying for the best after another key player Marvelous Nakamba was ruled out because of injury.

Musona has been the light bearer in the current qualifiers, the same way he carried the team when they qualified for the last edition in Gabon.

He was the leading scorer along with Khama Billiat on three goals for Zimbabwe during the 2017 qualifiers as Zimbabwe broke an 11-year jinx with a game to spare.

The Zimbabwe’s talisman has scored four goals in four outings in the current campaign including a rare hat-trick in the opening match of the campaign in the 3-0 win over Liberia.

His fine goal against DRC at their own Stade des Martyrs cauldron secured a memorable 2-1 away win over the Leopards which pushed Zimbabwe closer to qualification.

Musona is tied on four goals with Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah and Angola’s veteran forward Mateus. Nigeria’s Idion Oghalo and Fiston Abdul Razak of Burundi lead the charts with six goals apiece.

But Zimbabwe hold the aces in Group G. A draw against the Red Devils on Sunday could still seal a finals berth.

The Warriors are scheduled to have their first training session tomorrow.

The South Africa-based quartet of goalkeeper George Chigova, Teenage Hadebe, Khama Billiat and Evans Rusike, who have an afternoon flight today, are the early birds.

The second batch comprising Alec Mudimu, Divine Lunga, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Butholezwe Ncube, Danny Phiri, Ovidy Karuru, Talent Chawapiwa, Kelvin Lunga, Tino Kadewere, Knox Mutizwa and Admiral Muskwe has an evening flight.

Skipper Musona and the Orlando Pirates duo of Kuda Mahachi and Nyasha Munetsi are expected tomorrow while England-based Tendayi Darikwa will be the last to arrive on Wednesday.

State Media

Farai Dziva|A self- declared war veteran, Philemon Mutangi, has urged Emmerson Mnangagwa to fire Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo and several Zanu PF bigwigs who are now “excess baggage.”

“I do not claim to speak on behalf of all war veterans but for myself. We see things differently.

I fought in the war of liberation and if we have introduced a new administration, then all must be new.
We cannot have someone who was on television announcing Mnangagwa’s sacking as Vice President (in 2017) still sitting there as spokesperson of the party.

These people have nothing to offer. They are statues. Mpofu, Khaya Moyo, (former Defence Minister Sidney) Sekeramayi, (former Health Minister David) Parirenyatwa, the likes of (former Industry Minister Mike) Bimha, (Zanu PF politburo director Dickson) Dzora and (Chitepo School of Ideology’s Munyaradzi) Machacha are statues with nothing to offer to the party and government.

A plan has been hatched and the war veterans want to stage a sit-in to force President Mnangagwa to remove these leaders. The plan is greater than that. It is part of a greater scheme that is meant to create space for people angling to succeed Mnangagwa in the long-term,”said Mutongi.

Khama Billiat’s recent acquisition of a Rolls Royce foe 250,000 us dollars has sparked widespread attention. While others hailed the acquisition some critics were quick to criticize Billiat for lacking foresight in knowing what to invest in.

The acquisition of new wheels undoubtedly symbolises the wealth that Khama Billiat possesses but others believe the Kaizer Chiefs player ought to involve himself in more worthy investments than those involving cars. Billiats purchase of a Rolls Royce comes months after moving from Mamelodi Sundowns to Kaizer chiefs.

Billiats recent purchase has been a subject for debate with some critics arguing lack of advice hampers sound investments by players who have in the past ended bankrupt owing to flamboyance during their playing careers. Zvenyika Makonese a former Orlando Pirates player is a typical example of players that blew away money and ended up bankrupt.

During his prime Makonese was renowned for buying friends and club patrons beer but when his career wound up he was left bankrupt and ended up as a bus conductor. At one stage Makonese was in trouble for allegedly stealing a cellphone despite having turned out for one of the biggest clubs in South Africa.

While there is concern surrounding Billiats flamboyant lifestyle fans can take heart from the fact that the Warriirs and Kaizer Chiefs star has already invested in a house he can stay in upon winding down his career. Billiat will this week be in the country representing Zimbabwe in a crunch group g qualifier against Congo Brazzaville at the national sports stadium this Sunday.

Lack of sound management by footballers has largely been attributted to a reluctance to pursue academic studies which empower them to invest in the long term and do away with immediate gratification.

The number of confirmed deaths as a result of Cyclone Idai has reached 89.

In an interview with Reuters, the Ministry of Information permanent secretary, Nick Mangwana said:
“The number of confirmed deaths throughout the country is now 89.”

Chimanimani District has been cut off from the rest of the country by torrential rains and winds of up to 170 km per hour that swept away roads, homes and bridges and knocked out power and communication lines.

Meanwhile, some roads were destroyed while bridges were washed away by raging rivers. As a result, some parts of Manicaland are not accessible by road.
This has made it difficult for officials and well-wishers to send help to the affected people.

Moreover, families are not able to bury the dead due to floods as their homes were flattened by rock falls and mudslides or washed away by torrential rains.Sahara News