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Victoria Falls residents demand councillors’ lifestyle audit

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Victoria Falls residents have called for a lifestyle audit for councillors and the local authority’s management following allegations of massive corruption in the MDC Alliance-led city council.

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The calls were made at a public meeting held at Chinotimba Hall that was convened by war veterans’ leadership from Matabeleland North on Friday to discuss the chaos at the local authority, which was attended by over 300 people.

Residents are agitating for investigations into the local authority following the arrest of mayor Somvelo Dhlamini a week ago on fraud allegations amid allegations that town clerk Ronnie Dube and other councillors were also involved in corrupt activities related to the parcelling out of commercial stands.

The Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association (Vifacora) claims that it has evidence that  Dube and some councillors sold a prime commercial stand number 8300 for US$4 million instead of US$14 million  before councillors and some senior managers shared US$400 000 that was paid as a bribe by the lowest bidder.

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Vifacora secretary general Trymore Ndolo told meeting that the matter came to light when the MDC Alliance councillors started fighting among each other during the sharing of the spoils from the corrupt deal.

“They sold our land for US$4.2 million, how can land depreciate from US$14 million?” Ndolo queried.

“I’ll be clear and straightforward, some of the councillors came to us as Vifacora to report that they told us that when stand 8300 (comes up for discussion) we should agree to the sale as there was going to be bribery money and they surely got US$ 400 000 and this is why they have been fighting against each other”.

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He said council also sold stand 1811 to a councillor without a resolution as per regulations.

“(Stand) 1811 is the size of a stadium and cannot be sold to a councillor, and that stand was valued at US$ 5 million,” Ndolo added.

“We protested even to the mayor at a full council meeting resolution where we were called to endorse its sale in bond (RTGS) and we’ve got all the information.

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“The people, who were the masterminds (are known) and we queried how a stand worth US$ 5 million can be sold for $11 million.

“So this is what residents have been arguing about and we are saying there should be a lifestyle audit of everyone involved in these corrupt deals.”

A resident, who spoke at the meeting, said some councillors were living beyond their means.

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The resident queried: “How can someone who was known for selling sweets on the streets within a short period after being elected as a councillor have a fleet of cars?

“How much would that person be earning to own such (property) and we would like our elderly people (war veterans) to spearhead a campaign for a lifestyle audit.”

Dube and some councillors are at loggerheads with residents and war veterans over the corruption allegations that have resulted in poor service delivery.

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Some residents have gone for several months without water and other parts of the city experience continuous sewer pipe bursts.

Over 300 residents have signed a petition urging Parliament to investigate the corruption allegations.

War veterans Matabeleland North chairperson Boniface Sibanda told the meeting that corruption and infighting in the local authority led to Dhlamini’s arrest.

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The former liberation war fighters are accusing Dube of conniving with the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to cover-up the alleged corruption by engineering Dhlamini’s arrest while shielding Dube.

 

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National

“We are losing ground”: Counsellors’ demotivation threatens Zimbabwe’s HIV gains

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The men and women who have been at the heart of Zimbabwe’s fight against HIV — the primary health counsellors — say their morale has hit rock bottom as they continue to work without job security, inconsistent pay, and uncertain futures.

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These counsellors, stationed across hospitals and clinics countrywide, form the backbone of the country’s HIV prevention and treatment programme. They handle testing, counselling, and patient follow-ups — ensuring those on antiretroviral therapy stay in care and that new infections are detected early.

But as Hwange West legislator Vusumuzi Moyo warned in Parliament, the system supporting these essential workers is “crumbling quietly.”

“Their salaries have been very erratic, sometimes going for months without pay,” Moyo told VicFallsLive after his parliamentary question to the Minister of Health and Child Care. “These people are the heartbeat of HIV management. They’re paid from the Global Fund, but payments have not been consistent, and the government has taken too long to incorporate them into the civil service.”

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Currently, the counsellors are funded under the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) — a donor mechanism that has kept thousands of Zimbabwean health posts afloat for years.

However, global aid shifts, including the ripple effects of the U.S. administration’s restrictions on foreign aid, have made their positions increasingly vulnerable.

Health Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora confirmed during a recent parliamentary session that staff bids had been submitted to Treasury for approval to absorb counsellors into the government payroll.

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He said that while donor funding has decreased, both the U.S. Government and Global Fund have continued to prioritise support for human resources at primary healthcare level.

Still, for many of the counsellors — and for communities relying on them — the wait has been too long.

Moyo painted a grim picture of what’s happening in hospitals.

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“If you go to referral hospitals like Forrester, you’ll find that about 90% of male ward patients are people who have defaulted on treatment,” he said. “It’s because counsellors are no longer motivated. They used to follow up with patients, call them if they missed visits, and make sure they stayed in care. But now, with no pay or recognition, there’s no incentive to keep doing that work.”

He warned that the country’s AIDS-related deaths are rising again, undoing the progress Zimbabwe had made in reducing HIV prevalence.

“Our statistics had been improving — even other countries were benchmarking our model. But now, it’s as if we’re back to the old days. You see people sick again, wards filling up, and that speaks to a system that’s failing quietly,” Moyo added.

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Zimbabwe has long been recognised as one of Africa’s HIV success stories, cutting its national prevalence from over 26% in the early 2000s to around 11% today, according to research studies. Much of that progress was driven by a strong network of community-based counsellors who ensured people were tested, treated, and supported.

 

 

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Bulawayo mourns Nkulumane MP and poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

The City of Bulawayo has expressed deep sorrow following the death of Nkulumane MP and acclaimed poet Desire “Moyoxide” Moyo, who died in a car accident early Friday morning near Shangani.

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In a condolence message issued by Town Clerk Christopher Dube on behalf of the Mayor, Senator David Coltart, councillors, and residents, the city described Moyo as “an iconic leader, poet par excellence, and creative who strove to champion the arts in Bulawayo and beyond.”

Moyo, who was affectionately known as Moyoxide, was praised for his commitment to the city’s artistic and civic development. The statement highlighted his impact through his multiple roles — as a Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, a community leader, and a poet who spoke out against injustices while advocating for progress.

“He positively impacted the city through his roles as a leader and poet who challenged all for the development of Bulawayo and the country,” read part of the statement.

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The City of Bulawayo also extended its condolences to the Moyo family, the Bulawayo community, and the nation at large.

“May his soul rest in eternal peace,” the statement added.

The city further wished a speedy recovery to other CCC legislators who were injured in the same accident — Honourables Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda.

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National

CCC legislators in road accident, Nkulumane MP dies

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BY STAFF REPORTER

One Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator has died while four others were seriously injured in a road accident that occurred early Friday morning near Shangani along Bulawayo-Harare highway.

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CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi confirmed the accident, saying it happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the vehicle carrying the members collided with an elephant.

“The vehicle hit an elephant along the Shangani area, and unfortunately Honourable Desire Moyo, the Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, died on the scene,” Nkwananzi said.

He added that the other occupants — Honourable Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Honourable Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda — sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Bulawayo.

Nkwananzi said he was deeply shocked by Moyo’s death, as he had met him just yesterday in Harare.

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“I had seen Moyo yesterday and we spent about an hour chatting outside Jamieson Hotel about the party and our future plans for national development,” he said. “I’m gutted by his passing. It’s a huge loss for the party.”

He conveyed his condolences to the Moyo family and wished a speedy recovery and strength to the families of the other CCC members who remain in critical condition.

He said further details, including the name of the hospital where the injured are receiving treatment, would be released once confirmed.

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