Author: TSA Press

Led
by
Bulawayo
Chapter
Chairperson
Sibonile
Ngwenya,
WCoZ
representatives
visited
the
hospital
on
Tuesday,
demanding
accountability
and
immediate
action
from
hospital
authorities.

This
follows
a
July
2024
report
by
CITE,
which
revealed
that
Mpilo
Hospital
recorded
280
child
deaths
between
January
and
April
2024,
with
neonatal
deaths
constituting
the
majority.

Despite
assurances
from
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Child
Care
that
measures
were
being
taken
to
protect
pregnant
women
and
newborns,
the
statistics
from
Mpilo
point
to
a
troubling
trend
in
preventable
deaths
at
one
of
the
region’s
key
healthcare
facilities.

In
a
formal
complaint
submitted
to
the
hospital’s
Public
Relations
Office,
WCoZ
expressed
deep
concern
over
the
high
mortality
rate
and
demanded
to
know
what
actions
the
hospital
has
taken
to
address
the
crisis.

“The
Bulawayo
Chapter
has
noted
with
concern
that
Mpilo
Central
Hospital
has
recorded
a
total
of
280
child
deaths
over
the
past
four
months,
with
neonatal
deaths
accounting
for
many
of
these.
This
is
a
distressing
revelation
for
the
bereaved
families
and
Bulawayo
at
large,”
the
complaint
stated.

The
coalition
emphasised
the
urgency
of
the
matter,
citing
Section
76
(1)
of
the
Zimbabwean
Constitution,
which
guarantees
citizens
the
right
to
basic
healthcare
services,
including
reproductive
healthcare.

“The
recent
surge
in
infant
mortality
rates
at
this
hospital
is
alarming
and
unacceptable.
Despite
international
efforts
to
reduce
child
mortality,
our
facility
has
seen
a
disturbing
trend
of
preventable
deaths.
Inadequate
staffing,
outdated
equipment,
and
insufficient
training
for
healthcare
personnel
have
contributed
to
substandard
care,”
the
complaint
continued.
“Moreover,
inadequate
antenatal
and
postnatal
care,
poor
infection
control,
and
delayed
referrals
have
exacerbated
the
situation.”

WCoZ
highlighted
that
neonatal
mortality
remains
a
pressing
global
issue,
with
approximately
2.8
million
newborns
dying
each
year,
mostly
in
low-
and
middle-income
countries.

“In
Zimbabwe,
the
neonatal
mortality
rate
stands
at
34
deaths
per
1,000
live
births,
exceeding
the
regional
average.
Prematurity,
birth
asphyxia,
and
infections
account
for
many
of
these
deaths.
Despite
progress,
Zimbabwe
aims
to
reduce
its
neonatal
mortality
rate
to
12
deaths
per
1,000
live
births
by
2030,
aligning
with
the
Sustainable
Development
Goals,”
the
coalition
stated.

WCoZ
called
for
an
investigation
into
the
causes
of
the
neonatal
deaths
and
urged
the
hospital
to
improve
its
service
delivery,
particularly
in
maternity
and
neonatal
care.

“Urgent
attention
and
investment
in
newborn
care
are
crucial
to
address
this
critical
public
health
concern
and
ensure
the
country
meets
its
targets,”
the
coalition
stressed.
“It
is
important
to
investigate
what
is
causing
these
neonatal
deaths
at
Mpilo
Hospital
and
amplify
the
need
for
improved
service
delivery
in
government
hospitals.”

During
their
visit,
WCoZ
members
engaged
with
hospital
officials,
including
the
Public
Relations
Office,
who
promised
to
forward
their
concerns
to
Chief
Medical
Officer
Dr.
Narcisius
Dzvanga.

The
coalition
also
requested
access
to
current
statistics
on
infant
mortality
to
assess
the
effectiveness
of
any
measures
the
hospital
has
implemented.

“Granting
WCoZ
access
to
current
statistics
will
be
greatly
appreciated
as
this
will
enable
the
women’s
movement
to
gauge
the
effectiveness
of
measures
employed
in
responding
to
this
crisis,”
the
coalition
said.

Meanwhile,
concerns
have
been
raised
by
other
patients
about
inadequate
care
at
Mpilo,
citing
instances
where
newborns
were
removed
from
incubators
prematurely
to
make
room
for
other
babies
with
critical
conditions,
potentially
compromising
their
health.

Additional
issues
include
a
lack
of
basic
amenities
such
as
water,
with
some
women
in
the
maternity
ward
forced
to
bring
water
from
home
or
use
buckets,
creating
an
unhealthy
environment.

One
patient
expressed
disappointment
with
the
hospital’s
conditions,
recounting
an
experience
where
women
were
told
to
bring
water
from
home.
“There
is
no
water
in
the
hospital,
or
women
must
fill
buckets.
These
are
women
who
have
just
given
birth
or
are
bleeding,
who
need
a
clean
toilet
and
a
generally
clean
environment,”
the
patient
said.

Hospital
sources
revealed
that
Mpilo
Central
Hospital
is
grappling
with
severe
resource
shortages,
including
a
lack
of
medical
equipment
and
staff.
“The
hospital
has
limited
resources,”
one
source
said.
“There’s
no
medication
or
water;
we
have
the
knowledge
to
save
lives
but
nothing
to
use.”

The
hospital’s
challenges
are
further
compounded
by
staffing
issues,
with
doctors
overburdened
and
key
specialists
unavailable
for
extended
periods.
“The
only
neurosurgeon
was
on
leave
for
two
months,
and
during
that
time,
people
were
not
operated
on,”
another
source
disclosed.

WCoZ
has
requested
that
the
hospital’s
management
provide
a
detailed
response
to
their
concerns,
including
specific
measures
taken
to
reduce
infant
mortality
and
improve
overall
care.

“We
expect
prompt
and
decisive
action
from
Mpilo
Central
Hospital
to
address
this
critical
issue,”
said
Ngwenya.
“As
we
await
a
response
from
the
hospital,
the
community
is
also
watching
closely,
hoping
for
improvements
at
Mpilo.”

Minister
of
Justice,
Legal,
and
Parliamentary
Affairs,
Ziyambi
Ziyambi,
who
also
serves
as
the
leader
of
government
business
in
Parliament,
revealed
this
stance
on
Wednesday
while
responding
to
questions
from
legislators.

Unlike
other
cities,
Bulawayo
has
faced
a
severe
raw
water
shortage
for
decades,
a
situation
that
residents
and
local
leaders
say
requires
immediate
attention.
The
Bulawayo
City
Council
(BCC)
reported
that
the
city’s
supply
dams
are
down
to
just
29%
capacity,
intensifying
calls
for
government
intervention
and
external
funding
to
address
the
crisis.

However,
Ziyambi
dismissed
these
concerns,
stating
that
the
government
does
not
believe
the
situation
warrants
a
national
disaster
declaration.
He
accused
Bulawayo’s
city
officials
of
mismanagement,
which
he
said
has
worsened
the
crisis.

“We
have
refrained
from
declaring
a
disaster
where
we
feel
there
is
mismanagement
by
our
local
authorities.
The
majority
of
our
local
authorities,
including
Harare,
even
have
their
billing
systems
in
shambles,”
Ziyambi
said.

“If
there
are
local
authorities
that
should
not
be
broke,
they
are
Harare
and
Bulawayo,
but
for
the
past
20
or
so
years,
they
have
failed
in
their
roles
as
city
leaders.”

Ziyambi
added
that
before
the
government
could
consider
declaring
a
disaster,
it
needed
to
address
the
administrative
failures
of
the
council.

“We
are
now
working
to
upgrade
the
systems
because
they
have
failed.
When
we
feel
that
we
need
help
after
dealing
with
our
local
authorities,
then
we
can
act,
but
for
now,
we
do
not
believe
there
is
an
issue
that
requires
a
national
disaster
declaration,”
he
added.

Ziyambi’s
response
came
after
Bulawayo
MP
Dr
Thokozani
Khupe
questioned
why
the
government
had
not
declared
the
city
a
water
shortage
area
to
allow
stakeholders
to
mobilize
resources.

She
stressed
that
such
a
declaration
could
help
Bulawayo
access
external
funding
and
bring
a
permanent
resolution
to
the
crisis,
noting
that
many
residents
had
gone
weeks
without
water,
forcing
them
to
rely
on
unsafe
sources
and
raising
the
risk
of
waterborne
diseases
like
cholera
and
diarrhoea.

Dr
Khupe
pointed
out
that
the
government
has
been
rehabilitating
boreholes
in
the
Nyamandlovu
aquifer,
a
critical
water
source
for
Bulawayo,
but
that
the
water
output
has
fallen
dramatically,
exacerbating
the
city’s
water
woes.

“My
question
is
motivated
by
the
fact
that
since
2023,
the
government
has
been
rehabilitating
part
of
the
22
broken
boreholes
in
the
Nyamandlovu
aquifer
as
a
way
of
restoring
the
volume
of
pumped
water
to
Bulawayo
to
16
megalitres
per
day
amid
the
prevailing
water
shortages,”
said
Dr
Khupe.
“The
aquifer
water
has
dropped
to
about
five
megalitres
per
day,
against
a
potential
of
26.”

In
response,
Ziyambi
claimed
the
government
was
committed
to
solving
Bulawayo’s
water
problems
and
acknowledged
the
importance
of
the
Gwayi-Shangani
project.
“Once
that
is
complete,
we
will
solve
the
problem
of
water,”
he
stated.

The
minister
also
disputed
Bulawayo
Mayor
David
Coltart’s
assertions
that
the
city
has
a
shortage
of
raw
water,
saying
the
immediate
shortages
are
due
to
outdated
infrastructure
rather
than
insufficient
water
resources.

“What
we
have
realised
is
that
the
current
water
shortages
in
Bulawayo
are
not
due
to
insufficient
raw
water,
but
because
the
water
reticulation
system
is
outdated,”
Ziyambi
said.
“We
have
agreed
that
instead
of
scattering
projects
across
the
country,
we
will
focus
on
one
area
and
refurbish
it
completely
before
moving
on
to
the
next.”

Ziyambi
also
announced
that
Bulawayo
would
be
the
first
city
to
benefit
from
a
planned
overhaul
of
the
country’s
water
reticulation
systems,
though
he
did
not
provide
a
timeline.

“We
are
going
to
start
with
Bulawayo
because
we
need
to
replace
all
the
pipes
and
redo
the
water
reticulation
system
to
ensure
continuous
water
delivery.
This
is
not
a
project
that
will
be
completed
overnight,
but
we
have
committed
to
starting
with
Bulawayo,
even
before
the
completion
of
the
Gwayi-Shangani
project,”
Ziyambi
stated.

Meanwhile,
Dr
Khupe
urged
the
government
to
accelerate
its
efforts,
calling
on
ministers
to
push
the
Ministry
of
Finance
to
adequately
fund
the
Gwayi-Shangani
project,
which
has
been
in
development
for
years
and
is
seen
as
key
to
resolving
Bulawayo’s
water
crisis.

“I
would
urge
you
ministers
to
push
the
Minister
of
Finance
to
adequately
fund
the
Gwayi-Shangani
project
because
once
that
happens,
Bulawayo’s
problems
will
be
a
thing
of
the
past.
There
will
be
a
green
belt,
allowing
communities
to
grow
crops,
and
poverty
and
hunger
will
be
a
thing
of
the
past,”
she
said.

Despite
these
discussions,
residents
remain
frustrated,
accusing
the
government
of
politicizing
essential
services
and
ignoring
the
city’s
urgent
needs.
They
argue
that
the
failure
to
declare
Bulawayo
a
water
disaster
area
is
an
indirect
form
of
sabotage,
preventing
the
city
from
accessing
the
external
resources
it
desperately
needs
to
resolve
the
crisis.

The
incident
allegedly
occurred
when
Sabelo
Dube,
who
had
been
sent
to
the
shops
in
Lukona,
was
caught
in
a
crossfire
as
police
released
dogs
to
disperse
a
crowd
gathered
at
the
shops.

In
an
interview
with
CITE,
Sabelo’s
uncle,
Collen
Mpofu,
explained
that
the
police,
accompanied
by
their
dogs,
were
deployed
to
the
area
following
news
of
a
gold
discovery
at
a
nearby
claim
in
Kenilworth.

“There
is
gold
that
was
discovered
in
Kenilworth,
and
it
seems
the
police,
under
the
instruction
of
one
Dumisani
who
oversees
the
mine
left
to
him
by
his
father,
were
directed
to
go
to
that
place.
The
police
arrived
at
Lukona
shops
with
dogs,
and
people
who
were
seated
there
started
running
away.
Sabelo,
who
had
been
sent
to
the
shops,
was
caught
in
that
chaos
and
was
severely
bitten
by
the
dogs,”
Mpofu
said.

The
uncle
said
after
the
attack,
the
police
were
seen
searching
for
Sabelo,
possibly
to
assist
him.
“It
seems
he
wasn’t
the
only
one
who
was
bitten;
other
elderly
people
were
attacked
as
well,”
he
noted.

Sabelo
was
taken
to
Lukona
Clinic,
where
staff
determined
that
his
wounds
were
too
severe
and
transferred
him
to
Nyathi
Hospital.

“When
the
family
stopped
by
the
police
station
in
Nyathi
for
a
police
report
of
the
incident,
the
police
recorded
that
the
boy
was
bitten
by
the
dogs
at
the
mine
instead
of
at
the
shops.
The
mine
is
2km
from
the
shops,
and
to
access
the
mine,
you
have
to
pass
by
the
shops,”
the
uncle
said,
accusing
police
of
misreporting
the
circumstances.

“The
police
hadn’t
even
reached
the
mine
at
the
time
of
the
incident.
Sabelo’s
mother
only
realised
later
while
at
the
hospital
that
the
police
had
misreported
the
location
of
the
incident,”
Mpofu
also
mentioned
that
Nyathi
Hospital
had
intended
to
admit
Sabelo,
but
due
to
the
high
transport
costs
and
the
distance
from
home,
the
family
opted
to
have
his
dressings
done
at
Lukona
Clinic.

“One
injection
costs
US$20,
so
he
is
being
treated
at
home,”
he
said.

Mpofu
also
revealed
that
other
people
who
were
bitten
by
the
police
dogs,
included
another
relative
of
theirs,
Kholwani
Khabo,
who
sustained
worse
injuries
than
Sabelo.

“We
have
another
relative,
Kholwani
Khabo
who
has
worse
wounds
but
he
has
now
been
arrested.
After
he
was
bitten
by
the
dogs
and
when
police
went
to
him,
they
searched
and
found 
imbanje
(mariuana)
in
his
pocket,
so
they
are
now
focusing
on
that
charge.
He
appeared
in
court
today,”
said
Mpofu.

Sabelo’s
mother,
Priscila
Nkomazana
expressed
her
frustration
over
the
police’s
misrepresentation
of
the
incident.

“I
had
sent
my
son
to
the
shops.
What’s
not
true
about
the
police
report
is
that
they
claimed
my
child
was
at
the
mine.
Other
villagers
even
testified
that
he
was
at
the
shops.
This
does
not
sit
well
with
me.
I
only
noticed
while 
waiting
for
a
doctor
that
the
police
had
recorded
wrong
information,
saying
Sabelo
was
found
at
the
mine.
Other
villagers
saw
him
as
well
and
are
testifying
that
he
was
at
the
shops,”
she
said.

Meanwhile,
Nkomazana
said
Sabelo
was
given
four
injections
against
rabies
and
will
receive
additional
ones
after
seven
days.

“Sabelo
will
be
going 
to
the
clinic
daily
for
wound
treatment
since
the
wounds
need
more
attention
than
just
water
and
betadine,”
said
the
mother.

She
also
claimed
that
the
police
had
requested
her
personal
details
but
had
not
contacted
her
since.

When
contacted
for
comment
Matabeleland
North
Provincial
Police
Spokesperson
Inspector
Glory
Banda
said
he
was
in
Harare
and
referred
queries
to
the
acting
police
spokesperson
Sergeant
Namatirai
Mashona
who
stated
she
was
attending
a
funeral.

By
Ndumiso
Tshuma

This
advice
comes
amid
accusations
that
some
current
councillors
have
exhibited
poor
leadership,
displayed
power-hungry
tendencies,
and
failed
to
measure
up
to
former
Bulawayo
leaders
like
Japhet
Ndabeni
Ncube,
the
late
Abel
Siwela,
or
other
respected
mayors.

Speaking
at
a
memorial
meeting
held
on
Wednesday
in
honour
of
the
late
Alderman
Colin
Stuart
Lumsden
who
died
early
this
month
in
the
United
Kingdom,
Coltart
suggested
that
current
councillors
should
organise
an
annual
meeting
to
benefit
from
the
insights
of
former
leaders,
particularly
aldermen.

“We
need
to
draw
on
the
wisdom
and
experience
of
our
former
councillors
and
aldermen,
particularly
our
aldermen.
We
should
organise
a
meeting
at
least
once
a
year
to
gain
the
benefit
of
their
insight,
to
frankly
discuss
what
is
not
being
done
right
and
what
needs
to
be
improved,”
Coltart
said.

“Any
nation,
any
city
that
fails
to
draw
on
the
wisdom
of
those
who
have
been
there
before
is
destined
for
failure.”

The
mayor
further
explained
that
the
purpose
of
conducting
an
annual
meeting
within
the
council’s
calendar
is
to
facilitate
a
dialogue
between
current
councillors
and
former
leaders,
especially
those
who
have
earned
their
stripes.

“The
current
body
of
councillors
can
meet
with
past
aldermen
and
other
interested
councillors,
particularly
those
who
have
earned
their
stripes,
to
hear
from
them
and
benefit
from
their
experience.
This
would
also
honour
the
late
Alderman
Lumsden
and
other
aldermen
who
have
passed
on,”
Coltart
added.

Alderman
Lumsden
was
born
on
23
December
1947
in
Glasgow,
Scotland
and
died
on
August
12,
2024
and
was
buried
in
that
country.

Reflecting
on
Lumsden’s
career,
which
began
on
August
3,
1978,
as
the
councillor
for
Ward
3
in
Bulawayo,
Coltart
highlighted
his
resilience,
noting
his
re-elections
in
1989
and
1991,
and
his
dedicated
service
until
July
2003,
even
through
challenges
and
defeats.

“He
served
the
city
for
a
remarkable
23
years,
showing
persistence
by
being
re-elected
even
after
facing
defeat,”
said
Coltart.

Coltart
also
recalled
Lumsden’s
elevation
to
the
high
honour
of
Alderman
on
July
20,
1991,
stating
that
he
was
truly
worthy
of
a
memorial
special
council
meeting.
He
praised
Lumsden
for
dedicating
his
energy
to
the
betterment
of
Bulawayo,
calling
him
a
man
of
integrity
whose
contributions
will
not
be
forgotten.

“Alderman
Lumsden
was
someone
worthy
of
today’s
memorial
special
council
meeting.
He
dedicated
many
decades
to
the
city
of
Bulawayo
as
a
man
of
integrity,
striving
for
its
betterment,”
said
Coltart.

By
Costa
Nkomo

The
ban,
effective
from
September
6,
2024,
was
announced
through
Statutory
Instrument
150/2024.
This
move
is
aimed
at
strengthening
the
country’s
biofuels
policy
and
encouraging
the
use
of
locally
produced
ethanol.

Zimbabwe
Energy
Regulatory
Authority
(ZERA)
Chief
Executive
Officer
Eddington
Mazambani
explained
that
the
decision
addresses
the
declining
uptake
of
ethanol
blending,
which
had
been
compromised
by
loopholes
in
existing
regulations.

“Since
90
percent
of
our
fuel
is
supplied
through
the
pipeline,
blending
ethanol
with
unleaded
petrol
could
result
in
significant
forex
savings
and
contribute
to
greening
our
economy.
Ethanol
production
also
plays
a
role
in
carbon
capture
within
the
country,”
Mazambani
told
CITE.

Mazambani
noted
that
private
players,
aside
from
NOIC,
had
exploited
legal
loopholes
to
import
unleaded
petrol
by
road,
bypassing
the
pipeline
and
undermining
the
ethanol
blending
initiative.

“People
began
importing
petrol
by
road
and
blending
it
independently,
leading
to
a
significant
drop
in
the
demand
for
ethanol.
We
have
now
tightened
the
regulations
to
ensure
full
adoption
of
the
biofuels
policy.”

The
new
regulations,
detailed
in
the
Petroleum
(Mandatory
Blending
of
Anhydrous
Ethanol
with
Unleaded
Petrol)
(Amendment)
Regulations,
2024
(No.
6),
effectively
repeal
and
replace
Section
3
of
the
previous
regulations.
These
changes,
mandating
the
blending
of
imported
unleaded
petrol
with
ethanol,
will
take
effect
seven
days
after
their
publication.

The
government
argues
that
the
ban
will
reduce
reliance
on
imported
fuel
by
promoting
ethanol
blending,
thereby
decreasing
the
need
for
foreign
currency
to
import
unleaded
petrol.

Additionally,
the
policy
supports
environmental
sustainability,
as
ethanol
production
is
considered
a
more
environmentally
friendly
option
compared
to
fossil
fuels,
helping
to
reduce
greenhouse
gas
emissions.

HARARE
–
Police
rounded
up
22
children
who
were
begging
on
Harare’s
streets
and
handed
them
over
to
the
department
of
social
welfare.

Police
carried
out
an
operation
in
response
to
a
viral
social
media
post
which
showed
children
begging
for
money
outside
Joina
City
mall
in
Harare.

In
a
statement
on
Friday,
police
said
they
had
also
removed
from
the
streets
guardians
who
were
in
some
instances
using
the
children
to
solicit
donations
on
their
behalf,
some
of
them
disabled.

National
police
spokesman
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
said:
“On
August
23,
police
in
Harare
in
conjunction
with
the
department
of
social
welfare
carried
out
an
operation
in
the
streets
of
Harare
removing
children
and
their
guardians
who
were
begging
for
food
in
Harare
CBD.”

The
operation
targeted
mainly
Ruzende
Street,
Joina
City
and
Town
House
areas.

Nyathi
added:
“As
a
result,
22
children
and
their
guardians
were
handed
over
to
the
department
of
social
welfare.

“Guardians
are
implored
not
to
use
children
and
the
disabled
to
beg
for
money
and
food
in
the
streets
as
they
risk
arrest
for
violating
the
country’s
laws
protecting
children.”

Growing
poverty
across
Zimbabwe
and
lack
of
central
government
support
for
the
disabled
has
fuelled
street
begging
and
homelessness.

NRZ
hauled
12
million
tons
of
cargo
annually
at
its
1990s
peak,
but
now
manages
less
than
3
million
tons
owing
to
a
lack
of
locomotives
and
poor
maintenance
of
its
rail
infrastructure.

The
collapse
also
followed
a
sharp
decline
in
agricultural
and
mineral
output,
triggered
by
the
violent
seizure
of
white-owned
farms
championed
by
Zimbabwe’s
former
leader
Robert
Mugabe
in
2000.

However,
mineral
output
is
on
the
rebound,
mainly
driven
by
chrome
and
lithium
demand
from
China.

They
export
the
minerals
to
China
through
Mozambique’s
ports,
and
the
growing
commodity
export
volumes
exceed
the
NRZ’s
current
capacity.
The
state-owned
group
is
now
looking
to
restore
its
capacity
with
the
aid
of
private
companies.

“Last
year
we
uplifted
2.8
million
tons
against
available
business
of
3
million
tons,”
NRZ
spokesperson
Andrew
Kunambura
told
Reuters
in
an
interview
on
Wednesday.

“So
these
private
companies
are
coming
in
with
their
locomotives
and
wagons
to
augment
what
we
have.”

Grindrod,
through
its
Zimbabwean
subsidiary
Beitbridge
Bulawayo
Railway,
has
deployed
three
locomotives
and
150
wagons
since
March
as
part
of
the
arrangement.

The
South
African
logistics
company
is
positioning
itself
for
freight
rail
partnerships
in
southern
Africa
as
under-funded
state-owned
operators
open
up
their
creaking
networks
to
private
investors.

The
mineral-rich
region
holds
some
of
the
world’s
biggest
deposits
of
copper
and
lithium,
needed
for
cleaner
energy,
and
is
seeing
growth
in
new
mining
projects
which
require
expanded
rail
capacity.

Grindrod
has
restructured
its
rail
business
to
take
advantage
of
emerging
market
opportunities
in
the
region,
CEO
Xolani
Mbambo
told
analysts
last
week.

The
company
has
recently
agreed
a
partnership
with
the
DRC’s
inland
railway
company
and
says
it
is
ready
to
partner
South
Africa’s
Transnet,
which
also
plans
to
open
up
its
network
to
private
players.
–
Reuters

HARARE
–
Zanu
PF
Mazowe
North
MP
Tsungai
Makumbe
is
in
trouble
after
he
allegedly
raped
his
ex-wife
at
gun
point.

The
rape,
prosecutors
allege,
resulted
in
pregnancy
and
the
complainant
was
also
infected
with
HIV
and
Sexually
Transmitted
Diseases
by
the
politician.

Makumbe
briefly
appeared
before
magistrate
Marehwanazvo
Gofa
facing
rape
charges.

He
was
remanded
out
of
custody
and
bail
issues
did
not
arise
because
he
was
coming
from
home.

Makumbe
is
expected
back
in
court
on
October
3
for
routine
remand.

Representing
the
National
Prosecuting
Authority
(NPA),
Lancelot
Mutsokoti
said
the
alleged
rape
took
place
in
November
2023.

It
is
alleged
that
Makumbe
went
to
the
complainant’s
place
of
residence
around
10pm.

He
called
his
ex-wife
outside
the
premises
and
she
complied.

“The
accused
person
proposed
love
to
the
complainant,
but
the
complainant
refused.

“The
accused
person
pulled
out
a
greyish
pistol
and
placed
it
on
the
dashboard.
He
got
out
of
the
car
from
the
driver
seat
and
proceeded
to
the
passenger
seat
where
the
complainant
was
seated
and
opened
the
passenger
door
where
the
complainant
was
seated
and
started
to
demand
sex
from
the
complainant.

“The
accused
person
suddenly
pulled
the
complainant’s
left
leg
down
and
twisted
it
and
that
led
the
complainant
to
stand
on
the
ground.”

It
is
alleged
he
forced
the
complainant
to
bend
before
he
raped
her
once
without
using
protection.

The
rape
was
not
reported.

Makumbe
is
alleged
to
have
given
the
complainant
US$20
to
buy
some
morning-after
pills
to
prevent
pregnancy.

After
the
incident,
the
complainant
was
treated
at
Parirenyatwa
Hospital
where
she
tested
positive
for
HIV.

A
report
was
filed
on
September
2
this
year.