Takunda Maodza Senior Reporter
THE team appointed by the Government to revive Chitungwiza Municipality is reportedly costing council thousands of dollars in salaries and allowances.
Workers are threatening industrial action and have since served council with a strike notice citing the allowances the team is getting at a time when they have gone for months without pay.

The team, led by Manicaland provincial administrator Mr Fungai Mbetsa, was appointed by Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo in January this year.
Workers are alleging that Mr Mbetsa is getting US$26 525 in salaries and allowances per month, his deputy about US$14 500 while committee members get about US$13 500 each.

There are five committee members and two more with a legal background have been added to the team.
Allegations are that each member of the committee gets US$375 for entertainment, US$300 airtime, US$300 lunch and US$200 for other necessities.

The allowances are reportedly payable after 10 days and this translates to US$1 175 and US$3 525 a month.
By virtue of being chairperson of the team, Mr Mbetsa allegedly gets US$4 175 in allowances after every 10 days and council also forks out US$2 000 weekly for his hotel bills.

Herald Reporter
THERE were mixed reactions from constitutional experts last week to President Mugabe’s remarks

Felex Share Herald Reporter
MHONDORO-MUBAIRA legislator Cde Sylvester Nguni has urged communal farmers to complement

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
AIR Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd has secured an A320 airbus for leasing as Government intensified efforts to revive the fortunes of the national airline.
Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche told The Herald last week that Air Zimbabwe took delivery of the new plane way before Government disbanded the company.
Government last week dissolved Air   Zimbabwe Holdings and formed a new State-owned company, Air Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd.
An interim board to oversee the operations of the new company was immediately set up.
Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development permanent secretary Mr Patson

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
A FARMER, who suffered permanent disability and lost a Mercedes Benz in an accident 13 years ago, was last week awarded damages to the tune of 662 000 Botswana pula and some Zimbabwean dollars.
Mr Robson Makoni lost employment with a Botswana firm in which he was getting P40 000 monthly as a result of the accident.
He is now into farming in Rusape.
Although the driver, who caused the accident died the same day, Mr Makoni successfully claimed damages from the man’s employer, Cold Chain Private Limited.
In a Supreme Court ruling availed last week, retired judge Justice Wilson Sandura awarded Mr Makoni P616 260 as compensation for loss

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
THE European Union has invited Zimbabwe to resume re-engagement talks to explore ways of normalising relations.
The dialogue is expected to resume end of this month or early next month.
The invitation comes at a time the European bloc has removed some individuals and companies from its illegal sanctions regime.
Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha last week told The Herald that Zimbabwe was only waiting for an invitation from the EU. 
In an interview last Friday, EU Head of Delegation in Zimbabwe Ambassador Aldo Dell’ Ariccia said they had since sent an invitation to the Government. He said the invitation was

Health Reporter
THERE is need to create a funding mechanism similar to the Aids Levy aimed at responding to the growing

Bulawayo Bureau
THE Annual Chiefs’ Conference ended here yesterday with Vice President John Nkomo urging chiefs to shun

Vimbai Sibanda Herald Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Football Association chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya got back her passport permanently after she successfully applied to have her bail conditions relaxed.
Rushwaya, the alleged mastermind of the Asiagate scandal in which top Zifa officials were reportedly involved in match-fixing, last month had part of her bail terms temporarily suspended to allow her to attend business meetings in South Africa and Dubai.

She is facing 11 counts of concealing transactions from a principal, two counts of fraud and 15 others of bribery involving US$1 million.

When she first appeared in court, Rushwaya was granted US$500 bail coupled with stringent conditions.
She was ordered to report to the police once every fortnight, not to interfere with investigations and to surrender her passport to the Clerk of Court until the case is finalised.

Yesterday, the Attorney-General’s Office consented to Rushwaya’s request to have her passport back.
The AG’s Office said Rushwaya had known of the investigations against her as far back as 2010, but she never tried to interfere or escape.
It was also indicated that Rushwaya had on several occasions been temporarily given back her passport and she never fled.
Her lawyer, Mr Jonathan Samukange of Samukange and Venturas, said the State will not suffer any prejudice by

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has disbanded Air Zimbabwe Holdings and formed a new State-owned company, Air Zimbabwe Private Limited.
National Handling Services, a subsidiary of Air Zimbabwe Holdings, will now operate as a stand-alone company.
An interim board to oversee operations of the new company has since been appointed.

Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche said Cabinet had since approved the formation of the new airline.

He said an extraordinary annual general meeting of shareholders will be held on March 20 to pass resolutions required by the law to effect the changes.
Shareholders of the new airline are the Ministries of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development and Finance.

Minister Goche said Government would urgently seek a strategic partner on the basis of an equity shareholding amid indications that foreign airlines and some investors were eyeing stake in the new firm.
He, however, declined to name the interested investors.
Secretary for Transport Mr Patson Mbiriri chairs the interim board.
Other board members include Mr Andrew Bvumbe (Finance), Dr Sylvester Maunganidze (Tourism and Hospitality), Ms Florence Nhekairo (Environment and Natural Resources Management), Mr Eliah Mutowo (State

A MASVINGO magistrate has refused to solemnise Dzivaresekwa legislator Ms Evelyn Masaiti’s marriage to a 37-year-old Cameroonian amid reports the prospective groom failed to produce an original certificate of clearance from his home country that he is a bachelor.

Ms Masaiti (47), a former Deputy Minister of Women’s Affairs, Gender and Community Development, of Eastlea, Harare, wanted to marry Mr Protais Pentecote Ayina from Yaoundé last Thursday.
The MDC-T legislator, who is a widow, had applied before Masvingo provincial magistrate Mr Jabulani Mzinyathi to marry Mr

Ayina under Chapter 5:11 of the Marriages Act.
However, Mr Mzinyathi blocked the marriage after ruling that Mr Ayina did not have original documents proving that he was not married back home.

Under Zimbabwean laws, a foreigner is allowed to marry a Zimbabwean woman after convincing authorities that he is not legally marred in his home country.

The Masvingo provincial magistrate ordered Mr Ayina to produce original documents showing his marital status and not scanned documents before he could be allowed to marry Ms Masaiti.
Noting that the couple resided at Number 46 North Hampton Crescent, Eastlea, Harare, Mr Mzinyathi questioned the reason for travelling all the way from Harare to Masvingo to solemnise the marriage.
Sources at the Masvingo Civil Court yesterday said Ms Masaiti and her would-be husband left the court fuming and reportedly castigated Mr Mzinyathi for refusing to allow the marriage to take place.