HARARE – Analysts say disaffected Zanu PF stalwarts who have broken ranks with President Robert Mugabe to coalesce under the banner and principles of the “original Zanu PF”, have realistic chances of becoming a formidable political force. A Zanu PF central committee member who refused to be named for fear of reprisals told the Daily…
HARARE – President Robert Mugabe has said if he was a dictator he would have “taken the head” of Ian Smith, the late former Rhodesian leader. Trying to recapture the old revolutionary fervour of those times, Mugabe spent nearly an hour recounting the history of British colonialism and the unfairness of its rule, leaving only…
HARARE – With hundreds of students in the country failing to access their results, as they have outstanding fees — the move by the government to increase “O” Level examination fees and proposals to make parents contribute, at appropriate Grade levels, towards the running of Grade Seven examinations — has been described as heartless. Zimbabwe…
HARARE – Goodrich Chimbaira, the national chairman of the smaller MDC faction led by Welshman Ncube, has crossed the floor to join Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC. Chimbaira, a former Zengeza East MP, has rejoined the party he helped form back in 1999. The floor-crossing follows Chimbaira’s suspension from the Ncube outfit on Wednesday on allegations of…
HARARE – Playing the mbira has kept Canada-based musician Evelyn Mukwedeya in touch with her Zimbabwean roots. Mukwedeya’s mbira-playing prowess has enabled her to create links with internationally acclaimed artistes in Canada from her base in Toronto where she has lived for over a decade. “Being a mbira player has been a big part of…
HARARE – Members of late sungura music star Leonard Dembo’s family are reportedly in the process of suing South Africa-based musician Mitchell Jambo who allegedly made an unauthorised release of the Chitekete singer’s DVD. Tendai Dembo, the son of the late celebrated musician who now leads his father’s former backing band the Barura Express, confirmed…
HARARE – Abra Simzz, whose Abra Records produced Jamaican star Red Rat’s song ‘Rise Up Zimbabwe,’ is delighted with the progress his music stable is making on the international stage. The popular producer, who was born Simukai Mandizvidzva, believes the partnership Abra Records entered into with international record label Patron House Productions will spawn sustained…
WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned Iran over its alleged support for Houthi rebels in Yemen. He said the US would support any state in the Middle East that felt threatened by Iran, and would not “stand by” if Iran destabilised the region. The US is backing a Saudi-led coalition seeking…
HARARE – Former Pengaudzoke producer Peter Muparutsa says Daiton Somanje’s death has robbed Zimbabwe of a musician who was instrumental in creating a unique brand of sungura music. Daiton succumbed to meningitis on Tuesday evening at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals at the age of 49. The Mutare-born Muparutsa produced several albums by Pengaudzoke, co-led by…
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s tobacco sales have declined by 27 percent to $60 million since the opening of the 2015 selling season last month compared to $81 million recorded in the same period last year due to lower prices. This has resulted in farmers delivering 23 million kilogrammes (kg) of the golden leaf to the country’s…
