FAITH NDOU
GWERU- A dispute over the distribution of 10kg bags of donated rice has landed two visually impaired men before the Gweru Magistrates Court, with one seeking a peace order against the other following a WhatsApp audio dispute.
Mthandazo Moyo applied for a peace order against Paul Gumbo under Section 388 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07], alleging that Gumbo insulted him in a WhatsApp group.
The matter was heard before Gweru Magistrate Brian Dube, who ultimately dismissed Moyo’s application after finding that the electronic evidence presented had not been properly authenticated and did not establish a breach of the peace.
Gumbo opposed the application, arguing that Moyo had failed to provide sufficient evidence showing that he was likely to breach the peace or assault him.
He disputed Moyo’s account of the alleged exchange and said Moyo should produce the voice note containing the alleged insults.
Gumbo also alleged that Moyo had accused him of being a thief in the same WhatsApp group, describing his own response as criticism rather than conduct warranting a peace order.
The court papers indicate that the dispute arose in the aftermath of the Disability Expo in Masvingo, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa donated 90 tonnes of rice.
The rice distribution subsequently became a point of contention among persons with disabilities in Gweru with beneficiaries reportedly receiving 10kg per household including households where a person lived with an assistant.
Gumbo alleged that Moyo was unhappy with the administration and distribution of the donated rice and was using the court process to intervene in the matter.
Moyo said the alleged insulting exchange took place on August 1, 2026 after he raised concerns relating to the Disability Expo. He indicated that he had audio recordings of the WhatsApp conversation.
However, after the matter was adjourned to allow him to produce the recordings, Moyo returned to court on August 27 with a document purporting to contain the conversation but without the audio recordings.
Magistrate Dube found that the electronic material had not been properly authenticated. The court also found that, even if the material had been admissible, the conversation did not establish the alleged insult or a breach of the peace sufficient to justify the order.
The application was therefore dismissed, with no order as to costs.
The dispute also comes against a history of political altercation between the two men.
Sources said Moyo contested for one of the Senate seats representing persons with disabilities in the 2023 elections, but was unsuccessful while Gumbo served as campaign manager for Annah Shiri, who was elected.
The previous political relationship between the two men adds another layer to the current dispute, which has now moved from disagreements over the distribution of donated rice and exchanges on WhatsApp to the courts.
