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Sport4peace unites Gweru political players

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By Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru Mayor, Councilor Martin Chivhoko has urged youths to value and uphold sports as it brings people together despite political or religious standing or belonging as the Sport4peace tournament brought unity to Gweru political players.
Chivhoko said this during the official opening of the Sport4peace tournament, which was held in Mkoba last week to unite youth in various political parties including Zanu PF, MDC and CCC, where he applauded the youths for agreeing to participate in the tournament.
“This gathering is a celebration of unity camaraderie and the transformative power of sports in fostering peace and understanding within our communities. As the Mayor of our city, I am deeply honored to witness the energy and passion that our youth bring to this event, your presence here today is a testament to your commitment to building a better future, one filled with harmony, respect and solidarity.
“As we gather to celebrate the spirit of youth sports, we reaffirm our commitment to harnessing its potential as a force for positive change. Through sports, our youth learn invaluable lessons in leadership, discipline and resilience qualities that are essential for navigating life’s challenges and contributing meaningfully to society,” said Chivhoko.
Chivhoko said sports were also important as they can be used to create relationships among people from various backgrounds.
“Beyond the physical prowess and competitive spirit, youth sports also serve as a platform for promoting peace and social cohesion. It is here, on the playing field that friendships are forged, differences are set aside and common goals are pursued together. In a world often marked by division and discord, the bonds formed through sports are a powerful antidote to hatred and prejudice.
“As we celebrate the achievements of our young athletes today, let us also remember the importance of nurturing a culture of peace and understanding in our communities. Let us commit ourselves to creating inclusive spaces where all youths, regardless of background or ability, feel welcomed and valued. Let us champion diversity, equality and inclusion both on and off the field,” he said.
Chivhoko thanked the organizers and sponsors who made the Youth Sports for Peace Gala possible and urged everyone to continue harnessing the power of sports in building a more peaceful and prosperous world for generations to come.
One of the events planners, Ebenezzar Women Trust Organization, Florence Guzha said she was grateful that the tournament had proved to be a success.
“The program went so well, that youths from various parties including Zanu PF, CCC participated and this reflected the unity of purpose among young people.
“The political situation of our country is greatly changing and this just shows that as a people despite our political standing we can join hands and be one in building the nation. If you recall last year, we gathered to remove posters in the street and we did this initiative together with the late Director of Nkabazwe Community Radio,” she added.
Three teams with mixed youths from Zanu PF, MDC and CCC participated in the tournament with team A winning in all the games after securing 6 points followed by Team C which had 4 points and lastly Team B with 2 points.
All the teams were awarded the peace trophies each and medals for participating

ZDA urges church leaders to infuse religion, science in diabetes fight

By Bright Zhou

Zimbabwe Diabetes Association (ZDA) has urged various church leaders in Zaka to infuse religion and science in the fight against Diabetes during a Bishop Say Workshop on Diabetes held in Zaka recently.
Speaking during the workshop where about 60 leaders from different churches were in attendance, ZDA vice president Bishop Jeremiah Matenhese said they had realized the gap between religion and science was growing at the cost of general public and needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency to fight health challenges in the country.
“This workshop has been necessitated by a growing gap between religion and science which is growing at the cost of general public, we realize that there is need to close this gap by allowing religion and science to work together through a coordinated approach to the health challenges of our nation,” said Matenhese.
Matenhese said it was the first time for the organization to hold such a workshop where ZDA educated church leaders with the necessary information on prevention and management of Diabetes.
“This is the first workshop of its kind in Zimbabwe where ZDA has decided to equip leaders of churches with the necessary knowledge to ensure that the message of prevention and management can be effectively delivered to the generality of Zimbabweans,” said Matenhese.
Matenhese added that people should realize that religion is an important factor in the fight for a healthy nation and added that the organization was excited with the response from churches and the Ministry of Health and Childcare.
“It is important to realize that the religious sector and health ministry are equal forces, partners in the fight for the health of the nation and we are quite pleased by the response from the churches and efforts of the health ministry in this training,” said Matenhese.
Matenhese said the workshop covered various topics to do with diabetes including causes, signs and symptoms, management of diabetes among others.
“We covered some interesting topics including causes of diabetes, signs and symptoms of diabetes, management of diabetes and counseling, the lectures are going through all what we can regard as key in the management of diabetes,” said Matenhese.
He said without the proper statistics of diabetes, they cannot tell its prevalence but from what was on the ground the diabetes prevalence is so high, he added that this can raise the alarm to those who are concerned to play a role to prevent diabetes.
“Without proper statistics we might not be able to tell its prevalence but from what is on the table, the prevalence of diabetes is so high and this should raise an alarm to all those who are concerned to come on board in the prevention campaign to ensure that we create a healthy, happy, peaceful Zimbabwe,” said Matenhese.
Matenhese said many families suffered from Diabetes and high blood pressure and this has an emotional impact on the population
“Many families are under attack, in a group of ten people in Zimbabwe eight of them are on medication for diabetes or high blood pressure and that is becoming a lifestyle with its complications manner. You can imagine the emotional impact it is having on the population,” said Matenhese.
It is the mandate of the government of Zimbabwe to have awareness campaigns to save the health of many. Many people are living in frustration because of the impact of diabetes on their daily wellbeing.

Moyo further remanded

By Beatific Gumbwanda

Chiredzi Regional Court has further remanded Chiredzi’s Zanu PF godfather and former Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson, Francis Moyo to May 3, 2024, to pave way for the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to gather more evidence against the former boss over gross abuse of office as a public officer.
Moyo, who was Zanu PF Chiredzi Central 2023 Parliamentary candidate was arraigned before the courts by ZACC in early March over allegations of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer under the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23 where he was remanded out of custody with a US$500 bail.
The state represented by Ronald Kwangwari alleged that on May 14, 2013, a developer, Inotrade Investments, represented by Trinity Mutsetse applied for commonage stands in Chiredzi Township from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
It is further alleged that the accused person using his position as the town chairperson as well as chairperson of the Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative hatched a plan and corruptly benefitted from the 50 commonage stands reserved for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
The court heard that on December 17, 2014, Inotrade Investments and Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative entered into a partnership agreement to develop and construct 50 housing stands.
Investigations revealed that Inotrade Investments later handed over the project to Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative with the accused person being the Chairperson of the housing cooperative and the Chairperson of Chiredzi Town Council during that period.
Following the launch of an investigation on Chiredzi Town Council by the Local Government Ministry, from March 2016 to April 2016 known as the ‘Nhamo Report’, it was established that no land intrinsic value was paid to the ministry for the 50 residential stands.
It is alleged that Moyo’s actions led to the Ministry of Local Government suffering a prejudice of US$60 000 being the land’s intrinsic value that was payable.
Two lawyers, Charles Ndhlovu of Hwacha and Associates and Emmanuel Chibudu of the Manyika Law Chambers are representing Moyo while Magistrate Judith Juyu is presiding over the case.

Shock as Gutu man repeatedly rapes daughter

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By Bright Zhou

A 54-year-old Gutu man who has left the whole community in shock after allegedly bedding his 17-year-old daughter for three consecutive months appeared before Masvingo Regional Magistrate Bishard Chineka on April 8, 2024 facing rape charges.
Chineka remanded the accused person who could not be named to protect the complainant’s identity in custody for continuation of trial on April 17, 2024.
It is the state’s case as presented by Innocent Mudzingwa that sometime in March 2023, the complainant’s mother went to South Africa leaving the victim in custody of her father and other siblings.
Allegations are that on an unknown date during the month of August 2023 and at around 2300 hours, the accused person went to the complainant’s room where she was asleep and got into the complainant’s blankets while half-naked.
The court heard that the complainant screamed for help to no avail as her father was the only person awake at home with her siblings sleeping in their room. The accused threatened to kill the complainant if she continued screaming or disclosed the matter to anybody.
The accused person then raped the complainant and she did not report the matter to the police heeding her father’s threats.
It is alleged that the accused continued raping his daughter for three months from that time.
The matter came to light when the complainant opened up to some church members in October and told the church leader that her father had been consistently raping her and using her as his wife since August.
The church leader called the complainant’s father and told him to stop what he was doing to his daughter and tried to counsel him of which he denied that he had ever had sexual intercourse with her.
After the church service the accused person took the complainant home and assaulted her with a log for disclosing the matter. The complainant ran away from home and went to her aunt where she explained her ordeal.
The complainant and her aunt reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of the accused.

Diaspora remittances key to national development

… As Zim records 13 percent increase in diaspora financial remittances

By Beverly Bizeki

Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira has applauded the diaspora community for their participation in national development with the country recording a 13 percent increase in financial remittances from the diaspora community which he said is crucial for the country’s development agenda.
Speaking during a press briefing held at his Benjamin Burombo offices on April 9, 2024, prior to the second edition of the Diaspora Investment Conference, Chadzamira applauded the diaspora for contributing to the economy of the country.
“As you are aware over the past years, our diaspora community has been contributing immensely to the development of the economy through financial and social remittances. Financial remittances have increased by 13 percent to a total of US$1.8 billion in 2023 from US$1.6 billion in 2022. For this we applaud them, well-done compatriots,” said Chadzamira.
Chadzamira said the Diaspora Investment Conference to be held in Masvingo was the second edition and highlighted the importance of the diaspora community.
“The Diaspora community is an important constituency in the development of the country. The hosting of this conference is a demonstration of the government’s desire to create avenues through which our citizens abroad can actively participate in the current development trajectory by investing in productive sectors of the economy,” said Chadzamira.
Chadzamira said the conference will be segmented into business days and a homecoming event to appreciate the efforts of the diaspora community.
“The first two days of the conference have been dedicated as business days which will provide a platform for information sharing between the Zimbabwean Diaspora community and all stakeholders on the investment climate, opportunities across all sectors of the economy, incentives in Zimbabwe as well as discuss practical ways in which the diaspora can actively participate in the development of their country.
“April 13 has been set aside as a day to launch the homecoming event to acknowledge and celebrate our diaspora for their contribution to national development. We say to the diaspora tinotenda ngazvirambe zvakadaro. Indeed a country can only be built by its people,” said Chadzamira.
The event will be hosted by the Minister of State’s office together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade under the theme, ‘Celebrating Diaspora Participation through a Mutually Beneficial Partnership for National Development and Sustained Economic Growth.
It is expected to build upon the success of the Inaugural Diaspora Investment Conference that was held last year by the Foreign Affairs Ministry and International Trade in Bulawayo on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Zimbabwe (ZITF).
Over the past months, diaspora remittances have grown to be one of Zimbabwe’s large sources of foreign currency inflows after mining.

ZiG: Another currency crisis

… as civil servants reject salary in ZiG
…public displays no confident in new currency

By Beverly Bizeki/Perpetua Murungweni

As the country braces for the new currency (ZiG) which is expected to start circulating on April 30, civil servants and the general public have received it with pessimism despite the government showing much confidence in it.
Civil servants have widely rejected salaries in ZiG, arguing that it should at least be convertible across the region, saying the new currency was only new in name but is doomed to fail.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Dr Takavafira Zhou said civil servants were not prepared for salaries in local currency unless if it was convertible to other currencies across the region and it was only a matter of time before the currency crumbles.
“We are not comfortable with salary payable in local currency unless it is acceptable in the region and at border posts as well as payable across other sectors in the government. If that is the case then it could be permissible to pay civil servants’ salaries’ in local currency. Our perception and conviction is that Zimbabwe is not ready for a local currency and trying to pay civil servants in local currency would be tragic because very soon the local currency would show beyond any reasonable doubt that it is not applicable and is of limited longevity and applicability.
“The long term aspect is that we must continue to pay salaries in USD. The whole basis of paying in local currency is based on industrial recovery and balance between export and imports, all other political rhetoric claims of a viable local currency have limited longevity and applicability and very soon indicators will show that the local currency is not viable,” said Dr Zhou.
Dr Zhou however said despite rejecting the local currency salaries government should regularize payments for taxes and other government services in the ZiG currency.
“If the new ZiG currency is of value we must see government regularizing payment of taxes and other government services in new currency but sadly the government has continued to demand the payment of lots of these services in USD. It is also doubtful the new currency will be used in the SADC region. Our economy has become an enlarged supermarkets for products from China, Botswana and South Africa. As long as the new currency cannot be used by traders to buy commodities from these other countries it will be of limited validity and applicability.
“Government is not consistent in terms of policy formulation and application. This is an indicator of an oxymoron, if the government has confidence as they articulating that the new currency is stronger, they should then be systematizing and ensuring that taxes and other government services are done using the local currency .
Unless and until we produce, re kit our industry and balance exports and imports it is doubtful that the new currency will stabilize or would be applicable because currency can only be backed by these factors.
“It is doubtful that the new ZiG currency will spearhead any production within Zimbabwe so that we can export and these contradictions of a non-sessional policy and what is happening in practice are indicators that the new currency is not of any a value, it is only a matter of time for us to realize that we simply have changed the name but our economic challenges remain inherent,” said Dr Zhou.
Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions’ (ZCPTSU) Secretary General David Dzatsunga said the government needs to build confidence amongst the citizens, especially on how the new currency is going to impact the payment of government services.
“From the ZCPTSU perspective, the initiative to carry out currency reform was vitally necessary given the free fall of the ZWL. As for the ZiG, the jury is still out as to how it is going to impact the welfare of workers. Having been introduced without much prior consultation, the authorities have to educate us on its implications on taxes, duty, fuel, education, and health care among others. While we have no choice but to embrace it and strive to make it a success as workers and citizens alike, there is still a ton of confidence-building to be done so that citizens can truly believe we have found a panacea to our perennial currency problem,” said Dzatsunga.
Dzatsunga also said workers prefer the USD as acceptance of the ZiG would be based on its performance.
“As long as we have a basket of currencies workers still prefer the strongest of them. Much will depend on the performance of the ZiG and on whether we will not have to go to the parallel market to get value,” he said.
Development economist Dr Prosper Chitambara said the government was supposed to set a time frame on when the citizenry can be able to pay for other government services including fuel payments in the new currency. He said the locals’ double standards of wanting to pay for government services but not wanting salaries or payments in local currency was caused by the differences in the exchange rate at the formal market and the black market.
“Fifty percent of the taxes are going to be paid using ZiG but with time there is need to put a clear benchmark on when we will expect to pay for other government services in local currency and also including the payment of fuel but is something that must be done in a planned and systematic way but also in a gradual way within the framework of the country’s de-dollarization wherein we are expecting that by 2030 we should have reverted to the local currency.
“It is important as it helps in terms of increasing the demand for the Zimbabwe Gold which will help the ZiG to stabilize and increase the value as demand increases. There are arbitrage opportunities that have been caused by the differences in the exchange rate between the official and the black market rate.
“If we can address that as I am hoping that we have liberalized that will help. The fact that the demand for USD remains very high and formal market may not probably be able to satisfy that demand and the black market will remain. The challenge that we have is that even individuals who are renting out properties would not accept ZiG so there is a double standard; when they are paying for services whether it is local council rates they would want to pay in local currency because of the arbitrage opportunities as a result of the black market premium,” said Dr Chitambara.
In a statement, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, responding to whether or not the ZiG will be recognized internationally said it was yet to work on getting the currency convertible across the region.
“ZiG is a local currency that has just been launched and has not yet achieved convertibility. The Bank will work to strengthen the currency to attain full convertibility, consistent with the regional for macroeconomic convergence under the SADC Protocol on Finance and Investment.
“The current pricing mechanism in the fuel sector will remain in place until otherwise reviewed. As Reserve Bank and Government work towards the wider use of ZiG, the fuel sector will be encouraged to accept ZiG for fuel purchases,” reads part of the statement.

You lost the plot Dr John

Ladies and gentlemen, it has been a busy week for me down here at Chitima picking up mabond notes arikuraswa nevanhu, all with the hope that maybe ndikaendawo kubank I may get something out of it. The only problem is that like many Zimbabweans, even those who claim to be formally employed, I do not have a bank account, aah ko vazhinji vavo vanohora mumaenvelope like zvaita vana sekuru vedu kumapurazi back then during colonial times. Ehe kwatiri kubva ndokwatiri kuenda, asi hamuzvizivi? Overnight, vanhu vakangomuka vaakupihwa maspaghetti and packets of majiggies as change in kombis because bond note harichashandi. Those who went to town using mushikashika in the morning and were given bond notes as change vakatogurira kudzokera kumba in the evening because yanga isisakwane. We are back again to that bearer cheques era where people would only manage one way to town, kudzoka dzaiva nyasha dzaMwari because kombi yaikwira 3 or 4 times during the day. Ama2k marangarirwa because you were not yet old enough to understand how things worked then. VaMushayavanhu vakunzwiraiwo tsitsi vakati muite nhoroondo dzakafanana nemadzibaba enyu, kkkk. Word of advice to Zimbos, chengetai mabond muchaita mari nawo 10-20 years down the line. Ko hamusiknzwa vakomana vezvibhosvo vachideedzera kuti tinotenga mari dzakura mamilion mabilion nematrillion kkkk.
The level of mistrust Zimbabweans have when it comes to these monetary policies and any changes is beyond redemption, and the sad part is it affects the struggling majority. Kungomuka wakanzi mari iya yawaiva nayo in local currency haisisiri chinhu, because it is the black market that dictates how people transact. Chero mukati kombai tirove vari kuramba mabond acho it does not help because vanenge vabatwa vacho are just a few drops in an ocean. Unenge ungoriwo nemidzimu inorara pabasa wobva waitwa example by a system that is fighting a battle bigger than themselves. The confusion and misinformation yakazara in the streets about the new currency is just too much, and some of the things that I hear vanhu vachiudzana muChitima umu are mind-blowing to say the least. I heard vamwe vachiti hanzi the new currency inenge ine svigold kuseri kwayo, that is why it is called ‘gold-backed’so ichapera kubvarurwa nevanhu. Others were saying if you have it you can walk into any bank at any time and exchange it for gold, and many other ridiculous things. It is not only hama dzangu vekungwavha ngwavha who have that kind of information, Americans and other people spent days celebrating Zimbabwe for pulling off such a big move by launching a ‘gold currency’. Some even sympathized with us hanzi let’s hope Zimbabwe will not be bombed by superpowers for that gold, and vamwe even likened our situation to that of Libya. Pakadaro I think there was celebration in Zanu because ndokuti propaganda dzashandazve, kusvika world yese yakubeliever nonsense. Words of goodwill were flying left right and centre, tichibaika nekukorokotedzwa kuchingova hako kupemberera shavi vachiti mudzimu. Haa Zimbabwe ifirimu risingadi script, and in that film everyone is a main character. Kuvhara diki tichivhura hombe day in day out. It is all seen in the way the majority has normalized the abnormal; you go to sleep expecting things to go any direction in the morning, kutongomuka chakachaya, no time to catch your breath. Even ukada kuita masavings muZimbabwe unotangira papi in a country where a piggy bank is the safest way to keep your money, with how risky it is? In a country where the population is largely into kungwavha ngwavha? Dr John, makangouya nekurikavira mudondo henyu bhora, causing chaos mumastreets umu. Who does not know kuti the public dictates how the economy operates, in a system such as ours? Munoziva henyu, information chaiyo is power, and can help avert so many catastrophic situations. If only people had been given enough of it regarding the new currency, zvinewo strategy kwayo, we would not be in this mess. Zvokwadi huyai kuno kuChitima, banana rimwe rava kutoda $5 000 bond, that is if arikutengesa wacho aribvuma ziMbuya Nehanda racho. This is not a good precedence for the new currency because riri kutopinda rakagarirwa with these kinds of attitudes, and vakomana in the streets are already devising ways to get the utmost benefit from it. Ehe vakomana venyu ivavo vamunoshandisa kusuka mari yeropa mumastreets, mati ndoreva ani? There are times when I think once people get into power they become so delusional and arrogant to a point where they are blind to the realities of the environment they are operating in. Ndosaka mamwe macouncilor enyu are seen posing pamahump murokesheni claiming to have brought development. The calibre that goes on camera donating plastic covers for mamai anozvitamburira kumusha uko, nanaMusikavanhu vekudonater mabhilo gore riya, kkkkk. This is the delusion I am talking about, the same trait that our dear new RBZ governor Dr John is exhibiting, making all kinds of promises, threatening to crash the black market. With all due respect VaMushayavanhu, you got off on the wrong foot, and the black market that you claim to bring its destruction ndoichakugarisai mudish, because you will be dealing with people who have lost all faith in the formal system, vakazara mweya wekuhodha. These are people who will pay very little attention to what you say or announce, unless patonyatsoitwa a very good strategy to capture their attention. This is when those text messages estate sponsored propaganda that Zanu was sending people towards last year’s elections would have worked for the greater good, educating people on the new currency and giving them the assurance that things are going to get better. You had all the chance to do that, through the use of various channels but it is now too late, makatoirasa. You wasted an opportunity, not zviya zvekuswerotiita like mafuza telling us through text messages that there are some shops on the regime change agenda ndoari kuuraya economy. If only you had applied your brains a little and properly disseminated information, we would not be having this Aram and Dhispondency. Ahh ko nhaimi, Dr Chandaizment vanongoti zii zii kunge vasiko, shuwa Generari Bae leaving us tichiitwa yese yese naJohani Wechipiri havangotinzwiri tsitsi here dzavakambonzwa gore riya when Fadzi Mahere was seen posing with magunners in the streets of Harare? Dr Amai, where are you? Save us Mama!
Anyway, the monster has already been created in all of us and it is difficult to tame, because public mistrust is the worst thing a country can deal with especially when it comes to the economy. The horse has bolted from the stable; in fact, the ship has sailed. Actually, that train has left the station, chitima chemazimari anobvarura homwe kkkkk. In this country tangozara kakususpecta government of not having people’s interests at heart, which is fertile ground for abuse of power and state resources with impunity, ko vanobvunzwa nani zvavo. Chinozongoshata chero vakataura vakagara pamusoro pebere, people would rather trust the ‘streets’ because there is a history. Tangova nekakunyumwa nyumwa, that is why muchizongonzwa kunzi your close relatives vatova kuUK because they are scared of jinxing their plans, kkkk, kwahi munoroya mungazotumira zizi mundege. Muno tinaro zizi redu Zimra, kungoda kuti maspeaker panze vototi gogogoi. I am just hoping nekaconfidence kana Dr John, kanotoita senge arrogance, this ZiG currency actually works, because ndarota zvaenda nekwakaenda bond notes. When Tendai Biti was still a bold man he said it is just like putting lipstick on a pig. Ko I heard kuti he is leaving for the diaspora ka Biti wenyu uyu. Vapedza havo kuponda musangano weYero nanaNero vobva vaenderera mberi with their lives isu povho takangomirira munana. Hope maanzwa Mr Know It All mufundisi Talent Chiwenga saying Opposition yedu fanana fanana neZanu, busy changing names and colours just like Zanu change names of currencies.
Let me go ndinokanga maputi angu for lunch zvangu, mazuvano chando kani paChitima apa. Ko makudzimisana Starlink futi with your Potraz uko? Ndakambozvireva ini kuti that regulatory body kune madimwits. What we don’t know hedu is if it is Mavetera’s instruction, but even if it is, just know that satellite is the future, manzwa here vana musorobhangu? Zvekuita senge North Korea zviya zvinoda muine maresources nhaika, plus propaganda dzacho muchidzigona chaiko chaiko. I had almost forgotten, I saw Mutsvangwa akadonhedza uso with his boss, ahh sorry, former boss ED, kutozodzikama ungati munhu kwaye. Musangano weZanu haukwani muhomwe memunhu Kiritsopfawee, munotonhodzwa quick and fast. Ask Jonono and crew, including VaMphoko my dear friend. I hope he is well wherever he is. Mboko imboko!

Masvingo city council to ban Pitbull dog breeding

By Bright Zhou

Masvingo City Council is mulling an order exercise to ban the breeding of Pitbull dogs in the commonage as the dog breed is considered to be dangerous after one unclaimed rabid Pitbull attacked five people on different occasions in Rujeko before it was killed by residents.
This was revealed in Health, Housing and Environmental Services Committee Minutes dated March 4, 2024 where the council instructed Masvingo Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa to communicate with the Department of Veterinary Services on dangers of breeding pitbul dogs with an option to ban pitbul rearing.
“Resolved to recommend that the Town clerk be instructed to communicate to the Department of Veterinary Services on dangers of breeding Pitbull Dogs with a view to lobby for legislation regulating the activity,” read part of the minutes.
The committee deliberated on the dangers of keeping the breed in residential areas as it poses greater risk of increase in number of dog bites.
“On the dangers of keeping pitbull dogs in commonage, the committee deliberated at length the dangers associated with keeping the dog, It was suggested that the proposal to ban breeding or keeping of pitbull dogs should be communicated to the Department of Veterinary Services, with a view for lobbying for legislation banning such activity,” read part of the minutes.
Masvingo city council had centralized their vaccination program at Rujeko since they found the rabid dog and a mass vaccination commenced on March 06 2024 and close to 200 dogs were vaccinated.
Dog owners were urged to make sure that they vaccinate and license their dogs, with the local authority planning to have a dog census in the commonage to regulate the number of dogs one person can have.
Council also urged residents to report to the health department any dog that is seen roaming around the streets.

My Age, DAWA scales up HIV talk

By Decide Nhendo

My Age Zimbabwe in collaboration with Development Agenda for Girls and Women in Africa Network (DAWA) through support of ViiV Healthcare are scaling up talks on HIV and AIDs with focus on measures to emancipate adolescent girls and young women living with HIV from a project known as ‘Connecting Adolescent Girls and Women for HIV Prevention’.
The likeminded organisations held a stakeholders meeting at Charles Austin Theater in Masvingo recently with institutions like the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Zimbabwe National Family Planning (ZNFPC), Aids Health Foundation Zimbabwe, Students and Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) and local media among others.
Speaking at the meeting, My Age capacity building policy advocate officer Obedience Mazenge said the organizations were supposed to come up with best ways to help around 1500 young women and adolescent girls with HIV in Masvingo Urban and Mwenezi where HIV infections are concentrated.
He said they chose to focus on these two districts since they are HIV hotspots with the infections resulting from power imbalance in relationships, forced sex, economic inequalities and fear of reaction of family, friends and partners when they are aware one is using HIV controls.
“We implemented this project in two districts; Masvingo urban and Mwenezi targeting girls aged between 15 and 19 years who have no knowledge on HIV.
“Nearly half of adolescent girls living with HIV are not getting treatment which means they are exposed to premature deaths, so it is up to all of you here to come up with solutions on how best we can help these girls,” said Mazenge.
He said their main objectives were to increase the knowledge of 1500 young women and girls living with HIV, to organize community education sessions for 500 people, focusing on young women and adolescent girls, reaching out to parents and to facilitate access to HIV prevention commodities for young women.
He also said there was need for an increase in health seeking behavior for 300 young women and girls on HIV and increase participation of 15 adolescent women and young women in Masvingo to lead, engage at district, provincial and national level.
ZNFPC’s Fungai Mushoshe said the best way to get information on how best adolescent girls and young women can be helped in HIV prevention was to get information from youth since behavior change starts by one as it is by choice.
“When we have interactions, it is genuine to get information from the young women themselves as they are the ones who are being affected to foster change of behavior and reaction to HIV prevention,” said Mushoshe.
Aids Health Foundation Zimbabwe primary councilor Stainely Chipoka spoke about barriers which he said were barring young women and adolescent girls from accessing information on HIV prevention.
“Every person needs good health when growing up as one will be being surrounded by great responsibilities which require good mental and physical health.
“There are different barriers which can limit one’s prevention to HIV which include social factors like in some instances where a girl must walk up to 20 kilometers to a health facility, cultural beliefs as some church doctrines are against treatment from clinics as well as misconceptions,” said Chipoka.
He said there was need for HIV resources mobilization and advocacy to counter these barriers, also bemoaning cases of sexual harassment saying every month up to 50 victims of sexual harassment are registered at Masvingo Provincial Hospital.
SAYWHAT peer educator Redemption Chiorese said it was one’s choice to be informed on HIV issues, and he said young women have to take the disease seriously calling health service providers to use their authority for the good not abusing it.
“It is an individual’s choice to access HIV information, young people need to prioritize health services on social media not only spending their time on sport, celebrities and other trending things.
“This disease must be taken seriously, relevant ministries have to give young women much information and time on HIV prevention issues and service providers must not abuse their authority as they end up being offside,” said Chiorese.

CBAP establishes irrigation scheme for Zimuto community

…as drought looms

By Decide Nhendo

The Community Based Aid Programme (CBAP) has established a solar powered irrigation scheme in Masvingo North’s ward 1 as the organisation thrives to mitigate climate change effects which saw a larger part of the country receiving below normal rainfall threatening food security.
The scheme, which was set up in Chinyan’anya village, headman Gurajena under Chief Zimuto, is aimed at sustainable provision of water for perennial farming to the benefit of 50 families who came together to show the community that cooperation can conquer challenges.
Speaking to TellZim News, CBAP director Samuel Mhungu said establishing Chinyan’anya Irrigation Scheme was meant to assist families from five wards in Masvingo North to cope with the El Nino drought imposed by climate change which has resulted in undependable rainfall for farmers as the nation’s large population depends mainly on farming from the rains.
“Chinyan’anya irrigation scheme was established to mitigate food shortages as it will allow farmers to grow crops all year round. This irrigation scheme is going to economically and socially help communities as it is targeting around 50 families of different backgrounds from five different wards in Masvingo North,” said Mhungu.
He said people who are going to work in the irrigation scheme were going to have farming advice from government departments like Agritex who will assist with best farming methods and crops to maximize yields.
“From the onset, we have been working with relevant government officials like Rangarirai Mutusva from the irrigation department who advises us on user-friendly methods for the environment at the same time producing good yields.
“When the scheme is fully established we as an organisation will hand it over to the community and the relevant government departments to run the scheme. We aim to see it progressing and see farmers reaping from growing cash crops and do away with relying on selling seasonal yield,” said Mhungu.
He said they hope to see a community socially and economically independent as youth, women, as well as people with disabilities are included in the project to improve their livelihoods by fighting societal ills like gender-based violence, together with other problems driven by poverty and vulnerability.
He added that as an organization they were planning to help communities venture into citrus fruit plantations on wetlands they had already identified areas like Chikato near Mazambara High School, Mapanzure, and other wetlands aimed at the preservation of the environment, to give value to the wetlands.
Masvingo North Ward 1 councilor Kudakwashe Richard Murambiwa said the irrigation scheme which was started last year in August was the first in the area and came at the right time when the area was faced with drought.
“This irrigation scheme is the first in the area and has come at the right time as the area and the whole country is faced with food shortages caused by drought,” said Murambiwa.
The irrigation scheme chairperson Job Mutava said it was a difficult and long relentless journey but determination and unity among the beneficiaries of the irrigation scheme resulted in the establishment of the much-needed irrigation scheme.
One farmer, Shyleen Dzimire from Tunhira village said she was happy to be part of the project as she was envying other people in neighboring irrigation schemes whom she said were doing great from the money they got from selling their crops.
She thanked CBAP for establishing the irrigation scheme saying it was going to alleviate poverty in the area.
“I thank Mr Mhungu and CBAP for bringing this irrigation scheme to life. At the same time, I am happy to be part of it. I have been seeing others in other schemes affording tuition fees for their children up to universities and I am happy it’s our turn.
“We are going to work hard as we have been granted a golden opportunity to fight hunger and poverty,” said Dzimire.
A youth only identified as Charlie said the programme was important to the community as all ages including youths and elderly were involved saying it was going to help in employment creation as well given the harsh economy.
“This program is good to the community given the current stand of our economy and it is also good for all age groups from us the youth and elderly people.
“It is going to help on employment creation as I am going to be self-employed and I can also look for one or two other people to assist me in working in the scheme,” said Charlie.
CBAP started as a faith-based organization at Morgenster Mission Hospital and ventured into health interventions, especially during the peak of HIV and AIDs.
It did several HIV and AIDs interventions offering ARVs to local people and also paying school fees, buying groceries, and seeds for HIV/AIDs orphans.
The organization also does a doctor’s outreach programme where they bring doctors to rural clinics where people have a chance to consult the doctors for free.