Ladies and gentlemen I hope now that January is over, the disease has subsided, but being Zimbabwean means kurohwa neJanuary disease all year round. For some, especially shamwari dzangu macivil servants whose $300 salaries were looted by Mthuli through taxes it is aluta continua kuseva necabbage necovo otherwise pakaipa. But government isadaroso, mateacher used to be the elite in society, and everyone knew when it was payday because vanhu vaitenga zvavo ivavo. Hanzi na Nero ndovega vaitenga Quart paBawa. Now the profession has been reduced to nothing, yangova misvuuganda yega yega. On another hand mvura nemagetsi zviri kushura mare kudhura. It’s good zvakatodaro because ndokuti mugoziva pekuvhotera. But all the same, kuvhota kwacho how does it help because Tshabangu and his handlers will just come nemaRecalls.
These days there is so much drama kuopposition uko. But nhai Cde Fadzi mubiyangu, dzungu ndereiko nhai? Immediately after Nero resigned from CCC makutomhanya kunoita reverse the electorate’s mandate makutobuda muparliament. Dota pora bhoki avate, dzungu nderei. Mapombi does not think that was well thought out. Ini ndiri gentleman handivanzi, Cde Fadzi imimi you could be Nero’s biggest enemy because dzimwe movement dzenyu is not make sure. Ladies and gentlemen, Mapombi haadhomoke, remember this is the same Fadzai whose father had close links kuZanu, he was Perm Sec weEducation before he was transferred to a certain commission remember, This makes it obvious that she benefitted from the system. It is also obvious that most, if not all her social capital comes from the same system which she continuously bashes, but I will not dwell on that today. Nyaya yangu is on her impulsive resignation from Parliament, as if to throw a cat among pigeons kukandira vamwe nyoka muhembe. I’m thinking about those cdes who fought tooth and nail using tumaresources twavo tushoma itwotwo to campaign, wopinda muparliament, mumwe munhu okuti resign kana kuti tokuti uri mutengesi. Not everyone is privileged in terms of resources, vamwe vanenge vakatofirira kugadzira maposter iwayo using their hard earned money, then some Miss Goody-Two-Shoes Fadzai anoda kutsvaga dzvene kunaNero expects you to resign like she did. Chii ichocho kana ndimiwo? Masiyanei naTshabangu arikubudisa vanhu vakavhoterwa mumacouncil nemuparliament? In fact Tshabangu is better because tongoti heduzve munhu amanikidzwa kubva, than to resign because you are simply telling those who voted you kuti munopenga you voted for me. I honestly think resigning from parliament is pride and arrogance personified because you made a choice of choosing party factionalism above the will of the people. I think it is worse than recalls. Tshabangu ane parliament yaakawanepi nhaimi? Chero iyo party yacho CCC, zvamaimbotizve hamumuzivi nhai, why are you giving him that much power nhandi Fadzaiwee? Where were you before, when this party you are trying to destroy from within was being fought for nanaTsvangison, Biti nanaWelshman plus our very own Jobson Rolihlahla Sikhandela kkkkkk. But Sikhala ka, majokes anomawanza. Mapombi has been listening to his interviews, and one thing I find hilarious is that he sometimes forgets to imitate Mandela omboita Job wedu wekare uya wekumbovigirwa mupunga mudheka ari kusango claiming that the regime was after him. Haa tinomboonerera chokwadi nemapolitician edu aya. Mapombi however is happy that at least his prolonged incarceration is over, omboudzwa zvakasara zvichiitika naMai Sikhala kkkk. Justice delayed is justice denied but zvizhinji hazvichina hazvo basa chero vakamusiya ari mupenyu. Let’s hope the evil regime haina kumuita kafiramberi. Icon renyika is back kunge musana. Handisini ndakamuti icon, ndiye akazvipa ega musazoti ndiMapombi. Job manje is saying his comrades in CCC ignored him when he was incarcerated, and he is clearly disgruntled. Ehe zvako Job iwe, they were busy fighting for power when you were languishing in prison. Some of them are even cowards who come in sheep’s clothing ivo vari mapere padhuze naNero. Vamwe vacho are just blatant liars and flip floppers of the century. Hwende wabaikana nekuchinja his bio on Twitter (X), two minutes ndiSG, two minutes hee ndazotaura naChamisa, mukwane baba imi. VanaMkwananzi nerimwe divi are busy self-appointing themselves kuita mapresident eCCC, the same party where the person who purportedly brought him in resigned. The good thing about this whole circus is that characters are being exposed, and we have been given a chance to see some people’s true colours. VanaBiti nanaWelsh survived through ‘benefit of doubt’ for a long time but now it is time yekubudirana musaga. Remember the two are the ones who were used neMukomana to lie that Save vakasiya vati shandai nemukomana. If that was true where are you now.
One thing that I am very sure of right now is that the majority of opposition supporters are very confused about what is going on. They do not know whether they should keep holding onto Nero or they go kune power mazuvano. It reminds me of that period in November 2017 when people, especially Zanu supporters were not sure whether to come or go. Chazvakazongonakira hazvo vaive nepfuti nematanker vakazongobatsira vanhu kuita decision. Manje seapa, a lot of people do not even know kuti zvichapera sei. That’s the bad side of politics dzekuita idolise munhu to that extent. But I still have my suspicions with Fadzi and her lot. Advocate Fulcrum is one of them chete because mmm, his movements around Nero haanzwisisike. Ari saFadzi, iyo yellow iyoyi yakazodai kuuya was her colour in the 2018 elections when she was still an independent candidate. How she managed to get such close proximity to an opposition she once said she does not believe in beats me. She used yellow and blue on her banners in 2018, now tohwa kuti DAZ ndeye blue, isn’t that fishy? Her recent actions of resigning from parliament though look like she is trying very hard kubelievisa Chamisa. It has ulterior motives all over. I hope other MPs think before they decide to resign, mazvinzwa here VaMureri na Honorable Ropa kuChiredzi? A stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave, musazoti Mapombi haana kureva. Musafurirwa nevanhu vekuti anytime they can choose to resign pasina big implications to them, munouraya mapolitical career nazvo izvi. The hunger for power kuopposition is now very apparent, hapana asiri kuda. NanaRocky vanenge vachitodawo, munoti munhu amboravira from slippers to D4D, wozongonzi dzokera kwawaiva, it will not work. Speaking of Rocky, do we seriously want to ignore the fact that he said his nomination papers were signed by Hwende? The same Hwende who has been flip flopping like noone’s business, iyeye chaiye. Seriously, who is working against Chamisa chaizvo chaizvo? Mapombi anombodhomoka hake but I think the same people who publicly declare allegiance to him are the very people who are working against him. Tiri kutsvaga muroyi kusiri iko mabiyangu. Yes of course Zanu infiltration is a reality, but inside the party maita zvipfukuto. If Chamisa is foolish achachembera achingotenderedzwa neteam rake irori, thinking they are going somewhere, they just want to use him to gain popularity kuelectorate. It is unfortunate that kutaura kuti ‘chaora chinhu ichi’ now perfectly fits the opposition,its now a circus. Unfortunately Tshabangu is no longer the only clown, at least he is not a coward sanaBiti vanorumira vamwe muvhu, he chose to bite the bullet vamwe vakahwanda. Tshabangu naMwonzora may go down in history as the biggest charlatans who destroyed the opposition, but guess what, vaya ndovarume vane ndebvu vakaimbwa nemapositori. Rimwe team rese magwara, because if you are disgruntled usingataure wozoita armbush the leader it means you cannot even lead. Dzokerai kuzviparty zvenyu that failed to take off after mapandukira Tsvangirai, vakazvarirwa kuZanu vodzokerawo musiye mukomana ega nhai nhai, not kutanga kuti hee if it was Tsvangirai he would have done this, hee he would not have done this, kunge maimudapo.
Let’s just hope Nero comes up with a solid plan for his supporters kublue yatinongonzwa, but haa, we are not even holding our breaths, same fanana six na9. If there is anything the guy does well, it is to use the same strategy over and over again expecting different results. I will talk about him and the Icon next week.
Before I go kunokanga hangu maputi for lunch, can someone tell me howz former Mayor Shanty? Hope she has recovered, but ndikafunga Shanty ka, I won’t forgive Tshabangu. Ko nhaimi, Mama Joyie Mujuru varipiko mazuvano kubva vati zii kudaro? Ko Mama Gire nemafriends avo vanaMphoko, what’s cooking? If you see them muvaudze kuti vuno Masvingo magetsi akati chakata, ko handiti Mhamha is in town, ndakafumhwa nemotorcade yavo musi uno, kkkkk. Mboko imboko!
Cde Fadzai calm down
Traditional leaders condemn ongoing shambolic land operation
…who stands to lose more?
…village heads sacrificed as real land barons go scot-free
By Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – Traditional leaders heavily criticized the on-going ‘Operation Order No to Land Barons’ being implemented by the Ministry of Lands in collaboration with local council, police and other stakeholders saying it’s only sacrificing villagers and their village heads while the real land barons in the country go scot-free.
This comes after police has so far arrested over 500 villagers and village heads in Masvingo province for allegedly being allocated pieces of land in restricted areas and selling state or council land respectively.
Local chiefs however condemned government for implementing the project without their involvement, only to hear about it later that their subjects were being arrested notwithstanding that they are the custodians of land and culture.
Chief Bere born Phinias Tafireyi lashed out at the implementing authority saying they invaded his area without consulting him and went on to arrest people who were legally settled leaving those who were illegally placed by rival chiefs.
“The programme that was initiated by the President is noble but it has been hijacked by crooks who are implementing it in a wrong way. How can they come to my area of jurisdiction without my knowledge? I am the one who knows illegal settlers and those who are not.
“Right now they are displacing and arresting people who we placed legally, since the resuscitation of our chieftaincy, we have been settling people just like any other chief, if you go to Chief Nyakunhuwa, you will see there are people who have been staying in the area for years without any document, so what is different from Chief Bere?” fumed Bere.
He went on to say he has since approached the police and other stakeholders to raise concern over the matter and said they were all blaming each other.
“I want you to ask the police, EMA or DDC if they ever approached me over the issue, I was supposed to go with them and help them identify the illegal settlers. I even went on to see them but they are simply accusing each other.
“The whole process was manipulated and now those being placed by bogus village heads and chiefs in my area are being left whilst our people are being arrested,” Bere said.
Chief Murinye born Ephias Munodawafa said there were many illegal settlers in his area but attributed the challenge to the missing boundary line between Chiefs around the Great Zimbabwe Monuments area, saying other chiefs were settling people in other Chiefs’ areas as a way of expanding their territories, leaving him without authority over such.
“We have a lot of illegal settlers in my area but that is mainly caused by the absence of boundaries, so what happens is that another chief claims that a certain area is his, then he installs a village head who goes on to parcel land to fellow clansmen.
“Maybe they think when the time comes for demarcation boundaries they will ask where one belongs and the people’s number will be enough to be another chief’s area of jurisdiction. However, I believe they will simply trace history and give each chief his mandated area,” said Murinye.
Murinye has been at loggerheads with his neighbor Chief Mugabe and their people clash from time to time over the boundary issue.
On his part, Chief Mugabe born Matubede Mudavanhu concurred with Murinye over the boundary issue and urged government to address the challenge saying that would easily help stop illegal settlers.
He also said though he was not informed of the operation, he heard that several people were being arrested. He indicated that he was going to have a meeting with village heads to understand what was happening, calling upon implementing authorities to work with Chiefs when carrying out such programmes.
“I was not informed of the programme, I just heard people were being arrested and I am organizing a meeting with my headmen and village heads to understand what is going on,” he said.
He concurred with Murinye on boundary issues saying they were supposed to be drawn as soon as possible if they are to stop illegal settlers.
“The major reason behind these illegal settlements are boundaries, we don’t even know where the boundary between Mugabe and Nemamwa or Charumbira is, and this has led to village heads giving out land to people to secure their areas. So we plead with government to address the issue as a matter of urgency,” said Mugabe.
Chief Chitanga real name Feleni Chauke said he was not consulted also and saying he only heard about the programme from others and is not aware if there are any victims in his area.
People have been asking the logic behind the move especially in resuscitated chieftaincy who are calling the displaced relatives back and are now called illegal settlers.
Some victims around Chief Charumbira and Bere areas said the government was neglecting them after soliciting for votes from them and said if elections were to come any time soon they would not vote for Zanu PF.
“They want us when they want our votes and now that the election is over they are now treating us like trash. What is the logic in displacing us now when we have more than 2o years here, if we were illegal why didn’t they tell us when we settled here,” said one victim.
One teacher from Mushandike School said the evictions in village 15 were psychologically affecting learners and the effects can be felt in class since some families were given a few days to leave.
However, the Permanent Secretary in the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa said the programme was ongoing and a number of arrests have been made but the police has full information on the arrests.
He said the land barons’ menace was not peculiar to Masvingo Province but the whole country and the programme was part of government’s intervention which is targeting those without requisite paperwork.
“This is the government’s intervention on the illegal settlement problem across the country, what is happening is, the operation is targeting those without requisite paperwork to show whether they are legally settled or not.
“So the issue has nothing to do with chieftaincy boundaries because the country has ways for people to acquire land, so if the procedures are not followed then one will be arrested. However, the advantage is that they are being allowed to go to court where they can defend themselves so no one is being disadvantaged if they are legally settled and can prove that in court then there is nothing to worry about,” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
He said the programme also involve other departments like EMA which, if people are settled in areas that cause environmental damage are also being asked to leave.
“The programme involves other departments like the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) so if one is staying in a wetland or a river catchment area then they have to be evacuated and that has nothing to do with how many years you have been staying there or who gave you the land.
“The operation doesn’t care who gave you the land as long as proper procedures are not followed one will be evicted. The procedure is that if its agricultural land one gets through lands and if it’s residential land the one goes to the local authority. So I want to warn those who haven’t been approached to make sure they have the required documents to avoid inconveniences,” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
He went on to say all those with complaints should approach the lands office or their local authorities saying those offices were ready to assist in that regard.
Manicaland’s Heart of Mbira festival on cards
By Branton Matondo
Long awaited Mbira fiesta, dubbed the ‘ultimate Mbira excursion’ will walk its first steps come February 2, 2024 at the home of traditional arts Courtald Theate in Mutare.
The sound of Mbira music with its raw enthusiastic touch has always been a cornerstone of Mutare and Manicaland as a whole and the festival will run under the theme ‘heart of mbira’ and artists will showcase mature talent from the border town.
Ntswai Ntswai band Director Sir Lino Piloto said the festival was long overdue and said they were anticipating a great event with lots of fun.
“As Ntswai Ntswai band in collaboration with Mabvazuva Hub, we are launching a mbira session in the name ‘Heart of Mbira. It’s an exciting feeling altogether because it was long overdue. The launch will take place at Courtald Theater on the February 2.
“Ntswai Ntswai first clicked its fingers in the year 2000 and Piloto feels that this is the right moment to honor the instrument and traditional music as a whole.
“The idea was long overdue and as a collection we feel this is the right moment to honor our fan’s and the tradition of mbira. The main idea is to promote, preserve, and celebrate the culture of mbira. Mbira music has been engrained in our cultural DNA for long and as a long living band we felt it was our duty to bring up this platform,” he said.
He said the Heart of Mbira will be a biweekly musical event with plans of making it a weekly event.
“The initial plan is to hold this event after every 2 week’s which means two sessions per month. As time goes on we also look forward to hold the event weekly so as to widen the breadth of our fan base in Mutare and nearby places,” said Piloto.
Henry Tsopotsa, a participant, assured fans of a great day come February 2nd.
“It’s almost 2 weeks before the launch and the word on the street is for fan’s to come in their numbers and enjoy the bald mbira sound courtesy of Ntswai Ntswai. It’s going to be a start of a long overdue journey,” said Tsopota.
Man hangs self after attempting to ‘bed’ mother
Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – A 31-year-old Masvingo man committed suicide by hanging after a foiled attempt to bed his mother.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Kudakwashe Dehwa confirmed the incident and urged members of the public with mentally challenged relatives to make sure that they adhere to their medication.
“I can confirm that we received a report where a 31-year-old committed suicide by hanging himself on roof trusses with an electric cable after he tried to sleep with his mother who went on to report him to a relative.
“We urge members of the public to make sure that their mentally challenged relatives take their medication religiously,” said Dhewa.
Sources privy to the incident said on the fateful day, the now deceased Mashine Magande from Tichagwa Village in Chief Charumbira area, tried to force himself on his mother around 3 am on the fateful day.
His mother then managed to escape and went to report the incident to her uncle Godfrey Chagura who accompanied her back home only to find the now deceased’s lifeless body hanging on the roof trusses in his room.
The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene before taking the deceased’s body to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for post-mortem.
Cases of mentally challenged people committing murder and other heinous crimes are rampant across the country.
Threads of Oppression: The evolution of African fashion
By Elizabeth Duve Dziva
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian novelist remarked that, “a single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make us forget that people have a million different stories within them.” This implies that we should move beyond binary views of traditional versus modern dressing and embrace the diversity of dressing styles. Imagine a continent where bare skin wasn’t synonymous with shame, where animal hide wasn’t a primitive relic, but a badge of cultural pride. Imagine a world where people only walked in animal skin and it was regarded as decent. Yet, after the colonial cloth came, a mere attempt to wear anything that exposes any skin is regarded as indecent. This is how complicated the issue of fashion in Africa. It leaves Africans asking: are we embracing evolution, or simply draped in the lingering shadows of oppression? If we embraced fashion from animal skin to the cloth, why can’t we embrace t to what is trending today without implicating the bible or terming the new trends “immoral”? Are we not resisting another stage of evolution and development?
Imagine a time when animal hide wasn’t a dusty museum relic, but a badge of cultural swagger. Bare skin wasn’t a scandal, but a confident expression of identity. This was the reality for many African communities before colonialism draped its rigid “decency” rules over them like a scratchy wool blanket on a scorching day. Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves caught in a sartorial tug-of-war.
For our ancestors, clothing was practical and symbolic. Animal skins protected against the elements, while intricate scarifications and natural ornamentation told stories of identity and belonging. Colonial powers, however, deemed this “primitive” and imposed their own standards of dress, often made from imported fabrics with foreign designs. This wasn’t just about changing clothes; it was about reshaping notions of modesty and cultural identity.
Interestingly, the Bible, often cited as a source of “decency”, offers no specific guidance on clothing. Yet, its interpretations have been woven into colonial ideologies, dictating acceptable attire in schools, workplaces, and even churches. This begs the question: are we clinging to outdated notions of morality, or simply resisting the natural evolution of African fashion?
Today, across campuses and streets, young Africans embrace trendy styles like crop tops and bum shorts. To some, this is blatant nudity, a rejection of tradition and morality. To others, it’s self-expression, a celebration of bodies and the freedom to choose. The label of “walking naked” becomes a weapon, wielded against those who dare to redefine “decency” on their own terms.
The fight for cultural liberation extends beyond dusty books and museum exhibits. It’s about reclaiming our agency over how we adorn ourselves. This doesn’t mean rejecting modern trends or ignoring practical considerations. It’s about questioning the colonial assumptions that equate exposed skin with impropriety and recognizing the richness and diversity of African aesthetics.
It’s essential to challenge outdated norms, and celebrate the beauty and power of our diverse sartorial heritage. We must shed the colonial legacy like an ill-fitting garment and embrace the vibrant diversity of African fashion, past, present, and future.
Ultimately, the question isn’t whether we wear animal skins or high fashion. It’s about reclaiming the right to define our own “decency” and express our identities through the stories woven into our garments. Let’s rewrite the script, one stitch at a time, and move beyond the shame and judgment to see the rich cultural conversation unfolding beneath the fabric.
Remember, fashion is more than just cloth; it’s a cultural conversation starter, a powerful tool for reclaiming narratives, and a journey towards self-acceptance. So, let’s join hands, embrace the vibrant threads of African fashion, and walk into the future with confidence and pride.
Elizabeth Duve Dziva is a Cultural Heritage Practitioner and an English teacher at some school under the African sky. The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely the owner’s and do not represent any organisation. Email: duveelizabeth@gmail.com, WhatsApp : +263771661813
Tshabangu hands over Chiredzi Town Council to Zanu PF
…as he bars Chikonye and Musingashari from February 3 polls
By Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI-Sengezo Tshabangu, the controversial Citizens Coalition for Change’s (CCC) interim Secretary General’s High Court order barring Roger Chikonye and Musingashari Musingashari from contesting in February by-elections has given Zanu PF’s Costain Mombe and Brighton Mahiya a free ticket into Chiredzi Town Council, thereby retaining ruling party’s dominance in the governance of Chiredzi Town.
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZMC) recently declared Zanu PF’s Costain Mombe and Brighton Mahiya as Chiredzi Town Council Ward 6 and 7 councilors respectively following the High Court order.
“The public is hereby informed that following the High Court Order issued on the 19th of January 2024 under case No HCH 197/24, the nomination of the Citizens Coalition for Change party candidates specified in schedule 1 below who had been nominated for election in by-elections scheduled for the 3rd of February 2024 has been set aside,” wrote Utoile Silaigwana, ZEC’s Chief Elections Officer
Costain Mombe is a lucky man having gotten a free ticket to council chambers after being consecutively walloped by Musingashari Musingashari in 2018 and 2023 harmonized elections respectively.
The development strengthens Zanu PF’s position in council to make decisions favorable to them by virtue of having the majority.
Following the recall of the two late last year, the Zanu PF-dominated council went on to exponentially pass a resolution to give the outgoing Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson, Alderman Gibson Hwende a council vehicle which the former had refused citing that the council was not fit to dispose of a vehicle.
However, the move to dispose of the vehicle was criticised by Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHIRRA) saying council was not fit to do so as it was failing to attend to sewerage bursts in time due to shortage of vehicles.
“The vehicle which they covertly sold to the outgoing Gibson Hwende was registered under the pool vehicle as the council never budgeted for a Chairman’s vehicle during the last five years. During the 2024 budget consultations, all 8 wards advised the council not to sell the vehicle to the outgoing Chairperson and suggested he be given other forms of handshakes,” said Jonathan Muusha, CHIRRA Chairperson.
St Joseph Tongoona High scores 100 percent pass rate
By Staff Reporter
ZAKA – Located in one of the remotest districts in Masvingo Province, Zaka, St Joseph Tongoona High School is proving to be a force to reckon as it continues to post impressive results, especially at Advanced Level and has once again scored a clean 100 percent pass-rate in the 2023 Advanced Level Zimsec results released recently.
Apart from the overall 100 percent pass rate, the school recorded a clean 100 percent in five subjects namely Crop Science, Geography, Biology, Business Studies, and Economics.
Seven learners namely Melissa Mukuhudzi, Joshua Mzvuke, Renias Tohochipi, Andrew Mahesu, Peacewell Chitimira, Francisca Marangwanda and Lloyd Mugandani scored 15 points and seven others scored 14 points.
Commenting on the results, the school Head Mapiye Magura said he was thrilled at the performance saying they wish to continue on that track and make the school greater.
“We are happy with our results, our learners did exceptionally well and I believe it’s a result of collective efforts by the teachers, learners, and support from parents through the School Development Committee (SDC).
“I want to thank the team of teachers that we have here, they are all dedicated to their work instilling the same in the learners, and as a result, our learners excel. Our SDC is very supportive and because of that, all our projects thrive,” said Magara.
The SDC chairperson Wellington Pindai Chakona said the results were getting better every year and attributed the positive change to the unity of purpose amongst all stakeholders.
“There is a bigger change compared to the previous years, we are producing better results every year simply because of unity of purpose between parents, the school administration and a team of dedicated teachers who are working tirelessly to produce good results,” said Chakona.
He said the school was also pursuing sciences and recently introduced more science subjects at A Level.
“We introduced Computer science, Chemistry, and Physics to suit 5:0 heritage education anchored on sciences. We are also in the process of procuring a 75-seater bus for the school.
“We have a thriving fish farming, piggery project, poultry project, and horticulture and we have more in store. We are targeting introducing driving lessons and starting a livestock project as well as massive infrastructure development starting with a multi-purpose hall for the school,” said Chakona.
He said the school was advantageous in the sense that it is a peri-urban, being located a few kilometers from Jerera Growth point with an affordable fees structure.
Cholera: Mkwasine farmers urged to step up or perish
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI- Mkwasine sugar cane farmers have been urged to step up and improve sanitation facilities and safe drinking water or people will perish from cholera.
Ward 21 Councilor, Wellington Mudzimiri said farmers should be taken to task to repair and develop Mkwasine Estate as they have been empowered through the land reform program.
“Farmers should be taken to task to make sure that they provide better sanitation for their employees. We can’t think of donors to come and rescue us on something we can do for ourselves. We have been empowered by the government with land and it is up to us to make the best out of it,” said Mudzimiri.
Former Secretary General for Zimbabwe Sugarcane Development Association Royal Trust (ZSDA) Solomon Gavaza said Mkwasine Estates had tapped water infrastructure which was dilapidated years ago and people are now resorting to canals for drinking water and bush toilets.
“Mkwasine has tapped water infrastructure which has dilapidated. Only a few areas if not only three villages out of 32 Mkwasine Villages still have access to clean water. People are now resorting to canals for drinking water and bush toilets,” said Gavaza.
Mkwasine Sugarcane Farmers Association, Obert Maganda said they provided the association’s vehicle for door-to-door campaigns by the outreach team and also provided soap, drugs, and buckets for use at Mkwasine Clinic.
“We have managed to provide soap, drugs, and buckets for use by patients at our local Mkwasine Clinic. We also provided our vehicle for door-to-door campaign by the outreach team,” said Maganda.
Visit by this publication to Mkwasine Estate, particularly in ward 21 and Mapanza on a fact-finding mission discovered that people were still drinking from unprotected wells.
There has been resistance by most sugarcane farmers to contribute towards Mkwasine Management Committee (MMC) a consortium aimed at developing the dilapidated Mkwsine estate to reclaim the lost status, which has also snail-paced development.
Zimbabwe’s oldest sugarcane estate, Mkwasine Estate, which was abandoned by Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe (THZ) in 2006 after the Government took over through its land reform program was left nursing cholera injuries which were necessitated by dilapidated infrastructure and lack of clean drinking water, which was vandalized and never refurbished when black out-grower farmers took over.
The out-grower farmers who grabbed the thriving Mkwasine estate are now struggling to maintain the standards that were left by the settlers and THZ as they are even failing to produce close to 400 000 tonnes of sugarcane per annum, refurbish the compounds and supply clean and fresh water to their employees, which has been a recipe for disaster over the past few months, with cholera leaving a trail of destruction.
They have also been resorting to bush toilets as blair toilets, which were constructed decades ago had filled up and had become a health disaster for many.
Mapanza area, where a makeshift health facility under a tree was established to save lives stirred debate on social media, after the picture was shared.
Masvingo City water woes to end after 3 years
By Beverly Bizeki
Water woes hounding Masvingo City Council might take three years to end, upon financial closure as hinted by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works Winston Chitando at an interaction meeting held at Masvingo City Council on January 22, 2024.
Speaking at the meeting held to review the state of affairs for both Masvingo City Council and Masvingo Rural District Council, in line with a local authority blueprint launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chitando said one of the gaps that had been identified on the budget review for Masvingo City is the one-third deficit available in terms of water provision.
“Currently Masvingo city is producing two-thirds of the required water in the city but what is important is that the city has come up with a roadmap to close that gap and upon financial closure it will take three years to close that gap and residents will be able to get water 365 days of the year.
“In terms of service delivery there is a gap in waste removal but there is a plan to increase the fleet for waste removal so I would like to complement the city for identifying gaps and coming up with plans for the gaps,” said Chitando.
Chitando also commented on Masvingo City’s compliance with the blueprint launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in November last year under the theme ‘A call to action, No compromise on service delivery’ and said Masvingo had its budget reviewed.
“The government would want to see every local authority providing water to residents 365 days a year and would like to see all local authorities providing the correct level of sewer and waste removal services so the meeting with City of Masvingo and Masvingo RDC was to review their state of affairs and how far they have progressed in terms of the implementation of the blueprint,” Chitando said.
Commenting on the water issue, Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance Board Chairperson Thomas Mbetu called upon council to look for funding urgently to avoid the challenge escalating as the city is continuously expanding.
“MURRA notes that if we fail to deal with our water challenge in the shortest possible time we will run the risk of having a serious water crisis shortly. This therefore means that there is urgent need to upgrade the water system.
“Our worry as residents is there is a delay in attending to the water problem in the city because Masvingo City Council said it may take up to three years to resolve the water challenge again on condition that they get funding for the project.
“We call upon Masvingo City Council to prioritize looking for funding in the shortly possible time to resolve this water challenge because the more we delay the more the challenge will get bigger due to the growing city population and the expansion of housing construction in the city,” said Mbetu.
Chitando also commended both councils for having both their accounts audited.
Masvingo’s water challenges are a result of the need to complete the water augmentation phase two project which will also pump another 30 megalitres to give a total of 60 megalitres to be able to meet the city’s water requirements.
Masvingo Ward 8 councilor Richard Musekiwa also pleaded with the parent ministry to ensure that councils get funding for road rehabilitation on time so they can be able to plan accordingly.
Popular cattle farmer nabbed for murder
By Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – A popular cattle farmer who runs a thriving cattle farm in Bhuka area and resides at15642, Makuyana Street Runyararo West high-density suburb in Masvingo Robert Makado (49) who is also Masingo Beef Producers Association (MBPA) chairperson was arrested on murder charges after allegedly assaulting his herdboy who died a few days later.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and said Makado had since been picked by the police.
Sources said on January 16 around 1500hrs at Mudavanhu Bottle store in Chief Bere area, the deceased Misheck Sinyoro from Tarambiwa Village in Bikita and his workmate Ericanos Regi (49) of Autoparks Farm, were drinking beer when the accused appeared and started to assault the now deceased accusing him of leaving cattle unattended and drinking beer.
The accused assaulted Sinyoro with open hands, kicked him all over his body with booted feet and went on to assault Regi before he was restrained by others.
The now-deceased went home complaining of chest pains and the following day around 5am, woke up but failed to do his usual work and the two agreed that he should go to Bhuka Clinic though he had difficulties in walking.
When Regi came back from the farm around 2000hrs, he discovered that Sinyoro was not around and thought maybe he had not returned from the clinic.
On the following day (January 18) in the morning, he went behind one of the houses intending to wash her clothes and saw the deceased’s body in a nearby bush which they used as a bathing area.
he called Makado and informed him about the incident but Makado asked him not to tell people what had transpired but he went on to report to the police leading to the accused’s arrest.