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ED will be leader of opposition in Parly – Chamisa

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ED will be leader of opposition in Parly – Chamisa

Beverly Bizeki

Zimbabwe’s main opposition party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) president Nelson Chamisa has promised President Emmerson Mnangagwa a leader of opposition post in Parliament after the August 23 elections saying Zanu PF will now be the opposition party in Zimbabwe.
Addressing thousands of party members gathered at the CCC presidential rally held at Mamutse Stadium in Masvingo on August 13, Chamisa said he had come to Masvingo to address people for the last time before getting into a new Zimbabwe.
“I will give Mnangagwa his seat as opposition leader in parliament when we get into power as well as the facilities he is having. That is the new government. I will invite him to state functions and give him his pension” said Chamisa.
Chamisa said he will work on projects and promises that Mnangagwa failed to fulfill during his reign.
“In Masvingo we had the Cold Storage Commission (CSC) which Mnangagwa previously said he will reopen and failed, zvaakuda mukomana (that now needs me).
“He said he will upgrade the Harare – Beitbridge road to have four lanes but he failed and only added one, zvaakuda mukomana.
“He said he will address the lithium issue so that it is beneficiated before export and he failed but I will fix that, he had also said he will restore Masvingo as the ancient city and failed too but I will fix that,” said Chamisa.
Chamisa also said he had plans to make Masvingo a logistics hub in a bid to upgrade the city and accord it the status it deserves as the oldest city in the country.
“Masvingo is the oldest city but there is nothing to show for the city’s old age, there are very few robots and tall buildings to show the city is expanding but if you vote for me I will make Masvingo a logistics hub and make it an international destination while decentralizing Harare in the process,” said Chamisa.
Chamisa also said he will ensure that minerals are processed and beneficiated where they are mined so that the country can benefit from its minerals and avoid looting.
“When we get into office there is no mine that will release minerals without being processed, factories will be found at the mines and be processed there. Other countries have to come and see lithium batteries made in Zimbabwe kwete zvemukoma wangu uyu wekuti kungopiwa kiss namai vepa next door votosiya netsvimbo dzehushe, (not what my brother does, when he is kissed by a woman next door, he relinquishes power). In our government no minerals will leave the country; everything shall be retained here,” said Chamisa.
He said he will use minerals in the country to create employment as unemployment continues to rise.
“This issue of having 60 minerals with a high rate of unemployment is an insult, our minerals are able to create employment for us. South Africans have to come and look for work here and those in the diaspora will return home. People will know Zimbabwe has the strongest currency in Africa,” said Chamisa.
He went on to mock the police officers who were trying to stop him from addressing on the guise of time saying they should stop taking orders from Zanu PF since it will not be in government come August 23.
“Our police should not continue taking orders from Zanu PF because an outgoing government cannot be powerful than the incoming. Ndanzwa kuti varemerwa uku vakunetsa ka munoziva demon hariendi nechimbi chimbi rinombopfinha pfinha ka asi hakuna rwendo rwuno ndakarima mhiripiri, hweshero inoparara chete (I heard they are bothering us. Its normal, a demon does not just leave, it will make attempts to stay but this time I have planted Chilli so the baboon will definitely suffer,” said Chamisa.
With only a few days left before election, Chamisa said he had come to bid farewell to the old Zimbabwe before it is ushered into a new Zimbabwe which is to be voted into power.
“The country is waiting for progress, it is waiting for prosperity, I have seen that it is not proper for me to have a celebration before bidding farewell to the old Zimbabwe because we want to build a new Zimbabwe, a new spirit in the industries, government and everywhere,” said Chamisa.

Shame on you Masvingo Police

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Shame on you Masvingo Police

Imi vanhu mukaita zvekutamba ndovhotera Valerio makatemba, after all I am a woman, why not support a fellow woman. We had vowed with other vendors here at Chitima kuti we will vote for Linda nekusageza kwake coz men have proved to be a failure when it comes to politics and fixing the economy. Zvaakuda ana amai izvi. However, not chero mai, I am not referring to women like Kashiri, her heart is just like other men in Zanu PF. I mean someone with a heart of a real woman. Even akaita Mukomana like Chamisa as long as ane moyo waamai its better. We cannot continue being led by an iron fist in this century, by the way tiri in which century, ko ndichambozviziva here ini kkk. It is all because of Mthuli and Panonetsa and their bond notes nxaa. What I know is that what is happening does not conform to the century we are in. Viva Valerio Viva kkk, hameno kana iriyo slogan yacho kkk. I like the lady’s character, she fought tooth and nail to get on the ballot kwete zvaana Linda. Nhasi zvangu nevakomana vepaMwenezi East, I heard them forcing women to sing Musha waani une Bhunu tibhombe and Valerio iBhunu just like Kitsi. Valerio’s court issue yabva yandifungisa kumacourts.
Kana pane ari close to Chief Shumba can you please ask him to visit me paChitima market apa, I need to have a pep talk with him. Yes I mean this guy wekuimba ED Pfee and Musangano wakasimba kumasero. I want him to clearly explain to me what he meant by his song Musangano wakasimbira kumasero. That song is lyrically good zvekuti ukasateerera mushe you end up believing it but to be frank with you, that’s hogwash, that’s a lie. The truth is that, Musangano wakasimbira kumaCourts. Ndikunzwei futi muchiimba kuti musangano wakasimbira kumasero, imika, tikwanirei. If you think I am lying ask Thabani Mpofu. I also predict we will see the same scenario before the end of August.
Before I forget, I hope all those prophets who want to predict the outcome of these elections are finalizing. Yes we need to hear the predictions now because the elections are around the corner, yeah paseri apo and zvikafamba mushe we will have a new beginning, I mean a new cabinet or even a new president, only God Knows. I am not a prophet nor a seer so I don’t want to predict but ndofunga mese muri kungoonawo zviri kuitika. People are so calm and I hope it’s not calm before a storm. Chete vanhu vaakuziva zvavanoda, vanhu vanoziva pekuvhotera imiwe. However, the opposition should sleep with one eye open, Ladies and gentlemen. I know some of you celebrated the short victory of the Bulawayo 12. I know that was a deliberate ploy by Zanu PF to divert attention to real issues, to real rigging strategies, wait and see. I discovered kuti panga pasina nyaya when I heard kuti ZEC is on the same side with CCC, ndakabva ndabeka comma kkk. Kutanga riini ZEC kuva against Zanu? The whole drama was simply to prove a false point that the judiciary system is not captured, observers were already in. I suspect we will go to courts after this mirai muone, zvenyu and everyone will see that musangano wakasimbira kumasero, ah, sorry, kumaCourts.
I want to say well-done to our esteemed police officers in Masvingo, they did a good hell of a job to show how Zanu PF controls them. They managed to expose how brutal the system is. Inini hangu I think they did that deliberately, they wanted to expose the government by all means, they are also struggling ladies and gentlemen vanzwireiwo tsitsi. Very few bosses are eating and most of them dai pasina kuti vanofamba vachipemha pese pese kuti vawane lunch mutown dai atori ma1 kkk.
But I want to warn our fellows from the force, please respect people, zvema teargas pfirai pasi imbwa dzinonge, what I heard last week zvakandicheka guru kuti dambu dambu. How can they throw teargas on innocent people? Kuda kumutsa mweya wehondo. Our grannies in old railways uko vakapedzisira kuona zviya during Smith’s time. But naiyewo mukomana wacho anazvo, sure kusvika na5 vanhu vaswera the whole day vakangomirira. But anodiwa hake mfana wacho, vanhu vakamirira the whole day. But dai ndirini handaimirira izvovzo. Apa I heard he had nothing for Masvingo, kana kutaurawo zvekuno kuChitima market, kana kutaurawo zvemvura hayo busy kutaura zvemaChiefs muno mutown. I think vana Mureri havana kumuudza zvakakwana. I think they should advise him on the real issues that affects Masvingo not zvekugadzwa kwemachiefs kana zvekupa Mnangagwa maPecks ake, hatinei nazvo isu.
Before I go hangu kunokanga maputi angu for lunch, since the elections are around the corner, where is that party iya yainzi CCC. Not yemukomana, the other one iya yakatanga iya kkk. Haa zvatoitirwa muZimbabwe mahora. Chakazoendepi chiparty chiya kkk. Zvabva zvandifungisa Togarasei akati Ra Ra Ra kkk. That guy owes us an apology. A big apology to the people of Zimbabwe. How can he raise people’s hopes like that only to pull out of the race in the 11th hour. I am told that what he is saying about ZEC irregularities is just a scapegoat, the issue is on nyaya yekufailer to pay for his parliamentarians’ nekudya the political party funds ega. He knows he won’t get a single cent in both parliament and council.
Anyway, ladies and gentlemen, my message to you is simple, don’t be intimidated, no one will see who you voted for. I am just worried who the G40s will vote for since Tyson WaBantu was barred from the race kkk. Vamwe kurambidzwa vachida vamwe vachibuda vega kkk maybe they will vote for Valerio. But my friend Mphoko and Robby Junior will vote for the croc. I heard Mphoko recently featured at a rally kkk and like always, Roby Junior attends and I am sure you know what it means. Anyway, till after elections, Mboko iMboko.

5 year old Masvingo model to represent Zimbabwe at Miss Africa Continental

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5 year old Masvingo model to represent Zimbabwe at Miss Africa Continental

Beverly Bizeki

MASVINGO – Five year old Victoria Primary School ECD B pupil is making history after winning three local beauty pageants and is set to represent Zimbabwe at the fourth edition of Little Mister and Miss Africa continental to be held in Nigeria next year.
The young princess, Dillish Masango who is the reigning Miss Victoria Primary and Queen of Masvingo Primary Schools won the ticket to represent Zimbabwe after winning Toto Miss Africa Zimbabwe final at an event held in Greencroft Harare, Zimbabwe on August 5.
Masango’s mother Rumbidzai Chisangowerota confirmed the developments and said she was proud of her daughter’s achievements and will be supporting her throughout the journey.
“I am really proud of Dillish, the age, the composure and attitude is just amazing. She is confident yet calm and collected. I support her in everything and I will hold her hand throughout the journey.
“Dillish is intelligent and I really hope for nothing but the best for her,” said Chisangowerota.
Describing her daughter’s journey, Chisangowerota said the young model who is in ECD B started off her career last year (2022) when she won Miss Victoria Primary.
“Her journey started last year when she won Miss Victoria Primary School title. She went on to win the Queen of Masvingo Primary Schools title at an event held at Masvingo show grounds.
“Early this year she was registered for Little Miss Africa Zimbabwe where she won the Toto Miss Africa Zimbabwe at an event held in Greencroft,” said Chisangowerota.
Chisangowerota said Masango is a smart girl who is naturally intelligent.
“She is basically a smart kid who does not like dirt, she barely plays with dirt like what other children of her age often do.
Asked what inspired the young model to take this route, Masango’s mother said she believes its something she was born with.
“Dillish is natural, I believe it is just an inborn thing as she likes makeup very much, each time she returns from school she wears lipstick and she also loves fashion,” said Chisangowerota.
In terms of food, Chisangowerota said the young model is a fan of rice and chicken with coleslaw salad.
Thirty young children contested at the just ended Little Mister and Miss Africa where Shania Hwara (9) won Little Miss Africa Zimbabwe and Tadisa Kaseke won Teen Little Zimbabwe.

Man teams up with sons to murder other son

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Man teams up with sons to murder other son

Perpetua Murungweni

A 70-year old man from Chief Chikwanda area in Gutu teamed up with his two sons to assault and murder his other son who had earlier assaulted him over a misunderstanding involving polygamy.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to desist from engaging in violence when resolving disputes saying violence should not substitute dialogue.
“I can confirm that we received a report where a man from Gutu killed his son with the aid of his other sons. We urge members of the public to desist from using violence when solving disputes. Violence should not substitute dialogue,” said Dehwa
Sources said on August 7, 2023 at around 3 pm the deceased Francis Manhendo had a misunderstanding with his father Lawrence Manhendo over an issue of polygamy at Magaya Shopping Center.
Francis then allegedly picked a stone and hit his father on the cheek after which the father went to his homestead where he narrated what had transpired to his other two sons Tinashe Manhendo and Thomas Ngindi.
Tinashe and Thomas then ganged up and followed Francis and caught up with him a few meters from his home.
The duo assaulted Francis with logs and open hands all over the body and dragged him to their father’s house where their father joined them and further assaulted Francis until he fell unconscious.
The trio then dragged the now deceased into the kitchen hut and covered him with a blanket. The matter was then reported to the police leading to the arrest of the old man and his two sons.

Man caged 2 years for assaulting chief

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Man caged 2 years for assaulting chief

Decide Nhendo

A 37-year-old man who assaulted Chief Murinye born Ephias Munodawafa on June 28 at a funeral was sentenced to two years imprisonment by Masvingo Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzie on August 8, 2023.
Wakemore Gavhure of village 33B under Chief Murinye area in Masvingo Central will serve an effective 1 year and three months after nine months of his sentence were suspended for five years on condition that he do not commit the same crime.
Gavhure was facing two counts of assault, the first being of assaulting Chief Murinye and the second one being of assaulting Honest Nemadziwa, a police officer who had accompanied the chief to a funeral.
It is the state case as presented by Nixon Chamisa that on the fateful day at village 33B, Gavhure slapped Chief Murinye with an open hand and also struck him once with a log on his hands.
Gavhure is also accused of striking Nemadziwa who was executing his duties on the head with a fist once.
In his defense the accused said he only slapped the chief with an open hand and denied that he used a log to hit the chief, and also denied striking the police officer saying the police officer was assaulted by people who were present when the incident happened.
On mitigation he pleaded for mercy saying he had admitted to his crimes and apologized to the chief who attended the court.
“I admit that I assaulted the chief with an open hand and a log several times. I am pleading with the court to be merciful taking into consideration that I have admitted to my crime,”
“I want to say I am sorry to the court and the chief whom I wronged intentionally, can the court please bear with me and reduce the punishment I am supposed to receive,” said Gavhure.
However, Magistrate Hanzie said she could not take that into consideration since Gavhure had wasted the court’s time denying what he knew he did and later on accepted.

ZNA commemorates ZDF week in style

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ZNA commemorates ZDF week in style

Perpetua Murungweni

Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)’ 4:1 infantry brigade is commemorating the Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) week in style by cleaning a number of institutions in Masvingo Province.
This was revealed by 4 brigade commander Brigadier General Ephious Mahachi during the commissioning of a classroom block built by the army at Hillside Primary School.
He said the ZDF designated a week of the heroes’ month to take soldiers out of the barracks into the community where they will assist the communities in any way possible.
The commander said the assistance can be from just cleaning places such as old age homes, schools or hospitals. It can also be donating to need people such as giving wheel chairs to the disabled.
“We have dedicated this week to give assistance to communities, the assistance we are rendering this week include cleaning Masvingo General Hospital and the Heroes Acre. Because of our numbers if we bring in for example 200 soldiers to assist a particular community they can make a difference in a short space of time.
“We are also going to clean Morgenster Mission, Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital and Chishavi Clinic in Chivi.
“In Gutu we are cleaning Mupandawana Rank, Gutu Rural Hospital and Chomsky Shopping Centre. In Chiredzi we are cleaning Chiredzi old and new Rank, Chiredzi General Hospital and Chambuta Children’s Home,” said Mahachi
He said the force also takes advantage of the week to hand over completed projects the army would have been working on.
“The ZDF week is the culmination of such assistance when we also handover other projects that may have been carried out or embarked over a long period such as the Hillside Primary School classroom block,” Mahachi said.
Mahachi also said that the gesture is to show the society that the army is a people’s force created to serve the people not to fight them.
“We reach out to communities to show the society that we are a people’s force created to serve the people not to fight them. We cannot be everywhere all the time but are ready and willing to assist wherever, whenever and in whatever way possible,” said Mahachi.

A VOTE NOT CAST, IS A FUTURE LOST

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A VOTE NOT CAST, IS A FUTURE LOST

By Nicholas Aribino and Cyprian Muchemwa

Some citizens think that voting is a waste of time. Many a time, these don’t-ers think that their circumstances cannot be changed by voting because of the assumption of associating politics with dirtiness. Bad things sometimes happen in politics that is true, but we can still confidently argue in this opinion piece that politics is not always dirty, rather it is politicians who sometimes make it dirty. The opportunity to vote for eligible voters should not be missed as it comes with attendant benefits for the electorate and for democracy in general. It is the object of this opinion piece to connect with the readership with the message that a vote not cast translates to a future lost.
When citizens think that voting is a futile exercise, they unwittingly give up their right to political participation and those who decide to vote will determine the legal and policy framework for them through descriptive representation. The authors of this opinion piece believe that the decision to give up on voting under the perception of nothing coming out of Denmark approximates a passive political culture. A passive political culture is not good for democracy and nation building because it may lead to political leaders not being accountable to people that they lead. Birds have not stopped singing because of lack of listenership and to that effect it is our duty and obligation to remind the electorate that the right to vote should be taken seriously. Voter apathy undermines the whole concept of democracy and it is also an insult to those who fought hard and some even lost lives for one man/woman one vote. As people vote, they elect into office their representatives that would serve as their conveyer belts for communicating their needs in the matrix of governance. Voting is a powerful tool which influences public policy.
Good governance and accountability by those in leadership can only be guaranteed when there is a consciousness by the leadership of a people with an active political culture. When citizens decide to exercise their right to vote, they should first of all consider the value systems and principles that they would want advanced by their political leaders in various institutions to which they would be deployed. It is important to have a tooth-pick analysis of the personality and technocratic capacity of the person you would want to vote for. Some of the things to consider are the level of both soft and hardware support that the person has contributed towards the growth and development of his or her community or country. For example, in Singapore it is generally believed that appointing a technocrat to be a cabinet minister is more effective because he or she can easily be turned into a politician than getting a non-technocrat who can never be turned into any expert by power. The above approach can be productive considering that the deployment of human capital to governance structures is powerful in that the nation ends up with a crop of politicians who have both craft-literacy and craft-competence to manage the affairs of the country. Today Singapore’s unemployment rate stands at 1.8% because every needle has been put in its right place in terms of the governance architecture.
The right to political participation should not be under-utilised, especially in Zimbabwe where upward of 70% of the people are in the informal economy. The informal economy is largely not healthy for the country because of informal businesses are neither registered, recognised, protected nor regulated under labour legislation. Essentially, informality does not come with any social protection and often thrives in disarticulated economies. When businesses are not registered the country loses out on the collection of taxes. Those in the informal economy can enjoy social protection or security through voting and advocating for the regularisation of their businesses. Informality generates an unbanked economy. An unbanked economy does not create any employment opportunities for citizens because a government thrives on taxes that are largely realised out of a formal economy. Arguably, when a small population is in employment, revenue collection for the government becomes lean thereby pushing it to the wall in terms of addressing macro-economic fundamentals. For those who pay taxes to the government, it is worth noting that there cannot be any taxation without representation.
When the president of Zimbabwe said that, “The voice of the people, is the voice of God” he was merely reminding Zimbabweans that their participation in the governance of their country is sacrosanct and within that same breath he is also cajoling every Zimbabwean to go and vote, because voting represents the voice of the people. Even the mantra that, “ Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” that has been popularised by the president of Zimbabwe, is also a reminder to the citizens of Zimbabwe to participate in the affairs of their country. Conversely, “Nyika inogonazve kuputswa nevene vayo” this also implies that those who decide to take a back seat in the affairs of their own country can equally bring down their country. By extension, deciding not to vote translates to destroying one’s country because the collective good of any country is seen through collective participation and completion of efforts of its citizens. Collective participation by people through active broader political participation and voting in particular will send a very clear message to political leaders that the people are watching. Those who choose not vote may do so because it is within their rights to do that, but they should not complain or cry foul when decisions that are at tangent with their expectations are made. Above all the right to political participation and voting came through sweat and blood, therefore it must be enjoyed to the fullest.

Dr. Cyprian Muchemwa- Lecturer : Department of peace and governance at the Bindura University of
Science Education.
Contact : +263 773429935

Dr. Nicholas Aribino : ZIMCARE Trust Country
Director.
Contact : +263715617095

Masvingo United crowned 2023 Defense forces champions

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Masvingo United crowned 2023 Defense forces champions

Decide Nhendo

Masvingo United FC (Una Una) were crowned Masvingo Province Defense Forces Cup champions after dismissing the army side United Lions FC by one goal to nil at Mucheke Stadium on August 15 2023.
Una Una veteran player Kudzanai (Dudu) Kwachi scored a stunner after he converted a corner kick into a magnificent goal which decided the match outcome in favor of his team to lift the trophy which was sponsored by Econet Zimbabwe.
Masvingo United spokesperson Omen Mafa said despite being called late to participate in the tournament they performed well, as earlier the Zimbabwe National Army based side United Lions had invited a Mozambican army based side but they failed to show up.
“Despite having received the invitation to participate in the tournament two hours before kickoff and despite the fact that most of our players are out following the league break, Una Una did not disappoint its supporters,” said Mafa.
He said the match gave them a chance to try new combinations and prepare for the final half of the league.
“Una Una used the match as part of its preparations for the second leg and trying new combinations,” said Mafa.
Masvingo United was on fire as the players were distributing excellent passes on the first half missing one or two chances and finally managing to lead through Dudu’s header which was the solitary goal of the day.
On the second half Masvingo United started well but they failed to utilize chances and the army side also picked up pace on the final quarter of the second half but they failed to score until the final whistle was blown.
Masvingo United also dismissed the flamboyant Harare based side, Mabvuku FC.

WHERE IS THE PLAY CENTRE FOR CHILDREN?

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By Nicholas Aribino and Cyprian Muchemwa

The corporatization and commercialization of play through outdoor recreational facilities has come with a heavy price for the wholesome growth and development of young children, because the former and the latter are not natural for the children as they are structured and experienced through crowded spaces. Naturally, children have a natural inclination towards play and play for children is critical in shaping them into well-rounded children. This opinion piece seeks to interrogate developmental projects that are taking place within Zimbabwe without any regard for creating recreational facilities for young children.

Zimbabwe is witnessing a spurt of new suburbs like gated communities and high-density areas. The new suburbs or locations do not have any spaces for the recreation of children. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989) Article 3 (1), “In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken by public or private social welfare institutions, a court of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, the best interest of the child shall be a primary consideration.”  By extension, the best interest of the child should always guide any designing, planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of any programme or project.  Over and above that, the voice of the child (UNCRC Article, 12) should always be heard in matters that concern them. It is indeed as clear as a bell that those responsible for planning on having new residential suburbs in Zimbabwe are violating the children’s best interest, participation rights and the right of children to play (UNCRC Article, 31) as it is evidential that recent developments of human settlements have been developed without any play centres or recreational facilities for children. When children get an opportunity to play, they are either taken by their parents / guardians to food courts where, in some cases they can be allowed to use play facilities after having bought some food items, or they would have been taken to braaing (gochi-gochi) spaces where spaces for play have been considered for them. Within their crowded gated communities and high-density suburbs children are routinely seen playing football or netball along the roads, a situation which may give rise to road accidents.

Those who are responsible for land banks and parcelling out land for the development of housing units in both urban and rural local authorities should at least have some working  knowledge of the importance of play for children. Every piece of land that should be considered for human settlement should also appropriate spaces for recreational facilities for children. Similarly, new schools that are mushrooming should also have play grounds for children. When the right to play for children is trampled upon because of lack of spaces for play children may not experience wholesome development in the social, psychomotor, moral, cognitive, affective and spiritual domains. The right to play for children is as important as the right to health care, education, food and water because through play children learn about relationship skills, empathy, leadership skills, sharing, tolerance, acceptance and understanding of human differences. To deny children the right to play is akin to robbing them off a healthy future that would ideally help them to live harmoniously with others.

The outcry regarding drug abuse in Zimbabwe may be attributed to lack of recreational facilities. When children and youths find themselves with nothing to do, without any opportunities for recreation they may even resort to experimenting with drugs. Idle minds are indeed the devil ‘s laboratory. Zimbabweans love soccer and netball generally, and they expect to excel in the former and the latter but surprisingly they have not created spaces for children to horn their skills in soccer and netball. The government of Zimbabwe has a duty of care to ensure that as local authorities parcel out land for human settlement there should be spaces that should be fenced off for play. Any housing developments that come without any widespread benefits for children and the youths should be condemned. Development should come with a human face, and this human face should prize a personal touch for children’s play. The writers of this opinion piece have observed developing housing units in Dzivarasekwa Extension where there are crowded match box houses that have neither play nor parking spaces for cars; this should be lampooned because the crowded dwellings create a fertile ground for the use and abuse of children.

This writer strongly believes that professionals that are seized with the development of new housing units like engineers in their various variants should have infused into their training four key principles of the rights of the children as enshrined in the UNCRC (1989) to which our country is a signatory-state namely, the best interest of the child, non-discrimination, participation and growth, survival, growth and development. It is critical that child safeguarding should be central to the designing and planning of human settlements. Children have limited experiences and are also vulnerable, thence the need to ensure that duty bearers become alive to their global needs and rights. Play for children should not just be a concept that is introduced and reinforced at school at the stage of Early Childhood Development (ECD), it is a concept that should be nurtured at home through the creation of safe play spaces in communities. Children develop new vocabulary through play, children learn to accommodate one another through play, children learn turn-taking skills in dialogues through play, children expand, embrace and enhance their understanding of human diversity through play and children learn to be assertive through play. When the professionals responsible for planning new suburbs for human settlement pooh-pooh play, they short change children’s growth and development. Let play be natural for children in their own communities, when play is corporatized and commercialized poor children will miss out on living their childhood to the hilt.

Dr. Cyprian Muchemwa- Lecturer : Department of peace and governance at the Bindura University of
Science Education.
Contact : +263 773429935

Dr. Nicholas Aribino : ZIMCARE Trust Country
Director.
Contact : +263715617095

NB we are writing in our own individual capacities

Police throws teargas at CCC supporters, Sisk residential area

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Beverly Bizeki

Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa’s address to supporters in Masvingo quickly turned into tears and mucus after Masvingo Police decided to end the rally throwing tear gas canisters in Mamutse Stadium last weekend.
Within a few minutes after Chamisa’s departure from the venue, a cloud of smoke engulfed the whole stadium forcing thousands of party supporters, onlookers and the media running in all directions seeking for sanctuary.
A few who had remained home in nearby Sisk, Mostaff and Old Railway suburbs were forced out of their houses to check on the noise that was in the streets as tear smoke victims would just turn at any house they saw with opened gates helping themselves from water basins usually left outside of many houses for other domestic purposes.
Those who came out to check on the noise or intruders at their homes were greeted with an unfamiliar smoke that quickly filled their eyes and nostrils chocking them in the process leaving most of them vomiting and gasping for fresh air.
Two or three canisters were thrown at first and second streets and the smoke covered most of the Sisk areas up to the shops where unsuspecting shopkeepers were forced to temporarily close shops.
For most of the people, that was their first time to encounter the burning irritation, lacrimation and blurry vision and a few could have heard only heard its effects from Chiredzi and Rutenga incidents.
The police were described by Chamisa as being possessed by a demon which does not suddenly leave when being cast out but would try a few tricks to remain because of their action of forcing people out of the stadium.
However, a few people managed to capture the drama and crazy moments since even scribes had to temporarily leave their prescribed duties and ran away from the stadium to look for fresh air far away from the stadium.
The whole incident started during Chamisa’s address when the police told organizers that the stipulated time for the rally had lapsed and had to stop. However, the defiant Chamisa continued speaking though he went on to cut short his address.
A number of police officers in anti-riot gear descended on the stadium from Mandava hill limiting chances of the crowd throwing stones as they could only be found in the direction they were coming from.
Speaking to this publication just after the mayhem, the rally convener and CCC Masvingo Urban candidate Martin Mureri described police actions as barbaric and uncivilized.
“As CCC we are not pleased by the barbaric actions by the police. They should respect people even if the law has been broken, they have power to arrest not to throw teargas. If there is anyone who has broken the law they should just arrest that person,”
“Right now people are crying from the tear smoke and they have thrown canisters in residential areas where there are innocent children who do not even know what crime has been committed if there is any,” said Mureri.
However, the police released a statement on its official twitter page justifying their actions on the day saying police had no option but to throw teargas to disperse the crowds.
“The police had no option but to use tear smoke to disperse the violent crowd. This was safely done with no injuries to the public or any damage to property,” reads the statement.
The police said they had engaged CCC to notify them to dismiss the crowd as the time slated for the rally had lapsed.
“The police engaged the CCC’s National Organising Secretary Amos Chibaya and his team who openly apologized for their non-compliance with the rally notification time. They agreed with the Regulating Authority to dismiss the crowd due to safety and security concerns over night rallies.
“Suddenly the crowd became rowdy and started throwing stones at the police officers while threatening to set on fire two police vehicles. One police officer sustained injuries as a result of stones attack,” reads the statement.
The police further urged political parties to properly organise their rallies and avoid spilling of events into the night saying night rallies are a security threat.
“The ZRP appeals to political parties and their leaders to strictly adhere to the time frames specified in their rally notifications to the Regulating Authority in term of the provisions of the Maintenance of Order and Peace Act. This will assist in the effective maintenance of law and order in the country,” reads the statement.
In his speech at the same event, Chamisa who had earlier on addressed a rally in Hippo Valley said the police had blocked them from holding a rally at their initial venue in Chiredzi and had to reconvene 15 km away.

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