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Chiredzi women decry lack of information from aspiring candidates

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Chiredzi women decry lack of information from aspiring candidates

Perpetua Murungweni

Chiredzi women complained over lack of information on electoral processes that help them to make informed decisions and choices on who to vote for saying candidates across the political divide are reluctant to go public with their manifestos.
This came out at a dialogue meeting organized by Zimbabwe Centre for Communication Research and Public Opinion Survey Trust in a bid to address lack of access to credible information and reliable sources of information by women, youth and people with disabilities in Chiredzi.
United Chiredzi Residency and Ratepayers Association (UCHIRA) Constance Chikumbo said residents were getting insufficient information from candidates contesting for this year’s election.
“As a youth, as a woman and a resident representative, I say we are no satisfied with the information that is being availed to us by the candidates who are contesting for parliament and local authority seats,”
“The information is not sufficient and is not going to be enough for us to hold them to account when they are voted in. We want something to use as a note board, and maybe as a reference point for what they are going to do once they are in office.
“Of all Chiredzi candidates only two presented their manifestos to the public and we appreciate it because some of the issues affecting residents were presented. One of them is Mr Makumire who availed his manifesto and we are happy that in his policy making job he promised he is going to solve one or two,”
However, we are yet to get other candidates’ before we go for polls,” said Chikumbo.
Tapiwa Shumba of Youth Perspective said the youth needed adequate information so that they can relate the information to what they want as a society.
“The information that we are getting from the contesting candidates is inadequate and as a youth I think there is need for them to give us full information. As far as I am concerned all political parties who haven’t showed us their manifestos that shows that they want to empower youth or that enhances the problems faced by youth. I don’t think they are the rightful candidates we want because they do not share the same vision that we have as youth.
“We need that information so that we can relate to what we want as a society and politicians are very ignorant of the issues that concerns us as youth,” said Shumba
Bernadette Chipembere of Women and Girls Matters said there is need for candidates to give out sufficient information so that women will make right decisions and choices.
“We are not getting enough information, we don’t even know what they are going to do for us if voted in. We have tried reaching out to them but they are silent, fliers are all over but they lack information that satisfies us. As women we need more information so that we make the right decisions and right choices,” Said Chipembere.

Mandishona appointed substantive Director of Housing

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Mandishona appointed substantive Director of Housing

Perpetua Murungweni

Masvingo City Council has appointed Simbarashe Mandishona as substantive Director of Housing and Social Services effective 01 August 2023, having occupied the same post on acting capacity.
Mandishona Joined Masvingo City Council as Deputy Director of Housing and Social Services in April 2011 up until May 2022. He was then appointed acting Director from June 2022 to July 2023 after the then director Livison Nzvura retired.
Having worked in various local authorities spearheading development, Mandishona said he has vast experience in town planning, housing and estate management and during his time as the Deputy Director of Housing and Social Services he took a leading role in a number of projects.
“I took a leading role in the formulation of polices at Masvingo City Council such as the education policy of the council and a number of councils have been coming for leaning purposes from us,”.
“I also took a leading role in the re-greening to beautify the city by planting of trees, lawns and flowers in parks like Kernen Park and a number of housing projects including the construction of Rujeko Secondary School,”
“I brought sanity to public entities where there were challenges like at Alpha Cottages Children’s Home, there were challenges of governance. I managed to appoint a new committee. I did the same at Charles Austin Theatre where I brought in a new committee and things are beginning to take shape now,” said Mandishona.
Mandishona holds Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Rural and Urban Planning with University of Zimbabwe, Master of Science Degree in Strategic Management with Chinhoyi University of Technology and a certificate in Personnel Training and Labour and another certificate in Labour Relations.
He says he has 28 years working experience in the housing services department which he acquired from a number of organizations having started as a Planning Officer for DDF which is now the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) a department of rural development in Gweru Midlands Province from July 1995 to June 1998.
He later joined Runde Rural District Council as Projects and Planning Officer from July 1998 upto December 2000 when he became the acting Chief Executive Officer for the same local authority, a position he held from January 2001 to December 2003.
In 2004 then joined Marondera Municipality where he served as the Deputy Director of Housing and Community Services between January 2004 and March 2011.
Mandishona said currently he is working on engaging private entities so that the housing projects will be completed.
“In terms of housing projects we are currently spearheading the engagement of National Building Society (NDS) in servicing Rujeko D, and also the engagement of Infrastructure Banking of Zimbabwe (IBZ) to service Morning side medium density suburb and Mangwandi surbub (Rhodene extension),” said Mandishona.
Mandishona said as the new Housing Director, his vision was in line with vision 2030 National Development Strategy 1 (NDS) on housing delivery.
“My vision as the new Housing Director is that the projects that I am going to work on contribute to NDS1. I am working towards improving social services by establishing more schools. The are no adequate schools especially in Rujeko and the ones available are over whelmed. This also applies in Runyararo Area where Francis Aphiri is overwhelmed and the area needs an additional secondary school.
In terms of social housing he said he will spearhead the disposal of houses so that the vulnerable and disadvantaged people have access to housing services.
“The only way to empower people who live in council houses or hostels is to sell these houses to them because most of them have been staying in the houses for over 20 to 30 years. Government policy allows that if people stay in house for long the council can dispose the houses to them,”
“So I am going to make sure that these houses are disposed to the sitting tenants and give them section titles so that they will be able to upgrade their hostels.
“I also intend to focus on upgrading Mucheke Stadium, because with the current state of Mucheke stadium Masvingo will not be able to host premier league soccer games. As council we are going to partner private companies to make it a reality,” Mandishona said.

GZU gears up rural industrialisation

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GZU gears up rural industrialisation

Andrew Zhou

Masvingo – The Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) through its Gary Magadzire School of Agriculture & Engineering Department under the Innovation Centre of Excellency in Dry Land Agriculture has geared up its rural industrialisation niche after launching the traditional grains contract farming programme in Chibgwedziva, Chiredzi Rural District ward 8 on August 3 2023.
The programme will benefit villagers in Chiredzi, Gutu and Mwenezi Districts as well as Masvingo province at large. Under the programme, farmers will receive traditional small grain inputs and will have access to markets after harvesting their crops.
Officially speaking during the launch of the programme, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, Innovation and Technology Development Professor Amon Murwira said GZU’s initiative will improve livelihoods of rural communities by bringing markets at small grain farmers’ door steps.
“This initiative will promote rural industrialisation where the fore runners of the programme that is GZU will bring you free farming inputs as well as markets for your produce” said Professor Murwira.
He commended the GZU for implementing education 5.0 by coming up with such a developmental programme and thanked Chibgwedziva community for accepting productivity programme without hesitation.
Speaking at the same event the GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo said the programme will ensure food security as it focuses on traditional small grains which produce high yield in the Lowveld especially Chiredzi South.
“The traditional grains contract farming programme will bring economic development in rural areas through farming and will ensure food security which contribute to the attained of vision 2030,” said Professor Zvogbo said.
He went on to say the programme will also provide rural farmers with chicks for poultry production which they will sell to GZU.
“We are going to give you chicks also for poultry production and we will buy and slaughter them in our abattoir”
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Development Dr John Bhasera, AGRITEX Deputy Director responsible for crops in the ministry Kundai Makuku said the ministry had already done the summer plan for the 2023/2024 planting season with a target of 350 000 metric tonnes for sorghum and 200 000 for pale millet across the country.
“We have already done our summer planting plan which was approved by the government and we target high production of 350 000 metric tonnes for sorghum and 200 000 for pale millet across the country,” Makuku said.
She encouraged farmers in Masvingo province to embrace the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme as it enabled them to produce high yields in the coming farming season.
Villagers who has already benefited from the recently launched the traditional grains contract farming programme applauded the Great Zimbabwe university for coming up with such a great productivity programme in their community.
“I want to thank GZU and Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education for coming up with the programme here in our community, we have already sold our recently harvested crops to GZU,” said a villager only identified as Kanganisai.

Meet your candidate: Mwenezi North Zanu PF’s Master Makope

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Meet your candidate: Mwenezi North Zanu PF’s Master Makope

Cephas Shava

Mwenezi – With barely a few days before the watershed 23 August harmonised elections, Zanu PF candidate for the newly gazetted Mwenezi North, Master Makope whose short stint as Mwenezi East legislator has seen some hands-on developmental projects around the constituency says given a full fresh term he had a distinct roadmap for the people of Mwenezi North.
Born at Neshuro District Hospital in 1976 Makope attended primary school at Zvirikure and Pambe before proceeding to Rufaro Secondary School where he did his ‘O’ level and went on to Foundation High School in Bulawayo where he completed his ‘A’ level in 1998 .A holder of a post graduate diploma in education, Makope also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).
A longtime Mwenezi Government High School teacher who occupies several superior designated roles at one of the prestigious High School, Makope was elected ward 5 Cllr in 2013. In addition of being a Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) board member Makope went on to be elected Mwenezi Rural District Council vice Chairperson.
As ward 5 councilor, Makope made a name for himself by spearheading several developmental projects in his ward which include among several others, rehabilitating boreholes as well as resuscitating dams.
In 2020 Makope became Avhunga Secondary School head and following the death of Joosbi Omar Makope contested for Mwenezi East legislator post which he went on to win on Zanu PF ticket.
Makope whom many have described as hands-on when it comes to driving development had some tangible developmental initiatives which are credited to his names in the constituency. He told TellZim News that using devolution and constituency development funds (CDF) he and other concerned stakeholders managed to spearhead some developmental projects in Mwenezi East.
“Before assuming office my major target was to give priority to the electrification of schools in my constituency and so far I managed to ensure the electrification of Primary Schools like Mawarire, Makawire Chikadzi, Zvirikure then Rufaro and Guiding Star Secondary Schools. A solar-powered system was also recently installed at Mabhare Primary and Batanai Secondary Schools where a total of 17 houses were electrified.
Using devolution funds and CDF some classroom blocks were constructed at Schools like Negari, Rufaro, Chimbi, Zvirikure, Alpha Joy, Masaswe and Mavambo. During my short stint as Mwenezi East legislator I managed to facilitate rehabilitation of about 73 boreholes and sinking of five new ones,” Said Makope.
Going forward, Makope who vowed to give priority to youth empowerment around the constituency said he had bigger plans to validate Information Communication Technology (ICT) learning in the constituency such that he envisioned that by year 2028 all rural schools in Mwenezi North would have been electrified and will have state-of-the-art laboratories and decent accommodation for teachers.
“Our roads, clinics needs attention and more boreholes need to be drilled. We also need to resuscitate our Irrigations and make sure that new Irrigations like Pikinini-Jawanda are operationalized to the extent of feeding not only locals,”
“We have got minerals in the constituency and we want to make sure that our locals especially youths tap into these minerals. I have a vision of empowering locals so that they can be able to embark on self-sustaining projects like fish farming,” Said Makope.
Makope will square off with Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC)’s Patrick Mapfumo who is also a prominent Neshuro based Businessman.

Big boost for FC Wangu Mazodze

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Big boost for FC Wangu Mazodze

Decide Nhendo

Football Club (FC) Wangu Mazodze which is basking on top of the Zifa Eastern Region Division 1 football league has beefed up its squad with nine new signings picked from different teams and leagues in the country.
In a press released by the team’s Vice president Getrude Mazodze announced that the club has successfully signed nine new players to strengthen its squad and to maintain the same vision to continue building the team’s future.
“On behalf of the Club, FC Wangu Mazodze I am pleased to announce the successful signing of nine new players to beef up the Kingdom Boys squad. The new signings have the same vision to continue building the future of FC Wangu Mazodze,” she said.
Mazodze, on behalf of the Zhalala Zhululu family, gave the new players a warm welcome and wished them all the best.
“On behalf of the Zhalala Zhululu family we want to offer you our warmest welcome and wish you the best in becoming part of the brand, 2023 season is an exciting season, mabhora kuvanhu. Zhalala Zhululu is delivering the best in the Eastern Region and we are the log leaders with 36 points having played 15 games, with 11 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss the future of football is very big and bright,” said Mazodze
She said Zhalala Zhululu was delivering the best in the Eastern Region and are the log leaders with 36 points having played 15 games, with 11 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss, so the future of football in Zimbabwe is very big and bright.
The new players are Whisky Chikanya from Chiredzi Stars who is a Goalkeeper, Charles Rukwani Mushohwani FC who plays Centre Back, Taurai Solomon Mhoyo from JM BUSHA 54 FC who plays defensive midfield.
Four players were signed from Harare City namely Bright Tinotenda Majamanda who is an attacking midfielder, winger/striker. Timothy January a left/right winger, Central striker Tendai Ibah Mukono, and striker Ashwin Tafadzwa Chihowa.
From Mutare City Zhalala Zhululu signed Kudakwashe Shelton Guruve who is a central striker and another central striker Washington Ncube from Masvingo United.
The log leaders had an all nil draw with log carriers last weekend in Mucheke stadium whilst testing some of the new players and they will have another chance to prove themselves against Bikita Minerals on August 5 at Mucheke stadium again.

41 graduate with Carmel Bible Institute Southern Africa

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41 graduate with Carmel Bible Institute Southern Africa

Tinaani Nyabereka

GWERU – At least 41 people graduated from The Carmel Bible Theological Institute at a colorful graduation ceremony which saw graduands shining in various courses with degrees and master’s degrees.
Of the 41, 13 were capped with doctorate degrees while 4 graduated with professorship at a historical ceremony held in Gweru.
Solomon Chimange who is the Director of Carmel Bible Institue Southern Africa (CBISA) who also graduated with distinguished Professorship in Practical Theology called for young people who graduated to look forward building their nation through research and practical implementation of the knowledge they acquire at school.
“Education remains a key priority to this nation, as a recent graduate I want to urge young people not to drift away from the educational pathways because an empowered young man is a wise youth.

“I feel very proud of the achievement, I feel great because I worked hard for this, and it’s not easy to be awarded a Professorship in Theology. So going forward it’s all about providing knowledge which capacitate other learners on theology and bible studies as I strive to groom a moral upright society.” he said.

“If you can’t go wrong, know that you can purse your dream. The world is fast changing and it’s on by the book that people are adopting to the newly advancing technological systems. So my opinion is that, education remains an imperative element as it helps the society to shun illicit ways of life,”
“Drugs have killed our tomorrow’s leaders. Its good that we instill the culture of morality and uprightness in the young people by teaching and capacitating them on dangers of taking drugs.” he said.
On programs offered at Carmel, Chimange however said, the institution was bridging the gaps in pastoral work.
“I can safely say more than 70% of the pastors are not that much learned for the Ministry, most have trained in diplomas and some were affiliated to institutions which were not accredited,”
“This is where Carmel is coming in, our courses are currently being offered for free, what is only required is a small admission fee. Then once one is admitted he or she can start her courses.
“So our courses are offered both on distance learning and on campus, we say pastors must be equipped, the community must be equipped,” he said
Institution of higher learning was offering a wide range of courses including, Mission and Evangelism courses, Systematic / Applied theology, Divinity, Christian leadership and Administration
The institute’s Principal, Dr Lovemore Musiiwa and Vice Principal, Dr Apostle Penias Kariteni also graduated on the same occasion with distinguished Professorship.

Same old faces elected into national chiefs’ council

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Same old faces elected into national chiefs’ council

Brighton Chiseva

As the 2023 elections beckon, early stages of the poll are underway with the National Chiefs’ council having been elected in all the country’s eight none metropolitan provinces, and the same old faces have been elected in Masvingo Province.
Masvingo Province has five posts of chiefs who will represent the province in the national council and the sitting Chiefs’ Council president Chief Fortune Charumbira was elected together with senators Nhema of Zaka and Chitanga of Mwenezi.
34 Chiefs participated in the election which was conducted by the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) at the Chiefs’ Hall in Masvingo.
On the first post, Chief Charumbira, Chief Neromwe of Chiredzi born Clemence Madzingo and Chief Serima born Vengai Rushwaya of Gutu district were nominated and Charumbira went on to garner 27 votes and Neromwe got seven votes and Serima failed to get a single vote.
The second post was a Chivi – Mwenezi contest, Chief Chitanga born Feleni Chauke won with the highest number in the entire election with 28 votes against Chief Nemauzhe real name Nelson Murandu of Chivi who got a paltry of six votes.
The third post was a Zaka affair between Chief Nhema Born Rangarirai Bwawanda who currently sits in senate and Chief Ndanga born Wilson Makono where Nhema got 24 votes outgunning Ndanga who got 10
Chief Serima sailed uncontested for the fourth post while Chief Mazungunye (Lazarus Maitisi of Bikita got 22 against Chief Mugabe (Matubede Mudavanhu) who got 11 votes for the fifth position.
A total of 36 chiefs were elected into the council of chiefs with the Electoral College being made up of all substantive chiefs.
The second stage will be the election of the Council President and Vice president which is currently being held by Charumbira and Chief Lukas Khumalo from Matebelaland North Province.
However, Charumbira who is the current President of the Pan African Parliament will not be eligible to contest for presidency as he completed his two terms as per constitutional requirements.
After that, the third stage will be the election of two senator Chiefs for senate in each province excluding Harare and Bulawayo.

Women, youth being sidelined in lithium extraction

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Women, youth being sidelined in lithium extraction

Beverly Bizeki

Women and youths said that they are being sidelined in the extraction of lithium in the their respective communities, a development which see these marginalised groups continue to wallop in poverty.
This emerged during a training workshop organised by Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust in partnership with Southern Africa Resource Watch (SARW) On how communities can make use of how communities can make use of smart energy.
Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust in partnership with SARW have since embarked on a training initiative to raise awareness on energy transition among women and youth.
In Masvingo, the training workshop was held at Ancient City lodge in Masvingo on July 26, 2023 was attended by youth and women from some of the lithium hotspots in Zimbabwe like Goromonzi, Bikita and Mutoko where it emerged that the two groups were not benefiting.
Green Governance Director Frank Mpahlo said the workshop meant to equip women and youth around energy transition agenda in the country.
“The workshop is aimed at equipping young people with knowledge and information around the energy transition happening globally and also locally, in Zimbabwe we have the largest deposit of lithium in Africa and the 5th in the world.
“It is therefore important for young people to understand that for the purposes of influencing policy formulation as we do not have a policy around lithium management in Zimbabwe so we want young people to come and understand what it means for Zimbabwe to have lithium and what it takes for there to be a policy framework which regulates mining,” said Mpahlo.
Mpahlo said issues raised in lithium mining communities by women and youth include community beneficiation, labour rights and environmental rehabilitation.
“Communities are saying lets avoid a reoccurrence of the previous gold rush incidences where communities did not benefit much and push for beneficiation.
“The other issue is on pollution and environmental degradation, the discussion is what plans are put in place by government to ensure we don’t further cause environmental degradation because lithium exploration is quite heavy and it leads to so much land degradation.
“There is also a labour rights issue, we have heard so many reports around the abuse of workers in lithium mining companies so the question is on how we can put in place policies that protects the workers’ rights,”
“There are also questions on the place of women and youths in terms of lithium mining and production, there is a feeling they are being left out in terms of beneficiation and involvement within revenue generation and utilization,” said Mpahlo.
SARW’s programs’ manager Darlington Muyambwa said the organizations were conducting workshops to inform policies that are responsive to women and youth.
“We have been doing this to ensure that we inform people on policies that are responsive to these groups (women and youth) and respect the rights of these groups and to ensure that the energy transition means something to them,”
“We have trained them on what community monitoring is with the intention that they go back and do the same on how these issues are affecting their communities and they will tell us about challenges and new developments” said Muyambwa.
Muyambwa also said the organization’s hope was to expand and look at other groups that are marginalized in the communities like people with disabilities to facilitate for adequate and meaningful inclusion.
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and Ministry of Youth Sport Arts and Recreation officials attended the event among others.

Chief Murinye attacker begs for leniency in court

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Chief Murinye attacker begs for leniency in court

Decide Nhembo

A 37-year-old man who attacked Chief Murinye on June 28, 2023 at a funeral, has pleaded with Masvingo Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzie to have mercy on him.
Sentencing was postponed because initially the accused pleaded guilty only to assaulting the chief using a fist but later on pleaded guilty to both counts on his second appearance and will be back in court for sentencing on August 7, 2023.
Appearing on August 4, 2023 Wakemore Gavhure pleaded guilty to all the accusations that the state had raised against him and he pleaded with the Magistrate’s court to be kind and lenient to him since he had admitted to his crime.
‘’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,’’ said Gavhure.
Gavhure apologized to the court and the chief who attended the court session and asked the court to give him a lesser sentence his punishment.
‘’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.
He was facing two charges of assault, the first being of assaulting Chief Murinye and the second account being of assaulting Honest Nemadziwa, a police officer who had accompanied the chief to the funeral on June 28.
Charges are that Gavhure slapped Chief Murinye with an open hand and also struck him once with a log on the hands.
He is also accused of striking Nemadziwa who was executing his duties on the head with a fist once.

Meet your candidate: Masvingo urban Ward 1 NCA candidate Vengai Hove

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Meet your candidate: Masvingo urban Ward 1 NCA candidate Vengai Hove

Perpetua Murungweni

Masvingo National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Masvingo urban ward 1 aspiring candidate Vengai Hove says he wants to take up the stand in the council because both Zanu PF and then MDC failed the ward as they have been taking turns to represent it.
Speaking to TellZim News Hove said ward 1 needs someone who comes from a poor background like him because he understands people’s problems more.
“I have decided to contest as a councilor because I feel there is misrepresentation of the ward because all previous councilors represented those in their classes leaving us the poor out,”
“If given a chance I intend to push for the completion of the main sewer system project that started in 2002 and has since been since abandoned. The population is increasing and sewer pipes burst every day,” said Hove.
Hove said as a youth who has been involved in sport, he knows the importance of recreational facilities to other youths so he was going to advocate for renovations of these facilities.
“I am going advocate for the renovation of recreational facilities such as Mamutse, Mucheke stadiums, Mucheke Hall swimming pool and many others. I don’t see any reason why the swimming pool is not working, the pool was abandoned, it does not take much money to maintain but the council is failing,” said Hove.
He also says if elected he is going to make efforts to address the issue of water meters because the meters are old and need to be replaced,”
“Most of the water meters in ward 1 are old and are no longer working properly and because of this council now use estimates which results in residents being overcharged,” Hove said.
He promised to push for roads in ward 1 to be repaired and tarred since most of them are gravel in bad shape.
“If elected, I am also going towards rehabilitation of dust roads especially roads here in ward 1 most of them are not tarred and this affects refuse collection because refuse trucks will be avoiding them,” said Hove.
Hove is contesting against five other candidates namely Sabina Chikwangwani of CCC, Nabioth Magwizi of Zanu, Edmond Maruta who is independent, Justen Paradza of Democratic Union of Zimbabwe (DUZ), Pf and Regis Matafini contesting on Zvido Zvevanhu People’s Party (ZZPP) ticket.

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