TellZim Reporter

A Bikita teacher has published a Shona novel about the desperation young people face when they trek to South Africa only to return empty handed, in a bid to encourage the reading culture in young people.
Lukas Muchechetere, who is a Great Zimbabwe University Bachelor of Science in Education degree holder says the novel, Tarubva, speaks of a young man’s difficult journey down south looking for greener pastures which turn out to be elusive, leading to him returning home.
The main character in the novel, Tarubva would have dropped out of school because of hardships, which later drives him to cross the Limpopo River into South Africa like many other young Zimbabweans.
Muchechetere said the story is potentially an inspiration to young people to read and also have the zeal to write their stories as well.
“Young ones in the community may have the desire to read what is in the book and I believe they can benefit. Since I grew up in Masvingo as they see, my name and the book, they may as well develop the zeal to write books like me,” Muchechetere said.
Tarubva was published in Norton by Essential Publishers in September this year, and the author said he has another book that is almost ready to be published called Chikomo chenhetembo, which is a Shona poetry book.
He said he is also working on another Shona novel called Mvenge Mvenge.
Muchechetere is currently doing his Masters in Education at GZU.

Beverly Bizeki

Nemamwa Primary School has this year recorded a high staff turnover as 16 teachers have left the school in 2022 due to various challenges the school is facing.
The School head Shadreck Mhuru said this in a speech delivered at the Speech and Prize giving day held at the school on November 25, where learners got recognition for doing well in various disciplines.
“We have had a high staff turnover rate with 16 teachers having left the school from January this year owing to challenges that are inherent to our school which include accommodation,” said Mhuru.
The school has only two houses against a 38 member staff available at the school.
Most of the teachers at the school have to commute on a daily basis from Masvingo town or closer areas which has resulted in teachers transferring to urban areas and some to Chirichoga, a nearby school.
Schools Inspector Otilia Maramwidze lamented the reluctance by parents to pay school fees and urged them to bring up contributions that will build the school in order to succeed in the new competence based curriculum.
“Whenever you come to your school make sure you are contributing something that is good for the future, ideas that work for children to get relevant education that works.
“As parents, our obligation is to provide for our children so that learning is made easy as children tap into the modern way of learning so that they can fit into the global village,” urged Maramwidze.
Guest of honor Alfred Mombo urged parents to provide labour in the construction of buildings at the school.
“Let’s try as a community to provide free labour to boost the meager levies collected at the school to augment what the responsible authority (Reformed Church) has given to us,” said Mombo.
He further urged parents to pay meaningful levies that enable the school to progress in this economy.
The school has a learner population of 1057 against seven classroom blocks plus a sub-standard but functioning Early Childhood Development (ECD) block.
The school head also highlighted that the school hopes to have a spacious administration block.
The school also gets its income from poultry and crop farming as well as visits from tourists using their facilities.

Emmanuel Chitsika

Masvingo urban councillors have said City Council’s public works and planning department is failing the local authority judging by the manner they handle works in particular the drainage systems in and around the city.
Ward 7 Cllr Richard Musekiwa said the committee seems to neglect its duties which has led to residents making noise in the commonage especially this rainy season as water spills into their properties.
“Residents are not happy at all in the commonage. I challenge the public works committee to put in place a plan that would address the matter. You are failing this city as a committee.
“Right now the rainy season is underway but the chairperson of the public works committee says they would fix the issues next year, where will the running water go during this season if not into residents’ properties.
“The situation is still normal as Masvingo has not yet received more rainfall that can disturb us from fixing such small issues. What if we are to receive more rains, a crisis is looming for the city,” said Musekiwa.
Zanu PF ward 10 councillor Sengerayi Manyanga who chairs the public works committee defended the department saying they have shelved the works for the year 2023 as they do not have suitable equipment to do their work during this current season.
“We have set our routine maintenance work for the year 2023 as we cannot work during this rainy season. Next year after this wet spell, we will resume works and update council on our progress. Right now as Masvingo city, we lack enough resources and equipment to do so. The people we contract to do the work are cheaper contractors who do not have equipment that allows them to work during such a period.
“We do not have the necessary equipment to help us work during this rainy season like those contractors working on Harare- Beitbridge highway who have suitable equipment that enables them to work during the rainy season.
“As a department, we are facing challenges of say siltation as a result of sand being carried by running water from areas planted by stream bank farmers and that hinders progress,” Manyanga said.
Musekiwa’s sentiments were echoed by Ward 4 councillor Alec Tabe who said it was meaningless to let the drainages that were recently opened at residents and rate payers’ expenses close again and re-open them next year before the process of lining.
“The public works committee is not doing any justice towards this matter considering the time this issue was raised. We have discussed this matter on a number of occasions but surprisingly no action has been taken.
“The issue of fixing drainages started long back before the rainy season but virtually nothing was done to that effect. I don’t think these rains may hinder paving of these drainages. The only challenge we have as council is that we want to do ‘double dipping’. We took finances from rate payers’ money and paid the contract workers who opened the drainages and we are facing a situation where would pay them again for the same job instead of finishing those works once and for all. That way we can save resources,” said Tabe.
Mayor Collen Maboke also urged the committee to address the issue as stagnant water presents a health hazard to residents.

Tinaani Nyabereka

Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) Board Chairperson Professor Zororo Muranda has called for the community to adopt new technologies to influence policies which cater for the welfare of children living disabilities.
He said this while addressing various stakeholders at the RCZ, UNICEF and Midlands State University (MSU) conference on building resilience on children with disabilities in Zimbabwe in Gweru on November 30.
Muranda highlighted that research and development was key in driving the nation in line with the National Development Strategy 1.
“There exists a responsibility to enhance the welfare of citizens, to further national progress, and enable the perpetuation of justice and promotion of the rights of children with disabilities in all nations including Zimbabwe.
“For Zimbabwe to be able to develop sustainable solutions to pressing developmental challenges faced, particularly by children with disabilities, there is need to support research for innovation and make use of dynamic new technologies to influence national policy. The nation’s ability to generate solutions and adapt to outside technical knowledge for the local environment is encapsulated within the status of the research ecosystem of the country.
“In pursuit of the national vision 2030 which seeks to attain an upper-middle economy through the National Development Strategy 1 (NDSI), research and development play a critical role in the attainment of this national agenda. This conference is a positive step in the right direction towards this big national goal,” he said.
Prof Muranda however commended the partnership between UNICEF and MSU in promoting research.
“I want to commit that as the Apex Statutory Body for research in Zimbabwe, RCZ will identify some papers at this conference that we will recommend for national funding. It is vital that key actors in research together strive for a healthy research ecosystem.
“Zimbabwe as a nation faces challenges in reaching this goal as witnessed by vast deficiencies in researcher populations, poor adoption of new age information systems to support research effort; delayed democratization of the information and research process; wariness toward the multidisciplinary approach to research and the disconnection between policy, academia and funders of research in pursuing research for national development.
“RCZ is open to work with industry and the academia in creating a space where contract research becomes central innovation by all sectors of the economy. Therefore, all institutions and individuals involved in research activities in one way or the other are mandated by the Research Act to register with the RCZ,” he said.
Academic research remains a key priority as it enshrines fundamental principles for the well-being of all persons, which is of great national priority.
The RCZ is the apex council with an oversight role on all research activities in Zimbabwe. The role of the council in the research ecosystem of the nation is clearly articulated by the Research Act [Chapter 10:22].
RCZ carries the responsibility of the mandate to promote, direct, supervise, and coordinate research in Zimbabwe. RCZ plays a role of a catalyst, having identified broad areas of concern, it consults and brings together relevant experts to define a programme of work and seek out sources of funds.

Branton Matondo

Mutare-Manicaland open table tennis championships held from November 26-27 concluded on a high note as teams from various provinces across the country converged at Mutare Girls High School.
Manicaland and Mashonaland East provinces took the better share of wins on various clusters ranging from under 10 to 21 in both male and female categories.
Manicaland Table Tennis Association (MTTA) Technical Director William Machacha told TellZim News that the tournament is nationally recognized and it was a good platform for regular and upcoming talent to showcase their talent.
“Manicaland open tournament is one of the national tournaments on our national calendar where by Manicaland based athletes play other players from different provinces,” he said.
Machacha who is also the current Zimbabwe Table Tennis junior national team coach was delighted by the performances displayed by youngsters.
“As a coach, this tournament was very important to me because it was big and attracted a lot of players from outside. I am the current Zimbabwe Table Tennis junior national team coach and I was very happy with my players, they played very well,” added Machacha.
An attempt to contact tournament organiser Manicaland Table Tennis Association (MTTA) Chairperson Murenje was fruitless until time of writing.
In the girls’ under 10 group, Nyasha Ganyekanye (Manicaland) took gold with Talia Mahachi (Mashonaland East) and Adriel Kafikira (Manicaland) scooping silver and bronze respectively.
Mashonaland East proved too tough to beat in the under 10 boys group with all top three positions going to Kudzai Goremushandu, Tamutenda Mugadza and Teman Ngwenya from that province.
Anotidaishe Shumba (Manicaland) finished second and was the only top three finisher in the under 12 girls where Mashonaland East’s talent Tawananyasha Chirovamaya came out tops while Victoria Aaron (Mashonaland East) was in third position.
13 year old Trust Madoro who has 39 medals so far under his name proved too good to beat in the under 16 boys group. He overcame Kupakwashe Samu (Mashonaland East) while Benjie Kaswa settled for third position.
It was an all Manicaland cast in under 18 girls group as Shamiso Ngofana came out tops of fellow competitors Hilda Mupandasekwa and Natalie Khane.
Harare province which was largely represented by University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students took charge of open ladies.
UZ representative Gamuchirayi Shumba eased past Vimbai Makuwaza (Manicaland) while Courtney Mutsetsepa held third position.
It was battle of Mashonaland East and Harare in the men’s open as Tinotenda Fambira (Mashonaland East) got top honours ahead of second placed Tatenda Mumvuma and Brian Chamboko all from Harare.
The tournament was guided by International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rules and regulations.
Top three players received prize money, medal and certificates.
People with disabilities were also part of the tournament to cater for inclusivity.
Zimbabwe table tennis faces serious sponsorship issues and shortage of exposure a feat that has seen most talent going down the drain.

Beverly Bizeki

It was a colorful day at Nemamwa Primary School on November 25, as learners and members of staff were awarded for excellence in academics and other disciplines.
Alfred Mombo the guest of honour urged parents, learners and teachers to embark on collective work for the success of the school.
“I urge you parents to ensure that your children are not left isolated from other learners by way of attending school with no books, no pencil, long hair and other misplacements which make them feel inferior.
“Create a pro-learning environment for your children to give the head and staff a chance to progressively play around with their minds to transform them into better people,” said Mombo.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Schools Inspector Otilia Maramwidze representing Masvingo District Schools Inspector Ishmael Chigaba also urged parents to contribute positively to the development of the school for children to be able to participate in competence based learning.
Learners were rewarded in academia for most of the key subjects as well as the recognizing the most improved students, smartest, early comers as well as well behaved.
Teachers were also awarded for their hard work as well while school prefects were also honored.
The school experienced higher learner absenteeism which the head teacher Shadreck Mhuru bemoaned.
Councillor Mudamburanwa together with the guest of honour and junior department teacher in charge Kupairima volunteered to pay fees for some of the outstanding kids at the school.
Some of the outstanding kids who bagged most of the awards include Valerie Zibwowa, Jennifer Charutsa Samuel Rwodzi to mention but a few.