Mapombi has fallen in love with the new slogan in town, ‘Magetsi anodzimiwa nevene vawo.’ Kkkkkkk maZimbo will never cease to amaze me – they take every serious matter into a joke and how they are quick to normalise the abnormal boggles my mind. The current electricity challenges are not child’s play; something needs to be done as a matter of urgency before the situation reaches another level. We have a whole ministry responsible for energy in the country and Mthuli gives them a budget every year so that they can explore smart ways of generating energy but they are doing absolutely nothing except empty promises – kkkkkk hanzi by 2023 we will be exporting energy kkkkkk mashura chaiwo. Mapombi will repeat this again, Svoda neJamu is a big joke. Whatever his name is, whether Soda Zhemu or Svoda Jamu iyeye wacho haaa hapana zvinozivikanwa uya wekuimba dancehall uya ainzi Fortune Chasi waimbaiva nane zvake. Pane mashura iwaya – svoda isai muderere then Jamu zorai pachingwa zvenyu imi and forget about kuchenesa nyika yese nemagetsi.
Anyway, Mapombi will not waste time talking about the electricity issue in the country because we all know how bad the situation is. My only prayer is ngazvisvike 2023 zvakadai chokwadi umwe anobvisiwa chiri kumeso oooh namai kudai ndotokuudzai. Musazoti Mapombi haana kureva. Heads must roll. ED should fire people or else he will be the one to be fired come 2023. Basa rinotorwa sefani, takatarisa so. Aikaka chati homu chareva.
Mapombi really does not understand this so called Mukomana uyu ari kungonzi nevanhu vasiri registered to vote ngaapinde. Mapombi used to think that he is the alternative but haaaa after listening to his few addresses haaa ndakaona kuti zvakangofanana gudo nemunhu hapana zviripo makumbo enyoka. Nelson Chamisa carries the hope of the masses but ndinoona sekuti kumuremedza mukomana uyu anotoda kubatsirwa chaiko. Kkkkkkk nyaya dzekubatsirwa idzi Mapombi heard Kasukuwere once went to Mudzidzi Wimbo to consult if by any chance he could be the President of Zimbabwe and he was told to plant a tree or flower of his choice and water it all he wants before he goes. He was then told to come back after few days akanzi ukaona muti wako wabata ziva kuti uchatonga asi kana ukaoma haaa hakuna hakuna kkkkkk. Guess what, hanzi Kasukuwere akawana chimuti chakaoma kuti gwaaa kkkkkkk, and few months later there was operation restore legacy and the guy had to skip the borders kkkkkkk politics so ka ma1. Mapombi will not talk about uyoyu ari kutonga kuti akanzi kudii because zvinonzi wakaenda kwaMudzidzi Wimbo ikoku kkkkkk.
Guys I’m sorry I had diverted a bit. So Mapombi was saying after a thorough analysis of Mukomana, I noticed anoda kubatsirwa big time otherwise pachigaro chehushe haafe akapagara. I will start by his reaction to the US$40 000 loans given to MPs. Instead of him commending the development that will leave MPs respectable in our societies even after leaving Parliament, Nero went to town condemning and even accusing his party MPs of joining the gravy train simply because they accepted $40k house loans. The loans are above board so why condemning them when they are going to be paid back using the MPs pensions? What’s wrong with this arrangement nhai Nero? In my view, these loans will help CCC more than any other political party because those who want to seek re-election will at least have some resources. As for Zanu PF, it has a lot of resources and that is why it even gives its candidates state of the art, top range vehicles for campaigning. If Zanu PF wanted to give this loan facility to their MPs only they could have done that with much ease but they chose to do it transparently and above board. Jealousy should not blind Chamisa, and as a leader he should stop forthwith being a populist leader who first listens to what uninformed people are saying then he joins the bandwagon. Kutonga kunotoda wisdom Baba Chamisa woyee. For me the best decision was to keep quiet. Yes, Chamisa was supposed to shut up and let others speak kwete kutoswerotiitira ka Video uchitaura nonsense. Mapombi wants to ask Chamisa why did he take the RBZ vehicle during 2008 to 2013 term? Why did he buy the ministerial cars he had as the Minister of ICT at book value? Also this, in my view, is joining the gravy train so why did he accept them? If the RBZ vehicles were a loan facility, which the MPs never paid anyway, why then did he accept it? Is it in any way different from the current $40k loan facility the MPs are getting?
Who doesn’t know that politicians especially in Africa are there for self interests? Mapombi knows for sure that Chamisa doesn’t have the people at heart but he is doing it in order to serve self interests. Musandipikisa takabva nako kumhunga hakuna ipwa.. The only advantage Chamisa has is that people are struggling and they are looking for an alternative. People are desperate for change and Chamisa is talking such discourse about having a prosperous Zimbabwe. Mapombi believes that Chamisa is not the best option but looking at the available options he is better.
There is one thing that no one can take away from Chamisa – that is charisma. The man is charismatic, anotaura zvinodakadza. But kungotaura zvinodakadza alone is not enough zvinozodawo njere kuti zviite zvakanaka. Chamisa anenge anenjere shoma. In fact he lacks quality leadership skills if Mapombi is to be blunt. He is not a leader – his leadership style is backward and dictatorial in nature. More aptly, he is a dictator – probably worse than the late Uncle Bob. CCC supporters you can attack me, left, right and centre asi shoko harivhikwi. If you have money the earlier you send Chamisa for leadership training the better. If one listens to Tendai Biti speaking, unonzwa kuti pakutaurwa zvine substance manje but Nero kungosimuka he thinks every address is a rally kkkkkkk even when addressing diplomats kungowanza zvirungamutauro instead of facts kkkkkkkk.
Anyway guys it’s almost lunch time now let me go ndindokanga zvangu maputi angu for lunch. I know this whole week vanhu veCCC vanenge vachindituka but hanya nani chidhoma chekwaChivi. Ndinonzi mafirakureva and I will always speak the truth. If Zimbos have better alternative zvingadaro Chamisa vakasiya kare kare because the guys lacks leadership qualities and cannot articulate policies clearly. I will vote for him not because pane zvinozikanwa but because I just don’t like Zanu PF chete and pane varipo ndiye atori nane. I can’t be seen ndakupa Dougie vote yangu kuti ndarwara here kkkkkkkk. Let me go ndindokanga zvangu maputi angu for lunch ndizvidyire zvikati nhasi kune kachando. Dai ndanga ndine kamari kekutenga shuga ndoti maputi neCup yetea zvokwadi ndaizipigwa zvangu. But before I go, don’t forget what I told you recently kuti mobilising to register to vote and voting on the actual day yakuda Mhou nemhuru yayo approach where family members are taking such responsibility at family level. Munhu wese ari kurwadziwa nehupenyu must mobilize his or her family members chinyararire kwete izvo zvenyu zvekuti kungoita register vanhu vashanu navo paTwitter. Twitter is for those in diaspora and some not registered to vote but Vanhu vanovhota vari kuno kumusha so change the mobilising strategy. It’s also important that political parties should have Monitoring and Evaluation teams that can monitor their activities and evaluate progress otherwise pamwe kungopedza nguva kuswera kuwawata paTwitter ipapo pane vanhu vasingavhote. Go on the ground and mobilise senge zviri kuita Hwende izvo kwete kungosweroita noise muchitipedzera bundle redu apa. I hope vane nzeve vanzwa. By the way vari kugara kuRhodene neniwo zvangu Mapombi tangofanana ka kkkkkkk kungorara murima kumuka murima kkkkkkkkk inonzi Zesa iyi. Nyika iri kuvakwa nevene vayo Zesa ichidzimiwawo nevene vayo kkkkkkk.
Chamisa offside on MPs’$40k loans
ZW$ 230m for Masvingo ERRP 2 2023 programme
Courage Dutiro
Masvingo city road rehabilitation works received a major boost following approval of funds to the tune of ZW$ 230 million for the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP 2) for the year 2023.
Minutes of the Public Works and Planning Committee of November 24, 2022 revealed the development and the subsequent breakdown of the funds.
“Consideration was given to the report of the Acting Director of Engineering Services on the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme phase 2. It was reported that the City of Masvingo was allocated a total of ZW$ 230 918 833 for the 2023 Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) 2,” read the minutes.
Of the allocated amount, ZW$ 10 448 391 would be used for re-gravelling of Zana, Jara and Nyadzonya roads stretching for 2 000 meters while the resealing of Bvudzijena and Citrus streets each covering 6 00 meters would cost ZW$ 49 560 000 each.
Routine maintenance of 50 kilometres that include purchase of pothole patching materials namely emulsions, bitumen, cold/hot mix and tools would account for ZW$ 29 870 000 while drain lining of 2 000 meters in locations costs to the tune of ZW$ 18 000 000 will be catered for.
ZW$ 73 480 422 will be used for two tipper trucks as adopted by the committee.
Calls for rehabilitation of streets around the city have been louder among residents due to the poor state of the roads though the local authority has been lauded for its performance in rehabilitating major roads in Masvingo city.
The issue of paving and lining of drainages had also been topical especially during the rainy season when water spilling from flooded drainages end up finding way into properties much to the disapproval of the residents.
Lawyers4ED hold inaugural meeting
Brighton Chiseva
MASVINGO – Not to be outdone, lawyers have formed their 4ED organisation named Zimbabwe Lawyers for Economic Development (ZILFED) which held its inaugural meeting at Masvingo Poly last weekend.
In his speech at the inaugural meeting ZILFED Chairperson Governor Pendei said the organisation was formed following to counter some legal voices like the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights which he said were destroying the image of the country.
“The ZILFED is a conglomeration of Zimbabwean Lawyers who seek to deploy their legal expertise to detoxicate and sanitize the negatively framed legal terrain of Zimbabwe. Given that economic development does not take place in a vacuum but does so within a legal framework. It is therefore logically follows that the way legal minds frame the legal landscape of Zimbabwe Influences how the international community views us as a nation.,” said Pendei
For avoidance of doubt as ZILFED, we are not saying that human rights issues should not be red-flagged, we do not condone any all forms of abuse of human rights, however we note the selective framing of legal issues or cases and fronting of political rhetoric by lawyers instead of fair legal analysis articulation of issues to benefit the public with no legal eyes,” said Pendei
He said the idea of having an organisation like ZILFED CAME UP IN 2019 saying then the political landscape had changed from being a Mafia Republic as some people were saying.
“We were concerned that at a time when the country was making frantic efforts to re-engage the world, our own legal experts, under the guise of being Lawyers for Human Rights projected a bleak state of affairs where they claimed that there were gross human rights violations and series of abductions. What we found intriguing is that these learned colleagues only chose to magnify the so-called gross violations of human rights when victims were opposition members, with virtually nothing being said when the ruling party-aligned people equally alleged victimization,” he said
Mutare council warns illegal urban farmers
Branton Matondo
With the rainy season already gathering momentum, Mutare city fathers released a final warning on November 30 to Sakubva residents who farm on prohibited, citing that punitive measures will be enforced on perpetrators who would have failed to take heed to the notice.
This comes after massive reports of silt pollution that is affecting the flow and quality of water due to loose land along Sakubva River which cuts across the oldest suburb in Mutare.
The notice bedded on the theme ‘#letsStopIllegalUrbanCultivation and urged farmers to stop such activities.
“No cultivation shall be permitted on the following areas; land within 30 meters of stream banks, land within 10 meters of a road, land on slopes and uphill, land that has been surveyed for residential and industrial development,” read the notice.
The notice also warned Old Location residents who are practicing illegal urban cultivation with others already creeping towards Guva grounds which are meant for recreational purposes.
“Cultivation in undesignated places may lead to destruction of the crops or persecution,” added the notice.
One resident said the notice came at the appropriate time when the rainy season is gathering momentum and residents will take heed.
“At the end of the day we have to protect our environment. It might seem unfair to other people but it’s the right thing to do. I thank council for such an initiative,” said the resident.
Another resident however said council should act now so as to prevent future tension with residents.
“People are already cultivating as we speak in those undesignated areas, you can check Green Market river bank. Council should act now so as to save themselves from unnecessary tension and friction with residents,” said the resident.
Mutare Rivers Rehabilitation Initiative (MRRI) led by Lynne James is already in the process of rehabilitating urban rivers chief among those Sakubva River.
They have since checked cultivated land from Green market to Jelf Road Bridge where there are high cases of illegal cultivation.
The practice has seen the association level pegging 30 meters from the actual river in an attempt to demarcate designated from undesignated land.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and tertiary institution Africa University are in full support of the project.
An inquiry on future exercises indicate that tree planting across the undesignated areas will be prioritized so as to hold loose land.
Sewer, solid waste and silt pollution have had a big negative effect on the state of rivers in Mutare urban.
2023 National Budget: Is an election-focused budget worth it?
As part of the annual budget cycle, the Treasury chief, Prof. Mthuli Ncube, presented the 2023 budget statement before the legislature. For starters, this is Zimbabwe’s annual financial statement giving estimates of the forthcoming year’s revenues, and how they will be raised and utilized. It helps ensure that a nation’s strategic objectives and priorities including inter alia economic growth & stability, resource reallocation, and reduction of inequalities are met. In this column, I try to dissect the budget statement to gauge if it is economically sensible.
2023 Budget -Theme
The 2023 budget is running under the theme, “Accelerating Economic Transformation” picking up from the current (2022) budget’s focus on “Reinforcing Sustainable Economic Recovery and Resilience.” But the question remains: Is the 2022 budget living up to its cause of sustainably reinforcing economic recovery and resilience? Between Jan-Nov 2022, the Zimbabwe dollar (ZWL) had lost at least 75% of its value against the greenback and largely contributed to unbearable inflation levels with official statistics showing monthly prices mounting by an average of 12% during this period. Consequently, the income gaps between USD earners and ZWL earners widened significantly thus plunging the majority into poverty. Latest World Bank statistics show that about 40% of the population is wallowing in abject poverty. Ironically, the budget has earmarked few resources to provide adequate relief to vulnerable and marginalized societal groups.
As for businesses, 2022 witnessed poor domestic electricity production reaching levels last seen in 2019 where load shedding stretched for over 12 hours per day. Electricity is a crucial industrial production enabler; its scarcity is an albatross to business activity. The prolonged load-shedding schedules occurred at a time prices of substitutes like fuel have surged substantially, reaching their all-time highs. Also, frequent currency & price volatilities have hugely affected business predictability. Generally, predictability is key in business as it enables great market fit and quality customer service while eliminating waste and inefficiencies to build a strong foundation of sustainable enterprise. More so, an astronomical spike in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) benchmark policy has fuelled the cost of money thereby compounding an already high cost of doing business environment.
In light of the foregoing, one can pose a simple question: Is there an economic transformation registered in 2022 that needs to be accelerated in 2023? In my view, the 2023 budget is largely focused on elections, not the economy. A projected 136.8% jump in budget expenditure ceiling to ZWL4.5 trillion in 2023 from 2022’s ZWL1.9 trillion can attest to this assertion. If the national output (GDP) growth is expected to decelerate further in 2023, what then informs the Treasury’s projected jaw-dropping spike in revenue collections next year? From this, it is evident that fiscal authorities are anticipating a carryover of the existing economic problems.
2023 Budget -Economic Outlook
Zimbabwe’s Treasury had downgraded its 2022 growth projection to 4% from the initial 4.6% stated in the 2022 Mid-term Fiscal Review. The fiscal authorities expect GDP growth to moderate further in 2023, registering a 3.8% growth. This is, however, lower than the 5% target stated in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) (2021-2025). According to Treasury, this growth will be hinged on various assumptions which include among others favorable rainfall patterns & global mineral prices, stable ZWL & power supply, tight monetary policy, and continued use of multi-currency. As such, authorities expect inflation to average 1-3% in 2023 thanks to a “sustainable” fiscal deficit projected at 1.5% of GDP.
However, accounting for the likely risks to the economic outlook, I opine that the government will likely miss all of the foregoing targets. There is a high possibility of a continuation of ZWL deterioration and skyrocketing inflation in 2023. This possibility will be largely powered by excessive fiscal spending which is being fuelled by the upcoming 2023 general elections. Also, I expect leakages of public funds from corruption and illicit transactions to escalate as politicians will seek re-election at all costs. Although the Hwange Thermal expansion project (Unit 7&8) is expected to add 600MW to the national grid, I expect erratic electricity supply to continue persisting in the first half of the year. For me, the main threat to the power supply is dwindling Kariba Dam levels as well as the frequent breakdowns being experienced at the existing aging thermal stations dotted across the nation. More so, the economic uncertainties posed by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war will probably exert massive pressure on global inflation which will in turn greatly affect perennial net importers like Zimbabwe.
2023 Budget -Taxation
For 2023, total revenue collections are projected at ZWL3.9 trillion comprising tax revenue of ZWL3.5 trillion and non-tax revenue of ZWL369.7 billion. A budget gap of ZWL575.5 billion will be financed through the issuance of a US$100 million domestic bond, a US$400 million loan facility from Afreximbank, ZWL10 billion changes in bank balances, and ZWL82.8 billion treasury bills (TBs).
As alluded to earlier, the budget was presented at a time both the cost of living and the cost of doing business has ballooned. Despite this, various tax measures that increase the burden on economic agents are being proposed for 2023 in addition to already punitive taxes under implementation in the 2022 fiscal year. For instance, the 2022 budget is decorated with new regressive taxes like the US$50 cell phone tax and 2% US$ cash withdrawal levy while maintaining a 2% tax on all ZWL electronic transactions, a tax that is greatly suppressing poor household budgets as it fails to recognize income disparities. As if this were not enough, Treasury also increased tax on domestic US dollar transfers in 2022 to 4% from US$0.05 per transaction. Moreover, fiscal authorities introduced a 2% cash withdrawal levy on USD transactions.
As expected, the 2023 proposed budget continues with an anti-poor stance. Amid high market expectations for a sustained price increase in 2023, the 2% tax will be maintained and the value-added tax (VAT) will be restored to its pre-COVID-19 level of 15% up from the current 14.5%. This increase occurs at a time households are already facing an inflation tax. Furthermore, the proposed 2023 budget will increase excise duty on energy drinks by 100%. In my view, it is the poor who consume the bulk of these energy drinks in their quest to recoup energy being drained daily by indecent jobs in the informal sector. Again, Treasury will not extend the suspension of import duty on basics thus risking exposing the poor majority to high market prices charged by profiteering local businesses. Nevertheless, the proposal to lower the tax rate applied on domestic US$ transfers to 2% in 2023 from the current 4% is welcome and expected to partly cushion those on the lower-earning spectrum. It further reduces transaction costs, a key step needed to initiate the process of rebuilding market confidence. Barring corruption, the proposal to also receive 50% of royalties on gold, diamonds, PGMs, and lithium in kind will help build ‘secure’ reserves which are key in supporting the ZWL and tackling unforeseen contingencies like natural disasters.
2023 Budget -Borrowing
As I had indicated in the debt figures in the previous section, the astronomical increase in debt stock in ZWL terms reflects massive exchange rate deterioration while debt growth in US$ terms accounts for new disbursements for ongoing projects, RBZ borrowing, and continuous accumulation of penalties. The burgeoning debt arrears and penalties show that Zimbabwe is trapped in debt distress -struggling to settle her obligations when they fall due. Despite this, the appetite for borrowing by Treasury continues to persist. An unsustainable debt level is now crowding out social service delivery. For example, because of high indebtedness, Treasury will spend more taxpayers’ money on debt servicing in 2023 than the resources it has allocated to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare (a paltry ZWL50.4 billion) for the provision of social safety nets. The crowding out of social services happens at a time the nation is grappling with chronic inflation, crumbling infrastructure, rising inequality, and deepening poverty. Also, increased domestic public borrowing is expected to crowd out private sector investment as it fuels the cost of money.
On a positive note, the continued payment of token payments (acknowledgment of existing debts & arrears), proposals for an all-inclusive debt forum, publishing of annual debt statements, as well as the publicization of domestic borrowing plans are highly commendable as they will help to improve transparency and accountability in the management of public debt. Be that as it may, there is still a need for undertaking an independent debt audit to inform citizens about the scale and nature of their country’s debts, which are often not transparently publicized. Also, authorities should adhere to the dictates of the Constitution and existing PFM legislation.
Conclusion:
The 2023 national budget is largely focused on the upcoming general election. As such, one cannot expect it to propel progressive economic transformation as it is largely showing an unsustainable fiscal spending path. Next week, in this column, I will examine the quality of the proposed 2023 expenditure allocations, ceteris paribus.
Zvikomborero Sibanda is an economic analyst and an astute researcher. He writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted via email:
bravosibanda@gmail.com
Twitter: @bravon96
Chicken Inn signing dreams of breaking 39 year record
Branton Matondo
The last white football player on the local premiership landscape to feature on the Soccer Star of the Year calendar was Duncan Ellison in 1983 after an exciting display with the once dominant Harare giant Caps United but former Whawha Ace who has been blazing the local football front dreams of breaking the record come 2023 season.
New signing for fast food driven game cocks Callum English is looking forward to feature on next year’s calendar as he relishes the new and demanding task ahead.
English who has once featured for Herentials Fc and Harare City is now a household name following his exploits at relegated side Whawha Fc who are under the tutelage of perennial gaffer Luke ‘Jukulile’ Petros.
Speaking to TellZim News, the 21 year-old attacking midfielder said his objective is to utilize the off-season to polish up his weak spots, ready himself for next season, contribute a lot to the team and achieve his personal dream of appearing on the calendar.
“I hope to be challenging for the title with Chicken Inn. One of my objectives really is to improve on last season. Above all, I am ready to work extra hard for the team. Remember it’s a long off season, so it will give me ample time to prepare. My personal goal is to be on the calendar, that’s for sure,” he said.
English who has been one of the few talents in a dismal Whawha side had the prison side to thank for giving him the chance to showcase his abundant talent.
“I am thankful for my time at Whawha. They gave me the opportunity to showcase myself in the premier league. It was unfortunate that we were relegated but l learnt a lot. My game definitely progressed,” English said.
He added that his move to Chicken Inn who finished second to four time Champions Fc Platinum is a better opportunity for him to improve much faster.
“As a player, there are things you have to improve but it’s fortunate that l need to do that on a better platform which is Chicken Inn. Definitely improvements will come much faster at Chicken Inn than they were at Whawha,” added English.
Callum English first signed for Harare City when he was just 16 before going back to German for a short period.
During the peak of Covid-19 he returned to Zimbabwe and signed for Herentials Fc during the start of the just ended 2022 season but the reminder of the season saw him playing for Whawha.
The only player from Chicken Inn to feature on this year’s calendar was Brian Muza.
The other finalists to feature were Derlic Murimba (Ngezi Platinum), Eli Lunga (Black Rhinos), Frank Makarati (Dynamos), Gift Bello (Fc Platinum), Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum), Tinotenda Benza (Herentials), Wallace Magalane (Fc Platinum), Walter Musona (Fc Platinum), William Manondo (Caps United) and Divine Mhindirira (Highlanders).
Bikita teacher pens Shona novel
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.
Nemamwa Primary records high staff turnover
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.
Councillors accuse Public works department of failing council
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.
Research body encourages use of tech to enhance welfare of special needs children
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.