Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – The Zion Christian Church led by Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi’s Mutendi Primary School was presented with the 2019 secretary’s Merit Award at a colorful ceremony held at the school on Feb 02 2023 for its outstanding performances in different categories to the satisfaction of the ministry adjudicators.
The award was supposed to have been presented in 2020 but could not due to the Covid 19 induced lockdowns which affected all facets of life.
Presenting the accolade, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) said the school had worked hard to deserve such recognition and urged the school to maintain or do more and never to slide down from the pace it set for itself.
She said the school worked hard to fulfil government requirements, which is one of the most critical issues that the ministry looks at before awarding the secretary’s bell.
“The Secretary’s Merit Award is a quality control and supervisory tool that recognizes schools of excellence as models that others can emulate. Through this award, we recognize achievements by pupils, teachers, parents and school administrators,” said Thabela.
Thabela took the opportunity to share the ministry innovations and policy guidelines that include Foundation Learning which is aimed at strengthening foundation literacy and numeracy where infant stage learners who cannot read will not qualify for the next level.
She also talked of Zimbabwe Early learning Assessment, Mobile Science Laboratories, Curriculum review and Green and Blue schools where schools put in place mitigatory measures against effects of climate change.
The school head Geofry Muchokoti said the award came as a result of collaborative work between the school, parents as well as a supportive responsible authority which supports the school in all aspects.
“We worked hard to get this accolade; there was a unity of purpose between staff, pupils, parents and our supportive responsible authority. We have state of the art boarding village, good and educative signage at the school and this all contributed to this achievement.
He said the school was running a number of agricultural projects which has the school producing most of the food to feed the boarders from their produce.
The award comes with the Head’s Tablet and certificate of excellence, 40 tablets for pupils, projector, electronic interactive board, teacher’s laptop and a plaque in lieu of the Secretary’s Merit Award
Masvingo North MP and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Davies Marapira promised the school a fish pond.
Zimbabwe Foundation for Education with Production (ZIMFEP) gifted the school with 100 day old roadrunner chicks while former student Brian Mudumi donated three laptops for teachers, and 10 tablets for learners.
He also pledged to pay fees for five talented but underprivileged learners from each grade as well as facilitate the learning of Chinese language at the school.

…As bus operators resist directive to leave town

TellZim reporter

Masvingo Urban councillors have expressed concern over the continued defiance by bus operators who have and continue to defy the local authority’s directive to use Mucheke bus rank and desist from use of illegal pick and drop points in the Central Business District (CBD).
Speaking during a full council meeting held on January 30, 2023 at the Civic Centre, councillors quizzed management led by Acting Town Clerk Vitalis Shonhai on why the resolution to drive buses out of the CBD was not being enforced.
Shonhayi however promised that management would employ other ways to enforce the resolution though he admitted the authority is facing strong defiance from the transport operators.
“On the issue of implementing that resolution concerning buses, we face some form of resistance from the transport operators, so we are trying to embark on a multi-sectoral approach where we would like to work with partners like Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) among others to solve the matter,” said Shonhayi.
Mayor Collen Maboke said there was no need for council to continue engaging those ‘errant’ operators but clamping those illegally parked vehicles is the best way to go.
“We have a resolution in place concerning these transport operators and the best way to go is to resort to use of clamps and fine those found wanting so that sanity can be restored in the CBD. There is no need to worry over resources to enforce that because we just need to use the clamps we already have,” said Maboke.
Ward 10 councillor Sengerayi Manyanga weighed in urging council to even approach the Minister of Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira to help them ensure compliance on part of transporters is realized.
He added that getting those transporters out of town would also help get rid of illegal vending in the CBD as people would be attracted to the rank.
“We should just make use of those clamps and impose stiffer penalties for example US$ 200 in case of a bus being clamped for illegal picking and dropping offences and that would deter the transporters from using the CBD.
“There is need to ensure that all buses use Mucheke rank so that if the rank is doing well and so will be the activities of the local authority,” said Manyanga.
The move by council to drive commuter buses and other vehicles out of town seems to have hit a brick wall as Chevron hotel, Pick n Pay and Croco Motors among others continue to be used by those operators despite the fact that there are no ablution facilities at those areas thereby presenting a health hazard.

Branton Matondo

Mutare- Parents with school-going children, community stakeholders, People with Disabilities (PwDs) and residents have expressed worry of an impending disaster over the sorry state of Sakubva footbridge connecting Old Townships and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).
Concerns over a rust eaten base and absence of supporting bars have raised questions on the accountability of responsible authorities.
The footbridge is used on a regular basis by residents who come to and from town and Chikanga.
A resident from Sakubva, Tafadzwa Chidare said children often run on the bridge which has not only developed depressions at the base but has no side support bars.
“Council should act now. City fathers should not react when a disaster occurs. Such structures are important because they are used every day. Sometimes you doubt before crossing the bridge showing the level of dilapidation,” said Chidare.
Another resident Memory Chihohwa from Old Townships said there is need to build a completely new bridge.
“I am one of the people who use the bridge on a daily basis. There is need to completely construct a new bridge, one with proper standards and that is a bridge which is safe for children, the elderly and people with disabilities,” said Chihohwa.
Contacted for comment, Mutare Central Constituency Member of Parliament Innocent Gonese told this publication that the issue is under discussion and it is one of the priorities this year to revamp public structures for easy access.
“The issue of people with disability was raised on access to public places. So that’s one thing we are definitely going to look at, in particular issues pertaining to footbridges. We will do an assessment and map a way forward. It’s an issue of concern since the bridge is used by residents from Sakubva,” said Gonese.
People with Disability (PwDs) champion Rutendo Makamure recently called for the local authority to prioritize restructuring of the footbridge for easy accessibility.
Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Association (MRRA) Programmes Director David Mutambirwa also said children’s lives were at risk.
“We are very concerned with the neglect by City fathers with regards to Sakubva footbridge. School children and members of the public are at risk particularly during the rainy season as they cross Sakubva River to school in Chikanga and vice versa. Residents who cross the same river to Sports field Market place are equally at risk. We implore council to seriously pay attention to the bridge,” said Mutambirwa.
The issue was raised during council’s budget consultation meetings across 19 wards within Mutare but the city fathers are yet to respond to the issue.
Residents also raised the same issue at a community engagement meeting held at Moffat Hall on the December 8, 2022 citing that council public structures are beyond repair.

Courage Dutiro

Masvingo City Council has approved the proposal to construct and install a 1.6 Mega Watts solar power plant as an alternative power supply at the city’s Bushmead Water Works.
The development was revealed in the Finance and General Purposes Committee minutes of January 23, 2023 which shows that council has approved the construction of a US $ 5 122 000 power plant.
“The proposal to construct an alternative power supply at the Bushmead Waterworks at a cost of US $ 5 122 000 be approved,” read part of the minutes.
The local authority has agreed on the installation of a solar power plant following the feasibility study done by The Design Team Consulting Engineers.
The report also shows that the proposed 1.6 MW solar power plant has a running cost of US $ 14 760 per year.
“It was noted that the most suitable alternative was construction of a 1.6 MW solar power plant with running costs of US$ 14 760 per year compared to a 2.5 MVA Generator with a running cost of US $1 208 566. 80,” read part of the minutes.
The proposed solar power plant constitutes invertors; panel and battery bank but excludes overhead line construction.
Council is however yet to identify sources of funding for the project states part of the minutes.
The move by council to construct an alternative power plant is welcomed as the country is currently facing a power crisis following the announcement made by government late last year that water levels at Kariba dam had decreased to the extent that power generation had to stop under the instruction Zambezi Water Project.
Masvingo city has at times experienced water supply cuts to residents as a result of persistent power cuts by the power utility Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA).
Some of the resolutions made at Cop 27 also support the use of solar power as a source of energy following the trends displayed in climate change.

Beverly Bizeki

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Masvingo busted drug trafficking syndicates and netted 60kgs of marijuana and an assortment of other drugs during an operation ‘No to dangerous drugs and illicit substances’ launched in the city on February 6, 2023.

The operation saw officers manning a searching point along Masvingo-Mutare highway near Caravan Park where at least 10 people being arrested on spot.

ZRP Officer Commanding Masvingo province Commissioner David Mahoya said the operation follows a rise in drug abuse cases and transportation which has resulted in police escalating the operation into a blitz.

“The young generation is severely affected by drug and substance abuse with transportation of dangerous drugs rife hence we have launched this operation ‘No to dangerous drugs and illicit substances’ to try and curb the abuse of dangerous drugs,

“For the short period of time that we have carried out the operation since morning, we have arrested 10 people, netted about 60kgs of marijuana and an assortment of other drugs,” said commissioner Mahoya.

The marijuana was found stashed in buckets and other small containers being transported in buses and other small vehicles with most of the culprits being men aged between 28 and 35.

Mahoya said most people have resorted to selling drugs as an easy way of doing business which does not require much.

“Most people have ventured into selling drugs as they think it is the easiest business they can do which does not require a lot of effort and a lot of thinking on it,” he added.

United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe Superintendent Minister for the youth for Masvingo North Simbarashe Sithole lauded the efforts by police and urged the church as a whole to bring education and assistance to the youth involved in drug and substance abuse.

“The church has a great role to play in the fight against drug and substance abuse as most youth attend church with some of them involved in this scourge. So the church can play a role to educate and inform some of the children against drugs together with the law enforcement agencies.

“Unfortunately some parents are selling drugs but we urge them to consider the lives of children more than the profits they are making as the future of the nation lies with the young generation,” said Sithole.

Sithole also advocated for stiffer penalties for the culprits as well as anonymous reporting facilities as some people are now scared of their own children involved in this ordeal.

Ketayi Zvinonzwa said women are being affected by the ordeal as they are responsible for taking care of children at home as they end up stealing and being violent where they stay.

“As women, we are affected by children abusing drugs in that they tend to be violent beating people and some going to the extent of killing people as well as stealing things from homes in order to get money to buy drugs,” said Zvinonzwa.

Colleen Chitsa

Government recently donated 10 wheelchairs to Masvingo province to People with Disabilities (PWDs) in fulfilment of last year’s initiative where the province was set to receive the wheelchairs.
Speaking during the handover ceremony at Masvingo Civic Center on January 31, the Director in the office of Special Advisor to the President on Disability Macnon Chirinzepi said the president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s donation was a follow-up to last year’s Zimbabwe National Disability Expo which was held in Marondera and every province was given 10 wheelchairs.
“We conducted our disability expo last year in Marondera which ran under the theme, ‘A participatory and inclusive society which leaves no one behind’, where the President donated wheelchairs to all provinces in the country and Masvingo is the 6th province now.
“We are moving around all the provinces meeting persons with disabilities just to hear their concerns, grievances and needs in terms of issues related to disabilities that can help us review our polices relating to inclusion of PwDs,” said Chirinzepi.
He also said the main goal of the initiative was to make sure that those with disabilities and mobility challenges can move from one point to another.
“People with disabilities usually face challenges in accessing infrastructure, transport, public premises or some offices and this initiative is aimed at making sure that they can easily access those services and can be able to take part in the society.
“It is really a concern when PwDs are unable to access their services hence we are looking at accessibility even in communication formats, issues relating to Braille, sign language in our communication platforms, large print so that PwDs are not left behind,” he added.
One of the recipients, a mother with a disabled child said receiving the wheelchair had lifted a burden off her shoulders.
“It has been very difficult for me to carry around my daughter everywhere because she cannot move on her own,” she said.
Fana Gwara who also received a wheelchair was very ecstatic because he had borrowed the one he was using and it was now very old.
“The wheelchair that I was using is not even mine and it is very old so it was not easy for me to move from place to place with it,” Gwara said.

Yeukai Munetsi

Lalapanzi- A suspected cattle rustling gang consisting of three men and one woman was recently busted by police in Lalapanzi.
The four suspects are Muruvi Muruvi (56), Evelyn Matoma (a woman, age not given), Godknows Dube (27) all of Hillview 1, Lalapanzi and Amon Mpofu (68) of village 4, Makuti.
The quartet reportedly stole cattle from Plot 29 Hillview 1 in Lalapanzi.
Midlands Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the case.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms the arrest of four suspects in connection with stock theft cases in Lalapanzi area. They were arrested during the night of January 28, 2023,” said Mahoko.
Police applauded the community for assisting them with information pertaining to criminal activities.
“Once again police would like to applaud members of the public who support police with positive information which assists in crime investigation,” he added.
Allegations are that on 28 January 2023 at around 2200 hours, Jonathan Phiri (62) of Hillview 1 in Lalapanzi was at his homestead when he heard some noise of people slaughtering a beast coming from Muruvi’s kraal.
He teamed up with his colleague and proceeded to Muruvi’s homestead and upon arrival they saw the four suspects slaughtering a beast and alerted the police.
Acting on the information, police swiftly reacted to the scene and arrested the four suspects.
Five live beasts stolen from one Mr Hwacha were recovered at the scene.
All the four suspects were taken to Mvuma Magistrate’s Court for initial remand on January 30, 2023.