Tinaani Nyabereka

GWERU -City Council officials were on Tuesday grilled by residents over their failure to address key service delivery issues and lack of transparency in tender processes.
This came out during a tour by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing led by legislator Miriam Chikukwa.
The visit followed an allegations raised in a petition letter written to the parent ministry by Gweru Residents Forum (GRF) on lack of accountability in the use of devolution funds.
Gweru Residents Forum Board Secretary, Dr Vincent Chakunda told the committee that council should consult residents on how devolution funds should be used on priority areas towards service delivery.
“As residents, we are a strategic partner to council and we need to know how much council gets for devolution, and how the money is to be used so that we are part of the process. Lack of a devolution framework has affected council to enable and to follow clearly laid down procedures in the allocation of the funds on projects,” he added.
National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO) Gweru coordinator Titus Mangoma said residents’ involvement in issues of devolution was minimal.
“It is not even clear to residents if the funds come already defined from the central government or they are residents who should define the use of funds through budget consultations,” he said.
Speaking on the aspect of involvement, Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) coordinator Gracia Mashingaidze however added that women required local authorities to prioritize engagement on devolution funds.
“We appeal to council to at least prioritize engagement because if devolution funds come, we do not even know what will be their stipulated use for the time given.
“It is equally important for us to then say, the money which is distributed under devolution cluster should therefore be used with accordance to people’s agreements. We want accountability and transparency on the use of this money,” Mashingaidze added.
Resident John Shumba said it was pathetic to note how the public toilet at Kudzanai terminus were being commercialized.
“As for me I am worried about the state of service delivery in the city as council is not doing enough to offer services to residents. I am worried about this toilet at Kudzanai bus terminus because people are paying exorbitant prices to get into the toilet.
“How can the security charge ZW$100 for one to access the toilet? Some people can not afford that because it is a lot you know. I had to help these other two gentlemen last time after discovering that they were already messing themselves. I sacrificed for them to use the facilities. Talking of these resident associations, we do not even know them. It is my first time to hear about these resident associations here. We do not know where you are located or how you are operating. Whether you are here for the residents or your own interests, I am lost on that one,” he said.
Gweru ward 11 councillor Albert Chirau said budgeting capital expenditure was a national problem.
“Capital expenditure is a national problem. If we are given ZW$302 million, then we go to the procurement body Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ), we can go as far as six months with no paperwork returned.
“I therefore recommend that, there is a special disposition for forex which is given to dealers, as local authorities we need it as well.
“We also need priority on Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) as well so that Zesa tariff is revised for local authorities to be able to offer services such as water,” Chirau said.

Melinda Kusemachibi

Masvingo Provincial Hospital which recently made headlines for having only one blood pressure testing machine has refuted the allegations, saying they have enough machines to cater for every department.
It was reported by unnamed sources that patients in at least five wards at the hospital have to share one BP testing machine.
Sources privy to the matter said the institution has for a number of years been surviving with few BP testing machines which often would break down, worsening the crisis.
“The hospital has few BP testing equipment and sometimes one machine has to cater for at least five wards,” said a source.
Masvingo Provincial Hospital Public Relations Officer Chioniso Gono denied the allegations and said the hospital has enough BP testing machines.
“It is not true that at least five wards are using one BP testing machine because each department has its testing machines,” said Gono.
She however contradicted herself as she said that there are only two machines at the maternity department.
“At the maternity department, there are only two BP testing machines. Each BP testing machine belongs to a certain department,” said Gono.
In a related issue Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Amadeus Shamhu said the renal unit machines need replacement.
“The machines at the unit need replacement, so we are waiting for the company which was given the tender to come and see if they are still working then after that we will be in a position to give a comment on when it will be completed,” said Dr Shamhu.
Reports once surfaced that there were missing parts from donated equipment at the hospital. The story sparked anger among members of the public who felt that corrupt officials in the health sector were costing people’s lives.
A renal unit is critical at most major health institutions and assist patients with malfunctional kidneys to remove toxic substances from the body.
People with diseases such as diabetes and hypertension also require dialysis on a regular basis and the majority of them cannot afford the exorbitant fees charged in the private sector.

Emmanuel Chitsika

Media practitioners in Masvingo have been called upon to realise the key role media plays in either building or destroying society and thus should play their roles to ensure they immensely contribute to positive and sustainable peace as the nation gears towards 2023 harmonised elections.
Addressing journalists from various media houses in Masvingo on April 13 at Flamboyant Hotel, Research and Advocacy Unit (RAU) researcher Lloyd Pswarayi said the media has a key role to play towards a peaceful and inclusive society that incorporates interests of women who are usually victims of politically-motivated violence.
“The oversight role played by media is thus crucial. There is need for media to report specifically on certain issues that are usually shunned by mainstream media. This workshop seeks to equip journalists with knowledge on reporting on human rights violations with specific focus on organised violence and torture an area which is lacking in information dissemination. The training seeks to help reporters to be able to flag up such issues in society and package the news for policing with policy makers.
“The participation of women and youth in political processes is very limited in most cases, the reason being violence limiting the participation of these groups of people. Whether it is gender-based violence or political, it all cascades around these issues of violence. Violence is very rife in almost all political parties. The political space is not gendered. During the recently-held by-elections, a very few women contested as candidates. Youth is also used during elections and after that they are dumped by political parties,” said Pswarayi.
He also said media should pay particular attention to major political events.
“There is need for the media to zero-in on human rights reporting because it is important to focus on issues that take place around key political events and processes like elections and other national commemorations,” he added.
Also presenting during the discussion Shastry Njeru said there have been incidences in which journalists turn blind eye to cases involving human rights violations.
“Why are so much worried about these violations of human rights? We are worried because we have been seeing a lot of human rights violations taking place across the country and journalists sometimes turn a blind eye towards such. It seems as if they employ the ‘Hear nothing, See nothing and Say nothing’. Just last month during the March 26 by-elections, a lot of violence took place which journalists did not document and we feel that there is real need to transform media and or help the media turn around that kind of reporting.
“I feel we still have time for the turn around because we have elections coming up in 2023, this year we have Independence and Heroes holidays. How easy it is for media to report about soccer, reporting it well and how difficult it is to report about violations of rights. The reasons are that sometimes we lack background knowledge of what are human rights and what is peace. As journalists it is critical for you to just have a general understanding of what are human rights and what is in the constitution about human rights. That will help reporters to report factually and maintain balance in stories,” said Njeru.
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Sociology and Social Anthropology lecturer Jocelyn Chitotombe urged journalists to ensure media play a part in promoting peace.
“We are looking into how we can promote peaceful and inclusive society for sustainable development, provision of access to justice for all and building accountable institutions at all levels and I think that should be a pre-requisite when it comes to media reporting.
“Human rights are a subject that is critical when it comes to generating news reports. The power of the pen and access to various platforms, ability to influence societies, it is our hope that this will help go a long way as far as sustainable peace is concerned,” said Chitotombe.
The human rights issue has been one of the most controversial topics in Zimbabwe especially during election periods when political violence becomes more prevalent with government on a number of occasions accused of straying from the constitutional requirements in pursuit of power consolidation.

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI-Town Council (CTC) recently honored its first Alderman, Gibson Hwende, who is the current chairperson and ward 1 councilor.
Hwende was first elected in 2013 before he was selected as the chairperson in 2018 after his re-election.
CTC was awarded a town status on April 1, 2000 and its now two decades old but had never honored a councilor for serving more than eight years until 2022.
CTC then resolved to award its chairperson Hwende with an Alderman status during the full council meeting for being a long serving councilor as stipulated by the Urban Councils Act.
In an interview Hwende said he appreciated his colleagues for moving a motion to award him an Alderman status after serving for nine years as a councilor and promised to continue maximizing efforts towards improving service delivery in Chiredzi.
“I feel much honored to be the first councilor in Chiredzi Urban to be awarded an Alderman status and want to appreciate my colleagues in council for honoring me like that. This reflects that people have trust in me.
“As an Alderman, I just want to continue providing the much needed development which we are doing collectively as a council and we wish to achieve all our targeted projects that we set aside since 2018 towards being a municipality by 2025,” said Hwende.
He also thanked government for availing devolution funds and the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) which saw many of the local authority’s roads that were in disarray being serviced.
CTC recently commissioned four service vehicles that were bought from council’s internal funds and two tractors using devolution funds.
The local authority is also waiting the delivery of a fire tender vehicle and another refuse compactor which were purchased using devolution funds.
“ I would also want to thank the government of Zimbabwe for availing devolution funds which helped us in acquiring dump tractors, fire tender as well as a refuse compactor which we are expecting their delivery soon. We also want to achieve most of our projects in our five year strategic plan including improving sewer reticulation,” added Hwende.
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association chairperson Jonathan Muusha said Hwende deserved to be an alderman because he already served for two terms as a councilor and chairperson where some notable improvements including employee capacitation were witnessed.
“He deserves that status because he served for two terms as a councilor where we have seen a lot of improvements in council including employee capacitation through refresher workshops, building mutual trust between residents and council as well as calling for the municipality status for Chiredzi,” said Muusha.

Tendai Charumbira

The general commissioner for the Republic of Mozambique prisons Brigadier General Antonio Augusto Maurice has commended Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) prisons band for their talent in music and managing agricultural projects at Mutimurefu prison.
Speaking after touring Mutimurefu prison in Masvingo together with ZPSC Commissioner General Moses Chihobvu on April 6 2022, to show and share ideas of projects done at the correctional facility, Maurice said the band is a force to reckon with.
Maurice went on to say he was amazed with the creativity shown by the prisoners because they were using band instruments they made themselves.
“I am very impressed with your creativity. Still l am amazed on how you come up with the idea of making these drum beats and other band instruments you are using, very creative indeed,” he said.
Maurice also applauded their agricultural project stating that this exchange of ideas is good as they are learning a lot.
“This exchange of ideas is relevant and we have a clear example that here they are mainly focusing on maize farming and we heard that from one hectare they produce 1000 tons of maize.
“In Mozambique we did not produce better yields this year because of climate change, but here at Mutimurefu they did because they made use of their irrigation schemes which is also one of the things we learnt here,” said Maurice.
He added that in Mozambique they offer better training in carpentry than in Zimbabwe.
“We noted that in our country we do offer better training in carpentry as we produce better furniture so we are willing to share our ideas and help them produce better furniture,” added Maurice.
Chihobvu stated that they did not plan to come and listen to the band but the sound of their musical band lured them.
“We were not planning on coming here but Commissioner General Maurice insisted on coming here because of the sound of your music,” said Chihobvu.
He also announced that he is looking for sponsors to help them develop their band.
“We are still looking for sponsors to help you develop your band and l am glad that with the help of the media here, your band is going to go viral hoping that we will find one,” said Chihobvu.
Besides the prisons band, Mutimurefu prisons is doing different projects that help prison inmates to have something to do when they are freed. Some of the projects are sewing, carpentry, welding, repairing motor bikes and farming.