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GCC unpacks 2022 developmental plans

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GCC unpacks 2022 developmental plans

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru City council on Monday January 24 unpacked its 2022 developmental roadmap plan to the community and other stakeholders including the church.
The engagement was hosted by the Zimbabwe Head of Churches Denomination (ZHOCD) workshop under the theme “Strengthening the role of the church in promoting social cohesion and civic participation within devolution process.”
Addressing various stakeholders during the engagement meeting in Gweru, Ward 15 Councillor Trust Chineni said a number of plans were in the pipeline this year.
He told the gathering that some of the plans are being carried forward from the 2021 plan schedule as council was working in accordance to the resources at hand.
“Our 2022 plans started with our 2022 budget consultations where we engaged residents concerning our budget and what we intend to do as a city. Other plans are to construct substations in Mkoba and Senga as we discovered that our fire brigade team reaction times to emergencies are being delayed by poor road networks. If our substations are closer, at least our teams can respond to accidents on time.
“We also want to increase our ambulance fleet because our emergency department requires about 5 ambulances in order to operate effectively in the city and the province at large. All things being equal, we even render services to areas as far as Battlefield in Kwekwe and Ntabazinduna especially on road accidents.
Chineni said the city managed to purchase an ambulance and a tipper last year through the ZW$50.6 million devolution funds allocated to them, adding that paperwork for the ambulance was not yet complete for it to start operating. He said council also aimed at increasing public lighting to ensure public safety at night.
“We started installing tower lights last year and we are continuing. In the Central Business District (CBD) you can see that lights were installed but we hope to go to residential areas,” said Chineni.
He added that lights installation was being done in compliance with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) regulations.
“Installation of lights is being done in compliance with the ZERA regulations as we were made to install energy savers. So a tower unit the last time we checked was going for ZW$ 400 000 and as of now, we are not sure where it stands. So its quiet expensive and we hope with the devolution funds, things will go well this year,” he added.
Presenting on the state of by-laws awareness and adoption, Gweru ward 8 Councillor Notai Dzika said as a local authority, there was need for people to know the importance of embracing the law in the community.
He added that the recently passed noise by-law was meant to reduce noise pollution in residential areas as some people were infringing the liberties and rights of others.
“We were recently experiencing cases of all night parties and ceremonies which were disturbing others in various wards. The problem is that when people do their parties, they do not have any clearance from the relevant authorities hence they go on to violate rights of others who want to sleep, study and do some other business. So the law give restrictions on the time at which people ought to operate when using sound systems.
“We continue to urge vendors to go to designated sites. Selling in front of other shops is prohibited and soon we have by-laws which will be enforced in line with that because as a local authority we do not even collect revenue from such people because their trading areas are illegal.
“We are also into road repairs this year as last year we got ZW$11 million from Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) but it was not enough to refurbish all our roads. We hope this year ZINARA will disburse more funds so that we revamp the roads without any hindrances,” added Dzika.
Recently council received a new tractor and a front end loader which were bought using devolution funds last year
Meanwhile, the church has been urged to pray and advocate for development.
Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ) Gweru Programs Officer, Tatenda Ushe urged the church to be actively involved in governance issues.

Zimbabwe receives 264 recommendations in the UPR

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Zimbabwe receives 264 recommendations in the UPR

Thabiso Nxumalo

Following the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Zimbabwe by the United Nations on the state of human rights in the country on January 26, 2022 in Geneva, the Troika (decision group) comprising of Armenia, Luxemburg and Namibia delivered the recommendations section of the draft report on January 28.
Speaking on behalf of the Troika, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Namibia to United Nations (UN), Julia Imene-Chanduru said 95 delegates delivered statements and 264 recommendations were made to Zimbabwe, which it received and deferred some for further consideration.
“During the review, 95 delegates delivered their statements and Zimbabwe welcomed 127 of them and 98 were deferred for further recommendation with responses to be provided in due time, no later than the 5th session of the United Nations UPR in 2027.
“Zimbabwe noted 39 recommendations for adoption,” said Imene-Chanduru.
Some of the recommendations noted for adoption include involvement of women at all stages of peace and reconciliation processes, including in decision-making; gender-based violence against women; and amendment of the Trafficking in Persons Act, Marriages Act among others.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs of Zimbabwe, Virginia Mabiza said they took note of constructive suggestions and ideas, as such, they will in time come up with a final position.
“We have taken note of the various constructive ideas and recommendations we received. Going forward my government will consider these recommendations under the auspices of the national UPR follow-up mechanisms with a view to coming up with our final position which will be transmitted to the national secretariat in line with set time lines.
“In the meantime, we will continue to pursue our on-going work to implement the recommendations that we received in the previous UPR cycles as well as to enhance the promotion and protection of the human rights of our people and to fulfil our international obligations,” said Mabiza.
President of the Human Rights Council (Adoption), Federico Villegas said the entire report including the summary will be sent to delegates on February 11, 2022.
“The entire report and summary section will be circulated by email on February 11, 2022. All delegates will have till February 18 to make changes related to their own statements in the summary section of the report,” said Villegas.

CPU engages churches in Midlands on disaster preparedness

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CPU engages churches in Midlands on disaster preparedness

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru– The Civil Protection Unit (CPU) last week engaged the church over disaster management preparedness in the province.
The event hosted by Zimbabwe Head of Christians Denominations (ZHOCD) in Gweru aimed at making efforts to equip the church on disaster management mechanisms.
Speaking on the sidelines of the engagement, Deputy Director in the Office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Isaac Mtambara said CPU saw it fit to engage the church as disaster management requires a multi-sectorial approach.
“For successful Civil Protection Unit interventions, definitely we need to adopt to a multi sectorial approach as this is an all-inclusive mechanism which requires all hands on desk. Organizations, churches, Chiefs and people from different wards all have a bigger role to play. The reason for this multi-sectorial approach is for us to look at the situation together by easily identifying those affected and mapping the way forward together.
“As for our communities, they are well structured to cater for proper information dissemination but if the communities happen to have information gaps, it then means someone will be sitting on their jobs,” said Mutamba.
He also said the recently experienced flooding in Woodlands and Mkoba suburbs have been attributed to poor drainage systems in the city.
“Poor drainage systems are the sole cause of flooding in Woodlands and some parts of Mkoba, so we urge our Gweru local authority and Vungu Rural Council to see to it that we have an effective and well attended to drainage system to avert this challenge for good.
“We are still working with our local authority to find out how we can assist the affected families though we want an urgent intervention to the drainages,” he added.
Midlands State University (MSU) Lecturer in the Department of Development Studies, Dr Douglas Munemo said use of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) in disaster management was a vital element.
“IKS remains a vital tool in disaster management as it help us along the Eurocentric mechanisms. So there is need for us to try and incorporate IKS into our curriculum. We ought to see management which is independent where people use mechanisms which are around them than always being dependent on government for help.
“There is need to harness and finding out what the country have in terms of dealing with disasters, thus looking at Flora and Fauna. For instance fruits like Mazhanje predict hunger so the mechanism behind is tree bearing much fruits to is concluded as a net which cover hunger,” said Munemo.
He added that there was power in triangulating Europe-based knowledge.
Over 980 households were reportedly affected by flash floods in Gweru from the heavy rains that hit the city early this year.
The District CPU vice-chairperson Tarisayi Mudadigwa said the affected areas were Woodlands Phase 2, Mkoba 3, and 4.
The unit has mobilized resources to assist Gweru City Council to clear water drainages.

Losing elections a criminal offence – ZANU PF Chair

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Losing elections a criminal offence – ZANU PF Chair

As party feels heat from CCC

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – Newly elected Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa recently told the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) that he had been instructed not to lose by-elections saying losing would be considered a criminal and punishable offence in the party.
Mavhenyengwa said they had been summoned in Harare where the acting national political commissar Patrick Chinamasa instructed them not to lose the elections or face punishment.
“We have decided to meet and discuss as an organised party because it is our mandate to win all the seats. We were told when we went to Harare by the acting Political Commissar Cde Chinamasa that losing was not an option but a criminal offence that was punishable. So out of the nine local authority seats with four urban wards, we have to win all of them,” said Mavenyengwa.
Mavhenyengwa had earlier told TellZim News that they were going to win all the province’s by-elections including four urban wards that they have been losing from the then MDC-Alliance party.
“We are going to win all the by-elections in the province, even those in Masvingo urban. We have experienced personnel that if we employ their tactics, we will not lose.
“If we combine the knowledge and experience that our former Chairperson Ezra Chadzamira has, combined with what I have, we will not lose,” he said.
Mavhenyengwa said this time around they have no uncontested seat saying the new party Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led by Chamisa fielded candidates in all the vacant seats.
“This time we were contested in all vacant wards and constituencies especially from this newly formed small party led by Chamisa. They have candidates in all seats and wards, but our duty is to win them all,” he said.
He went on to say they have decided to go on with the candidates who won in the primary elections held under the old leadership saying he was part of it and all was done in order.
He preached unity saying he and Chadzamira have already buried the hatchet and were working together, saying those still labelling people with baskets were wrong.
The new chairperson said they were going to do a restructuring exercise which is meant to address anomalies that were done during the cell restructuring last year.
“We noted a lot of anomalies in the cells and are going to do a restructuring exercise. When we go there, we will not be on a witch hunt as many people may think. There is no Mavhenyengwa or Chadzamira people. All the people belong to Zanu PF and President Mnangagwa. We had a meeting with Chadzamira recently to show that we are united,” he said.

Young Masveure lights up Central Region Division One Soccer league

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Young Masveure lights up Central Region Division One Soccer league

Branton Matondo

Kwekwe based striking sensation Liberty “Bango” Masveure is proving himself a gem having so far netted five goals in six outings propelling the ‘Construction Boys’ to pole position on Central Region Division One soccer league standings.
At only 22, young Masveure has defied the odds in a league that boasts of experienced strikers from competitive teams including Chapungu, TelOne, ZPC Munyati, Tongogara and Vumbachikwe.
Speaking to this publication, the former Manunure High School and Chrome Stars junior said that all the outstanding performance is because of current head coach and mentor John Nyikadzino who groomed the young star during his hey days at Nichrut Fc in 2018.
“I have scored five goals so far. Yes, performance wise I have been good, but all thanks goes to coach Nyikadzino. He is the best. He taught me football since I was a junior until now. He has been telling me to be patient and now my time has come. I always play with confidence, not to disappoint him and to always up my form,” said Masveure.
Bango’s fruitful outing so far was an away game at Ronnie Mabhidhi Stadium against a stubborn Dulibadzimu side where he netted twice to give Sheasham a final 3 – 2 win and the young striker cherishes this game as ‘his best so far’.
Other Kwekwe based players also impacting at the Gweru based construction side are Nigel “Koko” Mpinduki and Tinashe Nyengera.
Masveure is hopeful of scoring more as the league continues.
Meanwhile Sheasham Fc sailed past Fc Platinum Under-19 last Saturday to maintain poll position with 14 points from six outings.
Kwekwe United are second with 11 points from 5 outings while WiFi boys have also played 5 games amassing 11 points.
New boys Bishopstone are dismally anchoring the log with a single point.
Sheasham face Chapungu in a explosive Gweru derby at Gweru Sports this Saturday.

287 Biometric voter registration centres for Masvingo Province

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287 Biometric voter registration centres for Masvingo Province

Fredrick Moyo

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has set up 287 mobile voter registration centres in Masvingo province for the first phase of the mobile registration blitz that started on February 1, 2022.
The mobile registration exercise will be conducted in two phases, the first being from February 1 to 18 while the second runs from April 11 to 30, 2022.
During the mobile blitz ZEC will be in and around wards using schools, clinics, tents and business centres so as to reach people in their wards and communities.
ZEC Masvingo deputy Provincial Election Officer (PEO), Maxwell Ncube encouraged first time voters to come and register as well as taking advantage of the blitz as they are visiting their areas.
“All new registrants should come in numbers and take advantage of the teams that are visiting their areas and register to vote as we are preparing for delimitation.
“Delimitation is all about numbers, therefore we are encouraging every voter to take this opportunity and register. It is their time and responsibility to exercise their right to register as a voter so that they can vote in 2023,” said Ncube.
ZEC postponed the programme in December last year citing that a number of new registrants had no national identity documents.
The registration blitz will be conducted with each registration centre having numbers of days which vary from one to five.

Women in politics face ‘daily’ abuse during elections

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Women in politics face ‘daily’ abuse during elections

. . . The case of Masvingo Urban Ward 4 CCC female candidate Muchuchuti

Faith Duri

Imagine waking up in the morning to abusive messages and life threatening phone calls from fellow members of your political party simply because you have shown interest to contest the once male dominated positions. Getting all sort of threats, abuse and name calling even from the most powerful offices of your political party because they want to impose a candidate of their choice.
This is the untold suffering the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Masvingo Ward 4 female candidate Thokozile Muchuchuti is experiencing since January 26, 2022 when she successfully filed her papers with the nomination court ahead of the by-elections slated for March 26.
Muchuchuti is at the mercy of male chauvinists in the CCC party who want to withdraw her candidature so that a man, Aleck Tabe can contest the by-elections.
But what has Muchuchuti done to deserve this kind of treatment from the male dominated CCC national leadership – secretary general Charlton Hwende, secretary for elections Jacob Mafume, national organiser Godfrey Kurauone and Happymore ‘Bvondo’ Chidziva just to mention a few?
For Kurauone, one would understand that this is out of bitterness, because this is the same Muchuchuti who humbled her during 2018 party primaries until the national leadership found a technicality to knock her off – the ward was then declared a preserve for the youths thus Kurauone eventually got ticket to contest and won during the 2018 general elections. It seems Kurauone felt so embarrassed during 2018 to an extent that he will do anything to block her using his powerful position of national youth organiser. And of course to those with a sexist ideology, losing to a woman is indeed embarrassing.
How about other CCC national members who are said to be pushing Muchuchuti out – Hwende, Mafume, Bvondo and many others? What did Muchuchuti do that they want to block her each time she gets support from the grassroots to contest for the once male dominated positions in politics? Isn’t this mere chauvinism?
What picture are political parties that are formed on the principles of democracy, transparency and gender equality such as CCC wants to show the world?
Muchuchuti’s case is just a tip of an iceberg; we have many women who are suffering in silence because of male chauvinists. Others are even raped, blackmailed, physically and emotionally abused but they remain silent for fear of further victimisation by powerful men from their respective or even rival political parties.
Even those women occupying influential positions are sometimes helpless and also fear their male counterparts. CCC vice president Lynette Karenyi-Kore was in sixes and sevens when contacted for comment by TellZim News on the abuse of women in her party with reference to Muchuchuti’s case.
“Can you send your questions on WhatsApp because I am about to go into a meeting. Let’s talk on WhatsApp,” Kore said.
“I am seeing a patient at a hospital now, I cannot talk,” said the same Kore exactly a minute later as she avoided responding to the questions that had been sent on WhatsApp as per her request.
Kore later referred questions to Muchirairwa Mugidho who is the national chairperson for women.
This is not just a mere confusion Kore exhibited as she tried to dodge responding to the questions but it exposed the fear she has of what might befall her if she speaks her mind about the issues raised.
Mafume also could not comment on the matter when TellZim contacted him; he requested the reporter to send the questions on WhatsApp, and that was the end of the story until the paper went to bed.
Tabe was a member of the People Democratic Party (PDP). Allegations are that Mafume and other former PDP members want Tabe so that they also have their cadres in powerful positions.
Women organisations such as WALPE have condemned the abuse of women by political parties and reminded them to respect the constitutional provisions that speak to gender equality and right to participate in politics.
“We note with concern the heavy handedness of some political party officials on women candidates that want to participate in the coming by-elections. There are disturbing reports of women being harassed verbally and emotionally blackmailed within their political parties to threaten and discourage them from fully participating in leadership process. This must stop,” said WALPE in a statement.
“We call on all political parties to respect the tenets of Sections 17, 56 and 80 of the constitution of Zimbabwe and uphold provisions for gender equality. Political parties must name and shame those culprits and bring them to book,” the statement continues.
Muchuchuti however vowed not to withdraw her candidature saying she had endured enough since 2013 and the electorate, including her campaign team are urging her not to succumb to the pressure.
“They promised me the provincial chairlady post because there is no one on that post. Also they said at next elections they will appoint me number one provincial councillor.
“I refused to step down because my campaign team has asked me not to withdraw. The electorate needs me so I cannot betray their trust. We have already made flyers, so we are going ahead as planned,” said Muchuchuti.
A number of ward four residents who spoke to TellZim News vowed to continue supporting her saying they do not know why the top leadership is anti-women.
“Why are they always asking her to step down when she wins the primaries? They should give those powerful posts they are promising her to the people she defeated. We want her to be our councillor and nothing else,” said one of the residents.
Sources have also said the party went through some unorthodox selection processes which were marred with harassment and rigging against Muchuchuti, after which they claimed that she had been defeated, albeit through technicalities.
This has been described as one way of frustrating women candidates, so that they distance themselves from political participation despite them being capable of running for office and also having the electorate on their side.
Abuse of women in politics and in general should be a matter of concern for all progressive citizens. Women have a right too, and political parties should support by allowing women to fairly contest for all positions that would be up for grabs.
Fellow Zimbabweans, what have we become that we normalise things that are so grotesquely abnormal?

Chiwenga promises peace ahead of by-elections

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Chiwenga promises peace ahead of by-elections

Melinda Kusemachibi

As the long awaited March 26, 2022 by-elections draw near, Zanu-PF claims that there will be peace in the run up to the elections despite the party being ‘historically known to employ violence’ during polls.
Acting President Constantino Chiwenga who was guest of honor at this year’s World Wetlands Day celebrations at Njovo in Zezai village in Masvingo Central declared that peace will reign before the elections before accusing opposition parties of resorting to violence during campaigns.
“Those who think a country can be built by foreigners or opposition parties use violence thinking that outsiders will come and rescue them. We do not want to hear that. All campaigns in the country should be peaceful up until March 26, 2022, but we are going to win the elections in all the seats and build a Zimbabwe we all want,” said Chiwenga.
However, Chiwenga briefly turned the commemorations into a mini-rally before claiming victory for Zanu PF ahead of by-elections.
“In all districts which are being contested by oppositions who calls themselves ‘Chete-chete’, we are going to do something which has never happened before.
“Unogoita chete-chete pakuitasei ndiwe wega urimunyika here? (How can it be only you as if you are the only person in this world)? There is no such thing. We want to build a Zimbabwe we all want,” said Chiwenga.
Masvingo province will have nine by-elections on March 26 this year, with seven local authority elections and two national assembly ones.
Masvingo Urban has four vacant wards, with two in Chivi and one in Bikita.
For national assembly, there is Chivi South and Mwenezi East.

Chipinge duo jailed for embezzling ZW$20 million from Econet

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Chipinge duo jailed for embezzling ZW$20 million from Econet

Livingstone Mtetwa

CHIPINGE– Two former Econet Wireless employees who connived to swindle the mobile telecommunications giant of ZW$20 million were on January 28, 2022 sentenced to an effective three and two years respectively.
Mukai Maringe Mapanzure (35) and Gavin Tinashe Guwu (30), appeared before Chipinge regional magistrate Christopher Maturure, facing fraud charges and were convicted after a full trial.
Mapanzure was facing 108 counts of fraud, while Guwu had 98 counts.
Mapanzure was initially sentenced to seven years in prison but two were suspended on condition of good behaviour. Two more years were suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant of nearly ZW $15 million. He will serve an effective three-year jail term.
Guwu was sentenced to four years, of which two were suspended on condition of good behavior.
In his ruling, Maturure said although the accused showed remorse by their willingness to restitute their employer, it will be a mockery of justice if the two were spared a custodial sentence because of the gravity of their offence.
“In assessing the sentence, the court has considered that part of the stolen money was recovered. The court is sentencing them separately because the second accused (Guwu) initially committed the offence with the first accused (Mapanzure), but later received money to buy American dollars from the latter,” said Maturure.
Prosecutor Walter Saunyama told the court that sometime in 2019, Mapanzure and Guwu hatched a plan to swindle their employer of funds.
“They replaced an Econet mobile broadband merchant line 0784953460 with a physical sim card which enabled them to carry out Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) transactions by inserting the Sim card in a Mobicel cellphone with serial number 359725084071720 and transferred money into agent lines,” said Saunyama.

2022 Schools calendar set

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2022 Schools calendar set

Melinda Kusemachibi

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) has released a new education calendar that would see schools opening on February 7, 2022 in a staggered format and close on April 7, 2022 for the first term in what seems to be a short term before the second term begins on May 3.
The amended school calendar was released on February 1, 2022 after schools’ opening was delayed due to rising Covid-19 cases though a section of society speculated that the reason behind the delays was the late marking of Grade 7 examinations, with results yet to be released.
“Following the announcement by government that schools can open from February 7 and MoPSEZim released the new school calendar as follows Term 1: 07/02/2022- 07/04/2022, Term 2: 03/05/2022- 04/08/2022, Term 3: 05/09/2022- 08/12/2022,” read a tweet on the MoPSE Twitter handle.
However, some parents reacted to the school calendar questioning the time frame at which grade7 results will be released.
“When are they going to release the grade 7 results? Should not the form ones start when schools are opened?” said a parent in Masvingo.
In a recent announcement, Acting Minister of Health and Child Care, Professor Aaron Murwira said schools can open after one week of finalizing all opening preparations by both school administrators and parents.
“The general school calendar starts on February 07, 2022 following one week of finalizing all reopening preparations by both schools’ administrators and parents,” he said in a press statement.

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