Home Blog Page 398

Mwenezi widow appeals for help after fire gutted her house down

TellZimNews
-
0
Mwenezi widow appeals for help after fire gutted her house down

Few goods that were recovered from the fire

Leslie Karumbidza


Mwenezi–A 45-year-old widow from Mukachana Village One in Mwenezi is appealing for help after her house and belongings including clothes and food were destroyed by fire.
Viola Shava, who is unemployed, lost all her property and food after the fire destroyed her house, which she shares with her three children aged 14, 13 and eight during the day on June 16 2021. 
A teary Shava told TellZim that the devastating accident occurred when she had left her house around midday to run errands only to be called that her house has been destroyed by fire.
“At around 16:00hrs I received a phone call from my neighbors who notified me that  fire had engulfed and destroyed my house ,” said Shava.
She said she arrived home only to find the neighbors trying to put out the fire but the house and belongings had already been destroyed.
“I rushed home and when I arrived, my neighbors were on the verge of putting off the flames but most of the things had been destroyed,” said Shava.
The cause of fire is not yet clear but she suspects that the fire was caused by a solar battery which was on charger which she think could have exploded igniting the fire.    
She needs help in form of food and clothes and well-wishers can contact her on 0779333114. 
In January this year another widow from Village 10 in Mwenezi was left homeless after her house was gutted by fire.

Man jailed for cutting sister’s boyfriend’s dreadlocks with machete

TellZimNews
-
0
Man jailed for cutting sister’s boyfriend’s dreadlocks with machete
File picture

Perpetua Murungweni

A 29-year-old man from Siwara Village, Chief Musara in Masvingo will serve five months behind bars after cutting his sister’s boyfriend dreadlocks with a machete.

Trymore Tafirenyika was initially sentenced to ten months imprisonment before Magistrate Grace Tupiri suspended five months on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years. 

The state case as presented by Prosecutor Nixon Chamisa was that on June 11 this year Tafirenyika found William Tinago (21) sitting with his sister Tendai Tafirenyika (19) in her bedroom.

On the following day Tendai informed her brother Trymore that she could not find some US$20, suspecting that Tinago has stolen it. 

Trymore allegedly went to Tinago’s residence armed with a machete and upon arrival he started assaulting Tinago while cutting his dreadlocks with the machete.

Tinago managed to escape and reported the matter to the police.

Masvingo City Council constructs new dumpsite

TellZimNews
-
0
Masvingo City Council constructs new dumpsite
Masvingo Mayor Collin Maboke

Veeslee Mhepo

Masvingo City Council has started the clearing of land for a new dumpsite at Cambria farm as part of fulfilling their promise to residents who have for long been complaining about the current dumpsite.

The development comes as a relief to Runyararo Wets and Victoria Ranch residents who have been complaining of flies, stench and smoke from the current dumpsite, which had become an environmental menace.  

City of Masvingo Mayor Councilor Collin Maboke confirmed the development and said clearance of the area is already underway after they secured the land.

“The dumpsite was long budgeted for and the only thing that had been delaying the whole process was unavailability of land.

“Construction of the dumpsite is in progress and commissioning will be done in three months’ time,” said Maboke.

Residents have always complained about the discomfort of hosting a stinky dumpsite in the midst of residential areas which had become a health threat.

Runyararo West and Victoria Ranch residents have for long complained about the health hazards posed by flies that could cause diarrhea, together with smoke which come from the burning of solid waste dumped at the old dumpsite which is less than 200m from houses. 

Hospital keeps expired drugs for 24 years

TellZimNews
-
0
Hospital keeps expired drugs for 24 years

Auditor General Mildred Chiri

TellZim Reporter

The recently released Auditor General Mildred Chiri’s report has exposed the dire state of the health system in Zimbabwe with Masvingo Provincial Hospital reportedly failing to dispose expired drugs for 24 years.
The report, which covered appropriation accounts and funds accounts for the financial year ending December 2019 was recently presented to Parliament, exposing glaring resources mismanagement and misappropriation. 
Masvingo Provincial Hospital, which is on record for struggling with incinerating facilities was cited for failing to dispose of expired drugs dating back to 1995.
“Masvingo Provincial Hospital had expired dangerous/classified drugs not disposed of contrary to section 90 of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23] which requires disposal of all obsolete, surplus and unserviceable assets. The drugs had expired between the years 1995 and 2019.
“In addition, I was not availed with application letters for disposal of expired drugs worth $31 696 whose board of surveys had been conducted in April and November 2019. It was also not clear whether the hospital had applied for such authority after the board of survey was conducted,” reads part of the report.
“Service deliveries continue to plunge, posing a health risk. Masvingo Provincial Hospital had expired had expired drugs classified drugs not disposed of contrary to section 90 of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act which requires disposal of all obsolete, surplus, and unserviceable assets. The drugs had expired between the years 1995 and 2019. In addition the, AG was not availed with application letters for the disposal of expired drugs worth $31 696 whose board of surveys had been conducted in April and November 2019,” reads the auditor general’s report.
ZIMCODD also noted that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education misused the funds which were meant for Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, Manicaland State University of Applied Science and Harare Institute of Technology.
“The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education bought a poor vehicle for $1 775 00 and fuel worth $240 380 on December 24,2019 using funds meant for Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education,$1 775 000 and Manicaland State University of Applied Science and Harare Institute of Technology,$240 380. The deprived the implementation of programmes under the respective institutions,” reads the auditor’s general report.

Masvingo General Hospital struggle to complete ICU

TellZimNews
-
0
Masvingo General Hospital struggle to complete ICU

Semi finished isolation centre at Masvingo general hospital

 … As sole Covid-19 isolation centre gets overwhelmed

Terrence Ndowora
Masvingo Provincial Hospital seems to be struggling to complete its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) whose construction work started last year.
The ICU project which will cater for severe Covid-19 patients is now at roof level.
Contacted for comment on the delay of the ICU completion, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Doctor Amadeus Shamhu said he had no idea when the project would be complete.
“I have no idea on when the ICU would be complete but the Public Works department can assist you with information on when exactly the project be complete,” said Dr. Shamhu.
When the former Vice President Kembo Mohadi toured the provincial hospital last year in June to assess the progress of the construction of the ICU, he was promised that it would be complete in no time but it’s been almost a year now.
Construction of the 21 bed structure was stalled in January 2021 due to lack of construction materials. 
Meanwhile, Masvingo’s sole Covid-19 isolation center in Rujeko suburb is reportedly overwhelmed with insufficient oxygen stocks as eight out of its 10 beds are occupied, TellZim News has learnt.
Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 taskforce Rodgers Irimayi confirmed that there are coronavirus patients admitted at the isolation center.
“There are eight patients who were admitted as of June 24 at Rujeko isolation center with Covid-19,” said Irimayi.
Masvingo is one of the provinces in the country with the highest number of active coronavirus cases.
According to statistics availed by the Provincial Medical Director Amadeus Shamhu recently, the district has a surge in the cases of the infection.
“Masvingo urban recorded 17 new positive cases as on June 24, 2021 bringing the total number of cases to 53. More screening should be done in order to identify suspected cases for testing,” said Shamhu.
Colleges in Masvingo have recorded more Covid-19 cases lately, putting the district on the hotspot map for over two weeks.
Masvingo Polytechnic recently recorded a total number of 16 Covid-19 cases on June 23 bringing the total number of active cases to 19 at the same institution which puts Masvingo total of cumulative cases to 3106.
A total of 73 people have succumbed to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic last year.

Bad roads affect farmers in Gutu North

TellZimNews
-
0
Bad roads affect farmers in Gutu North
Deure bridge which was left unfinished in 2019.The Bridge links Soti Source and Gutu North Constituency with Gutu town

. . . as they struggle to ferry fresh farm produce to markets during Covid-19 pandemic

Matilda Nehohwa ( CORA)

GUTU–Over 1000 farmers in Gutu North constituency are pleading with Government to complete the tarring of Gutu-Kurai road, saying the bad road network has affected them as they struggle to transport their fresh farm produce to Mpandawana town.

The Gutu-Kurai road is being tarred using Zinara and devolution funds, and when complete it will link Mpandawana and Buhera in Manicaland Province. 

Farmers and villagers from Soti Source, Chiguhune, Domborenhikiti and Nyazvidzi as well as schools and clinics use this road to connect with Buhera and Mpandawana town. 

Farmers who spoke to this publication said Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) and Government should prioritise the completion of this major road which is used by many farmers and villagers from Gutu North to connect to Mpandawana town.

“We have a number of horticulture farmers in Gutu North and they use this road to go and sell their fresh produce at Mpandawana. The government started tarring of this road sometime in 2018 if not before but up to now they have completed less than 10km. We have more than 10 000 families who are surviving through farming so we plead our RDC and government to prioritise the completion of this road,” said one farmer.

A supervisor at the site who spoke on condition of anonymity said the project is being funded by devolution funds and council was waiting to receive this year’s disbursement. 

“Zinara funds are also being channelled towards this project but the challenge is that they don’t disburse the funds in time,” said one of the project supervisors.

There have been reports of abuse of the raw materials that are meant for the construction of the roads by workers who steal and divert the resources. One of the workers stole over 100 bags of cement that were later recovered by the police in Gornvile suburbs where they hidden.

When contacted for comment, Gutu RDC chief executive officer Alexander Mutembwa said the road was not under his jurisdiction, asking this reporter to contact the Department of Roads.

Efforts to get a comment from the provincial roads engineer were fruitless as his mobile phone went unanswered for days. 

Covid-19 vaccination slips to be passport for ZANU PF meetings

TellZimNews
-
0
Covid-19 vaccination slips to be passport for ZANU PF meetings
File picture: Christopher Mutsvangwa

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO– ZANU PF Deputy Provincial Chairperson and Zaka North member (MP) of Parliament Robson Mavhenyengwa has said Covid-19 vaccination slips will soon be used as gate passes to party meetings.

Mavhenyengwa was speaking at the Provincial Coordinating Committee Meeting held at Great Zimbabwe University’s Julius Nyerere School of Social Sciences recently.

He said party leadership was supposed to lead by example and get vaccinated first so that they encourage their subordinates to get vaccinated.

“You as the leadership should be vaccinated so that the people you lead will copy from you. How can you encourage people to be vaccinated when you are not?

“Soon we will introduce a system where only those who have been vaccinated will be allowed into our meetings. You will be asked to produce your vaccination slip here as proof to be admitted into the meetings. If you cannot walk around with the slip you will have to scan it and bring the picture here in your phone,” said Mavhenyengwa.

Mavhenyengwa went on to warn party leadership against campaigning for positions saying it was too early for that and said they can only campaign for ZANU PF and the President.

“We only campaign for the party and the President only. We still have our PCC, Councilors and MPs, those positions have people so there is no need to campaign. We will be told when time is rife to start campaigning,” said Mavhenyengwa.

His warning came at a time when a number of people are warming themselves for the PPC positions following the completion of District Coordinating Committees elections.

The guest of honor at the event, Christopher Mutsvangwa who is a Politburo member and Secretary for Science and Technology praised the way people were being vaccinated in Zimbabwe saying a number of countries were admiring Zimbabwe in terms of the vaccination role out.

He went on to say the government was doing its best to make sure that all people get vaccinated saying more doses were coming from China.

“Zimbabwe is among the few countries that have so far managed to vaccinate a huge number of people. Even the likes of Julius Malema from South Africa have acknowledged that. People in Australia and other European countries have acknowledged that,” said Mutsvangwa.

He went on to say the reason why they have managed to progress is because they have partnered China which has been helping out Zimbabwe.

“We have our friend China which has been supporting us since the liberation struggle. They gave us guns and other war equipment to fight for our liberation struggle. So we cannot abandon a friend like that, that is why when we were affected by Covid-19 we rushed to our friend that is why we have been ahead,” said Mutsvangwa.

Vaccination process open to manipulation

TellZimNews
-
0
Vaccination process open to manipulation
Covid-19 vaccination card 

Kimberly Kusauka

There has been rising concern over the vaccination program’s lack of foolproof ways to avoid double vaccination with calls being made to computerize the process, TellZim News has learnt.  

Talking to TellZim News, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Amedeous Shamhu said that it cannot be ruled out that a person can get two Sinovac jabs after getting two Sinopharm ones since the process is not computerized, even though it would be very far-fetched.

“We cannot really say that it is not possible for a person to receive two doses from two different vaccines since our system is not computerized.

“We would however really wonder why a person would get vaccinated from two different vaccines because a normal person would not do such a thing. Actually we will consider it total madness,” said Shamhu.

The concern may have emanated from the depletion of first doses of vaccines in many health centers at a time when people were warming up to the idea of getting vaccinated.  

Masvingo Provincial Taskforce spokesperson Roders Irimayi told TellZim News that people were being educated on the vaccination process, and it would be very unfortunate to find people who are getting double vaccination.

“We are on the ground educating people on the vaccination process, and it would be unfortunate to have people who take advantage of the system and get double vaccination, which will deprive others.

“No one knows what will happen if a person gets two different vaccines and I do not think anyone would do that to themselves, because when one gets vaccinated they are given a vaccination card,” Irimayi said.

In the past few months, people were raising concern on the simplicity of the vaccination card, with some saying that there were chances one could manipulate the system using the vaccination card since it was not computerized.    

The country is expected to receive 25 000 Sputnik V doses from Russia and 500 000 Sinopharm doses from China which are expected this Saturday.

As at June 24 a total number of 724 582 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.

Covid-19 positive cases continue to rise in Zimbabwe

TellZimNews
-
0
Covid-19 positive cases continue to rise in Zimbabwe

 …as Masvingo province tops the list

Blessed Chauke

Covid-19 positive cases in Zimbabwe continue to shoot up with Masvingo province recording more cases in the past few weeks.

In Masvingo province, Chiredzi and Masvingo districts have since been declared hotspots.

On June 4 only two positive cases were recorded, but the number has already shot up to a total of 325 Covid-19 positive cases by June 23.

Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Amadeus Shamhu confirmed to TellZim News last week that investigations have since been launched to ascertain the cause of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases, but the results are yet to be released as they do not want to speculate.

“I am yet to receive the findings of the investigations we launched in Chiredzi after noticing the rising number of Covi-19 cases there, but if you contact me on Monday (June 21) I should have them by then,” Shamhu said.

Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi also told TellZim News that the risk communication team is on the ground doing awareness campaigns in Chiredzi, which has increased the number of people being tested.

“We have a risk communication team on the ground doing awareness campaigns and the number of people being tested has definitely increased, which also contributes to the high number of positive cases.

“Increase in number of cases could also mean there is increased testing, which is a good thing,” Irimayi said.

Irimayi however added that it has already been established that those who have been vaccinated are more resistant to Covid-19 than those who are not.

“Vaccination has given those who have been jabbed some immunity against Covi-19, and even when they test positive, the effects are much better for them than those who have not been vaccinated,” Irimayi added.

Meanwhile, together with Chiredzi, Masvingo district Covid-19 cases have lately been dominating provincial statistics after an outbreak at Morgenster Teachers College last week.

The institution has been placed under lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions have been tightened across the two districts, which have been on the national hotspot map for over 2 weeks now.

IcodZim engages Masvingo local authorities on disaster preparedness

TellZimNews
-
0
IcodZim engages Masvingo local authorities on disaster preparedness

Veeslee Mhepo

Institute of Community Development Zimbabwe (IcodZim) has engaged councils in Masvingo province on how they can mitigate Covid-19 effects on women with disabilities to improve their legal, policy and administrative challenges.

The engagement aimed at placing women with disabilities at the center of sustainable and resilient Covid-19 response and recovery plan.

IcodZim director Talent Maposa said there is absence of localized disaster preparedness and response plan to help affected women with disabilities to a greater extent and urged councils to   find ways to deal with Covid-19 in case another wave strikes again.

“Councils should have plans and resources set aside for disasters especially this pandemic because no one knows how it is going to end and what is going to come next.

“The available structures are in form of taskforce Committees at district level and lack of a localized disaster preparedness and response plan during the Covid-19 affected most women with disabilities,” said Maposa.

Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Chibi said Covid-19 affected women with disabilities on accessing information due to absence of community engagement, adding that there is need for inclusion of women with disabilities in engagements that increase their participation.

“The inclusion of people with disabilities in socio- economic activities is of paramount importance especially during the Covid-19 period and women with disabilities have not been able to access information during the pandemic due to lack of participation and representation in the taskforce.

“RDCs should have specific funds reserved for disasters in order to help reduce economic problems in the event of a disaster,” said Chibi.

Mwenezi RDC representative Sinikiwe Mhlanga said women with disabilities were subjected to inhuman treatment and discrimination at quarantine centers and lack of disability friendly infrastructure is a major challenge to women with disabilities.

“The quarantine centers were not disability friendly and this resulted in ill treatment of women with disabilities, exposing them to stigma.

“The other major challenges we are facing is that our infrastructure is not disability friendly and we working at building ramps at all council offices,” said Mhlanga.

Chiredzi Town Council representative Washington Mbaura said they witnessed a spike in gender based violence (GBV) cases involving women and girls with disabilities during the lockdown period.

Masvingo City Council represented by Ashley Jinjika also said women with disabilities faced numerous challenges but they managed to find solutions to some of the challenges.

“Women with disabilities faces a lot of challenges such as lack of information kiosks, water challenges and resource mobilization challenge.

“We managed to launch a Covid 19 support fund, council rented houses and stands to women with disabilities, provision of market stalls, payment plans, piped water scheme and provided Jairos Jiri with five hectare stands for their income generating projects,” said Jinjika.

1...397398399...958Page 398 of 958