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OK Masvingo manager Mahiya bids farewell

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OK Masvingo manager Mahiya bids farewell

 

OK Masvingo

Tafadzwa Masunda

OK Masvingo branch manager
Shepherd Mahiya is leaving his post which he held for the past 10 years after
being promoted to a similar job at a much bigger shop in Harare.

Mahiya, who has been manager of
OK Masvingo since May 2010, will now lead the multinational grocer’s Zimbabwe
flagship, OK Mart Harare which is situated along Chiremba Road.

A farewell party for Mahiya was
held last week, with staff members sharing their fond experiences with a man
who ran one of OK’s best-performing shops in the country.

Mahiya, who leaves behind a shop
with an impressive revenue turnover, will be replaced by Shingi Change who has
been assistant manager for some time.

 

New head for Victoria High School

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New head for Victoria High School

 

Engelbert Chimbwari

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – There is hope for some restoration at Victoria High
School after Engelbert Chimbwari was appointed new school head to replace John
Muzamani who retired earlier this year.

Chimbwari, who got transferred from
Mpandawana High, takes over a school that has deteriorated from first class to
third class in recent years.

Speaking to TellZim News,
Chimbwari said he will work to instill discipline as well as to improve academic
results, sporting activities and infrastructure.

“My goal is to restore Victoria
High School to the glory it enjoyed in the 1980s-1990s when it was the epitome
of excellence in the province. I will start by instilling discipline at the school
which is key to good results and many other developments,” said Chimbwari.

He said he will work to reintroduce
elite sporting games like squash, rugby and tennis which were slowly dying out
under successive inept administrations.

“The results here were not very
bad but I want to make sure there is a sharp improvement and make sure that
parents can see value for their money. I will reintroduce all the sporting activities
which this school was well known for,” said Chimbwari

He said the sporting facilities
were rundown and the perimeter wall built a few years ago needed urgent
attention.

Chimbwari started his career in
the education sector at Vuravhi (now Tambudzai) Secondary School in Chivi back
in 1988 before moving to Nyamandi in Gutu district in 1991 where he later got
promoted to the position of deputy head.

He later headed Gunikuni Secondary
School in Masvingo district before moving to Tirizi Secondary School in Gutu
where he stayed for only two terms.

In 2004, he went back to Nyamandi
where he introduced ‘A’ level classes and initiated a piggery and dairy project
which all helped the school win the Education Secretary’s Merit Award in 2007.

He transferred to Mupandawana in
2017 where he transformed the school and initiated such projects as piggery,
poultry and bee-keeping that are all thriving.

CBAP supports rural Masvingo through food aid

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CBAP supports rural Masvingo through food aid

 

Many villagers in Chikarudzo received food aid from CBAP

Mark Chavunduka

MASVINGO
– The Community Based Aid Programme (CBAP) on September 30 donated food hampers
to 243 vulnerable households at Chikarudzo Township Ward 13 under Chief Mugabe
to help fight extreme hunger in the community.

The needy families took
delivery of the grocery items which included cooking oil, rice, bars of laundry
soap and salt.

A few days earlier, a
similar donation had been made to 116 families in the Zimuto communal areas in
Masvingo North.

Speaking to TellZim
News after the donation, CBAP executive director Samuel Mhungu said the food
hampers were a response to growing food insecurity caused partly by the coronavirus-induced
national lockdown.

“The beneficiaries were
selected from the villages based on vulnerability status. We have come to the
aid of the people here after noting that the community was among the most
severely- affected by the lockdown which significantly reduced local economic
activity.

“We hope this little
help will help lessen suffering and make life better for people of this
community,” said Mhungu.

At the same event, Shadrek
Muduma who was representing Chief Mugabe, expressed gratitude for the help
which he said will assist the beneficiaries for a period of time.

“I want to thank CBAP for
remembering us with these gifts. We have many hungry families that need all the
help they can get to prevent extreme hunger,” said Muduma.

Gogo Moyo, a resident
at Chikarudzo, said she was glad that CBAP had selected her community from among
a host of others that were equally vulnerable.

The organization also
runs a seed distribution programme in similarly disadvantaged communities as a
way of helping lift people out of poverty by improving agricultural productivity.

In the education sector,
CBAP supports selected children from poor backgrounds by paying their school
fees and taking care of some of their basic needs at school.

“We pay fees and
provide them with school uniforms as well as stationery as a way of reducing
school dropout rates in the poor communities,” said Mhungu.

.

 

Africa Ahead’s nutrition clubs: New hope for Chipinge

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Africa Ahead’s nutrition clubs: New hope for Chipinge

 

Stephen
Ephraem

CHIPINGE
– The
Food and Nutrition (FAN) clubs             that
were established by development Non-Governmental organization Africa Ahead are
helping communities to cope with an otherwise dire situation.  

The development organisation
started by initiating health clubs and building 75 houses in Chipinge rural
wards 2, 9 and 14 for the victims of tropical Cycle Idai which severely hit
Chimanimani and Chipinge districts in March 2019.

It was during the handover
ceremony of the 75 houses that Africa Ahead country director Regis Matimati
decided that the health clubs should transform into Food and Nutrition ones.

TellZim recently went to Chipinge
rural Ward 2 in Ngaone and witnessed many developments that are related to the Food
and Nutrition clubs.

Africa Ahead managed to
rehabilitate seven natural water springs in Samhutsa, Toti and Tsododo areas.
The water springs are providing water for domestic use as well as farming.

According to Enety Gwiza, the treasurer
for Rujeko FAN club in Tsododo village, members have improved their livelihoods
through food and nutrition initiatives.

“With support from Africa Ahead,
we initiated health clubs by building toilets for members. We later graduated
into FAN clubs. After acquiring garden sites from our traditional leaders, we used
recycled material to construct fences for our gardens.

“We don’t use irrigation but
acquire water from streams and natural water springs. When the gardens
flourished, we agreed that a member is allocated at least one bundle of each
vegetable type per week. All other produce is sold and the money is saved,”
said Gwiza.

The treasurer outlined proceeds
from the food and nutrition activities are transforming their lives.

“We have 74 members in Tsododo
village. Each member represents a household. Clubs members share dividends from
the sales after six months. Some members managed to embark on livestock
production using proceeds from the FAN clubs. This is improving our lives in
Ngaone,” said Gwiza.

Pick n Pay manager ‘sorry’ for debacle

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Pick n Pay manager ‘sorry’ for debacle

 

Gurunhe and Chivhanga went and met the shop manager after the incident

…as people call for boycott of
shop over ‘discrimination’

TellZim Reporter

TM Pick n Pay Masvingo manager
Smart Chivhuna is ‘sorry’ for the incident which saw a woman with albinism
being denied entry into the shop because a chemical sanitizer could not be used
on her sensitive skin, TellZim has heard.

Agnes Gurunhe was barred from
entering the shop by people manning the entrance and by till supervisor William
Kokela who had insisted that she let them sanitize her hands first if she
wanted to be allowed into the shop.

Gurunhe had requested that she be
given water and soap to wash her hands instead of the chemical sanitizing fluid
as her skin reacted badly to such substances.

TellZim tried without success to
get Chivhuna’s comment, with his assistants saying he was out of office and had
gone to hospital.

Repeated attempts to reach him on
his cellphone failed as he did not pick the calls.

After the incident which happened
towards midday yesterday, September 29, and reported soon after by TellZim,
Disability Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) chairperson Henry Chivhanga
consulted lawyers before engaging Chivhuna.

“He expressed deep regrets over
the issue and asked for forgiveness as he did not personally handle the case.
He told us that he accepted full responsibility for what we consider a clear act
of discrimination and insensitivity to the unique needs of a customer with a disability,”
said Chivhanga, who was accompanied by Gurunhe after the meeting.

He said, his organisation will
ask its lawyers to write to the national management of the grocer to demand a
full apology and other guarantees that no incident of a similar nature happens
in the future.

“We consider this issue to be an
attack on the rights of all people with disabilities. We have a problem in this
country because when rules are made, they are seldom made with us in mind,”
said Chivhanga.

On her part, Gurunhe said she was
disappointed but not entirely surprised by the mistreatment she got.

“It’s disappointing but not very
much surprising. Things of this nature happen to us almost every day and most
of the cases are not reported. What really could have been difficult in
providing me with water to wash my hands given that I had fully explained
myself?” said Gurunhe.

Many social media users who
responded to the story on the TellZim Twitter handle have called for the people
involved in the debacle to be fired, while others have called for a boycott of
the shop.

“Boycott @tmpicknpay until they
offer a trolley full apology. Nxa,” remarked @mrdesmonds.

“Eish! Zimbabwe showing our worst
side instead of our beautiful best side. Couldn’t they get her soap and water,”
remarked award winning novelist Tsitsi Dangarembga (@effie41209591)

“Shutdown #PicknPay,” said
tafadzwa Makara (@tafymaka).

Relief for vendors and Gutu RDC reopens markets

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Relief for vendors and Gutu RDC reopens markets

 

Precila Takabvirakare

There is an air of relief among informal traders and vendors
in Mpandawana after Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) allowed its markets to
re-open as from last week.

Normally, the council-owned flea markets accommodate hundreds
of people but the number has been slightly reduced to enable social distancing.

Gutu RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alexander Mutembwa
said council was following the loosening of lockdown regulations as effected by
the national government.

With the assitant of security services, Gutu RDC implemented severe trade restrictions during the lockdown

He said he was glad that informal traders who suffered
immense hardship under the hard lockdown were now getting some relief.

“People desperately pressurised us to open the markets
earlier but we could not do it as we work in accordance with what happens at
national level. People are hungry and they wanted a chance to work for
themselves and their families so we are pleased that we are finally able to
reopen the markets under certain guidelines that reduce the chances of new
coronavirus infections,” said Mutembwa.

He said traders were at all times obliged to adhere to
regulations put in place by government such as the wearing of facemasks and
maintaining standard physical distancing.

He said the Roof Town market will be opened as soon as all
the work being done there gets completed.

 

African leaders unite in prayer for peace during COVID-19

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African leaders unite in prayer for peace during COVID-19

 

 HWPL Southern Africa

African religious leaders united in an interfaith-prayer online event
called for the continuation of the work of peace amid this pandemic and for the
eradication of COVID-19.

 

On September 26, the prayer meeting was attended by hundreds of people and
came as the United Nations marks its 75th anniversary during this
International Peace Month. Faith leaders from the Hare Krishna, Christianity,
Spiritual Consciousness, and African Religion movements joined Heavenly Culture
World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL) to hold the event.

 

“When we work together like that, it takes away any thought of disagreement,
warfare, and the violence that can become endemic when we are so afraid,” said through
the interview Reverend Berry Behr of the Cape Town Interfaith Initiative.

 

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 human rights violations have increased
drastically across the world. When the virus struck Africa, it led to an
increased vulnerability to other diseases, gender-based violence, deepened
inequalities, and violent extremism in countries such as Mozambique.

 

Pastor Chiwa, a Christian pastor from Zimbabwe, noted the need to address
the violent extremism and brutality that is threatening the peace in Africa.

 

“We are in dire need of the intervention of God
when it comes to the brutality and issues happening in our African continent,”
said Pastor Chiwa. “I pray that the hand of God, the Supreme Father, would
intervene and put a sense in the mindsets of our leaders, military, and every
sector that has to do with peace in Africa.”

 

Among the leaders who led the prayers were Hajj Abdulmalik
Molapo from the Muslim community, Sister Dipty from Brahma Kumaris, Guru Medhavi Das
from Hare Krishna, Inalda de Jorge-Antonio from Spiritual
Consciousness, and Hindu leader Swami Vedanand.

“If we as faith leaders are taking lead and leading our continent, we will
realize we are not a dark continent. We are a bright continent we just need
focused spiritual leadership because it is the moral compass that directs
nations,” said ANC chaplaincy for the Western Cape province of South Africa, Rev
Phumzile Stofile.

 The virtual meeting was not only connected with interfaith leaders in
Africa but also leaders in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Switzerland.
Members of civil society, youth, and various congregations were also in
attendance.

HWPL has held Interfaith Dialogue Meetings, known as WARP Office Meetings, with
over 700 religious leaders represented for 250 times. These are hosted monthly
with the aim of preventing conflicts caused by religious misunderstandings by
engaging the standards and teachings of various religions and examining the
concept of peace in each scripture

New normal: CBAP takes psycho-social support to schools

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New normal: CBAP takes psycho-social support to schools

 

Samuel Mhungu

Progress
Chaya

The
Community Based Aid Programme (CBAP) has taken an initiative to provide
psycho-social support to pupils that are now back to school following a
protracted lockdown as a way of helping them cope with pressures of the new
normal.

As
part of the initiative, the organization visited Zimuto High School on
September 27 to provide career guidance as well as guidance and counselling to
pupils.

Speaking
after the event, CBAP executive director Samuel Mhungu said in light of the new
normal, students needed greater emotional support to help adapt their mind sets.

“During
the lockdown, a lot of bad things happened and this has a bearing on children
who have now returned to school. Some experienced sexual abuse, incest, gender-based
violence and severe economic difficulties during the lockdown.

“All
this may push them towards losing focus but we are here to discuss a possible
way forward and help deal with the effects of those experiences,” said Mhungu

The
event was quite interactive, with some pupils saying they felt the requirement
for them to always put on facemasks was itself a risk on the health of one’s
respiratory system.

Other
pupils said they were glad that they had been given an opportunity to relate their
fears and anxieties early.

“From
the contributions that have been made here, it can be realised that many pupils
had lost hope in the future. It is pleasing therefore that we have been
presented with an opportunity to see the good things that we can still achieve
despite the long time that has been lost to the lockdown,” said one pupil.

The
CBAP, which is run by the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ), will also visit
many other schools in the course of the term.

 

Pick n Pay Masvingo bars disabled woman from entering shop

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Pick n Pay Masvingo bars disabled woman from entering shop
Agnes Gurunhe captured outside TM Pick n Pay Masvingo today

TellZim Reporter

TM Pick n Pay Masvingo today
barred a woman with albinism from getting into the shop because her skin could
not be sanitized at the entrance, TellZim can report.

Agnes Gurunhe (35) of Mucheke A
in the city, was prevented from getting into the shop, first by security people
manning the entrance and later by till supervisor William Kokela.

This was after she had requested
that she be given water and soap to wash her hands, rather than to have her use
chemical sanitizer which is not friendly to her skin.

“I politely asked that I be given
water and soap to wash my hands because my skin seriously reacts to sanitizers
but the people manning the entrance said there was no water at the shop and
they then denied me entry.

“I then requested to see the
manager and they brought a man whom I assumed to be the manager. The man said
it’s either I get my hands sanitized or I could not enter. After some talk,
they then said I could list down the grocery items I wanted to purchase so that
a staff member would do it for me while I waited outside. I considered that to
be unreasonable because that would mean that I give them my bank card and my
secret PIN,” Gurunhe told TellZim.

After the stalemate, Gurunhe was
turned away from the shop.

TellZim contacted Disability
Amalgamation Community Trust (DACT) chairperson Hentry Chavhanga who said he
was shocked by the incident.

“I am on my way to find out what
happened. That is an outrageous act of discrimination and TM Pick n Pay must be
held responsible for that,” said Chivhanga, adding that he was going to seek
audience with the shop manager.

The coronavirus pandemic has seen
government promulgating regulations that require business owners to sanitize
their customers and check their body temperatures at the entrances.

More to follow….

 

Mwonzora axe hangs over Masvingo councillors

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Mwonzora axe hangs over Masvingo councillors

 

Daniel Mberikunashe

Moses Ziyambi

MDC-T secretary general Douglas
Mwonzora is said to be planning to extend his recall of MDC Alliance councillors
to Masvingo where he reportedly faces immense resistance, TellZim News has
learnt.

Fear of recalls among the seven MDC
Alliance Masvingo Urban councillors increased recently after Mwonzora recalled
11 Harare councillors including the deputy mayor in the wake of a mayoral
by-election which was won by Jacob Mafume ahead of Mwonzora’s preferred
candidate Luckson Mukunguma.

Those fired in Harare are Lovemore
Makuwerere, Gilbert Hadebe Gilbert, Simon Mapanzure, Charles Chidhagu, Keith
Charumbira, Steven Dhliwayo, Munyaradzi Kufahakutizwi, Barnabas Ndira, Runyowa
Chihoma, Charles Nyatsuro and Enoch Mupamawonde.

The Mwonzora faction went on to
capture the Marondera mayoral position with the help of the town’s lone Zanu PF
councillor after recalling some councillors perceived to be loyal to Nelson
Chamisa.

Mwonzora told TellZim News over
the phone that he did not have any immediate reason to recall anybody in
Masvingo.

“Currently, we have not received
any complaints as to the behavior of councillors in Masvingo so they must not
worry. We only go for those that show disloyalty to the party,” said Mwonzora.

He however warned that the
councillors should stay warned that they will be recalled should they step out
of line.

“Many chose to be misled by the
likes of Tendai Biti and they thought it was impossible but I am glad that they
now understand what we are capable of doing,” warned Mwonzora.

Mwonzora is said to be targeting Masvingo
Urban Ward 4 Cllr Godfrey Kurauone, who is MDC Alliance national youth organising
secretary and strong Chamisa ally; Ward 5 Cllr Daniel Mberikunashe, who is
related to Chamisa; and Ward 7 Cllr Richard Musekiwa, who is also said to be
strongly loyal to Chamisa.

Sources said Mwonzora could spare
Mayor Collen Maboke, who had several runs-in with Chamisa prior to the
controversial Supreme Court judgement which sparked the turmoil engulfing the
opposition movement.

Sources say the other two
councillors; Selima Maridza of Ward 1 and Tarusenga Vhembo of Ward 3 could be
threatened into towing the Mwonzora line and spared as well.

When contacted for comment,
Mberikunashe said he did not mind getting a recall.

“I am who I am so bring it on. There
is no sense in losing sleep for fear of being recalled when I am an MDC
Alliance councillor who was voted into office by the people. I remain committed
to the ideals of the party and nothing can shake me,” said Mberikunashe.

Musekiwa also said he was not
worried as he was a committed party member whose power lied in what the people
wanted.

“I have not yet heard about any
threats to recall me but I am not worried at all. Leadership is derived from
the people who vote us into office so it is the same people who matter to me. I
will remain a member of the MDC Alliance,” said Musekiwa.

In his response to questions,
Kurauone said he had been through a lot and could not be shaken by shallow and
vindictive politics.

“I represent the people and have
been through a lot. Being a councillor is good because you have a chance to
represent the people but then, you cannot impose yourself on the people. Nobody
can really recall you from the people so I am not bothered,” said Kurauone, who
recently spent 42 days in remand prison on spurious charges that he says
amounted to political persecution.

On his part, a jittery Vhembo
said it was unfortunate that councillors were made to feel insecure and unsure
about their future.

“We want to be able to deliver on
the mandate give to us by the people without fear. Right now there is a lot of
uncertainty and rumour-mongering and back-stabbing which is not fruitful.
People are maliciously labeling each other pro-this and anti-that, which  is wrong,” said Vhembo.

 

 

 

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