Nyasha Marumbi

MASVINGO – The Institute of Community Development in Zimbabwe (ICODZim) and the Southern Africa Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST) last week held a training workshop in Masvingo to improve public knowledge on the role of parliament and parliamentary engagement.
The training was part of a country-wide programme touching on such critical issues as petition writing and other topical areas around the Biometric Voter Registration System (BVR).
Among other things, discussions evolved around such areas as how to write petitions but there were also discussions on the roles of Members of Parliament (MPs).
SAPST programmes manager Henry Ndlovu told participants that it was the constitutional right of all citizens to petition parliament and raise motions on issues affecting their constituencies.
“Every citizen has a right to petition parliament to consider any matter within its authority including the enactment or repeal of legislation. You don’t need anybody’s authority to submit a petition to parliament.
SAPST chairperson, Vivian Mashavave addressed the roles of MPs, saying there was a general misconception about that matter.
“Members of Parliament represent interests of the electorate in Parliament. They raise motions on issues affecting their constituencies during question and answer sessions and report back to their constituencies,” said Mashavave.
On BVR, it was heard that the new system, if properly implemented, would prevent duplicate registrations.
“BVR systems have gained favour because of a number of merits. They prevent duplicate registrations and are easy to use when registering and identifying voters. They are also easily used to search and analyse data,” said Mashavave.local

HARARE – The Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) last week organised a road safety workshop for journalists from diverse media houses as part of efforts to promote safer driving habits.
The workshop was held at Rainbow Towers where it was agreed that media are critical stakeholders in raising awareness on road carnage as well as in advocacy work against the problem.
In his speech, TSCZ information and communication manager Tatenda Chinoda said it was sad that people were quick to blame everything and everyone else except human error when an accident occurs.
“When a road traffic crash occurs or is reported in the news, people tend to point fingers at the police, the roads, Zinara, municipal traffic police, tyres, stray animals, evils spirits – black spot mentality, the other driver, pedestrians or anything else in between. It is time for drivers to take full responsibility for their actions on the road if we are to stop the road carnage,” said Chinoda
He also said some of the main causes of road carnages included drinking and driving, speeding, tyre bursts, and errors made on overtaking.
“What is missing in the majority of our road users is road safety culture which ensures that we are always conscious about risks inherent in using the road,” he said.
Chinoda also challenged the media to report factually and objectively about road crashes so that the public can have a better understanding of how to better make use to the country’s roads.
According to the ZRP Traffic National Branch statistics, 96 percent of the 2016 festive season road traffic crashes were attributed to human error while the remaining four percent was caused by vehicle defects.
It is also said in the 692 fatal crashes that were recorded in between January and July this year, 930 people were killed while 4222 were injured.local

Clever Taperamoyo

MASVINGO – Director in the office of the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs Kudakwashe Machako on Monday commissioned earthmoving equipment procured by City of Masvingo using funds raised through the roads levy.
The levy was introduced in 2015 amid strong criticism and objections from residents who felt hard pressed by the city council. The levy ran for six months at a cost of US$3 per household.
Addressing city of Masvingo councillors, management, employees and residents who gathered at the Civic Centre to witness the event, Machako praised residents for their cooperation which made it possible for the equipment to be bought.
“Infrastructure development and maintenance is critical for development and we support the close working relationship between council and residents as it made it possible for these vehicles to be bought,” Machako said.
He said it was out of that realisation that council was trying to improve the condition of roads which are taking a battering as a result of poor funding from the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara) and poor council revenue inflows.
City of Masvingo Mayor Hubert Fidze also thanked residents for paying towards the levy despite the difficult economic conditions they face.
“We understand the difficulties that our residents face. As council, we would like to thank them for their support which allowed council to buy this equipment,” Fidze said.
Council says more than US$489 000 was raised through the levy and the equipment bought are a motorised grader, front end loader, tipper and a refuse compactor at a total value of US$425 123.
A recent study of the city’s roads under National Road Condition Survey revealed that the city had a road network of 257 km, only four kilometres of which is in good condition,.
A total of 153 km of the road network is considered to be in fair condition while the rest is in poor condition.local