Godknows Basira

As young people we make decisions about our lives and relationships according to the behavior we feel is rewarded or acceptable to our societies or those around us.
Sometimes we are pushed into education and career pathways because that is what they say girls do or boys do. We make choices sometimes because of society’s ‘norms’.       
This traditional system of gender encouragement, discouragement and fitting in are based on an old gender model.
As young people, we need a new gender model that accepts the way people identify and express their gender – a model which demonstrates equality, mutual respect, equity and which encourages both young boys and girls to pursue their education and career choices.
We need a new model that removes pressure on young people in following old gender stereotypes that stack the odds in favour of one gender and at the expense of the other.
Society tends to teach us that depending on our gender, our roles will either be cooking, gardening, being the bread winner or caring for children and we are often told to fit into gender roles which are tough but sometimes seem rational.                                                
Let us step outside of those rigid gender roles so that we do not feel pressured to always stay within every boundary which society makes us believe are ‘norms’ of our gender. For many young people, there is huge pressure to adopt rigid and stereotypical gender roles and behaviors across every aspect of their lives.
For example, a young woman is told that she does not have what it takes to be a leader in politics or management because she is not strong enough and cares too much about people’s feelings.
In the same vein, a young boy at school is encouraged to choose building, wood work, mechanics and electronics rather than the fashion designing class simply because he is male.
It is the clothes we wear, the haircuts we get or the hobbies we take up that are dictated by our culture’s understanding of gender roles.
As reflected by the media, laws, schools and religion, we are constantly told that boys are more robust ‘hanzi varume injanji’ and are better at physical or dangerous work and are more rational.
This leads to expectations and acceptance of aggressive or violent behaviour from men and it also leads to society having more faith in men to work in certain professions and roles like mining, engineering and leadership.
It is in light of this that the pressure that society puts on young people to conform to gender roles is more than ‘schoolyard teasing’.
The roles that society presents to us as norms of a particular gender simply puts us at a greater disadvantage than advantage in our social lives, careers and relationships.
Let us shake the earth by promoting and supporting gender equality and equity.local

Shumirai Zhou

GWERU – A Gweru man was last week dragged to court for failure to take good care and securing his dog after it viciously attacked his tenant.
Robert Munemo of Lundi Park was fined $200 by Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga after he pleaded guilty to the charges.
Standing on behalf of the State, Chipo Ncube told the court that Munemo’s maid visited Precious Kadema, his tenant at her cottage and the dog then followed her.
When Kadema opened the door for the maid, the dog immediately pounced on her and she was bitten on the arm.
The complainant revealed that there was no tight security at the house, making it easy for the dog to attack people. She also revealed that the previous day, the dog had bitten her younger sister on the leg and she was stitched several times.
Magistrate Taruvinga referred the matter to civil court after Kadema requested for $2400 as compensation for medical bills.local

Itai Muzondo in Gweru

GWERU – The Deposit Protection Corporation (DPC) says it is pleased with its service delivery record since its creation a few years ago.
Speaking to TellZim News after an awareness campaign in Gweru last week, DPC managing director John Chikura said the organisation had done a lot to build public confidence in the banking sector by protecting depositors’ credit.
“When talking of confidence, it is in different levels. As for our side, we are talking of depositors or bank account holders who now need not to worry about losing all their savings in case their bank collapsed. We have assured the protection of their hard earned cash by following up on closed banks to pay up whatever amount depositors may had in there.
“As DPC we give a maximum of $1000 instantly and if your balance was above that, more funds will be given as we follow up on the liquidation progress with your bank. The process is not one-sided because we also help banks recover money from those who try to take advantage and run away with borrowed loans,” Chikura said.
He said people were currently unwilling to deposit their money with banks owing to liquidity challenges in the country.
Chikura further said many people who have been affected by bank closures were not aware of services that the organisation offers.
“Many people have been affected by the closure of banks and many are not aware they can follow up on their money. We are trying to reach different communities and plans are there to help everyone,” he said.
Deposit protection is a scheme established by government to protect depositors against the loss of their insured deposits placed with member institutions licenced to operate banking or finance business.
DPC gets its funding from quarterly premium levies collected from member institutions and by opening an account with a registered financial institution, a depositor’s funds become automatically protected.
Banks that have collapsed of late are Kingdom (AfrAsia), Interfin, Allied, Trust and Royal.local

MASVINGO – Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) pastor Godfrey Kudita (45) of Matrik Park Harare, this week appeared before Masvingo magistrate Takawira Mugabe facing charges of assaulting Clarkson Farai, a fuel attendant.
The State, led by Edmond Mapope, claimed that one evening in August this year, Kudita arrived at Petromo Exor Masvingo driving his BMW X5 with South African registration numbers for re-fueling.
Kudita asked for diesel worth US$40 and the complainant complied and served him.
The court further heard that after serving Kudita, the complaint went to another fuel pump behind Chicken Inn to attend to other customers.
On his return, the complainant found Kudita still at the same spot and asked him why he was still there.
The accused then asked Farai why he had given him fuel which was less than what he had paid for. A misunderstanding ensued and the accused used a swipe machine to assault the complainant.
The accused then went on to take the complainant’s two swipe machines worth $1600 and drove away with them.
The court heard that Kudita, who has been a pastor for more than seven years in Zimbabwe and abroad, later on sent Matthew Nyambiya to return the two swipe machines when he arrived in Chivhu.
A medical report was brought to court as evidence of the assault. The pastor was due for sentencing by the time of writing.local

MWENEZI – A 15-year-old minor who was fast asleep awoke to severe pain in the groin only to find that there was a man who was forcing his manhood into her private parts, the Mwenezi Magistrate Court heard last week.
Clemence Chauke (23) of Turf village 5 under Chief Chitanga was not formally charged of rape when he appeared before magistrate Honest Musiiwa but was remanded in custody for the alleged offence.
The court heard that on the night of August 29 this year, Chauke went to Turf Village 4 and entered into a room where the girl was fast asleep. He softly sneaked into the minor’s blankets and inserted his manhood into her private parts.
The minor was awakened by the pains caused by the intruding foreign organ and upon being seen, the alleged rapist immediately ran away but the complaint managed to positively identify him.
A police report was made leading to Chauke’s arrest. Angelinah Makonya appeared for the State.local