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Over two thousand register for Masvingo RDC by-election

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ZEC Masvingo district officer Getrude Murumbi speaks to William Shangwa and Rosewetta Madzivire (File Pic)

Itai Muzondo

13 Feb 2017 – NEMAMWA – A total of 2 612 voters have been registered to vote in the Masvingo RDC Ward 12 by-election scheduled for February, 25 2017 this year.
Two contestants; William Shangwa (Zanu PF) and Rosiwetta Madzivire (Zim PF) will be contesting to win the ward for their respective parties with Madzivire aiming to retake the ward which she lost when she defected from Zanu PF to her new party.
Voters will vote from five polling stations and the voter inspection process began on February 4, 2017.
Out of the 2 612 registered voters, 1 694 are women and 918 are men.
Chirichoga Secondary School polling station has the largest number of voters with 1 025 registered voters. It is followed by Nemazuwa Primary School polling station which has 723 registered voters.
Voters will also cast their votes from Charumbira Secondary School which has 331 registered voters. Mudhenge polling station and Mudavanhu Secondary School polling station have the least registered voters with each having 268 and 265 respectively.
In different interviews, contesting candidates told TellZim News that voter inspection had started off well.
“All is well. People are going to check if they are registered and we hope more people will be flocking in to make sure they are registered as the week progresses,” said Shangwa.
Madzivire also spoke well about how the inspection process was being conducted and expressed optimism that she will win.
“Inspection started off well though the rains and field work have blocked many from visiting polling stations to confirm whether they are registered or not. We hope that everybody will still find an opportunity to confirm their registration,” Madzivire said.politics

Man breaks spine at piece job

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Cephas Shava

13 Feb 2017 – MWENEZI – A 27-year-old Mwenezi man is battling for his life at Neshuro District Hospital after he was injured in a freak accident while offloading cement from a delivery truck.
Phinias Chauke of Mukahamari village, Chief Neshuro, sustained spinal injuries after the truck’s side trailer hit him below the chest while offloading the commodity at Chingwanga Hardware, Neshuro growth point, a few weeks ago.
While trying to open the truck load, Chauke was hit by the side door of the truck whose load was reportedly made-up of more than 600 bags of cement.
As a result Chauke collapsed and some bags of cement fell on top of him.
He was initially transferred from Neshuro hospital to Masvingo General Hospital from where he was again referred to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and later on to Parerenyatwa Hospital where he underwent surgery and discharged.
His condition has however deteriorated of late and he has developed deep sores on his backside and legs. His family took him back to Neshuro District Hospital where he is currently admitted but is not able to walk or bend.  
Speaking to TellZim News while in hospital, Chauke said he was now indebted to the hospitals yet he has not recovered.
 “At UBH we left an unpaid hospital bill of more than US$1000 and at Parerenyatwa we owe more than $1400. At Masvingo General and here at Neshuro, I am not sure but the bills are very high,” said Chauke.
“The only hospital bill that was paid was the $1500 that was raised through contributions of my family members and parents.  We also received $230 from Chingwanga,” Chauke added.
Chingwanga’s Neshuro branch manager, Richard Murwei referred all questions to his boss, Gerald Mapurisa.
Mapurisa acknowledged Chauke’s miserable condition but said his organisation had contributed to make sure he recovers and said he will brief his bosses in Chiredzi on the way forward.
Back-breaking and dangerous yet poorly paid piece jobs of offloading trucks have become the only hope for the unemployed young men in Mwenezi.local

MyAge Zimbabwe embarks on exchange programme

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Farirai Mukumba, Farirai Zingwanda, Heather Masimba and Onward Chironda

Tatenda Shunyai

13 Feb 2017 – MASVINGO – With the support from Fredskorpset Norway (FK Norway), child rights advocacy group, MyAge Zimbabwe has gone on a youth exchange programme called Action for Youth Sustainable Environment and Empowerment (AYESE) which focuses on strengthening youth leadership skills and youth participation in Zimbabwe and Malawi.
The programme is about developing skills and attitudes that young people need for positive development.
The exchange programme is also in partnership with Network for Youth Development (NFYD) Malawi.
This initiative has created opportunities for six young leaders; three males and three females from Malawi and Zimbabwe.
The first round of the exchange period, which is six months long and a further two months of information work, will see MyAge Zimbabwe hosting three of those from Malawi with NFYD Malawi hosting the three from Zimbabwe.
The two months of information work will see the participants implementing best practises while using the experience to make a difference in communities.
MyAge Zimbawe director, Onward Chironda said he was humbled by the support of stakeholders especially FK Norway.
“This is a great initiative and this involvement helps young people to add value to their lives and their societies.
“Positive development occurs when young people get opportunities and the support to contribute to society in a way that is valued and respected,” said Chironda.
Farirai Mukumba, Farirai Zingwanda and Heather Masimba are the participants who travelled to Malawi for the exchange program.
These participants pledged to be champions of young people’s socio-economic rights by identifying opportunities for advocacy at local, national, regional and global level.local

Madhuku blasts Mugabe

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Lovemore Madhuku


David Nyakuvengwa

11 Feb 2017 – BIKITA – President of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), Professor Lovemore Madhuku has taken a dig at President Robert Mugabe, calling him a self-centred person who does not care for the people.
The renowned constitutional lawyer made the comments at Bikita office where he addressed his party’s provincial executive members in the wake of the NCA’s poor showing in the recently held Bikita West by-election.
He said Zanu PF had campaigned unfairly in the by-election by exploiting national resources to advance a narrow and partisan political goal.
Prof Madhuku said the high profile campaign, which saw Zanu PF sending both Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko to campaign for Beauty Chabaya, an admission of failure.
He said Zanu PF was frightened that losing the poll would be interpreted as a sign of worse things to come at the 2018 polls.
He attacked the ruling party for being comfortable despite the harsh living conditions that the population is being forced to endure every day.
“If Zanu PF asks for votes, it is saying – in other words – let us give you another thief so that we can loot while you remain poor. Mugabe is now confusing staying in power to a marriage alliance were one makes vows that can only end with death. He is too old and must retire now and take care of his grandchildren,” said Prof Madhuku.
The soft spoken politician also accused Zanu PF of being so cruel that anybody who dares criticise Mugabe will never be forgiven.
“I feel pity for Didymus Mutasa. I will pray to God to help Mutasa. Nobody loved Mugabe like Didymus but you will see that Mugabe has no heart. He forgets that the power he is using to suppress us came from us,” Prof Madhuku said.politics

Woman ‘forgiven’ for dumping baby in toilet

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file pic


Elliot Jinjika in Chivhu

11 Feb 2017 – CHIVHU – A 19-year-old woman from Nhede village in Nharira under Chief Musarurwa has reportedly managed to get away unpunished after she allegedly dumped her newly-born baby in a Blair toilet in August last year.
It is said Memory Charungwa delivered the baby at home and by herself during the night but threw the baby into the toilet soon after giving birth.
When contacted for comment, Charungwa said she was told by the police that the case was closed and was advised to take good care of the baby.
She also said the father of the baby was not contributing anything to the upkeep of the child.
“He last gave me something long back and has not been contributing to the upkeep of the child ever since,” said Charungwa.
Charungwa, who lives at her stepfather’s homestead in Nhende village, was impregnated allegedly by a married man she identified as Robson Madondo.
After being thrown into the toilet, the baby miraculously survived into the morning and was discovered by a family member identified only as Marian who had visited the toilet.
Upon entering the toilet, it is said Marian heard the child crying and she rushed back to the house to call others.
Other villagers were then called and the baby was rescued from the teeming toilet.
Nhende Village Head, Vengai Wilfred Chikanya confirmed the incident and said Charungwa could have decided to dump the baby out of stress and confusion.
“We managed to rescue the baby because the toilet was nearly full so it was not a big problem.
“I think the girl was stressed and confused thinking about how she would take care of the baby’s needs…she was impregnated by Madondo. We did report her to Nharira Police Station where she was referred to Chivhu.
“I’m not sure what happened in Chivhu but I heard that the government took over the case and she was forgiven and told not to commit a similar offence,” said Chikanya.local

Tsvangirai, Mujuru visit Masvingo

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Morgan Tsvangirai and Joice Mujuru


Upenyu Chaota

11 Feb 2017 – MASVINGO – As a continuation of their wide consultations ahead of the mooted opposition alliance, the MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai will be in Masvingo on February 10 – 12 while Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader Joice Mujuru will chair a provincial committee meeting on the same day that Tsvangirai meets his provincial executive.
Zimbabweans have pinned their hopes on a united front to challenge President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF in the much awaited 2018 elections.
Tsvangirai and Mujuru have been under pressure to forge an alliance which will rope in other smaller opposition parties.
Recently, Tsvangirai toured Matebeleland; meeting opinion leaders, ordinary folks and party structures to gather opinions on the coalition.
“We are doing nationwide consultations to hear what the people have to say regarding the impending alliance with other oppositions parties come 2018.
“We are a party that respects the will of the people and we do not want to rush into any alliance without consulting the masses first,” said MDC-T national spokesperson Obert Gutu.
He said the tour in Matebeleland was a huge success and hope to get the same response in Masvingo.
“President Tsvangirai will be hearing the people’s thoughts and we will deliberate on them. We do not want a situation where we impose on the people when we can go out and do consultations,” said Gutu.
This publication learnt that Tsvangirai will cover Gutu and Bikita on February 10 while Zaka and Masvingo districts will be consulted on February 11. He will chair a provincial assembly on February 12.
Mujuru will be in Masvingo on February 12 chairing a provincial committee meeting readying for the party’s elective convention.
“Our president will be coming on February 12 to audit our party structures to see our readiness for an elective convention whose date is yet to be announced.
“The audit will give the leadership a correct picture of the level of preparedness,” said ZimPF Masvingo provincial spokesperson Jeffryson Chitando.top news

Lacoste begs Mugabe to accept Chadzamira

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Ezra Chadzamira


…as Jaboon makes U-turn, dumps Nhenjana at Mwenezi meeting

Itai Muzondo

11 Feb 2017 – NEMAMWA – Alleged ‘Team Lacoste’ sympathisers, who are celebrating their dramatic recapture of the post of Zanu PF Masvingo provincial chair, are also locked on the horns of dilemma with glaring uncertainty as to whether President Robert Mugabe will accept Ezra Chadzamira as the new substantive chairperson.
Party provincial secretary for administration; Alois Baloyi told an inter-district meeting held in Nemamwa last Sunday that they will plead with Mugabe to accept Amasa Nenjana’s demotion.
“Firstly, I want to thank you for the job done on Saturday; it was a big job. Some might say it was mere jostling for positions but it was not. The real issue is about following party procedures. Chadzamira did not just regain his seat but it was the province which realised that his leadership is OK.
“All this is above board because Nenjana was acting and what we wanted was a substantive chairperson. Tinoda kukumbirisa shef Mai Mahofa kuti, hameno kuda vangazotifungira nepamwe, asi tatichida kukumbira chaizvo iko kuna Baba VaMugabe kuti vatitendere kuti zvatakaita izvi ndochaizvo-chaizvo zvinodiwa neMasvingo,” Baloyi said.
It is however still unclear whether the unpredictable Mugabe will throw his weight behind Chadzamira, but it is certain that if he refuses to recognise him, Team Lacoste’s recent gains would be thrown into disarray; while G40’s shaken confidence will be reinvigorated.
“Even if you go around the province, you will see that no one objects to this because the majority is saying that’s what they want. We were in Mwenenzi yesterday (Saturday) and to our surprise, Nenjana had already been chased away for purporting to be chairperson,” said Baloyi.
At the Mwenezi event the previous day, Nhenjana and provincial political commissar, Jeppy Jaboon were humiliated for ‘intruding’ into the ‘closed door’ meeting.  The two were forced out of the meeting with Nhenjana later disappearing as soon as Chadzamira and party whip, Lovemore Matuke arrived.
Jaboon was only allowed to speak later during the unveiling of the nominees who will contest in the Zanu PF primaries to select a candidate for the Mwenezi East by-election.
At that juncture, Jaboon took a swipe at factionalism and distanced himself from Nhenjana by describing the recent reappointment of Chadzamira as something that was above board, a move that could signal the fracturing of the G40 camp in the province.
At the Nemanwa gathering, Baloyi defended the elevation of Chadzamira but was quick to admit that Mugabe had the power to reverse everything.
“In every organisation, there is a hierarchy and those above can make their own decision. Those in higher offices can come up with their own resolutions but, as for now, we have forwarded our position to them.
“It should also be known that as a province, we have made a choice and what we did is what the people want. If the President says it’s wrong, we will accept what he says,” Baloyi said.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs; Shuvai Mahofa, who was guest of honour, indicated that no one will question the move saying it was done according to the Zanu PF constitution.
She was, however, quick to acknowledge that higher authority could reverse everything.
“It’s not a crime, and if you want to know Zanu PF, read the constitution. Don’t fight for a seat because if you fight for it, you won’t get any position. Masvingo has shown the way; no one will question us on what we did because it was done procedurally,” Mahofa said.
“Ko unoda kutonga wega ndiwe ani, people chose leaders, not a small grouping,” said Mahofa before chanting ‘pasi nevanoda kugurira, haisi zhira yekudhibha inonzi gurira neparuware!'politics

Your days are numbered Cde Jaboon

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Mapombi is really in cloud nine Cdes – ndiri mudenga rechinomwe chairo! Imagine, for the first time since I came to town in 2015, I managed to enter a hotel last Friday where I attended a discussion organised by the biggest newspaper in Masvingo province and the southern region, TellZim News. Some avid readers call it ZimTell, others call it TeleZim but the correct name is TellZim News.
Anyway, the real truth is I enjoyed a lifetime opportunity at Chevron Hotel and the discussion was very informative. Can you imagine iniwo zvangu Mapombi ndiripo pahotera ndakapfeka mamvemve angu iwaya. Kkkkkk but Jealousy Mawarire the spokesperson weZimPF anotoda shamhu chaiyo – hanzi Zanu PF yajaira zveintimidation and vote-buying manje in Mwenezi East it will be pound for pound kkkkk gore rino hamba ichasangana neane demo. Handei tione!
But Mapombi learnt something on Friday; that is, empty vessels do make a lot of noise. All along I used to argue when my fellow colleagues told me kuti Gushungo (G40) faction hapana zvinozivikanwa kwakazara madofo – ndakazozvionera pamhuno sefodya.
Last week, Mapombi urged Amasa Nhenjana kuti at least aende kuNight School, but I am afraid the number of G40 Cdes who should go to Night School is quite huge, including youths. Mapombi never thought youths as young as ana Talent Chivange can behave like Grade Zero pupils.
But we should pardon them because what can we expect from people who are being led by someone who is also struggling to finish his law degree studies? Kkkkkk ana Tyson mototemba kuti muri kuitira paUZ chokwadi dai ari mamwe mauniversity maigumira muzhira nekudofora. But kana muchida kuzoitawoka maMP motidzikamirawo vana Talent – dzungu hakusi kungwara! 
People do not recognise your presence merely because you are making a lot of unnecessary noise. People acknowledge you if you are contributing meaningfully to the on-going discussions. Kukundwa nemufana Charles Munganasa kkkkkk vanhu vozoti Team Lacoste yakarongeka moramba?
Mapombi never thought even Enerst Mudavanhu is also a political clown too – no wonder why vaienda kundoimba kuParliament in 2008 varume vaya. Honestly you cannot expect anything serious from that man – shuwa murume mukuru kutopfeka svutu tema kuuya kuda kuzoita disrupt a very informative discussion? Haa tinyareiwo imi.
In fact Mapombi will never take ZimPF serious as long as it is led by people like this, never! Anyway, Mapombi will not waste time talking about people who are not so wise. Cde Jeppy Jaboon tisvikewo kuBikita South uko – Mapombi rarely dream but these days haaa kuda ihope dzemvura yadai kuwandisa.
It’s not a prophesy asi ihope idzi – your days as Zanu PF Masvingo provincial PC are numbered Cde Jaboon. You have been enjoying this frog-jump-kind of relationship in Zanu PF but believe you me, kumagumo kune nyaya. Kkkkkk anonzi ani gara zviya mukomana uye wamunofarira Cde Jaboon kuti aimbe karwuyo kaye kekuti ‘kuMagumo kune nyaya’? Mapombi is afraid that the song really matches your situation at the moment – kune nyaya kumagumo uko hehehehe-e nambuya vangu Mahofa ndorevesa kudai. Aizve nasekuru Hungwe ndotokupikira Jaboon; naChadzamira wakatora purazi raGoddard ndatopika kudai! Kune nyaya kumagumo uko!
You have been enjoying together with Cde Nhenjana but all of a sudden you left him in the cold iwe wotokanga zvako maputi nanaChadzamira. Kkkkk don’t forget this is the same Chadzamira wawakamboita rough ka uyu and he was suspended iwe uchisara. Chinokanganwa idemo Cde. This time vari kukurongera tingoringo chaiyo!
 It would be very foolish of Team Lacoste to let you remain in the provincial executive after that has happened. Mapombi is very sure that after Nhenjana, the next victim is Cde Jaboon – ko mazvokuda mavanga enyora ka aya; mukarumwa nechokuchera mungachema here?
Mapombi always and will forever tell these G40 chaps that Masvingo hamuigone but eish, some of them are big-headed. But this time hehehehe hamba yasangana neane demo.
But tell me something here – mukatoti vanhu veG40 dzakatonyatsokuti kwesere? What the hell is this Dofora doing? I mean Dokora uyu wemandebvu uyu. What is he really trying to do with our education? Haa zvivanhu zvakadzidza kuCuba izvi so ka problem after problem.
Mapombi is not so much into religion but vana vedu vese vachapera kuita maMoslem chete.
Anyway, it’s almost lunch time guys let me go ndindokanga hangu maputi angu for lunch. But ratosvikaka zuva guru raMudhara – I mean 21st February Movement celebrations. This time tinenge tichidya nyama yenzou nemakeke tiriko kuMatopos ikoko or is it Rhodes Preparatory School grounds?
The CEO is turning 93 years old and vari kunzwa masimba ekupinda muzana kunge munhu uye ari kumhanya race. Kkkkkk but Sulumani Chimbetu so ka twumwe tunziyo twako utwu ka – uite mushe mufana iwe.
Anyway, Mapombi would like to congratulate and wish you the best at the occasion of your birthday. Ndinoti rambai muchingotonga vanhu shefu – both G40 and Team Lacoste rambai muchingovatonga. Don’t mind the poor economy, potholed roads, high unemployment rate or collapsing economy – tongai vanhu Gushungo.
But Mphoko dzinozombogumirwa zvinondibhowa ini kkkk hanzi Tsvangirai waida kuuraya Joshua Nkomo hahahaha the man is crazy. No, let me rephrase my statement – the man is not so wise. No wonder why he moves around donating chicks and incubators – the whole of VP hahahaha Command Agriculture better. Anyway mboko imboko!mapombi

Mataruse mubobobo saga: Parents want head to go

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Peter Chawapiwa

10 Feb 2017 – GUTU – Parents at Mataruse Primary School in Gutu are not satisfied with the manner in which school head, Tranos Murerwa, has handled the mubobobo saga at the school and they now want him to leave together with his deputy, Douglas Mushangwe.
This comes amid revelations that a team from the district education office visited the school on January 26 to investigate the alleged mubobobo cases. Their findings are still to be released.
Last year TellZim News carried an article about the mubobobo saga that had forced the entire female teaching staff at the school to seek transfers as they complained about being sexually abused during the night.
Some of them claimed that while they went to bed fully dressed they woke up to find that their undergarments had been removed during the night and there were signs that somebody had been intimate with them in their sleep.
There were allegations that some of the teachers, who were pregnant, had suffered miscarriages as a result of the mubobobo attacks.
The school’s development association later sought the services of traditional healers who revealed that the culprit was an identified teacher at the school.
Authorities have allegedly done nothing to remove the identified teacher from the school and female teachers are living in constant fear of being sexually harassed.
Parents who spoke to this publication said they were unhappy with the manner by which the matter was handled and called on the education authorities to transfer both the headmaster and his deputy.
“We feel the headmaster and his deputy are not worried about our safety. We complained after bizarre things started happening at the school and in surrounding villages.
“Traditional healers who were consulted identified the root cause of the problem but the school authorities have done nothing to address the situation.
“We hear that a team from the offices at Mpandawana visited the school on 26 January but we do not know what they were told,” said some parents.
Teachers at the school said they were interviewed by the officials who did not release their findings to school authorities.
TellZim News was also informed that Headman Mataruse has now taken a keen interest in the matter.
Neither Murerwa nor Mushangwe could be reached for comment.local

Bikita Minerals’ school feeding scheme bears fruit

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Bikita Minerals mine manager; David Mwanza

Itai Muzondo

10 Feb 2017 – BIKITA – In the early 1990s, government provided food for primary school pupils under the Home Grown School Feeding Program (HGSFP), an initiative which credited for boosting attendance and saving children from ailments that are related to poor nutrition especially in rural areas.
The programme disappeared as the economy of the country took a knock put with persistent droughts the problems caused by poor nutrition on young children became more glaring and the government re-introduced the programme some few years ago.
In 2016, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education; Dr Sylvia Utete – Masango hailed Gutu communities for supporting the initiative and urged others to do the same, highlighting the government’s wish to expand the programme
Further afield in Bikita district, Bikita Minerals has for long been making its own enormous contributions to support the supplementary feeding to many schools in solidarity with the government initiative.
The mining company is providing traditional mahewu energy drink to schools and has been doing that since 2015.
Schools that have been benefiting from the mine’s helping hand include Domboshava Primary School, Mandindi Primary School, Beardmore Primary School, Bikita Minerals Primary School and Rusununguko Primary School. Marundu Primary School in Gutu also added to the list of beneficiaries this year.
School representatives who spoke to TellZim News praised the company for its commitment to the welfare of surrounding communities.
Domboshava Primary, people said, had witnessed great improvement in learning standards due to the support extended to it by the mining company.
School head, Douglas Dzore said the school had recorded leaps in its pass rate ever since they started to receive support in 2015.
“In 2014, we attained a 25.1 percent pass rate which was way below average but we jumped to 64.86 percent in 2015 after Bikita Minerals came on board. We then recorded a 57.14 percent pass rate 2016,” said Dzore.
Senior teacher at the school, Silas Chamunorwa said the school had become more respectable than before owing to the support from the mining company.
 “This school was established in 1914 but very few, if any, have given it the kind of support as has been given to it by Bikita Minerals. Standards have improved here and the children are in a better standing than they would otherwise have been. 
“I grew up in this area and Domboshava was one of the most looked-down-upon schools because its buildings were very old. It is all different now and things are shaping up, thanks to the support of Bikita Minerals,” said Chamunorwa.
Rusununguko Primary School, which is still working to improve its pass rate, has also registered changes in school attendance and performance by pupils as a result of the feeding scheme.
Statistics show that the average weight by age of children at the school has also risen.
“The weight of children in our ECD classes used to average 13 kg but after receiving extra aid from the mine to give our pupils mahewu, we are seeing an average weight of 18 kg for the same class,” read part of the documents.
Bikita Minerals Primary School headmaster; Lovemore Zifunzi told TellZim News that attendance had greatly improved as a result of the initiative.
“As you know government re-introduced the HGSFP but the initiative needs support. Bikita Minerals has proved to be a benevolent caregiver by donating the ‘mahewu’ traditional brew. Right now attendance per day is has risen to 100 percent,” Zifunzi said.
The school head also revealed that the mine was helping in many other projects meant to improve leaning conditions.
TellZim News managed to contact Bikita Minerals mine manager; David Mwanza who said the company acknowledges the salient relationship between nutrition and intellectual development.
“Most rural homesteads do not have enough food due to droughts and other social factors. We realised that school children can be motivated to concentrate and to like their school work if they are well-fed thus our decision to complement the government’s feeding programme.
“We also wish to support those who perform well in their studies so that we employ them at the mine. All being said, we take pride in giving back to the community we operate in,” Mwanza said.
Masvingo Provincial Education Director (PED); Zedias Chitiga praised Bikita Minerals for demonstrating a strong commitment to Bikita communities.
“Can anyone work on an empty stomach and produce results? Such initiatives are very helpful. You would see that at their level, primary school pupils do much of the playing and learning so feeding them gives them enough energy for all that.
“What the mining company is doing is welcome to us as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The Ministry also has a saying that goes, ‘Healthy mind on a healthy body’ and obviously, a healthy body only comes by eating well,” Chitiga said.business, education