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Hwende fingered in CCC ward 2 double candidature

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Hwende fingered in CCC ward 2 double candidature

…scoffs at the allegations, says he is no longer SG

Beverly Bizeki

In yet another interesting twist of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) factionalism and recalls, former ward 3 (now ward 2) councilor Roki Kamuzonda who is also contesting for the ward in tomorrow (Dec 9) by-election has fingered former party secretary general Charlton Hwende as the man behind ward 2 double candidates standoff.
The ward fell vacant after the recall of Shantiel Chiwara who is also contesting for the same ward on CCC ticket.
Speaking at an engagement meeting organized by Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in Masvingo on December 7, 2023 Kamuzonda distanced self from self-anointed SG Sengezo Tshabangu saying his papers were signed by Hwende whom he said was the Secretary General for the party.
Roki had initially distanced himself from Tshabangu and mentioned that his papers were signed in Harare.
“I have never met Tshabangu as people say, he is not the one who signed my papers but they were signed by Hwende (Chalton). Is it my problem when I have been called to get my papers signed? Why am I being verbally assaulted? Is Hwende not the Secretary General of the party?” said Kamuzonda.
Kamuzonda said he was not power hungry saying in August he pulled out despite the fact that the party had chosen Chiwara over him though he had commanded more followers than her.
“Primary elections were done and four processes were made and for your own information Chiwara was not there in the first, second and third processes, she came on the last process and she came kubereka mwana (candidate selection) and I won that process and was followed by Frank Chirairo who was also followed by one Chikara with Shantiel on fourth position then Linnet Sibanda on the fifth position.
“The leadership in Harare communicated with me after winning that process, congratulated me and said I was the candidate. I got my nomination papers but it was said by Farai Chinobva a signature was missing my forms were taken. In about 10 minutes I met Chiwara saying she had just submitted her papers considering all the effort I had put in campaigning, being told I was no longer a candidate on nomination day hurt me and that is why I filed as independent.
“Later on, I received calls from the leadership and they asked me why I had filed as independent, they said there was an error and I had a future in the party and promised me something of which asked them to come and talk to me in person which they did though I cannot name them here, that is how I agreed to withdraw,” he said.
However, Hwende scoffed at Kamuzonda’s claim that he is the one who signed his papers and said he could be mad to make that claim since he was not a party signatory nor the SG.
“He is mad, how can I sign his papers when I was not a signatory. I am not an SG but just a mere member of the party. You can cross check with ZEC to see if I was a signatory, how could I have signed his papers because I am not even the SG those are Zanu PF agents who were assigned to destroy our party.
He doesn’t even have my number so how could I have done that, it’s clear he was signed for by Tshabangu not anyone from the party,” said Hwende.
CCC was thrown into turmoil by Tshabangu who ran amok and recalled a sizable number of MPs, senators and councilors.
The latest on the matter however is that the High Court of Zimbabwe has ruled in favor of Tshabangu that the recalled candidates should not participate in the upcoming by- elections as CCC members.
In ward 2 Kamuzonda will battle it out with Chiwara, Chirairo a CCC member who contested as Independent and Zanu PF’s Benson Hwata.

Remembrance Funeral Services open branch in Gokwe

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Remembrance Funeral Services open branch in Gokwe

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gokwe- Remembrance Funeral Services (FRS), a funeral insurance company which is headquartered in Gweru, has opened a branch in Gokwe which is set to give funeral services to the local community at an affordable cost.
Speaking at the opening of the branch recently, FRS Director, Annie Ndlovu said, the establishment of the Gokwe branch was a relief to the Gokwe community.
“We have come to Gokwe to open our fourth branch and it follows three we have in Gweru, Plumtree, Filabusi and we are going to open our Shurugwi branch soon.
“The idea we have is to give services to people and we are saying there is need for each and every one of us to get a decent burial so we want to move away from a where burial is expensive.
“We have come to understand that people sometimes fail to get money to acquire services when difficulty times come at their doorsteps. We are saying it matters for people to get relief in time and our services start from as little as US$3 dollars,” said Ndlovu
Gokwe Urban Residents Development Association Chairperson (GURDA), Mike Chagwinya Gwasha welcomed the establishment of Remembrance Funeral Service saying the development was important to the people of Gokwe.
“This is the development we want as a town, development which brings services to the people, I don’t think there is anyone who cannot afford to pay US$3.
“This means that vendors, bricklayers, kombi drivers, Persons with Disabilities (PWDS) and the elderly can now afford something to get a decent burial considering the economic hardships many are experiencing,” said Gwasha.
Chief Njelele born Moses Misheck Njelele welcomed the development and praised the funeral service saying their arrival had brought relief to the elderly and other low income earners.

ZCC donates to Mucheke squatters

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ZCC donates to Mucheke squatters

…One-year-old Squatter celebrates on seeing donated food hampers

Admire Chatindo

One- year-old, Cephas Runesu who resides at a squatter camp at old Mucheke bus terminus could not hide his joy as he danced, jumped around clapping hands after seeing some food items that were donated by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches to the camp on Tuesday November 28.
The boy’s mother Princess Mutongi (32) said she has been staying at the squatter for 21 years and she gave birth to his son whilst in the squatter.
“I have been living in these squatter shacks for 21 years and it was in these shacks, put together with pieces of reject timber and black plastic to cover the wooden frames, I gave birth to Runesu and he is now one-year- five months now” she said.
Mutongi, a single mother, says she is battling to raise her child without food and says she felt as a social reject together with others she share the shacks with but felt loved seeing an organization like ZCC coming to their aid.
“We have a number of challenges here, we don’t have blankets, food, clothes and soap to wash napkins for Runesu it’s a bit challenging to cope up with this life.

Runesu clapping hands after he saw food hampers

As a squatter, sometimes we feel unwanted by the community and we have some with disabilities who cannot work for themselves so we are grateful for the gesture by ZCC and we call upon others to come to our aid.
Women Association for Council of Churches, a women’s division of ZCC) Masvingo Provincial Chairperson Chido Kuiparima said the donation came from 13 main line churches who contributed after identifying 20 needy people from the Mucheke camp.
“As women in the Zimbabwe Council of Churches we have managed to identify 20 people living in old Mucheke bus terminus shacks, with food challenges. We discovered that a number of people here have disabilities and cannot fend for themselves and decided to come to their aid,” said Kuiparima
Each beneficiary got 4litres cooking oil, 10 kg maize meal, salt, 4 green bars laundry soap, 2 litres Mazowe Orange Crush, 6kgs brown sugar, 6kgs white rice, 2kgs washing powder, 2kgs flour, 2kgs powdered milk and Vaseline.

36 Helen McGhie Teachers Receive Laptops

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36 Helen McGhie Teachers Receive Laptops

Beverly Bizeki

Helen McGhie Government Primary School in Masvingo has taken a significant step in integrating technology into teaching, with members of the teaching staff now proud owners of laptops for classroom instruction. This move marks a departure from traditional chalkboards.
The teachers received their gadgets on November 17 during the school’s 2023 speech and prize-giving day ceremony, where outstanding learners and staff were recognized for their commendable efforts.
Sheila Deve, the school head, emphasized that the laptops are school property and are designated exclusively for teaching and learning purposes. The school has future plans to equip every classroom with interactive boards, with the laptops serving as the initial phase toward achieving that goal.
“The laptops that the teachers have received are school property and are not for personal use. They are intended for teaching and learning purposes from Early Childhood Development (ECD) up to Grade 7. Our goal for next year is to install interactive boards in every classroom. This will allow teachers to make use of the laptops, access the school’s Wi-Fi, and ensure that every learner can engage with ICT during school hours.
“We started procuring the laptops in May, stockpiling them for distribution at the end of the year. The interactive board project will commence next year, starting with Grade seven classes and gradually extending to the lower grades,” she explained.
Deve highlighted that the laptops were purchased using funds generated from the school’s various fundraising initiatives, including bus hiring.
“The laptops were acquired using proceeds from bus hiring and commissions earned by the school, not from school levies. The school administration is considerate of parents’ challenges and supports them through various fundraising projects,” Deve stated.
Non-teaching staff members were also recognized during the prize-giving day. They received satchels and monetary tokens of appreciation for their dedicated work throughout the year.
Helen McGhie boasts two state-of-the-art computer labs—one for infants and another for higher grades—fully equipped with ICT tools for educational purposes. The school has also acquired two vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Hiace, with the assistance of government.
Helen McGie achieved impressive results, securing a clean 98.5 percent pass rate in the ZIMSEC 2022 examinations. The school now anticipates achieving a 100 percent pass rate this year.

Junior Primary holds first graduation

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Junior Primary holds first graduation

Staff Reporter

MASVINGO – Junior Primary School, one of the most sought-after schools in the province and abroad held an early Christmas for its first Early Childhood Development (ECD) learners by holding its first graduation ceremony on Saturday, November 25 where 25 pioneers graduated to grade 1.
To match the school’s high standards, the colorful graduation was held at Urban Lifestyle Lodge which is the newest and best resort in town near Wimpy along Morgenster Mission Road.
The learners themselves provided entertainment in form of drama, and poems to the amusement of parents who graced the special event and showered their kids with gifts.
The school director Noah Marima thanked the parents and the school for organizing the event saying it was a milestone considering it was the first since the school opened doors in January this year.
“We are happy as a school that we have held our first graduation, this is a, milestone achievement for us and the learners. However, this is just the beginning, It is like a launch pad and as we go forward we will improve on all fronts as we strive to offer the best quality education for both primary and secondary pupils not only in Masvingo or Zimbabwe but even abroad,” said Marima.
He said the school was developing both academically and in infrastructure as it will start enrolling boarders next year with state-of-the-art boarding facilities already in place.
“We are going to start enrolling our boarders next year at Junior Primary School, we have completed the boarding facilities which we think are the best. We have also completed spacious swimming pools for both the secondary and primary schools,” said Marima.
The school boasts of having a Cambridge curriculum for both primary and secondary schools and has state-of-the-art infrastructure.
The school location also gives it an advantage and scenic view as it is located along the Harare – Masvingo highway.

Man quits drugs after 20 years, says it’s possible

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Man quits drugs after 20 years, says it’s possible

Admire Chatindo

A 32 year old man who was a drug addict and quitted after 20 years has said though his journey was not easy, it was just possible and encouraged others involved in drugs to quit before it was too late.
George Mahlahla spoke to TellZim News at an Anti- Drug organized by ZRP and other stakeholders at Mamutse stadium recently.
He said started he taking drugs at the age of 13, when he was a seventh grader. He continued to indulge in drugs until he was expelled from school in form 2 because of mischief but that didn’t stop him as he continued taking more drugs.
He said he had to stop going to school for three years and during this three year period he had abandoned thoughts of continuing with school.
He then relocated to Harare and decided to continue with school where he did form 3 – 4 and passed four subjects including bible knowledge, but he never turned to God.
“I started taking drugs at the age of 13, I did my primary school at Runyararo primary and my secondary education at Ndarama Secondary and I was expelled when I was in form 2 and I stayed for 3 years without going to school.
“I then relocated to Harare and decided to continue with school and I passed four subjects at form 4 but by then I was now getting drugs in Mbare and I had to spend more of my time there taking drugs with friends,” he said.
Mahlahla said he abused every drug that was available including; crystal meth, marijuana and would inject some of these drugs into his blood stream.
The drugs had a negative bearing on him physically, he lose weight terribly, his skin color turned black, always sick, and got even more sick when he tried to stop.
“I used to take crystal meth, broncleer, pills, skunk, marijuana and I would use syringe to inject some of the substances into my blood stream.
Physically, I lost weight, my skin color was black completely, always feeling sick and dropping when I couldn’t get the drugs, I was affected physically.
“After taking drugs I would become energetic and the feeling back then was ‘pleasurable’ and led me to take more drugs” he said.
In trying to stop he resorted to, distance himself from friends of bad influence on taking drugs, and the more he tried to resist the temptation of drugs, the more the appetite to take would get hold of him;
“It was hard for me to stop taking drugs, I had to isolate myself from friends with whom I used to take drugs with, out of the community, chose to be alone
The more I wanted to stop the more those drug friends would come and offered me the substance for free” he said.
Mahlahla said was almost impossible for him to leave drugs, and said the journey to freedom from drugs was a fight against self, as cravings become more and friends would come in the period when he was reforming, giving him free drugs and money was also readily available;
“It’s not easy, it’s not an easy road, I have to say it, the more you want to come out of it the more you need more of drugs
You will be fighting against your own decision to leave drugs, the more you want to leave them, the more they are at your disposal and money to purchase them is available, more friends and more people willing to give you drugs freely” said Mahlahla
Mahlalha said he later managed and he is now a man of the cloth, a church pastor at a local church and he is inspirited to conscientious those into drugs to stop taking them as nothing is gleaned by taking them but with one’s strong, personal decision to leave drugs;
“I am now a pastor at Alliance church and I graduated as a man of the cloth.
I am now here to educate those who are taking drugs, and those planning to start taking drugs that, you benefit nothing in them. You have to make a strong decision and stop. Make a decision and sought for help from pastors or rehab centers,” he said.

EMPLOYEE WELLBEING, A KEY FACTOR TO ORGANISATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY.

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EMPLOYEE WELLBEING, A KEY FACTOR TO ORGANISATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY.

By Tsitsi Machengere

We live in a fast-paced, high-stress world, and it is no wonder the impact of employee well-being on productivity is a topic that has gained increasing attention in recent years. Every organization that is serious about productivity consider prioritizing employee wellbeing as more than just a trend for it is a proven way to increase productivity and employee retention.

Approaches to employee wellbeing must take a holistic approach to ensure that they cover on the physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing for employees to thrive and bring their best selves to work, for the company’s benefit. There is empirical evidence that factors such as job satisfaction, work-life balance, and stress levels can have a significant impact on an employee’s productivity and performance.  This is important for businesses to understand, as it can have a direct impact on productivity.

Studies have shown that when employees have good mental health, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and productive at work. A study by McKinsey found that employees who are engaged in their work take fewer sick days and have lower turnover rates. This is because when employees are mentally healthy, they have the emotional resources to deal with stress and are better able to focus on their tasks. However, employees with poor mental health experience, trouble staying on task or paying attention to detail and also have difficulties in decision making, problem

To ensure their wellbeing, employees should prioritize making time for rest and relaxation, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and cultivating a positive outlook on life.  It is also important that one finds a job that is a good fit for their skills and interests, as this can lead to greater job satisfaction and increased productivity. A study conducted by the Harvard Business Review in 2020 found that employees who reported being happy in their roles were up to 20% more productive than their counterparts who reported to be unhappy thus

Physical wellbeing is a vital determinant of productivity in the workplace. Taking breaks during the workday can improve focus and creativity and this has been proven Stanford University’s 2017 in a study on employee wellbeing, which found out that taking regular breaks can increase productivity by as much as 13% in comparison to marathon shifts without breaks in-between.

As much as rest is important to physical wellness, it is also important to one’s mental wellness. Getting enough sleep is essential for productivity as it allows the brain to repair itself and restore cognitive function. Additionally, making time for hobbies and leisure activities outside of work can also improve well-being and job satisfaction, which in turn leads to high employee productivity.

It is important for employers to inculcate a culture of openness and acceptance around mental health issues in order to create a workplace culture that prioritizes employee wellbeing. This ensures that employees feel comfortable discussing mental health, and get assurance that be support is given they disclose any mental health challenges. In support of such initiatives, employers can provide access to mental health resources, such as employee assistance programme or counseling services as well as create policies and procedures that support employees struggling with mental health issues.

After all is said, it is critical for both the employer and employee to collaborate and ensure that employee wellbeing is prioritized for the good of the organization and the individual as well. In so doing, a holistic approach focusing on both the individual and the work environment must be taken and this approach can lead to increased productivity, as well as happier and healthier employees.

About the author: Mrs Tsitsi Machengere is a Master of Science in Counselling Psychology Student, Great Zimbabwe University, with over a decade in the Human Resources Management field. She may be contacted at tmachengere@gzu.ac.zw

Climate Change: Poultry farmers feel the heat

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Climate Change: Poultry farmers feel the heat

Beverly Bizeki

With an El Nino season forecasted in the 2023/24 farming period ,experienced poultry farmers in Masvingo are feeling the heat with a high mortality of birds due to heat related stress.
Ngonidzashe Manyeka a poultry farmer in Masvingo recounts his losses as he has lost 50 chicks from a batch of 200 due to heat related stress and is not sure how to help the situation.
“I have lost 50 chicks on a batch of 200. The excessive heat experienced is a huge factor and the challenge is farmers do not have a know how on what to do with the chickens in this hot weather and also the required specifications for fowl runs.
“To save the chickens we just try to increase water stations and also pouring water on the birds, we cannot do anything honestly,” said Ngonidzashe.
Another farmer Melania Kandimiri said she was picking up dead birds from the fowl run every day and the routine was becoming normal.
“We are experiencing high mortality of birds due to the heatwave we are currently experiencing here in Masvingo, I have lost 11 birds in a few day and picking up dead birds is becoming a norm and we are now hopeless,” said Kandimiri.
Another local farmer, Ngonidzashe Mutume said he too was losing birds to heat stress and urged other farmers to try and have standard fowl runs, use stress pack and sprinkle water on the birds occasionally.
“Chickens are very sensitive birds and most farmers do not have standard fowl runs that allows proper ventilation, farmers must also ensure that they place as many water stations as possible as well as administering stress pack. It is also crucial that farmers sprinkle water on the birds occasionally to keep them cool,” said Mutume.
Masvingo Provincial Agritex Livestock Specialist Joseph Chipuri said heat stress was one of the silent killers in livestock production and saying it also reduces growth in broilers and layers.
“The 2023/24 season has been predicted to have normal to below normal rainfall and the forecast is characterized by high temperatures and in livestock production, the high temperatures leads to heat stress which is one of the silent killers in livestock production.
“In poultry heat reduces growth in broilers and layers and also contributes to series of physiological disturbances including systematic immune dysregulation, endocrine disorders, respiratory alka losses and electrolyte imbalance which affect health and production.
“Increase in temperature leads to mortality, reduced egg production and feed intake, we advise our farmers to take cognizance of some mitigatory measures which include ventilation, sprinkle water, provide shade as well as the use of right diets to reduce heat stress in poultry,” said Chipuri.
Another expert, Tarusenga Munyanyi said heat stress management is a requisite in saving the situation and that included making sure there was enough ventilation
“Heat stress management requires giving birds enough water, provide enough ventilation by ensuring the houses are opened up and make sure the birds have enough water and also add vitamins to the drinking water to maintain homeostasis and manage electrolyte loss in the body.
“Farmers also need to address the issue of overcrowding in fowl runs, smallholder farmers can put a bit of grass on top of the roof or rather pour water on top of the roof sheets to cool the roofing material as heat stress is difficult to mitigate. Farmers also need to ensure that when birds have reached slaughter weight they have to be sold.
“For layers, farmers need to ensure that they feed them early in the morning and late in the afternoon as they cannot feed during the day and will be using a lot of energy so there is a need for ensuring they have sufficient energy earlier before the hot hours. During the hotter part of the day birds do not need to be disturbed and need to be kept calm,” he said.

‘Command’ fire tender deal: Masvingo City Council receives three

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‘Command’ fire tender deal: Masvingo City Council receives three

Courage Dutiro

Masvingo City Council received three new fire tenders bought through use of the government’s ‘command’ Belarus fire tender deal on November 29.
The deal was that, government was going to procure fire tenders on behalf of all local authorities utilizing the 2022 Devolution fund allocations.
Even though a number of local authorities tried to resist, the deal sailed.
Newly elected Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe said the new service delivery vehicles were going to assist residents and those in transit using the highways in case of accidents.
“We have been experiencing challenges whenever a fire breaks out but these three fire trucks are going to improve our service delivery.
“We are going to strategically position them so that we are able to attend fire scenes in areas around Masvingo Urban or accident scenes along the highways in time,” said Tabe.
Masvingo City Council had only two fire trucks before the government of Zimbabwe chipped in with the ‘command’ Belarus fire tender deal.
According to Masvingo City Council’s Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting minutes of July 19, 2022, the local authority turned down the deal noting that fire tenders were not a priority to the Municipality during that period.
“The 2022 Devolution fund allocation was ZWL$253 107 300 and council was being advised to reprioritize the Devolution Funds to accommodate the cost of the fire tenders.
“The committee counter proposed that the government should consider procuring two refuse trucks, a tipper truck, grader and an ambulance for the city using the devolution funds in place of the fire tenders as they were not a priority for the city,” read part of the minutes.
The minutes also indicated that the City of Masvingo was to get only two fire tenders at a cost of USD464 396 each.
In Masvingo province, the deal was not only turned down by Masvingo City Council but by several other municipalities including Zaka Rural District Council however it all fell on government’s deaf ears.
Former Masvingo City mayor Collen Maboke then said the fire engines were good service delivery apparatus but the government should consult before it pokes its nose on local authorities’ businesses.
“I wish if the central government could consult with local authorities whenever they want to interfere with council businesses.
“I appreciate the fire engines are good however the local authorities were not consulted. Proper procedures were not followed but the vehicles are nice,” said Maboke.

Man kills brother over rituals

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Man kills brother over rituals

Tanyaradzwa Tizora

Alward Zengwa, a 33-year-old man from Zvamatsai village under Chief Mabika in Bikita is on the run after he allegedly killed his brother Zirwere Zirwere (60) from the same village on November 26 2023 for allegedly refusing to consult traditional healers as a family and appease the spirit of a dead person so as to get rid of misfortunes the accused was encountering.
Masvingo Acting Provincial Police Spokesperson Assistant Inspector Lorraine Ndlovu Chanakira confirmed the incident and appealed to members of the public with information on the whereabouts of the suspect to come forward.
“I can confirm that we received a murder case from Bikita where a man allegedly killed his brother for failing to comply with the Chief’s order to engage a traditional healer to get rid of the accused’s misfortunes.
We are appealing to members of the public with information that may lead to the arrest of the accused to come forward” said Ndlovu.
Sources said the accused person left his father, who is the informant in the matter, together with brothers Simbaguru Zengwa (35) and Effort Zengwa (30) and went to the now deceased’s’ place to confront him and get an explanation on why he had failed to comply with the local Chief’s instructions that the family should seek assistance from a traditional healer and appease the avenging spirit of a dead person to get rid of some misfortunes.
The accused found his brother sitting outside and asked him why he could not comply with the Chief’s instructions.
Zirwere did not respond to his brother, which angered Zengwa who took a wooden log and hit his brother twice on the head. He took a switch and hit him several times all over the body. Zirwere then fell and started bleeding from the nose after sustaining multiple injuries including a swollen head. Zengwa fled the scene leaving him unconscious.
After about an hour, the accused’s two brothers followed him at the now deceased place, saw the deceased’s state after which they advised their father that the accused had seriously assaulted the now deceased leading to his death.
The matter was reported at Mashoko Police and the deceased’s body was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for postmortem.

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