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Masvingo cop, two others nabbed for pangolin trafficking

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Masvingo cop, two others nabbed for pangolin trafficking

Melinda Kusemachibi

A 28-year-old Masvingo serving member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and two other accomplices were recently arrested by police in Harare on allegations of illegally possessing the world’s most trafficked animal, the Pangolin.
National Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the trio on ZRP official Twitter handle saying the three were arrested after being found in possession of a Pangolin which is part of the endangered species.
“ZRP confirms the arrest of Daniel Kwaramba (30), Ocean Donono (46) and Lyce Jeremiah Manyande (28) for being found in possession of a Pangolin on 03/12/21 at Total Service Station along Julius Nyerere, Harare.
Manyande is believed to be police officer working in Masvingo under the Police Protection Unit (PPU) department.
“The three were busted by police while searching for a potential buyer for the pangolin which was being sold for US$3 000,” read the Tweet.
The offence attracts a mandatory sentence of nine years in prison.
Flora and Fauna Director Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa said the number of people arrested for poaching remains high in the country despite having restrictive laws.
“Zimbabwe has a plethora of deterrent laws on wildlife trafficking but the number of people being arrested for wildlife offences remains high. Poverty, corruption and greedy are some of the major drivers of wildlife-related offences in the country,” said Nyamukondiwa.
A number of people have been arrested for possessing the Pangolin that is believed to possess an array for medicines which some sections of the society feel is just cultural propaganda.
In a related story Shake Mafuka, was convicted and sentenced for unlawful possession of ivory and Pangolin scales without a permit in 2018. The convictions were initially confirmed by two Judges when they reviewed the case.
Because the Magistrate’s court found no special circumstances, it sentenced Mafuka to nine years in prison on each count, bringing the total to 18 years. On review the High Court altered that sentence to a total of just nine years because the judges believed the two counts should be treated as one for sentencing.
However, the matter later came back to the High Court for further review. This was after a case in Masvingo raised the question of whether Pangolins were listed as protected animals on a special list drawn up by government. As a result of the Masvingo case that spotted the legal loophole, the court dealing with Mafuka’s matter had to review Mafuka’s case all over again.
The case in Masvingo that initially focused attention on the problem of pangolin exclusion from the schedule involved a teacher and two others, tried for possessing a pangolin that they tried to sell for US$5 000. The three asked for leniency on the grounds that their offence did not cause any proven harm to Zimbabwe’s economy.

Dangamvura water pipeline misses 2021 deadline

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Dangamvura water pipeline misses 2021 deadline

Melinda Kusemachibi

The Covid-19 pandemic, which plunged the country into a standstill amid a series of national lockdowns, has delayed progress on the much awaited Dangamvura water pipeline project that Mutare City Council had targeted to complete by April 2021.
If completed, the project would address water woes in Dangamvura high density suburb, Fernvalley and Industrial area where residents and businesses have been bearing the brunt of water shortages for nearly two decades.
Speaking during an interview with TellZim News, Mutare Mayor Blessing Tandi said they are still working on the project which they failed to complete in 2021.
“One other project still lagging behind which we expected to have been completed is the Dangamvura water pipeline. We are working on it and as of now, majority of the works that we anticipated to have completed that are internally financed are at advanced stage.
“We have fittings that are coming from South Africa that we procured through our partners ADB and are yet to be delivered. They changed the supplier mid-year and the supplier that was supposed to supply this year is yet to do so. We anticipate that when the fittings come, it would be a matter of six weeks for us to complete the works,” said Tandi.
He also said they were planning to draw water from Osborne dam through the Odzani-Odzi water works as a way to improve water supplies to the city.
“We looking at having a feasibility study for the Odzani-Odzi water works. We are looking at drawing water from Osborne dam because what we are looking at most probably according to KV report of 2012. Mutare is having a deficit of 17 mega liters of water every day.
“As we speak right now, the other source of water that can assist is the Odzi water plant. So the feasibility study once done, we can be able to assist most probably the other parts coming in after the implementation of the master plan that we got because our master plan is now stretching towards Odzi up until we get to the Christmas-Pass close to Africa University,” Tandi said.
Mutare City Council Public Relations Officer Spren Mutiwi told TellZim News last year that council will resolve perennial water shortages in Dangamvura by end of 2020.
Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Association (MURRA) official David Mutambirwa once said that as residents they were unhappy about council’s tortoise pace in executing the Dangamvura water pipeline project.
“They have failed dismally to meet all deadlines they had set for completion of this overdue project. Council must convene an all stakeholders meeting to secure experts who can help to execute the project.
“They must swallow their pride since they are failing to timeously meet the set targets hence look out for retired and young engineers who can offer expertise,” said Mutambirwa.
Most local authorities in Zimbabwe have been accused of failing to improve service delivery most notably water supplies, liquid and solid waste management.

MDC-T denies recalling Gweru Mayor

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MDC-T denies recalling Gweru Mayor

Kimberly Kusauka

Movement for Democratic Change-T (MDC-T) led by Douglas Mwonzora has denied having plans to recall Gweru City Mayor Josiah Makombe after rumours made rounds on social media that they were planning to recall him.
MDC-T Secretary for Information and Publicity Witness Dube said they can only talk about recalls after they have been officially done.
“We can only talk about recalls that have been effected. What I can tell you is that the party assists its public representatives in fulfilling their mandate to the best of their ability,” said Dube.
He however went on to say the party had a duty to recall incompetent leaders and when such a development is done, the information is made public not rumours on social media.
“Where the party has to discipline its represantatives to keep them in line it does so. However, some public represantatives so deviate to an extent that recalling them becomes the only option available for the party.
“Tsvangirai once recalled an entire council of Chitungwiza because of corruption and this has always been the number one reason why our party would consider recalling any councillor. Should our party be left with recalling as the only corrective measure on any councillor, such councillors will be communicated to and their names published in a party statement,” said Dube.
When contacted for comment Makombe said he does not have anything to say and directed all questions to the MDC-T President.
“I do not have anything to say, you can ask those who recall,” said Makombe.
MDC-T recalled a number of councillors from Masvingo, Mutare and Chipinge and many other local authorities from 2020 and 2021.
Mwonzora has used the recalling as a tool to fix all the party members who are alleged to be aligned to their rival MDC-Alliance and its leader Nelson Chamisa.
The recalls have prompted majority of the by-elections that are likely to be conducted during the first quarter of 2022 while some critics have labelled them as the major reason behind inefficiency in some local authorities in and around the country.

Chief begs for another coup

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Chief begs for another coup

…Says he is ready to face anything

Fredrick Moyo/Emmanuel Chitsika

In a daring move alien to Zimbabwean traditional leaders, Chief Murinye born Ephias Munodawafa who recently castigated the President Emmerson Mnangagwa administration for failing to deal with corruption, has said he is not afraid and is prepared for anything as far as his recent utterances are concerned.
Chief Murinye recently made headlines after making bold statements while addressing mourners at the funeral of Public Service Commission (PSC) Head of the Pay and Benefits Development and Management Agency Elson Gonye in his area spewing vitriol against corrupt elements in Mnangagwa’s administration.
The traditional leader told mourners that there was every reason to call upon Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Phillip Valerio Sibanda to repeat what they did in November 2017 (apparent reference to the sanitized military coup that overthrew former president Mugabe).
When contacted for further clarification and comment over his utterances, Chief Murinye declined to give names of the individuals involved in the corrupt activities but pointed out a case that took place in Masvingo in which a truck full of fertilizers meant for the local people was allegedly diverted to Harare for selling at the parallel market in Harare.
“It is a bit difficult to mention names but about two or three months ago, came a truck full of fertilizer, someone came and whispered to me that the truck was taking the fertilizer to Harare and sell it at the black market.
“After that I took the registration numbers of the vehicle, called the Propol and also went to Chivi road block to notify the police manning the block on the development but up to now, nothing has been done,” said Chief Murinye.
He also said he is prepared for the consequences that are likely to follow his criticism of corrupt and criminal activities among top government officials.
“I am not afraid and I am prepared for whatever I will face. If they want to kill me, they can come and kill me I am not afraid,” said Chief Murinye.
At Gonye’s funeral, Chief Murinye implored Mnangagwa to take heed to his call and put his house in order, if he wanted to retain power in the 2023 harmonised polls that are just one and half years away.
“ED is my nephew, if he fails to listen to my advice, in 2023 he will not make it. People are disgruntled, they are seeing what is going on and they will punish you in the ballot box.
“We are fed up, sick and tired of these crooks and criminals. We do not want this anymore. Criminals have no place in Zimbabwe, wherever minerals pop up the same individuals claim ownership and everything along the way. ED has got a good vision but he is surrounded by criminals. We do not know if it will be the best option for us to go to Valerio Sibanda so that he can repeat what he did. We do not want that. We are fed up of being the laughing stock of the world because if you go to South Africa and they ask you where you come from, you feel ashamed to the extent that you can even think of hiding your passport.
“Have you observed the humility of this home, have you seen it? What if they were those guys with nepotism and tribalism you have taken from high up there? If you visit other people’s homesteads, you would just realise how well other people are living,” said Chief Murinye.
He further castigated people who are siphoning public funds for personal benefits like buying properties in leafy suburbs in Harare.
“If you go to areas like Borrowdale, you wonder where the owners of such properties get the money to construct them. I am not proud of that kind of money; give me nothing even if it means stripping me of the chieftainship. I would rather be with my people and enjoy the sanity of the Heavens which demands righteousness than reveling in ‘dirty or bloody’ wealth acquisition.
“How do we celebrate when someone boasts that the wealth he possesses is too much to the extent that he would only be declared broke when he reaches the levels of Strive Masiiwa (Econet founder), a son of the former president for that matter. You think we are happy with such kind of issues prevailing? Whoever gets into power should rein his/her children so that they know the nation belongs to the people and not individuals. We have supported the ruling party because it is our party, but do not betray that support by doing whatever you wish to.
“There was a gold rush at Hwendedzo. Musara went there and proposed incorporation of the community in sharing the proceeds, there were top army officials with people being chased away. That is nonsense,” said Chief Murinye.
As if responding to the issue, a Twitter handle believed to be run by Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba tweeted that Chief Murinye had called him to clear the air.
“WHEN CHIEF MURINYE CALLED: Today I got an unexpected call from Chief Murinye who fondly addresses me as ‘the son of Manheru’, with all the attendant semantic consequences. His message was brief: he hates the way opposition forces are abusing his strong indignation with his President and his party, ZANU-PF.
“He explained what triggered the outburst. Further, he says he has since sobered up and is ready to explain himself. So guys, don’t think you are about to score; take chill pill!!!!,” reads the statement.
Contacted for comment again to clarify on the tweet, Chief Murinye said he was in a meeting before his mobile phone went unreachable the rest of the afternoon.
Barely a month ago, Chiefs’ Council President Fortune Charumbira had a video of himself shot at Zanu PF national conference in Bindura while claiming that Chiefs are the true owners of Zanu PF as a party and challenges the leadership to involve them in the affairs than inviting them as guests at annual conferences and congress.

We need more men like Chief Murinye

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We need more men like Chief Murinye

Ladies and gentlemen the moment we have been waiting for the whole of 2021 is just around the corner and only a week away from now. Zvamurimi mugodhakwa muchikanganwa kuti January is coming, fees dzinenge dzichidiwa, let’s drink responsibly. Let us mask up OMIRIKON iriko kkkk. The Christmas holidays are here cdes, let’s travel safely, zvekuzodeedzwa kundufu hobo hobo madonha pamigwagwa hatizvide. But someone recently said January wacho has already come in December because yuwesi racho harisi kubatika. Mati madii?Kkkkkkk

Merry Christmas to you all women and men, of course save for Marry Mubaiwa or Chiwenga. Mapombi semunhu wechidzimai, guru rekubereka rinochecheta ndikafunga zvirikuitika kuna Marry waGenerari. Kutambiswa chamutavanhava naformer roommate. Vakuru vakataura vakati chawira mwana wehama hachisekwi, zvokwadi ndiri kuzviona uye moyo wekubereka wadzimba ndakatarisa chimiro chaMarry Chiwenga. Ko nhai Genarari hamuoniwo here chimiro cheaimbova mudiwa wenyu kuti hachisisina kuti twasa uye denda riri paari raramba rangoti takarasima naye. Ndaifunga kuti munhu wese ane moyo but am now doubting if men were created equally or moyo yakasiyana siyana. A sinful heart is just like a crooked fence, for all the paint in the world won’t straighten it, so goes the saying and versus the reality currently obtaining in the case between the two former love-birds, shows just how the differences have become irreconcilable.

To make matters worse, the trial resumed during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence and Marry just played the role of a woman who bore the brunt of patriarchal hegemony and cruelty during that particular time when people around the globe were trying to advocate for the cause of women. This matter has dragged so much in courts and I think they have failed, ko vari kudii havo kuindesa kwashe, I am proud of our traditional leaders when it comes to marital matters, havamisi kkkkk.

Speaking of Chiefs, let me hasten to say Big up to my Bamukuru, kkk eh vakaroora sis vanguka Chief Murinye. I think all chiefs should copy from our Murinye. Yes the guy has guts, kana kuti liver zvinongotaurwa nevakomana vepaTwitter because the audacity yakapenga kkkk, kuudza ED kuti hokoyo ne coup kkk. Hanzi toudza here PV vapamhe zvavakamboita gore riya kkkk. Valerio I am sure you heard the chief, hanzi matank ngaapinde zvakare mutown kkkkk. Hanzi corruption is the cancer eating away our economy kwete zvemaSanctions. If we could find more chiefs like him, I think zvinhu zvofamba ini. Infact, he was supposed to have joined Chief Ndiweni time ichiripo, the tag team would have produced something better. I think the Chief’s council president is taking a leaf; we need leaders with people at heart, who take the bull by its horns not sanitizing corruption. Fortue kkkk, please confront Zanu PF for our misery kwete zvebootlicking izvo. The only thing fortue said this year is kuramba US$50 yemaphone yaMthuli iya. But Chimuface chiya chotijairira, icho Mthuli kkkk chakataura zvema 2% tax paya tikafunga mafunnies ikozvino tikungorohwa mari hedu. Izvezvi mukasaita serious muchaona zvemaUS$50 izvezvi zvichitoitwa takatemba kkkk.  We know that if you give this hurumende a centimeter they will take a kilometer. Mthuli is a hardcore neo-liberal capitalist muface uya. He thinks everyone anoseva chingwa nebacon, and all he wants to do is to punish Zimbabweans, kuita kutikama, kusvozva chaiko. Wonzwa chodada zvacho nesurplus budget, iyo inenge yehurombwa iyoyo. Varume musadaro imi.

Back to madzishe angu, I am sure ana Chief Mugabe you are getting it, ana Nhema newe Ndanga paZaka apo. Moenda kunedziya dzekuUuzumba dzekuda kuvhukunyura Bob kuti these are the kind of Chiefs we emulate kwete zvekucherana nezvitunha. We need Chiefs who side with people not Zanu.

But as usual I suspect these guys in cheap black nylon suits and dark sunglasses have already visited our Chief. I heard neredu dhongi repaTwitter Jamwanda saying the Chief has already called him ready to address the matter kkkkk. One thing I like about it, shoko harivhikwi makatozvinzwa, endai zvenyu chief munoti makaresva kunzwa that is not what I meant but zvakatotaurwa kkkk. Mongotiwo it was a moment of madness ndanga ndamborova one or two cups dzemukumbi wakauya kuzovhurwa navashe few weeks ago Mwenezi uko.

Zvakaoma heyo nyaya yeGonyeti remupunga raifanirwa kuinda kwaChivi rikarohwa nechadzimira rakananga Harare yadzokororeka pengai chief mupiwe rice renyu kkkk. Killer Zivhu akabirwa rake gore riya zvikarova kkk. But iye Killer uyu kkk, I saw he is in the Mavhenyengwa faction kkkkk. Ko hamusi kuziva, he is still Zanu PF that guy Once Zanu PF, always Zanu PF so vamwe vaya please take a chill pill kkkk. Handisini ndadaro ndi Joji kkkk. Sometimes Zivhu goes on sosho media kunorakasha zvake but he sometimes forgets kuti arikurakasha ani, vanhu vopera havozve kutemwa nemastray bullets, Killer vanhu killer, asi paTwitter vanouka havo havaregi, hohodo, unoitwei kushunamidzwa!

I heard mari yemota yemukomana yakwana, please kana yatengwa imi vanhu ve Zanu tokuzivai, musiye mota yemwana please. This time mukanetsa we will call the man of the moment Nemaisa to deal with you kkkk, munododwa senhodo. Musorobhangu Jonso, ndoreva Moyo kwete Madhuku, chete vanabhanguza vacho vawanda vanaProf Jonso vane kahunhu kakada kufanana, kkkkk. Anyway regai nditaure nyaya yacho. That man is still grappling at straws for his lost political relevance. Hameno what he suggested to Chamisa about money to train polling agents akagoti omomoterwa nezvinyuchi zvemukomana wepaGutu. He was told to use his own political advice to resuscitate his dead political career kkkkk. Ndambozvireva ini kuti paTwitter vanombaikubudira musaga,kkkk. You may have been at one point the sharpest political brains around mukuru but zvakati pepepe dhuu!kkkk Go where your advice is appreciated, kana vana Chamisa vasingadi siyai so, vachazvionera pamhino sefodya come 2023.

Asi Zimbabweans so, hanzi handei tinoisirwa mae-passport edu muflash. Mapombi is not against moving with time and not against the E-PASSPORT, yes we need kufambirana nenguva ladies and gentlemen, ndozviriko these days but this should not be at the expense of others. I hear many complaining about the two-year period yakapiwa those who have traditional passports to replace as it is too little, why not just allow them to expire then when renewing munhu opiwa E yacho? I heard kuti the difference is minor, so regai vakatora aite expire unless you say replacing is free kwete kungoda kutimocha pose pose. Imagine you would have renewed yours last week wakabhadhara $318 yuwesi woudzwa kunzi panoda imwezve $200, haa varume ka! Remind me ndigotaura nezveyeCBZ iyoyi yakanzi ndokuchange kuchibhadharwa mari dzacho. Corruption in this country needs us to be removed kubva munyika tose tomboiswa somewhere, muno monyatsosukwa mocleanwa mofiritwa tozodzoserwa because haiwa bodo!

Before I go hangu for my usual lunch, ko Failton Svimambo neZifa yake vakazodiikowo, i heard he is raising the middle finger to Zifa kkkk. Please failton you have failed, just leave and your team so that a new crop takes over. On that note, musazoita semakanokorwa tsoka neshiri during the holidays vanhuwe muchingombeya because Covid-19 is dangerous,topera.

VaMboko varipiko wee? Mboko imboko!

Masvingo Ranked fourth on child marriages

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Masvingo Ranked fourth on child marriages

Melinda Kusemachibi

Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) has revealed that child marriages in the country have increased this year and Masvingo province is ranked fourth among the country’s ten provinces after recording 35,5 percent girls and while boys account for 4,2 percent in cases of child marriages .
This was revealed in a concept note of the 2021 National Gender Forum prepared by the ZGC under the theme ‘Action towards the Eradication of Harmful Practices Which Breed Child Marriages and Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Young Girls’.
Statistics by ZGC show that Mashonaland Central province tops the list with 49, 5% girls, 6, 7% boys married at a young age, followed by Mashonaland West with 41, 7% girls and 5, 6% boys.
Mashonaland East is on third place with 37,8% girls and 3,9% boys, followed by Masvingo with 35,3% girls and 4,2% boys with Manicaland having 36% girls and 3,4% boys.
Matabeleland North is rated at number six with 32, 9% girls and 5, 5% boys entering into early child marriages, followed by the Midlands with 30, 4% girls and 2, 7% boys.
Matabeleland South had 22, 2% girls and 1, 7% boys, while Harare had at 21, 7% girls and 2, 7% boys, with Bulawayo being the least with 13, 5% girls and 2, 7% boys.
ZGC considers child marriage as one of the systemic barriers prejudicial to the achievement of gender equality.
ZGC said the prevalence of child marriages in Zimbabwe was unacceptably high with “1 in 3 (32, 6%) girls and 4% boys being married before the age of 18.
“Statistics from the Multiple Indicator Survey demonstrate that child marriage is still a challenge in Zimbabwe and disproportionately affecting more girls than boys. Further indications are that child marriage prevalence is high (40%) in rural areas as compared to urban areas (21, 3%),” ZGC said.
ZGC Commissioner Tsungirirayi Hungwe-Chimbunde said child marriages are rape cases.
“Call it rape not early child marriages,” said Hungwe Chimbunde.
Girls and Women Empowerment Network (GWEN) Trust Director, Kumbirai Kahiya said they were monitoring church activities with a watchful eye in their efforts to combat child marriages.
“We have stepped up our efforts to address the issue of child marriages through various engagements with ordinary church members and their leaders.
“Our main focus is on Christianity and African Traditional Religion (ATR) groups where we teach them about women empowerment and educate them on constitutionally-enshrined rights for young women,” said Kahiya.
Amnesty International Membership Growth and Communications officer, Lucy Chivasa said her organization has been assisting victims with psychological and social support.
“When we come across cases where teenage girls have been impregnated and forced into marriage, we seek the intervention of law enforcement agents. We assist parents of the girl to make police report so that criminals can be arrested,” said Chivasa.
ZGC Act mandates the commission to convene an annual gender forum to discuss issues of concern related to the commission’s constitutional and statutory functions.
“Each year, the annual gender forum is held under a particular thematic area of concern. The 2021 annual gender forum is taking place in the backdrop of rising concerns of religious and cultural practices that fuel child marriages, sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls,” the commission said.
ZGC in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community Small and Medium Enterprises, Development carried out a community engagement programme in Mafararikwa Marange.

Power outages fueling GBV cases in Midlands

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Power outages fueling GBV cases in Midlands

… as GRRA speaks against violence

Tinaani Nyabereka

The recent surge in GBV cases has been attributed to increased power cuts as the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) continues to intensify its load shedding operations across the nation.
Speaking during a Residents-Stakeholders engagement meeting with Ward 17 residents , Zesa and Zimbabwe Republic Police’s Victim’s Friendly Unit (VFU) under the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) Women Empowerment Initiative last week, GRRA director, Selipiwe Conerlia said findings conducted by her organisation revealed how constant power outages were triggering domestic violence in communities.
He further highlighted the need for all stakeholders to unite and foster solutions which minimize domestic violence and vandalism of electrical equipment.
“The shortage of power in our area has become a challenge. This has even triggered issues to do with domestic violence as most women are now victims to most household disputes,” Conerlia said.
Ward 17 resident, Margret Hove highlighted how load shedding has become the cause of most GBV cases in the community.
“The problem we have with Zesa’s load shedding is that most mothers are failing to prepare food on time. Another challenge is sometimes we do not even have money to buy gas or paraffin.
“So when our husbands come back from work they will be tired and hungry to find out that nothing would have been prepared. The end result is then centred on blame games and fights due to these power cuts,” she said.
Another resident, Hilda Chiramba of Mkoba 19 appealed to Zesa to monitor its substations and electrical switches as thieves were terrorizing and vandalizing properties.
“I stay in Mkoba 19 and we have a serious challenge there. We have a boy called Lovemore who is mentally challenged and goes around playing with electrical switches and sometimes switching off electricity at one of your substations in the suburb as the doors can no longer shut well.
“We appeal to you to come and close these doors as the station poses great risk to the young man. One day you will hear reports of him electrocuted. We are facing high crime and robbery cases due to load shedding, do something about this,” she added.
Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC) Southern Region, Public Relations Officer, Edward Nyoni explained the load shedding process saying it was all under efforts to safeguard and share the little available power to everyone.
“There are issues of power shortages in the country, so load shedding is centred on making sure that we share electricity sparingly amongst everyone.
“The reason behind is we are having challenges where our electricity is generated, that is at Hwange and Kariba power stations as we do not have storage facilities for power,” Nyoni said.
He also pointed out the issue of vandalism of infrastructure as another hindrance to power supply stability.
“On the other hand vandalism of Zesa property is contributing to power outages as well .Some people are stealing cables and oil from our transformers, a thing which is making it difficult for us to provide much needed power.
“We are working with police on daily basis to bring these culprits to book. Am sure you are now aware that the jail term for stealing Zesa property is stiffer. Be our eyes and report any acts of vandalism.” he added.
Meanwhile in its campaign against gender based violence, ZRP Gweru Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) team however, urged victims of GBV to report cases of violence without fear.
The call against GBV comes at a time when many are being urged to report cases of abuse.
Cases of GBV when convicted now attracts a prison sentence of 24-26 months.

Embrace life sustaining projects, Women urged

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Embrace life sustaining projects, Women urged

…as government avails the women development fund

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru-Women in the Midlands province have been urged to embrace life changing and sustaining projects under the Young Women for Economic Development drive.
Speaking at the Midlands Prisons Women Capacitation Initiative official launch at Hwahwa Prison recently, Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises, Jennifer Mhlanga said it was important for women to embrace business opportunities as government had moved in to support them with both women and community development grants.
She added that as a ministry, they had drafted a list of initiatives to help boost business ideas which women could undertake.
“I am glad we came here to witness some of the great projects which women are doing. We have seen various products from this official launch that include detergents making, horticulture produces, fashion and designing among others. However, we still call upon women on board as we can do more.
“I want us to be practical and look how best we can enhance our skills towards entrepreneurship. From today’s launch and exhibition, let us go with ideas and further refine them for bigger projects. We have a list of initiatives as a ministry on which us as micro-players in business can adopt and improve our livelihoods.
“As young women for Economic Development, let us take the program to our various centers and provinces so that we go and seed our ideas with the women development fund. Through government, we have managed to get the support to elevate us as women because we are lagging behind in terms of empowerment,” she added.
Mhlanga further encouraged women to enrol with the newly established vocational institution in Masvingo for training.
“As the southern region, we have good news for you. We have established the Rodgers Howman institution which is set to equip women with skills for developmental projects. We also have the Jamaica Inn which caters for the northern region. From there we will partner with tertiary institutions for further refined entrepreneurship packages.
“We also now have the community development fund in place which we are going to seed here at Hwahwa. If you feel as a community you can do a bigger impactful project, approach us with your proposal. If they pass you will be awarded the funding. These funds are being facilitated through Woman and Empowerment banks. These funds are available for you to use.” she added.
Mhlanga however challenged women to make use of the devolution fund saying through the minister of State’s office and local authorities’ community changing projects would be considered under the devolution funds.
Young Women for Economic Development (YWED) national chairperson, Tatenda Mavetera expressed gratitude to the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, Patron of Prisons, for imparting life changing initiatives to women.
“We want to thank Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa for giving us the opportunity to use our hands as young women and we are following her footsteps. Let me repeat, as a movement we are not here for politics but bread and butter issues.
“Do not think being married is a ticket to better life or living, rather using your hands is the only way to sustain your families and development of the country. I will give you an example the fingers of a hand ,they are not equal, so just like fingers let us discover our strength and focus more on our abilities because we might be different and have different strengths to cascade development , as young women we stand for development,” she said.
Meanwhile Young Women for Economic Development, provincial chairperson, Farirai Nhari urged young women to work towards attaining bigger investment opportunities by working together.
The launch was held under the theme, “Inclusion of women in various sectors of the economy as we attain vision 2030”
The young Women for Economic Development initiative is a women empowerment programme established by the First lady as efforts to capacitate the livelihoods of women at household and community levels.
As an initiative it seeks to complement government efforts towards attaining vision 2030 by uplifting the welfare of women through various developmental community projects.

Achieving herd immunity by December: Govt fails dismally

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Achieving herd immunity by December: Govt fails dismally

Kimberly Kusauka

With barely three weeks before the curtain comes down on the year 2021, government race to achieve the intended herd immunity of vaccinating 60 percent of the total population falls behind schedule as only 39 percent of the population has received the jab.
A total number of 3 896 589 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe since the programme was rolled out which makes it 38.9 percent herd immunity.
Specialists in the field are reported to have had doubts on the target set by government as over ambitious and unrealistic saying the time stipulated was too little.
Vaccination programme began in February 2021 and it was the target of government to have vaccinated 10 million people of the total population of an estimated 16 million.
From the national daily Covid-19 statistics, the number of people getting vaccinated is tremendously going down even though the new Omicron Covid19 variant has hit the country.
There is apparent complacency on the side of ordinary people and government, which is failing to enforce the regulations worse still convening meetings to conduct party business.
Chief Coordinator for the National response to Covid-19 pandemic in the office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva said they continue lobbying for people to get vaccinated by acquiring more vaccines and encouraging people to get vaccinated.
“Our job is to continue pushing so that people get vaccinated and making sure that we access more vaccines.
“Our ambitious target remains and whether we get there or not is not a problem, we continue encouraging people to get vaccinated. We acquired more vaccines recently that we expect to receive this Friday (December 10),” said Dr Mahomva.
She went on to dismiss questions to whether they will reach the target by saying that she is not eligible to talk about it but has to wait for the end result.
“Now it is not the right time for us to conclude whether we will reach herd immunity or not for we are still working and hoping that we will make it,” said Dr Mahomva.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Amadeus Shamhu said they continue to vaccinate people in the province but however they are having low turnouts.
“We want people to get vaccinated and continue vaccinating those who show up for vaccination but they are showing up in few numbers which is delaying us from reaching community herd immunity,” said Dr Shamhu.
Masvingo Covid-19 Taskforce spokesperson Rogers Irimayi said they are increasing awareness campaigns with the support of partners and that people are still getting vaccinated but the numbers have dropped, though there is a slight increase maybe because of the new variant.
“As taskforce we are intensifying awareness campaign programmes, our partners are supporting in terms of resources to ensure we reach out to the generality of our communities.
“People are still getting vaccinated although the numbers had fallen down in the previous months but an upsurge is being experienced maybe because of the Omicron variant,” said Irimayi.
He said they continue encourage people to observe World Health Organisation (WHO) measures against Covid-19 and encourage people to get vaccinated so as to curb the spread of the virus.
“We encourage people to be very cautious and follow the WHO and government Covid-19 guidelines of masking up, hand sanitizing and maintaining social distancing. However, vaccination is the best option in protecting ourselves and our loved ones,” said Irimayi.
Sometime at the end of November, community herd immunity for Masvingo province stood at 34.8 percent which has been subject to change obviously since some people are getting vaccinated.

SA based Mwenezi singer, poet release 13 track album

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SA based Mwenezi singer, poet release 13 track album

Cephas Shava

 Mwenezi – Mwenezi’s Chirami village-groomed talented poet and now South Africa based artiste, Tillman Baloyi popularly known “Captain Dundee” recently released a thrilling 13 track album titled Denderedzwa Remashoko Rorirazve.

43-year-old Baloyi’s album produced at his Johannesburg base has songs titled Kugarira Chipo,Pfuma Kufuratira, Kugeza hukama, Hova mbiri,  Chipatara ne jere, Mhinduro nyoro, Tsaona, Ibva pano, Chako ndechako, YeDenga, Kugomarara, Tora tora and Tatsika joy.

Speaking to TellZim News from his South African base, Baloyi who dubbed himself an “Ambassador of Hope” said he is currently working on producing videos from some of the songs in the 13 track album.

“My songs are purely traditional and through them I ought to inspire many such that teachings embedded in both my songs and poems become an ever shining epitome for locals and those beyond our locality. This is my second album and those who have already sampled the songs are already in consensus that the album is topping when comparing it with the first one.

“Quality CDs for the 13 track album are already available and are costing 100R each. So far the discs are accessible here in South Africa and very soon I will be in Zimbabwe distributing the album so that my fans can get the chance to sample the songs” said Baloyi.

The multi-talented Baloyi, who bemoaned the plight of several local talented artistes whose careers are dying unnoticed owing to lack of exposure, envisioned establishing own local radio station.

“In Mwenezi, we have a lot of talented artistes whose super quality works are in moribund as no one is there to give them required exposure. It is my hope which I am already working on establishing my own radio station right in Mwenezi and this will definitely enable locals to showcase their talents,” added Baloyi.

Besides working on the videos for the 13 track album, Baloyi together with his wife are now working on a gospel album which he said will be released soon.

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