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‘Western knowledge exhausted but useful’

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Tinaani
Nyabereka
GWERU – Western knowledge is now exhausted but remains
useful for academic researches, a development which requires African
universities to produce new knowledge, a University of South Africa (Unisa)
lecturer has said.
Delivering
his address at the Joshua Nkomo Academic Lecture at Midlands State University
(MSU) last week, Professor Sabelo Gatsheni Ndlovu said the problem with the university
in Africa could be found in Eurocentricism as people tend to conform to the global
geography of knowledge.
“We
need to do away with gathering data and taking it to the Western side for processing
into theories. We need to focus on producing knowledge in the circles of the
living as Africans.
“Western
knowledge is exhausted but still useful. Why is it that we have the highest
literacy rate but we are not able to produce anything? To understand all this,
we must go back to the African consciousness as quickly as possible. We have
universities in Africa but are they universities of Africa. Let’s grow and link
our universities in the continent, then the region and afterwards, we go to
Europe,” Ndlovu, an acclaimed decolonial scholar.
Ndlovu
said Africa was still concentrated on the colonised aspect of universities
instead of ‘corporatized’ universities.
“More
talk is focused on colonised universities and not the corporatized ones. We
need to be known regional and internationally. We now have love for diplomas,
degrees rather than knowledge because focus has shifted to certificates and
graduating. It is only knowledge which can drive us as a nation not
certificates. Shifting from education 3.0 to 5.0 is a noble move and we need to
put value to it,” he said.
The
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Professor Amon Murwira said the
university in Africa was supposed to give solutions to the challenges in Africa.
“The
legacy of Dr Nkomo can only be liberated by liberated minds. Let’s create an
environment where things develop from our heritage, let’s move from the
colonial approach to having the degree in the head. That is the idea,” said
Murwira.
  

Gutu RDC to construct sports stadium

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Precila Takavirakare
MPANDAWANA –
Gutu Rural District Council (RDC) has said it will build a sports stadium at
Makombo grounds in Ward 34, Gutu Central, beginning this month.
This
came up after the council received $76 000 devolution disbursement from
the national budget.
Council
says it has budgeted the money for ground-levelling, security wall-erection,
building of changing rooms and toilets, drilling a borehole and installation of
water tanks.
Gutu
RDC Chief Excutive Officer (CEO) Alexander Mutembwa said council expected to
start doing the work as soon as possible.
“The
issue of building a sports stadium in the district has always been in our plans
and this time we decided to use the money we got for that purpose. We expect to
start working on the project as soon as possible because we have already
received the money so nothing can stop the progress,” said Mutembwa.
He
also said that they chose to invest in a stadium since there were no other
notable sports recreational facilities in the sprawling town of Mpandawana and
the district as a whole.
 “We do not have recreational facilities in the
district so people want a place where they can practice different sporting
disciplines,” said Mutembwa.
He
also said a stadium would also provide an important revenue stream for the town
which is struggling to maintain optimum service delivery due to high defaults
in the payment of rates leading to a depressed revenue base.

Helen McGhie tennis ace shines at Ambassador’s tourney

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Tinotenda Chipfakacha
Clayton Shereni

A
12-year-old Helen McGhie Primary School pupil recently impressed at the
Ambassador’s Tennis Tournament held in at Old Harrarians Sports Club in Harare
by putting up a polished performance.
Tinotenda
Chipfakacha finished on the second spot in the girls Under 12s category after
losing to Harare-based tennis star Tendai Makunike in the grand finale.
On
her course to the final, Chipfakacha had a bye in the first match and outclassed
16 other competitors including the likes of top ranked player Ines Bescond to
reach the semis.
Chipfakacha
played tournament favourite Chanelle Zhuwakani in the semifinals in an
intriguing encounter which she won to proceed to the final match of the
tournament.
In
the finals, she lost to Makunike to settle for the tournament’s silver medal.
Speaking
to TellZim News, Chipfakacha’s coach, Goodwill Samson applauded her top notch
performance and said the young star was surely going to shine in upcoming
competitions.
“Tinotenda
is a great player, she lost in the finals but it was a great achievement. She
really played well throughout the tournament, she managed to knockout 16 girls
and her future looks so bright. This is just but the beginning,” said Samson.
Chipfakacha
has produced a streak of good results, winning some silverware in every
competition in the last four matches in which she took part.
She
participated in the Bulawayo Open and Tarryn Desouza Open where she won Bronze
in both competitions.
In
the Mantas Open, she bagged Silver and went on to play in the Manicaland Open
where she won gold in the doubles category.
Helen
McGhie has been a hub of producing tennis stars with the likes of Edina Mhango
representing the country at a regional competition last year.
The
province has also produced some of the finest young talents including Tanatsiwa
Tanyongana who represented the country at the Confederation of Schools Sport
Associations of Southern Africa
(Cossasa) games in Namibia last year.

Human skeleton found at popular market

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Diana Gondongwe
Human
remains were recently unearthed in the bushy areas of Chitima market just a few
days after the lifeless body of Josiah Rimayi a taxi driver was found at the
bushy area near Masvingo Teachers College.
Masvingo
provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed that a
human body in the most advanced stage of decomposition was found near a sewage
tank at the market.
“I
can confirm that a human skeleton was found in the bushy areas of Chitima along
Mucheke River and we are calling upon members of the public with missing relatives
to come and identify the clothes that were found at the scene,” said Mazula.
The
first person to see the remains was Arigary Madhavu (44) who was using a
pathway from Mucheke high density suburbs to town by foot on Wednesday morning.
Found
at the scene were a green T/shirt, leopard spotted bra, red cap and khaki cargo
shorts which probably belonged to the dead person.
Reports
say the posture of the skeleton suggested it could have been a woman who was
raped first before she was murdered.
People
who work at Chitima market say the place is naturally smelly so they did not
suspect that there might be a human body decomposing close by.

Chiredzi businessman fails to pay $5, points gun at typist

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Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI

Chiredzi businessman and Kwese satellite dish installer, Joel Chidhindo last
week failed to pay $5 for typing services rendered to him and went on to point
his pistol at the typist, TellZim News has learnt.
The incident happened at Pelagias
Complex where Boers Muchongwe typed some documents for Chidhindo and charged
him $5 which he however failed to pay, leading to the incident.
TellZim News learnt that the gun-wielding
Chidhindo was granted a firearm license in 2008 and was previously warned by
the police for pulling out the firearm at Hippo Valley Country Club.
This time around, Chidhindo allegedly
pulled his gun because Muchongwe had demanded that he pay in full for the
typing work done.
When Chidhindo seemed not ready
to pay the amount in full as is always his habit, Muchongwe jokingly mocked his
‘fat’ tummy but this angered Chidhondo who then pulled his gun and pointed it
at the victim.
Thinking Chidhindo was bluffing, Muchongwe
warned Chidhidho against playing with ‘toy guns’ in public, and Chidhindo then pulled
off the pistol’s magazine and showed Muchongwe live bullets.
When contacted for comment, a
shaken Muchongwe said he was still frightened as the incident was his first to
have a gun pointed at him.
“He threatened to shoot me after
refusing to pay for my services. I had charged him RTGS$5 but he complained
that it was too much. That is how he always acts when his work has been done,”
said Muchongwe, who said he was yet to report the case to the police.
Efforts to get a comment from
Chindindo were fruitless as he constantly dropped the calls when he learnt that
a newspaper was seeking to hear his side of the story.

Nothing to show for Zimplats, Unki community share ownership schemes

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…. corruption,
mismanagement doom noble initiatives

Shingirai
Vambe

The Parliamentary
Thematic Committee on Indigenisation and Empowerment recently went on a fact-finding
mission on community share ownership schemes being funded by platinum miners
Zimplats in Mhondoro-Ngezi and Unki in Shurugwi where it was realised that
nothing much was being done with the money meant for community development.
Committee members
attacked the Mhondoro-Ngezi and Shurungwi Community Share Ownership Trust
(CSOT) board of trustees of mismanaging millions of dollars released by the two
giant miners for community projects.
Zimplats management
proved that indeed, money was released to the trust and that the companies
continued to work with their local communities for development.
It was revealed that
Zimplats employed over 6000 local university graduates as well as other people
from the Mhondoro-Ngezi community.
It was, however,
noticed that there was no transparency and accountability in the way funds
released to the trust were being managed especially with regards to the US$10
million released by Zimplats.
“The amount of
money we are talking about here doesn’t equate with what is happening on the
ground. The buildings we see are substandard meaning the funds are being
abused,” said committee member Maybe Mbowa.
The following day, the
team proceeded to Shurugwi Unki management gave a splendid presentation on what
they were doing for their communities including the release of US$10 million to
the CSOT.
The committee members
were then led to Msasa Primary, some 20km away from Unki, where part of the money
was used to build the school.
The school is
well-built and it has all the facilities which can cater for the disabled in
both classrooms and toilets.
“There are many
projects that we are doing in the 24 wards that we have and Msasa Primary
School is just but once of the evidence. We have been trying to drill boreholes
but Zinwa asks us to pay $30 for each borehole. Where do we get that money from
and is there any justification for that?” said Chief Banga who is one of the
trustees.
Members of the CSOT claimed
that they bought a borehole drilling vehicle, a grader and a 10-tonne truck to
help in the community.
However, people said
they have never seen any grader which was being claimed by the trustees but
acknowledged that they had seen a borehole rig. They also complained that they
were being made to pay $3 for every 50kg of grain carried by the community
truck.
A female community
member also said people had expected part of the money to be used to construct
a hospital as the nearest medical facility was Shurugwi General Hospital some
15km away.
 Another one complained that if the community
indeed had a grader, then the local roads especially those in Chief Banga’s
area would not be that bad.
The parliamentary
committee is expected to visit the Marange community in the coming days to
assess the CSOT of the diamond-producing area.
The Community Share
Ownership Schemes were introduced back in 2010 by then Youth and Indigenisation
minister Saviour Kasukuwere to compel foreign companies to share their profits
with their communities.
The initiative has
however been plagued by corruption, mismanagement and politicisation, with
local Zanu PF Members of Parliament (MPs) being involved in the administration
of trust funds.

Chikombedzi Mission Hospital crumbles

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….as Zesa sues hospital for
$120k debt

….mortuary is broken down

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIKOMBEDZI
– The
Free Methodist-run Chikombedzi Mission Hospital is in a dilapidated state with
all facilities and services being in deplorable shape due to lack of funding.
The hospital is choking in debt
and is also operating without key equipment and drugs, with the country’s power
utility company ZESA recently launching a lawsuit to recover $120 000 owed by
the struggling medical facility.
The hospital is experiencing severe
water crisis, there is a shortage of bed linen and theatre equipment while staff
houses are dilapidated.
Chiredzi South Member of
Parliament (MP) Kalisto Gwanetsa, Chiredzi Rural District Council (RDC) Chief
Executive Officer Isaac Matsilele and Acting Chiredzi District Medical Officer
David Tarumbwa last week toured Chikombedzi Mission Hospital to appreciate the
sad state of affairs there.
Gwanetsa said he invited the
other officials so that they could all find ways of rescuing the hospital.
“After noticing the challenges
being faced at the hospital, I invited the district medical head to assess the
situation so that we can help each other find solutions.
“This hospital was built a long
time ago with late national vice presidents Joshua Nkomo, Joseph Msika and John
Nkomo once being treated here while staying at Gonakudzingwa Restriction Camp
during the liberation struggle,” said Gwanetsa.
Chikombedzi Hospital matron, Ruth
Hlongwane said most nurses and doctors who come to work at the hospital end up
seeking transfers as they cannot stand the conditions at the facility.
She said the Zesa lawsuit was
worsening the hospital’s capacity to deliver services, adding that conditions
in the wards were also bad as patients were not getting good food.
“We only have hard water from the
borehole but it not suitable for use during laboratory operations and cannot be
used in our laundry machines. Our mortuary has since broken down forcing people
to collect corpses immediately after the death of their loved ones.
“We have been dragged to court by
Zesa over the $120 000 electricity bill which the government had promised to
pay for us but failed to do so.
“Patients are being fed cabbages daily
and they are not getting proper medicines. Our ambulances are down and the BP
machines are broken. We have only one doctor yet we need at least four,” said
Hlongwane.

Apostle Chiwenga transferred to Harare

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TellZim
Reporter

Street preacher and fearless government critic, Talent
Chiwenga is still battling for his life after being involved in a horrific car
crash that claimed the life of his 28-years-old wife Rejoice Jerina Chiwenga
and two other passengers who were in the car that he was driving on June 12.
Chiwenga was initially admitted at Masvingo Provincial
Hospital but was later transferred to Harare.
Chiwenga was driving a Mitsubishi Shogun when he lost
control of the car before hitting a metallic pole and overturning twice throwing
two female passengers out of the car.
The names of the two dead passengers are Rosemary
Vhurumuku (51) and Eugene Tafadzwa Kanyuchi (34) who died upon admission at Masvingo
Provincial Hospital.
The accident happened about 53 kilometres from
Masvingo towards Harare just after Chatsworth turnoff.
Chiwenga lost control of his car and veered into the
oncoming traffic lane before going off road where he wrestled to gain control
of the car for about 70 metres.
He is said to have oversteered the car to try and
bring it back onto the road but it hit a metallic pole before overturning twice
and landing on its roof.
Conspiracy theories where already doing rounds on
social media alleging an invisible hand in the accident since the preacher, who
is related to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, has raffled some feathers
within the corridors of political power using the gospel to fight the status quo.
At one moment, Vice President Chiwenga warned the
street preacher that he should not delve into politics hiding behind the word
of God.
Just a few weeks ago, a video of Chiwenga daring
President Emmerson Mnangagwa to kill him did the rounds of social media.
He complained that he was being shadowed by operatives
form the Military Intelligence Department (MID).

Anti-Corruption Court for Midlands

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Tinaani
Nyabereka
GWERU
The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi last
week commissioned an Anti-Corruption Court in the city as part of wider efforts
to improve efficiency in the trial of corruption-related offences in the
country.
The
initiative  is meant to separate the
investigation, prosecution and trial of corruption cases from the mainstream
court processes.
Speaking
at the event, Ziyambi said the launch of the court proved government’s
commitment to fighting corruption.
“Midlands
is the fifth province to benefit from the specialised Anti-Corruption Courts
initiative being spearheaded by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) after
Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Masvingo.
“Fighting
corruption is truly gaining fame and acceptance as the gateway to rebuilding
the country’s economy. The fallacious perception that corruption only exists in
public institutions must be exorcized,” said Ziyambi.
Ziyambi
said corruption deprived the country’s revenue base thereby militating against
economic development.
“Corruption
takes many forms which include bribery, extortion, embezzlement and criminal
abuse of power. In its very nature, it deprives the government of revenue which
is critical for the development of the country. It further takes away the
credibility of institutions at all levels,” he said.
The Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs,
Larry Mavhima welcomed the launch saying the country’s leadership was opposed
to corruption.
 “The opening of
the court shows that the government is walking the talk and delivering on what
it promised with regards to dealing with corruption around the country,” said
Mavhima.

Gokomere High in tight water rationing as power blackouts bite

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four litres of water per pupil per day
Diana
Gondongwe
Gokomere High School is having problems pumping adequate
water to staff members and pupils due to the electricity blackouts being experienced
across the country, TellZim News can report.
TellZim News learnt that five students are now being
given a 20 litres bucket of water for drinking, washing and bathing, meaning
that a pupil should manage with only four litres of water per day.
Parents who went to Gokomere on June 02 for the
launch of the Diocese of Masvingo Extraordinary Mission Month were distressed
by the reports they got from their children.
One parent said besides lack of enough food,
children at the school were now faced with a new problem of acute shortages of
water.
“There are real problems at the school but none of
them has to do with administrative inefficiencies. It’s all about the wide economic
problems in the country. The school leadership is doing their level best.
“My daughter told me that they are being served tea
without bread in the morning and were told that there were no more buns that
they used to receive,” said the parent who preferred not to be named.
Gokomere High School head, Aquanos Mazhunga confirmed
that they were facing a dire situation as their water pumps are not pumping
enough water for the institution due to power cuts.
“The school is in a difficult situation because we do
not have enough water to cater for all our staff and pupils. Our generators cannot
pump enough water for the whole institution.
“Besides that, fuel shortages are also affecting us
as an institution because even if were to try pumping the water using the
generator, to get enough diesel is a headache because it is not readily
available and it is expensive. We are calling upon authorities to review their
load shedding schedule so that we can have more hours with power even if it is
during the night,” said Mazhunga.