Cotton farmers receiving seeds from Cottco officials at Rutenga growth point

MWENEZI – Cotton output is this year expected to improve more than twofold at the back of rising expectations that the buying price will improve.
In an interview with TellZim News after the handover of seeds to farmers who excelled this season, Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) operations manager, Marjorie Chaniwa said she was happy with the sector’s performance this year.
She said due to moderate rainfall received this year, the cotton output had significantly increased.
“We are still receiving cotton from our farmers here in Mwenezi. Nationally, there is a marked improvement this year as compared to last year. This is mainly due to the moderate rainfall that were received.
“In Mwenezi district, we received a total of 1 300 tonnes of cotton for the whole of last year. This year, we are still collecting but we have already received 3 330 tonnes,” said Chaniwa.
Ward 13 councillor, Takura Mudavose attributed this year’s improved performance in cotton output to the free Presidential Inputs Scheme that was extended to cotton farmers.
“Many farmers are beneficiaries of that arrangement and this greatly contributed to the increase in this year’s cotton output. Owing to huge expenses that are incurred from the planting up to the harvesting stage, several people had abandoned cotton farming. The Presidential inputs were a relief to many farmers,” said Mudavose.
Other farmers said they were not happy with the prices being offered by Cottco, but expressed optimism that brighter days were upon them.
Tinomutenda Malamulele, a farmer in Ward 4, said he was encouraged by the current earnings of between US$120 and US$150 for a bale of cotton.
“I hope cotton farming is going back to its glory days when people would earn a decent living out of the business. Many people here are capable farmers but they had been discouraged by the slave prices of the recent past,” said Malamulele.local

TellZim Reporter

Construction company, Hydrabuilt Private Limited has set up a new brick-moulding plant in Clipsham Views, a significant investment in the city’s nascent construction sector.
The company, which has continued to express confidence in the local building industry despite the tough economic outlook, is now capable of producing tens of thousands of quality bricks per day.
The Clipsham Brickfield boasts a modern automatic state-of-the art brick-moulding machine which churns out such products as common river sand and quarry dust bricks, pavers as well as maxi bricks.
Hydrabuilt started with a smaller brick-making machine in the sprawling suburb of Victoria Ranch back in 2016, but the latest investment has made the company a big player in the industry; producing pre-mium, quality-tested durable bricks.
To provide flexibility to clients, the company accepts all methods of payment and they also offer a drawdown account facility which helps clients to save up on bricks for their home construction.
“Transport services are provided to clients who place their orders with Hydrabuilt, with door to door deliveries being done in as faraway places as Nemanwa,” said Hydrabuilt Clipsham Brickfield opera-tions assistant, Gamuchirayi Gutura.
 “Hydrabuilt’s vision is not only to provide our clients with bricks but to create a culture of integrity, ex-cellence and innovation through the services we provide. Our business model is such that our clients must get the best products and the best services at the most reasonable prices. The people whom we serve must always have a good story to tell to the next person, and must always come back to us for something else,” she said.
The company’s new brick-moulding plant is supplying many homebuilders in such rapidly developing places as Zimre Park, Victoria Ranch and Clipsham Views itself.local

Precila Takabvirakare

MPANDAWANA – Six villagers from Manjengwa, Mubaiwa, Gondongwe and Nyanda villages under Chief Serima were recently arrested for assaulting and kidnapping a police officer and his girlfriend.
The men had accused Yahroostaggae Chiwara (29) and Ruvimbo Moyo (16) of having sexual intercourse in their car near Matizha business centre.
Elisha Maburutse (29), Munashe Mudzamiri (31), Innocent Mapfumo (24), Artwell Hozherai (19), Hillary Nyanda (28) and Last Tavarwisa (24) were charged for kidnap and assault.
They pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody to August 24 for trial.
State facts are that on August 07 this year at around 20:00 hours, Chiwara and Moyo were seated in the car near Matizha business centre when the six accused persons confronted them.
They accused them of having sexual intercourse in the vehicle and told them that they were under arrest for that.
Chiwara then lowered the driver’s window in a bid to respond to what the six were saying but he was pulled out of the car through the window, with Moyo being prevented from escaping.
The six started to hit Moyo and Chiwara with open hands and booted feet several times, with accused number one and three later undressing them and tying them with a canvas rope.
They paraded the two naked persons inside the car and started taking pictures of them. They later drove them to Moyo’s homestead where the two were locked in the hut and beaten with open hands on the back.
A team of police officers and army personnel then arrived at that place after a tip off to rescue the two and the six were arrested.
Samuel Magobeya prosecuted.local

Shingirai Vambe

HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Heroes’ Day blamed the opposition MDC Alliance for the August 01 violence in Harare that led to the army shooting dead at least six people and injuring many more.
Addressing people who gathered at the National Heroes’ Acre on Saturday, Mnangagwa said the killings were unfortunate, adding that violence must not be tolerated in the country.
“On 30th of July 2018, you stood and spoke loudly and clearly. You showed the world that not only could we all campaign in a spirit of peace and tolerance, with parties free to campaign whenever, wherever and, however, they saw fit, we equally demonstrated that we could also hold free and fair elections.
“We, however, condemn the MDC Alliance-inspired violence post our free and fair elections, it resulted in the death of innocent citizens. May their souls rest in eternal peace,” Mnangagwa said.
Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), General Phillip Valerio Sibanda was also quoted blaming the opposition for the deaths.
“Zimbabwe remains secure despite the recent politically-motivated violence that erupted a day after the harmonised elections on 30 July 2018. That notwithstanding, the country has continued to enjoy peace, security and stability during the harmonised elections.
“Had it not been for evil intentions of some opposition political players who went on to incite violent protests, unnecessary loss of life of six people who were caught up in the unfortunate shooting incidents could have been avoided,” he was quoted as saying.
MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa, however, attacked what he called was government’s unwillingness to accept responsibility for its actions.
“The demonstration was done by citizens of Zimbabwe, it was not only our members who participated but the people of Zimbabwe who were calling for a fair and credible result (of the elections) not those artificial results announced by Zec,” Chamisa said.
He also said those killed on the day were not even opposition members but civilians who were going about their everyday business.
“Like that lady who had just closed her shop and on her way to her vehicle, got shot from the back, was she demonstrating?” he queried.local