By Joyce Mukucha The Office of the Provincial Development Coordinator for Harare Metropolitan Province in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC) has noted with concern the recent unwarranted power outages being caused by overgrown trees and illegal settlements. Following this, residents have been urged to trim trees and remove building structures that…
For those in the business of shipping and grain, 2020 was a rollercoaster ride. Second-quarter lockdowns prompted demand for some grain-based products to spike as consumers stockpiled and splurged on specific goods, including specialty flours. However, overall global economic demand for most commodities fell precipitously, and bulk carrier shipping spot and time charter rates slumped…
By Dr Raymond Chamba It is well. The story of Zimbabwe can never be complete without folks realizing at last that when it comes to this amazing nation now pitifully hobbled with ineptitude, administrative indifference, corruption, sanctions, and general loss of confidence in our greatness….nomatter what we feel, or think – we are sleeping on,…
By Believe Tevera Tobacco contract farming in Zimbabwe does not benefit the ordinary farmer, as it turns farmers into slaves to enrich the Contracting Companies. Farmers are turned into disguised workers for the contracting companies and they are always in debt, leaving them without surplus money to recapitalize and survive. The contracting companies do not…
By Veritas Both the Senate and the National Assembly sat this afternoon, Tuesday 16th February, for their first working sittings of 2021 after their earlier token sitting in late January and early February, respectively. COVID-19 restrictions will be observed at this week’s sittings, so only a very limited number of Senators and MPs will be physically…
Zimbabwe have selected a youthful squad to face Afghanistan in two Tests and three T20 international matches in Abu Dhabi. Tarisai Musakanda, who had not played another Test match since he made his debut away to Sri Lanka in July 2017, has bounced back to reclaim his place in the national side following some impressive…
By Doctors Without Borders (MSF) Following a recent spike in COVID-19-related cases and deaths, Zimbabwe’s already struggling health system is buckling under the pressure. In several facilities, health workers are operating without adequate PPE, medication, equipment and oxygen and, with an existing and ongoing shortage of nurses and doctors, most health centres are unable to operate at…
By Charles Dhewa When policy makers, development agencies, the private sector and ordinary people talk about agricultural markets, they rarely talk about consumer power. There is often too much emphasis on producers, financing, cold chain, transportation, value addition and processing, yet all these are meaningless if efforts are not devoted to understanding the consumer base. Farmers and…
The power sector accounts for up to 41 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions today, with Africa contributing about 2-3%. In parallel, there are still over 580 million people on the continent who do not have access to reliable energy and the demand for electricity is expected to continue to grow as populations increase, industrialization…
The high quality of cameras on smartphones these days mean that you no longer need a professional camera in order to create a masterpiece video. This was proven at the 2020, 48 Hour Film Project competition, held in Durban, where 50 aspiring filmmakers were tasked with creating a short film over a weekend. The competing…
As Zimbabwe begins its Covid-19 vaccination programme, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has extended the national lockdown by a further two weeks as a measure to curtail the spread of the virus as well as reducing new infections. Addressing the nation from the State House yesterday, President Mnangagwa said, however, despite high profile deaths, there’s been a…
By Bernard Marr We certainly have a global food challenge that is exacerbated by environmental concerns. But could new technology such as artificial intelligence, machine vision, and 5G networks help us find a solution? Norwegian salmon farming company Cermaq has launched its first-of-its-kind iFarm project. This five-year experiment will run until 2025 with tech partners BioSort and…
By Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development Notable Issues This Week: Policy and Regulatory Issues ARREST OF KAGONYE, A TEST CASE FOR SACU ON LAND BARONS The Newsday reported that the former Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Petronella Kagonye was arrested by the ZRP working with the Special Anti-Corruption Unit for alleged illegal land…
The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe has called upon the government to prioritise and also include journalists among the first priority groups listed for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout programme. The media representative body said its request is informed by the fact that the media was declared an essential service in terms of Zimbabwe’s…
The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent national lockdowns have underlined the importance of reliable data services in keeping people, communities, businesses and the nation at large connected, and in ensuring essential commercial and public services continue unhindered. Authorities have had to impose lockdowns to arrest the spread of the deadly coronavirus, with recorded cumulative cases…
By Joyce Mukucha In spite of the evolving world with some women beginning to experience equality in different circles of life, in other parts of societies around the globe, other women are still deprived of the privilege of equal participation particularly on the African continent and rural Zimbabwe is not being spared. Many of the…
By Joyce Mukucha The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the highest decision-making body on environmental issues is set to commence its 5th Session, virtually from the 22nd to the 26th of February 2021. This session is preceded by the Open-Ended Committee of Permanent Representatives (OEPCR) to which Zimbabwe is a party to which is kick-starting…
By Joyce Mukucha Despite decades of scientific advances in prevention and treatment, as well as widespread awareness-raising efforts, irrational fears of HIV infection and negative attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLWHIV) continue to be rampant and are a persistent barrier to addressing the epidemic. Realising how bad and different PLWHIV are treated be it…
With the world having gone crazy right now, there’s no time like the present to celebrate love even in the smallest of ways. So be different this year, forget about those traditional gifts of flowers, diamonds and chocolates, find other ways to spoil your loved ones, and above all don’t forget to spoil yourself. Although…
By Last Tarabuku As we remember the great leader Morgan Richard Tsvangirai I have a few contributions of how I know him. My contribution is based on my experience as technical staff. I will reserve the rest on his work as a trade unionist to politicians. I hope one day his history will be properly…
Following attacks for purportedly insinuating that he would use his parliamentarian privilege to lobby for tighter controls on journalistic practice, Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has said the media took him out of context. “I was registering my displeasure at the way Elias Mambo, the Editor of Zim Morning Post had allowed a one-sided story in…
By Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development The need for clear policies in Zimbabwe cannot be over-emphasized and the need for the COVID-19 vaccine being a topical issue is included.Whilst fighting for control of the virus, the government should be cognizant of the fact that active cases also need resourcing therefore the loud and clear…
The African Development Bank’s (www.AfDB.org) Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) program has agreed a partnership with the African Guarantee Fund (AGF) to unlock $1.3 to 2 billion in loans to women-owned Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa, by working with financial institutions to enhance their ability to lend to women….
By Grace Goodrich In addition to sizable gas reserves found offshore, Mozambique is home to commercially significant deposits of coal, gold, graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, titanium, copper, tantalum and bauxite, to name a few. While COVID-19 may have disrupted mining operations in terms of site closures and reduced export earnings, demand for precious minerals and…
The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) has reiterated the important role played by the radio as a critical conduit for information dissemination on various issues including the COVID-19 pandemic. The statement comes as the World celebrates the 10th edition of World Radio Day today, with the Government of Zimbabwe having recently licensed the…
The United Nations (UN) Women Executive Board is set to convene for this year’s First Regular Session from Monday 15 to Tuesday 16 February 2021, remotely via the Zoom Platform. In a press release yesterday, it has been highlighted that a two-day- meeting will see UN Women presenting a plethora of issues, activities and overviews…
As Government is aiming to acquire 3 000 tractors this year from the John Deere and Belarus schemes to meet the country’s requirement of between 12 000 and 15 000 units to produce more yields, it has considered expanding and enhancing the farming capacity at the University of Zimbabwe. The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries,…
Joseph Waring Double-digit growth in Australian iPhone sales in the second half of 2020 fuelled a modest rise in the overall market despite lower Android demand, data from analyst company Telsyte showed. Sales increased 3 per cent year-on-year to 4.55 million units, with iPhones 12 per cent higher at 2.1 million units and Android down…
The Rugby Africa (RA) [www.RugbyAfrique.com] Referee Committee, formally launched at its inaugural meeting in December, was founded to – amongst others – establish an African referee panel, monitor its growth and development, further the development of African match officials and monitor the Laws of the Game and playing trends on the continent. “The Referee Committee…
By Temba Mliswa Good morning to all here present, and those watching or listening online, thank you for your time in joining me this morning. My fellow Zimbabweans and compatriots, I have been following the recent disquiet on social media, where my name has been maliciously tarred with and smeared by a host of litigious…
Students from the Mathare community in Kenya are set to receive a film or photography scholarship from Canon Central and North Africa (CCNA) [www.Canon-CNA.com] as part of a social media campaign raising awareness to the importance of skills development among young people. The project is part of Canon’s Miraisha Programme, an initiative focused on delivering…
By Joyce Mukucha The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Holdings has advised members of the public and its valued customers that they were making concerted efforts to restore adequate power supply to the national grid. This follows a limited power supply on the national grid due to the fire that broke out at one of…
Following the millions of hectares that were repossessed by the black majority during the land reform programme, the Government has assured the nation that there will be sufficient maize through the food self sufficiency programmes. The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Dr. Anxious Masuka said this year, the nation will have…
By Joyce Mukucha The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Liaison Office with the United Nations (UN) in New York in collaboration with Emerging Ag Inc, governments, non-governmental organizations, and all other relevant stakeholders yesterday held a virtual event to celebrate World Pulses Day. The event which was aimed at raising awareness and recognising the contribution…
Firebrand politician, Temba Mliswa, who is the legislator for Norton has laid blame on state security agents led by Minister Owen Ncube for putting his name into disrepute. Speaking to this publication soon after his release from Borrowdale Police Station following his arrest for holding an illegal meeting earlier today that allegedly breached lockdown regulations,…
Combined Harare Residents Association The Combined Harare Residents Association condemns the intention by Harare City Council to demolish tuck-shops at a time when the Zimbabwean economy is in dire straits and heavily informalized due to lack of employment. The proposed demolitions are a clear war against livelihoods and aiming at further impoverishing the already suffering…
Learn while you have fun, this is the motto of Heroes 2! On this app, designed for smartphones, the most prominent Bible characters ask you interactive questions about their lives. The game will be resealed on March 25th, completely for free, as a tool to curb secularism and Bible illiteracy. Available for Android and iOS,…
Throughout the month of February, discounts, coupons, and free subscriptions are up for grabs for users who own a Huawei device and have a HUAWEI ID. You can enjoy a wealth of HUAWEI Mobile Services benefits with just one click. These spectacular deals are available across five of Huawei’s applications, including the following: HUAWEI Themes: Get…
US-based The @ Company (The At Company) is bringing the @protocol Appathon II to Zimbabwe, targeting young developers and technology enthusiasts. The challenge: to build innovative consumer applications on @protocol, an open, permission-based protocol that makes great user experience and automatic privacy compliance easy. This initiative, being run in association with the Computer Association of…
By Joyce Mukucha The world’s biodiversity is under threat with the southern Amazon region experiencing excessive deforestation which has converted swaths of land from rainforest to farmland, reports, and studies revealed. According to Eduardo Maeda and colleagues from the University of Helsinki, areas of commodity farming are experiencing a much higher increase in temperature, in…
By Joyce Mukucha Morocco made history at the weekend when they became the first team to win the Total African Nations Championship (CHAN) back-to-back after beating Mali 2-0 in the final played in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The CHAN triumph is by no means a fluke, but the result of painstaking planning, excellent administration, and clarity of…
UNITLIFE, the United Nations initiative dedicated to fighting chronic malnutrition through innovation, and the Ecobank Group’s Foundation (www.EcobankFoundation.org) – the pan-African banking group with operations in 33 countries across the continent-announce the launch of the “Make the Connection” campaign, which aims to raise awareness and funds to prevent chronic malnutrition in Africa. 144 million children…
Famous traditional healer, Sekuru Banda has come to the rescue of comedian Kapfupi and other musicians struggling under the COVID-19-induced hardships by opening grocery shops and starting income generating projects for them. The initiative is part of Sekuru Banda’s extension of an olive branch to musicians who have gone for more than a year without…
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has extended financial support to a project that will strengthen the efforts of West African countries to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) targets under the Paris climate accord. The Bank will underwrite the preparation of concept notes exploring the use of internationally transferable mitigation outcomes (ITMOs) in selected West…
The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres said 2021 is a crucial year for climate change, UN News revealed. He made these remarks on Monday when he was speaking to a Member States meeting as part of the preparations towards the latest annual UN climate conference, known as COP26, which will be held in Glasgow,…
