By Charles Dhewa In addition to disrupting food supply chains, COVID-19 has presented a pricing headache for smallholder farmers in African countries. If government directs supermarkets to revert back to pre-COVID19 prices they can easily do so because they have a tradition of keeping records on stocks and prices. On the other hand, mass markets…
By Habakkuk Trust Community members in various parts of rural Matabeleland have called on the government to ensure that subsidized mealie meal reaches their communities as they face food insecurity and are in dire need of affordable commodities. Access to subsidized mealie meal has been a source of conflict in most urban areas as citizens…
Through the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States has committed US$3 million from the U.S. Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to support Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 National Preparedness and Response Plan. This new donation brings to over US$6 million the total amount that the United States has committed to…
In her book, “Akarangarirwa Pakukutu” – a Shona Novel, Laizah Singadi reminds humankind that no one chooses to be born with a disability hence the need to treat everyone as equal. “Everyone born with a disability should be respected. They are people like us and are only differently-abled. These people actually possess talents or gifts…
By Golden Maunganidze (MISA Zimbabwe Chairperson) This year’s World Press Freedom Day commemorations on 3 May 2020 come on the backdrop of Zimbabwe’s 40 years of independence and ahead of the 30th anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration in 2021. The Windhoek Declaration which asserts that free media is essential to democracy and a fundamental…
The days drag by slowly in a way that numbs the mind, making it difficult to differentiate each day from the next. Watching TV has lost its thrill, like bubblegum that has stayed in the mouth for too long. The alacrity with which workouts were being done in the early days of lockdown has petered…
VAYA Express, through VAYA Express Medical Deliveries, is now offering free delivery of medical supplies to assist Zimbabweans in need of critical medicines and drugs during the restrictions imposed due the COVID -19 pandemic and beyond. VAYA Express Medical Deliveries is collaborating with Maisha Health fund (formerly Steward Health) to help people in need to…
As the vaccine for coronavirus remains elusive, popular conscious music artists, Beven Masvosva and Walter Mangisi who is popularly known as Man Walle have turned to God for salvation in their latest release song. In their song, “Fight COVID-19”, the artists acknowledge the ravaging impact of the virus that has left the world confused and…
By Avi Selk The latest The mysterious origin of the novel coronavirus is now a matter of international dispute. The U.S. intelligence community concluded the virus is not man-made in a new report, but would not rule out the possibility that it was accidentally released from a virology lab in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak began late last…
By Tatenda Mabara (Researcher) The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all sectors of the global economic ecosystem and the tourism and hospitality sector will experience the most severe impact. This is mainly because tourism is increasingly hypermobile and largely based on interaction among people. Based on the latest COVID19 induced developments such as quarantine measures, travel…
By Ronnie Chisamba in Kadoma A popular music producer in the Kadoma gold mining town has said Zimbabwean artists from all genres should play an instrumental role in the struggle against COVID-19. Founder and owner of Vigo Studio lnt.,Fanuel Kanyonganise (39),a.ka. Fankan, expressed confidence that immense contribution from the art industry would go a long…
By Joyce Mukucha As the world is experiencing unprecedented crises caused by the COVID-19, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry continues to stand with citizens in this difficult time as it commits to support the National fight against the pandemic. In his national clean-up campaign statement, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism,…
By Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association joins all the citizens of Zimbabwe and the world in celebrating the past and present victories of workers while making clear the organisation’s commitment to continue defending the workers’ labour struggles. The 2020 International Workers’ Day is being commemorated under a different atmosphere. The day…
In more developed countries whose economies are better off than most in sub-Saharan Africa, a strong safety net of social programmes, unemployment insurance, and direct payments will make all the difference in the depth of the current COVID-19 induced downturn and will speed up economic recovery. But for poorer countries, and in the short to…
By Community Working Group on Health This year’s national Worker’s Day theme; “Stop Covid-19 Pandemic: Scale-up social protection and dialogue, save jobs and pay a living wage”, befits the current environment which emphasizes stopping the spread of the virus and urging employers to pay wages that sustain families, especially during this lockdown period. It is…
MultiChoice Zimbabwe has sent out a reminder to existing and potential DStv viewers that they should make use of only accredited installers and agents when they need installations or other technical support services. Several customers have reported being given defective or substandard products and inadequate support from people posing as DStv installers and agents, but who…
Op-ed by Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organisation In these times of COVID-19, the big challenge for most of us is how to protect ourselves and our families from the virus and how to hold on to our jobs. For policy-makers that translates into beating the pandemic without doing irreversible damage to the economy in…
By Nyasha Munashe Chiketsani Rap music, whether you like it or not, is the most influential genre of music today. According to The Independent, “Rap has surpassed rock to become the biggest music genre in the United States, according to the end-of-year report published by Nielsen Music in 2017. R&B/Rap represented 24.5 % of all…
By Nyasha Chiketsani Picture this – you’re having a basketball discussion with a group of friends and someone brings up the 2011 NBA Finals. What’s the first thing you’re likely to think about, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks’ incredible performance or LeBron James’ ‘complete meltdown’? Probably the latter. If so, I don’t blame you…
The 21st-century lifestyle forces everyone to stay active and fit. The proverb “Health is Wealth” is more applicable to us now than it had ever been. Regular exercise can help one to stay healthy and enjoy life better. It also reduces the risk of chronic diseases or various ailments caused due to an unhealthy lifestyle….
The Senior Doctors who are stationed at the various Central Hospitals in Zimbabwe have voiced concern with regards to the current approach in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to Dr. Obadiah Moyo, the Minister of Health and Child care dated 26 April 2020, the members of the Zimbabwe Senior Hospital Doctors…
To ramp up the valuable input of physical exercise for people in lockdown, DStv and Virgin Active have partnered to bring viewers workouts designed by the very best instructors and fitness experts from around the world. Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe, said that many gym regulars were housebound during lockdown…
Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe has rebranded its medical insurance business Steward Health to Maisha Health Fund. Announcing the move, Cassava Smartech CEO Mr. Eddie Chibi said the rebranding would reposition the business to reflect its enhanced product packages. “The rebranding reflects our drive to enhance our medical insurance offering to leverage our digital platforms and promote…
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the African Union (AU) and the Government of Rwanda have decided to postpone by one year the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2020) initially set to take place from 1 to 7 September 2020 in Kigali, Rwanda. This decision was endorsed by the IATF2020 Advisory…
WHAT: E-seminar on COVID-19 macro-economic policy planning for Africa WHO: African Development Institute, African Development Bank Group, partners WHEN: Wednesday, 29 April 2020; 14:00 – 1800 The African Development Institute (ADI), jointly with anchor economic policy think-tanks and universities in Africa, including the African Economic Research Consortium, will host a virtual seminar on macro-economic policy…
Humanitarian agencies in Senegal are this week distributing aid as part of an early response to food shortage, which has been caused by the late onset of rainfall last year. This early action will help alleviate the suffering of those affected and reduce the need for them to resort to negative coping actions such as…
To bring youth voices to the forefront of action and policy responses, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, together with its partners, including the UN Major Group for Children and Youth, AIESEC, the European Youth Forum, the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa and the United Nations…
By Joseph Hove Everyone knows our country is in desperate economic and social dire straits. Zimbabwe’s food situation is worsening by the day as more than 4,3 million people will be food insecure by June this year a food crisis a recently released report has revealed. According to the Global Report on Food Crises for…
Leading creative and cultural industries organization Rooftop Promotions’ 13 part television series “Chipo the Gift” continues to screen on the national television ZBCTV every Wednesday between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM. The production whose storyline is derived from real life experiences by way of legal cases from situations encountered by women all over Zimbabwe is…
Businessman Strive Masiyiwa has appealed to the World Bank, the IMF and other multilateral institutions for humanitarian support for Zimbabwe and Sudan in the wake of the economic devastation brought about by the COVID-19 Coronavirus epidemic. Said Masiyiwa in his appeal: “As many of you on this platform know, I have been at the forefront,…
“Rise for All” calls on all leaders to meet the human crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and fully fund the UN Response and Recovery Trust Fund Supporting the UN Secretary-General’s call for solidarity and urgent action in response to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, an initial group of prominent women today joined a global advocacy…
The Ministry of Health and Child Care and UNICEF have made the Official COVID-19 Information Hub available through SMS free for Econet Users. With the support of Econet, access to the Information Hub is available by sending an SMS from any mobile phone. Simply text the word “Hi” to the number 2019. Econet has over…
Zimbabwe remains in the grip of severe food insecurity, with millions of people already requiring humanitarian assistance due to prolonged drought, climate-related shocks, economic deterioration and the situation set to worsen as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads, according to the new Global Food Crisis Report Forecast (GFCRF). The joint report, released by the European Union, FAO, OCHA,…
By Charles Dhewa The majority of developing countries are still to tear themselves away from the colonial set up where major food markets were located in cities or towns in order to provide food for low income people working in formal industries. Under that arrangement food had to travel from rural areas most of which…
Vendors representative associations are concerned about the delays in the payments of the cushioning grants that were supposed to cushion them and informal traders following the COVID-19 lockdown and government-sanctioned demolitions of their working spaces. As a result, they are calling upon government through its relevant ministries to provide information on progress made so far….
The double crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse in oil prices is taking a toll on African economies and the African energy industry. An unstable and precarious oil prices environment has resulted in substantial cuts in state budgets and public spending, in losses of contracts and hundreds of thousands of jobs put at…
By Dumisani Nkomo Villagers in Bulilima Ward 10 face a myriad of challenges in the face of Covid-19 which makes life unbearable. The Ward borders Botswana to the South West of Zimbabwe. Lockdown measures undertaken by the two countries have seen the closure of the Maitengwe border post. The closure of the border has eroded the purchasing…
By Veritas To date, there are now more than two and a half million people who have tested positive for Corona Virus in the world and over one hundred and eighty thousand deaths. In Zimbabwe, the official numbers stand at twenty-eight positives and four deaths. On the 22nd of April 2020, the United Nations Secretary-General (SG) Antonio…
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced a $3-million grant to complement continental efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah, who made the announcement in Cairo, said that the grant was in response to a request by African heads of state, through the auspices of the African Union Chair Person, Cyril Ramaphosa, President…
By Ronnie Chisamba in Kadoma The Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) has condemned the recent attacks on commuters by members of the police and the army, at Waverly Bus Station. Tafadzwa Goliati, the president of PAZ said his organization did not support human violations. He also encouraged travellers to abide by the law to avoid confrontations …
The Adam Molai Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organisation running programmes to ease poverty amongst underprivileged, has come to the rescue of nearly 100 families in Marondera amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the effects of the pandemic being felt globally, the foundation has pushed to continue supporting the communities who need food assistance the most. The…
By Civil Society For Malaria Elimination The malaria affected community and civil society recognize the devastating effect malaria has on the lives of thousands of people each year and would like to reflect on progress, challenges and recommendations as we commemorate World Malaria Day on April 25TH2020. From 2000 to 2015, several countries made tremendous…
Dr. Celestino Dhege, a former Silveira High School student and the Vice President of Infection Control Association of Zimbabwe teamed up with Professor Jacob Mufunda and Dr. Thalia Mungwari on the noble initiative to train health workers on managing COVID-19 in Bikita District. “I offered to provide a three-hour sensitisation for health care workers in…
TelOne and NetOne announced the setting up of a joint COVID 19 response support facility to the tune of ZWL$10million. The two companies extended their business collaboration to establish a sustainable response plan which will benefit three public hospitals namely Sally Mugabe (formerly Harare Hospital), Beatrice Infectious Diseases, and Mpilo Hospitals. Specific areas being funded…
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams are racing to respond to the coronavirus pandemic in the more than 70 countries where we run existing programs, while opening projects in new countries as they become outbreak hotspots. MSF’s response to COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, focuses on three main priorities: Supporting health…
