Econet denies reports that it's stopping cyclone relief efforts

Econet denies reports that it’s stopping cyclone relief efforts

Econet Wireless has not withdrawn its relief effort operations to victims of Cyclone Idai because of alleged political interferences, contrary to some reports.  In a statement, Econet said it was continuing with its relief work, and its teams had as of Tuesday March 26, 2019, carried out the highest number of missions in a single…

Read More
New Crypto Wallet Service Bringing Digital Currency to WhatsApp Users

New Crypto Wallet Service Bringing Digital Currency to WhatsApp Users

In an effort to promote the widespread adoption of crypto, a team of developers have created a wallet that will allow its users to access digital currency services from within their favourite messaging applications such as WhatsApp. Using the Wuabit service users will soon be able to send, receive, trade, and perform other tasks relating to…

Read More
Masawara Group hands over relief packs for 500 families

Masawara Group hands over relief packs for 500 families

Companies in the Masawara Group on Friday (22 March) handed over relief packs to Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Sekai Nzenza and Deputy Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Jennifer Mhlanga to help those affected by Cyclone Idai. The Masawara Group is made up of the Zimnat Insurance Group, Cresta Group…

Read More
AMF Donations: A Heartfelt Endless Support Towards Cyclone Idai Victims

AMF Donations: A Heartfelt Endless Support Towards Cyclone Idai Victims

By Tendai Guvamombe The Adam Molai Foundation a local private voluntary organisation registered with the ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare recently proved that life is meaningless without access to good health services when they roped in medical doctors and other related facilities aimed at assisting Cyclone Idai victims. President Mnangagwa declared last…

Read More
When poor communities start asking searching questions

When poor communities start asking searching questions

By Charles Dhewa Although rural communities in Africa may not directly push-back donor support, murmurings of dissatisfaction with some development interventions are getting louder. Such concerns are being expressed when farmers meet in markets and farming areas. Some community leaders are mastering the courage to loudly reflect on how long they will continue relying on…

Read More
COM2019 covers Policy, Trade and the Private Sector in the Digital Era

COM2019 covers Policy, Trade and the Private Sector in the Digital Era

The annual Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development – COM2019 (www.UNECA.org/CFM2019) – kicked off in Marrakesh on Wednesday, with emphasis on the importance of digitalisation in enhancing African economies as the continent celebrates the first anniversary of the highly hailed and historic signing of the Africa Continental…

Read More
PESLawyers petition Parliament for wildlife trade transparency

PESLawyers petition Parliament for wildlife trade transparency

The People and Earth Solidarity Law Network (PESLawyers) with the support of environmental and wildlife organisations in Zimbabwe, petitioned Parliament of Zimbabwe on 21 March 2019 requesting that information and decisions concerning the export of Zimbabwean elephants, rhinos and other wildlife be made transparent and accessible to the public. The organisations supporting the petition include…

Read More
TelOne, NetOne to be Privatised

TelOne, NetOne to be Privatised

Government has intensified efforts to partially privatise telecommunication companies Telone and NetOne and is offering the two entities to potential investors as a joint package. Cabinet yesterday gave the nod to this arrangement after a presentation by Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube. Public enterprise reforms are espoused in Government’s Transitional Stabilisation Programme…

Read More

Foreign Partners Desert Telecom Firms Due to Inability to meet Payment Obligations in Foreign Currency.

Zimbabwe’s telecommunications companies are being deserted by their foreign partners that service and upgrade their systems due to inability to meet payment obligations in foreign currency. Telecommunication companies are not being prioritized in terms of foreign currency allocations by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), which has resulted in recent network problems. However, the regulator…

Read More
WhatsApp Business App Rollout Begins for iOS Devices

WhatsApp Business App Rollout Begins for iOS Devices

WhatsApp Business, a separate version of WhatsApp that’s designed to allow businesses to communicate with their customers, has begun to launch on iOS. WABetaInforeports that it discovered the app on the Mexican App Store, and users have subsequently reported that the app is also available in France and Brazil. WhatsApp Business was first released on Android…

Read More
Ecobank Academy, ICRC partnership boosts leadership capabilities

Ecobank Academy, ICRC partnership boosts leadership capabilities

Ecobank (www.Ecobank.com) is proud to announce that its prestigious Ecobank Academy will be training 150 senior leaders of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) from 45 African countries this week to strengthen their leadership skills with regard to helping the communities they serve. The IFRC is leveraging its partnership with…

Read More
Zimbabwe has no sound leadership: Joseph Busha

Zimbabwe has no sound leadership: Joseph Busha

By Tendai Guvamombe Free Zim Congress political party leader Joseph Makamba Busha has said Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s government has failed dismally to act diligently and proffer solutions to myriad challenges due to leadership inadequacy. Addressing members of the media on 20 March 2019 in the Harare, Free Zim Congress leader took time to reflect on…

Read More
Washington Mkombodzi Creates a Free Online Shopping Application, ZimexApp

Washington Mkombodzi Creates a Free Online Shopping Application, ZimexApp

Washington Mkombodzi has created a free online shopping application, ZimexApp which provides a virtual platform for small businesses (SMEs) to reach out to the market. Mkombodzi said he saw the need for a central place that would allow people in Zimbabwe to post and list their products because the internet has become the main information…

Read More

UN Emergency Fund allocates $20 million to Cyclone Idai

UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock yesterday allocated US$20 million from the United Nations’ Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to ramp up the humanitarian response to Tropical Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The bulk of the funding will kickstart the response in worst-hit Mozambique. The cyclone made landfall near Beira City, Sofala Province in…

Read More
Don't miss 12th Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo: ZTA

Don’t miss 12th Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Expo: ZTA

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has announced this year’s dates of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. Speaking at a press conference in Harare yesterday, Acting Chief Executive of the regulatory authority Rita Likukuma said the Fair will be held from 12 – 14 September 2019 at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre.  Likukuma said the registration has opened and…

Read More
Kwese TV Receives Permission to Broadcast TV Channels in South Africa

Kwese TV Receives Permission to Broadcast TV Channels in South Africa

South Africa’s industry regulator Icasa announced that Kwese has successfully applied for a free-to-air television broadcasting licence, allowing the company to launch free-to-air TV services, like those operated by the SABC and Etv, in South Africa. Icasa also issued Kwese Free TV with a radio frequency licence on the DT multiplex MUX 3. This means…

Read More
Afreximbank Proffers Factoring to Ease Access to Financing for African SMEs

Afreximbank Proffers Factoring to Ease Access to Financing for African SMEs

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has made the case for factoring as a viable and sustainable solution to address the challenge of access to financing which is hindering the growth of Africa’s small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs). Kanayo Awani, Managing Director of the Intra-African Trade Initiative at Afreximbank, said on 12 March during a factoring…

Read More
Apple Releases Latest iPad Air and iPad Mini, both with Pencil support and faster A12 processor

Apple Releases Latest iPad Air and iPad Mini, both with Pencil support and faster A12 processor

One week before it’s expected to lift the curtain on a long-rumored video streaming service at an event on March 25, Apple announced two new iPads.  Starting at $499 (£479, AU$779), the new iPad Air features a 10.5-inch Retina display and the same A12 Bionic processor used in the iPhone XS. The new $399 (£399, AU$599) iPad Mini will…

Read More
Jacob Mutisi

Zimbabwe’s Payment Systems Hit By Forex Shortages

Zimbabwe’s payments ecosystem faces collapse as players in the sector are failing to pay licensed and maintenance fees to foreign service providers. In recent weeks, the banking systems, which heavily rely on telecoms infrastructure, have come under strain with services being constantly disrupted. Zimbabwe Information and Communication Technologies (ZICT) Chairman Jacob Mutisi said the country…

Read More

What if policies are highly over-rated?

By Charles Dhewa Policy makers in developing countries are often blamed for lacking the vision to craft appropriate agricultural policies that can guarantee food security and better standards of living for their people. While  good policies are considered magic bullets, there is no sufficient proof that countries that have developed their economies have done so…

Read More

Our network won’t collapse: Econet

Econet Wireless has issued a statement denying reports that its network faces collapse due to the non-payment of a foreign debt to a network platform supplier.  Media reports doing the rounds are that a $17 million foreign currency payment outstanding to Swedish telecommunications multinational Ericsson is at the centre of Econet’s troubles after the Reserve…

Read More

Youths, women urged to become drivers of green and decent jobs

By Byron Mutingwende The Simuka-Phakama 2018 Green enterPRIZE Innovation Challenge is creating a platform for green enterprise development and eco-innovation to thrive Zimbabwe by empowering the citizens and businesses, particularly the youth and women, to become drivers of green and decent jobs creation. By facilitating their access to a tailored business development programme, supported by…

Read More

Local Poultry Group in Dire need of Land

Tendai Guvamombe As the national economy continues on a free fall, many people are now increasingly embracing entrepreneurship through various activities in order to make ends meet. A survey conducted by Spiked Online Media at various places in Harare like Glen Norah, Budiriro and Hopely indicates that many people have drastically changed the traditional narrative…

Read More

Top Gamer Tyler Blevins ‘Ninja’ Made $1 Million to Promote EA’s ‘Apex Legends’ Launch

What are a few hours playing videogames and a handful of tweets worth? $1 million if you are Tyler Blevins, known to millions as “Ninja,” the world’s most-followed computer gamer. Blevins was one of a few select professionals with huge followings pulled in by videogame giant Electronic Arts Inc to play and promote its latest…

Read More
YouTube Music Launches in South Africa

YouTube Music Launches in South Africa

YouTube has announced the launch of YouTube Music in South Africa. The new music streaming service offers music videos, official albums, singles, remixes, live performances, and covers from YouTube. While fans can enjoy the new ad-supported version of YouTube Music for free, YouTube has also announced YouTube Music Premium, a paid membership that gives you…

Read More
Safaricom's M-Pesa Partners With AliExpress to Enable Kenyan Shoppers to Make Payments Online

Safaricom’s M-Pesa Partners With AliExpress to Enable Kenyan Shoppers to Make Payments Online

Kenya’s Safaricom recently revealed that it had secured a deal to use its M-Pesa mobile payment service for online shopping on one of Alibaba’s platforms, part of a move to expand its most profitable product beyond Kenya. AliExpress customers in Kenya can now pay for goods using M-Pesa following a partnership deal with Safaricom and…

Read More
AfDB pledges US$ 25 billion to climate finance for 2020-2025, doubling its commitments

AfDB pledges US$ 25 billion to climate finance for 2020-2025, doubling its commitments

The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) will double its climate finance commitments for the period 2020-2025, the Bank’s President announced today at the One Planet Summit taking place in Nairobi. Akinwumi A. Adesina said that the Bank would commit at least US$25 billion towards climate finance. Speaking at a plenary in the presence of Heads of…

Read More
ICSAZ members urged to contribute to nation’s 2030 Vision

ICSAZ members urged to contribute to nation’s 2030 Vision

Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in Zimbabwe president Letitia Gaga has called on chartered secretaries, many of whom are in key executive positions, to contribute to bringing to fruition government’s vision of making Zimbabwe an upper-middle class economy by 2030. Addressing members of the Institute’s Harare branch on Tuesday (March 12), Mrs Gaga said…

Read More
Touch Road, Mashonaland Holdings in luxury accommodation deal

Touch Road, Mashonaland Holdings in luxury accommodation deal

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mashonaland Holding Limited and Touchroad International Holdings Group will see Harare getting a new five-star luxury accommodation. The development is a significant one as it comes at a time the Tourism Industry in Harare is in dire need for revitalisation, new offerings and above all need additional luxury hotels,…

Read More
Econet launches international business process outsourcing centre

Econet launches international business process outsourcing centre

OmniContact centre to help organisations focus on their core business activities, reduce costs The Econet group today unveiled the OmniContact  – a standalone ‘business process outsourcing’ (BPO) unit that will offer local and foreign businesses, both private and public enterprises, a wide range of specialised outsourced services, designed to free them to focus on their…

Read More

Sierra Leone President to Chair the 6th International Africa Development Forum

President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, has been announced as the guest of honour and chair of the 6th International Africa Development Forum (FIAD) Africa’s leading investment promotion and intra-African trade event – taking place in Casablanca on 14 and 15 March, it has been confirmed. The Forum, held under the patronage of Morocco’s King Mohammed…

Read More
Vaya extends digital platform to ambulance service

Vaya extends digital platform to ambulance service

Getting an ambulance anywhere in Zimbabwe will now be as easy and as  simple as a click on your mobile phone following the launch of Vaya Ambulance service today.  The launch follows research by Vaya – a subsidiary Cassava-On-Demand Services –  that revealed that there were over 130 active ambulances in the country operated by…

Read More
POTRAZ Director-General Gift Machengete Trial Postponed To Next Week

POTRAZ Director-General Gift Machengete Trial Postponed To Next Week

The trial of Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, POTRAZ Director-General Gift Machengete who is being charged of criminal abuse of office failed to kick start yesterday as his lawyer Selby Hwacha told the court his client was attending a business conference in Victoria Falls. George Manokore representing the state consented to a postponement to the…

Read More