Mupfumira markets Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination at FITUR

By Byron Mutingwende   Prisca Mupfumira, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has used the International Tourism Fair in Spain (FITUR) to market Zimbabwe as a safe tourist destination.   The platform to address the delegates was her maiden international engagement as the new minister of tourism and especially so in Spain – a…

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Dialogue the best approach towards solving the Palestinian question

By Byron Mutingwende   The Palestinian question can only be addressed adequately through dialogue, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Jacob Mudenda has said. He made the call during the courtesy call by Taghrid Senouar, the Ambassador of Palestine at Parliament Building on 16 January 2018.   “Dialogue is the best approach to the Palestinian…

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Mnangagwa in dress rehearsal regional tour ahead of AU meeting

By Farai Chirimumimba President Emmerson Mnangagwa and team have been forced to do clean-up after ascending to power through the help of a coup and impeachment proceedings that forced Mugabe to resign November 2016. The Harare government has in recent weeks been forced to explain its legitimacy mainly stemming from a number of tweets  by…

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Harare City cements partnership with Munich

By Audrey Rundofa Germany delegates paid a courtesy call to the Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to enhance the existing partnership with the City of Munich. Cllr Manyenyeni met with urban development planning head of mobility section Geiorg-Friendrich Koppen, town planning project management urban history Gerhard Gross and business development emerging markets for Green City Project…

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Children with severe multiple disabilities enjoy a rare treat from ZPHCA

By Byron Mutingwende   The Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) gave children with disabilities a rare treat when it threw a belated Christmas party for them and donated some goodies.   “Some of these do not appear in public. Our friends from China and Mimosa Mining Company donated some groceries, clothes and foodstuffs…

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Tourism drives economy if sector players harness new tactics

By Byron Mutingwende   There is need for a paradigm shift in the approach of doing business within tourism since the sector has great potential to revive the economy.   In her address at the briefing meeting with stakeholders on the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Support facility, Prisca Mupfumira the minister of tourism and hospitality…

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‘Take good care of environment’, ministers of state urged

By Joyce Mukucha The Government of Zimbabwe is looking forward on how a 100-day quick wins programme is faring in response to the directive of His Excellence President Emmerson Mnangagwa to all government organs to implement the initiative, Cabinet minister has said. Speaking during the meeting with the ministers of state on the 11th of…

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Hon Betty Nhambu-Kaseke: MP with a difference

By Byron Mutingwende Honourable Betty Nhambu-Kaseke, the Member of the House of Assembly for Kuwadzana was catapulted into Parliament on a ruling party Zanu (PF) ticket in 2015 following by-elections in the constituency but has brought considerable development in the short space of time she has been in charge of the area. Spiked Online Media…

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2017-18 a dry season for Masvingo province

By Patricia Mashiri Masvingo province is currently experiencing a dry spell compared to the 2016-17 farming season which received high rainfall amounts that resulted in bumper harvests. High temperatures are being experienced in the province with no adequate rains to till the lands. Nomusa Madakadze, the Agritex Extension Officer for Masvingo North Ward 1, in…

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Mismanagement to blame for council’s shoddy service delivery

By Byron Mutingwende   Harare Municipality is facing a myriad of challenges but Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni has put the blame squarely on executive interference and gross mismanagement for the shoddy service delivery.   Speaking during a stakeholder engagement meeting at in Harare on Friday 29 December 2017, Manyenyeni highlighted that the city had no ultimate…

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ARTUZ concerned about placement of CSC under OPC​

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has condemned the recent press proclamation by the Government of Zimbabwe that placed the Civil Service Commission (CSC) under the Office of President and Cabinet (OPC). The teachers’ union said the move undermines principles of good public administration as set out in the constitution and added that…

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Sports drive community development in Mudzi

By Byron Mutingwende   For Magna Mudyiwa, the Member of the House of Assembly for Mudzi West Constituency leadership is a natural calling and the legislator is using sport to unite people for peace and development.   The hardworking legislator is the brain behind the annual Magna Mudyiwa Sports Tournament ever since coming into office…

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Chinese partnership strengthens Zimbabwe’s educational leadership in Africa

By Byron Mutingwende   In a quest to improve the quality of education and consolidate Zimbabwe’s status as the leading country on literacy levels in Africa, a Cabinet minister has proffered a cocktail of measures to improve the sector.   Speaking during the official handover of the Zimbabwe-China Friendship High School in Harare on Thursday…

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ACBF, AUC establish interactive network for strategic partnerships for development

By Byron Mutingwende   The African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the African Union Commission (AUC) have established an interactive network to ensure strategic partnerships to tackle development challenges on the continent.   Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the African Partnership Coordination Platform in Harare on 18 December 2018, Emmanuel Nnadozie, the ACBF Executive…

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Highlighting challenges of PWDs towards sustainable and resilient society

By Byron Mutingwende   Caregivers and members of the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) held a meeting to highlight challenges faced by persons with disabilities and proffer solutions that lead to sustainable and resilient solutions to this marginalised group.   Speaking at a belated commemorative workshop to observe the International Day of Persons…

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Sport serves as a safe zone for vulnerable girls

By Byron Mutingwende   The girl child is the most vulnerable in the community due to a multiplicity of factors, chief among them gender based violence. In an effort to create safe zones for the girl child against this menace, the Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research (ZICHIRe) behaviour change project has introduced sporting activities targeting…

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CSOs should develop local initiatives for resilience building: ZICHIRe

By Byron Mutingwende and Patricia Mashiri In a bid to shun donor dependence and create home grown interventions that build resilience among communities, the Zimbabwe Community Health Intervention Research project (ZiCHIRe) has extended a giving hand to an orphanage in Marondera. In his address while handing over the donation of an assortment of goods sourced…

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Analysis of 2018 national budget statement: a mineral resource governance viewpoint

By Mukasiri Sibanda Introduction If you want to know government’s priorities, don’t be swayed by eloquent speeches from politicians, take a close look at the budget. Plans on how government intends to generate, allocate and spend public revenue in a manner that can hurt or protect the poor are revealed publicly. As Zimbabwe is endowed…

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Govt commits $52 mln to irrigation

By Reason Dube GOVERNMENT has committed US$52, 1 million for the rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation schemes throughout the country with 14 irrigation schemes set to benefit in Masvingo province. In his US5,1 billion 2018  National Budget Statement presented in Harare last week Minister of Finance and Economic Development Patrick Chinamasa underscored the need for…

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Manage livestock properly to ensure food and nutrition security

By Byron Mutingwende   Livestock contributes immensely to food and nutrition security as well as to foreign currency generation and economic growth, hence the importance of managing it properly, it has emerged.   In his address at a meeting of the Inclusive Policy Dialogue for Social Development (IPDSD), Abdul Nyathi, the President of the Zimbabwe…

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Going green a pathway to sustainable growth, productivity and jobs

By Byron Mutingwende   Born and bred in rural Marondera where farmers used organic farming to grow crops, Clive Nyapokoto experienced the hard and intense labour involved in the daily farm activities which sometimes he had to do before going to school in the morning. That background motivated him to come up with innovations to…

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Grassroots women mothers of children with disability grapple with adverse effects of climate change

By Byron Mutingwende   The Global Community is living no stone unturned in their endeavour to develop sustainable community responsive strategies to ensure adaptability and resilience in the wake of extreme hunger and severe poverty. Zimbabwe Parents of the Handicapped Children joined the Global Community in making frantic efforts to ensure grassroots women particularly mothers…

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Economist calls for cut in wasteful recurrent expenditures in health

By Byron Mutingwende   Renowned economist, Prosper Chitambara has said the 2018 National Budget contains pragmatic measures to cut unproductive and wasteful recurrent expenditures while scaling up social and capital expenditures, a situation that provides a solid foundation for medium term development if implemented.   Chitambara was analysing the health implications of the 2018 National…

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Women overcome poverty through food and nutrition security programmes

Women overcome poverty through food and nutrition security programmes   By Byron Mutingwende   Ward 9 and 19 of Chipinge District are role models of successful small-scale farming under the land reform programme. The Food and Nutrition Security Committee (FNSC) initiated programmes saw women in the wards running successful banana, cassava, poultry, dairy and value…

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Livelihoods under threat as Chilonga Irrigation Scheme becomes dysfunctional

By Byron Mutingwende   The drive through Hippo Valley Estates from Chiredzi Town heading towards the south is panoramic and breath-taking. There is a hive of activity as sugar-cane cutters are ferried by huge tractors to and from work. Huge piles of molasses bags are heaped at the Tongaat Hullet Sugar Refinery and in the…

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