Civil society challenges complacency of the Kimberley Process

Addressing government and industry representatives in New York on March 3, at the occasion of the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the Role of Diamonds in Fuelling Conflict, the Kimberley Process (KP) Civil Society Coalition (CSC) questioned the often-hailed contribution of the KP to preventing conflict and promoting development. A conflict…

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Agriculture most significant prime-mover of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030: Haritatos

The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Mr Vangelis Haritatos has said that the agricultural sector is the most significant prime-mover of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030. He made the remarks at the two-day consultative workshop on the Enabling Business of Agriculture (EBA), pillar 1 of AGRINVEST Initiative that kicked off in Harare today….

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Reinventing steam power technology for a low-carbon future

As prevalent debates concerning the implementation of carbon neutral sources continue to make headlines, also increasingly rife, is the energy industry’s endeavour to explore a broader array of renewable energy sources including biomass. Great strides have been made in Africa’s development in biomass. Interestingly, Africa has the highest portion of bioenergy, at 45% of the total energy mix,…

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Nimrod Ushe documents rock art sites in Bikita District

Historian and teacher Nimorod Ushe, a native of the area has put pen to paper to document rock sites in the Chikuku area under Bikita District. Below Spiked Online Media reproduces the historian’s perspectives: Chikuku rock sites are located along Masvingo-Mutare highway approximately 33km east of Nyika growth point in Bikita District of Masvingo Province….

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Women Parliamentarians Urged To Consider Vulnerable Groups When Allocating Resources

By Joyce Mukucha Following the Southern African Parliamentary Support Trust (SAPST)’s ongoing implementation of a one-year programme that seeks to enhance meaningful and inclusive citizen participation in parliamentary business, Members of Parliament (MPs) have been challenged to thoroughly analyse and review the budget through effective allocation of resources. This is in line with the dictates…

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UNFPA committed to providing comprehensive SRHR services: Dr. Julitta Onabanjo

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) regional director Dr. Julitta Onabanjo who is on a mission in Zimbabwe after attending the African Regional Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in Victoria Falls has reiterated the UN agency’s commitment towards providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services (SRHR) in the country. The UN Senior Official…

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We must not jeopardise Africa’s future in the name of fighting Climate Change

By NJ Ayuk Pressure is building to phase out fossil fuels in Africa to fight climate change. Organizations ranging from the World Bank to the European Investment Bank (EIB) have dropped support for African fossil fuel production in hopes of encouraging a transition from oil, gas and coal to sustainable energy sources like wind and…

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Coronavirus and Christian Church caught in the middle of Political Game

The rapid proliferation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) resulted in 13 deaths and 1,766 confirmed cases as of February 27 in South Korea. While the cause and solution of the infection are not identified, Shincheonji Church, with over 500 members, has become the target of scapegoating and blame. On February 19 South Korean President Moon Jae-In…

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Catholics take major steps towards promoting justice and peace in Zimbabwe

Expert groups were commissioned to facilitate the mission of the Catholic Church in promoting justice and peace in Zimbabwe.   The Rt. Rev. Rudolph Nyandoro, the Bishop Chairman of the Catholic Commission of Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe (CCJPZ) said the working groups will focus on three thematic areas.   “We shall have the advocacy…

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“African children are our future. It is our responsibility to protect them” – Hon. Chief Charumbira

The Pan-African Parliamentary Forum on Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE) has started ahead of the Sitting of the Permanent Committees in Midrand, South Africa. Jointly convened by the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the PAP, the consultation aims to harness the role of Parliamentarians in policy formulation and ensuring…

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Temba Mliswa brings end to persecution of Joshua Nkomo residents by Billy Rautenbach

Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has brought joy to tormented souls of members of the Joshua Nkomo Housing Cooperative who have endured untold persecution at the hands of controversial businessman Billy Rautenbach.   The residents of Joshua Nkomo Housing Cooperative have not tested peace for a long time. In 2005, their houses were destroyed during the…

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African Parliamentarians to take stock of Online Child Sexual Exploitation

The Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission (AUC) has convened an awareness raising Summit with members of the Pan-African Parliament to tap into their crucial role in policy formulation and ensuring prevention and prosecution of Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE). The meeting is scheduled to take place from 28 to 29 February…

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Forestry delegates call for a regional approach to charcoal governance

Population growth, rapid urbanisation, and energy insecurity, are causing a soaring demand for wood fuel across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that wood fuel is the main source of energy for cooking for over 60% of households in the region, contributing to the food security and nutritional needs of millions of people.  But due to…

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Oxfam Creating a Conducive Environment for Smallholder Farmers

By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu Considering that 70 percent of the population in Africa is constituted by small-holder farmers, Oxfam in conjunction with the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) is working tirelessly to create an enabling environment to transform agriculture markets for the small holder farming households. The main thrust…

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Stephen Chifunyise’s rich legacy earns him festival in his name

The Stephen Chifunyise International Theatre Festival would not have come at a more opportune time than now since the man left a rich legacy in the arts industry. Stephen J Chifunyise died in August 2019 after a life dedicated to creative and cultural expression not only in Zimbabwe but Africa and the wider world through…

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Zimbabwe: AfDB Executive Directors conduct consultative mission, tour project sites

A seven-member delegation of Executive Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) visited Zimbabwe on a week-long fact-finding mission where they held meetings with a number of officials including President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. The delegation also met officials from various ministries, civil society, private sector and multilateral financial institutions, during which they were briefed on…

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Katswe Sistahood working to end violence among religious sectors

By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu. In an effort of continuing to promote access to inclusive sexual and reproductive health and rights and sexual gender based violence information and services in Zimbabwe, Katswe Sistahood continues to spearhead the SASA! Faith journey, a guide to preventing violence against women and HIV prevalence in faith based communities….

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UN bemoans slow pace of poverty reduction in Africa

Noting that Africa has made considerable progress in education, health and other social outcomes, Amina J. Mohammed, the United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary-General has said the pace of poverty reduction is slow on the continent while inclusive growth still remains elusive. Mohammed made the remarks during a Special Session of the Regional Coordination Mechanism for…

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National Youth Day should promote young people participation in governance

Since commemorations for the National Youth Day are coming at a time when the Government of Zimbabwe is proposing allocating 10 parliamentary seats to young people through Constitutional Amendment Number 2 of 2019, Clause 11, Subsection C, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) has called for entrenchment of youths in governance and development…

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More rains expected over the weekend: Meteorological Department

By Anyway Yotamu The rains which have been experienced in recent weeks are expected to continue with the Meteorological Services Department confirming that several parts of the country will receive rainfall this coming weekend. According to latest predictions by the Meteorological Service Department, the rains being experienced in various parts of the country are likely…

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PAP President on Official Visit to Cuba

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Rt. Hon. Roger Nkodo DANG has arrived in Havana, Cuba on a week-long official visit at the request of the Speaker of the Cuban Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Esteban Lazo HERNANDEZ. PAP President kick-started the engagement by paying homage to Cuba’s National Hero with a wreath-laying at the Jose…

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Why policymakers should know the difference between information and news

By Charles Dhewa By confusing information with News, most African countries have neglected vital information that is neither News nor statistics but more important. What is ignored is information that continuously informs and guides socio-economic activities in rural communities. A lot of research has been done in many African communities by several institutions like NGOs,…

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Migration can pose both benefits and challenges: Speaker of National Assembly

Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda has said migration poses both benefits and challenges to society hence the need for better management of the phenomenon. He made the remarks at the Capacity Building Workshop for the Portfolio Committee on Defence, Home Affairs and Security Services and the Thematic Committee on Human Rights at…

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Executive Council urges AU Member States to ratify the Malabo Protocol

The Executive Council of the African Union (AU) has called on Member States to ratify the constitutive act of the AU relating to the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), while congratulating the African countries that have so far heeded the call to empower the continental Parliament with legislative powers. This forms part of the Council’s decisions related…

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Jedidiah Trust rehabilitating and re-integrating inmates into the community

By Byron Mutingwende   Norton-based Jedidiahh Trust is positively impacting society by rehabilitating and re-integrating inmates into the community.   Speaking to Spiked Online Media in Norton, Lovemore Chikwanda the founder and Executive Director of Jedidiah Trust said his organisation came up with this initiative after realising the plight of the incarcerated.   “As Jedidiah…

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FAO Commits to Resuscitating Horticulture Industry

By Joyce Mukucha and Anyway Yotamu In an effort to support the agricultural sector and eradicate hunger and poverty in Zimbabwe, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has handed over a substantial donation to the Horticulture Development Council (HDC), a parastatal which operates under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture,Water,Rural Resettlement. The…

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ZUJ Educates Journalists on Community Reporting

By Joyce Mukucha The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), a media trade union that seeks to protect and promote the rights of journalists as media workers has conducted a two-day training workshop for Harare-based journalists in an attempt to upscale their expertise in accountable governance and community development. The training’s main thrust was aimed at…

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Plays, performing arts should communicate to persons with disabilities

By Lovemore Chazingwa in Kadoma Stakeholders at the Berina Community Arts (BCA)-organised annual strategic planning workshop have called for performing arts and plays that effectively communicate to people living with disabilities, this publication can reveal. The call was made by BCA  director Lloyd Mujuru, to raise awareness to participants at the Mhondoro-Ngezi District focused workshop….

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Why are pathways for uplifting rural communities still missing?

By Charles Dhewa   In spite of presence in rural areas by African governments and development agencies there are still no meaningful pathways for uplifting communities out of poverty.  A recent trend has seen development agencies working through some kind of consortia in one rural district or county but still after three or four years…

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GMAZ absconds Parliamentary Portfolio Committee

By Anyway Yotamu The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) submitted a fourth letter to Parliament in a bid to evade being grilled by legislators under the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement over US$27 million they received from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. GMAZ was set to appear for hearing…

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Justin Trudeau meets African leaders to advance conflict resolution and economic security

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting for African heads of state, foreign ministers and representatives of the United Nations and other multilateral bodies on Monday to discuss ways to secure peace across the continent as a necessary condition for prosperity. Trudeau, the 2020 chair of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission, called for cooperation…

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AU Summit: African leaders call for action to end malnutrition by 2025

Leaders acknowledged the scope of the challenge but sounded a note of optimism African countries have made progress toward eradicating malnutrition and stunting but need to do more to hit United Nations malnutrition targets by 2025. This was the main message of a meeting that took place during the 33rd African Union Summit. Speakers at…

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Need for Government Tertiary College for City of Kadoma

By Lovemore Chazingwa A Constituency Development Interface between Kadoma Central Constituency Member of the House of Assembly (MP) Hon. Muchineripi Chinyanganya that was held recently established that a tertiary learning institution in the mould of either an agricultural, teachers’ or polytechnic college is destined for the City of Kadoma in the near future. The constituency…

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Stakeholders commemorate World Wetlands Day

The Environmental Management Agency, Birdlife Zimbabwe, NetOne, and Haka Game Park, among other stakeholders have joined hands in commemorating the belated World Wetlands Day under the theme, “Wetlands and Biodiversity.” This day marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, therefore the…

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UNFCCC expert commends Zimbabwe’s stakeholder collaboration on inventory reports

Mr. William Kojo Agyemang-Bonsu, the Manager of the Mitigation and Transparency Support (Mitigation, Data and Analysis) unit of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat has commended Zimbabwe stakeholder collaboration towards coming up with quality greenhouse gases inventory reports.   “As per our assessment, the work that has been carried out is fair in the sense…

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Low hanging fruits under climate communication: Expert

Mr. Alois Tsiga, the Project Coordinator for the Fourth National Communications and First Biennial Update under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for Zimbabwe has said there are low hanging fruits for the country in complying with such requirements. Speaking to Spiked Online Media in Harare today, Mr. Tsiga revealed that national…

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SAfAIDS Continues to Strengthen and Support HIV Prevention Response

By Joyce Mukucha As the Southern Africa HIV and AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SafAIDS) in collaboration with other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Government officials, policy makers, beneficiaries and implementing partners launched the 2019 Zimbabwe HIV Prevention Shadow Report, a plethora of recommendations have been made for Zimbabwe to meet the global and national prevention response…

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Cellulant Corporation Taps Technology to Block Wastages in Agric Value Chain in Africa

Cellulant Corporation (www.Cellulant.com) – the pan-African technology company – has empowered Africa’s agriculture sector with the hosting of its inaugural partners’ summit in Lagos, Nigeria and the assurance to leverage on technology to help block inefficiency and wastages in Africa’s Agric value chain courtesy of its improved payment and marketplace solutions, Tingg and Agrikore. Tingg,…

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Masiyiwa urges unity of purpose in fight against Coronavirus

Econet Founder and Group Chairman Strive Masiyiwa has urged businesses to join hands with Government to fight the Coronavirus outbreak. Writing on his Facebook blog, Masiyiwa called on people to lay aside their differences and combat the outbreak, which the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency. Masiyiwa wrote: #Chinese Businesses are on…

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