Students for UJ on government scholarship urged to fly Zim flag high

By Byron Mutingwende   Students heading for University of Johannesburg (UJ) have been urged to raise the Zimbabwean flag by excelling academically so that they will come back to participate in the rebuilding of the economy.   Minister of State for Government Scholarships in the Office of the President and Cabinet Christopher Mushowe made the…

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JCI spearheading youths empowerment programmes

By Byron Mutingwende   The Junior Chamber International Zimbabwe (JCI) is spearheading youth empowerment projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This emerged at the 2018 official opening of the organisation’s Harare chapter that was officiated by Prisca Mupfumira, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality on 24 January 2018.   “I am indeed…

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BitMari: Pan African technological giants contributing to economic growth

By Byron Mutingwende   The Pan-African technological giants BitMari are playing an important role of assisting those in the diaspora to remit money back home at affordable rates in pursuit of growing the economy. In June 2017 BitMari partnered with the Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe (Agribank) to integrate Bitcoin and Blockchain technology into consumer offerings….

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Attaining energy sector vision impeded by challenges

By Byron Mutingwende   The noble undertaking of working towards the vision of achieving universal access to sustainable energy in Zimbabwe is being impeded by a plethora of challenges that require urgent attention.   This appeared at a meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy held in the Senate Chamber with the minister…

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Social Media and National building in Zimbabwe

By Pauline Hurungudo Within the political discourse, many strategies have been used to bring about change and push the development agenda throughout the world. Social Media networks have emerged as effective tools and have since synthesised the globe and people by bridging the continental distance influencing national discourses. Their political role is no longer debatable…

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Chitando lays out mining sector revival plans

By Byron Mutingwende   Winston Chitando, the technocrat that President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed as minister of mines and mining development has laid out a revival plan for the sector.   Chitando revealed that during the deliberations on oral evidence from his sector, boards and parastatatals on the ministry’s plans and programmes to address the urgent…

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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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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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Econet extends customer and market leadership

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the country’s largest mobile network operator, says it welcomes the third quarter (Q3) telecom sector report published by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) on Thursday 7 December 2017.   The report, published on a quarterly basis by the industry regulator, shows Econet extending its mobile market leadership and…

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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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Youths survive on green economy

By Patricia Mashiri No one has ever dreamt that waste management and recycling would be someones’s passion. Tinashe Manyonga a 29 year-old social entrepreneur started his green economy journey few years back. He studied for a degree in Crop science at the University of Zimbabwe before he turned to waste management and recycling. Manyonga who…

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Industries harnessing SDGs for resource efficiency and low carbon development

By Byron Mutingwende and Patricia Mashiri   Zimbabwe is moving towards embracing a green economy through harnessing of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs0 for resource efficient and low carbon development.   Speaking at the Business Council for Sustainable Development in Zimbabwe (BCSDZ) annual conference at Cresta Lodge in Harare, Cecilia Ndwabe, the manager is in…

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EcoCash signs up more banks, pushes for total integrated mobile financial services

By Byron Mutingwende Popular mobile money service, EcoCash, has integrated with MBCA Bank Limited, bringing to 11 the number of banks directly integrated with the mobile financial transacting system.   A company spokesman yesterday confirmed the integration, saying the development was set to offer EcoCash and MBCA customers more convenience, choice and flexibility.   “We…

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Districts linked to food and nutrition security information system

By Byron Mutingwende   The government has launched the “district risk profiles” in a bid to ensure a national integrated food and nutrition security information system that provides timely and reliable information on the food and nutrition security situation and the effectiveness of programmes and informs decision-making.   In his speech during the launch at…

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Econet’s “Swipe into Ecocash” boosts financial inclusion

By Byron Mutingwende   The launch of Econet’s “Swipe into Ecocash” facility today (Wednesday 25 October 2017) is set to improve financial inclusion among Zimbabweans battling a crippling liquidity crisis.   Natalie Jabangwe-Morris, the Ecocash Manager, speaking during the launch said Ecocash is indeed Zimbabwe’s largest mobile money platform, driving 98 per cent of mobile…

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Econet leads Zimbabwe’s telecommunication sector

By Byron Mutingwende Telecom regulator Potraz releases quarterly industry report Econet maintains top spot in mobile sector   The local telecommunications regulator, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) has just released its second quarter report (covering May to July 2017) highlighting how the sector’s performance, based on how key players in the industry performed…

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UN spearheading resilience uptake in Masvingo

By Byron Mutingwende   Resilience science involves bringing together multiple strategies targeting a variety of stakeholders who are affected differently by the shocks that arise out of the negative effects of climate change. True to its modus operandi, the United Nations (UN) Zimbabwe team toured Masvingo Province to ensure communities embrace this phenomenon.   To…

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Zimbabwe concerned about increase in antimicrobial resistance

By Patricia Mashiri Zimbabwe is concerned bout the significant growth of resistance to infections like TB and malaria, which is generally known as antimicrobial resistance. The Ministry of Health and Childcare has launched the Zimbabwe Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) National Action Plan and the Situation Analysis Report under the theme “Together as one Health in the…

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Innovative Farming Benefits Thousands in Rural Zimbabwe

Over 170 000 farmers have benefitted from an innovative research for development project which focuses on small scale mixed crop and livestock meant to improve their food and nutritional security. The project which was begun in 2012 brings new innovative ways to farming and has already resulted in improved nutrition and an ending to perennial…

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College students urged to develop scientific and technological innovations

By Tinashe Gwarazimba and Tinotenda Mapfumo   Harare Polytechnic students have been urged to be innovative by coming up with innovative ideas that bring about technological improvements.   This is because for a country that largely relies on imports for most of its products, any homegrown solution to homegrown problems is a welcome development.  …

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NDCs among strategies to address climate change challenges

By Byron Mutingwende   The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are among the strategies aimed at addressing the challenges associated with climate change.   Climate change has the potential to impact negatively on almost all sectors of the economy. Zimbabwe like other African countries has been experiencing impacts of climate change which includes severe floods, frequent…

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Econet’s Elevate youth empowerment initiative creates employment

Unveils $600-per-month youth job opportunity Programme set to create thousands of jobs   Elevate Club, a youth empowerment initiative supported by the Econet Group, has launched the Elevate Virtual Agent Programme (EVAP) which is set to deliver thousands of jobs for young Zimbabweans and create the opportunity for its members to earn up to $600…

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Renewable energy drives sustainable development, eradicates poverty

By Byron Mutingwende and Patricia Mashiri   Renewable energy is now at the centre of global efforts of moving towards greener economies, sustainable development and poverty eradication, a senior government official has said.   Speaking at the meeting for nexus ministries in Harare on 31 August 2017, Patson Mbiriri, the Permanent Secretary for energy and…

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Entrepreneurship through technology transfer empowers youths

By Byron Mutingwende   The government is fostering the development of entrepreneurship among the youths through a technology transfer programme.   In his address at the Funding Innovative Capacity Development (FICAD) project spearheaded by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU), Dr. Desire Mutize Sibanda, the…

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Netone launches OneCover and OneTech to transform lives for better

By Byron Mutingwende   One of the leading mobile telephony service providers, NetOne is set to transform the lives of the generality of the Zimbabwean population following its launch of two important products namely OneCover and OneTech.   Speaking during the launch in Harare on 17 August 2017, Brian Mutandiro, the NetOne Acting Chief Executive…

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SADC, AU seek to manage Internet traffic within its borders

By Byron Mutingwende The Southern African Development Community (SADC), with support from the African Union (AU), is seeking to establish a regional cross-border interconnection framework and the regional interconnection offer (RIO). Speaking at a validation workshop held in Harare recently, Dr. Sam Kundishora, Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Postal…

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Africa committed to improving science, technology and innovation

By Byron Mutingwende   African countries have shown their interest and willingness to strive for science, technology, and innovation (STI)-led development, the Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) has noted.   This emerged during the launch of the 2017 Africa Capacity Report held at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC) in the capital on Tuesday 28…

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Africa, Europe collaborate in space science and technology

By Byron Mutingwende   Africa and Europe are collaborating in space science and technology in pursuit of addressing the growing needs of African countries to access and use Earth Observation (EO) data for the implementation of sustainable development policies on the continent through the integration and deployment of African requirements and needs.   Rungano Karimanzira,…

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