The response to the COVID-19 crisis builds momentum for Africa’s digital transformation to overcome the pandemic and create more productive jobs, according to the 2021 edition of Africa’s Development Dynamics (AfDD) launched yesterday. The COVID‑19 pandemic is the hardest shock to African economies in 25 years. Gross domestic product (GDP) has decreased in 41 countries in 2020,…
Workers for Harare Water Sewerage Department are appealing for the government to intervene in a dispute with their employer regarding the improvement of working conditions and salaries to enable them to offer residents efficient service delivery. On 4 January 2021, the workers downed tools and approached the Harare City Human Resources department to present to…
By Joyce Mukucha Stiff lockdown measures imposed by the government to curtail the spread of the vicious Covid-19 global pandemic have not spared the music industry as it necessitated the adoption of safe practices, and among others discouraging gatherings or holding of live events. The Zimbabwe Music Awards (ZIMA) ceremony that was scheduled to take…
The World Bank, in its Global Economic Prospect 2021, has said Uganda’s agricultural sector will be among the most resilient sector in 2021. Uganda, the World Bank said, will be among the five countries in sub-Saharan Africa that will experience the least contraction in agriculture. This, according to the World Bank, implies that agriculture will…
By Tinashe Eric Muzamhindo No way about it, we definitely need President Emmerson Mnangagwa around to make two serious resolutions around leadership, organization, and Institutions. We are way beyond politics, slogans, and bootlicking, we need each other. The rate at which people are dying, no time for cheap politics, bootlicking, blame game, slogans, this is…
James Bond fans can never get enough of 007, so DStv’s January bonus of a Bond pop-up channel will be welcome news. After to the massive success of last year’s M-Net Movies James Bond pop-up channel, and with the 25thfilm in the official 007 franchise due for release in April, M-Net is once again casting…
African climate-linked migration tends to be dominated by European narratives. In reality, most of these migrants move within their own countries and regions. As climate change impacts intensify, migration will increase. African cities, countries and regions need to be more aware of the phenomenon and incorporate it into all levels of planning. Despite contributing only…
African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) President Akinwumi A. Adesina and 10 African Heads of State and Government were on Friday honoured for their leadership in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) process. The AfCFTA, the largest free trade area in the world, began trading on 1 January 2021 and is expected to speed up the…
The National Association of Youth Organizations (NAYO) – a youth umbrella body for youth organizations, is bemoaning the shrinking of civic space in the country. While acknowledging the steps being taken by the Government of Zimbabwe through the recently announced National Lockdown meant to contain the spread of Corona Virus – which has had devastating…
By Tsitsi Ndabambi China-based Zimbabwean songbird Brity Yonly dropped a new music video titled “Celebrate Life” which sends positive vibes to the viewer especially in this age where many have lost their lives to the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking of her new offering she had this to say, “I wrote this song to instill hope, happiness…
By Desire Tshuma South Africa based artist Blessing Muroti Gomo has called on his fellow colleagues in the music industry to venture into other businesses so as to survive during the Covid 19 lockdown. As the second wave of Covid-19 is taking it’s toll and forced Zimbabwe to go back to a 30-day lockdown, multi-talented musician-cum-business…
By Ross D The vaping industry has witnessed a tremendous growth rate over the past few years. And if recent projections are anything to go by, the industry may not be slowing down anytime soon. One of the reasons behind the meteoritic rise in the vaping culture is the fact that most people no longer…
By Joyce Mukucha While welcoming the efforts of the Government in the fight against Covid-19, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) has urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to be compliant with the law in arriving at any suspension and postponement of electoral activities. ERC revealed this after noting with concern the continued use of press…
By Joyce Mukucha As the world grapples with unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, young people are demonstrating their continued support, leadership, and care in their communities and countries. According to a new UN plan to address COVID-19, young people are some of the most affected populace by the pandemic’s socio-economic impacts. Nevertheless, youths…
Alpha Media Holdings Executive Chairman, Trevor Ncube has described actions by the State as a chilling attack on freedom of expression concerning the arrest of Advocate Fadzayi Mahere, Job Sikhala, and Hopewell Chin’ono. He said the three have been charged under a law that was struck down by the Constitutional Court in 2014 resulting in…
By Staff Reporter The COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute an extraordinary event, a public health risk to other states through international spread, and continues to require a coordinated international response, the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Emergency Committee (EC) on COVID-19 has revealed. In a virtual meeting conducted…
By Staff Reporter The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement intends to withdraw the offer of land made to the late hero and Anti-Corruption Commissioner Shepherd Gwasira in respect of Subdivision 1 measuring 2 757.97HA of CONS of Lot 1 SS Ranch, Rem of SS Ranch and Mete farm in the District of…
By Veritas Earlier this month reports circulated on social media alleging that a police officer in Harare had struck a woman with his baton and killed a baby strapped to her back. The Police issued a denial, saying that the police officer had tried to stop a kombi by smashing its windscreen. Glass fragments hit a woman…
By Dexter Chagwena This Covid 19 pandemic has brought special attention to herbal remedies or functional foods, naturally regarded for both their nutritional and health benefits. Most of us commonly know these as herbs or complementary and alternative medicines. Everyone is busy looking for something traditional to use, with an aim to boost our immunity…
By Joyce Mukucha Signs of Hope Trust, an organisation that inspires, empowers, and serves people with disabilities (PWDs) is decrying the negative impacts posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during the lockdown period and is embracing information communication technologies (ICTs) to reach out to this needy group. In an interview, Signs of Hope Trust founder, Samantha…
By Joyce Mukucha The shortage of health professionals has forced Chitungwiza Municipality to temporarily close St Mary’s Clinic with immediate effect. Chitungwiza Municipality Acting Town Clerk, Dr. Tonderai Kasu revealed that the shortage of health professional staff is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic which has seen front line health workers being infected and others losing…
The African Union Commission, in collaboration with the OECD Development Centre, will release the third edition of their flagship report Africa’s Development Dynamics on Tuesday 19 January the occasion of a joint online event open to the press. 2020 marked a turning point for the global economy and for Africa’s development. The continent hit its first recession…
The Full Circle Comms Board has appointed Patience Chivaviro as General Manager as from 4 January 2021. Full Circle has in its stable TBWA Zimbabwe – a leading advertising and marketing company and an affiliate of TBWA\Worldwide, Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants-Ketchum’s Exclusive Affiliate in Africa and Bwanji Digital Agency. Sapi Bachi, managing director at TBWA Zimbabwe,…
The mid-January slump is here and, for many of us, our get-up-and-go has got-up-and-left! Never fear, DStv is here with all the action you need to be motivated and ready to take on the rest of the year – just in time for Popcorn Day on the 19th. So, pop those kernels, take out your…
By Joyce Mukucha The Meteorological Service Department (MSD) has warned that tropical cyclones, storms and serious floods remain a real danger in the second half of the 2020/21 rainy season. In a statement issued on the 13th of January 2021, MSD said rain-related disasters remain a possibility during the second half of the rainy season…
By Joyce Mukucha The Covid-19 pandemic which has seen cases and deaths surging every day making Zimbabwe a hotspot of the virus has hugely affected a local traditional dance group called Frankton Light School of Arts (FLISA) which was supposed to perform in Spain Arts Festival as Zimbabwean representatives. In an interview with Zimpapers Television…
By Joyce Mukucha In a bid to address the plight of residents in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, the Zimbabwe National Organisation Association of Residents Trust (ZNOART) has said its outreach programmes will continue to be virtually conducted so as to contain the spread of the virus. The Chairperson for ZNOART, Shalvar Chikomba said his…
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD Summing up 2020 I was asked many times about the changes COVID-19 have brought about in healthcare. Well, throughout the past year, here at The Medical Futurist we were continuously posting about the technological advancements in the medical field: telemedicine, at-home lab tests, robotics and even doing sports have changed dramatically. Most of these changes are likely to…
Accidents happen in every home, but it is what you do after that matters most. Breaking a glass on your floor or carpet is not the issue, but how best it is cleaned and restored can make a difference. The last thing anyone wants is to trigger another accident because of tiny glass pieces left…
Masutane Modjadji When the first Covid-19 cases were reported in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in March 2020, no one could have prepared for the devastation that the virus would bring. Countries responded swiftly (and rightly so) to the global public health emergency but this has had unintended consequences as a result of the…
By Staff Reporter The capital city will lead efforts aimed at attracting investment in the country, the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province Honourable Oliver Chidau has said. In that regard, Harare City will implement laws which will govern proper procedures for those who want residential stands and those who allocate them. Hon Chidau…
… Part of a global package worth £47 million to provide food, nutrition, water and shelter to help over 1.3 million vulnerable people in 9 countries and regions, including Zimbabwe. New UN data reveals humanitarian crises are worsening around the world, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, 235 million people are expected to be in need…
By Dumisani Muleya (Chairman, Zimbabwe National Editors’ Forum) ON 8 January 2021, Zimbabwean police arrested award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono at his home in Harare for allegedly publishing a falsehood or communicating false information which is prejudicial to the state. After that police also arrested opposition leaders Job Sikhala and Fadzayi Mahere on the same charges….
Bertalan Meskó, MD, PhD Finally, we can say that the surreal year of 2020 is behind us as we welcome a new year rich in potential for digital health and (hopefully) full of good news! Even though the year that went by was dominated with news regarding the novel coronavirus, there were also other important developments in…
By Veritas Two further amendments to the Public Health Lock-down Order have been published in the past few days. The first, in SI 11/2021 of 5th January 2021 [link], declared courts to be an essential service for the purpose of the Order; the second, in SI 13/2021 of 8th January 2021 [link], declared legal practitioners to be performing an essential…
By Joyce Mukucha In 2017, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) adopted a form of electronic registration model named biometric voter registration (BVR) and during these grave times of Covid-19, the Election Resource Centre (ERC) is calling on the national electoral management body to provide citizens with alternative platforms, different from the norm, for them to…
Many old favourites from discontinued British-content channels have been brought back to other DStv channels to keep fans linked to shows and actors they enjoy. Said Liz Dziva, publicity and public relations manager of MultiChoice Zimbabwe: “As promised when ITV Choice and BBC First were discontinued last year, a number of popular programmes from those…
By Joyce Mukucha Zimbabwean young women and girls are pleading with the government and other youth-oriented organisations to challenge the legal frameworks that are not favourable for young people to access sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) information and services that lead to many health problems especially when it comes to safe abortion. When faced…
By Desire Tshuma Many people in Harare since the inception of the 30-day COVID-19 lockdown was announced by the Vice President and the Minister of Health and Child Care Hon Constantino Chiwenga, have been complaining against some serving and bogus police officers whom they accuse of robbing them. As the Covid 19 infections and deaths…
By Rumbidzai Mukori A new study from Lancet, has found that obesity is one of the three greatest risk factors for Covid-19. As those who are overweight and obese remain infected several days longer than their aged-matched leaner counterparts. Weight monitoring is essential to all in these times of coronavirus. We have to take note…
The African Women in Media (AWiM) is making a concerted effort to ensure that the digital space does not present a design that erodes trust in human rights. The organization is spearheading this by engaging with different feminist movements and other constituencies to champion the feminist internet towards social justice and environmental sustainability. Cyberspace is…
By Staff Reporter Being an entrepreneur is not a walk in the garden path, but with the right opportunity, hard work, dedication, commitment, optimism, and a supportive community, it can be very rewarding. Zimbabwean women are increasingly charting their own professional course and embracing the idea of being ‘your own boss’ as a way to…
By Albert Matongo Africa is endowed with vast natural resources ranging from precious minerals, petroleum, fauna, and flora as well as the land which has been the most contagious issue since the colonial era. Such endowments have been attractions of foreign interest in Africa up to date. However, the latest developments can reveal that foreign…
By Joyce Mukucha Worldwide, hundreds of mothers are dying daily from pregnancy complications with 99 percent of them in developing countries like Sub Sahara Africa. Statistics indicate that in Zimbabwe and other African countries, the maternal mortality rate is rapidly increasing day by day being fuelled by the low uptake of maternal health services. According…
By Joyce Mukucha The Zimbabwe Integrated Traders Association (ZITA) has called upon the government to provide finances to small to medium enterprises (SMEs), informal traders, and small businesses for them to stay afloat during the enforced 30-day national lockdown aimed at containing the surge of Covid-19 infections in the country. ZITA highlighted that even though…
