Stewarding knowledge on African food systems – beyond collecting statistics

By Charles Dhewa When African policymakers talk about food systems, they are often only interested in estimating national requirements of maize, wheat, and other few commodities considered more strategic. Although it is known that everybody needs a good stew, there is no policy interest in understanding the demand for potatoes, tomatoes, pulses, meat, and other…

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Zvimba North harnessing the youth demographic dividend

By Elvis Dumba Banket – Young people in Zvimba North Constituency are embracing government empowerment projects in which they got access to financial assistance in pursuit of reaping the demographic dividend. Youths in Zvimba North Constituency hailed their National Assembly representative, Marian Chombo for aiding their access to various business loans from the youth financial…

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How to Successfully Market and Sell a Controversial Product

Although the mainstream media thrives on controversial headings and subjects, things take a different turn when you start marketing controversial products. Aside from the fierce debate from enthusiasts and critics, some various barriers and requirements make it cumbersome to market contested products adequately. On one end, you need to avoid issues with regulatory authorities for…

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Vote rigging allegations don’t hold water: African Christian Council International

The Grand President of the African Christian Council International (ACCI), Archbishop Johannes Ndanga has said allegations of rigging by Mr. Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) altered figures in favour of President Mnangagwa of ZANU (PF) to give him election victory are false. Presenting…

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Telecoms industry set to offer better service from USD-indexed tariff adjustments

Telecommunication companies operating in the country must have breathed a heavy sigh of relief last week after regulator Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) allowed them to charge tariffs that are not only based in foreign currency, but also adjusted in line with the ruling foreign currency exchange rate. While Potraz said the…

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Key trends of 2019 annual postal and telecommunication sector report

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) advised its stakeholders that following the ban on all public gatherings and the social distance measures being broadly implemented owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Director General’s Annual and Quarterly Sector Performance Press Conferences could not be held until further notice. Accordingly, the Authority presented…

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Campaigners petition government to commit to disability rights

A new campaign and petition calling on the Zimbabwe Government to make lasting commitments to people with disabilities were launched last month ahead of the second Global Disability Summit. The Summit will be held in February 2022 in Norway, to address the global needs of people with disabilities and ensure they are integrated into policies…

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Spotlight on Zimbabwe’s stay-away and protests over deterioration of economy

Soldiers were deployed to residential suburbs across towns and cities as the stay away called for by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions starting Monday 14 January 2019 turned violent. According to Generation Consensus, its activists on the ground reported widespread violation of rights by soldiers and police. The reported violations included abductions and torture,…

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Mupfumira begins re-engagement series tour

Spiked Correspondent The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Hon. Priscah Mupfumira (MP) is leading a delegation comprising of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), the tourism industry and media on her second international re-engagement series tour across major tourism source markets – South Africa, United Kingdom and Germany. This series is scheduled to kick off…

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Ensure women’s rights through COVID-19 prevention and response: WCOZ

The Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ), representing non-partisan women’s rights organizations and activists in all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe is calling on general members of the public, state and nonstate actors and duty bearers to ensure the promotion of women’s rights through the COVID 19 prevention and response processes. With Zimbabwe having confirmed the…

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African countries should start investing in their substitute commodities

By Charles Dhewa While the profile of indigenous food has been rising over the past few years across Africa, policymakers are yet to direct policies and public spending to the majority of indigenous commodities. A lot of support continues to be directed at exotic commodities that are being threatened more by a changing climate. Sweet…

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TB remains the single most lethal infectious disease globally: WHO Report

“It is extremely concerning that the World Health Organization´s (WHO) 2019 Global Tuberculosis Report confirms that tuberculosis (TB) remains the single most lethal infectious disease globally, surpassing HIV/AIDS, killing some 1.6 million people annually, and that the end of TB will remain out of reach until national leaders step up,” said Dr Paula I Fujiwara,…

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CSOs demand judicial independence in the pending Constitutional Court case

Civil society organisations (CSOs) under the banner of the United Citizens Alliance (UCA), Zimbabwe Divine Destiny (ZDD), Prayer Network of Zimbabwe (PNZ) and War Veterans for Peace Initiative (WVPI) have insisted that judicial independence should be upheld in the pending Constitutional Court case in which MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is challenging the results of…

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Fear of Kariba Hydro-Power Plant shut down

By Joyce Mukucha There are fears that the Kariba hydro power station which is the Zimbabwe’s massive power plant might shut down next month as the water inflows continue to decrease. Worries are that power constraints will continue in the country until there is reliable, sustainable and universal energy to the Zimbabwean populace. Contentions between…

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Drama as police press more charges against abductees

By Kumbirai Mafunda Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members on Thursday 11 June 2020 pressed a cocktail of charges including faking abduction and disappearance against three opposition MDC-Alliance party youth leaders, who are victims of abduction and torture after they re-arrested them on Wednesday 10 June 2020. ZRP members charged Harare West legislator Hon. Joana Mamombe…

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Chegutu contemplates embracing green energy options

By Lovemore Chazingwa in Chegutu The weekend ambush power switch-off at Chegutu Town water treatment plant by utility, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC), came as a wake-up call for the local authority to consider green energy options for their power requirements. Chegutu Town’s public relations and communications manager, Brian Nkiwane, revealed in an…

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Former mines minister Chidakwa plots to reclaim Constituency

Writes Elvis Dumba Chinhoyi – Former Mines and Mining Development Minister Walter Chidakwa is confident of reclaiming his position as Zvimba South Constituency Legislator . Chidakwa said his focus is on fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of Zvimba South Constituency community in developmental projects. Speaking to the media after filing his nomination papers with Zimbabwe…

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ZLHR reports more arrests of opposition supporters

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has reported that authorities have intensified their crackdown on opposition political party supporters after arresting more people following protests staged in Harare after the announcement of results for the harmonised elections held last month. Over the weekend, Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers arrested three people namely Simbarashe Zvobgo,…

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Time for Zimbabwe to hold first presidential debates

Imagine President Emmerson Mnangagwa squaring off with other presidential candidates such as MDC Alliance hopeful Advocate Nelson Chamisa, National People’s Party (NPP) Dr Joice Mujuru and Alliance for People’s Agenda (APA) candidate Dr Nkosana Moyo. Zimbabwe has never had a live presidential debate but that may change ahead of the ensuing harmonised elections in July/August….

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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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Minister Mliswa commissions ambulances for Mashonaland West Province

By Elvis Dumba Chinhoyi – Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Hon Mary Mliswa-Chikoka yesterday commissioned and handed over four ambulances to various medical centres in the province. Handing over the utility vehicles at her offices, Hon Mliswa said the government has come up with tailor-made programs that ensure that no…

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PAP MPs demand involvement in election of next Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission

Members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) have demanded greater involvement of the Continental Legislative body in the processes leading to the election of the next Chairperson of the Africa Union Commission (AUC).   Leading the charge, Senator Danson Mungatana, leader of the Kenyan delegation to the Pan-African Parliament, stressed the need for the contestants vying…

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ZLHR concerned about the treatment of Chin’ono and Ngarivhume in prison

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has expressed concern about the treatment of freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume, the leader of Transform Zimbabwe political party, who are currently detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison. On Saturday 8 August 2020, ZLHR lawyers Roselyn Hanzi, Beatrice Mtetwa, and Moses Nkomo visited their clients, Chin’ono and…

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Africa Regional Mechanism Of The Major Groups and Other Stakeholders (ARMMGOS) launched

The Africa Regional Mechanism of the Major Groups and other Stakeholders (ARMMGOS) – formerly known as Africa Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism (ARCSEM) – under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa (UNECA) was officially launched on the 24th February 2020 at the sixth session of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable…

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PAP should strengthen democracy and the rule of law: President Ramaphosa

The Pan-African Parliament has an important mandate of contributing to the strengthening of the culture of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law on the continent, HE Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa has said. The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services for South Africa, Mr. Ronald Lamola (MP) on behalf of the…

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Travel and Tourism Set to Boost Africa’s Economy by US$168 Billion in the Next Decade

Writes Nkeletsang Morapedi Kigali, Rwanda: The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), in partnership with VFS Global, has unveiled a promising outlook for the African travel and tourism sector, with the potential to inject US$168 billion into the continent’s economy and generate over 18 million new jobs. The report, titled ‘Unlocking Opportunities for Travel &…

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Transport Minister Felix Mhona impressed by progress at Mbudzi Traffic Interchange

Hon Felix Mhona, the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development was impressed by the progress at Mbudzi Traffic Interchange in Harare. He made the remarks during a media tour of the US$88 million Mbudzi Interchange at the intersection of Simon Mazorodze Road, Chitungwiza Road, and High Glen Road in Harare. “I am happy that you…

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52nd Session of the Committee on World Food Security: Address shocks and stresses affecting agriculture

Hon Vangelis P. Haritatos, the Deputy Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, while addressing the 52nd Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the sub-theme: ‘Strengthening Coordinated Policy Responses to the Food Crisis’, said the world’s agriculture…

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#HeforShe champions commit to gender equality and women’s empowerment

#HeForShe Champions have shared their experiences, exchanged ideas and best practices as well as affirmed and reaffirmed their commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment. This year’s Summit was hosted under the theme ‘Strengthening Partnerships for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment’. The summit explored strategies for cultivating and harnessing multi-stakeholder synergies for gender equality. The…

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ICT knowledge a basic need necessary for driving productivity

Knowledge in the use of information communication technology is now a basic need and an essential skill for productivity, Dr. Jenfan Muswere the Minister of ICT, Postal and Courier Services has said. The Minister, in his keynote speech, while officially launching the Maranda Containerized Village Information Centre (CVIC) at Maranda in Mwenezi District, Masvingo Province…

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Young people’s needs and aspirations should be captured in the NDCs

Mr. Washington Zhakata, the Director in the Climate Change Management Department of the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry has underscored the need for young people’s needs and aspirations to be captured in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs). He made the statement in his opening remarks read by Mr. Lawrence Mashungu, a Climate…

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Junior Parliamentarians propose measures to revive the tourism sector

Junior Parliamentarians today proposed a raft of innovative measures to enhance the contribution of tourism to the economy as the sector is emerging from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They made the contributions today during the commemoration of World Tourism Month celebrations at the inaugural Debate Session by Junior Parliamentarians organised by the…

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Position on the proposed removal of the Presidential Running Mate in the Constitution

By ZESN The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) notes with concern the proposed changes in the Constitutional Amendment Bill to remove the Presidential Running Mate Clause. The move is retrogressive and an affront to the will of the people as expressed in the referendum on the new Constitution in 2013. ZESN is of the view…

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Matilda Manhambo finds greatness in agriculture, leads Gweru into global market

By Alfred Tembo Building on past experience and passion could also offer a lifetime vacation in anyone’s self gifted retirement package says prominent Gweru-based commercial farmer, Matilda Manhambo. Over the years, she realised that growing up in a rural setup, life choices would be influenced by nature and decided by opportunities at every stage and…

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