by RICHARD MUPONDE

MINISTER of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs, Ezra Chadzamira (pictured)’s name has been dragged into the alleged diversion of 15 metric tonnes of donated rice meant to benefit villagers in Chivi South but ended up in Harare and other parts of the country.

The rice was allocated through Chivi South Member of Parliament, Killer Zivhu on the strength of a letter from the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Simon Masanga to Harare depot manager of the Grain Marketing Board Harare.

A couple, Veronica Mhlanga and her husband Donny Huruva, a relative to Chivi Rural District Council chairperson, Godfrey Huruva Mukungunugwa has been arrested over the matter and is assisting police with investigations.

The case was reported under Immediate Report (IR) 010074 and a Criminal Record (CR) is still to be opened.

Zivhu yesterday confirmed the incident.

“What happened is that MPs were given an allocation by the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) of 15 metric tonnes of rice each for their constituencies. When I went to collect it, I found that it had been collected by a woman by the name Veronica Mhlanga whom I don’t know. I then sent messages to (Zanu PF) councillors and MPs WhatsApp groups trying to trace the rice but didn’t get a positive response,” said Zivhu
He said he had to trace Mhlanga through her Facebook page and she allegedly confessed to having collected the rice after being given the green light by Mukungunugwa.

“They collected the letter on December 20 and took the allocation on December 24, but it hasn’t arrived in the constituency,” Zivhu said.

“After I made noise everywhere, they then delivered 100 bags on Monday at a councillor’s shop and said the remainder will be delivered in seven days. They said they had been sent by Minister Chadzamira to collect the rice. I have transport to ferry the rice for free and surprisingly the rice was distributed in Harare to people who don’t even come from Chivi South.

As I speak the couple has been arrested and is in police custody.”

Chadzamira yesterday refused to comment saying he was in a meeting.

However national police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the allocations for Chivi South and Gutu North were collected on Chadzamira’s instruction.
He added that the issue was being held at provincial level.

“From our investigations we have established that the rice in question was distributed in Chivi South constituency by the Department of Social Welfare on the directive of the relevant minister. We have also established that another consignment is on its way there. There’s no theft which took place,” Nyathi said.

Zivhu and Chadzamira have not been in good books after the provincial minister who is also Zanu-PF Masvingo provincial chair recommended the summary expulsion of the legislator from the ruling party.

He accused Zivhu of treacherous behaviour after he called on Mnangagwa and MDC leader Nelson Chamisa to hold talks to resolve the country’s economic crisis.
Zivhu’s fate now lies with the Zanu-PF national disciplinary committee chaired by Oppah Muchinguri after he appealed against the decision by Chadzamira’s executive.

BY FIDELITY MHLANGA

THE Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) has extended the lifespan of the 2019 fuel licences by one month to allow for administrative changes to the licensing process.
The fuel licences were due for renewal on December 31, 2019.

In a circular dated December 30, addressed to fuel dealers, Zera said: “Please be advised that the duration of petroleum licences issued in 2019 has been extended to 31 January 2020.

This extension has been necessitated by some administrative changes to the licensing process which Zera will be finalising before the revised expiry date. Operators will be advised once the processes has been finalised.”

But the delay in issuing fuel import licences has jolted indigenous fuel players who see the move as an attempt to elbow them out by hiking licencing fees and in the process creating monopolies in the energy sector
“It’s just a mechanism meant to frustrate and to benefit one person in the industry. Instead they should allow anyone to bring fuel just like when the oil sector was liberalised back then,” said one fuel dealer.

Zera acting chief executive officer Eddington Mazambani could neither confirm nor deny whether the regulator will hike licence fees.

“It is true, we are consulting on the new licensing framework for the petroleum sector. Until consultations are finalised, I cannot pre-empt,” Mazambani said.

Efforts to get a comment from the Indigenous Petroleum Association of Zimbabwe (Ipaz) — a grouping of local fuel companies were fruitless yesterday.

Zimbabwe’s major oil-importing entities include Ipaz, Zuva Petroleum, Puma Energy, Total Zimbabwe, Glow Petroleum, Petrotrade (Pvt) Ltd and Engen Petroleum Zimbabwe.

Sakunda and Redan were some of the key members of Ipaz until they were taken over by Singapore-based Trafigura group, one of the world’s leading commodity trading companies, and Puma Energy — which are related companies — respectively.

The prices of diesel and petrol are at $17,90 and 17,40 per litre, respectively. The “precious liquid” has remained elusive on the market, with desperate motorists spending hours in long-winding queues countrywide.

Unregistered fuel dealers have taken advantage of the fuel crisis to sell fuel on the parallel market predominantly in hard currency.

On a daily basis, the oil companies and Ipaz would need to collectively import 4 254 285 litres of diesel and 3 231 428 litres of petrol.

According to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, fuel gobbles 45% of total foreign currency receipts annually.

Mangudya blamed the spike in demand for fuel to the growing vehicle population in the country, which has jumped 50% to 1,8 million as of 2018.

To take advantage of the huge volumes of fuel shipped into the country, Treasury in the 2020 budget resolved to ring-fence 5% of excise duty revenue collected on fuel towards the construction and rehabilitation of the dangerous Beitbridge-Harare-Chirundu Highway.

MOST major dams in Masvingo province are on the verge of drying up as a result of the continued dry spell, with Lake Mutirikwi and Tugwi-Mukosi Dam at below 40% of their carrying capacities.

By Garikai Mafirakureva

According to the dam level statistics provided by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa), over half of the major dams in the province are now below 50% with Bangala and Tokwane dams both in Chivi district already drying up.

Lake Mutirikwi is currently at 39% and the recently-commissioned Tugwi-Mukosi Dam which was constructed at an estimated cost of US$200 million with a capacity of 1, 9 million cubic metres currently at 38%, while Muzhwi is at 35%.

Water levels at Bangala Dam, which is the only source of water in Nyajena, has dropped to 9% and Tokwane is at 14%.

However, Manjirenji Dam has significant level of 58%, Siya with 55%, Manyuchi with 50% and Nyajena with 86%.

While the government, through the Social Welfare Department and non-governmental organisations, have started distributing food handouts to people mostly in rural areas – the ravaging drought is also threatening the country’s national herd and wild animals.

Labour and Social Welfare minister Paul Mavima recently disclosed that Masvingo province had already received its share of the 15 tonnes of Chinese rice donated by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to rural constituencies as part of government’s efforts to avert food shortages.

“All rural provinces, including greater Harare and Bulawayo Metropolitan, are going to receive food handouts as part of the government’s strategy to mitigate food deficit,” Mavima said.

“Although the programme is currently targeting orphans and vulnerable children, the destitute, elderly, the chronically ill, and people living with disabilities, the government is exploring all avenues to make sure everyone benefits from food aid. Presently an estimated 760 692 households throughout the country are expected to benefit from the programme, each receiving a 50kg bag per month.”

Director of the Gonarezhou Conservation Partnership, Hugo van der Westhuizen, told Southern Eye that if the drought spell continued it would seriously affect wildlife sanctuaries.

Gonarezhou Conservation is a partnership between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Frankfurt Zoological Society.

“If the drought spell continues, we will be in a dilemma because pastures are fast dwindling and water bodies slowly drying up. Although every animal will be affected; the most affected will be larger animals like elephants,” he said. A few months ago, at least 100 elephants died in the Hwange National Park and Mana Pools due to starvation caused by drought.

CHIPINGE — Smallholder farmers here have started benefiting more from their cattle after acquiring modern cattle management practices that have seen them destocking old bulls and cows as well as excess oxen to remain with a leaner, more efficient and productive number of beasts.

BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI

Norman Deruko of ward 21 in Deruko village under Chief Mapanzure and his wife, Victoria Pencil, were among farmers that struggled to grow their herds for profit as their cattle largely remained unproductive.

“We had 10 cattle between 2013 and 2016, but we now have 25 and we are just about to sell seven,” Pencil said.

“Back then, livestock production was difficult because we did not have knowledge. We just kept the cattle and drove them to the pastures.”

Their fortunes, however, changed for the better after Pencil had a chance encounter with a team from Feed the Future Zimbabwe Livestock Development Programme at Checheche Growth Point in 2016.

“Although we started rearing cattle in 2003, our herd never grew and the highest we reached was 10 in 2015,” Deruko recalled.

“In 2016, my wife met Feed the Future team at Checheche Growth Point and appealed to Musasa to visit our area.”
Alofonce Musasa, the agricultural extension officer for Lower Chipinge, took heed of the call and visited the village, where he taught communal farmers how they could improve their herds and get the best out of them.
“He taught the whole village to practise cattle farming and grow crops such as sun hemp, sorghum and velvet beans for the cattle,” Deruko said.

Musasa revealed how they empowered the farmers with skills to grow and process their own livestock feed because that is part of the programme’s objectives.
“Many people now want to grow livestock feeds. When we see villagers doing so well like this, we can go and drink to our heart’s content,” he chuckled.

Pencil noted that implementing proper management practices had seen their cattle become so productive that they were able to use them even for personal development.

After pocketing a profit of $16 000 they were able to renovate their ramshackle homestead while Pencil, who had prematurely ended her schooling after Form 3, went back to the desk and wrote her Ordinary Level examinations.

“The relics of my old kitchen are still here and serve as a reminder of where I came from,” Deruko said with pride.
“In 2016, my wife went back to Form 3 and wrote her O-Levels the following year. Without this project, all that would not have been possible.”

Deruko highlighted that they had also ventured into growing feeder crops and sold velvet bean seeds — some to World Vision — and raised enough money to do renovations to their homestead.

“We harvested two tonnes of velvet beans and fed some to our cattle and sold off 750kg,” he said.

“Hay takes longer to harvest, especially during the rainy season, but you can keep velvet bean seed for five years in adequate amounts to feed cattle during drought seasons.”

Pencil, who is also the programme’s lead farmer here, said they learnt that without sufficient stockfeeds, their cows would not go on heat and, consequently, they did not get calves often — maybe just one in two years.

But things have improved for the better after they were taught to prepare low-cost, but nutritious feeds for the cattle, courtesy of the programme.

“We were taught the importance of increasing our female heads and using bulls for commercial purposes and ensure we were able to pay fees, buy food and develop our homesteads,” she observed.

“We started feeding our cattle with velvet beans and calving has increased so much that the cattle have been giving us calves almost every year.”

In Kubatana village, ward 16, Angeline Garwe experienced a similar fate to that of Pencil, constantly recording huge cattle loses. Her cattle never exceeded 10.

But since joining the programme and implementing the recommendations, she has grown her herd to 27 between 2015 and 2019.

“Chipinge West used to be known for livestock deaths due to hunger, but since this programme came, we have not lost any cattle,” she noted.

As part of their homestead development, Deruko and Pencil sunk a borehole and their cattle now have sufficient water, which experts say helps with easy breeding.

Pencil indicated they had also built a feedlot, which they use to fatten cows for the market. As the herd increases, more cattle are set aside for sale and the money would be used to further develop the homestead and meet other household needs.

“Currently, we have 14 cattle in the feedlot, which we want to sell so that we can raise money to purchase a solar system,” she said.

Feed the Future Zimbabwe communications specialist Emelda Takaona underscored that the feedlots were designed in such a way that they would confine the cattle as they are fattened to improve their quality for the market.
“During this time (in the feedlot), which is 40 days, the cattle get primary healthcare. They are vaccinated, get food rations and have their weight measured. The idea is to increase their weight by almost a kilogramme every day,” she said.

Before the programme was introduced in Chipinge, many young men would jump the border into Mozambique in search for jobs and opportunities, but that was a risky enterprise which the programme has helped circumvent.
“Now because there is work to do, our children no longer stray into Mozambique where some have been shot with guns. Now they are part of the cattle business,” Pencil said.

According to the eastern region Feed the Future Zimbabwe provincial supervisor, Clephas Chikanda, they helped to connect farmers under the programme with the markets.

“We use the village aggregation approach, where the lead farmer mobilises people and get a commission from the abattoirs. It’s like a job. They get the commission even if they have cattle on the lot,” he said.

“Some buy motorcycles and fuel so that they are easily able to connect with cattle owners in different villages.”
Besides the market linkages, Chikanda said another critical component was the financiers who provided the farmers with cheap loans to boost their cattle projects.

Farmers here said before the advent of the programme, they used to lose a lot of cattle to rustlers, with extension officer Musasa saying cattle were “stolen like chickens here and are usually taken across the border”.

But the introduction of branding as part of the programme has significantly reduced the rustling incidences, as stolen cattle could now be easily identified and taken back to their owners.

Takaona indicated that they were training farmers to tag their cattle as part of good livestock management practices.
“Some cattle are found and traced back to the owners if the tag contains owner details for identification. It could be a phone number or name,” she said.

Another beneficiary of the programme, Elias Chauke, said cattle branding had hedged local farms against significant losses.

“When a cow is returned, the branding enables us to identify the owner because it has a PIN (personal identification number) and information about the district, which makes it easy to identify the owner,” he said, adding that stock thefts were now rare because of the branding, usually done on the beast’s ear.

The tag is attached using an applicator, so the only way one could remove it was by tearing off the ear. A torn ear would raise suspicion to a potential buyer.

The programme’s herd rationalisation model has allowed smallholder farmers to naturally increase their herds annually through their productive asset ownership, enabling them to dispose of their cattle profitably whenever need arose.

The current cycle of the Feed the Future programme — which commenced in June 2015 in Chipinge, Chirumhanzu, Gokwe South, Gweru, Kwekwe and Umzingwane to provide technical assistance to reduce poverty and increase food security among 1 800 beef and 1 200 dairy smallholder farmers — is expected to end in June this year.

According to Sithole, even when the cycle ends, they are now self-sufficient.

“The knowledge and information they gave us is enough wealth,” she said. “Even if they go now, I can continue managing my cattle well.”

A FEW days ago, I questioned the sincerity of the break-away MDC-T vice-president Obert Gutu’s statement that he was not in Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) for tea and scones, even though it is highly likely that the Polad would be served with as much as they need of those commodities during their meetings.

By Kennedy Kaitano, Our Reader

Previously, Gutu also denied that Polad members earn allowances for attending meetings, but in the first open letter I wrote him, I had reservations about who paid the hotel bills when they go to Nyanga or Kadoma for their meetings.

Now, it is interesting to hear that the unconstitutional Polad’s members are even demanding luxury cars from taxpayers, and it is understood President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved the purchase of luxury cars for this unconstitutional creation — shame on him for such level of corruption, and also to the Polad members who are demanding these luxurious cars at the expense of the taxpayers.

Where are Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s austerity measures when such drama is unfolding? Polad is unconstitutional and duplicates the functions of Parliament and the Executive and we do not need it to be funded by the taxpayer.

If Mnangagwa is a listening President that he portrays himself to be, he must disband his ugly, unconstitutional creation called Polad henceforth, or let them operate but not on the taxpayers’ money.

Gutu, if you think your colleagues in Polad are not doing it for tea, scones, cash and luxury cars, then you may be in the wrong basket.

The year 2020 opens with increasing foreboding for Zimbabweans: a looming drought, that the United Nations has already flagged, threatens to make dire the complex social, economic and political conditions that the Southern African nation is in.

The social, economic and political problems that Zimbabwe faces are a continuation of the last two decades of suffering that citizens have endured, owing to some well-storied internal and external dynamics.

It is hardly surprising that there is a declining dividend of hope, as a new decade opens: the structures, forms, practices and externalities that have contributed to Zimbabwe’s misery remain intact.

Barring any miracles, which no one is really expecting, it will take a lot of courage and ingenuity for the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to turn things around for the better, a promise that has taken a whole two years of transition from the era of the late Robert Mugabe.

It is trite to mention that many Zimbabweans, in private and public spaces, have been increasingly hankering after the era gone by – for all its own problems that were supposed to go in November 2017.

Alas, things have not turned out the way Zimbabweans, with a lot of goodwill from the outside world, had imagined!
The economic, social and political issues of the past year, which to all intents and purposes appear set to seep into the new year, are telling.

However, there are five things that ED’s administration has to address as a matter of urgency.
A central thought informing this piece is that Zimbabwe’s problems are mainly economic and administrative, as I argued in an op-ed published by a number of South African newspapers on New Year’s eve.

Policy

Zimbabwe’s domestic and foreign policies are, to put it bluntly, a dog’s breakfast. The key domestic issues revolve around economic administration. The economy is in a state of breakdown because there has not been any meaningful development of a programme that stimulates growth, revive industry, expand exports, create jobs and compete internationally. In the absence of the above, government has tended to rely on taxing citizens to the death, eyeing shamelessly the exponential growth of the informal economy. Apart from taxes, the thrust of the government has been trying to cut down on debt and narrowing deficits. The latter has more to do with the absolute superfluity of balancing books, even so badly, rather than deliver impactful changes for the people. Whereas Mnangagwa two years ago preached “jobs, jobs, jobs” as a function of a revived economy, the current state of the economy shows an inconsistent and failing trajectory. At the centre of this is the so-called austerity which must, as government has promised, now be phased out and a new policy come in place. We know we are going to need a lot of luck on that.

On the foreign policy front, that Zimbabwe has hobnobbed with all manner of countries from China to Eurasia to Dubai and courting many a suitor – and with little success – is indicative of the dog’s breakfast alluded to above. Mnangagwa’s foreign policy can be seen to lack character and consistency.

This in turn affects such aspects as foreign direct investment and the economy. In 2020, the administration will have to make a decision of what sort of animal it is.

Corruption

Zimbabwe has blown hot and cold regarding tackling corruption. Addressing corruption is supposed to cleanse and aid the administration of government, while ridding society of thieves and looters. Many suffering Zimbabweans would derive some comfort from seeing corrupt elements go to jail. Very few have. While in places some “bigwigs” have been arrested, they have been let go for reasons that range from inability to prosecute the crimes to a demonstrable lack of political will to pursue the matter. At the end of the day, the current anti-corruption drive is nothing but a joke. Nobody is being fooled, including investors. It becomes worse when officials use, nay, abuse, institutions such as the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to settle personal scores. If criminals, including those in government, are made to account, a new hopeful vibe will be felt.

Political reforms

There is an established correlation between freedom (democracy) and prosperity, as well as free enterprise. The enjoyment of civil and political rights by the people will ensure a society that is more peaceful and stable. Zimbabwean authorities like to throw in caveats regarding enjoyment of freedoms and rights such as assembly, speech and expression. The government appears afraid of the people. The people are afraid of their government. Mnangagwa would do well to change this climate of fear – on mutual sides. It takes real leadership to do that, and if he succeeds to do that in 2020, it will be a positive sign. The proviso being, if the government addresses people’s needs, it takes away incentive for rebellion and its own fear of the people.

Economic empowerment

Mnangagwa did a lot to undo the indigenisation policy of his predecessor. Indigenisation, which Mugabe initiated in the mid-2000s, empowered locals to demand majority stake in the country’s businesses, factories, banks and mines; etc. Certain sectors were set aside for locals as “reserved”. A controversial policy, indigenisation was deemed anti-business and Mnangagwa did not waste as much as a blink to dismantle it, including scrapping the last vestiges that dealt with platinum and diamond mining. That was supposed to be a pro-business routine of the new administration. Only Mnangagwa has not put an alternative policy that addresses the anthropological aspect of empowerment, and its creation of a movement of people who can lay claim on the economy through grassroots and localised initiatives. This is especially key for black people who ought to dream that they can own mines, factories and banks. In Mugabe’s time, people once dared that dream. In the absence of such a smart, revolutionary movement, is it coincidental that we have seen the growth of the so-called Mashurugwi, a made-in-Midlands phenomenon of gangs of young people who move across the country hacking people to death with machetes in search of gold? Mnangagwa must revisit the idea of an economic empowerment drive that will be organic and national in nature, appeal and impact.

Listen … and act!

Mnangagwa has suited himself as a “listening President”. In 2020, he will need a lot of listening, and acting – this time – and address issues that are affecting ordinary people, including issues enumerated above. A key skill will be reading, as well. He should read the mood of the people and read signs of the times. The latter cannot be emphasised enough.

Tichaona Zindoga is an independent writer and communications consultant. He previously worked for The Herald as deputy and acting editor. Email: tichaona.zindoga@gmail.com

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s New Year’s eve speech where he spelt out government’s agenda for 2020 did not inspire confidence in the population as it contained nothing new or indications on how his government plans to tackle the problems bedevilling the country.

NewsDay Comment

What was perhaps most depressing about it all is that he simply rehashed the very same things he has been saying since coming to power, which also have not been fully implemented to be impactful.

Productivity in the country remains very low, economic growth has contracted and there are virtually no jobs to talk about, with the majority of graduates being forced to resort to vending.

Ordinary people’s livelihoods are probably now worse off compared to the time Mnangagwa came to power. Back then, at least people could afford to buy basic necessities while services like public transport were very affordable. Now it’s a totally different story.

It is quite strange that despite the market instability created by the bond note, Mnangagwa continues to insist on a mono-currency that is now virtually not worth the paper that it is printed on.

His insistence that he would continue with the policies to protect vulnerable groups in both rural and urban areas with focus on the provision of affordable transport, maize meal and other basic commodities as well as healthcare is nothing short of a hair-brained hope.

It is quite clear that while the re-introduction of the cheaper Zupco buses has come as a relief to many, the fact that people have to start queueing for the buses at around 4am, and perhaps queue again until 10pm for the return trip demonstrates that this approach is not as efficient as the government would have us believe. A 10kg maize meal pack is still in the region of $100 despite an earlier government order for millers to slash its price.

The President continues to lose the respect of the public, with many people now regretting ever taking part in the march that eventually saw the late former President Robert Mugabe succumb to pressure and vacate office in November 2017. In fact, his leadership thus far has been so disastrous that some are even missing the Mugabe era, tough as it was.

Mnangagwa has a tall order if he is ever to regain the confidence of Zimbabweans, who have increasingly been disillusioned by what they feel is his inept leadership.

CELEBRATED mbira music ensemble Mbira dzeNharira is set to release a new album titled Chivimba naMuyeni early this year.

BY SIMBARASHE SITHOLE

The outfit’s frontman, Tendayi Gahamadze, told NewsDay Life & Style that they were polishing up the new offering — the 14th in their discography — before it hits the market.

“We are working on our 14th album titled Chivimba naMuyeni, which will be released early this year,” Gahamadze said.

The album has seven tracks, although the titles for the songs are yet to be finalised.

The group had its end of year mbira extravaganza on December 27, which featured Mawungira eNharira, their splinter group.

“We ended 2019 in style with a mbira extravaganza on December 27 at Westgate shopping mall, where we also featured Mawungira eNharira, and we are now geared for 2020,” he said.

Despite the split with their colleagues who went on to form the Wilfred Mafrika-led Maungira eNharira, there is no bad blood between the two groups as they sometimes hold live shows together.

Their music continues to address social issues such as love, social justice and the need for people to value their traditions in the face of cultural aggression.

Gahamadze said the group will tour the United Kingdom later this year.