LEGISLATORS representing rural constituencies now want a special allowance on the premise that they spend several days in Harare without attending to their constituencies, while Harare-based MPs are always able to be with their constituents.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

This was raised on Wednesday by Umzingwane MP Levi Mayihlome (Zanu PF) in the National Assembly as a matter of privilege to the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda.

If this is implemented, it will mostly benefit Zanu PF legislators who have the majority of constituencies in the rural areas.

Mayihlome’s suggestion did not, however, make any reference to legislators from far-flung urban constituencies, such as Bulawayo, Mutare, Victoria Falls, Plumtree and Beitbridge, which have MPs who also have to travel and spend several days in Harare in order to attend to Parliament business.

He also did not mention how much more he wanted for rural MPs.

“I rise on a point of privilege on an issue which concerns rural constituency MPs, who compared to their counterparts, particularly Harare constituency MPs, have to travel up to 700 kilometres every weekend to their constituencies,” Mayihlome said.

“Friday and Sunday are travelling days to and from Harare and so they only have one day per week to attend to their constituency issues on a daily basis and so it is my humble request that rural MPs be given a special allowance for this difference between the rural and urban constituencies,” he said.

Mudenda’s response was that the issue would be referred to the Parliament Standing Rules and Orders Committee (SROC).

“Yes, that affects the rights and privileges of MPs. Willias Madzimure (Kambuzuma MP) has been so mesmerised by your point of privilege, I do not know why. Let that matter be referred to the SROC,” Mudenda said.

Currently, MPs get sitting allowances of $700 per sitting, which was increased from the previous $75.

They also get fuel coupons whose value depends on the distance an MP travels from their constituency to Harare.
During the duration of their sitting, they also get accommodated at hotels.

While MPs have been very good at demanding a raise to their salaries, some of them — mostly from the rural constituencies — have been mum in Parliament, particularly on issues affecting the rural populace.

RODWELL Dhlakama has been rewarded for helping revitalise Ngezi Platinum Stars with a permanent position as the club’s head coach.

BY HENRY MHARA

The Mhondoro Ngezi-based side confirmed his appointment as substantive coach during the club’s player awards ceremony at their base on Wednesday night.

“Having commanded a gallant comeback in 2019, please join me in confirming the appointment of Rodwell Dhlakama as the substantive head coach of Ngezi Platinum Stars,” club vice-president in charge of technical, Lysias Chiwozva said to a thunderous applause.

Dhlakama joined the club from Chapungu in the middle of the season, to replace Erol Akbay, with the club struggling on the bottom half of the log table.

He managed to guide the club to the final of the Chibuku Super Cup final, in which they lost 1-0 to Highlanders. In the league, Ngezi Platinum finished a remarkable fourth.

“As the newly-appointed substantive head coach of the greatest football club in the country, I have got no doubt that in him we have a capable and energetic young leader who can deliver the big prize for this brand. The onus is unto you head coach to deliver. We will support you by all means necessary to ensure that you deliver the aspirations of this club. Dhlakama will be beefing up his technical team.”

He is also expected to beef the squad as well. Reports suggest that Dhlakama will be reunited with Denver Mukamba, while Soccer Star of the Year finalist King Nadolo has been linked with a move to Mhondoro.

Chiwozva then took a dig at Akbay, saying if only they had fired the Dutchman earlier, Ngezi could have finished the season better.

“I was talking to the captain and he shares the same sentiment. He said if only this change had come in the first half of the season, we were definitely going to be somewhere better. But I am sure that the right platform has been set for us to take off. Rodwell Dhlakama joined the club at the halfway stage of the season as a caretaker coach and he did more than what he was supposed to do.”

In the players’ awards, winger Donald Teguru walked away the biggest winner of the night.

Teguru, a surprise exclusion from the league’s Soccer Stars of the Year finalist, got the players’ player of the year award, in addition of the golden boot award. He scored nine goals for Ngezi this season. The two awards got him a total $28 000 cash prize.

Unfortunately, Teguru was not around to receive his prizes as he had a bereavement in his family.
The club’s player of the year award went to their inspirational captain Frank Makarati, who received $20 000 and a trophy.

Ngezi Platinum Stars Player Awards

Player of the year: Frank Makarati – $20 000
Players’ player of the year: Donald Teguru – $14 000
Most disciplined player: Polite Moyo – $10 000
Most loyal player: Keith Murera – $10 000
Most improved player: Nelson Chadya – $10 000
Most promising young player: – Mandlenkosi Mlilo – $10 000
Rookie of the year: Wayne Makuva – $10 000
Golden boot: Donald Teguru – $14 000

NORMAN Mapeza and Kaitano Tembo have had glittering careers both as players and coaches and are regarded as some of the finest footballers in Zimbabwe.

BY HENRY MHARA

The two former Warriors defensive stalwarts will pit their tactics against each other for the first time and in the prominent setting of the Absa Premiership in South Africa tomorrow.

Mapeza has been plying his trade back home in Zimbabwe at national team level as well as at club level, winning three league titles and cup competitions, until he clinched the Chippa United job two months ago.

Tembo has not coached in Zimbabwe as he went into coaching after ending his playing career in South Africa, and having been an understudy, he took up the reigns at SuperSport last year.

The Chitungwiza-born tacticians lead teams that have contrasting fortunes with Tembo chasing the league title while Mapeza is fighting to keep his team afloat.

When the two collide, it will be civil war in a foreign land; they all have a point to prove in the South African top-flight league.

Hailing from the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, they were vital cogs in the senior national team at some point in their hugely successful careers.

Tembo rose to prominence at Harare giants Dynamos.

His career took him to numerous South African clubs before finally settling for SuperSport United, where, just like at Dynamos, he managed to establish a legendary status.

Mapeza has seen it all.

He played for several clubs in Poland and Turkey, even turning out for Galatasaray.

He was only the second Zimbabwean player to play in the Uefa Champions League, appearing in the competition for Galatasaray in the 1990s. The defender was part of the famed Dream Team in the early 90s.

Coaching wise, the two are some of the best brains that the country has produced. Zimbabwe football fans hope that one day Mapeza will return to coach the Warriors, while Tembo has also been pressured to take up the job.

Some fans are also divided on who the best coach is between the two and that debate could be put to bed when Mapeza’s Chippa host Tembo’s SuperSport tomorrow evening.

Mapeza has helped revolutionise the team since he took over, while sitting at the bottom of the log, but has put them on a upward trajectory.

Chippa are unbeaten in their last four matches, with three wins and a draw, in a run that has seen them climbing out of the relegation zone.

Their win over Cape Town City last week saw them moving to 11th position and if they win this one and other results go their way, they could finish the year on 7th position.

Mapeza last week shared his secret to the success at Chippa so far.

“Whenever you get to a new club‚ the foundation is to build a solid defence – to have a good goalkeeper‚ four quality defenders who can depend on each other‚ fullback who sometimes can join up with the attack,” he told South African journalists.

“When I arrived here some two months ago‚ I knew the situation with the club. I thought ‘let me take the challenge‚ let me lift these boys. I’m not taking anything away from the other coaches (that came before). They did very well. Surviving relegation is not easy.”

“The results have been positive‚ especially in terms of training‚ the approach‚ the desire. You can tell that they are willing to learn‚ they are willing to push

“So for me as a coach this is a big positive‚ I always leave the training ground and go home in good spirits because the guys are willing to push‚” added the ex-Zimbabwe international and national team coach.

Despite their good form, Mapeza has warned his players against complacency.

“When things are going like this‚ it is very easy to switch off‚ so what’s important is to maintain the discipline and the positive attitude. If we are going to lose that‚ then we are in trouble‚” he warned.

SuperSport are also enjoying their best form of the season at the moment.

They are unbeaten in their last five matches, winning three of those. They are third on the log and could move to second with a victory in the clash against Mapeza’s side.

The two clubs are home to a number of Zimbabwean players too.

Tembo’s side boasts of Onesmor Bhasera, Kuda Mahachi and Evans Rusike, while Mapeza has the Moyo twins Elvis and Kelvin, who he worked with at FC Platinum.

It will be a clash of arguably Zimbabwe’s finest when the two collide in a match that will attract a lot of local interest.

GOVERNMENT will continue to allow the importation of old second-hand vehicles, the older the vehicle, the less the duty charged.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

The issue was discussed on Tuesday in the National Assembly during debate on clause 25 of the Finance (No 3) 2019 Bill, after Dzivarasekwa MP Edwin Mushoriwa (MDC Alliance) questioned why more duty was levied on new imported vehicles and less on old ones without taking into consideration the impact on the environment.

Clause 25 of the Finance (No 3) 2019 Bill states the Zimbabwe dollar rates of special excise duty on second-hand motor vehicles, which will take effect from January 1, 2020.

For example, an imported second-hand vehicle with a lifespan of zero to four years and an engine capacity of up to 1 000cc will pay excise duty of $3 000; five to 10 years and engine capacity of 1 000cc ($1 500); 11 to 15 years with engine capacity of 1 000cc ($750); and over 20 years all engine capacities ($500).

Mushoriwa added that Zimbabwe should consider setting up its own manufacturing plants.

“Minister (Finance, Mthuli Ncube), why should we reward a person who wants to import a vehicle which is more than 20 years and we punish a person that wants to import a vehicle which is less than five years? I thought the Hon Minister was going to simply say any vehicle which is more than 10 years has to be charged high excise duty,” Mushoriwa said.

“So what it means is that the best way to buy cars is for people to go to Japan and get vehicles which are 20 to 25 years old and put them into the market and they end up flooding the market. They only have to pay US$500; you are not putting into consideration the issue of the environmental impact,” he said.

Chegutu West MP Dextor Nduna (Zanu PF) said government should not curtail people’s choice of vehicles.

“To then force the ordinary Zimbabwean to buy brand new vehicles is out of this world. I applaud the minister for not trying to (stop) the ex-Japanese vehicles from getting into the country,” Nduna said.

Ncube said in coming up with the Zimdollar duty charges for imported vehicles, government converted the old United States dollar rates using a factor of eight to the current rate.

“That is way below the inter-bank rate of 15. So these are not high at all and these are in Zimbabwe dollars. This is simply an issue of excise duty in terms of livelihoods in line with the size of the engine capacity and the number of years,” he said.

The Treasury boss said duty was meant to be progressive rather than regressive, and that is why it was lower as the age of the vehicle goes higher.

“We are not trying to necessarily restrict the old vehicles over new vehicles. The intention rather is to recognise the remaining life and making sure the excise duty is progressive enough. Those with newer cars pay more because of longer shelf life and those with older cars pay less. That is how we have designed it and we think it is fair to design it that way,” he said.

ALL over the world, the internet has provided extraordinary socio-economic opportunities to businesses, governments and individuals. But less-developed countries still face numerous obstacles to maximise its potential. The problems range from obsolete infrastructure, the non-availability, non-accessibility, cost, power fluctuations, policies and regulation.

Many countries on the continent still have bandwidth as low as 64 kilobits. This is in contrast to the 270 000 megabits per second in the US. Data also shows that downloading a 5GB movie took 734 minutes in the Republic of Congo, 788 minutes in Sao Tome, 850 minutes in Ethiopia, 965 minutes in Niger and 1 342 minutes in Equatorial Guinea. Singapore is the fastest, taking about 11 minutes and 8 seconds to download a typical 5GB high-definition movie.

In certain situations, bandwidths for the entire country is less than what is available to an individual residential subscriber in the US.

Similarly, African countries are listed among those with the lowest internet speed, yet with the most expensive communication and internet cost in the world.

Africa is on record to have had the fastest growing mobile telecommunication market over the years. But the continent still has the lowest mobile penetration. And developments in Africa’s telecommunications sector happen in cities and urban centres. Service providers argue that it is not economically feasible to roll out a network to cover an entire country .

But various advanced technologies are emerging to reduce the cost of internet provision and to increase accessibility.

They also offer the possibility of developing communication networks in a way that does less harm to the environment.

The approach is called resource virtualisation, where multiple telecommunication services can be provided by less physical infrastructure.

Since the chunk of the cost transferred to the end-user comes from the cost of power and infrastructural management, this approach can reduce the operational cost, improve accessibility and cut the cost to the end-user.

Rethinking how masts are sited

Like every architectural work, telecommunication masts must meet specific constructional requirements, including choice of location and risk analysis.

But unregulated construction is typical in many parts of Africa. Even where regulatory bodies exist, many media and communication masts are sited within very short distances and hilly grounds in big cities.

This is true in Ghana too, where in an urban environment it is possible to see 10 masts within close proximity to one another.

This does not necessarily guarantee quality service. In addition, it poses a severe environmental and physical risk.

Masts are also expensive to put up.

It stands to reason, therefore, that having fewer masts, hence using less energy and doing less damage to the environment would be the optimal way forward.

I have been involved in developing a framework along with other colleagues that can help policymakers demarcate, and zone major cities — or the whole country into zones.

Each zone takes only one mast, owned by an infrastructure provider and shared by multiple service providers.

I focused on telecommunications, but the principle can be applied to TV and radio signal towers too.

My proposal involves a three-level architecture that includes a provider who owns and manages the infrastructure.

At the upper level is a Cloud-RAN macro-base station. A provider like the State regulator, can own and manage the data from the base station.

The macro-base station is responsible for managing the system’s energy, bandwidth allocation, and flow management, including the handover in intra and inter mast zones. At the middle level, service providers focus on providing tailored and quality service to their users.

The service providers will not have to spend their resources on managing the infrastructure they only have to deal with how to satisfy users. The user on the third level has to only deal with the service providers.

This framework will bring an end to uncontrolled mast deployment seen in many African countries.

It would allow for power and bandwidth sharing among multiple service providers and would reduce the need for multiple masts.

Traffic would be scheduled over limited masts or access points that reduce the system energy consumption and improve efficiency. The general impact on the environment would also be reduced.

Service providers could then focus on end-users and not on infrastructures.

—The Conversation

 Clement Prince Addo is a PhD researcher, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China

Sugar manufacturer, Starafricacorporation Limited (SL) posted a 10,5% decline in refined sugar tonnes produced for its Goldstar Sugars Harare (GSSH) business to 32 047 tonnes for the half year ended September 30, 2019 due to power cuts.

BY MISHMA CHAKANYUKA

The decrease in manufactured sugar was from a comparative period figure of 35 791 tonnes.

SL was established in 1935 principally as a sugar refinery, with its Goldstar Sugar brand being its main source of revenue, but has since grown to become a diversified conglomerate listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange.

“The unit (GSSH) continues to anchor the group in terms of both turnover and profitability in dollar terms. It produced 32 047 tonnes of refined sugar compared to 35 791 tonnes produced in prior half year,” SL’s group chairman, Joseph Mutizwa said in a statement accompanying the company’s financial results for the half year ended September 30, 2019.

“The slowdown was due to the acute power shortages experienced in July and August 2019 which resulted in the factory shutting down for five weeks.”

Mutizwa added that the power situation improved after the establishment of a ring-fenced power supply arrangement which came with a steep tariff review.

Zimbabwe has been facing crippling power outages lasting up to 18 hours daily. These power cuts have severely affected business operations in the industry and mines, hence leading to a decline in production.

In October, the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority hiked tariffs by 320% to 162,16 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in a bid to improve the country’s power supply by charging cost-effective prices.

Apart from GSSH, SL operates Country Choice Foods (CCF), Tongaat Hulett Botswana that it has shares in and its Silver Star Properties business.

The CCF segment recorded earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of $5 million against $400 000 realised in the same period last year.

The sector’s production was 9% higher than last year buoyed by the change in product mix where core products with better margins comprised most of the total sales volume for the period.

Tongaat Hulett Botswana achieved a converted profit after tax of $11,2 million while the group’s share was $3,7 million against $1,8 million and a share of $600 000 recorded in 2018.

“The growth comprised the unit’s actual performance in Pula terms as well as the effect of converting the Pula denominated performance into ZWL at exchange rates which have greatly depreciated since the start of the financial year,” Mutizwa added.

The Property business recorded a subdued increase in EBITDA from $200 000 to $300 000 owing to a decline in rental yields. The unit experienced a limited demand for space and constraints to what existing and prospective tenants could offer.

Starafrica recorded a rise in profit after tax to $20,3 million from a comparative of $12,4 million in the period under review.

Turnover for the period was $132,1 million, an increase from $28 million due to changes in product mix and inflation-related price adjustments aimed at preserving the company’s ability to service the market.

Mutizwa said the group expected strategies and eventual cessation of current austerity measures being pursued to keep the company on a sound financial footing.

INVICTUS Energy Limited (IEL) has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with local energy firm Tatanga Energy (Private) Limited for a 500-megawatt (MW) ‘Gas to Power Plant’ estimated to cost about US$800 million.

BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA

Tatanga Energy was established in 2016 by a group of local finance and energy practitioners to develop and operate renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa. The founders of the firm are the company’s chief executive officer, Tunde Akerele, Memory Mashingaidze (finance director) and Culven Chipfumbu (technical director).

“Invictus Energy Limited, is pleased to announce that the Cabora Bassa project partners, comprising Invictus (80%) and One-Gas Resources (Pvt) Limited (20%), have entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tatanga Energy (Private) Limited to process gas supply for a ±500 MW Gas to Power Plant in the event of a commercial gas discovery from Special Grant 4571 in Muzarabani,” Invictus, in a statement said.

“Under the MoU, Invictus and Tatanga have agreed to jointly work together and co-operate with regards to investigating the economic and commercial viability of supplying natural gas from the Cabora Bassa Project to the proposed Gas to Power Plant which will be sold to the national grid and/or to captive clients (ie mines, industrial and other large consumers of energy) in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Mozambique.”

Invictus added that the proposed gas to power plant will be built in two phases with the first phase estimated at ±150MW and the second phase consisting of an additional ±350MW.

“The optimal location of the plant will be determined by factors including proposed pipeline routings and access to transmission infrastructure including the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP). Preliminary studies have identified a number of suitable locations that provide the ability to supply electricity to the local grid as well as export customers through the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP),” Invictus said.

Akerele said the constrained domestic energy landscape and the importance of securing reliable and affordable feedstock supply in an undersupplied market, caused Tatanga Energy to enter into the partnership with Invictus.

“We are the developers of the project; it is a very big project that can be up to maybe US$700 million or US$800 million dollars . . . That funding will come from mostly foreign institutions,” he said.

The MoU comes on the backdrop of the Muzarabani project having a potential gas supply of up to 100 million cubic feet per day for 20 years, which is a substantial volume which will underpin the development of any commercial gas discovery we make in the Cabora Bassa Project.

NewsDay Business understands that the gas to power plant project could take four years to complete once IEL starts producing gas.

THE nation at large has the responsibility to nurture and parent children who have lost their parents and guardians to crime, Prison Outreach Support Trust national co-ordinator Wilson Femayi has said.

BY LORRAINE MUROMO

Speaking at an early Christmas gathering for children whose parents are incarcerated held at Greatstride College in Harare recently, Femayi said the community has a role to play in safeguarding the interests of children.

“The church, the civic society and the corporate world have a fundamental role to play in ensuring that they end discrimination against these innocent children,” Femayi said.

“They are just victims of circumstances and should not be judged and discriminated against based on the mistakes made by their parents. Children should be free to be children.”

Femayi said education was a basic right that should be extended to these children as a means of protecting them from the harsh environment.

“This project has been helpful towards rehabilitation of inmates as they have peace of mind that their children and families were being taken care of.”

“Cases of inmates who die due to stress-related diseases have reduced too and marriages are being salvaged (as well),” Femayi said.

He, however, said as a trust, they require consent and authority from the parents, hence they had to sign consent forms.

Femayi said this helped the trust to gain access to the children and assist their families.

“We have data collection forms signed by inmates whereby they voluntarily provide information that enables us to identify and locate their children. This helps boost their confidence as they still felt that they were in control of their families and destinies,” he said, adding that beneficiaries have learnt life skills which made it possible for them to cope in the absence of the breadwinner.

Femayi said this year the party ran under the theme Angel Tree, aimed at developing interaction as well as counselling.

“This event is done annually, but in between we have get-togethers where we meet with parents and guardians. We facilitate children and parent connection whereby we bring them over to see their parents and we Usually, take advantage of prison week,” Femayi said.

Prison Outreach Support Trust, an affiliate of Viva Network, has assisted 203 children under 12 years.

IN these difficult times that offer no clear visuals of the hazy future, it would help us endure the relentless suffering if some among us took time to ponder their decisions first before rushing to make pronouncements which only serve to disoriented us even more.

NewsDay Comment

At the recently-concluded Zanu PF conference, the ruling party’s secretary for youth affairs, Pupurai Togarepi confidently said: “Your Excellency (President Emmerson Mnangagwa), the youths have resolved that all civil servants (should) undergo the National Youth Service (training) so that they will be acquainted with government issues as well as patriotism.”

Cognisant of the fact that national service is a common practice across the globe, it is, however, difficult to support the Zanu PF youth’s alleged resolution given the disastrous past of the programme that bred a certain type of youth who became notorious for perpetrating violence against anyone opposed to the ruling party’s ideology.

A national youth service training informed by a common and palatable national ideology and consensus is not a bad idea at all.

But a youth training or civil service orientation training based on a purely political party ideology will not help Zimbabwe chart a clear future.

The programme’s past failure to go beyond the confines of the ruling party structures is good enough testimony that there is something fundamentally wrong with its overall objective. A 21st century is now completely different from the 20th century Zimbabwe, a period in which the ruling party appears stuck in terms of ideology.

It is a fact that Zimbabwe is currently a divided nation and the fact that former South African President Thabo Mbeki is now seized with the country’s unfortunate predicament speaks volumes.

Whatever informed the ruling party youths’ decision on the national service training obviously had little or nothing to do with the idea of uniting the country for a common future. It sounds more like Togarepi and his youths hope to indoctrinate the civil servants and nation in general with Zanu PF ideology.

The proposal is not surprising coming from Togarepi. What does one expect from a youth league fronted by a 55-year-old? We have known that a youth leader can be up to 35 years. What does Zimbabwe expect when older generations claim to represent the interests of youths when they can no longer understand issues affecting them?

National service for civil servants, or anyone else for that matter, will only find takers once the country is united and pulling in one direction. As it stands, the ruling party itself is so divided that it will be very difficult to successfully implement the national youth training programme.

Besides, what Togarepi is busy dreaming about will do little, if anything, to help ameliorate the current socio-economic and political crisis Zimbabwe is facing.

It will only serve to worsen the political tension in the country, given that the civil servants are not much of a happy lot at the moment as far as remuneration is concerned. In short, what Togarepi and colleagues are hallucinating over is the least of our worries at the moment. So they may as well keep their dreams to themselves because this is not the time to hallucinate.