ZIMBABWE has restated its continued support and solidarity with Palestine as its struggle for freedom from Israeli occupation rages on.

BY VANESSA GONYE

Speaking during commemorations of the international day of solidarity with the Palestinian people in Harare on Friday, Foreign Affairs deputy minister David Musabayana lamented that the Palestinian issue remains unresolved more than half a century later since the adoption of the United Nations Security Council resolutions in 1967.

“We re-affirm our support for the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call for a peaceful resolution of the conflict between Palestine and Israel and the establishment of a free Palestinian State within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

“Over the years, the Palestinian people have demonstrated a tremendous amount of patience, a level of patience that has surprised even their adversaries…Regrettably, ever since the signing of the Oslo agreements, we have witnessed a systematic and relentless increase in occupation of more and more of the Palestinian land,” he said.

Palestine has been under Israeli occupation for 71 years.

Musabayana noted with concern the continued limitations on the full enjoyment of human and political rights for the people of Palestine.

To date, there are more than four million Palestinians in refugee camps throughout the Middle East and many more exiles worldwide.

“Zimbabwe wishes to witness the return of Palestinians around the world to their country so that they also contribute towards national development,” he said.

Palestinian ambassador to Zimbabwe Taghrid Senouar expressed gratitude to all the countries that have stood by her country.

“I would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the government and the friendly people of the Republic of Zimbabwe for their continuous unwavering support and solidarity with our people to attain their inalienable rights, and the firm stands beside the international law and legitimacy regarding the Palestinian just plight,” she said.

LOW-COST airline fastjet Zimbabwe says it has been “overwhelmed” with positive responses from a wide spectrum of local and international customers after the announcement of the new route, Bulawayo to Johannesburg, recently.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

“Since the announcement of the new route, we have been overwhelmed with positive sentiment and backing from a wide spectrum of local and international supporters and business leaders, appreciating the economic and social benefits the new route will pave for everyone,” the airline’s chief executive officer Joao Sousa said in a statement last week.

Effective Thursday this week, the airline will fly the new route with 22 new scheduled flights per week, including double daily frequencies Monday through Friday with a single flight operation on a Sunday.

Sousa said Bulawayo, the country’s second-largest city, has the potential and capacity to be one of the fastest growing cities in sub-Saharan Africa, and as an airline they were honoured to be associated with the positive outlook adopted.

The company said preparations and final arrangements were underway at fastjet Zimbabwe in anticipation of the inaugural flight from Bulawayo to Johannesburg.

The inaugural flight is scheduled to depart Joshua Nkomo International Airport for Johannesburg at 1810hrs.

“The published flight schedule for this route is designed to offer convenience and value to travellers with the lowest fares available via the airline’s website. Bookings can also be made via any fastjet shop, the call centre or a travel agent of choice,” the company said.

“All fares include a free baggage allowance with a choice of offerings available for travellers looking for flexibility and a value-based flying and travel experience.”

The new route will complement the airline’s convenient daily return service from its hub in Harare to Johannesburg, OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, where travellers may connect to multiple global destinations.

TO partly address Zimbabwe’s growing energy crisis characterised by constant load-shedding and escalating gas prices, the Chinese Industrial International Group (CIIG) has introduced a new type of technology, dubbed the Seeci stove which uses coal as a source of energy.

BY LORRAINE MUROMO/PRECIOUS CHIDA

Speaking at a Press conference in Harare last week, CIIG chief executive officer Nie Hai Hang said this was a development that Zimbabweans should embrace to escape gas and electricity constraints.
“There is an energy crisis in Zimbabwe; there are serious power shortages and gas is completely imported which is too expensive.

“Under the dual pressure of the crisis, CIIG effectively utilises and develops coal resources to solve the current crisis,” he said

Hai Yang said deforestation was one of the many threats that faced the environment.

The Seeci stove came in as a solution to rampant deforestation, especially in the rural areas.

According to statistics, 60% of the rural population use firewood for cooking.

The combustion-cooking equipment uses less energy and is convenient since coal is a local natural resource and easy to access.

The Chinese investor said the stove had a two-year guarantee and cheaper having currently been priced at $300.

The concept has been widely used in Asia for over 20 years.

The technological development has created employment to many locals as the company is run by local people from shop floor up to management levels.

The group has vast investments in the country, owning the Borrowdale Trauma Hospital and citrus farming in Mazowe.

THE Joint Operations Command (JOC) in Manicaland last week raided artisanal miners operating in gold-rich Odzi district to restore sanity following the death of four panners in bloody clashes at Odzi 1 and 2 mines.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

In recent weeks, JOC has also raided illegal miners along Mutare River where alluvial gold mining is rampant.

Manicaland provincial mines director Omen Dube yesterday confirmed JOC’s intervention.

“We raided illegal miners in Odzi, especially after a recent incident where a miner was killed.
Police and the army invaded illegal miners in Odzi. I will be in office on Monday (today) so that we can conduct a meeting on how effective the operation was,” he said

“We want this operation to be continuous because with the economic hardships, we are very aware that they (illegal miners) are going to come back again.

“We have done similar operations along Mutare River, where alluvial mining is rampant. You know that it’s easy to trap gold along Mutare River, so the miners need easy money.”

Acting provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Luxon Chananda confirmed the operation, but could not provide details.

Chananda said the programme was implemented by the district operations office.

“I can confirm that we carried out a joint operation with the Ministry of Mines, but I cannot provide details because this was a district operation, so I will also need to be apprised on the operation,” he said. “However, it is the mandate of the police to respond to any distress calls and ensure that there is peace in the country.”

ZANU PF has secured 67 of the 150 beasts to be slaughtered during the annual conference to be held in Goromonzi next week, where it expects to spend over $5 million to feed at least
7 000 delegates.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

The beasts sourced from party members — among them legislators, provincial members and supporting partners — will be kept at a paddock near the venue, Goromonzi High School.

Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial secretary for administration Kudzai Majuru said they had started collecting the cattle.

“After all the pledges, we have started collecting 67 beasts that we are assured of getting. Starting from today (yesterday), the truck is already moving around collecting the cattle to be kept at a paddock near the conference venue. We are happy with the progress so far and we are well on course as far as the preparations are concerned,” he said recently.

The Zanu PF provincial leadership recently said the party wanted to source 400 goats and
5 000 chickens to feed the 7 000 delegates expected to grace the event.

Zanu PF has a penchant for splashing huge amounts of money during its functions, with government departments such as Zesa Holdings, Zimbabwe National Water (Zinwa) and TelOne, among others, chipping in as well.

Currently, the District Development Fund and Zinwa have drilled four boreholes at the venue, while roads have been graded and resurfaced bringing a new look in the district that has poor infrastructure despite its proximity to the capital city.

Roads that link to schools providing accommodation like St Johns High have been worked on, while the one linking to Chinyika Clinic has been rehabilitated.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close ally and Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has vouched for Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, saying the former army general, who toppled former President Robert Mugabe in a coup in November 2017, had no plans to stage another military takeover.

BY MOSES MATENGA

Addressing members of his constituency at the weekend, Wadyajena dismissed speculative reports that a coup was looming following Chiwenga’s return from a four-month long medical trip in China.

The speculation was further fuelled by the absence of senior government officials to welcome Chiwenga at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on November 23 and at his home-coming prayer meeting in Wedza at the weekend.

“There were celebrations in the opposition that VP Chiwenga is back and ED is going. They said there is going to be a coup. Nothing like that will ever happen. The President and his deputy are brothers and it is President Mnangagwa who spoke to his Chinese counterpart (Xi Jinping) to have his deputy flown to China for treatment because they say he was poisoned,” Wadyajena said.

Chiwenga’s detractors claimed the ex-army general was angry over recent purges on his loyalists in the party and military.

Wadyajena said the narrative was being peddled by remnants of the G40 cabal to fan factionalism in the party.

“We hear you got calls from some ministers saying you must not bring the presidential inputs here. Whoever is calling you is working against the President. That’s why youths say they are people targeting ED and Nicodemously, saying he must go and leave for a younger person. Leave to go where? The Constitution says he must serve for two terms,” he said.

“Let us support the President and not work against him and sabotage him. Elections are in 2023, (so) let us not be in campaign mode.”

Cotton Producers and Marketers Association chairperson Steward Mubonderi said Mnangagwa had taken the Cuban and Rwandan strategy to bust sanctions through boosting local crop production.

“Today, Iraq and Libya are crying, they lacked vision and supported the killing of Sadam Hussein and Libyan leader Muammar Gadafi. They are now feeling the heat. It is disastrous to think of removing a leader now when we are under sanctions,” he said.

“What is killing us is lack of production. We don’t remove sanctions by marching, we need production. We do not forsake our father because of hunger,” Mubonderi said.

Women and girls bear the brunt of poverty and deserve economic, social and political rights as their male counterparts, a top United Nations (UN) official has said.

BY VANESSA GONYE

Officiating at the launch of Women in Africa Initiative in Harare on Saturday, UN resident co-ordinator, Maria Ribeiro said: “I feel honoured to share the UN perspective on women empowerment as a driver of inclusive growth and addressing social issues such as gender-based violence that disproportionately affects women compared to men.”

“I am inspired by Women in Africa’s dedication to the economic development of Africa and their commitment to supporting leading and high potential African women…your initiative’s focus on the agricultural sector in Zimbabwe is a powerful indication of the Women in Africa’s commitment to uplift the lives of rural women who are the majority.”

She noted with concern the undermining of the women in agriculture despite providing 70% of the labour.

“Despite constituting the larger percentage of the agricultural labour force, women are still confronted with issues such as less access to assets, credit services and markets,” she said.
She said the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals cannot be fulfilled without empowering women and girls and ensuring gender equality, particularly those in rural areas.

Ambassador of Women in Africa Initiative in Zimbabwe, Laureen Adam said agriculture could be a great wealth generator for the continent, but it cannot be a path to prosperity if farmers don’t get training in improved farming techniques and services.

“Government policies will be key to removing obstacles faced by women farmers and creating an enabling environment for them to thrive,” she said.