Government is working on policies that will ensure improvement in the use of technology in service delivery, particularly in the health sector and government departments, a senior official in the Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security ministry has said.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

Speaking on the sidelines of the telecommunication symposium at the University of Zimbabwe on Wednesday, deputy director in the ministry, James Madya said there was need to develop flexible policies that respond to the technological changes on a regular basis.

He said the ministry was already working on new policies among them, the child online protection policy, e-west government and handling policy and the e-health strategy policy.

“The implementation of e-government, e-health, e-commerce and other online transactions will improve service delivery and, therefore, a co-ordinated roll out of ICTs promises a realistic opportunity to bridge the digital divide and help deal with the inequalities and unequal services in the country,” Madya said.

He said government should review policies that hinder convergence to enable and drive the uptake of new technologies.

“Further disruptive technological changes also known as emerging technologies, are in the horizon, review timelines on approval of policies needs to be shorter so that we can have flexible policies that respond to these technological changes,” Madya said.

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), director of legal services, Cecilia Nyamutswa said the dynamic nature of the telecommunications sector required regulators to work together

“Convergence makes it difficult for Potraz alone to handle regulatory issues in the sector, therefore, the telecommunications sector cannot be regulated only by one regulator due to the dynamic nature of the sector,” she said.

“Stakeholders should, therefore, do more than criticise our laws, but help Potraz build and streamline the laws to make our sector efficient and inclusive.”

Meikles Limited says it has agreed to sell-off its flagship Meikles Hotel to ASB Hospitality Zimbabwe, a subsidiary of the Dubai based Albwardy Investment for US$20 million.

BY BUSINESS REPORTER

The 312-bed five-star hotel has been impacted by low occupancy rates and lack of investment in refurbishment and back of house services. Albwardy Investment is a firm involved in a range of business sectors from food distribution and retail, construction, shipyards, and hospitality.

“The consideration for the Transaction will be US$20 million. The Transaction qualifies as a Category 1 classification and requires shareholder approval in a General Meeting scheduled to take place on 13 December 2019 in Harare, Zimbabwe,” Meikles Limited, in statement on Friday announced.

“The Meikles Hotel has over the past two decades been impacted by relatively low occupancy rates and a subsequent lack of investment in refurbishment and back of house services. In order for the Hotel to compete with other leading hotels in southern Africa, foreign currency denominated long-term capital, the scale of which cannot be provided by Meikles is needed.”

Meikles Limited said the investment would finance the modernisation of the whole operation, as well as general infrastructure improvements, which they hoped would restore it to international Five-Star standards.

“Meikles will seek to generate further value in its remaining assets through the re-investment of the proceeds from the Transaction in the agriculture and hospitality segments of the Group’s other businesses,” part of the Meikles Limited statement read.

The low occupancy rates and a subsequent lack of investment in refurbishment and back of house services are largely due to the continued downturn of the economy.

In regards, to its low occupancy rates, rising hotel charges against shrinking disposable income have left many unable to afford staying at the iconic hotel that was established in 1915.

Concerning the lack of investment, the current political climate in the country has increased the risk of doing business in Zimbabwe which continues to deter investors.

Commenting on the disposal, executive chairman of Meikles, John Moxon said the acquisition of the Meikles Hotel by Albwardy Investment was a win-win for all stakeholders.

“The Group’s financial position is further strengthened and allows Meikles to invest in its broader business portfolio, whilst the entrance of a leading global hotel and hospitality group of the calibre of Albwardy Investment provides security and long-term sustainability for Zimbabwe as a growing regional hub for tourism and business,” he said.

Albwardy Investment’s hospitality portfolio Director, Laurie Ward added the Meikles Hotel provided a unique opportunity to invest in Zimbabwe’s leisure and business markets as a first mover.

“The refurbishment of this strategic asset will bring much needed investment into Harare and profile both the city and country on the international stag,” he said.

ZIMBABWE Urban and Rural Council Nurses Workers Union secretary-general Tedious Chisango yesterday said increased reliance on backyard midwives in the face of a three-month industrial action by doctors at public hospitals had exposed mothers and infants to infection.

BY RUVIMBO MUCHENJE

Chisango said often after giving birth, mothers can experience complications that backyard midwives have no capacity to handle.

“After delivery, a mother loses blood and may develop post-partum haemorrhage and those backyard midwives cannot solve that,” he said. “We are very much against those backyard deliveries.”

Chisango’s remarks came in the wake of reports that a backyard midwife, Esther Zinyoro, has helped deliver over 100 babies in her makeshift midwifery.

Desperation has driven hundreds of women to her backyard labour ward where about 13 women are assisted daily.

The cessation of operations at public hospitals and council clinics and the steep fees charged by private health facilities has seen many women considering other cheaper and easily available maternal health options such as backyard deliveries.

The Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) striking doctors have urged government to urgently address their plight so that they return to work and avoid the ticking health time bomb in Mbare.

“The ZHDA is deeply worried on how other emergencies that require urgent surgical and specialist expertise like uterine rupture, obstructed labour, breech presentation and pre-term deliveries, among others are being manage,” the statement read in part.

“We maintain that a speedy resolution of the labour dispute stand-off with medical doctors can avert these catastrophic experiences among the populace.”

The 72-year-old midwife’s labour ward has been condemned by health practitioners as not meeting the standards set for an expecting mother.

“The basic obstetric package as set by the World Health Organisation is an irreplaceable and minimum required in running a maternity care centre as far as skills, equipment and drugs are concerned,” the doctors’ statement added.

“Maternal and neonatal complications that may rise from home deliveries may include, but are not limited to cerebral palsy, eclampsia, post-partum haemorrhage, neonatal sepsis, tetanus and HIV transmission.”

Harare City Council has given its struggling workers a cushioning allowance and increased their salaries to see them through the economic challenges and avert a potential strike.

BY LORRAINE MUROMO

Council human resources committee chairperson Jacob Mafume confirmed the development yesterday, saying as a result, the lowest-paid worker will be getting $1 108 a month effective November 1.

“We have agreed to give a cushioning allowance of $300 per employee across the board effective from November 1 and to award $200 per employee to clear arrears from previous collective bargainings,” he said.

Mafume said the cushioning allowances will be part of the workers’ salaries even if the economic crisis is resolved.

“Once the hardship ends, we will not take back the cushioning allowances. They will be put into the salaries and depending on the finalisation of the collective bargaining process,” Mafume said.

The least-paid employee is expected to get at least $1 100 up from $300.

Council has also promised to give its workers bonuses.

“We endeavour to pay bonuses when they are due and we will instruct management to avail the money for bonuses. We are working flat out to shake every possible tree to ensure that money is found,” Mafume said

He said they will engage in continuous discussions with the workers.

“We are in continuous engagement with the unions under the platforms that we have together to produce the collective bargaining agreements,” Mafume said.

We are all aware of the inflationary environment and the hard economic times as a result of austerity measures introduced at central government level. We have been trying to catch up and find ways to alleviate the (suffering) of employees.

Chairperson of the workers council Kenias Chivuzhe applauded the move and said it was different from the previous council which was busy fighting its workers instead of solving their grievances.

When Zimbabwe was on the verge of political and economic collapse in 2007, it took the late former President Robert Mugabe and his long-time nemesis Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC, to dialogue the country’s way out of the mess.

NewsDay Comment

The late protagonists dialogued with the mediation of South African Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Jacob Zuma and later Kgalema Motlanthe, making frequent visits to their neighbouring country to iron out the differences between Zimbabwe’s political players. As a result of South Africa’s mediation, with Sadc and the African Union as guarantors, Mugabe and Tsvangirai buried the hatchet and the results were there for all to see.

The dialogue paved way for the birth of the Government of National Unity, borne out of the Global Political Agreement that ushered in a new government with Tsvangirai as Prime Minister and the five years that followed brought economic and political change. Ten years down the line, Zimbabwe is teetering on the brink of collapse and indications are that as long as President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa continue to shadow box, the downward spiral will continue, and ordinary citizens have already started feeling the pain of the current stalemate. Now that South Africa, through its Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Naledi Pandor, has spoken on the need to end the political “antipathy” between Zimbabwe’s political rivals, Mnangagwa must be sincere, swallow his pride and shrug off hardliners in Zanu PF who are against dialogue and talk to Chamisa. While Mnangagwa and Chamisa have consistently spoken about dialogue — it has a different meaning to both of them. Citizens want them to talk to each other, period! Yet, one wonders why Mnangagwa prefers dialogue with political nonentities. Mnangagwa has not been clear whether he wants dialogue with Chamisa or not. The MDC leader has spoken on the need for a Mnangagwa engagement. Chamisa has called for dialogue with a neutral mediator, not a tough call to Mnangagwa. The President through third parties has insisted there is no need for foreign mediation as the churches and the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission are well equipped to do that.

We believe all players, internal or external, that carry sufficient political weight should be involved. That is what neighbours are there for, anyway. Mnangagwa must demonstrate true leadership in the face of a crisis by putting aside his own personal interests and consider what is good for the generality of the people. Is it not ironic that the President continues to ignore the voice of the people, which according to him is the voice of God.

Yes, he has created the Political Actors’ Dialogue (Polad) platform where he took on board all fringe opposition parties to discuss Zimbabwe’s future. But without the main opposition MDC, Polad remains a grouping of insignificant political actors and for Mnangagwa to claim he is talking to them for a solution to the crisis without Chamisa is illogical. It is meaningless to dialogue with people who have no representation in the population.

If Mugabe, whose anger and disdain of Tsvangirai was known, could take the so called “puppet of the West” as he was fond of saying to the negotiating table, why is Mnangagwa holding the country back by shutting out meaningful dialogue with the main opposition? As the country’s President, the buck stops with him. We wait for the day he picks up that call and open doors for meaningful dialogue.

DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya admitted that Caps United have the better squad than his, but believes the Glamour Boys are more than capable of beating their city rivals when the two giants clash in the Harare derby at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, a feat that will wreck the Green Machine’s title bid.

BY HENRY MHARA

The two teams face off at a time Caps are desperate for maximum points to remain at the top of the log with three matches to go, while Dynamos want to finish the season in the top four.

But Dynamos’ biggest motivation will be to make sure that Makepekepe does not win the title.

Caps are two points clear at the top heading into the weekend, but might finish the campaign on third position if they lose this one.

Ndiraya made no secret of his admiration of what their biggest rival has achieved this season.
“Caps are where they are because they have better quality than us. That is the honest truth,” Ndiraya said.

“We are where we are because we have been rebuilding, we have a new team and naturally we expect to improve with time. So we have seen individual improvement from the players and also as a team.

It is that improvement which is giving us hope. Because of the quality we have we couldn’t fight with the big boys, but credit to the boys for what they have achieved this season. We have gone for almost 20 matches unbeaten, and with the quality that we have, with the youngsters in the team, that is not a mean achievement.”

Dynamos are unbeaten in their last 19 matches and they have vowed to continue with their undefeated streak until the end of the season.

“We want to add this match to our unbeaten run. We want to remain undefeated in the remaining three matches. We want to get to 23 games undefeated. But most importantly we want maximum points in the remaining matches so that we can push to get into the top four. It’s very possible, it’s very achievable.”

Dynamos are fifth on the log standings and two points away from the top four, but could also plummet drastically down the ladder to tenth if they lose this match.

“The derby is going to be a difficult match, but always exciting. We all have something to fight for, so they won’t be any friendship there. The preparations for the match have been good. Caps United are fighting for the championship, and we are pushing to get into the top four. We have done really well to get where we are and we have a great chance now to finish up there.”

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has made several arrests in connection with the massive car smuggling racket in which government may have lost millions of dollars in unpaid duty at the country’s borders.

By Rex Mphisa

Several suspects, including some Zimra officials, are believed to be on the run, but yesterday, a Zacc official confirmed a number of arrests had been made.

“We have made a number of arrests. I do not have figures off hand, but we have made some arrests and the net is closing in on several other suspects,” Zacc spokesperson John Makamure said.

More than 430 cars were this week recalled by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) for verification of the genuineness of their importation and owners were asked to bring papers related to the vehicles clearances.

Most of the cars under spotlight were imported illegally through Beitbridge and Plumtree border posts.

Cars listed on a Zimra list published in the media last week include high-powered Toyota double cabs, Toyota Fortuners, late model Isuzu double and single cabs, among numerous other late models, whose duties were never paid.

It is believed smugglers, in some cases car dealers from Harare and other towns, used some shipping agents to fraudulently import the vehicles.

Exploiting a fallible Customs and Excise system, the suspected smugglers worked in cahoots with some Zimra officials to bring in the vehicles without paying a cent.

It is understood the arrests were widespread and some could have been in Beitbridge and Plumtree, where Zacc is working with the police.

Panic gripped the border town when many Beitbridge socialites’ names appeared on the list of people invited to present documents.

Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa against his continued use of force on unarmed civilians, saying the Zanu PF leader was behaving like a dictator and has not learnt from history how tyrants end.

BY MOSES MATENGA

Chamisa said Mnangagwa was slowly sliding into the league of other dictators in the world by closing down civilian politics and faces a sad ending to his two-year rule.

Scores of people were attacked by police officers ahead of Chamisa’s Hope of the Nation Address in Harare on Wednesday.

“ED (Mnangagwa) is forgetting one thing, we all have a short time on this earth. Why turn it into hell on earth? Why? Why has he learnt nothing and forgotten nothing from the likes of Idi Amin, Stalin, Saddam Hussein and others? Why is he choosing not to be a good student of history and read pages of how dictatorship in different countries ended and how their days ended on this earth,” Chamisa said.

“Dictatorship is a problem. You will not have peace and families of dictators will not have peace. Look at all the families of dictators. Is that what he wants? You cannot be a President forever and one day, you will be an ordinary citizen either in life or in death. That is the natural end of all men.”

He said the use of police by government has effectively shut down civilian politics in Zimbabwe, accusing the Mnangagwa administration of “going to war with unarmed people they should protect”.

“They are effectively closing civilian politics in Zimbabwe. They have cut out space for civilian politics. We think we are in politics, they think they are at war. We believe in the rule of law, they believe in the rule of force. We believe we have the police, they believe they have murderers, gangs and thugs to terrorise citizens,” Chamisa said.

He said the MDC was trying to engage the Mnangagwa administration to find a lasting solution to Zimbabwe’s problems, yet all they were getting was frustration and violence.

“Where on earth have you seen a government that makes a purchase order of arms of war when we are not at war?” Chamisa asked rhetorically.

“Where have you seen a government that purchases baton sticks and teargas canisters to fight its people while not investing in modern technology?”

He said further saddening to him was the beating up of defenceless women, girls and the elderly by the police.

“There is no perfect definition of a banana republic than what we are seeing now. Why fight the people, why fight the women, why fight the elderly, why fight unarmed civilians?” the opposition leader asked.

“The way forward is to end this tyranny. It can’t be business as usual. Citizens must stand against dictatorship. Government is turning against the people. The obligation is upon the people to call their servants to order.”

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is under immense pressure to act and stop the wanton attacks on unarmed civilians.

BY MOSES MATENGA

This came as the government and the European Union have started “high level” talks in the Mnangagwa’s re-engagement exercise.

There has been worldwide condemnation following the brutal assault by the police in Harare of scores of people ahead of the Hope of the Nation Address by opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday.

United States government, through its Assistant Secretary for the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, Tibor Nagy, said there was growing concern over the Mnangagwa administration’s continued disregard of the people’s freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution.

“We are concerned by the police’s unprovoked use of force against peaceably assembled Zimbabweans and call on the Government of Zimbabwe to cease such violence against its own population,” he said.

“We note that the passage respect of freedom of assembly and other rights. We urge the Government of Zimbabwe to respect its 2013 Constitution of permitting non-violent public gatherings.”

Political analyst Alexander Rusero said Zimbabwe had reached boiling point and the situation in the country, particularly violence against civilians by the police, was creating a bad image for Mnangagwa. Rusero said urgent action was needed to stop the beatings.

“It is the final blow to ED’s efforts, if ever they were genuine, to posture as a reformist and someone who has significantly departed from the brutal (late former President Robert) Mugabe script,” he said.

“You can’t unleash a police contingent at that magnitude to harmless, unarmed civilians, worse off women and the elderly. Two years after Mugabe’s ouster was an opportune moment to have a sigh of relief as a country and beginning the process of healing and nation building. Unfortunately, ED has squandered that opportunity to be embraced as the compassionate, reformist and civil leader.

It has but confirmed South Africa’s sentiments that Zimbabwe is highly inflicted by toxic politics.”

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said it was engaging Sadc countries and the international community to urgently call for inclusive dialogue among the country’s political protagonists to end the crisis in the country.

Sadc executive secretary Stergomena Tax, speaking after meeting an MDC delegation on Wednesday, said: “I reiterated continued Sadc support to Zimbabwe and called upon all players (internal and external) to co-operate and put the interests of Zimbabweans first.”

Meanwhile, on government’s “high-level” talks with the European Union, Information permanent secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana confirmed that the talks had begun, saying a communiqué will be released after the engagements.

“The engagement started today (yesterday) and that is all I can say. It is just re-engagement at ministerial level,” he said.

Pressed on details on who they were meeting exactly from the EU, Mangwana said: “Like I said, a communiqué will be released.”

Relations between the EU and Zimbabwe have not been rosy and the latest developments may present an opportunity for the two parties to mend their differences.

The EU confirmed the talks on its official Twitter account, saying the talks, dubbed the second edition of the formal political dialogue, include issues on investment, human rights, rule of law and good governance.