A NOMORE Chinyerere goal right at the death saw Hwange beat Mushowani Stars in a relegation scrap at the Colliery Stadium yesterday, a victory that saw the home side arresting a 13-match winless streak.
More importantly, the victory gave them hope of surviving as they moved to within a point of TelOne, a team that sit above the relegation zone.
Hwange is on 16th position on the log standings with 31 points, the same as Herentals who sit on the relegation cut-off point.
Chinyerere, a Warriors trialist, curled in a free-kick on the 90th minute to give his side victory, and much-needed confidence going into the final six games of the season in which they need to win at least three to have a realistic chance of surviving relegation.
This clash of the relegation strugglers was a tight affair although Hwange had a slight edge as the first half wore on with Kasimero Chimbadzwa wasting some good chances.
Chipangano got another chance through Shepherd Gadzikwa, who was denied by goalkeeper Admire Masuku after receiving a great cross from Ted Ncube from the left flank.
Mushowani got their first real chance on the 30th minute when Joseph Tulani outpaced Andrew Chuma before unleashing a powerful shot which was deflected off play by goalkeeper Taimon Mvula.
Hwange continued on their goal-searching campaign with Chimbadzwa and Enerst Gwitima’s efforts yielding no result. Mushowani seemed to pick up pace in the second half as Paul Chiramba and Tulani turning the fire on Chipangano.
This battle looked as if it would end in a draw before Chinyerere intervened.
Hwange gaffer Nation Dube said they were going all out to avoid the dreaded chop as displayed by their boys’ spirited performance.
“This win has seen us switching places with Mushowani. The points separating us are not a big margin. We will survive the chop. We are determined. Everything is on the right track. If we win two or three games, we will find ourselves somewhere safe,” Dube said.
Conceding defeat, his counterpart Newman Mashipe said: “My boys did well considering the high temperatures here. It’s unfortunate and disappointing that when we thought the game was over, we conceded.”
Results at glance Saturday: Ngezi Platinum 1–0 Manica Diamonds, FC Platinum 0–1 Bulawayo Chiefs, Herentals 0–0 Harare City Yesterday: TelOne 2–0 Caps United, Dynamos 1–1 Highlanders, Yadah 1–0 Chapungu United, ZPC Kariba 1–0 Black Rhinos, Hwange 1–0 Mushowani Stars, Chicken Inn v Triangle (postponed)
IF Caps United are going to lose this championship at the end of the season, they will probably look back at this defeat as the day they gave it away.
After rivals FC Platinum fell to a surprise 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bulawayo Chiefs on Saturday, this match against relegation strugglers TelOne presented an opportunity for the Green Machine to extend their lead at the top by five points.
This was a chance for them to put one hand on the trophy.
But typical of their performance in recent weeks, they blew the chance after they were blown away by a clinical TelOne side in what was an entertaining match at Ascot Stadium yesterday.
Caps remain top of the log standings by just two points and any slip up in the coming weeks, it’s highly unlikely they will be this lucky.
With five games remaining, they won’t afford any more slip ups in this tight race which no one seems keen to win.
To their credit though, Caps created a number of chances, but their poor conversion let them down, with the attacking trio of Dominic Chungwa, Newman Sianchali and Phineas Bamusi having a bad day at the office.
For the hosts, they did the job early with two first half goals from King Nadolo and Fradrick Muza sealing maximum points for the Rahman Gumbo-coached side.
The WiFi Boys were also denied what appeared three genuine penalties by match day referee Nkosana Nduna.
Nadolo broke the deadlock on the 37th minute when he tapped home a long clearance from goalie Rapheal Pitisi.
Muza doubled the scores seven minutes later with a powerful volley, just about 20 yards from the box after being picked up by an unmarked by Nadolo.
After the defeat, Caps remained stuck on 51 points, while TelOne moved out of the relegation zone to 14th position with 32 points, one point above Herentals and Hwange who are sitting on the relegation cut-off point.
Caps coach Darlington Dodo was a frustrated man.
“Obviously, I am disappointed with the loss, especially after missing so many clear-cut chances in the first half and then we made mistakes, literally presenting them with goals,” he said.
“We are still in it, the boys are mentally strong enough to finish off the season, but there is need for us to correct the mistakes we made today.”
Gumbo said: “To be honest, it was a balanced game. Caps had their chances in the first 20 minutes, but failed to convert. We had our chances and we got two brilliant goals which could win a match any day. Today, we dominated, but later on collapsed in the final minutes, but I am happy they managed to hold on until the final whistle.”
Caps had chances, but were let down by a combination of poor finishing and bad luck.
Blessing Sarupinda weaved past two TelOne defenders Steven Phiri and Trust Nyabinde before unleashing a thunderbolt that hit the upright. Hardlife Zvirekwi’s effort from the rebound was tame.
Phineas Bamusi also neatly worked his way into the box, carving in a low cross that found no takers with Pitisi flat footed. Teams TelOne: R Pitisi, M Chigumira, S Phiri, T Nyabinde, I Zambezi, E Zinyama, K Nadolo (J Muzokomba 90’), E Mandiranga, M Moyo, F Muza (G Bvundura, 77’), F Nkala (D Temwanjira, 37’). Caps United: P Chigumba, H Zvirekwi, J Jangano, L Zvasiya, V Ndaba, D Mukandi, B Sarupinda (J Ngodzo, 46’), P Bamusi, R Chitiyo, N Sianchalli (K Ndebele, 46’), D Chungwa (J Zhuwao, 73’)
ZPC Kariba substitute Samuel Makawa rose from the bench and scored the all-important goal that kept his side within championship-shouting distance at Nyamhunga Stadium yesterday.
A halftime pep talk and what turned out to be a shrewd substitution by ZPC Kariba coach Godfrey Tamirepi did the trick as Makawa ghosted from the blind side on the 68th minute to seal a victory for the electricity men.
The victory pushed ZPC Kariba back in the top four and Tamirepi believes that the championship is still within their reach.
“I’m happy with the victory. The game was a difficult one and that shows how competitive our league is. Now any team in the top four can snatch the championship,” Tamirepi said.
In the first half, there was minimal goal-mouth action, save for in the 37th minute when ZPC Kariba winger Talent Chamboko was guilty of skying the ball from a good position.
Three minutes later, the home side winger Jimu Gwara failed to beat Rhinos keeper Ashley Rayners when referee waved play on with Rhinos players expecting a foul.
In the second half, play continued to swing from one end to another with no breakthrough.
Rhinos veteran midfielder Alla Gahadzikwa failed to score on the 53rd minute when his shot, from a tight angle, missed the goalpost by inches with ZPC Kariba keeper a beaten man.
There was also an incident when members of the Rhinos bench tried to manhandle a ball boy for allegedly disturbing their goalkeeper.
Rhinos coach Herbert Maruwa said the ball boy was a nuisance.
“We complained since the first half that this ball boy was disturbing our goalkeeper. It’s an unfortunate incident,” he said.
Maruwa, however, conceded that they had lost to a better team.
Teams ZPC Kariba: T Mawaya, I Nekati, D Phiri (S Makawa, 46′) B Mutukure, J Marufu, B Juru, D Chakupe, C Muleya, T Nyamandwe, J Gwara, T Chamboko Black Rhinos: A Rayners, J Mukombwe, W Chakanya, T Taravani, M Mekiwa, A Tandi, M Demera (G Saunyama, 55′), M Mukumba, W Mutasa, W Taderera, A Gahadzikwa
TRIANGLE have failed to progress to the group stages of the Caf Confederation Cup after they failed to overturn a two-goal deficit on Mauritanian side FC Nouadhibou in the second leg play-off at Barbourfields Stadium yesterday.
The Lowveld side needed to score two goals yesterday without reply to force the match into extra time or win the match by a three-goal margin to progress to the group stages, having lost the first leg match 2-0 last week.
Things started horribly for Triangle when FC Nouadhibou took an early lead through Yassin Elwely in the 7th minute.
That means the Taurai Mangwiro-coached side needed to score four goals to advance to the next stage.
They managed to score three, but it proved little after the visitors also scored another goal which saw them progressing to the group stages.
Elwely beat goalkeeper Ronald Mudimu from inside the penalty box after he was set up by Sida Touda.
The visitors also had a penalty by Touda saved by Mudimu two minutes before the breather after the striker was brought down inside the box by Kudzai Chigwida.
A revamped Triangle came back from the break on fire with substitute Simba Makoni equalising on the 49th minute with a header before captain Ralph Kawondera scored the second five minutes later.
The Sugar Sugar Boys continued to pile pressure on Nouadhibou as they looked to overturn the scores and Kawondera had what appeared likeed a genuine goal flagged for off side by the South Sudanese referee.
Pressing for a third goal that would have brought them back into the contest, Triangle were caught on a counter although Mudimu should have done better to an Elwely’s loose shot on the 56th minute, a goal that took the wind out of the hosts’ sails.
Mangwiro’s men managed to score a third nine minutes from time through Tinashe Chivandire, but the damage had already been done.
Mangwiro said: “We were not good enough today. We gave it a fight, but fell short. It is so painful that it’s a matter of being so near yet so far.”
Nouadhibou manager Mauril Njoya said: “I would like to congratulate the Triangle coach. They played a good game. They are a good team. In football, there is something that is called luck. They just didn’t have the luck. My team did not play well. It’s just that God was with us and we scored two goals,” Njoya said.
The visitors finished with 10 men after substitute Sidi Yacoub was shown a straight red card on the 70th minute.
Teams
Triangle: R Mudimu, A Chiveya, D Dzvinyai, C Duwa, T January, O Mwerahari (B Chikwenya, 17′), T Chivandire, R Kawondera, G Bero (S Makoni, 32′), A Tavarwisa (D Murimba, 61′), K Chigwida Nouadhibou: Ndiaye, A Sy, M Cisse, M Kante, S Mhaimid, O Mangane, J Depode (S Yacoub, 51′, red card 70’), S Touda, Y Elwely, A Gaye (E H Tegued, 78′), E Lemrabott
PARLIAMENT has urged government to deal with key factors that are hindering industrialisation in the country in its forthcoming 2020 budget expected to be announced on November 14.
The Felix Mhona-led Budget and Finance Parliamentary Portfolio Committee told delegates at the 2020 pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls that the deteriorating energy situation in the country and acute shortage of foreign currency were seriously affecting industry.
The factors to be tackled include erratic electricity and water supplies so that the country is at par with other African countries in the Accelerated Industrial growth for Africa.
“Erratic key enablers of industry such as water, electricity and good transport networks is affecting industrial growth and heavy reliance on generators for power back up is unsustainable,” the Budget and Finance Portfolio Committee report read.
“The acute shortages of foreign currency, unstable macro-economic environment epitomised by rising inflation, legacy debts for companies, and negative growth and influx of consumables, constituting 82% of import expenditure, are affecting business.”
Mhona said at recent public hearings by the committee, participants noted that lack of proper manufacturing infrastructure could affect the industrialisation programme.
“The public noted with concern the lack of proper infrastructure and control systems at most ports of entry, resulting in rampant smuggling which is hurting the local industry. The business community raised concern that they are subjected to double taxation through corporate tax and the 2% (intermediated electronic) transaction tax. Members of the public also vehemently opposed the 2% tax and called for its scrapping,” the committee said.
Recently when different captains of industry appeared before the Budget and Finance Portfolio Committee to speak on their 2020 budget proposals, they bemoaned the need for clarity on deficit financing in the country.
“They said there is need for adequate funding of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority so that it plugs loopholes to improve border systems efficiency as well as modernisation of infrastructure at the country’s ports as the country prepares for industrialisation,” Mhona said.
On tax incentives, the committee said companies that invest in new plant and equipment and demonstrate the number of new jobs that are likely to be created from the new investment should be awarded significant tax incentives.
“The 2020 Finance Act should provide for rationalisation of duty regimes for imported raw materials and finished products by removing inconsistencies like on fluorescent bulbs where no duty is charged on finished products yet there is duty on components for the local manufacture of the same products,” the committee said.
To ensure that mining was also in line with the industrialisation agenda, the committee said there was need to review the numerous taxes charged to mining companies so that they are in line with best practices.
“The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority must respect the contracts it has with miners, where they pay for electricity in foreign currency and yet they do not get the power. It must respect the uninterrupted power agreements,” the committee said.
TEACHERS and civil servants have scoffed at an announcement by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube that his austerity measures will result in civil servants getting a bonus before year-end, saying his statement was an insult.
Using his social media account, Ncube made the announcement on bonuses.
“Civil servants to get bonus thanks to austerity: Mthuli,” he announced on social media without giving details.
The statement, however, attracted scorn from Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PUTZ) secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, who said the minister should stop propagating falsehoods. “For the past 38 years, civil servants have been getting a bonus save for just one year. To want to make the nation believe that we are getting a bonus because of austerity is not only misleading, but dangerous. He wants us to glorify a tool that is behind our suffering, as if we have ever failed to get a bonus,” Majongwe told NewsDay.
The PTUZ said given the poor salaries the civil service was getting and the price increases which always jump every time civil servants are awarded salary increases, the bonus will be a curse for many.
“What bonus? That statement by the minister is an understatement. In fact, for us, it’s going to be the reason of our suffering. It’s a punishment. That bonus is a curse. It will worsen our plight because every service provider will be increasing prices tracking the bonus that will be paid and the civil servants will be worse off,” Manjongwe said.
Former Finance minister and MDC deputy president, Tendai Biti, said Ncube needed a mental medical examination to determine his state of mind.
“The Professor is mad. He needs mental examination. He can’t say thanks to austerity he will be paying bonus when civil servants were actually getting bonuses all along,” Biti said.
He added that the bonus payments would amount to nothing for the long suffering workers in Zimbabwe.
“There is no bonus as long as he is paying them in devalued local currency. It’s nothing. If you add nothing to nothing, you get nothing. The only way to adequately compensate workers is to pay them in US dollar. You can’t pay people inflation,” Biti said.
“The salaries of civil servants has been devalued by over 90%, thanks to runaway exchange rate, runaway inflation. The only way is to go back to the multi-currency regime. We need to close the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) because all they have been doing is printing money, generating money supply without productivity, thereby fuelling inflation.”
Said Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana: “To alleviate the current challenges faced by civil servants, the bonus will be calculated on the total package that is including allowances. Bonuses will be paid in November and December.”
THE fissures emerging from within the rank and file of the ruling Zanu PF party have grabbed the attention of MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, who is looking to capitalise on the internal fights to upstage President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Chamisa, who has refused to recognise Mnangagwa’s presidency, said his party was eagerly following the challenges in Zanu PF and the internal fights which saw Mnangagwa calling on the Zanu PF youth league to flush out remnants of the G40 faction in his party.
“We are watching what is happening. We are very clear about the developments. We also know in Zanu PF, there are developments there. We are closely watching. Action is coming, but action will only come when we have done what has to be done. You may think that we are not doing anything; we are pulling all our strength to make sure that we tighten all the screws so that when we do what has to be done, there will not be any problem,” Chamisa said in a video he recorded live on Facebook.
The MDC, which has been struggling to make inroads into rural Zimbabwe, said it was activating a plan which would help them field 210 parliamentary candidates and councillors in all wards in the next general election so that they match and beat Zanu PF.
“We are already preparing for our candidates where we don’t have a seating MP, particularly in the rural areas. We want to make sure that we go big on the rural strategy; we go big on rural elections. I know you have been wondering what’s happening on the issue of by-elections, we know what we are doing. We are studying, assessing our weak points, our strong points, where our competitors are manipulating our parents in the rural areas, so that we deal with it and are able to move forward,” Chamisa added.
The opposition leader said this week he would be presenting a Hope of The Nation Address, in which he will outline the path which the MDC wants the country to take in the face of an economic meltdown.
“We are very clear about what has to be done. I know the suffering that is out there. I have been without electricity myself here for almost 16 hours and I can tell you that I am retreating to my village because it’s better there,” Chamisa said.
“We are going to be delivering the Hope of The Nation Address. It’s going to deal with a lot of issues; our perspectives, economically, politically and socially, our thoughts and the way forward in our view and what has to be done for this country.”
Chamisa said he was working towards building a stronger party with a branch denoted by every polling station in the country.
“We are in the process of working on a number of activities to strengthen our party. We are now moving from being a top-heavy party to being a grassroots-driven party that has lower structures,” he said.
“That’s what we are already working on to make sure we strengthen our branches, so every polling station is going to have branch structures. We are trying to work on our election preparedness, targeting our first time voters. We want to capture young people so that they take us forward.”
Mnangagwa has been battling to ensure a united Zanu PF since he came to power following a coup in November 2017 amid fears that some parliamentarians were out to impeach him with the help of MDC legislators.
Addressing a youth league meeting last Thursday, Mnangagwa said he was aware of the seemingly vanquished G40 elements in the party and they needed to be flushed out.
“I, however, commend those who have remained loyal and faithful to the party and its leadership, especially these moments of manifestations by those we perceive to be one of us. I encourage you all to continue to work hard for the good of the party and guard against the whims of the enemies of our party. We still have elements of the G40 participating among us as wolves in sheep’s clothing these must be flushed out, not only in the youth league, but also within the rank and file of the party in general,” said Mnangagwa in a speech that has excited Chamisa.
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube (pictured) has said the fiscus has no capacity to meet the demands by ministries after eight government departments bid for $112 billion in the 2020 national budget.
Ncube yesterday told MPs at the pre-budget seminar in Victoria Falls that proposals by the eight ministries far exceed the resource envelope he had available for the 2020 National Budget.
Although he did not mention how much his resource envelope for the 2020 budget would be, it is most likely range between $35 billion and $40 billion.
The Office of the President and Cabinet, Parliament, 20 ministries and 10 provincial offices, independent commissions and several other departments expect to be funded through the fiscus.
Of the eight ministries, the highest bid for 2020 came from Home Affairs, which demanded $32 billion, followed by the Defence, which wants $25 billion, Health ($18 billion), Agriculture ($14 billion), Local Government ($9 billion), Industry ($6 billion), Labour ($5 billion) and Transport ($3 billion).
“Mr Speaker Sir, I have noted the huge resource requirements being demanded by all ministries, but as you are all aware, the capacity of the budget to finance expenditures is dependent on the capacity of the economy to generate revenues,” Ncube said.
“Mr Speaker Sir, analysis of only eight bids submitted by the following line ministries (Home Affairs, Defence, Health, Agriculture, Local Government, Industry, Labour, Transport) indicate resources requirements of $112 billion, which far exceed the total resource envelope for the 2020 Budget,” he said.
Ncube said the revenue generation capacity of the country was still too low.
“From our deliberations, you will agree with me that revenue generation capacity is still low due to a number of challenges. The budget ceilings that have been given by Treasury are, therefore, derived from the anticipated resources envelope from taxes and what we can borrow from the market without destabilising the economy. We also need to be mindful that unrestrained expenditures financed through unsustainable means are the major source of economic instability we are battling today,” he said.
“However, I have to admit that this year is unique due to the high inflationary environment, and hence would like to announce that total expenditure ceiling is being revised upwards from $28 billion by a factor of above 30%. This should provide a window to finance some of the additional budget requirements from line ministries over and above the ceilings already provided.” Ncube told MPs that even in advanced economies, resources were never enough to meet budget requirements.
He said it was important to become more results focused so that allocated resources are used efficiently and effectively and matched with performance, in line with the principles of results-based budgeting.
“Mr Speaker Sir, we should also mobilise additional resources through public private partnerships, loans and grants to complement budget revenues. It is, however, unacceptable to note that despite the economic challenges that we have and the need for improved service delivery by our citizens, some ministries have inefficient programme managers who do not diligently plan, implement, monitor and evaluate their programmes resulting in low absorption of budget and giving the impression that this is due to inadequate resources.”
On complaints by MPs that for the 2019 budget, Ncube had failed to disburse funds to ministries on time, he said unplanned natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai had put pressure on the budget.
“The budget performance was adversely affected by external shocks of drought and Cyclone Idai, which brought in unbudgeted expenditures, thereby crowding out other budgeted expenditures. While we may have collected more than we had budgeted for, the exchange rate and inflation pressures eroded the real value of the funds, affecting budget implementation,” he said.
During the five-day pre-budget seminar, MPs also suggested that royalties and mining fees be paid in local currency and that foreign currency retention be reviewed.
“MPs should consider that Zimbabwe needs to accumulate foreign currency reserves. Ideally we should sufficiently have import cover of at least six months. Our current reserve levels are nowhere near enough and this is unacceptable and explains some of the foreign debts and balance of payments challenges we face. These requests should, therefore, balance the desire to increase investments and national strategic interests, especially on matters involving depleting natural resources,” Ncube said.
On the issue of retention thresholds of foreign currency for mining firms, which were increased from 30% to 55% to ensure viability of operations in the sector, Ncube said government would continue to monitor the situation, including developments on the international commodity markets with a view of engaging mining houses on any further required support to guarantee sustained viability of mining houses.
“We recognise that as the other sectors recover, the mining sector will continue to be the major generator of foreign currency in the economy and hence the Ministry of Finance will give full support to the mining sector during 2020,” he said.
Ncube also said government has embarked on the setting up of the Pension Retention Fund for public servants as part of the restructuring measures of the pension payment framework.
“Treasury has since disbursed $70 million as seed capital for the purpose of operationalisation of the Fund, which according to the responsible ministry, will require resources in excess of $60 billion to sustain all future payments. Hence, capitalisation of the fund will be done on a phased approach,” he said.
There is a way in which a new day opens with the pregnant promise of new possibilities, and opportunities for higher levels of success. With some luck, people on a team, in an organisation, or institution, may even attain the benchmarks that have previously seemed elusive.
Author of Atomic Habits, James Clear, simplifies the choice: “I do not think there is something about imposing limits upon yourself. Basically, if you commit to nothing, you’ll be distracted by everything.”
Business leaders thus agree that one of life’s timeless lessons is the challenge of focusing on the value of each day.Not even Artificial Intelligence (AI) can, or should hinder, the need to pay more attention to what is described as “uniquely human.” I am heartened by the intimation here that AI will not, after all, totally overrun human life.
Commenting on “How to Improve Employee Engagement,” consulting firm Development Dimensions International (DDI), reports that “among all engagement factors, employees reported that they were most satisfied with their co-workers, their workspace and their commute”.
In similar themes, Ferda Erdem, Janset Ozen and Nuray Atsan, have a trending research paper entitled The Relationship between Trust and Team Performance. They argue that “infrastructure components of policies and procedures relating to selection, training, development, supervision, etc, should recognise that building trusting relationships is a key part of the management agenda.”
Further, their paper says “an increase in trust among colleagues leads to higher instances of team performance,” and happily, “a decrease in critical quality errors”.
The research team calls trust a “hygiene factor” because a “collective effort that is not based on trust,” leaves team members unable to explain their ideas fully and sincerely, unable to display their actions intimately, and refraining from helping other teammates.
“Where there is a lack of trust, there will be failings in communication, delegation, empowerment and quality.”DDI also notes that “for leaders and organisations to succeed with AI, it means continuing to grow essential human skills such as communication, empathy and trust, which our research shows cannot be mastered by AI now or in the foreseeable future.”
Josh Epperson of Navalent Consulting similarly contends that “trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something. It’s what draws you to another’s thoughts, ideas and beliefs — it’s what bonds you. Trust also enables debate, disagreement and collective outcomes while keeping the relationships intact.”
“When people don’t contribute to the discussion or pay attention to what’s being said, the team fails to reap the full benefits of convening, and the meeting wastes everyone’s time.”
Epperson is concerned that many organisations still “endure the triple whammy of meetings that are too frequent; poorly timed and badly run, leading to losses in productivity, collaboration and well-being for both groups and individuals.”
While meetings are unavoidable, it is the other label attached to them that concerns companies; namely, that meetings are time wasters. Ashley Stahl says: “Nine out of 10 people daydream during meetings, and 73% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings.” Apparently, one of the reasons is that a mere “37% of meetings use an agenda”.
A Harvard Business Review study reported that “62% of respondents said meetings miss opportunities to bring teams closer together. If your meetings fail to create closeness, your team’s performance will gradually erode.”
Stahl employs the following illustration to emphasise the cost and benefit of meetings: “Walking indoors, even on a treadmill staring at a blank wall sparks far more creative solutions and thoughts compared to someone sitting down.”
Founder and chief executive officer of Elsey Enterprises, Wayne Elsey, makes the following appeal: “Not all meetings have to be a pain. In our team, we have a countdown clock to ensure that our sessions don’t end up going down redundant paths. When you have a countdown clock…everyone feels that their time is respected and that they’ll be able to get back to their work.”
After all is said and done, it seems possible that organisations and institutions, and their employees, can avoid the pernicious and often prejudicial act of pulling in different directions.
DESPITE the age-old and enduring axiom having instructed that “silence is golden” many, and chiefly politicians, have failed to pay hid to this wise counsel. Many politicians, while finding it quite difficult, if not impossible, to speak when it matters, most have instead zealously gone into overdrive yapping about when they should be keeping quiet.
More than two years down the line after the so called new dispensation’s austerity measures have decimated livelihoods and knocked Zimbabwe’s economy upside down, as well as inside out the southern African nation’s 2030 middle income dream, Defence and War Veterans deputy minister Victor Matemadanda has suddenly found his voice and is now telling this trodden, bruised and hapless people that the hardships they are enduring will help achieve economic stability at a time there are no signs of any light at the end of the tunnel. This is nothing short of absurd.
“The last dispensation did not have financial discipline that resulted in printing of unsupported bond notes. President Mnangagwa embarked on austerity measures to re-rail the economy, but these have not been properly communicated to the people. These (austerity measures) have to be packaged well such that everyone knows where we are going and what we are going through. (The late former President Robert) Mugabe’s dispensation bled the economy.
Zimbabwe is like a person being treated of extreme blood loss whose recovery is painful,” Matemadanda is telling us.
Granted, the old dispensation printed bond notes that were not supported, however, Cde Matemadanda, if you may allow us to ask: Why did the new dispensation not get rid of the useless bond notes soon after it took over power in November 2017? And are the $1 billion-worth of new notes and coins now being printed in the same green and purple bond note colours supported? If they are supported, may our dear comrade care to school us on what exactly is now supporting this new currency and the bond notes they inherited when productivity is nearly zero? Has, since the old dispensation days, managed to manufacture a single gold bar to start building up the country’s reserves that hopefully will help strengthen the local currency?
Matemadanda is also telling us that the country’s disastrous austerity measures were not properly communicated. Who failed to communicate well, by the way? Is he insinuating that some among the new dispensation are poor communicators? And if “Zimbabwe is like a person being treated of extreme blood loss whose recovery is painful”, why does it appear that the person is being drained of all the blood left, given that incomes and savings have all been drained? Honestly speaking, what Matemadanda has told us is not making sense under the circumstances. With Zimbabweans now poorer than they were in the old dispensation, it sounds nonsensical that the austerity measures are fixing things.
Was the new dispensation not supposed to add more blood to the little blood it found in the system, rather than to drain the little left and hope to add its own new blood? Some things are better off if they remained unsaid, Cde Matemadanda.
