BY BRENNA MATENDERE

A PRIMARY and Secondary Education ministry official has ordered all secondary schools in Mberengwa to put together essays that chronicle how sanctions are hurting the country.

The essays are dubbed Anti-sanctions campaign from a school’s perspective as a social services deliverer.

In a memorandum sent to all schools in Mberengwa on Monday, district schools inspector Josta Nkomo, ordered all the learning institutions to compel students to write the essays on the subject and submit them to him.

The memorandum read: “Dear school heads: All schools are required to write an essay each on anti-sanctions today and submit it tomorrow morning at district office for onward transmission to Harare. Please don’t fail. Thank you.”

Contacted for comment, Nkomo confirmed to Southern Eye that he indeed gave the instruction to schools in Mberengwa to write the essays.

“It is a competition that we are conducting on the subject. I have the blessings of the Ministry of Education in that programme. It’s a competition for pupils from Form 3 to Upper Sixth,” he said.

Some of the schools which received the order include Batanai, Bvumbura, Chamakudo, Chaora, Chavengwa, Chaza, Chibvute, Chegato, Chengwe, Cheshanga, Chibvumba, Chiedza, Chingechuru, Chimapire and Chingezi.

The Zanu PF-led government will on Friday hold sanctions marches around the country to pressure the US to lift the restrictive measures it imposed on the country in 2001 over concerns of gross human rights abuses, dearth of democracy and bad governance during the then President Robert Mugabe’s era. The measures have been renewed since with US leaders insisting the situation in Zimbabwe continues to deteriorate.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou, said Nkomo had abused his powers by forcing headmasters to dance to his wish on the contentious topic of sanctions.

“Such arrogance of the DSI is tantamount to abuse of power and lack of professionalism as it treats headmasters as if they are an extension of his kitchen. As PTUZ we urge officials to ensure that districts are run in a professional manner that promotes effective and efficient teaching and learning as products of appropriate supervision,” he said.

Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure told Southern Eye that the exercise was bent on manipulating students.

“The government has adamantly resisted our calls for safe schools, the best we can do is to protect our learners from manipulation,” he said.

By Rex Mphisa

ZIMBABWE has been experiencing extremely high temperatures beginning Monday with Beitbridge recording 44,5º Celsius. The Meteorological Services Department (MSD), however, said temperatures would cool down beginning yesterday.

Although high temperatures are expected to continue in Matabeleland North, all Mashonaland provinces, northern parts of the Midlands and Harare, the MSD ruled out prospects of a heat wave hitting the country.

Beitbridge border town temperatures matched an all-time record of 44.5ºC recorded in October 2010. In 1998 temperatures spiked to 44,4 ºC in the border town.

Gweru, Zvishavane, Gwanda and Binga also broke or matched previous recordings, meteorologist Tich Zinyemba said.

Zinyemba said the temperature spikes were a result of compression ahead of cooler temperatures experienced countrywide yesterday.

“The advent of cooler temperatures caused the spikes before cold temperatures set in,” he said.

He said Beitbridge recorded 44,5ºC and Gweru recorded a new high of 36,4 ºC from a previous record of 36,1ºC.

“Joshua Mqabuko (Polytechnic) in Gwanda recorded 38,2 ºC from a previous 38ºC. Zvishavane recorded 41,7 ºC over its 2010 record of 41,3ºC,” Zinyemba said. Binga also set a new record of 41,5ºC up from a previous 41,4ºC.

Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport recorded 34,2ºC.

In Beitbridge town two children fainted at a secondary school and by noon schools had abandoned classes as the searing heat persisted. A teacher from Beitbridge West said the school avoided classrooms as hot and almost still air prevailed.

“Birds, particularly doves, were falling down,” said another teacher from Madzivhe.

“We had problems with schoolchildren particularly in infant school,” said the teacher who declined to be named.

“We have sent reports to the Education Department at Beitbridge,” she added.

Officials at the district education offices were not available for comment. In the border town streets were deserted as people sought shelter from the heat. People could be seen holding water bottles and water vendors said they recorded brisk business.

“I have sold three times the number of water bottles I ordinarily sell and business is good,” a vendor who identified herself as Mary Moyo said.

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

THE Department of Veterinary Services in Bulilima last week found no clinical evidence of Newcastle disease in Dombodema where villagers have reportedly lost many chickens.

Last week a number of villagers in ward 20 lost some chickens in a suspected Newcastle outbreak, sending villagers in Bulilima district into panic.

That prompted the Department of Veterinary Services to dispatch a team to the reported epicentre of the outbreak.

Provincial veterinary officer, Enat Mdlongwa dismissed the Newscatle disease outbreak reports in the ward and Bulilima district.

“Following reports that there has been an outbreak of Newcastle in Bulilima district, especially in ward 20 in Dombodema, we have not found any clinical evidence pointing to that disease. Soon after receiving the reports we sent our district team to investigate the matter and their findings are that there is nothing on the ground showing an outbreak of that disease, so villagers should not panic as their birds are safe,” Mdlongwa said.

Last week, the Bulilima Civil Protection Unit received a report of a suspected Newcastle disease outbreak after some villagers lost their chickens to what is now suspected to be a heat wave.

A source in Dombodema, Martha Ncube yesterday confirmed that indeed officials from the Department of Veterinary Services had investigated the reports.

“They came here last week to investigate. They told us that they have not found any trace of the disease. Villagers are now suspecting that their birds could have died due to excessive heat as they were facing respiratory problems and then die,” Ncube said.

Newcastle disease is an infection of domestic poultry and other bird species with virulent Newcastle disease virus. It is a worldwide problem that presents primarily as an acute respiratory disease, but depression, nervous manifestations, or diarrhoea may be the predominant clinical form.

The disease is a contagious bird disease affecting domestic and wild avian species, it is transmissible to humans. It was first identified in Java, Indonesia, in 1926, and in 1927 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England (where it got its name).

BY DARLINGTON MWASHITA/ PATRICIA SIBANDA

BULAWAYO-BASED award-winning gospel musician Margaret Mwamuka, popularly known in the gospel circles as Mai Mwamuka, is set to drop a new album titled Jesu.

Mwamuka disclosed this during the first Ultimate Worship Experience concert at the ZAOGA Church’s Nketa Redemption Centre in Bulawayo recently.

She said the album will comprise 14 tracks.

The musician said the album will have both collaborations and her back-up singers will also get a chance to do solos in some of the tracks.

“I am going to release an album titled Jesu. It has 14 tracks. My back-up singers will also feature with their solos in some of the songs,” she said.

Mwamuka said the album had both Ndebele and Shona songs and promised to release another single soon after hosting a Bulawayo worship gala following the album launch.

She urged artistes to have a positive impact on their audience by exhorting them through music.

“Motivation has to be what people say about you as their comments will always drive you to strive for more. I urge anyone who is in the music industry to localise their talent. If you are a singer or writer, I advise you to record or publish more of your works so that you enlarge your territory and your songs can be heard nation-wide,” she said.
She advised artistes to spread their wings and go the extra mile in showcasing their talent, otherwise they would remain unsung

heroes.

By Freeman Makopa

Mutare-based basketball club, Mercenaries, who are the country’s representatives at this year’s edition of the Basketball Africa League, are confident of progressing to the next round.

The qualifiers, which are scheduled for Johannesburg, South Africa, will run from today to Sunday.

Mercenaries coach Innocent Sithole is confident his charges have what it takes to reach the next round.

He said they were determined to progress to the next round.

“It is the first of its kind in Africa and we feel we have a good chance of getting into the next round,” he said.

Mercenaries were drawn into Group E where they will battle top clubs such as Ferraviario de Maputo (Mozambique), Jozi Nuggets (South Africa), UNZA Pacers (Zambia), Dolphins (Botswana) and Lions Club (Namibia).

Sithole said participating in such a tournament will expose the team to international competition and help in building a stronger Zimbabwean team.

“The financial rewards for going to the next round are huge and this will also help our players to gain experience as they will be battling against top clubs from around the region and we are also opening doors towards a professional team in Zimbabwe,” he added.

Meanwhile, Harare City Hornets maintained their dominance on top of the Men’s A league after beating BUSE Men 92-63 over the weekend.

By Sports Reporter

The who is who of the sports fraternity is today expected to converge in Chiweshe, Mashonaland Central province, for the burial of one of Zimbabwe’s greatest athlete, Artwell Mandaza.

Mandaza died on Monday at the age of 73, having been unwell for quite some time. His burial is set for his rural home in Chiweshe.

One of Zimbabwe’s top ultra-distance athletes, Mako Mambo, was already in Chiweshe yesterday to witness the burial of a man idolised by the majority of local athletes.

National Athletics Assiciation of Zimbabwe Mashonaland Central provincial chairperson Pretty Maware said Mandaza had been unwell for some time although he occasionally attended some athletics competitions every time he was invited.

“The man loved his sport. He had been unwell since last year. I used to go and see him and only this year we invited him to an athletics event at Bindura Country Club and he came. He used to attend these events. The sports fraternity will be poorer without him,” she said.

The powerful-striding sprinter from Mhangura, rose to stardom before the country’s independence by becoming the fastest man in the then Rhodesia and the continent at one point.

He held national records in 100m (10,3 seconds), 200m (20,8secs) 400m (46,8secs) and 400m hurdles (52,18secs) from 1969 to 1976.

On the world map, he was ranked among the world’s top 100 on six occasions.

For his dazzling efforts, Mandaza was chosen as the nation’s Sportsman of the Year for 1970 and was also presented with the John Hopley Memorial Trophy to make him the first black African to be honoured as the country’s supreme sportsman.

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

HARARE football giants Dynamos will be seeking to complete a double over defending champions FC Platinum when the two sides clash in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer league tie at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon.

Dynamos go into the match with their confidence rocket high, having beaten FC Platinum 1-0 in their own backyard in the reverse fixture in June.

Having drawn seven times in eight matches, the Glamour Boys will be determined to secure maximum points.

Former Dynamos defender Gift Bello, now on the books of FC Platinum, believes the two teams are meeting at a crucial stage of the campaign and predicted a tough encounter.

The veteran defender made his name at the Harare football giants, before switching to the Zvishavane-based side five years ago.

He has won two successive championships with the Zvishavane-based side – in some of the highlights of his career.

And with his team in a strong position to dominate domestic football again, Bello is relishing the opportunity of meeting his former paymasters.

“We are looking forward to the match. As players, we have prepared very well for this match. We are aware that this match is very important for us. At this stage, we can’t afford to drop points, we need to remain focused.

“It is never going to be easy though, but we are prepared and we pray for a positive result. Remember, we are in the title race so we have to win all the remaining eight games so that we avoid depending much on how other teams play out,” he said.

Bello said they were not reading much into the fact that Dynamos have struggled to collect maximum points in their last five matches.

“Dynamos are playing at home, so obviously, with their huge support base they will be hoping to win this match.

“Their form book is not our concern at this stage because we are only working to collect the three points at stake,” Bello said.

A win for FC Platinum will pile pressure on log leaders, Caps United, who are currently enjoying a five-point cushion at the summit of the log table with 50 points with eight matches remaining.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA/FARAI MATIASHE

Labour minister Sekai Nzenza says Zimbabweans must prioritise drought-resistant crops to counter the effects of climate change.

Speaking at the official opening of United Nations (UN) week panel discussion and exhibition in Harare on Monday, Nzenza said stakeholders, including government, non-governmental organisations and civic society groups should educate citizens on the benefits of growing drought-resistant crop varieties.

“There is need to develop a new strategy. We need to develop a coping strategy to mitigate climate change. Cyclone Idai was a wake-up call to my ministry to realise the devastating impact of climate change and also in addition to Cyclone Idai we have had drought,” Nzenza said.

“There is a lot of hunger and what the ministry is doing in the short term is to ensure that everybody gets food. In the long term, we have to develop resilient strategies. Let’s go back to what it used to be like before we became so dependent on things like maize which has become much commercialised, let us go back to our small grains like sorghum.”

Nzenza said there is need to educate people across all societies on the effects of climate change in their local languages.

“We are also looking at raising awareness especially in the rural areas where there is less access to information. We need to develop material in the language that people understand. Like what is climate change and what are its effects so that people understand its effects and that it is real and affecting our people,” she said.

Deputy director for climate change department, in the Lands ministry Kudzai Ndidzano said climate change mitigation requires collective action.

“Climate change is real; it’s a threat. It’s time for collective action, private sector, government, civil society groups should come in. We need to act; it’s going to get warmer (thus) developing of tropical storms,” he said.

International Organisation for Migration chief of mission, Mario Lito Malanca said to manage migration in the country, there was need to reduce climate change as its impact such as Cyclone Idai is responsible for the displacement of thousands of people.

UN resident co-ordinator Maria Ribeiro said the three-day exhibition is aimed at raising awareness on climate change action to achieve 2030 Agenda on sustainable development.

BY FARAI MATIASHE/VANESSA GONYE/PRECIOUS CHIDA

SAVE the Children Zimbabwe country director Yvonne Arunga has called on the government to commit resources towards protecting children from getting exposed to cyber-crimes.

This comes at a time Parliament is debating the Cyber Crime and Cyber Security Bill which is meant to ensure online offenders against children among others are brought to book.

“Let me hasten to say, these project milestones have been made with meagre resources, hence we implore the government and other key stakeholders to prioritise child online protection, and commit resources for the full implementation of child online protection at national level,” said Arunga while speaking during the handover of two servers to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Harare yesterday.

She said safeguarding children from accessing harmful content on the internet was not meant to deprive them of their right to access information but to protect them from sexual exploitation.

Arunga said the donation will link up the national child sexual exploitation database to the Interpol database, thus helping to automatically detect leads on child online sexual abuse materials originating from Zimbabwe.

“All these efforts are aiming to ensure the protection and safety of the growing numbers of Zimbabwean children who are accessing the internet either through their mobile phones, computers and other gadgets,” she said.

Arunga said police alone could not protect children but it was the responsibility of everyone in the country including parents and guardians at home, teachers and the community at large to unite in protecting children from online abuse.

ZRP acting chief of staff officer crime Assistant Commissioner Israel Makuwaza said their partnership with Save the Children was focused on fighting physical abuse of children but due to technological advancement they also had to pay attention to online crimes against children including sextortion and revenge pornography.

He said the HP DL20 servers donated by Save the Children will help link the ZRP’s Victim Friendly Unit with the Interpol server.

“This database will allow VFU to upload images and videos, obtain information on identified victims and offenders. This will enable the VFU to identify and safeguard more children, monitor and apprehend more offenders and thus prevent further distribution of child sexual exploitation material,” he said.

Meanwhile, Plan International has bemoaned challenges being faced by young girls among them difficulties in accessing sexual health services.

Speaking at a girls’ symposium held as part of celebrations to mark International Day of the Girl, Plan International sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) project manager, Varaidzo Nyadenga said most girls particularly in Epworth were living from their own pockets and were failing to raise fees for medication.

“Health workers are further worsening their predicament as they are portraying a negative attitude towards those on anti-retroviral therapy as well as their peers who seek medical attention on SRH issues. They are not forthcoming and usually they exert their beliefs when on duty which is therefore making girls hesitant to seek medical attention fearing stigma,” she said.

“The other issue is access to sanitary wear, we have been talking about this for a long time and we do appreciate the efforts that have been made to reduce the tax but still the prices are prohibitive.