Last week, I agonised on what to write about. I had travelled and had a bit of work to do, but still thought I could get my column in.

In the end, I did not write anything because I failed to find the inspiration, among other things.

The question that lingered at the back of my mind was: Why do we even bother, as it seems they do not care?

I thought of Mildred Chiri, the Auditor-General, who, for years has shone the light on government corruption, but her job seems to be a thankless one.

She has no teeth to bite and despite all her hard work, there seems to be little, if any reward for her toil.
In 2017, we all hissed and seethed in anger when a report from Chiri’s office told us that the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) could not locate land it had bought.

In the end, a row between NSSA and Zanu PF legislator, Philip Chiyangwa, ensued on the missing land, but before long and without as much of a resolution, we moved on to the next scandal. This one became a distant and fading memory.

We also read that some parastatals, those parasites that bleed the country’s coffers dry, had not been audited in eight years, meaning there is little accountability being done with public funds.

But because there is little remedial action, Chiri and her reports are swatted away as pesky inconveniences that will soon be forgotten, at least for 12 months.

On the other hand, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government came in on a promise to arrest corruption and jail criminals around Robert Mugabe, the ousted former President.

Instead of the big bang arrests that the country was promised and expected, we have been underwhelmed by token trials, which almost collapse before they have even begun.

Mnangagwa had the opportunity to deal with corruption by giving the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission some teeth, but he has squandered it by appointing High Court Judge Loice Matanda-Moyo as the head of the body.
The albatross around the neck of Matanda-Moyo is that she is the wife of the man who announced the coup that paved way for Mnangagwa’s presidency.

Anyone can argue what they want; say Matanda-Moyo is a capable person in her own right and that she is qualified for the job, but any reasonable person can hit back and say this reeks of nepotism and is a reward for her husband’s exploits in being brave enough to announce the 2017 coup on television.

Mnangagwa could have selected a retired judge or an eminent lawyer for the semblance of independence, but he chose someone who was bound to draw the most controversy.

If Matanda-Moyo is brilliant and as good as a fuming Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda wants everyone to believe, then there will be more opportunities for her; this was the wrong one at the wrong time and will not help either the judge or Mnangagwa’s reputation.

The Zanu PF youth league has also issued a list of people that it says need to be investigated for corruption.
Fine and dandy, but it is difficult to shake the feeling that this is part of a factional battle, as there are reports of divisions within the party.

Hopefully, these allegations are investigated and those that are found on the wrong side of the law are prosecuted, but I am not holding my breath.

Even the person with the shortest of memory remembers the “Queen Bee” saga that captured the imagination of the entire country, as we were promised exposés that would shake the country to the core. Instead, the drama died down without as much of a whimper. This country is not short of efforts to expose corruption, but the sad reality is nothing is being done to stem graft and again, I raise the question on why we bother.

Despondency and apathy have made permanent homes in the minds of many that see the government as either unwilling or unable to combat corruption.

Instead, we have heard the most incredulous excuses from bureaucrats on why there is corruption, with former Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa blaming sanctions for graft.

But anyone who is old enough knows that corruption predates sanctions by more than two decades.

An urge to give up slowly creeps in because there seems to be no reward to stop corruption.

Frothing at the mouth and making all sorts of noise about corruption and government’s lack of accountability seems to be nothing, but a fool’s errand.

Quitting or being apathetic sometimes seems to be the most logical thing to do, as those in power can simply do as they please, with little repercussions.

Also, as a nation, it seems we have become inured to corruption; it seems we have come to accept that those in power will find a way to steal from the nation’s coffers.

Instead of being angry and confronting the authors of our misery, we make excuses for them and as a result corruption thrives.

We have become emasculated bystanders, with little or no hope while those in positions do as they please with little or no accountability.

Trying to hold this lot to account seems to be a pointless endeavour. It is a thankless task, but somebody has go to do it and maybe one day those that have lacked common decency to steal from public funds and their enablers will be brought to account.

Chiri has shone the light in some of the darkest corners, but her work is incomplete without the support of Zimbabweans, civil society and journalists.

It is not enough to be just wowed by exposures, but we all have a duty to do something. To appropriate a hymnal by Carl P Daw, we have got to keep going “till no one hurts or steals or lies, and no more blood is spilled”.

 Nqaba Matshazi is AMH head of digital. He writes this in his personal capacity. Feedback nmatshazi@alphamedia.co.zw Twitter: @nqabamatshazi

FORMER Zimbabwe international cricketer Edward Rainsford yesterday rejected his appointment in the suspended Zimbabwe Cricket board announced last month saying his nomination and subsequent appointment was done is his absence and without his prior knowledge.

BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

ZC last month announced Rainsford was among the five new faces on the 13-member board elected during its disputed Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Victoria Falls which also saw Tavengwa Mukuhlani being re-elected as board chairman for another term.

ZC went ahead with the AGM despite a directive from the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) to suspend the processes, pending investigations over alleged electoral irregularities and allegations of misappropriation of funds.

The decision by the ZC leadership to go ahead with the polls resulted in SRC suspending the board along with acting managing director Givemore Makoni and replacing it with an interim administration led by former ZC chairman and chief executive Dave Ellman-Brown.

Rainsford, through his lawyers Samukange Hungwe Attorneys, yesterday dealt the suspended board another blow by exposing some of the irregularities surrounding the controversial AGM saying he never received any formal notification of his nomination.

“Our client advises us that the Annual General Meeting held on the 14th of June 2019 he was nominated as a board member/ director in terms of section 35 (4) of the Zimbabwe Cricket constitution. While the nomination was done in his absences, our client has not received any formal notification of his nomination and consequently has not accepted such nomination,” Rainsford’s attorneys said.

“Our instructions are that, Mr Edward Rainsford respectfully declines the nomination/possible appointment into the Zimbabwe Cricket structures as he is preoccupied with other cricket related commitments at the moment. In the circumstances, kindly note of our client’s wishes in relation to the aforementioned issue. We believe this should formalise our client’ position and should you wish to obtain any clarification please contact the writer. Our client wishes the best for Zimbabwe Cricket and fully supports the game and its development in the country,” reads the letter.

Rainsford’s decision to distance himself from the suspended board comes at a time the International Cricket Council (ICC) board is set to meet in London today to discuss the recent developments at the local cricket governing body.

After the meeting the ICC is expected to make a determination weather the action by the SRC does not amount to government interference in cricket affairs which is prohibited in terms of their
constitution.

THE medium-to-long-term prospects of the mining industry remains bright, with output for most minerals expected to record growth, Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) president Elizabeth Nerwande has said.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

“While the performance of the mining sector during the first half of 2019 was not encouraging, with the majority of key minerals having recorded output declines compared to previous year, we are upbeat that the mining industry will recover and achieve the desired targets as government and the private sector work together to address the key challenges affecting the mining industry…,” she said at the women in mining conference held under the Mine Entra banner in Bulawayo yesterday.

Nerwande said in 2019, the industry was targeting to produce 40 000 kilograms of gold, 15 000kg of platinum, 18 000 tonnes of nickel, 3,4 million tonnes of coal, 3,3 million carats of diamond, 1,8 million tonnes of chrome and 80 000 tonnes of lithium.

“These require men and women to set perceived and real differences aside; to say what is that we can do to realise them. The medium-to-long-term prospects of the mining industry remains bright, with output for most minerals expected to record phenomenal growth. Government continues to address the structural distortions and cost of doing business in Zimbabwe,” she said.

The sector contributes in excess of 15% to nominal GDP, more than 65% to national exports, around 12% to fiscal revenue and attracts more than 50% of foreign direct investment as well as create more than 45 000 formal jobs and in excess of one million workers in the artisanal and small-scale operators.

Mining is expected to anchor Zimbabwe’s transformation to middle income economy by 2030.

She said the growth prospects provide opportunities for women to participate in the entire mining value chain.
“The challenge for women and the sector, in particular, is how we can contribute to this growth. The mission is daunting as it requires a quantum leap in a period of less than 10 years,” she said.

“To be realised, the national vision must carry and incorporate all with something to contribute. Among women, we have capable engineers, accountants, geologists, metallurgists, miners and entrepreneurs. If we join hands with our male folks, Zimbabwe will surely emerge stronger,” she said.

In a speech read on her behalf, Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development minister, Sithembiso Nyoni (pictured), said the mining sector in Zimbabwe was gender insensitive.
“This conference is important because women in the mining sector in Zimbabwe still face major challenges such as lack of investment capital and knowledge on available opportunities. The mining sector in Zimbabwe has generally been regarded with mystification as a sector for the white, rich and powerful,” Nyoni said.

“This is because mining is associated with high capital investments, big machinery and underground activities. For women, the situation is made worse by occupational segregation and lack of access to capital, even for the most basic tools.”

She called for concerted efforts towards creating a conducive environment that would encourage more women to venture into mining.

VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi yesterday revealed that government has given a directive that magistrates should not summon traditional leaders to courts over decisions made at traditional courts.

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

Speaking at a meeting with chiefs from the Midlands province in Gweru, Mohadi said he had met President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the two leaders agreed that magistrates should stop overturning decisions made at traditional courts.

“We have had chiefs complaining that they are being dragged to the Magistrates’ Courts after they have made their decisions at traditional courts,” Mohadi said.

“I met with Chief (Fortune) Charumbira (president of the Chiefs Council) over the issue and after that I discussed the matter with President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa and there is now a directive that it should never happen again. You are being looked down upon (by being summoned to the Magistrates’ Courts) and we don’t want that.”

Mohadi said it was disrespectful for traditional leaders to be summoned to the Magistrates’ Courts because judgments by chiefs made at traditional courts were their “decisions made at their own courts” which should not be questioned.

Speaking in 2014 at an annual chiefs’ conference, Chief Charumbira made a scathing attack on magistrates accusing them of interfering with traditional courts.

During that time Charumbira said after chiefs had presided over cases at traditional courts accused persons had a tendency of appealing at the Magistrates’ Courts “overturning our sentences”.
In 2016 the late Chief Chirumanzu, born Gerald Mudzengi was dragged to court by village headman, Sifile Chiradza, who demanded his beasts arguing that he had been wrongly convicted of incest at the traditional court.

Although a Mvuma magistrate at that time rescinded the chief’s judgment and ruled that Chief Chirumanzu should pay the equivalent of two beasts he had attached from Chiradza, the traditional leader died early this year with Chiradza still fighting in the courts to recover his cattle.

At the same meeting, Mohadi reiterated that the thorny Gukurahundi issue should be discussed freely and openly by people to find a lasting solution.

“We cannot run away from it (Gukurahundi)as leaders, but should resolve the matter,” he said.
He said Chiefs were critical in conflict resolution adding that for the country to develop there should be peace.

A CHIMANIMANI woman escaped death by a whisker after she was allegedly axed by her former husband when she sought refuge at his house during the Cyclone Idai disaster, a Chipinge court heard yesterday.

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

This came to light when the former hubby, Pilato Mandimandi of Ngangu township in Chimanimani appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Joshua Nembaware.

He pleaded not guilty to violating the Domestic Violence Act and was remanded out of custody to Monday for continuation of trial.

Cyclone Idai hit Manicaland in mid March and Ngangu township was the hardest hit with the whole location, police station and a prison washed away except for as few houses.

Prosecutor, Sesekedzai Mayera told the court that the complainant, Patience Tiengani and her two children she sired with Mandimandi were some of the victims of the floods.

Their house was completely destroyed in the landslides induced flooding leaving them with nowhere to go.

They were part of the people rescued and taken to Cyclone Idai victims’ camps where they lived until April 1.

On the day of the Cyclone Idai-induced floods, Tiengani and her two children decided to go and seek refuge at her former husband’s house which had survived the disaster.

They arrived at around 7pm and knocked at his door seeking refuge.

However, Mandimandi denied her entrance into the house, but she insisted that she should be given a place to put up with the children since her house was destroyed by the Cyclone.

A misunderstanding arose between the pair which later degenerated into a scuffle.

He then started assaulting his ex-wife with fists and booted feet all over the body chasing her away from his home together with his children.

He later picked up an axe and struck her once on the shoulder. She was saved by neighbours and a report was made to the police, leading to his arrest.

BUDDING ensemble, Power of Praise choir, has roped in veteran gospel musician, Mechanic Manyeruke, in their debut single titled Najesu Zvinoita.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

The song, which was done in an Afro Jazz Feel, will be released beginning of next week.

Founder of the group, Kudakwashe Chirisa told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday that they agreed to collaborate with Manyeruke as they were inspired and wanted to learn more from him.

“We have chosen to work with Manyeruke on the basis of wanting to get advise. We also appreciate him as one of the gospel pioneers in Zimbabwe. He is a humble and a very cheerful musician. Above all, I enjoy his music and because the genre we used is quite familiar with his music taste, we knew we could blend with him,” he said.

Chirisa said the song encourages people to be patient and wait until God fulfils their wishes.

“The song talks about a delay as not being a denial. It gives reference to Sarah having a child at old age,” he said.

Chirisa said they aimed to work more this year on singles, adding they would next year be working on an album set for live DVD recording.

Although the group was found in 2016, Chirisa said there had been no recordings as they were yet to learn how to run music business.

“We have been watching from behind how others do their music. Precisely, we have been trying to bring the band together and have a vibrant and highly motivated crew. As you may know, God’s time is the best. So, God has allowed us now to begin our journey. At some point, lack of finances has been the main challenge,” he said.
Power of Praise Choir is an up and coming inter denominational Christian group that has brought different people from across churches with the aim to create a gospel ensemble.

WOMEN in the mining sector in Zimbabwe are still facing major challenges such as lack of investment capital and knowledge on available opportunities, despite concerted efforts to address them, an official has said.

BY MTHANDAZO NYONI

In a speech read on her behalf by the director in the ministry at the ongoing MineEntra in Bulawayo yesterday, Women Affairs minister Sithembiso Nyoni said the mining sector in Zimbabwe was gender insensitive and women continue to be disadvantaged as they are still discriminated against in this fast growing sector.

“This conference is important because women in the mining sector in Zimbabwe still face major challenges such as lack of investment capital and knowledge on available opportunities. The mining sector in Zimbabwe has generally been regarded with mystification as a sector for the white, rich and powerful,” Nyoni said.

“This is because mining is associated with high capital investments, big machinery and underground activities. For women, the situation is made worse by occupational segregation and lack of access to capital even for the most basic tools.”

According to a study commissioned by the Women Affairs ministry in 2016 with the support of the World Bank, only 30% of the artisanal gold miners in the small-scale mining sector are women, while 80% of the small-scale gold and gemstone claims belong to men.

Women constitute only 7% of the total labour force in the sector.

“This gloomy picture calls for concerted efforts to be directed towards creating a conducive environment that encourages more women to venture into the formal mining sector,” she said.

Nyoni encouraged women to explore various opportunities available in the mining sector value chain.

These include catering and camping services, trucking and transportation services, drilling and coring services, civil works, crane and fork-lifting services, mine waste disposal services as well as water management and waste water treatment services.

She said small-scale miners are currently contributing around 60% of all the gold that is being delivered to Fidelity Printers and Refineries.

“It is gratifying to note that women miners are contributing a fair share of this output despite the numerous challenges they face,” she added.

She thanked the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe through Fidelity Printers and Refiners for establishing the ZW$150 million facility of which ZW$20 million was set aside for women miners. “The onus is now upon all women miners to access these funds to increase production,” she said.

Zimbabwe mobile network operators have seen revenue decline and reporting break evens, in this highly inflationary environment. If this persists at this rate, they will be soon reporting loses as the environment continues to become tougher for various players.

Telecel will not be publicly announcing their results, but we all know they are making loses already, TelOne and Powertel were lucky to swing just above break-even whilst NetOne an Econet have posted some profits. Nevertheless, the major problem is more environmental which in turn is affecting other sectors as well outside the sector.

The Zimbabwe Telecoms sector is one of the most heavily licensed sector and still it does not escape the taxation system like any other industry.

*Telecel Zimbabwe for the second time is in trouble for failing to pay its license fee, violating even the payment plans it had promised over a 10-year license fee of $137.5million. Outside the huge license fee*, the sector faces duty on ICTs equipment imported, 5 percent excise duty on airtime sales, a 25 percent duty on handsets and ICT products and a 5 cents levy per transaction on mobile money transfers, plus of course the inescapable 2% for any electronic transaction, we are crushing the goose that lays the golden egg.

While most of these taxes are paid by the operators directly, consumers also bear the brunt of these measures as operators extend the whole portion to the user like the Universal Services Fund (USF) and the Value Added Tax (VAT).

The ICT sector is Zimbabwe’s second-biggest taxpayer, meaning it is contributing significantly to our national revenues hence it’s critical.

Technically at this taxation rate, It would be fair to say that our taxing system is making more money than the business itself, and you wonder if at all these cons are looked into as the environment continues to grow tough.

Besides the taxation issue which greatly contributes against the profits, just for the love of the sector, we are really concerned if issues of viability are at all concern to the powers that be.

There is an urgent need to start relaxing statutes and prohibitive laws before we see an inevitable collapse of the sector, which unfortunately has been drained with taxations and punitive measures, yet the same sector is expected to be at prime performance.

The elephant in the room has been the bond note pricing which has really eroded value at the current rate, forcing Zimbabwean Mobile service providers to be billing the least profitable rates in the continent. When the bond note and RTGS were introduced, there were pegged at the rate 1:1against the US dollar and this gave businesses the opportunity to also borrow and invest banking on the return of value using the same tariffs in actual USD currency.

With the actual value of the RTGS rate against the income buying power, it brings a big headache to price right while one needs to be super cautionary against a client earning a meager RTGS salary, while ultimately the same operators have real forex obligations.

At this rate, the government must consider availing forex to the sector, so that the local players remain sustainable and relevant amidst a hyperinflationary environment, some form of cushioning and prioritizing them as they settle international debts through the provision of foreign currency.

BY BRENNA MATENDERE/STEPHEN CHADENGA

WOMEN Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Midlands Chapter has given Gweru City Council 14 days to explain the source of funding for former town clerk, Daniel Matawu’s exit package as well as resolve the city’s water crisis, failure which they would take to the streets and also approach government for intervention.

In a letter addressed to mayor, Josiah Makombe, dated July 9, WCoZ accused the local authority of failing to act on its previous petitions on the two issues.

“We sent a petition to your office regarding the source of the funding for the golden handshake for former town clerk, Daniel Matawu and we also petitioned your office over erratic water provision in Gweru,” WCoZ wrote.

“Numerous efforts have been made by our office to get responses to our petitions, but none have been forthcoming. Despite our efforts you have failed or
refused to demonstrate any commitment to address our plight.

“As we speak, some areas like Mkoba 1, 2, 19, Ridgemont and Adelaide Park, as well as Senga, have gone for the past four weeks without water and this has
placed us at risk of contracting water-borne diseases like typhoid and cholera. Due to this crisis, we are compelled to give your office 14 days (notice), to
take action to address our grievances,” reads the petition.

The women’s organisation said if the local authority fails to act on its grievances in two weeks’ time they would pursue the issues “(through) a different
forum”.

“We are prepared to approach for intervention, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing,” said WCoZ.

Alice Maqata, the WCoZ Midlands Chapter chairperson confirmed to Southern Eye the development, also saying young girls are being harassed by marshals at alternative water points. She highlighted that women were losing productive time searching for water because some suburbs have gone for four weeks without the
commodity.

“We have given council 14 days to address the water situation and to respond to the petition we gave them last year, where we wanted to know how council will
fund the former town clerk’s ZW$400 000 golden handshake,” she said.

“We are coming from a background where we know that council owes around ZW$30 million to Zesa alone. Residents owe council a staggering ZW$62 million. Over and
above that, council is saying it needs ZW$6 million to refurbish the city’s water infrastructure. Our women and girls are spending an average of seven hours a
day in search of water. This takes away their productive time and exposes them to all forms of abuse at (water) points, where marshals are demanding favours in
cash or kind for them to jump queues. We now want action, we have had enough.”

Makombe said he sympathised with the women, but indicated council will not be able to meet their deadline.

“I feel their issue is genuine. As women they are the most affected when there is no water. However, our failure to provide water regularly is not by choice.

Our situation is very critical, but we are trying our best. We have engaged government and the corporate world for required funding to fix the crisis.”