AWARD-winning hip-hop musician, Takura, has hinted on launching a record label, One Entertainment, aimed at grooming upcoming hip-hop artistes.

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

Takura said the move was motivated by the need to give the genre more visibility in the country.

The Zino Irema hitmaker used Soul Afrika as his entry gate into the music industry and has, within a short period, fully grown into a force to reckon with in his genre.

In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style through his manager, Michael Mangondoza, the musician said dates for the launch would be announced after all logistics had been put in place.

“Takura is looking at pushing upcoming talent, and he is also set to launch a record label soon called One Entertainment. We have started it, but will start recruiting talent soon so that we promote the genre as best as we can,” he said.

“That is what we are trying to do for the culture. Takura is trying to create a platform that will allow upcoming artistes to produce music the proper way. There are things that are affecting upcoming musicians such as cost of production, which can be high, hence the introduction of a record label that will house those artistes and give them an opportunity to reach their dreams.”

Mangondoza said a lot of people had shown interest in their record label.

“We also recently did the Zvemoyo challenge, which I will actually post its contestants on my Instagram page, just to give them exposure and shed light on their talent and that went very well. At least 500 local artistes participated in that challenge and we only had one winner, Darrelworld, who will have the chance to do a collaboration with Takura,” he said

Mangondoza said Takura was eyeing the international market and to fly the country’s flag high through music.
“Takura is a talented artiste, so we are eyeing to add value to the industry as well as grow beyond Zimbabwe. That is our focus at the moment. Zim hip-hop is definitely growing at the moment. At first people thought other genres were profitable and they never really supported hip-hop,” he said.

“There are many upcoming kids who have been good in what they are doing, which is really good because the industry then grows.”

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA
A TEAM of nine international volunteers operating under a German-based non-governmental organisation called Friends of Waldorf Education (FWE) last week offered psycho-social services to a group of St Charles Lwanga High School students from Chimanimani, who are currently stationed at UMAA Institute in rural Chihota.

The volunteers, who hail from seven different countries, including Zimbabwe and Chile, are helping the 34 boys to deal with post-trauma following the devastating Cyclone Idai that destroyed their school in Manicaland province in March this year.
On March 15, a mudslide tore into the school premises, destroying infrastructure and killing two students in one of the country’s most devastating disasters, which left around 500 people dead and thousands others displaced.
The boys at the Catholic-run school could not go back to the learning institution because it is yet to be rebuilt following the disaster, prompting parents to find alternative schools.

When NewsDay visited UMAA Institute in Chihota yesterday, the volunteers were employing different tactics and sessions to the boys, with some still visibly traumatised by the disaster.

FWE head of mission Moises Elosua said the trauma-therapy sessions were going on well for the boys.
“We are here to offer psycho-social support to these boys, who we all know are victims of the Cyclone Idai-induced disaster,” Elosua said.

“We are from different countries and have experts to deal with trauma-related issues, hence various sessions being done here. We are happy that the boys are in a serene and friendly environment. We are also going to train the teachers so that they continue assisting the students after we leave. We are happy with the progress, as the boys are expressing themselves in these sessions.”

About nine teachers have been recruited to teach the 34 boys who are in different classes. The boys are staying at the institute, which has full boarding facilities.

UMAA Institute director Cleopas Kundiona said he had to assist the boys with learning facilities following their tragic experiences.

“Every child has a right to education. After their school was destroyed by floods, we offered them assistance in the form of learning facilities in Chihota. They are coping well and the examination class is also getting ready for their final tests later in the year,” he said.

About 400 boys from the Catholic-run school are currently scattered across the country after they were seeded into other schools until St Charles Lwanga High School is re-built.

Flamboyant businessman Frank Buyanga Sadiqi has lost the battle for custody of his four-year-old son to ex-wife Chantelle Muteswa, but immediately launched a complaint against the magistrate who handled the matter, Trevor Nyatsanza.

By Everson Mushava

Buyanga was taken to court by his ex-wife, who was seeking the court to make a declaration on the custody of their child after tussling over the matter that has, to date, implicated many people, including police officers, lawyers and magistrates.

The businessman filed contempt of court charges against Muteswa and wanted her to be sentenced for 60 days for failing to hand over the child’s passport to him in April when he wanted to travel with him to South Africa.
This resulted in Muteswa being detained by the police in April for contempt of court.

Nyatsanza on Monday heard both matters; Muteswa’s application for declaration of custody as well Buyanga’s application of execution pending appeal, where he wanted Muteswa to release the child’s passport.

Buyanga has already placed criminal and civil charges against his ex-wife.

The declaration of custody was handed down on May 27, and for the execution pending appeal, the ruling was supposed to be released on May 28 and then later moved to May 29.

“The applicant is the sole custodian of the minor child (name withheld). The respondent and applicant to pay own costs,” read the ruling by Nyatsanza, delivered in court on May 27.

After losing custody of the child, Buyanga on May 28 wrote a letter of complaint to the resident magistrate, accusing Nyatsanza of bias.

He claimed that his driver saw the magistrate in town chatting with his ex-wife and has the potential of making unfavourable ruling against him.

In his letter, he said he had been denied access to the passport of the minor child against a court order, forcing him to apply for the execution pending appeal, but verdicts have been postponed on several occasions.
“Prior to court ruling (the one giving Muteswa custody), Mr Nyatsanza, who was not at the court premises, was seen by my driver Lloyd chatting to Ms Muteswa along Fourth Street at the intersection of Kwame Nkrumah,” Buyanga claimed in his letter dated May 28.

“I am now concerned that Mr Nyatsanza, who was seen and discussing with Ms Muteswa outside court, can still adjudicate over my matter in an impartial manner. My concern is particularly informed by the fact that after meeting Ms Muteswa, Mr Nyatsanza further postponed the matter to May 29, 2019 for ruling. He might prejudice me after his meeting with another litigant in the same matter.”

He made an application for the magistrate to recuse himself.

The application was heard on Thursday, with Nyatsanza, who had already made the ruling on the execution pending appeal case before Buyanga’s complaint, agreeing to recuse himself, but referred the matter to the High Court.

“The essence of my ruling is that, and I quote from that ruling: ‘The portions that I stressed bring out the intention of the legislature that in the event of any access order, however framed but which is in substance an access order to determine the fate of such appeal. The magistrate court is clearly stripped of any power to allow execution pending appeal as is the case generally in terms of section 40(3) of the Magistrate Court Act (Chapter 7:10) This is a ruling based on what the law says in black and white’,” part of Nyatsanza’e ruling read.

Muteswa is represented by Munyaradzi Bwanya of Wilmot and Bennett Legal Practitioners, while Buyanga is represented by Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal Practitioners.

MANICALAND Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba yesterday blasted individuals who were accumulating wealth through corrupt deals in the diamond sector.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

She made the remarks at the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company all-stakeholders’ diamond security feedback meeting in Mutare, where she also urged Zimbabweans to shun individualism.

“We need to work hard as a company so that there (are) no leakages in the diamond sector. We are here at the meeting to share ideas and offer constructive criticism so that we have a credible diamond sector,” she said.
“We are aware that there are individuals who are accumulating wealth through corrupt means and I begin to wonder if they will (ever) get tired of accumulating wealth.

“Wealth is for all people in the country and I don’t know where the culture of individualism came from in this country. Let us have morals and values that guide our conduct.”

Gwaradzimba has been making headlines of late over Farwell Coffee Estates, a coffee farm in Chipinge, which her son is eyeing for takeover from a white commercial farmer.

Mines minister Winston Chitando, in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Polite Kambamura, said the diamond sector in the country should implement credible internal controls to plug diamond leakages.

“All players in the diamond sector are obliged to implement credible internal controls in order to facilitate for optimum diamond security and accounting systems,” Chitando said.

He implored the use of proper internal security to ensure accountability and an immediate end to leakages.
Centre for Natural Resources and Governance director Farai Maguwu said no amount of security would stop the invasion of Marange diamond fields by artisanal miners.

“I like the speech by both (ministers). There is need to rethink security in the context of Marange diamonds.
Security is a tough task, but there is no amount of security that can stop artisanal miners from invading Marange,” he said.

“What can government do at the moment? They should create space for artisanal miners and allow them to operate legally and ensure that the diamonds are sold to the State and have a win-win situation.”

THE docket of former Mines secretary Francis Gudyanga, who is accused of defrauding the State of more than $1,6 million in deals with an Israeli company, Nikuv, was yesterday reportedly missing, forcing his trial to be deferred.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Gudyanga also former Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) board chairperson, allegedly caused the parastatal to pay $1 629 500 to Glammer (Pvt) Ltd, an Israeli company through a local agricultural company, Pedstock.

Pedstock is a sister company of Nikuv International Projects Limited, which was accused by the opposition parties of rigging the 2013 elections in favour of former President Robert Mugabe.

Last month, Gudyanga filed a notice before the court to have his case heard in camera, alleging that some of the contents of the matter are privileged information that he signed for on the Official Secrecy Act and must not be revealed in an open court.

During the initial stages of the case, the State also asked for a postponement, saying they want to get a statement from the Zimbabwe Republic Police, to where some of the funds were channelled.

But magistrate Hosea Mujaya at the time asked Gudyanga to file that application in open court to see if it qualifies to be heard under camera.

However, yesterday, Gudyanga failed to file his application after the docket reportedly went missing.
Gudyanga’s lawyer, Norman Mugiya confirmed to the court that his client was remanded to yesterday, but is not aware of the prosecutor handling the case.
“I have no clue which prosecutor is handling the matter. I have been making follow ups all morning, but to no avail. I understand the docket was seconded to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) after the last court appearance, but I consulted the district public prosecutor and the senior regional prosecutor. No one is aware of where the docket is,” Mugiya told court.
The arrangement then irked Mujaya, who then enquired the reason behind the missing docket. Mujaya also blasted National Prosecuting Authority and Zacc for not following the progress of their cases.
“This is not the first time we had to go through this especially with Zacc matters. Why is there no communication between the two? Right now, the defence is making an application for postponement on behalf of the State. We even warned witnesses to come to court on this date. The accused persons would have been arrested and placed on remand, but somehow prosecutors do not know about the progress on their cases. You have to be more organised as this causes more inconveniences,” Mujaya said.

Mujaya then postponed the matter to June 17 to allow the State to put their house in order.
It is the State’s case that during the period extending from September 2014 to December 2015, Gudyanga, acting in his capacity as Mines secretary and sometimes as MMCZ board chairperson when at that time no board was in existence, misrepresented to MMCZ that they pay $1 629 500 to Glammer (Pvt) Ltd, a foreign company through a local Agricultural Company Pedstock.

Gudyanga further misrepresented that the monies be accounted to as dividends due to the stakeholder, in this case the Government of Zimbabwe.

The State alleges MMCZ, acting on the accused, misrepresentation released the $1 629 500 to Pedstock when, in truth and fact, the money was not being paid to the government, but for a private arrangement.

THE Bulawayo Vendors and Traders’ Association (BVTA) has encouraged members to form savings and credit co-operative societies (SACCOS) because they continue to be shunned by the formal banking sector.

By NQOBANI NDLOVU

BVTA executive director Michael Ndiweni said the vendors’ representative body has also rolled out financial literary training programmes for its members to help them form SACCOS.

A SACCOS is created by a group of people with a common interest such as churches and vendors with the objective of saving money collectively, then make loans available to the group’s members.
“We are busy training on financial literacy and encouraging members in the sector to form credit co-operative societies. These are internal lending schemes.

“Although this is beginning to yield positive results, the prevailing economic environment is heavily affecting these schemes, with the loss of value of the bond note and RTGS dollar eroding their savings daily,” Ndiweni told Southern Eye.

He said the financial literacy trainings equip traders with skills to manage their finances, what they earn from their economic units or businesses, and how to generate viable business ideas.

“We are thus calling for government to seriously deal with the currency crisis. Adopting the rand, for example, will ease these problems faced by the sector; the government’s intransigence of currency issue is putting a heavy load on already burdened and suffering informal traders,” he said.

The BVTA has also been pushing for amendments to the vending by-laws, to protect members’ rights to facilitate for orderly informal trading and to harmonise the relationship between the informal trading sector and the formal sector.

According to findings of a BVTA research conducted by the National University of Science and Technology, about 59% of vendors and informal traders are not aware of the provisions of city by-laws, the informal sector in Bulawayo is still governed by 1976 by-laws that prohibit informal sector trade in the central business district. Because these by-laws are no longer applicable to the present informal trading conditions, informal traders and municipal police are constantly engaged in running battles in the city.

Early this year, the Bulawayo City Council and informal traders were forced to sign a peace deal to ease tensions between municipal police and informal traders that had resulted in violent skirmishes.

RAW and untreated sewerage is being pumped directly into Lake Chivero and other water bodies by Harare City Council, whose absolute sewerage and water treatment plants are battling with rampant illegal settlers and growing population.

BY RUTENDO MATANHIKE/ BLESSED MHLANGA

Council is pumping almost 82% of untreated sewerage into the lake, a main water source for its residents and ratepayers, exposing many to waterborne diseases.

The discharge of raw sewage is also inflating the cost of water treatment for Harare.

Crowbrough sewerage treatment plant is pumping 82 mega litres of raw sewage into Lake Chivero on a daily bases, compromising the quality of drinking water and the over two million Zimbabweans resident in Harare.

Harare Metropolitan Provincial Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu said government and council were looking at ways to solve the problem caused by pollution in order to save lives.

“The biggest problem we have got is waste water pollution, taking an example from Crowbrough sewage works, which is receiving about 100 mega litres of raw sewage per day against its installed capacity of 54 mega litres,” he said.
“The current infrastructure at the treatment works is only processing 18 mega litres and the rest is being pumped into the lake. We are all drinking dirty water and if action is not taken, we will all die.”

Chidawu, who also toured Firle Sewage Works and Morton Jeffray Waterworks, said there was a need for a multi-stakeholder approach to deal with the massive water and sewer reticulation problems afflicting Harare, which is in need of over $1,2 billion to deal with the sanitation disaster.

“On the side of fresh water supply, it has been emphasised that Harare need about 1400 mega litres a day. Of that, we have installed capacity of 600 mega litres to date. Those 600 mega litres we are unable to pump because there is need to treat the water and make repairs. It then limits what you can pump out. We need additional waste water facilities built as soon as possible because otherwise the situation is going to be dire,” the minister said.

“We also have a problem with algae in the lake. What we are doing is that we are now working as a team. The situation is dire because all of us are drinking dirty water. It is affecting everyone. The water coming out of taps is not completely clean as per required standards.”

Harare town clerk Hosiah Chisango said the city had a solution, but required major financing in United States dollars to ensure that the issue of water and sewer reticulation is solved.

He said about $600 million was need for the reticulation and rehabilitation of the existing infrastructure and similar amount for expansion works.

Zimbabwe has so far borrowed USD$1,25 billion from the African-Export Import Bank (Afrexim Bank) without following laid down procedures, it has emerged.

BY VENERANDA LANGA/XOLISANI NCUBE

Responding to a question by Mt Pleasant MP Samuel Banda (MDC) in the National Assembly recently, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube admitted that government breached the law by taking loan facilities without approval of Parliament.
“When the question was posed, the figure was US$753 million and then you add the other US$500 million, so that takes us to US$1,25 billion,” Mthuli said.

The minister came under attack from lawmakers over failure to seek parliamentary approval on the loans, with the latest being a $500 million facility by (Afrexim Bank), which was said to be for stabilisation of the currency market.

In terms of section 300 of the Constitution, Ncube was first supposed to come before Parliament to seek approval to borrow from Afrexim Bank, but he did not do so.

Section 300(1) of the Constitution stipulates that an Act of Parliament must set limits on borrowings, the public debt, debt and obligations whose payments or repayment is guaranteed by the state and that those limits must not be exceeded without the authority of the National Assembly.

Harare North MP Allan Norman Markham (MDC Alliance) said Ncube must explain to the National Assembly why he did not bring the $500 million loan contract for scrutiny before Parliament?

Reports claim that the collateral for the loan is a mine at the Great Dyke.

This was followed by questions from Harare East MP Tendai Biti (MDC ALliance), who said inasmuch as the $500 million facility was a welcome move, the law was clear that any contract pertaining to a debt entered into without Parliament approval is invalid.

“The law is very clear that you cannot contract a debt with an international organisation which imposes fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe before Parliament has approved, and if Parliament has not approved, that debt is invalid. Why does the government keep on borrowing money from the African Export Import Bank without Parliament approval?” Biti asked.

The former Finance minister also questioned why Afrexim Bank continued to grant Zimbabwe loans, now to the tune of USD$1,25 billion, when its balance as a bank was $2 billion.

Ncube’s response to Biti was that when he (Biti) was Finance minister, he never used to bring loan agreements to Parliament for approval.

But Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) jumped to Biti’s defence, saying that when he was Finance minister, he brought before Parliament for approval a $400 million loan facility from China for the Defence College.

“The $500 million refers to the recently announced facility that we sourced from Afrexim Bank, and the aim of this facility really is for us to stabilise our balance of payment situation and be able to meet the demands for the US$ and for external payments so that we stabilise the issues that impact on our currency,” Ncube said.

“We will begin to access these resources as is required and again, I will be happy to report on the utilisation of these resources to this august House or indeed, any other resources that we source externally in terms of the law.”
Ncube said how the Afrexim Bank structure loans to Zimbabwe were its business.

WARRIORS captain Knowledge Musona is considering his next move after a frustrating time at Belgian league side Anderlecht, a club he joined a year ago.

BY HENRY MHARA IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

The 28-year-old says he plans to move to a club where “he is loved” and is hoping to use the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament in Egypt to open other doors.

Musona still has three years left on his contract with the Belgian giants.

In an exclusive interview with NewsDay Sport in Durban, South Africa, where the Warriors are currently participating in the Cosafa Cup tournament, Musona poured his heart out on what has been a frustrating time at Anderlecht – who will be coached by former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany from next season.

Musona, normally reserved, painted a grim picture of the difficult time he endured at Anderlecht before he was shipped out to Lokeren on loan in the second half of the season.

Asked whether he is looking forward to playing under Kompany, who is leaving the English champions to take up the role of player-coach at Anderlecht, the ever-smiling face of Musona turned glum.

“At the moment, I am not thinking about it (returning to Anderlecht). I will think about it after Afcon. Last year, I did not play that much and, honestly, I wasted a year of my playing career. I did not enjoy it because of the way I was treated at the club. When you are a football player and you go into a team and you are not given a chance, it is always difficult to look forward to the next season because you don’t know what the people are planning for you. That is something I have to think hard about after Afcon,” Musona said.

Musona signed a four-year contract with the former Belgian champions last year, but found game time restricted, making just 10 appearances mostly from the bench, before he demanded a loan move to Lokeren in January. The loan deal has since expired and the striker is expected to return to his parent club.

There were hopes that he would try to reboot his career under Kompany, but even the arrival of a new coach is not motivation enough for the forward to return to Anderlecht.

Musona is currently thinking more about Cosafa and Afcon and hopes that his performance at international level will help shape his club career.

“At the moment, it is my time to enjoy playing for the national team where people appreciate and love me, where I play with a free spirit and a free mind because I know that people from my country love me.
“It’s always good to play when you feel that people love you when you play for them, and playing for the national team are the moments that I can safely say I feel proud of, because when I come and wear the jersey there is not much criticism. There is criticism, yes, but it is 90% people loving me against 10%. Where I am playing now (at Anderlecht), it’s vice versa so it’s something that I’m thinking like, okay, is it good for me to go back there and look forward to the new season or look for another club’ because I may never know what they have planned for me for the next season? I have to think about it after Afcon, but for now, this is my happy place.”

There are reports that other league teams in Belgium and France are monitoring the Smiling Assasin, while a return to Germany’s Bundesliga, where he also spent some frustrating time at Hoffeinheim, could be another possibility.
But Musona is pinning his hopes on making a show at the Afcon and hopes to impress many European scouts that are expected to descend on Cairo to watch the continental showpiece.

“I haven’t received any offers as yet because the window just opened and also when I left the season had just ended so we will see what happens. It is a long way to go. I believe if I go to Afcon and play good football for the national team, then the doors will open and other good opportunities may come,” he said.

But before he can think about the Afcon finals, Musona has the Cosafa Cup to think about. Tomorrow Zimbabwe face Zambia in the semi-finals of the regional championships at the Moses Mabhida Stadium with Musona expected to start in the Warriors attack, having made a substitute appearance in the team’s 2-0 victory over Comoros in the quarter-finals which Zimbabwe won 2-0 on Saturday.

JUST a few days ago, when I was paying my monthly rentals, my landlord confided with me: “Son, the situation is getting out of hand, and so, the rental fee for the coming month has risen…”

I am sure the hymn from which my landlord was singing is not new to the ears of many, particularly at a time when property owners are trying to structurally adjust and implement austerity measures that ensure their pockets do not suffer unnecessarily.

That brings us back to the question of the wellbeing of the writing community as well as the entire publishing industry. While the industry has all along been suffering silently and almost defunct, the situation has now worsened and has hit rock-bottom.

To write and research, whether by desktop or using imperial methods, a lot of effort is required. Transport costs, whether of the physical form or by internet, have ballooned beyond the means of many. Data costs have soared to new heights.

When all these factors are considered, it becomes apparent that the writer’s position has now been compromised. The writer’s hands are tied. The writer can now not use the same tools that once were at his disposal and thus the quality of work produced has become hugely compromised.

In between, the manuscript that the writer produces passes through numerous hands. There has to be a reader, an editor, proofreader, type-setter, printer and then a distributor.

The above-mentioned services are provided by the people who make up the book industry, a term many dispute, preferring the humbling term “book community”.

These players too are not immune to the rise of the cost of living. One measure that they should implement is to increase their service charges or to charge in foreign currency.

But that would mean a writer now having to be reasonably financially resourced if he or she is to afford service charges by the book industry.

Assuming that the writer is now subjected to a new and higher charge sheet, what that simply implies is that the book then becomes a very expensive product to buy for the ordinary citizen trying to make irreconcilable ends meet.
But all these are just possibilities. The pragmatic fact is that many writers are within the income brackets of the ordinary citizen. The trend is now for the writer to skip multiple stages in the publishing process so that costs are minimised.

Technically, the book has not been selling well even when selling in the ZWL currency. Selling the book in United States dollar currency would likely push away many prospective customers.

There is a risk too. Service providers may begin to go for the worst to those that come knocking at their doors. One of the worst forms would be soliciting for sexual favours from those that cannot afford paying for the services offered.

Also present among the risks is that the literature emerging from this period may not be able to capture the reality of the period we are now in, but that which only seeks to fit into the curriculum or commercial pipeline, both of which are sad developments to the literary sector.

Apart from the politics of pricing, the book industry is also confronted by the high cost of doing business.
Resultantly, the book too, due to some ripple effects, shall have to be pegged at a higher price. The book in reference does not only refer to the fiction genre, but also those used by the academia.
The unaffordability of the book simply implies that piracy will take root and the fate of the writer would remain pathetic and, therefore, make him unable to sufficiently cater for his or her needs.
There is a life after one’s pen seizes oozing ink. Will one afford a decent medical treatment, funeral arrangements or to leave behind an estate?

The writer is now forced to battle it out so that he or she finds himself/herself still fitting in the tighter budgets of the consuming public, many of who are now omitting luxuries like alcohol and meat from their to-have-list.

When we grew up, books used to have a fixed selling price on its hardcover; that surely has become a preserve for writers and readers from stable economies.

Whichever the case, the survival of the book industry is now at risk. Without the intervention of the government, the book industry will fall, but at a cost. One of the costs is that many non-governmental organisations may find it easier to infiltrate the writers club, offering meagre gifts to fill their empty coffers, and in the process affect national ideology.

 Beniah Munengwa, who writes in his personal capacity, can be contacted through email benmunengwa@gmail.com.