BY HENRY MHARA

HERENTALS Under-20 coach Paul Benza said his side is yet to reach its full potential after the team came from behind to beat Black Mambas 2-1 in the Zifa Northern Region Division One top of the table clash at Morris Depot on Saturday.

Silas Azeti’s 39th minute goal cancelled out a Mambas eighth minute strike, before Tanaka Dhlakama secured all the three points for Herentals with six minutes remaining in the match.

The victory ensured that Benza’s men maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign with four wins from the five games played to move to the top of the log.

“We are enjoying very good form, and beating Black Mambas, who were the log leaders before the weekend, and also title contenders, will give my boys a lot of confidence going forward. To come from behind also showed character. These are young players who are trying hard, and people should expect more good things from this project,” Benza said.

Herentals Under-20 team is a feeder club to Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side Herentals. Benza believes that the team has shown signs that they can win the second tier division, which comes with a ticket to league promotion.

“Our team is a developmental side and even if we win the league, it’s highly unlikely that we will have two teams in the league. But it will be up to the executive to decide. Our focus is mainly development and we are aiming to finish in the top four, and improve from our last season position when we finished sixth,” he said.

Next up for Benza’s team is another tough clash against second-placed Cranborne Bullets, who are also yet to lose a match. They walloped FC National Mbare 3-0 at the weekend.

Harare City Cubs, another feeder club for a league team Harare City, have also enjoyed a good start to the campaign, and their 1-1 draw with Black Tigers ensured they kept their unbeaten run intact.

Northern Region Division One week 5 results

PAM United 0-1 Golden Valley, FC National Mbare 0-3 Cranborne Bullets, Herentals U-20 2-1 Black Mambas, Harare City Cubs 1-1 Black Tigers, Karoi United 1-1 Cam and Motor, Blue Swallows 3-2 Banket United, Chegutu Pirates 1-1 Blue Jets, Ngezi Platinum U-19 2-0 Grain Tigers, Beta XI 2-0 Kariba Waves

Guest Column: Learnmore Zuze

ONE thing is apparently undeniable about the Zimbabwean situation; the economic paralysis that began soon after the disputed presidential elections of July last year has morphed into a threatening crisis. It kicked off with slight fuel price increases, whose gradual progression led to a proportional hike in the costs of other goods.

The anarchical state of things moved to a higher state, leading to a wave of protests that saw hundreds of people arrested, especially after incidents of destruction and burning of property earlier this year. The 150% price increases in fuel announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa himself early this year ignited violent scenes in the capital. Since then, painful, long and winding fuel queues have become a permanent feature of Zimbabwean life. Since then, prices have continued to shoot through the roof every given month.

Health workers have constantly gone on strike and continue threatening to do so. Teachers have perennially been at loggerheads with the government. The civil service in general remains disgruntled and a demotivated lot. It would be an outright lie that all is well within the borders of Zimbabwe.

The dishevelled state of affairs in Zimbabwe has naturally led to calls for a government of national unity across the political spectrum although very little has been achieved in the way of national talks. The dialogue that is in motion has been spurned by the major opposition party led by Nelson Chamisa, leaving the insignificant opposition parties to dialogue with Zanu PF.

The clear result has been stagnation and Zimbabwe, as a country, remains stuck in a mental rut. While both the incumbent President and opposition leader Chamisa have at least verbally made statements to an end of any government of national unity, reality on the ground is a living testament of political stagnation which is feeding a long and growing economic crisis.

It is unfathomable how, despite calls for dialogue by both leaders, there is nothing that really materialises in the direction of the much-hyped national talks. It is not misplaced to postulate that there isn’t much commitment except political grandstanding towards serious national talks that would bring Zimbabwe out of its current political quagmire.

The delta between Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF and Chamisa’s MDC seems so colossal that there may be no real prospects of a meaningful dialogue in the near future. In fact, the gulf between the two chief political parties appears larger that the rift that existed between former President Robert Mugabe and his then nemesis, Morgan Tsvangirai.

At least the predecessors of both parties had the horse sense to realise that the country needed to move forward and that personal differences mattered little. Those who knew Mugabe at the height of his political prowess were dumbfounded how the man could engage the opposition in talks as he did in 2009, leading to a GNU.

Mugabe, who spitted venom against the opposition and branded it a puppet organisation had to come to the realisation of the necessity to liaise with the opposition. Tsvangirai, with a massive support base then, having won the first round of elections in 2008, again saw the necessity of coming to the table with Mugabe, widely branded as a despot during his time in office.

A national unity government was born in the unlikeliest of circumstances and through polar opposite ideologies. For the first time in decades of suffering, the Zimbabwean worker appreciated the value of work.

A salary made sense and prices of basic commodities maintained the same price for months on end. It made sense to have savings in the bank. The dignity of citizens was temporarily restored.

But today, after last year’s disputed elections, it is becoming clear by the passage of each day that the walk to a government of national unity may be a long and arduous one. Indeed, everything points to the fact that Zimbabwe may witness more months of instability and pain.

The current crop of Zanu PF and MDC supporters are ever in election mode. It is highly unlikely that common ground can be found. A clear example of the deadly rift between the two was the incomprehensible failure by MDC supporters to at least appreciate the help rendered by Mnangagwa at the memorial service held for Tsvangirai in Buhera last week.

Tsvangirai’s son, Edwin, was heckled and embarrassed for his remarks that encouraged a national unity government to ameliorate the suffering of Zimbabweans. Aside from the perpetual election mind of party supporters, Chamisa remains headstrong that Mnangagwa is an illegitimate President. This is largely the position of the opposition which influenced the booing of Tsvangirai’s son as he attempted to preach unity.

The present acrimony between the two parties points to the continued suffering of Zimbabweans. The walk to a GNU may presently be a long and onerous one. It’s high time the main political leaders came out of their hardline positions to allow national progress.

 Learnmore Zuze is a legal officer and writes in his personal capacity.

ExQ

BY MTHABISI TSHUMA

URBAN groover ExQ and Zimdancehall chanter Bazooker staged a thrilling show at Club Excite in Gweru on Saturday night.

Club Excite entertainment manager DJ Crocx told Newsday Life & Style that they were pleased with the turnout.

“The show was by far a success as we had over 500 people attending and the security details were on point, with assistance from the Zimbabwe Republic Police,” he said.

The show also brought together ExQ and DJ Tamuka, who both hail from Gweru.

The National Arts Merit Awards 2019 top award winner performed his hit songs Nzenza and Nhema, with enchanting performances from his female dancers who left revellers clamouring for more.

ExQ reflected on his music journey by dedicating his early 2000s song, Mazirudo, to his fans.

After performing a 50-minute set, ExQ left the stage for Bazooka, who pulled a one-and-a-half-hour performance, also finishing the set with the song, Kwedu.

ExQ performed songs from his Chillspot family colleagues, namely Smart Rinotangira Kutsoka, 50 Magate and Bodo.

From there, party revellers were entertained on the decks by DJ Crocx, DJ Nelz and Petwares, who had started the partying mood from the afternoon.

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

A WELL-KNOWN gold baron in Esigodini, Baron Dube, is battling for life at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he was axed on Sunday night in a fight over mining claims.

Dube is nursing multiple axe and knife stab wounds after he was viciously attacked by a rival gang.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday said they had not received a report on the attack.

UBH spokesperson Nobuhle Thaka yesterday confirmed that Dube was admitted at the health institution.

“I don’t know what he deals in, but I can confirm that we have such a patient by the name Baron Dube. He was admitted here on Sunday night, coming from Esigodini,” she said.

A source close to the events, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Dube was attacked on Sunday at Habane township by a group of rival gold panners.

“They approached him armed with machetes, pangas, spears, knives and axes. The fight was over gold claims in the district,” the source said.

“Dube and his gang were outnumbered and he was axed in the head several times as well as stabbed several times in the stomach. He was rushed to Esigodini Hospital where he was transferred to UBH.”

Dube is no stranger to gold wars, which have become rife in the region.

He is currently on $2 000 bail pending trial at the High Court for allegedly shooting and killing a member of a rival mining gang, Antony Bvundura, in October last year in a fight over a mining claim in Esigodini.

In 2016, he and another gold baron, Mthulisi Ngwenya, were involved in a seven-hour fight for control of gold claims in the district.

Dube is said to lead a group of panners from Filabusi who operate in Esigodini.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Seed Co Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, has approached the High court seeking an order to commit the ex-general manager of former President Robert Mugabe’s Gushungo Holdings, Stanley Nhari to prison after his failure to settle a US$36 062 debt.

The seed company issued summons for civil imprisonment against Nhari on April 30, 2019 and the latter is yet to respond to the litigation.

In its declaration, Seed Co Zimbabwe said Nhari was required to pay US$36 062 by virtue of a judgment which was obtained by the firm against him on May 9, 2018.

“You, the defendant (Stanley Nhari), are called upon to pay the plaintiff (Seed Co) the sum of US$36 062,18 with interest, thereon, at the rate of 5% per annum calculated from October 23, 2017 to the date of payment in full,” the firm said.

“You are required to pay this sum by virtue of a judgment obtained against you in the High Court on May 9, 2018, under which you were ordered to pay the sum of US$36 062, 18 and interest thereon….”

Seed Co Zimbabwe further said in the event that Nhari failed to pay the debt, he would have to appear before the High Court and explain his failure to abide by the court order.

“If you fail to pay the sum specified above, you must appear before the High Court at Harare …to explain why you have not paid it and to show cause why an order for your imprisonment shall not be made on account of your failure to pay.

“You should bring with you evidence of your financial position, and it will be in your own interest to give the court evidence of your income from wages, salary or other earnings, and any other income you may receive from any other source, your expenses for yourself and any dependents and any other liabilities you may be subject of.”

Mishma Chakanyuka

Guest Column: Mishma Chakanyuka

Abortion in Zimbabwe is illegal as provided for under the Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1977 [Chapter 15:10].

The Termination of Pregnancy Act restricts abortion and permits it only in cases of rape (incest), when the mother’s life is at risk, or when the child may be born with serious mental or physical disabilities. Breaking the Act attracts imprisonment of up to five years.

In most cases, the Pregnancy Act is justified by the argument that abortion should not be used as a birth controlling measure, as people should use the available measures and not resort to abortion.

Zimbabwe’s Pregnancy Act should be revised as it has forced many women to resort to risky backyard abortions. Abortion cases are most common with teenagers, sex workers and rape victims.

Although the Act defines certain circumstances in which abortion is legal, in some cases, the legal procedures that one has to undergo take a long period to be completed such that sometimes the pregnancy reaches a stage at which it can no longer be terminated.

There is lack of urgency around the processes of getting authorisation for an abortion. Time is an essential aspect during pregnancy.

The medically-approved timeframe for effective abortions is 20 to 24 weeks. After this period, the foetus is regarded to be too well-developed for termination and the process becomes riskier.

For example, a rape victim gets pregnant and wants to abort. For the process to be carried out, the person who has raped the victim should be arrested; the victim has to provide solid evidence to prove she has been raped; the matter has to go to the courts and a police report should be provided first before the doctor proceeds with the abortion process.

Sometimes, the perpetrators are not caught on time for the victim to go through the legal procedures and terminate the pregnancy on time.

Abortion in Zimbabwe can only be done at government hospitals and they have to be authorised by a medical supervisor and, in most cases, the authorisation process takes a long time.

As a result, abortion in hospitals is done at a later stage when the foetus has reached advanced stages of development, hence posing a risk to the mother’s health.

The Pregnancy Act does not cater for sex workers and teenagers or married women who get pregnant, but are not in a position to keep the pregnancy and take care of the child after being born.

Sex workers and teenagers constitute a bigger percentage of abortion rates in Zimbabwe, so it will be wiser if the law considers them.

Teenagers and sex workers have a higher risk of getting unwanted pregnancies, hence they have a higher rate of aborting.

Most sex workers and teenage girls resort to unsafe backyard abortions because they cannot go to State hospitals, where they can acquire safe termination of the pregnancy, as they do not have enough reasons to legally justify why they want to abort and enough money to pay for the procedure.

Some of the unorthodox abortion methods that teenagers and sex workers use include using hooked wires or wire hangers to break the uterus lining, drinking washing powder, taking an overdose of pills and shoving fresh chillies up their private parts.

These methods pose threats to their health as some of them may cause barrenness in future and some lead to death. Most women die or become barren due to carrying out risky backyard abortions.

In abortion cases concerning sex workers and teenagers, people often ignore their feelings and the reasons behind them resorting to abortion.

People tend to judge teenagers and sex workers who turn to abortion without digging deeper as to why they have made such decisions. Rather, they accuse them of being inhuman even though in some instances, those who abort really have solid reasons that just need to be heard.

For instance, when a teenager, who is definitely still in school, gets impregnated by a teenage boy who is more likely to be the same age with her, wants to abort, the law should let her do so.

Some of the reasons that will lead her to consider abortion include that she and her boyfriend are not financially stable to take care of the baby once it has been born and since the mother will still be in school, having a baby on the way will be an obstacle to her education, as most government and private high schools do not allow pregnant girls to continue coming to school in that condition.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, the only alternative for the teenage girl is abortion so that she does not ruin her future by dropping out of school.

Sex workers’ cases are slightly different since mostly they sleep with many men on a single day as party of their job. A sex worker may choose to abort because, in most cases, she does not know who made her pregnant.

For some of them, being pregnant will stand as a hindrance to their job, which mostly is largely their main source of income. Since the law does not allow them to abort, they end up turning to unsafe backyard abortions.

However, the law is not the only thing that needs to be revised so as to put an end to risky backyard abortions. Some of the issues that need to be revised include the prices charged at hospitals for abortions.

The prices being charged at hospitals are too high such that an ordinary person cannot afford. This has also proven to be one of the major challenges that are pushing women to resort to backyard abortions.

The issue of legalising abortion remains critical as it is viewed in different ways by different people who have different cultures and social and religious beliefs.

The legalisation of abortion will reduce the number of women who die daily and some who become barren due to unsafe backyard abortions.

 Mishma Chakanyuka is a University of Zimbabwe student. She writes in her personal capacity.

Guest Column: Emmanuel Zvada

RESIGNING from a job is one of the most stressful and uncomfortable things one will have to do in their career at one point. Let me put it clear that worrying about what other people think can often prevent you from doing what you know is right. Sometimes people take decisions that backfire and end up on the losing end after having already decided to resign. There are resignations that may have been done hastily. I pray that you do not become a victim of this.

There are some people who did not leave a job that they were supposed to, and now they are very unwell and full of regret. Sometimes we just get so entrenched with “pushing through” or “making it happen” to such an extent that we do not realise we are on a completely wrong path.

I am not saying if something does not feel right or does instantly work out that you should give up on it straight away. Carrying on is also brave and could be the right decision. But if you know that quitting something is the right thing to do, then do it. Do not be afraid to do so because of what others might think.

How you should resign from your job when it is time to move on, is tricky. It is, indeed, a skill. When you love your job, leaving because a better opportunity came along is not that easy due to fear of the unknown.

There are certain things you should not do when you turn in your resignation. In short, you do not have to burn your bridges. The job market is really bad right now. As a result, it may now be common that your job search can take a year or more. And even if your finances allow you to go without work for that long, simply being unemployed, especially for that amount of time, may make it harder to find your next job as employers tend to prefer to hire people who are already employed.

Do not quit because of emotions

Emotionally immature people are usually emotionally-driven, meaning their decisions could be based on emotions. If something happened and you are hurt or feel like you have had enough, take some days off and do something you enjoy. Try as much as possible not to think about work.

A lot of people frequently think of quitting when they get in a frustrating quarrel with a colleague, or when they do not get promoted quickly (and someone else does), or when they hate their boss’ attitude. In such cases, impatience will be just controlling and can lead you to quit your job. In your personal life, your reaction to stressful situations might make you start to think of quitting your job. That is not the right way to go.

Do not resign when you don’t have a plan

Quitting without a plan can cause unnecessary stress and panic. Not planning anything and just handing in your resignation is not encouraged as it can affect you. It is encouraged that you leave work with a plan about what you will do, where you will go next, and how you will provide for your income until you get a new job for yourself.
Resigning your job without any idea of what you will do next is not a decision to be taken lightly. With that said, it can also set you on the path to do what you are meant to. A smooth exit sometimes is needed. Whether you are moving on to a new adventure in your life, or quitting your job due to unhappy circumstances, you deserve to have a sense of closure before you leave.

Don’t leave a job solely on the basis of higher salary

Following your passion doesn’t always translate into a high-paying job. Money isn’t the only thing that motivates someone to perform well at their job, but it certainly factors in. Of course, a lot will argue here since what motivates many employees in a bad economy is the need for more money.

Considering that there is no stability in the economy, monetary gain may be good in the short-run, but if this new job can’t promise you a good career path or one that allows you to pursue higher positions, then you are setting yourself to a gold mine with a dead end. Finding a job that pays well is awesome, but you have to consider some other factors by weighing the pros and cons of a new, high-paying job. You will be choosing between making money and doing what you love and job satisfaction must be the centre of it all.

Don’t leave before you need to leave.

It is encouraged that you take time to look for a new job before you actually hand in your resignation. You can use your leave days or lunch times to attend interviews so that you do not disturb your current job. Please, also keep that to yourself as you do not know where it will end, especially in a workplace.

On a different note, if you are planning to quit and start your own business, you can start growing your business, while you are at work, but not affecting your current job. Continue building and growing your business and only leave when you have a stable customer base, and a solid revenue trajectory.

Organise your finances and your savings

It is also crucial to bear in mind that when you resign, you also have to pay your bills. Even if you have savings, they might not last as long as you need them to, so you need to have enough savings to keep you going. Keep in mind that it will be harder to apply for loans once you leave your job, hence you need to have some savings tucked away to support you over the next few months or to cater for emergencies that may happen.

We only have a limited amount of time and yet a limitless number of different paths to go down and explore. Do not waste your time on one job that is compromising happiness.

Find something new and avoid much stress. We all quit something at some point, so don’t fear the stigma. Do what brings you happiness to your work life.

All the same, quitting a job and starting a new one all over again for a reason that is not worth it, or for a reason that was not properly meditated, is such a big cost to bear. It can be career destabilising and may affect your personal life.

So, thinking twice before you quit your job is really necessary.

 Emmanuel Zvada is a human capital consultant/international recruitment expert and author. He writes in his personal capacity.

Between the Lines: Beniah Munengwa

Title: Friend Billy and the Msasa Avenue Three

Author: Margaret Gloria Mucheri

Publisher: Longman Zimbabwe (1989)

ISBN: 0 908308 65 6

When routinely going through my library, there are books that I can’t just ignore re-reading. This time, it was my all-time best teenage literature piece, Friend Billy and the Msasa Avenue Three.

In some instances, I then grow to regret ever doing so, but passing through this read is an infinite exception. However, in whatever season, I stand responsible for justifying my view of all the lines that follow.

Filled with natural adventure and set during the school holidays, this text becomes a handbook through which teenagers and parents, alike, can learn from and be able to become responsible teenagers or even parents of responsible teenagers.

Bored during a school holiday like this, Billy and friends engage in escapism and track down the suspicious events unfolding in their eyes. Following a presidential amnesty, criminals well known for burglary in the persona of Snake, Shake-Shake Vila, Big-Boy Mpabanga and Tommy Geva are released and embark on a trail of criminal activities, arousing the interest of the boys.

These activities seem to be having one end-point in the form of a house situated besides Mrs Gurney’s house. Sipho, Billy and Tonde then strategically offer to help Mrs Gurney. The intention here is to establish finer details of what really happens at Shake-Shake Vila’s home.

Fortunately, Sipho and crew gain Mrs Gurney’s trust and are, therefore, entrusted to watch over her house as she visits Bulawayo for a week. To the boys, this is a welcome development, and an avenue through which they can play their detective work and probably be able to watch over the house next door, with the primary intent of gathering vital information that could save the community and the country at large from the wrath of thievery caused by Snake’s crew.

This marks the beginning of a beautiful adventure where confronting danger and one’s fears culminate in glory. For early teenage boys to put the welfare of the nation at heart, enough for them to risk their lives and safety, is an act reckless adults of today should pick lessons from.

The book, though of significance to adults, plays a great role in reconfiguring the way today’s children are wired, especially during this decade, where distractions like virtual games, television and the internet take charge of how they spend their time during school holidays and beyond.

That kids, who cannot get off electronic gadgets, may draw inspiration from the heroics of the Msasa Avenue Three and begin by respecting and helping elderly people. This in a world that is fast degenerating into an individualistic, survival of the fittest kind.

For these four, their acts of courage are deservingly rewarded by the President of the country.

However, my realistic orientation and understanding of the African world reminds me to highlight the lack of investment and recognition of either the works or the efforts of the young by their leadership. This trait has, in many ways, made the African youth feel rejected and unwanted in their own countries of origin.

Mucheri’s expressions are, therefore, nuggets that serve as agenda-setting props, meant to help governments tilt from a slant of negligence to that of care.

To a greater extent, Mucheri’s writing illustrates the ideal policing State, wherein the police and the public work hand-in-hand to eliminate corruption.

Unlike present day names that depict corrupt police officers like Mutema, Inspector Magaramombe stands as one who, together with Headman Chapungu, relentlessly protect the community against some evil-minded people.

The simplicity and smoothness of Mucheri’s writings make it a timeless read, even three decades later. Msasa Avenue Three is a book that can stand and awaits its day to be adapted into a television series or movie format, especially with the industry starved of competent content.

All what is written in this text unfolds into all forms of imagery, helping the reader blend well with the flow of content. The onerous to uplift this expression of writing mastery is on today’s writer, who stands challenged to produce texts of a similar nature.

In a world where motion pictures are preferred over print media by millennials, this twitch may do the magic and be able to pass on the zeal and moral that ooze endlessly in Mucheri’s work.

As the book concludes, “all is well that ends well”, our society can be reformed and rewired, if maybe our ideological State apparatus that rewires the young generation along paths of pure hearts and love through reviving interest in this book.

BY NIZBERT MOYO

An armed robber was recently arrested after police officers found two spent cartridges and a stolen radio at a crime scene, where a motorist was attacked in Bulawayo.

This was heard when Christopher Danda (35) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi, facing an attempted murder charge on Thursday last week.

Danda was implicated by his alleged accomplice, who was found in possession of a pistol that after a forensic ballistic examination matched the spent cartridges recovered at the scene.

In refusing his bail application, the court noted that Danda was not gainfully employed and his record showed that he was a habitual offender, thus he was likely to continue committing violent crimes.

The court was told that on March 18, 2019 Danda in the company of five accomplices and armed with pistols, approached an unnamed resident who had just parked his car outside the gate of his home in Pumula South.

Danda allegedly produced a pistol, intending to rob the complainant who, however, subsequently took off at high speed after noticing them.

The court heard that the robbers gave chase in a white Mercedes Benz C200 getaway car, which had its number plates covered and fired two shots at the fleeing car.

The resident escaped, but his car had two bullet holes on the driver’s door and another on the boot.