BY TATIRA ZWINOIRA

THE widening gap between prices of food and stagnant wages has led to 44% of poor households in the urban areas spending more of their incomes on food, from 16% in 2016, a USAID official has said.

Speaking at a public discussion forum on the economic decline and food insecurity crisis in Zimbabwe held in Washington DC, US, last Wednesday, USAID chief office of humanitarian assistance and resilience in Zimbabwe, Jason Taylor said more urbanites were now spending more on food.

“We have experienced in Zimbabwe a steady macroeconomic deterioration for a period of years and things are now just starting to bite. This deterioration is categorised most recently by
price spikes, which immediately followed fiscal and monetary policies implemented by the government last October. We have seen price increases for imported goods that are exacerbated by the falling value of the local currency,” Taylor said.

“Inflation is now at 66,8% as of March. This is the official rate and this is up from 59,4% in February, a significant increase in one month. Informal estimates are much higher, so no matter how you are looking at it, it is not a good picture. This inflation impact is severe for ordinary Zimbabweans who have seen prices rise, but wages are not keeping up.

“Even if wages are rising, they are not competing with the prices that we are seeing… So, in 2016, the average poor household in urban areas spent 28% of their income on food. In 2018, that had risen to 44%. Let me let that sink in a bit. Twenty eight percent to 44%, that is a startling increase, and yet household dietary diversity is worse. So, put bluntly, people are spending more on food, but they are eating worse.”

This comes as prices of basic commodities continue to go up due to the falling RTGS dollar that was officially adopted back in February, but with no adequate backing, in terms of foreign currency or gold reserves.

As a result, the forex interbank platform, also set up in February and meant at attracting US dollar sellers, has spooked them, resulting in more US dollar buyers.

In the face of scarce foreign currency on the formal market, businesses are turning to the parallel market to source it to import critical raw materials.

And, as foreign currency on the parallel market comes with a high premium (now RTGS$5,2:US$1) businesses are including those costs in the pricing of goods to recoup the expense.

As a result, any changes to the parallel market forex rates result in higher prices of basic goods and services or in this case, food.

Some of the food items that have been buffeted by high price hikes include bread up (288%), cooking oil (130%), meat (100%), milk (140%) and maize (70%) compared to last year over the same period.

“We heard how bread and other staple prices are increasing very quickly. The price of maize is about 70% higher than what it was last year and about 80% higher than what it was on a five-year average and the price of cooking oil is 130% above average and these are the key staple foods for poor rural households in Zimbabwe,” said FEWSNET acting deputy chief of party Peter Thomas.

FEWSNET, is a leading provider of information and analysis on food insecurity agency and is part of USAID.

“In the face of high prices for households to purchase their basic food needs, not only are they limiting their dietary diversity, but they are also restricting their meal sizes, turning to other coping strategies, reducing the consumption of adults to protect the consumption of children,” Thomas said.

BY SINDISO DUBE

FORMER Miss Zimbabwe Samantha Tshuma has lined up style and development workshops under the banner “Project 102” for Bulawayo that will be headlined by an international stylist.

Spearheaded by the former beauty queen’s Open Eye Studio, the workshops will feature John Ablaza from the Philippines who heads Eco Couture Design.

Ablaza arrived in the country last week with a team consisting of make-up and hair stylist Pierre-Lyn Arcega and model Medjy Mezilus, who is also a designer with Meme Designs in Haiti.

Project 102’s public relations consultant, Sherine Taylor told NewsDay Life & Style that the workshops will avail a platform for fashion designers to sharpen their craft.

“We hope to see the creative sector grow in learning, exposure, with the goal to create international platforms for our artists to showcase. As John Ablaza says, ‘we have the talent,
all we need is to create infrastructure to take this further,’” she said.

“We intend to keep the programme alive and have various people visit every year and with the help of John Ablaza we know this will be a success. He has vowed to work with us and every
Zimbabwean artist till our local brands get international recognition.”

The programme will kickstart with a three-day workshop from May 9 to 11, with morning sessions held at Ster-Kinekor followed by a networking session and interactive workshops in the
afternoon at various locations.

Speakers will include United Refineries chief executive officer Busisa Moyo, Saimon Mambazo Phiri of Bulawayo Arts Awards, Terrence Mugova of Educate, filmmaker and photographer
Jeffrey Chasi as well as fashion stylist and television personality Gilmore Tee.

Vic Rich of Adrenaline Specialised Driving of South Africa will also run a workshop on advanced driving and the importance of safety on the roads.

A fashion show to be hosted at Banff Lodge on May 14 headlined designs by Ablaza, Arcega, Mezilus and locals will wrap up the programme.

Ablaza is an “eco-fashion” designer specialising in fabricating garments using sustainable materials like seeds and coconut shells. With his passion for horticulture, the planet and
people, he aims to provide a new perspective on the future of fashion.

Stephen Chadenga

Gweru City Council has partnered Holiday Inn to construct a hotel in the Midlands capital, a senior council official has said.

Acting finance director Owen Masimba said the local authority was working on the lease agreement on the land that is to be given to Holiday Inn for the project.

“Council is working on the development of a world-class Holiday Inn Hotel Express,” Masimba said last week during a meeting to review the city’s budget.

“Right now we are at the land lease stage and once we finish working on the lease agreement, the project is expected to start. The construction of the hotel will have downstream effects
that will benefit the city.”

Masimba said the building of the hotel was part of the city’s strategy to promote tourism.

Noting that Gweru was central to the country, but lacked world-class accommodation facilities to host delegates, he said: “Gweru is central and many people have shown interest to hold their conferences and other meetings in the city, but when they enquire about accommodation facilities that is when they end up choosing Harare, Bulawayo and other resort towns such as Victoria Falls.”

The Midlands capital is home to a number of tourist attractions which include the world renowned Antelope Park wildlife sanctuary.

By Rex Mphisa

POLICE in Beitbridge had a torrid time on Saturday dispersing a rowdy group of at least 80 security guards employed by the National Eye Security Company who besieged their employer’s office, protesting against their transfer from the Beitbridge Border Post.

The guards shouted abusive language at management and threatened them with assault after they were hastily transferred over alleged dereliction of duty and corruption.

“We have been moved to other towns, but we were not given notice,” one of the guards said.

Police were seen visiting the National Eye Security offices yesterday and at night a group of police officers dispersed the demonstrators without any incident.

An official of the company, Godknows Nhokwara, confirmed a new team had been deployed to Beitbridge, but referred further questions to his head office.

“We have new guards for our assignment at the border and that is all I can tell you,” he curtly said.

National Eye Security director Tapson Madzivire said the affected workers had signed contracts with a clause giving the company the right to transfer them to any part of the country.

“Our client is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and we have an obligation to transfer our guards regularly because of the nature of their duties at borders. As such the guards
have been transferred to other stations and not fired as they want people to believe. The contracts they signed with us state they can be transferred at any time we are within
contractual bounds,” Madzivire said.

“We are required to rotate our guards and we have to abide by that.”

Zimra employs private guards as support staff at its borders and their duties involve management of traffic, both human and vehicular, guarding buildings, staff accommodation and other
points of the revenue body’s interest.

At the border post, some of the guards have been accused of facilitating smuggling of goods by cross-border transporters, while other are accused of turning a blind eye to pickpockets
and touts marauding at the border post. Customs and Excise sources yesterday said loss control officials from their head office had been deployed to the border town to ensure
transferred guards would not interfere with work at the border post.

In 2016, the Zimbabwe Republic Police transferred the entire Beitbridge police team, comprising 600 members including sweepers after they failed to control rioters, who ended up burning a State warehouse and looting several shops in what was largely believed to have been a sponsored resistance of Statutory Instrument 64/2016, which banned importation of basic commodities.

Harare — A busy, and pivotal week lies in wait for Africa’s women, as they will do battle for the coveted ICC Women’s World Cup and Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier slots in Harare.

The ICC Women’s Qualifier, Africa 2019, began in earnest yesterday, with the hosts getting the ball rolling against Mozambique with defending champions Uganda also in action against Sierra Leone.

The tournament will be looking to build on an excellent run of African qualifying events of late, after a dramatic under-19 tournament in Namibia, as well as the rapidly approaching men’s T20 World Cup, Africa Finals tournament in Uganda later this month.

Uganda are the defending champions for the women’s tournament, having memorably held off Zimbabwe in Windhoek two years ago.

The hosts will be out to settle that score, and also to do well in front of their home supporters.

As women’s cricket continues to flourish in Africa, it is tournaments of this nature that will ensure that the game thrives even further, and this is thus an important week for the region.

The group winners at the end of the week will contest the final, where the winner will seal passage to the Global Qualifiers.
In every sense, then, this is a massive week in Zimbabwe.

ZIMBABWE SQUAD

Mary-Anne Musonda, Ashley Ndiyara, Chipo Tripano, Precious Marange, Anesu Mushangwe, Nomvelo Sibanda, Shame Mayers, Loryn Phiri, Josephine Nkomo, Audrey Mazvishaya, Chiedza Dhururu,
Nomatter Mutasa, Tasmeen Granger, Modester Mupachikwa.

GROUP A: Zimbabwe v Mozambique, Nigeria v Rwanda

GROUP B: Namibia v Kenya, Uganda v Sierra Leone.

supersport.com

BY Brenna Matendere

Gweru Urban MP Brian Dube (MDC Alliance) has urged government to swiftly avail funds for desiltation of the city’s largest water source, Gwenoro Dam as well as facilitate construction of alternative sources of the precious liquid.

This follows revelations by the city council that the dam is left with only 30% water supplies and will be effectively decommissioned later this year.

“A report was done to the effect that the Gwenoro Dam is massively silted and, as a result, water reserves are terribly affected,” Dube said.

“Right now, the dam is just 30% full and is to be decommissioned. The reason is that the dam cannot hold water because of siltation. Government should avail resources for desiltation
before the next rainy season,” Dube said.

He also called for the urgent construction of other water sources for the city, which can be relied upon in emergency situations.

“We need a rapid response that includes construction of the Lubongo Dam as an additional water supply. We also urgently need construction of a water plant at Amapongokwe Dam, so that
the city can switch to the water source as soon as Gwenoro is decommissioned in July,” the MP said.

He lambasted the slow pace by government in responding to the city’s water crisis.

“The disappointment comes from the fact that although this poses a serious threat to over 300 000 lives, the government does not seem to be treating the issue with urgency,” he said.

“The impending catastrophe needs serious commitment on resources. I will continue to lobby and pressure government

Acting Gweru City Council finance director Owen Masimba recently said $6 million is required to construct a new treatment plant, which would be used to process water drawn from
Amapongokwe.

BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO

ORGANISERS of the Masvingo Music Awards could not host the annual event last month because it was undergoing a re-branding process that has seen it rechristened Masvingo Music and Arts Awards to accommodate other art disciplines.

The sixth edition of the awards, which used to be held during the first weekend of April focusing only on music, will now be held every second weekend of August, incorporating other arts disciplines.

Masvingo Music and Arts Awards co-founder Proud Masekesa told NewsDay Life & Style that the rise in theatre, television and film productions in Masvingo province prompted them to rename
the awards ceremony to honour such work.

“We renamed the awards to Masvingo Music and Arts Awards to incorporate theatre, film, poetry and dance. This was prompted by an increase in the number of theatre, TV and film
products such as Seiko, Gehena Harina Moto, Crucibles, Solo naMutsai, and Zimbabwean Warrior. This would see us introducing new categories such as Best Theatre Production, Best Short
Film and Best Poet,” he said.

“We will also merge some music awards to come up with Best Dancer or Dance Group, Best Promoter, Best Music Video and Best Male Artist of the Year. Since we are introducing new categories, we felt it necessary to move the awards ceremony to the second weekend of August to allow more time for submissions, nominees selection process and to seek sponsorship.”

Masekesa said they were going to call for submissions in July and the jury will then release the nominees list.

Over the past years, the awards have also honoured individuals that made a significant contribution to the development of Zimbabwean music, including Jonah Moyo, DJ Kauleza, the late
Leornard Dembo, Andy Brown and Paul Matavire under the Lifetime Achievement award.

BY DEMETRIA MANYONGA

LOCAL author Rodgers Upenyu Chaipa (pictured) has published new books to cater for the new educational curriculum in Zimbabwe and other African countries.

Chaipa recently told NewsDay Life & Style that the books would suit the changes in technology as well as replace texts used in the old curriculum.

“The curriculum is new, which brings with it new approaches to subject pedagogy, especially looking at the ever-changing technologies,” he said.

“The new curriculum subjects are replacing the old curriculum subjects and textbooks. The old curriculum is getting phased out at the end of 2020 at primary school level, which
means come 2021 all primary school learners will be doing the new curriculum from ECD to Grade 7.”

Chaipa said five of his books have been published so far, adding that he was set to release more with the passage of time.

“So far, five books are out and in circulation; four in Namibia and one in Zimbabwe. In Namibia, there is the Physical Education Learners book and the Teacher’s Guide for Grade 8, the
Physical Education Learner’s, as well as the teachers copy for Grade 9, which were published in 2018,” he said.

“In Zimbabwe, there is a Smart Agriculture Grade 7 revision text, which was published last year in August and is already circulating.”

Chaipa added that he has always had the passion to contribute something to the education sector. He said he got the inspiration from other writers, remarking that he had attracted
markets from other countries.

“I was inspired by many writers who made me want to write educational books as a meaningful contribution to the educational sector. I was thinking of Zimbabwe alone, not knowing that
one day I would write for the sub-region,” he said.

He also said he had other projects for Zimbabwe as well as Zambia.

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

CHAPUNGU . . . . . . . . (2)2

MUSHOWANI . . . . . . (1)1

Chapungu took another step towards their target of a top four finish as they claimed an impressive win over a battling Mushowani side at Mandava Stadium yesterday.

Mushowani remain winless together with bottom of the log side Bulawayo Chiefs as well as Highlanders.

Chapungu now sit on 10 points after five games.

Yesterday the visiting side, Mushowani started the game on the front-foot with some promising moves.

Forward Clemence Zimondi deservedly set them on their way with a cool finish after four minutes.

Their lead only lasted until the 15th minute when Edington Chirape levelled the score, connecting home a pin-point pass from Nigel Hunga.

Chapungu then seized control of the match after they were awarded a penalty when Mushowani captain Clive Dzingayi handled the ball in the box on the half hour mark.

Allen Tavariswa made no mistake to thrust the hosts ahead.

Chapungu had a rather cagey second half, as they sat deep in their own half protecting what they had.

“Thank God we scored the important goals, but I was not impressed with the team’s perfomance because we were always playing second fiddle to Mushowani, said Chapungu coach Rodwell
Dhlakama.

“They (Mushowani) are a good side, but tough luck. For us now the target is to keep this form and I know it will not be easy, but we will fight.”

Teams

Chapungu: Shumba T, Gumbo P, Mugoniwa H,Kwaramba C, Mbavarira B, Muzanenhamo E, Nyoni I( P Khumbula 75), Chirape E( M Mavuto 63), Tavarwisa A( Marufu P 75), Mugoni B, Hunga N

Mushowani: Makainganwa H, Muvuti S( Kamanga D 64), Doley M, Mafirenyika E, Tafa W, Dzingayi C, Phiri B, Tulani J( Chiramba P 64), Zimondi C (Chikwerengwe S 82),
E Katema