By Tatenda Chitagu

THOUSANDS of villagers who were evacuated from the flooding Tugwi-Mukosi Dam in Chivi district and were resettled at Chingwizi in the vast Nuanetsi Ranch, have deserted the area due to lack of social amenities, Southern Eye has learnt.

The villagers were evacuated when floods flattened the basin in February 2014.

They were initially housed at Chingwizi transit camp in Nuanetsi Ranch for six months before they were forcibly moved further down and allocated one-hectare plots.

Today, seven years down the line, the area still does not have basic social amenities such as water, modern schools and health facilities.

Some villagers are still living in makeshift shelters – a factor which has forced many to return to their original villages in Chivi and Chiredzi.

“They could not continue like this. Some of us are still there because we do not have an option, otherwise, we could also have joined them,” one of the villagers said.

Local legislator, Joosby Omar (Zanu PF) confirmed the development, but said the villagers that left would return once the government allocated them sugarcane out-grower plots that would be irrigated by water from the dam when the masterplan is complete.

“When they got their compensation money, some relocated and built homesteads elsewhere. There are gaps created by those that left and the remaining villagers are capitalising on that.

“The people cannot survive on one-hectare plots because they have been urbanised. Some lost cattle because of lack of grazing land, yet livestock is their means of survival. But government is working on allocating them 35-hectare irrigation plots each so that they can be sugarcane out-growers,” Omar said.

BY REX MPHISA

GOVERNMENT says it has set aside $50 million for development of dry ports in Makuti, Mutare and Masvingo as part of efforts to decongest the country’s three major border posts of Chirundu, Forbes and Beitbridge.

Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) commissioner-general Faith Mazani told Southern Eye on Wednesday that under the new arrangement, cross-border haulage will now proceed directly to the dry ports where physical examination of goods will be done.

She said government also planned to upgrade smaller border posts at Sango and Cashel Valley, east of Rutenga and Chimanimani respectively to facilitate ease of doing business.

“One other strategy that we are looking at is to find ways of decongesting border post areas.
Under our ‘ease of doing business’ some of the strategies are, as you know, there is the Beitbridge redevelopment…it is going to bring a lot of automation, but you may be aware that the (Finance) minister (Mthuli Ncube) announced that we are going to have dry ports, we have secured stands in Masvingo, Makuti and Mutare,” Mazani said.

“What we are starting to do to decongest is once those (dry ports) are built, we don’t hold trucks at the borders, they go to the dry ports where inspections will be done so there will be no congestion. It is especially critical now because there will be a lot of activity now that there is going to be a lot of construction activity.”

Developers will be engaged to build the dry ports to expedite the decongestion of the borders.
The Beitbridge Border Post is undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade to speed up movement of both human and vehicular traffic.

Mazani expressed concern over the slow pace of the modernisation of Beitbridge Border Post.

“I am pleased, yes, but it’s slower than we expected. Ground-breaking was done in July 2018 by the President (Emerson Mnangagwa) and work was expected to last 24 months.”

She said staff accommodation improvement had been affected by inflation, resulting in contractors failing to continue with work.

Zimra is currently re-tendering construction of staff accommodation in compliance with Procuring Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) regulations.

“Price increases of materials have taken us back. We had started well, but we now have to go back to Praz with new prices because our contractors are quoting in foreign currency which we do not deal with,” she said.

By Garikai Mafirakureva

THE matter involving four Chiredzi South teachers who allegedly wrote public examinations for their wives and girlfriends during last November’s Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) examinations is now shrouded in controversy after two of the suspended teachers remained at the school.

Southern Eye has established that the suspended teachers – Mike Maluleke and Checkson Tsumele’s conditions of suspension include remaining at Chingele Secondary School, but not carrying out their duties. This has raised fear that they might end up interfering with investigations.

Although investigations by a team from Zimsec in Harare found out that the school head Mike Maluleke allegedly connived with his deputy Checkson Tsumele, mathematics teacher Roddington Sithole and English teacher Misheck Mahungu to write the examinations on behalf of their girlfriends at home, and recommended their suspension, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry chose to give them lighter conditions.

Sources alleged that the school head was related to one of Zanu PF’s bigwigs, making it difficult for the ministry to act firmly against him.

Chiredzi district schools inspector (DSI) Petronella Nyangwe confirmed the matter when reached for comment.

“Yes, the four teachers are only suspended but have not been discharged from service so cannot be replaced. However it is possible to make other arrangements to ensure effective management of examinations during exam time.

“All are residing at the school premises as it is also the other condition of their suspension not to leave their station. But they are not at work as far as we know,” Nyangwe said.

Provincial education director Zedious Chitiga only said: “Just leave the matter like that, it will soon be solved.”

Primary and Secondary Education ministry secretary Tamsung Thabela said she was out office for some time.

“I am not in Harare. I am forwarding your questions to the acting secretary. You can make a follow-up through Patrick Zumbo on our communication desk,” she said.

Zumbo, however, continued saying he would come back later with a comment.

Zimsec spokesperson Nicky Dlamini maintained that the examinations body only recommended that the ministry, through the Public Service Commission, suspend the teachers.

“We only recommended the suspension, but we do not carry out the suspension ourselves. Our recommendations remain that four teachers (head, deputy and two senior teachers) were involved in improper association with schoolchildren and former schoolchildren. These four wrote examinations for the eight candidates while one teacher wrote for his second wife. Combined Science paper 3 (practical paper) examination was written in more than two hours and no proper supervision was in place, and candidates were even discussing answers in the examination,” Dlamini said.

“New teachers must be deployed at the school if Zimsec centre status is to be maintained, otherwise the council will revoke the centre status. A resident monitor should also be deployed during each examination session so as to superintend the smooth running of examinations at the centre.”

Dlamini added that nine candidates would have all their results for the November session nullified according to the Zimsec policy and Combined Science results for the whole school had also been cancelled.

MOTIVATION: Ashley Thaba

As we begin a new year, everywhere I hear of people and churches fasting. I felt God leading me to write today’s article but resisted for fear I might offend people, but in the end, I felt strongly it must be said and prayed God uses the words to lead those well-meaning believers who are fasting into a closer more intimate relationship with Him.

I would like to explain what Biblical fasting is and what it is not.

My desire in writing this is to speak the truth in love so that those who genuinely want to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit more intimately in their lives will understand more fully how exactly to do that.

You see, fasting is so much more than denying the body of food. God’s ultimate desire is for us to deny our body of US — He actually says true joy is found in completely dying to ourself, repenting of our sins, and giving God full control of our fleshly thoughts, actions, and desires. However, many times we still struggle with the battle of listening to His Holy Spirit within and listening to our natural desires. Fasting provides an opportunity to become more in tune with God and more aware that denying our natural desires is possible.

Some might say, “I just can’t seem to stop thinking lustful thoughts or acting in a lustful manner. It comes so naturally to me, or I know I shouldn’t lie but my mouth just says the lie without even thinking.” Fasting gives us a chance to introspect and be aware of those urges to eat and learn how to overcome those in a desire to please God and express our deep desire to deny self to choose Him. As you do that successfully with the urge to eat in response to the natural desire to feel hunger, you realise with God’s Spirit, you can have the power to deny other fleshly urges and victory is possible. You can walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. It isn’t easy but it is possible for a person who has truly given their life to Christ to deliberately and daily choose in both thought and action to be obedient to godly desires over natural fleshly desires.

Scripture is very clear over and over that fasting is so much more than just not eating. In fact, there is a time when David had an affair with Bathsheba and even had her husband killed. He is talking about how he feels so guilty and really wants to come back to a right relationship with God. In Psalms 51:16 and 17, he says I wish it were just as easy as some type of external sacrifice. He could easily do some external ritual – offer a sacrifice, fast, attend church a little more often. But ultimately he says in verse 16 that God doesn’t desire that. What God is really seeking is a broken heart that says, “God! I am a sinner! I have messed up! Create in me a pure heart! Restore joy and peace to my life! Only you can do that!” The fasting is simply a physical way of showing total desperation for you to give your all to come before God as a broken person deeply desiring new life within.

It is not simply a lack of eating if you keep doing and thinking whatever you want. In fact, Isaiah 58 and 59 have a lot to say about people who fast but do not actually listen to God’s Spirit leading them to deny themselves. I highly suggest you go and read these chapters if you are seriously seeking to experience intimacy with God in your life through a fast. I will sum up a few below.

Isaiah 58:3 “We have fasted before you!” they say. “Why aren’t you impressed? We have been very hard on ourselves, and you don’t even notice it!” “I will tell you why!” I respond. “It’s because you are fasting to please yourselves… Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your lips are full of lies, and your mouths spew corruption. No one cares about being fair and honest. The people’s lawsuits are based on lies. Isaiah 59:1-4
You might be able to fool men. You might even fool yourself into thinking you are holy because you are denying yourself food, but I can guarantee you if you are still speaking lies, walking in corruption, acting unjustly, and not living in love towards your neighbour, God isn’t the least bit impressed with your hunger strike. And sadly, though you may lose weight and feel weak, you are not going to get the answers, blessings, and intimacy with God you seek until you actually humble yourself before God and offer your whole life as a living sacrifice, not just your appetite.

Ashley Thaba is a popular life-coach, team-building facilitator and motivational speaker. She is also the author of Conquering the Giants and Dive In. You can view some of her works on her YouTube channel: Ashley Thaba.

SUCCESS LIFE: Jonah Nyoni

Does money control love? Or love has to control money? Money, marriage and sex are topical issues, that if not well managed they ruin marriage. I (JN) sought one expert on marriage, Pride Sibya (PS) who is going to help on how to manage money in a love situation.

JN: When a boy and a girl are dating they want to show their best, but end up living a lie. When marriage strikes, the truth is revealed. Are there dangers of wanting to flaunt money before marriage as a way of impressing?

PS: Eighteen(18) years ago I proposed love to my wife who I’m married to. I told her that I am nothing but a young, poor ghetto boy who had absolutely nothing of my own. This was because I was afraid of the consequences associated with discovering who your partner really is later on. Jonah, the greatest danger is failing to buy back trust once you lose it. Marriage is based on, or at least, should be based on love. Love is not just a feeling, it is a decision, and that decision comes because of trust. When you lose the trust of your partner you lose all other hinges you have built in that marriage relationship. Be transparent, Genesis 2:25 tells us that Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed…yes nakedness is transparency yet not ashamed.

JN: Money carries an emotion. How do we maintain love, romance and sex in the absence of money?

PS: Yes it’s true, money carries an emotion. I want our people to know that money is not everything in life, in general, and in marriage in particular. That is very important. Equally important is that, though it is not everything it is very important. Couples need to be taught how to bring in financial income and moreso how to manage the resources that God gives them. However, we also need to know that we cannot wait for money to come to us so that we may experience love, romance and even have meaningful sex in a marriage. Joy comes from within, it is not happiness, a couple must decide early in life that they will maintain that marital joy regardless of their financial status. Romance, love and sex flourish even in financial dire-straits.

JN: Couples fight because of money mismanagement. Give tips on how to manage money in marriage?
PS: Firstly, there is need for the transparency that I alluded to before. That is extremely important, next is to budget. Budgeting is very boring but will save us a lot of trouble caused by financial mismanagement. On the budget should items be prioritised according to the order of pre-eminence and importance. My wife and I start with tithes and offerings, followed by rents and rates, foodstuffs, school fees, transport, medicals, relatives, accounts and contingent expenses. That budget accounts for 60-70% of the income, while 30-40% goes to investments. Not the best model, but can serve us.

JN: In our culture it is expected of a man to be the provider. Then how do we deal or manage a scenario where the woman is the one providing or earns more than the man?

PS: Yes our culture says so. It takes it from the way God made it to be. A man must strive to take care of his own, even if it means cutting someone’s lawn or picking plastic bottles. However sometimes it does not go according to the ideal. The Biblical narrative of wives submitting to their husbands is key here, Jonah. Ephesians 5:22-24 is clear, wives must submit to their husbands as unto Christ. That act is voluntary. If women are to submit it means they are already recognised to be of a superior order, yet for the sake of order and peace they must submit (meaning to put yourself under the mission of the husband). If women go by the Godly principles of submission we have no problem in that regard and in fact many marriages will be strong. My wife will never be my husband nor be head of the home because she gets more money!

JN: There could be sex starvation because of a man being unable to provide money! How do we deal with that?

PS: Jonah, sex is not an award because a man has been able to provide for his family. Neither is respect and honour. For a man, just like a woman, sex is a God-given need that needs to be fulfilled within the confines of Holy matrimony. One important difference between the concept of sex by males and females is that while women may need kind words, care, security and tender touches to feel for sex, men just need an image. Men are aroused just by sight. It is also critical to know that healthy and normal men between ages 23-50 think of sex 30-45 times daily.

Sometimes it’s just a moment, others it’s a strong temptation. However, some will resist and decide they will fulfil their need at home. If a man’s wife knows this, they must know what to do! The rule is, “The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). There is no money mentioned there. Simple!

JN: Finally, what are you words of advice concerning money and love?

PS: Love is the ultimate, love is God, love will sustain us. Money answers all things. Both are very important but we must know which provides the basis of another. The ultimate is love: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Let us pray for our marriages, money will come. Thank you Jonah for having me. Bless you, reader!

Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach and certified leadership/business trainer. He is the author of Inspiration for Success and Success Within Reach.

Stir the pot: Paidamoyo Muzulu

THE Zimbabwe social media — Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp — suffered a meltdown this week as the tech-savvy individuals went into overdrive discussing the death of basketball star Bryant Kobe in a helicopter crash Sunday morning and the wedding of raunchy dancer Beverly Sibanda to a Zimbabwean man based in the diaspora.

Kobe, a star who won five NBA championships and two Olympics gold medals in United States colours, perished in a helicopter crash in California, sending the whole sporting community into a sombre mood. Dying at the young age of 41 was not the only shocking thing as he died together with his daughter, 14, a promising basketball player whose light was snuffed out in the horrific accident whose cause is not yet established.

The news was on the front pages of many if not all mainstream news services, a revelation that sport transcends political and economic differences.

More tellingly, it was a running story on all cable news networks despite the ongoing US President Donald Trump impeachment hearing in the US senate.

Kobe’s death is news, whichever way one looks at it. The death of a star who inspired many by his antics on the court, drew a pay cheque that many can dream of and not earn even if given three lifetimes. However, this event showed that Zimbabwe is really part of the global village, nay — only its elite who can afford the astronomic data costs to be on social media in a moribund economy.

Kobe’s death reminded me of last year’s social media meltdown when music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi passed on after a long illness. Zimbabweans across the political divide wanted him to be part of them.

Some enterprising women went to lengths of coining a hashtag #doekforTuku, urging women to wear headwraps as a sign of their respect for the music icon.

More noteworthy is how social media has enhanced the elite interest in paparazzi reportage, worshipping celebrities and unintentional efforts to conform to the new global (United States) ethos. Cultural scholars have long called globalisation as Americanisation of the world.

This trend has developed over the years, starting with the death of Princess Diana in August 1997, pop star Michael Jackson in June 2009, Apple founder Steve Jobs October in 2011 and former South African President Nelson Mandela in December 2013. In most eulogies that were given, true to African dictates, no evil was said against the dead.

When you are a celebrity, one’s blemishes be they accusations of rape, child molestation or adultery are whitewashed.

By and by, the world shares a common grief and seeks to remember the better side of the deceased.
We share our pain, share our excitement but hardly share our poverty or wealth. These are some of the things that globalisation has failed to globalise, but only widened the gap between the rich and the poor.

Back in Harare, many could not believe that dancer Bev could tie the knot and earn herself the coveted title Mrs.

This is a title that in our culture is reserved for the well-groomed women and not the independent women and those of free spirit inclination.

There were many memes on social media attacking the union instead of wishing the new couple well.

Tabloids did not give the newly-married time to enjoy their newfound happiness as they were already speculating about Bev having a bun in the oven.

To her great attitude or lack of it, Bev went out in the open saying she was not pregnant but suffering the side-effects of an injectable contraceptive that she is on. Did the world need to know that? Only in the celebrity world, nothing is secret.

In all the hullabaloo, Zimbabweans never bothered to discuss the latest poverty datum line statistics — that a family of five latest needs $4 100 a month to be considered not poor. Poverty means nothing when there are celebrities to be mourned, mocked or congratulated for doing an ordinary deed like getting married.

Celebrity moments give the community a necessary respite from the economic problems that each day are becoming harder to overcome. The new university fees are secondary to celebrity lifestyles, their highs and lows, despite that tertiary education is the foundation to an industrialised and enlighted community.

For now, the big thing is celebrity news.

May Kobe’s spirit rest in eternal peace as much as we wish Bev a long and blissful union.

Next time we are deep in trouble may a celebrity come out again to give us fodder to use our data pursuing the trivia than the real life that confronts us.

What a week.

Paidamoyo Muzulu is a journalist and writes here in his personal capacity.

Editorial Comment

LESS than a year after government, through advice from some aliens in outer space, decided to hurriedly resuscitate the Zimdollar which had long been buried for over a decade after being mauled dead in February 2009 by a rabid 89,7 sextillion percent hyperinflation, the economy is fast re-dollarising again. The Zimbabwe dollar’s June 2019 forced reintroduction came despite sound advice that this was a premature move given that the country had not yet achieved production levels good enough to support a local currency. At the time the Zimdollar was revived the country also hardly had any foreign currency reserves to write home about, which largely meant that the currency was doomed from day one.

Now we hear that government has ordered that businesses charging in foreign currency should pay their tax obligations in foreign currency, a clear admission that de-dollarisation has all but flopped big time. One would have thought that, because it is illegal to transact locally in foreign currency, the government would be inclined to heavily punish those businesses which are asking payment for their goods and services in foreign currency. Is this latest development not proof enough that the Zimdollar is definitely failing to hold its own? So what does it mean if all businesses decide to sell their goods and services in foreign currency and be prepared to pay their taxes in foreign currency? Shouldn’t the authorities simply swallow their pride and re-dollarise because sooner or later everyone will be asking for foreign currency for their goods and services.

But given the fact that a huge chunk of the country’s business is conducted in the opaque informal sector, it will be difficult for the tax collector to collect what belongs to them from this very grey economy. If only the authorities had chosen to listen to earlier sound advice not to rush to re-introduce the local currency, the situation could probably be very different. Moreover, if government had been sincere and serious from the word go about bringing back the local currency it should not have shilly-shallied about it.

From day one, government was never committed to de-dollarise the economy because immediately after banning the use of mainly US dollars in local transactions, it allowed certain entities such as the mines to pay for electricity in foreign currency. Government itself also collected import duties in foreign currency. All this was proof enough that the Zimdollar was heading nowhere.

And given the confused state of the economy, if it is difficult for the country to re-dollarise then the government may as well take the Rand Union route which it has been resisting for years.
Until recently, the Zimdollar has held its own against the rand at 1:1 meaning that the rand, already acceptable in the country’s southern region, can easily be adopted as a more plausible alternative.

However, knowing the authorities’ headstrong inclinations, they would rather slog on down the highway to doom than act sensibly to save the situation.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

THE opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa yesterday had his planned clean-up campaign stopped by police in Chitungwiza, with the law enforcement agents advising him to instead join President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s nationwide clean-up initiative normally held in the first week of each month.

The campaign was scheduled for Unit L in Chitungwiza, but armed police barricaded the area early in the morning and ordered MDC supporters to disperse before the arrival of their leader.

A police prohibition order dated January 30 and signed by officer commanding Chitungwiza district, a Chief Superintendent S Mujiwa read: “Your letter dated 23 January is hereby acknowledged. We are of the opinion that you join others in the presidential clean-up campaign, which is carried out on the first Friday of every month.”

The letter was addressed to Chitungwiza South MP, Maxwell Mavhunga (MDC Alliance).

Chamisa blasted the police for being partisan and behaving like a “vigilante organisation”.

“This is abuse of the law. The actions by the police resemble a vigilante organisation. By law we only notify the police and not seek their permission. We are putting them on notice that we will not be deterred by their actions,” said Chamisa’s spokesperson Nkululeko Sibanda.

“The president (Chamisa) would have proceeded today to the clean-up. He just had a pressing commitment as he was in a national executive council meeting which he is still addressing at the moment,” Sibanda said.

The MDC has vowed to defy future police prohibition orders it considers as illegal.

Speaking in South Africa early this week, the youthful opposition leader raised concern that State security agents and the ruling Zanu PF party treated his party like a terrorist organisation, banning its activities and beating up its supporters.

BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE

POLITICAL parties affiliated to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) yesterday rejected the proposed constitutional amendments, saying it was “too premature for the government to publish a Constitutional Amendment Bill.”

Constitutional law expert and Polad member Lovemore Madhuku said a special subcommittee tasked to analyse the Bill had observed that most of its provisions were unacceptable.

“We have taken a two-stage approach and we are calling on the government to withdraw the Constitutional Bill in Parliament and this is what we are going to be recommending to our plenary,” said Madhuku, who heads the opposition National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).

“We are saying it is too premature for the government to publish a Constitutional Amendment Bill. As Polad we have to discuss what are our electoral challenges, political challenges, and constitutional challenges ahead of 2023 election on the reforms that we wish to have undertaken.”

“The question is why are you rushing for the removal of the running mate when the elections are in 2023. As Polad we also really want the electoral laws amended in a number of areas to create a free and fair election,” said Madhuku.

“What we did is we went into that Bill clause by clause and some things would be acceptable while some are not acceptable. We looked if there were good ideas in the Bill and on balance we found that most of the things are not acceptable and we completely rejected the Bill.”

“Even if the government decides to go ahead with the amendment, we will fight on the provisions relating to the Judiciary, it’s a unanimous position again. Judges must retire at 70 mandatory and as a subcommittee we have said judges must retire at 70.”

Madhuku said on matters relating to gender equality in Parliament they had reached an agreement of 50/50.

“The point that must be clear is that the Polad subcommittee has not endorsed the Constitutional Amendment Bill. We are not going to accept the Constitutional Amendment Bill and that we can assure you,” he said.