BY VENERANDA LANGA

THE highly-indebted government will be allowed to borrow from non-State institutions without Parliament scrutiny if the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 2) Bill is signed into law.

The Bill to amend the Constitution for the second time is currently before Parliament and will undergo public hearings. It will also clip Parliament’s powers of oversight over international treaties on non-State loans.

Clause 23 of the Bill to amend the Constitution proposes that the current section 327(3) of the Constitution must be altered so that Parliament’s powers of oversight are clipped in terms of approving agreements entered into with international organisations even if those agreements impose fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe.

This is despite the country’s heavy indebtedness whereby according to the Parliament of Zimbabwe budget office, by the end of 2018 the total external and internal debt had reached US$20 billion. Of that amount, the external debt was US$11,5 billion including loans from Afrexim Bank, while the domestic debt was around US$8,5 billion.

Section 327 (3) of the Constitution which will be amended reads: “An agreement which is not an international treaty, but which has been concluded or executed by the President or under the President’s authority with one or more foreign organisations or entities; and imposes fiscal obligations on Zimbabwe does not bind Zimbabwe until it has been approved by Parliament.”

Constitutional law expert and lecturer James Tsabora said there is danger in clipping Parliament’s oversight on foreign borrowings, especially if the borrowings are of a fiscal nature and have an effect on taxpayers.

“Although there is a danger on amending the Constitution to clip Parliament’s oversight role, it is also international practice that a country chooses which treaty goes through Parliament for approval and which does not go through Parliament,” Tsabora said.

“However, if the amendment goes through there is a danger in terms of foreign borrowings given that Zimbabwe has over-borrowed from foreign institutions which has landed us into the problems we are in right now, and Parliament is important to put in checks and balances,” he said.

Tsabora said if Parliament’s oversight role on loans and treaties is curtailed, government has the obligation to ensure that whatever it does is constitutional.

“What it means is that before the President approves the treaties and loans he must also ensure that they are constitutional. The current situation is that the Constitution allows for double oversight by Parliament, and also by checking its constitutionality.

“Parliament must debate loans and treaties. However, with the current system of Parliament where Zanu PF has a two thirds majority, Parliament’s oversight role has been weakened and it means that treaties will just be endorsed, yet any laws with a public finance bearing need to be fully debated,” Tsabora said.

Legal think-tank Veritas said Parliament’s oversight role over the State’s expenditure is enshrined in section 299 of the Constitution, adding that it is fundamental for good governance which is one of the founding values of the Constitution.

“Clause 23 of the Bill will emasculate this power. Over the past few decades the government has entered into innumerable loan agreements with foreign governments, banks and other entities, paying little or no regard to how the loans can be repaid. As a result Zimbabwe’s foreign debt is enormous, crippling the country’s development.

“To amend section 327 so as to remove or reduce Parliament’s powers will be utterly pernicious and will encourage a return to reckless spending by the government, mortgaging the birth wright of future generations,” Veritas said.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

VISA delays have resulted in Harare football giants Caps United having to wait a bit longer before they could assess their targets from Nigeria who they have invited for trials.

The Green Machine last year invited goalkeeper Wakeel Adenkule Okunade, central defender Emmanuel Arinze Nwangwu and striker Sunday Kenneth Udoh for a two-week assessment.

But the trio is yet to arrive in Zimbabwe because of delays in the processing of visas.

No official comment could be obtained from Caps United, but a close source who is privy to events at the club confirmed that the club was still hoping to get the players into the country.

“The players are coming. We have already applied for their visas, but we don’t have the actual date because the process is taking long. The position with travellers from Nigeria is that they are required to get visas for them to come here. With other countries like Ghana and Cameroon it’s different, they do not need visas to come into the country,” the source who requested anonymity said.

Kepekepe have looked to West Africa as they seek to assemble a strong squad which can challenge for honours in the upcoming season after agonisingly coming close last term.

They were beaten to the finishing line by FC Platinum on the last day of the league programme.

Should the Nigerians possess the qualities that meet the Caps United demands, they would be given contracts.

Goalkeeper Okunade is expected to replace Prosper Chigumba and Chris Mverechena who have been offloaded by the club, while central defender Nwangwu, who has played for Kaduna United, Elkanemi Warriors, Heartland FC and Abia Warriors in his home country is set to help solidify the Caps defence which has been weakened following the injury to veteran defender Method Mwanjali who is now set to be redeployed as one of the assistant coaches.

Striker Udoh, who has played for Sunshine FC is also set to give Caps coach Darlington Dodo options in attack should he impress.

Caps United have already started their pre-season preparations as they await the arrival of the trio.

The team has been busy on the transfer market and have raided city rivals Harare City for three players so far; snatching away Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye, Ishmael Wadi and young Tatenda Tumba.

Apart from Harare City, Caps United have also snapped up two Yadah players Leeroy Mavhunga and Enock Karembo. Defender Carlos Mavhurume has also joined from Herentals, and so is goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, previously with FC Platinum.

There has also been a massive clear out at Caps United who decided against renewing contracts of a number of senior players including former captain Hardlife Zvirekwi, Dominic Mukandi, Carlos Rusere, Lincoln Zvasiya, Valentine Ndaba and Kudzanayi Nyamupfukudza.

The players were fingered in a player mutiny ahead of their league penultimate game against Ngezi Platinum which they lost 3-2 to give FC Platinum the edge.

Soccer Star of the Year Joel Ngodzo and striker Dominic Chungwa have also left the club to join Zambian teams, while Blessing Sarupinda is reportedly in Portugal for trials.

The club is also battling to tie down Soccer Star of the Year finalist Phineas Bamusi, who continues to be linked with a move to rivals Dynamos.

They have, however, managed to retain some key players from last season such as Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo, Justice Jangano, Valentine Musarurwa, John Zhuwawu and Kelvin Ndebele.

guest column:Learnmore Zuze

Zimbabweans in particular and the world in general clearly can’t find confidence in the Zanu PF governance system. The enduring crisis in Zimbabwe presents a conundrum to many people.

To the generality of Zimbabweans whose only desire is simply the pursuit of a dignified existence, the debilitating liquidity crunch, foreign currency shortages, rising inflation, spiralling basic commodity prices, erosion of disposable incomes, power outages and low productivity are a weight unbearable to carry. Retrospectively, inclusive of the Robert Mugabe era, it would be enormously accurate to say that Zimbabwe has shifted from one crisis to another for nearly two decades now. Twenty years of skills flight and economic instability are a long time of suffering.

It is for this reason that Zimbabweans seem to have resigned to fate to the extent of shunning the stayaways that always result in loss of lives and property. Zimbabweans passionately loathe the situation in their country but clearly do not have the wherewithal to alter it.

They are or rather have always existed in a survival mode; they are going with the tide of a catastrophe they cannot decipher. Zimbabweans born around 1999 are moving into adulthood having grown under the cloud of economic uncertainty; the Zimbabwean political and economic tragedy has become a definition of Zimbabwean life.

While it is easier to understand the Zimbabwean crisis in terms of how it presents itself through the economy, it is profoundly critical to realise that the Zimbabwean tragedy is squarely traceable to the politics of the day. This self-evident truth was reflective of the Mugabe (Zanu PF) and Morgan Tsvangirayi (MDC) political feud which culminated in the Government of National Unity (GNU) in 2009. In any set up, no economic progress can occur in the presence of a political crisis.

Today Zimbabwe finds herself caught up in the exact situation where the economic crisis is nothing but a silhouette of the terrible political problems bedevilling the nation. The current government has gone around the world on an offensive to win international confidence. The Bretton Woods institution, among many other monetary institutions with the potential to assist have been engaged towards extinguishing a colossal US$18,6 million debt and accessing new lines of credit from other financial institutions.

As things stand, a raft of measures including direct threats to businesses operating in the country and the austerity measures have been topical in an attempt to contain the revolting economy with little success. Banning of the use of the United States dollar has not stopped the public from using it. Liberalising of fuel imports has not tamed the ever-growing fuel queues in the country. It appears the more efforts are made to control the damage, the more the damage occurs.

This simply points to one thing: Zimbabwean problems indicate something deeply wrong with politics. Without pulling punches, the real key to unlocking the situation in Zimbabwe is to start by fixing the politics of the country. As long as nothing happens in the way of both political and economic reforms, then the country still has miles to go.

It is a given that one of the worst things to happen to the present administration is failure to win confidence of the Zimbabweans in particular and the world in general. For example, it is an open secret that Zimbabweans have plenty of foreign currency stashed in different places in their homes as they mistrust taking it to banks. History has contributed to this apprehension. People remain sceptical of taking their hard currency to banks in order to get the bond notes.

It is simply a question of lack of confidence in the government by Zimbabweans. The forex reserves held by people probably run into millions but an apparent lack of confidence in the system is feeding the crisis.

Coming to how confidence of the international community has been harmed, there really is no secret. America was honest enough to tell the Zimbabwean government that it needed to fulfil some tough conditions including political and electoral reforms, accountability for past atrocities and compensation for white farmers who lost their land under Mugabe’s land reform programme, among others.

The US even went further clearly highlighting that it was urgent that the soldiers who killed protesters in the August 1, 2018 post-election demonstrations be made to account. We may debate theories, postulate and pontificate about the economic malaise in Zimbabwe but the untainted truth is that massive changes have to occur within the broader politics of the country.

It must be clearly mastered that a simplistic view in mending the economy is self-defeating. Fixing the Zimbabwean crisis is not as easy as picking an alternative currency like the rand or pula.

In the absence of production, where almost everything has to be imported coupled with an archaic industrial infrastructure, then no economy can be revamped. It sounds rather trite yet it is the truth about the Zimbabwean crisis. Only when the essential political problems are adequately addressed can the international confidence return.

Zimbabwe is a country of massive potential, but remains trapped in an economic paralysis whose major panacea is simply the return of confidence in the presiding government.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

VENERATED mbira ensemble and cultural group, Mawungira eNharira, fronted by Wilfred Tichaona Mafrika — popularly known as Nyamasvisva — will headline the Bira Remadzisahwira set for this Thursday at Big Apple Night Club in Harare. The show is meant to strengthen the appreciation of Zimbabwean culture.

Regardless of traditional music fused with traditional instruments being an integral part of Zimbabwe’s culture, the music seems to be slowly dying as young musicians shun the genre.

The brainchild of Ethel “Chembere Good” Mpezeni, Prudence “Chihera” Matasva and Stanford “Malume” Dube, the bira is set to bring a treat to the mbira and traditional music followers.

One of the event organisers, Nyasha Machembere Dope, told NewsDay Life & Style that the bira was meant to bring attention and appreciation to local culture.

“We have decided to hold this event with an esteemed team of our friends in showbiz as an appreciation of our cultural values and showing that there is some of the youthful generation that values the importance of respecting our own cultures,” she said.

“Even though times have changed, our culture as Africans should not be abandoned. Our bira will include use of some of our traditional instruments in their various forms showing that we have not abandoned our mbira music, a traditional sound which is getting little appreciation these days.”

Machembere urged fans to come in their numbers for a fun-filled night, adding that she was optimistic the inaugural bira will be a start of more things to come.

Mawungira eNharira will bring the popular mbira vibes that has seen them dominating the industry alongside artistes such as Andy Muridzo, Vee Mhofu, Amadhuve Sasha, Sekuru Hweza and Swerengoma.

The ensemble has over the years mesmerised fans with their rich traditional music dominated by the mbira instrument. The group has performed across the country, headlined some of the most prestigious traditional music festivals and beyond the borders where the response to their music has been positive.

BY CHARLES LAITON

HIGH Court judge Justice Sunsley Zisengwe has thrown five City Parking supervisors under the bus after dismissing their application seeking an order declaring illegal, null and void Statutory Instrument (SI) 104/2005 which empowers the City of Harare to clamp and tow away vehicles.

The five supervisors had argued that the said by-law is contrary to section 4 and 8 of the Municipal Traffic Laws Enforcement Act, but their application did not find favour with Justice Zisengwe who said the parking bosses used a wrong procedure to approach the court and had not cited Local Government minister, July Moyo as a party to the court case.

City Parking, a subsidiary of the City of Harare, is mandated to collect parking fees from motorists in and around the capital’s central business district.

In his judgment Justice Zisengwe said City of Harare and City Parking (Pvt) Ltd raised preliminary points stating that the City Parking bosses lacked locus standi to bring the application to court.

“Some of the questions that spring to mind include, precisely who in the employ of the first respondent (City of Harare) is in the habit of issuing such instructions? When were (or are) those instructions given? In what context are these instructions given? Where are these instructions given? On what authority does the person giving those instructions purports to give them? To compound matters, the second respondent (City Parking (Pvt) Ltd) who is alleged by the applicants (supervisors) to be also a recipient of the same alleged instructions denies ever having received such instructions,” Justice Zisengwe said.

“There are, therefore, patent disputes of facts. Sight must not be lost of the fact that a declaration by the court of the invalidity or unlawfulness of the alleged instruction (as sought by the applicants) is dependent upon a finding that such instructions were (or are being) given by the first respondent in the first place. The question, therefore, is what to do in the face of these glaring disputes of fact.”

In the combined founding affidavit, filed by Blessing Duma, Bota Mike, Marwa Shupai, Pardon Chifanzwa and Ruth Njerere, the supervisors said the implementation of the said by-law has since landed some of their workmates behind bars after being convicted of criminal abuse of office.

“The present application is for a declaratory and ancillary relief to the following effect that Section 4 (2), 3 and 4 of the Statutory Instrument 104 of 2005 Harare (Clamping and Towing Away) By-Laws (hereinafter referred to as SI 104 of 2005) be and is hereby declared to be ultra vires section 4 and 8 of the Municipal Traffic Laws Enforcement Act,” they said.

“Following the passing of this resolution first respondent (City of Harare) started to unlawfully instruct its employees within the traffic section to clamp offending vehicles first and issue a ticket or notice thereafter …this has led to the arrest, prosecution and conviction of some employees within the traffic section for the criminal offence of abuse of office.”

The supervisors also urged the court to issue another order to compel the City of Harare to withdraw disciplinary proceedings against them and some of their colleagues arguing the charges were emanating from an illegality and an unlawful order.

Justice Zisengwe, however, said the five supervisors had used the wrong procedure for the relief sought and that the non-joinder of the minister responsible for the promulgation of SI 104/2005 renders the application fatally defective.

BY MOSES MATENGA

RULING Zanu PF party legislators cannot bear to face their disillusioned supporters because of an escalating economic crisis made worse by a severe drought, Zanu PF officials told NewsDay at the weekend.

The officials, who declined to be named, said government’s failure to deal with the economic crisis meant that the party was failing to deliver on its 2018 electoral promise and now some Zanu PF legislators were avoiding meeting their constituents because they had no answers to what is happening.

Zimbabwe is suffering its worst economic crisis in a decade, with shortages of power, fuel, foreign currency and staple food becoming the
order of the day.

The officials said some Zanu PF legislators were now avoiding holding constituency meetings with their electorate because they could not explain the current situation and government plans to address it.

Zanu PF national commissar Victor Matemadanda admitted the problem, saying he had warned the party during last year’s conference that some of the elected officials may be lacking strategy on how to deal with the electorate.

“Some (elected officials) may not know what to go and tell the people because they say things are difficult. I said some people may lack strategies and may not know what is going on and find nothing to say,” Matemadanda told NewsDay on Sunday.

“What could be lacking is information to the general populace, whereby people do not understand where we are and where we are going, but to those with economic knowledge, they know things have started to improve,” the Defence deputy minister said.

Matemadanda, however, chose to exonerate the party from the current economic mess, blaming it on “uncouth businesspeople”.

“Hardships are not just a thing that came, especially when they speak of austerity measures. Austerity measures are a government plan meant to resuscitate the economy, which was explained before it started by the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) that things may get tough before they get better,” he said.

“The President said after austerity measures, there will be development and progress. As we speak, the period for austerity measures is gone.”

Matemadanda said the ruling party had played its part in creating a conducive environment for prosperity and shifted the burden on business failing to perform.

“What Zanu PF in government has to do is to create an environment conducive for investment, but Zanu PF is not in business. If there is failure, it is on the part of business, it is on the part of the productive sectors, not Zanu PF. Zanu PF should be faulted for failing to create a conducive environment for economic production. I don’t think that is true. People do not want to be objective about things, but want to capitalise on every negative thing,” he said.

“We all marched as Zanu PF and MDC to protest against the economy which had been mismanaged. Yes, it was a Zanu PF government, but it was the leadership and some elements who were destroying the economy that is why we marched (in November 2017),” he said.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition spokesperson Marvellous Khumalo said: “What we have witnessed as an organisation is that due to the hardships being experienced by the people in the communities which are not in tandem with the promises that were given before the general elections, a number of elected officials are shunning to give feedback to their constituencies for fear of being taken to task or being assessed in terms of what they promised before the elections and what is actually obtaining on the ground.

“The electorate was promised heaven on earth. A lot was promised in terms of access to education, access to basic healthcare and a new dispensation in short. People were told that they were going to cross from the old order to a new establishment, but what is obtaining on the ground at the moment is even worse. People are angry, they are realising that they were given fake promises and no one is trusting the elected officials, hence they (elected officials) are hesitating to go back to their constituencies to face the people they lied to.”

In its central committee report last year, Zanu PF also acknowledged that there was a huge information gap between the higher echelons of the party and the lower party structures.

“The grassroot structures have been yearning for explanations on various issues that they do not understand, such as the austerity economic measures and incessant price hikes, which have badly eroded their incomes, making various households fail to make ends meet. Representatives such as councillors and MPs do not have a clue on how to explain to their constituencies the prevailing economic situation,” the report read.

During the run-up to the July 2018 polls, Zanu PF made several high-sounding promises to turn around the economy and improve citizens’ welfare, but two years down the line, the situation has worsened, making it difficult for MPs to interface with the electorate.

EDITORIAL COMMENT

REVELATIONS government appears to have done precious little to secure enough grain to feed more than half of the country’s population facing famine are not only disturbing, but quite shocking, to say the least.

Government recently told citizens that it had only a month’s supply of grain — 100 000 tonnes precisely, left in its Strategic Grain Reserves, while the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (Gmaz) also informed the nation that, as private players they were importing another 100 000 tonnes. Notwithstanding that the similarity in government and Gmaz’s tonnages may raise the nosiness of those super curious among us, the maize will only last the southern African nation just two months.

Despite this glaringly obvious unfolding disaster, government appears the least concerned that its 100 000 tonnes of grain is barely enough to nourish a fraction of the hungry population until the next harvest around April. It has taken the outside world to sound the alarm bells which is an indictment to government’s commitment to fending off hunger among its people. Outsiders closely monitoring the food situation in the country tell us that there is no sign of grain anywhere, on land, at sea or some foreign port, yet government keeps telling us that everything is under control.

The dichotomy of government’s position and that of the World Food Programme, as far as the food situation in the country is concerned, is extremely worrying and points to a government bent on playing Russian roulette with people’s lives. Why does President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration appear to be in denial at every turn?

Presently Zimbabwe’s economy is in dire straits, but the ruling Zanu PF party apparatchiks swarming government corridors see a booming economy, despite the all-round penury evidenced by the prevailing hunger situation. Those in government are seeing silos of food in a country that has failed to grow any due to corruption, poor planning and the vagaries of climate. The current rainfall season is already showing clear signs that the hunger problem will persist well into 2021.

What is most disquieting is the fact that the President appears fully aware that his ministers have — according to his own words — “been acting out of line lately and this has taken a toll on development”. Is it then farfetched to conclude that these Cabinet ministers, with their rampant and unbridled tendencies, could be lying to the President about the food situation? For instance, how far can we trust Finance minister Mthuli Ncube’s bubbly assertions that “contracts have already been signed and we are already importing food”? While Ncube further brags: “We are well organised. We are ready…,” foreign aid officials are worried stiff and telling the country: “The (hunger) situation has not changed a bit. The fields are bare, livestock is dying and hope is running low.”

So which is which? Who is fooling who? If Mnangagwa is serious about fighting the impending hunger, he and his administration need to come down to mother earth and start appreciating the true situation on the ground. Lying to each other and the world that the hunger situation is under control will neither help them nor anyone else for that matter.

guest column:Emmanuel Zvada

Occupational diseases have grown to be part of the daily routines. All the same, very few people have managed to escape the trappings of such diseases especially nowadays. While some workplace stress is normal, excessive stress can interfere with your productivity and performance, impact your physical and emotional health, and affect your relationships and home life. It can even determine success or failure on the job and the organisation at large, hence measures to manage it should be put in place.

Work-related stress is the response people may have when faced with work demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope. Stress occurs in a wide range of work circumstances. Workplaces have tremendous chances to make employees happy, healthy and productive, but most fall short of delivering these benefits. Cultivating a pleasant work environment is a sure way to position a company for long-term success, hence, employers should not underestimate the importance of creating a delightful office environment which is stress free.

Employees are less likely to experience work-related stress when demands and pressures of work are matched to their knowledge and abilities, control can be exercised over their work and the way they do it — support is received from supervisors and colleaugues’ participation in decisions that concern their jobs is provided. Occupational diseases are becoming an evil to organisational productivity, stress being another silent occupational disease.

Pressure at the workplace is unavoidable due to the demands of the contemporary work environment. Pressure perceived as acceptable by an individual, may even keep workers alert, motivated, able to work and learn, depending on the available resources and personal characteristics. Stress can damage an employees’ health and the business’ performance. Work-related stress can be caused by poor work organisation, poor work design, poor management, unsatisfactory working conditions and lack of support from colleagues and supervisors.

Stress affects all people, regardless of race, tribe, social class, age or occupation. Stress and stress-related disorders have become one of the largest categories of occupational diseases, which, however, is receiving little or no attention, yet affecting individuals and organisations negatively. A little pressure motivates people to reach goals and deadlines, but too much of it and for too long pushes people towards breaking point and that is bad stress that many employees are faced with.

So increasingly, employers all over have to pay greater attention to the effects and impact of stress on organisational performance than in the past. The effects of stress, whether triggered by work, or social constraints in the domestic arena are leading to a trim-down on the employee’s performance, increased sickness, more industrial accidents, etc. Stress can significantly affect many of the body’s immune systems, which increases the chances of one contracting any disease that come during the stressful moments.

Stress can root itself from mild irritation to the kind of severe problems that might result in a real breakdown of health and finally death. Stress is caused by stimulus that people attaches to the activities that surrounds them or everything that affects their minds negatively, such that if the stimulus is negative therefore it is likely to cause strain on the minds of the employees (individuals).

When one is under stressful conditions, he goes through three specific stages, whether the stress came from home or industry. Conversely this does not mean that one may pass through all these stages of stress as this depends on the events that triggered the occurrence. The first stage is alarm. This happens when an individual faces any danger, and the nervous system immediately sends emergency indications to the brain. All the different body parts and their functions co-ordinate to either fight or take a flight away from the danger.

Stress levels vary between professions and population groups. Some workers are at a higher risk of stress than others. Studies reveal that younger workers, women, and those in lower-skilled jobs are at most risk of experiencing work-related stress and its attendant complications.

Work-related stress doesn’t just disappear when you head home for the day. When stress persists, it can take a toll on your health and well-being. A stressful work environment can contribute to problems such as headache, stomach-ache, sleep disturbances, short temper and difficulty concentrating. Chronic stress can result in anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system. It can also contribute to health conditions such as depression, obesity and heart diseases.

Success in managing and preventing stress will depend on the culture in the organisation. Stress should be seen as helpful information to guide action, not as weakness in individuals. A culture of openness and understanding, rather than of blame and criticism, is essential. Building this type of culture requires active leadership and role models from the top of the organisation, the development and implementation of a stress policy throughout the organisation, and systems to identify problems early and to review and improve the strategies developed to address them.

The normal indications of this level are exhaustion, weariness, anxiousness, and being too forgetful and being prone to a horde of mistakes and unreasonable errors. This is a dangerous stage as one might start smoking and drinking more to come out of the stress. Being very weak, the body’s immune system is compromised and the victim is now a trouble-free target for colds, flu and other diseases that come their way. The last stage is exhaustion, a situation when stress persistently spiral beyond the second stage and the victim does not adhere to counteractive and curative measures, hence the exhaustion stage settles.

What is important in managing this disease is to begin by identifying the sources and this is not as easy as it sounds. Being able to identify your employees’ true sources of stress will act as a panacea in managing it because you will be attacking it from the root. Failure to identify it means failure to manage it because one cannot manage what one does not know. If employers can help their employees get to the heart of their stress rather than focusing only on the resultant health risks, employers will have happier and more productive employees, which is better for everyone.

In today’s economic upheavals, downsizing, layoffs, mergers and bankruptcies have cost hundreds of thousands of workers their jobs and their health, adding to the pressures that workers face. It is now the norm that workers at every level are experiencing increased stress levels and the only panacea is managing stress in organisations. Boosting employee well-being should be a common goal for all employers through investing in wellness programmes.

BY BRENNA MATENDERE/stephen chadenga

MACHETE violence cases being perpetrated by artisanal miners in the country are not happening randomly, but are premediated and organised, High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese has said.

Officially opening the 2020 legal year in Gweru yesterday, Justice Makonese also warned that the perpetrators of the machete wars have gone too far and were extraordinarily daring, while common criminals were now adopting their modus operandi.

“Machete attacks are not always random. Some attacks are well-organised, well-executed and premeditated by rogue elements in our society. While these attacks are prominent among artisanal and small-scale miners, ordinary criminals have now adopted similar style and tactics and use brute force to rob, injure and kill innocent civilians,” he said.

“During the year under review, there has been an upsurge in cases of violent crimes committed by marauding gangs of machete-wielding youths. The country has seen violent gang wars amongst artisanal miners never seen before in the history of this country. Scores of innocent people have been injured and maimed. Lives have been lost. There has been a relentless surge in young gangs going on the rampage in all provinces of the country attacking and injuring people.”

Justice Makonese also highlighted that the machete gangsters have also diversified the weapons they use to commit crimes and have now resorted to using axes, shovels and knives.

“What is most disturbing is that these machete youths have the tenacity to attack and even kill policemen in uniform. Unruly terror gangs recently killed a policeman, constable Wonder Hokoyo in Kadoma.”

Justice Makonese also called on the government to speed up the opening of the Gweru High Court to effectively deal with the increasing number of murder cases recorded in the province.
The Gweru circuit dealt with a high a volume of cases, which has necessitated the need for a permanent High Court.

“This High Court circuit generates a huge volume of cases. There is an urgent need for the establishment of a permanent High Court in the Midlands capital. The number of cases handled at this circuit clearly indicates that the administration of justice requires that a permanent station be established in order to deliver speedy and efficient justice to all in this vast province.”

He added: “We urge the government and the Judicial Service Commission to commit to this important project. Court facilities have everything to do with access to justice and the rule of law. Courts must be easily accessed.”

Justice Makonese described as unjustified for people in Gokwe, Shurugwi and Mberengwa to travel long distances to access the High Court in Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo.

He said the current circuit will deal with 16 cases, adding that 12 were pending from the last legal year.

In 2018, Justice Nokuthula Moyo made a similar call for the province to have a permanent High Court saying the Gweru circuit had no capacity to conclude murder cases in the two weeks it sits.

Four years ago, Gweru residents resisted proposals to turn the idle mayoral mansion into a High Court building, saying council would not benefit from the move because the State had gained a reputation of failing to pay its dues.

During the same year, the JSC approached council requesting to lease the mayoral mansion for High Court sessions. The building has been lying idle for the past 12 years since the departure of former Gweru executive mayor, Sesil Zvidzai.