BY SIBONGINKOSI MAPHOSA

BULAWAYO City CounciL (BCC) has called on ratepayers to expeditiously settle their bills to enable the local authority to hire more workers and improve service delivery.

BCC is owed over $189 million in unpaid bills.

Mayor Solomon Mguni last week encouraged residents to pay their rates, saying this would go a long way in alleviating problems faced by council.

“We continue to urge our residents to pay their bills on time to enable us to provide much-needed services to them. Without enough fiscal space, it is difficult for us to have full staff compliments to drive service delivery,” Mguni said.

“If we are to employ additional staff, we must be able to look after their welfare and meet all statutory obligations.”

BCC recently flighted several advertisements for internship posts in various departments.

Council’s engineering committee chairperson Ernest Rafamoyo on Friday encouraged youths to take up internships posts in council to sharpen their skills.

“We might have a lot of vacancies in the city for now, but we do not have the money to hire. Opportunities might be there, but the current situation is not allowing,” he said.

“The only opportunity which has risen is those for attaches as you know the City of Bulawayo is well known for developing skills in young people.”

Most local authorities, owed millions by ratepayers, are not recruting after posts were frozen because of the current economic hardships.

Meanwhile, BCC has said it will start disconnecting water supplies to defaulting ratepayers in ward 7, which encompasses Makokoba, Mzilikazi and surrounding areas.

In a statement on Saturday, town clerk Christopher Dube warned residents of the impending water disconnections, urging unpaid ratepayers to visit council officials and negotiate payment terms.

Knowledge Musona

BY HENRY MHARA

Warriors captain Knowledge Musona picked up an injury in his second appearance for new club KAS Eupen at the weekend, in what could be yet another setback for the player.

The striker lasted just 32 minutes in the team’s 1-0 win away to KVRS Waasland Beveren in the Belgian league on Saturday before he was replaced by Jon Bautista.

“Coach Beñat San José was forced to change early because Knowledge Musona had to leave the pitch after 32 minutes due to injuries and was replaced by Jon Bautista,” the club’s official website wrote yesterday.

They did not give the nature and extent of the injury.

The injury would be a huge obstacle to Musona’s progress, who got off to a very promising start at his new home last week when he scored on his debut to secure a draw at home against Sporting Charleroi.

After impressing in his first match, the Smiling Assassin was restored into the starting line-up at the weekend, but could not last the distance.

Injuries have been the major hindrance to Musona’s career this far, and the latest setback would be a huge worry for him.

It is hoped that it’s nothing serious and he can return to playing regular football again soon.

The Zimbabwe skipper joined Eupen this month on loan from fellow Belgian side Anderlecht until the end of the season.

He impressed Eupen during friendly matches in Doha, and the club decided to give him a chance with a short term contract.

The club has an option to buy him permanently at the end of the season.

The injury will also be a huge worry for the Warriors fans, who are desperate to see their team captain playing club football regularly and gain the much-needed match fitness.

With the 2021 Caf Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and 2022 World qualifying matches a few months away for Zimbabwe, Musona’s injury is the last thing that the fans would want.

The Warriors resume their Afcon qualification bid with back-to back matches against Algeria in March before making a short trip to Botswana between June 1 and 9.

They will conclude their campaign with a home clash against Zambia during the September 1-9 international break.

Zimbabwe are second in Group H with four points, while defending champions Algeria are at the summit with six points after a 100% start to the campaign, with Botswana and Zambia in third and fourth places with one and zero points, respectively.

Zimbabwe will also resume their World Cup qualification bid in March in the second round of the qualifiers.

Having beaten little Somalia in the first round, the Warriors were drawn in Group G against Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia for the World Cup second round qualifiers.

The group leader will qualify to the third and final round.

The second round of qualifiers will kick off in March and conclude in October next year, with the third and final round scheduled for the following month.

The 2022 World Cup will be played in Qatar between November 21 and December 18, 2022.

Zimbabwe are currently looking for a substantive coach for the Warriors to take charge of the two campaigns.

The coach is expected to be announced before the end of this week, with the selection process set to be completed on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Warriors and Baroka goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze suffered a horrific neck injury during a league game against Maritzburg United in a South African league yesterday.
Chipezeze landed awkwardly early into the second half after a collision with an opponent.

He was taken off on a stretcher, strapped with a neck guard and an oxygen mask.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

HARARE football giants Caps United have raided city rivals Harare City, snatching defender Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye from the Sunshine City Boys.

Harare City are under the guidance of former Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe and although they are widely regarded as one of the most rewarding clubs on the domestic scene, several of their players continue to cross the floor to join Makepekepe.

While Nyenye joined last week, two of their attackers, Ishmael Wadi and Tatenda Tumba, joined a couple of weeks back as Caps United reconstruct their side following the departure of several key players.

That has left Chitembwe’s side thin on attack as they relied on the pair, in particular Wadi, who was the torch bearer of their attack last season alongside William Manondo.

Apart from Harare City, Caps United have also snapped up three players from relegated Yadah, with central defender Carlos Mavhurume being the latest arrival from the side, linking up with forward Leeroy Mavhunga and midfielder Enock Karembo.

The Green Machine, who have decided against renewing the contracts of several senior players among them goalkeepers Prosper Chigumba and Chris Mverechena, have also signed former FC Platinum goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, who is now set to compete with Tonderai Mateyaunga for keeping the goals.

Caps will also not be renewing contracts of former captain Hardlife Zvirekwi, Dominic Mukandi, Carlos Rusere, Lincoln Zvasiya, Valentine Ndaba and Kudzanayi Nyamupfukudza as they seek a fresh start after a disappointing campaign last term, which saw them being beaten to the championship by FC Platinum on the last day of the league programme.

Those chucked out were fingered in the player mutiny ahead of their league’s penultimate game against Ngezi Platinum, which they lost 3-2 to give FC Platinum the initiative.

The Harare giants have, however, retained some key players such as Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo, Phineas Bhamusi, Justice Jangano, Valentine Musarurwa, John Zhuwawu and Kelvin Ndebele.

Caps United are expected to unveil all their new acquisitions this week while they are also still waiting for three Nigerian players, whom they have invited for trials with a view to taking them on board.

Among those invited for trials are goalkeeper Wakeel Adenkule Okunade, central defender Emmanuel Arinze Nwangwu, who has played for Kaduna United, Elkanemi Warriors, Heartland FC and Abia Warriors in his home country, and striker Sunday Kenneth Udoh, who has played for Sunshine FC.

The Nigerians are expected to undergo a two-week assessment period and should they meet the minimum requirements of the technical team, they would be given permanent contracts.

Caps United have already started their preseason preparations while waiting for the arrival of the targeted Nigerians.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

The Zimbabwe cricket team is keen to bounce back from the disappointing loss in the first Test and beat visiting Sri Lanka in the second of the match series, which begins at Harare Sports Club this morning.

But they will have to do it without top pace bowler Kyle Jarvis, who reportedly failed to recover from a knock that he suffered in the first Test.

However, top order batsman Kevin Kasuza is almost certain to make a comeback into the fold after he trained with the rest of the team in the past couple of days.

Kasuza suffered a delayed concussion after he was hit by the ball while fielding.

Sri Lanka lead the series 1-0 courtesy of an emphatic 10-wicket victory in the first match.

Inspired by the heart-breaking defeat last week, the hosts will be looking to win their first Test match victory since a 153-run triumph over Bangladesh in November 2018 and a first over Sri Lanka.

Batting coach Stuart Matsikenyeri believes the team needs little motivation after the first Test defeat

“There was a lot of work that went into preparing for this Test match and in the match itself. The guys did a lot of good work and to just come an hour short of saving the match hurt the guys, so they don’t need motivation,” Matsikenyeri told journalists in Harare yesterday.

“Just the way they came in and worked in the last two days shows you that they are keen to come in and make amends. A lot of the guys believe and know that they belong in international cricket and they just don’t want to survive (in matches), but they want to win matches for Zimbabwe. So the hunger is there and we just have to make good decisions out in the field, that is what’s going to make a difference,” the former Zimbabwe batsman added.

Matsikenyeri also challenged the middle order batsmen to step up in the second Test after letting the team down in the first match as well as the whole team to change the mental attitude.

Zimbabwe impressed with the bat last week with top three — debutant Kevin Kasuza, Prince Masvaure and Craig Ervine — hitting half centuries to set the platform for a decent 358 first innings total.

It was different in the second innings after the team was bowled out for just 170 to lose the match.

Sri Lanka are set to name an unchanged side as they use this series to prepare for their upcoming assignment against West Indies.

Bowlers Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Embuldeniya and Lahiru Kumara were all impressive in the first Test, while veteran batsman Angelo Matthews’ double century was the toast of the match.

Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva and wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella also scored vital half centuries to help Sri Lanka to a mammoth 515 for 9 total.

“We don’t have enough players to try out so we will have the same squad. We are trying to play the same squad to give them a chance to establish their place,” captain Dimuth Karunaratne said.

“The most important thing is the player need to get their confidence high, the batsmen need to score runs in this wicket and the bowlers did a good job but I think we need to improve.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe are set to tour Bangladesh in February-March for a one-off Test, three one-day internationals (ODIs) and two T20Is, according to the announcement made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

It is a welcome development for rebuilding Zimbabwe cricket, which has struggled for game time with top sides, especially in the Test arena.

Zimbabwe have been a regular visitor to Bangladesh. They went there for an ODI tri-series (including Sri Lanka) in January 2018.

Later that year, they played two Tests and three ODIs. Bangladesh whitewashed Zimbabwe in the ODIs, but the Tests were drawn 1-1.

Zimbabwe were also part of another tri-series in Bangladesh (with Afghanistan) last year. Zimbabwe managed only one win in that T20I tri-series.

Full schedule

February 22-26: Only Test, Mirpur

March 1: 1st ODI Chattogram
March 3: 2nd ODI Chattogram
March 6: 3rd ODI Chattogram
March 9: 1st T20I Mirpur
March 11: 2nd T20I Mirpur

guest column:Prosper Maguchu

The world’s most cited anti-corruption measurement — the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) by Transparency International for the year 2019 was released on January 23 this year.

At the bottom, the CPI measures scores and ranks countries around the world based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. Zimbabwe has scored a mere 24.

The CPI uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.

That is to say, the country has not improved in its fight against corruption in the past four years.

Significantly, the CPI scores reflect the views of experts and businesspeople, not the general public as such. It is arguably the most widely-recognised measure of public-sector corruption barometer.

For this reason, the CPI continues to be an important gauge by companies in assessing corruption risks before conducting businesses in foreign countries.

Therefore, it goes to the core of the “Zimbabwe is open for business” mantra and the country’s efforts to attract foreign businesses. As common sense dictates, investors dislike highly corrupt environments.

Corruption is a key issue upon which countries are judged by investors, thus if there is anything Zimbabwe can learn from other countries, it is to take the CPI seriously.

The CPI takes on a different theme each year. This year the CPI report highlights the relationship between politics, money and corruption.

This topic is both timely and relevant in Zimbabwe, especially at this juncture where cases of corrupt businesspeople with strong ties to politicians have been on the increase.

Let us never forget that certain names have dominated the news on allegations of corruption, names of politically connected individuals who have reportedly looted billions of dollars meant for the government-controlled Soviet-styled “Command Agriculture”, and some connected individuals are looting millions of dollars meant to import maize to alleviate famine faced by more than seven million Zimbabweans.

Countries use the CPI as a benchmark to measure their progress. Zimbabwe is presented with an opportunity to evaluate all the anti-corruption measures put in place by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in his early days in office.

Difficult questions should now be asked if these key legal reforms and institutional reforms have failed.

Lessons can be learned from Angola, a country that was under autocratic rule of Eduardo Jose Dos Santos for 40 years until 2017, but has managed to improve seven scores upwards on the CPI.

Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that the fight against corruption is not politically neutral.

Mnangagwa needs to see beyond party politics to address the scourge of corruption.

Some of those with political power want to maintain the status quo. This fight cannot be won without genuine political reforms. Then again, the experience of other African countries indicated that networks of corrupt officials tend to regroup in about two years, as well as that major changes could only be made in the first 18 months of a new government coming into power.

This is conventional wisdom; the logic of the argument being that new leaders will be less tied to existing patron–client networks, and more inclined to reform.

For Zimbabwe, the anti-corruption war maybe too little too late!

 Prosper Simbarashe Maguchu LLM is a researcher at a political-legal think tank based in the Netherlands specialising on anti-corruption, serious crime, conspiracies and human rights. He also volunteers as the international co-ordinator for the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa. He writes in his personal capacity.

guest column:Peter Makwanya

CONSIDERING that climate change is not a juicy subject, which people need and may not want, it is prone to divided or split attention. Climate change may not be as attractive and marketable as adverts for beverages, fast foods or other upmarket accessories, which the companies continue to remind people about, through various forms of channels like radio, television, online, posters, bill boards or regalia.

In this regard, climate change may be topical or popular as a brand product, so in this view, people also need to know, quite often about the subject that is dominating their livelihoods.

Climate change may not be in the mould of Nike or Coca-Cola, but in its own right is also appealing and attention-seeking too. While climate change, through its related impacts such as natural disasters, does not offer happiness or pleasure, it needs to be communicated regularly, all the time and everywhere.

While popular brand companies and organisations invest in wide-ranging research to maintain and transform their brand images, climate change also requires the same, not to maintain its image, but for checks and balances, otherwise the earth would be torn apart.

Just like all these other brands, climate change has target audiences and situations that need to be managed. While many other brands need to be sold and bought, climate change requires interactive and participatory engagements as well as immersion into its nature, to sufficiently understand it.

Climate change requires reaching out to target situations and audiences through appropriate and relevant communication approaches and messages. Above all, target audiences should be able to have knowledge of what is being communicated to them. They must be able to relate what is being communicated about what is unfolding in their communities.

While brand companies invest billions into advertising, green funders channel forms of funding to developing countries for adaptation purposes, although not much is known for advertising purposes. In this regard, development practitioners need to compete for the target audiences’ attention for climate change education, training and awareness in order to change their mindsets, with limited resources though.

While many people around the world love such popular brands as Coca Cola, Nike, Mercedes Benz, Sprite and many others, they may not be necessarily in need of them, but climate change adaptation is what people actually need and not necessarily want. Climate change requires partnerships and multi-sectorial approaches. Development partners need to compete with governments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector in order to get the target audiences’ attention and acceptance.

In this climate change discourse, development practitioners should consider employing communication experts, who can communicate across the board and they know that target audiences have crucial needs and choices to be respected.

In this climate change discourse, people need to be networked and connected so that communication approaches effectively and meaningfully function. In this regard, communication can be used to bind people together and enhance public engagement. The aim in this regard is to provide accurate and continuous information flows to all stakeholders, not just a few, making the whole process open and transparent.

Just as brand advertising is cross-cutting and aimed at breaking language barriers, video-story telling in climate change advertising can also do the same, reaching out to target audiences in ways traditional development approaches cannot do.

Furthermore, video is a sufficiently empowering tool for stimulating dialogues and discussions just in the same manner an advert would do in probing people to discuss. In this regard, community radios, popular radios, community-video, posters and print materials can still be used in the same ways as in advertising to reach out to large numbers of stakeholders or target audiences.

The need for communities to have continuous access to climate change information for adaptation in the changing climate is also the same way advertisers of brand products use to keep in touch with their customers and clients.

Although it is critical that local communities and stakeholders should be interested in climate change issues, advertising — through the use and integration of multimedia tools and visuals, can save the required purpose in climate change engagements.

All in all, stakeholders in the advertising industry, should also include climate change in their communities of practice and make it relevant as a critical pillar of adaptation, awareness, education and training tool to compete for target audiences.

DYNAMOS have signed a staggering 11 new players so far to beef up their squad ahead of the new league season; but they are not yet finished, with the club’s chairperson Isiah Mupfurutsa revealing that they were still very much active on the player transfer window market.

BY HENRY MHARA

DYNAMOS have signed a staggering 11 new players so far to beef up their squad ahead of the new league season; but they are not yet finished, with the club’s chairperson Isiah Mupfurutsa revealing that they were still very much active on the player transfer window market.

The Harare football giants have been one of the busiest on the market, and have made a complete overhaul of their squad with the arrival of Partson Jaure, Jeansmith Mutudza, Sylvester Appiah, Byron Madzokere, David Temwanjira, Barnabas Mushunje, Nkosi Mhlanga, Tanaka Chidhobha, Lennox Mutsetse, Tinotenda Chiunye and goalkeeper Tymon Mvula.

Mupfurutsa said the club was happy with their business so far, but still wants to sign more players in forward positions.

“We are content with how our transfer business has gone so far, but we are still in the market,” he said.

“We need to beef up some key positions in the team. We are still short on strikers.”

Dynamos were left short of forward players after veteran striker Edward Sadomba retired from playing football at the end of the season.

Evans Katema, who was their main striker last year, also left for Zambia a month ago, but reports suggest that his intended move into one of that country’s top club failed to materialise.

DeMbare are understood to be negotiating for a reunion with the dreadlocked striker, but they are reportedly facing fierce competition from rivals Caps United and Chicken Inn, who are said to be angling for his signature as well.

Young Nigel Katawa, who was another regular for the team last season, is away in Russia for trials, while Tawanda Macheke has not renewed his contract, which expired at the end of the year. He has not been training with the club in their pre-season sessions.

Mupfurutsa refused to reveal the names of the forward players they are trying to bring to the club, but reports suggest that they are could be closing in on Caps United’s speedy winger Phineas Bamusi.

The former Triangle United player gave the biggest hint that he might cross the great divide when he posted on Facebook a picture of himself during the match against Dynamos last season.

The picture ignited a fierce debate among Dynamos and Caps United supporters, with the former welcoming him to their club, while the latter said the gesture meant nothing.

Sources, however, told NewsDay Sport that the fleet-footed player had already agreed personal terms with Dynamos, and a deal could be announced before the end of this week.

Dynamos said they are building a “machine” of a team as they seek to challenge for the league title which they last won in 2014.

“We have gone for a long time without winning the league title, so I don’t see anything wrong with being ambitious. The coach has given us a list of players that he feels can win the title and we have done our part as management,” Mupfurutsa said.

“We have managed to get almost all the players from the list. We will give the technical team all the necessary support that they need to achieve our targets.”

Dynamos started their pre-season last week and had their team-building and bonding camp just outside Harare, which will be followed by an orientation this week.

“This was part of the pre-season training, which is good for team bonding and integration. Not only that, we had some presentations by experts on things such as anti-doping, laws of the game, HIV and how to handle the media,” Mupfurutsa added.

Footballers Union of Zimbabwe president and former Dynamos captain Desmond Maringwa was one of the experts who gave presentations.

BY VENERANDA LANGA

THE Forestry Amendment Bill, now before Parliament, seeks to impose mandatory sentences of up to five years for people who deliberately cause veld fires.

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Concillia Chinanzvavana (pictured), recently told NewsDay that the Bill, which will be subjected to public hearings, is being amended because the previous Act is archaic.

“The issue with the current Forestry Act is that it is too old and does not cater well for the country’s forest concerns,” Chinanzvavana said.

“The mischief to be addressed by the proposed amendments in the Bill will be the problem of veld fires which is now getting out of hand, and the nation is losing millions of hectares of forest to veld fires, including nationally gazetted forests,” she said.

Veld fires have killed 122 people across Zimbabwe since 2005, which has resulted in government declaring the period between July and October of each year a fire season to raise awareness on the dangers caused by veld fires.

She said the Bill will amend the Forestry Act (Chapter 19:05) to enhance the protection of forests from veld fires through introduction of mandatory and deterrent sentences, as well as to recognise the aggravating consequences of veld fires, such as death and damage to property and make provision for their prosecution in terms of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).

The clause seeks to remove the option of a fine in preference of a minimum mandatory sentencing system for wilfully lighting fires on State or private forests that cause damage.
“Clause 12 seeks to introduce a mandatory fine for fire offences resulting from smoking or negligent use of matches,” reads the Bill.

Section 78 of the Forestry Act will also be amended to include major offences by including sections which stipulate that where damage has been wilfully caused, imprisonment for a period not less than five years, or in any case, to imprisonment for a period of not less than one year will be imposed for causing veld fires.

“The court shall take into account such aggravating factors as loss of human life, livestock, wildlife and other property,” reads the Bill.

Moses Matenga/Fin24.com

THE United Nations (UN) has raised a red flag over looming food shortages in Zimbabwe highlighting that so far there is little evidence that enough maize is coming to feed the drought-stricken nation’s 7,7 million people, but government insists that it is prepared to deal with the deepening food crisis.

Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri last week told NewsDay that there is less than a month’s supply, or 100 000 tonnes, of the staple maize grain in the southern African nation. That compares with a supply gap that’s expected to be around one million tonnes. Shiri yesterday refused to comment over the phone on government’s state of preparedness. While the government said it has started importing food, UN officials say there’s no sign of it yet.

“The situation has not changed a bit,” Eddie Rowe, the UN World Food Programme (WFP)’s country director in Zimbabwe, said last week. “We do not see anything coming in.”

The nation’s maize crop is expected to plunge by half this season due to a drought that in some areas is the worst in 40 years. At the same time, an economic collapse has seen food shortages spread from the rural areas to the urban areas for the first time.

While Zimbabwe is facing a severe deficit of foreign exchange that is hindering its ability to ensure adequate supplies of power, fuel and food, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube claimed in Davos last week that the government was making the necessary arrangements for enough grain imports.

“Contracts have been signed, and we are already importing food,” Ncube said in an interview with Bloomberg TV in Davos, Switzerland. “It’s already arriving.”

Ncube said maize was being imported from an “Atlantic” market, where Mexico is the only major producer of the white variety favored by consumers in southern Africa. Grain is being shipped through the Mozambican port of Beira, by road from Tanzania and through South Africa, he claimed.

“The country is not at risk of famine,” Ncube said. “We are well organised. We are ready and we also appreciate the international community’s support. So we understand what’s going on.”
In times of need, Zimbabwe has traditionally bought South African maize or used agents from that country to bring in grain.

Statistics from the South African Grain Information Service show that from April 27 until January 17, no maize was imported via local ports for export to other nations. South Africa did , however, ship about 60 000 tonnes of its locally produced maize to Zimbabwe.

“It has to come through South Africa,” said Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa. “Traders who facilitate this sort of trade are Johannesburg-based. They use ports on the South African side.”

While Zimbabwe bought 100 000 tonnes of maize and received the delivery from Tanzania last year, it has not been in contact with the country since, said Japhet Hasunga, Tanzania’s Agriculture minister. In any event, Tanzania is limiting exports to build its own reserves, he said.

Cornelder de Mocambique SA, which operates the port in Beira, didn’t respond to a request for comment. Zimbabwe’s Finance ministry didn’t respond to a request for more details on shipments.

Rowe said the WFP had imported 20 000 tonnes of grain from South Africa and expects a further 50 000 tonnes from Ukraine and Mexico to arrive by the end of next month. The government has not been involved in those shipments, he said.

On its official Twitter page, WFP in Zimbabwe gave updates of the situation on the ground in most parts of the country, an account that saw many raising concern on the state of preparedness by the Zanu PF government.

“The fields are bare, livestock is dying and hope is running low. In Mwenezi, communities are facing the effects of cumulative drought and an economic crisis. WFP is doubling its efforts to reach 4,1 million people who do not know where their next meal is coming from,” the WFP wrote on Twitter.

The UN agency regional director for Southern Africa, Lola Castro said the situation was “on a scale we have not seen before and the evidence shows it is going to get worse”.

Over $200 million is needed to assist those in the country. WFP also said children in most parts of the country were now getting one meal a day while drought and the economic meltdown has left more than 7,7 million facing hunger across the country.

MDC secretary for agriculture Rusty Markham yesterday said government has shown lack of preparedness while misleading the international community on the matter.

“The issue of food security is very simple, government has always waited till late. The minister weeks ago stated they had 100 000 tonnes of maize at the Grain Marketing Board. That is less than one month’s supply of maize. The issue is that it will take us to the middle of next month,” he said.

He said the supplies from Tanzania, Mexico and Maputo will only last until next month and questioned government commitment to avert a potential disaster.

“They have done nothing. You heard (Finance minister Mthuli) Ncube in Davos saying we signed contracts, maize is rolling and we are on top of the situation and no one will starve? The WFP issued a release where they said they were not aware of any programmes to import maize into Zimbabwe. If they don’t know about it I don’t think there is anyone in the international community who knows about it,” he said expressing concern that after the ban on maize exports by Zambia and Malawi, Zimbabwe’s options were now very limited.

“When you have a national emergency or disaster you declare it as one. You have to say we have a major disaster here and we need food. What they have done is talk to donors, but what they should do is declare and people will help and raise funds for it. They come up with a silly idea of roller meal committees. It is as good as those things they parade as bakeries that were used by our great grandfathers. We have this major disaster we are faced with and you form these roller meal committees.

“In agriculture we have a regime that is in a state of paralysis and they do not know what to do,” he said.