The Zimbabwean passport is the 15th strongest in Africa, allowing a holder to travel to 64 countries visa-free. Globally, the Zimbabwean passport ranks 79th, together with the Dominican Republic.

— Equity Axis News

The ranking is according to the 2020 Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports according to global mobility and access.

With 51 African countries having been included in the rankings, the Zimbabwean passport is among the most valued passports in Africa coming in at position 15.

However, its position has weakened over the last 10 years. In 2006, the passport ranked 64th globally, while in 2010, it ranked 70th.

Its worst ranking was in 2015 when it was 82nd the world over.

In Africa, Seychelles has the most powerful passport, accessing up to 151 countries without a visa. Seychelles ranks 29th globally. Mauritius at 146 follows at second, then South Africa with 100 countries in third position.

Three Asian countries top the global list for countries with the most access without a visa.

Japan holds the record for the world’s most powerful passport, accessing 191 countries visa-free.

Singapore follows at 190 countries and South Korea at third place with 189 countries.

The United States ranks at eighth accessing 184 countries visa-free, whereas Afghanistan ranks 107. Afghani passport holders can only visit 26 countries without a visa.

For Zimbabwe, access to a passport, meanwhile, remains very much a challenge as registry grapples with a backlog of over 300 000 passports.

Zimbabweans living in the diaspora, who wish to renew their passports from their host countries abroad, will now be required to pay US$318 in order to be issued with the travel document.

Seh Calaz

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

ZIMDANCEHALL chanter Seh Calaz is tomorrow billed to perform at the Parul University International Show slated for Vadodara, Gujarat State in India.

Seh Calaz’s publicist, King George, yesterday said they had been offered the chance to perform in India and increase their fan base.

“He (Seh Calaz) has left for India and he is going to be performing there on January 17, and there will be a couple of activities there – singing, dancing and modelling. He will be the only Zimbabwean at the show and for his career I think it’s a great thing to be recognised by such a market,” he said.

Event organisers Brighton Tapiwa Chikwira and Evans Tafadzwa Kaerezi said all logistics were in place.

“Everything is in order. The rest we put it in God’s hands and we are glad that among the artistes on the line-up is Seh Calaz, a Zimdancehall artiste and we are excited and hopes are high that we will host a thrilling show,” he said.

The show, established to spread African music in India, will run under the theme, Giving India a Taste of African Music and is the brainchild of Chikwira and Kaerezi, who are students at the institution.

The organisers said this is the second year in a row they have brought in artistes from Africa.

Some of the artistes on the line-up include DJ Beatz, Sena Boy, Rousher and Nevine. Parul University is well known for recruiting students mainly from African countries.

BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE

Zimbabwe Cricket has named five uncapped players in the Test squad that is set to play Sri Lanka in a two-match series which begins at Harare Sports Club on Sunday.

This will be the senior team’s first international assignment since the International Cricket Council (ICC) lifted its suspension on Zimbabwe last year.

It will also be Zimbabwe’s first Test assignment since a drawn series away in Bangladesh in November 2018.

All-rounder Brian Mudzinganyama’s form with the bat for Rangers on the domestic scene has helped him gate-crash into the Test squad after just three first class starts.

The 24-year-old Mudzinganyama is currently second joint top scorer in the Logan Cup having managed a century and a half century in three matches while he also claimed seven wickets.

Former Zimbabwe Under-19 star Kevin Kasuza is also primed for a national team cap alongside Mountaineers teammate Victor Nyauchi as well as Rangers pacer Charlton Tshuma and Tuskers spinner Ainsley Ndlovu after they all made it into the squad.

Kasuza, who made his first class debut as a 16-year-old in 2011, showed promise early in his career as one of the big hitters on the local front, but failed to convince selectors.

To his credit, Kasuza has scored two first class centuries and 18 fifties in 57 matches.

Ndlovu is the only specialist spin bowler in the team and is a sure bet to start against Sri Lanka after making his one-day international (ODI) debut in Netherlands last year.

Fast-bowlers Tshuma and Nyauchi come in as replacements for crooked seamer Tendai Chatara, who has been ruled out after failing to recover from a bicep injury sustained in the domestic league.

Zimbabwe will be looking to build afresh following the retirement of Hamilton Masakadza who is now the director of cricket for the country and Solomon Mire.

Some of the notable absentees in the team include newly-appointed ODI and T20 captain Chamu Chibhabha, PJ Moor, Ryan Burl and in-form veteran spinner Tendai Chisoro who has claimed a whopping 16 wickets in three Logan Cup ties.

The selectors have also rewarded Prince Masvaure, Timycen Maruma and Donald Tiripano for their top form in the first-class competition.

Apart from captain Sean Williams, Zimbabwe will be counting on the experience of Brendan Taylor, Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Kyle Jarvis and Regis Chakabva as they mark their return to red-ball cricket in over a year.

The first Test is scheduled for January 19-23 and the final one is set for January 27-31 with both matches slated for Harare Sports Club.

Sri Lanka are set to arrive in Harare for the series today.

Zimbabwe Test squad

Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Maruma, Prince Masvaure, Brian Mudzinganyama, Carl Mumba, Ainsley Ndlovu, Victor Nyauchi, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano, Charlton Tshuma, Sean Williams (captain)

BY HENRY MHARA

WARRIORS captain Knowledge Musona has joined Belgian league side AS Eupen on loan until the end of the season after impressing the club during trials in Doha, Qatar, last week.
The striker, unwanted by Anderlecht, was invited for trials by Eupen together with teammate Emmanuel Sowah and they both featured in the team’s friendly matches against Holland giants PSV and Ajax.

Eupen won the first match 2-1 against PSV with Musona providing an assist for the first goal. He also played in a 2-0 defeat against Ajax.

However, it appears the pair did enough to convince Eupen to give them contracts.

Reports from Belgium yesterday indicated that the club wanted Musona permanently, but could not afford his wages.

They opted for a loan deal that will see the striker playing for the club until the end of the season. The deal has a purchase option.

Sowah, the 21-year-old Ghanaian, signed a permanent deal, according to the reports.

“The Ghanaian right back will be definitively transferred, while the Zimbabwean offensive, too expensive for the Alliance, will be loaned until the end of the season by Anderlecht, who will pay part of his salary and who hope to be able to sell (him) at the end of the 2019-2020 financial year,” Waltfoot website reported yesterday.

“Knowledge Musona convinced Eupen during trials and the player will be on loan until the end of the season at the German-speaking club. What remains is the official confirmation from the two clubs.”

Another media outlet Grenzecho quoted Eupen officials confirming that they had been impressed by Musona and Sowah.

“We are currently in talks with the player’s advisers and Anderlecht. But we are on the right track,” said sports and general director Christoph Henkel. “We would like to keep both players, but we still have to clarify the last things.”

Musona will be expected to feature for AS Eupen when they start the new year on Saturday with a home game against Charleroi.

The Smiling Assassin has had a career to forget at Anderlecht since signing a four-year contract with the former champions in May 2018.

He made just eight appearances for the club in the first half of last season, starting in three and scoring once. He was loaned out to fellow league side Lokeren for the remainder of the season and made six appearances, scoring once.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

LATE last year, bread prices in the country started shooting through the roof as government allowed general free market economics to play out in the hope of ensuring that the country’s economic fortunes buoyed.

Generally, bread is perceived as basic food, and has thus been largely used as a metaphor for basic needs, often referred to as “bread and butter” issues. Wheat, the source of bread, is probably next only to the country’s staple – maize in terms of priorities.

With many ordinary people forced to consider alternative foods as bread slowly eased out of reach, a Gweru man, Douglas Kwande, was presented by the country’s authorities as the answer to the bread crisis.

Kwande, a wheat farmer who claimed he was producing quality bread for the Gweru community, met government officials and convinced them that he had the capacity to produce enough bread to feed the country.

The businessman, who was invited by then Industry and Commerce minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, said the bread would be produced from 100% locally-grown wheat which had found many takers among established bakeries.

After the meeting, government through the Information and Publicity ministry posted on Twitter the following: “Douglas Kwande debunks the myth that Zimbabwean wheat is not fit to produce a standard loaf of bread to Cabinet. He has been producing a standard loaf of bread in Gweru for the past two years.”

Soon after the showcase, which was dismissed by many as a publicity stunt, Zimbabweans woke up to the realisation that bread was now selling at between $18,50 and $20. That was the last the nation heard of Kwande and his claims that he had the capacity to supply the whole country with bread.

According to the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ), the country needs about 450 000 metric tonnes of wheat annually for bread, thereby dismissing claims that Kwande and his bakeries can supply enough wheat for dough to feed the whole nation.

“On the issue of Zimbabwe having enough locally-produced wheat, you might be aware that the country needs 450 000 metric tonnes of wheat per year, but the country is currently producing half or less than half of that,” said Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe a few months ago.

Currently, the nation is facing massive wheat shortages.

The Zanu PF government again pulled out another stunt when it recently, in a bid to avert the bread shortage, set up community bakeries that have attracted the moniker “bush bakeries” due to their rustic nature.

Former Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira and her colleague in the Small and Medium Enterprises Sithembiso Nyoni commissioned the bakeries in Makonde.

However, due to shortage of raw materials — mainly flour, the bakery closed shop as soon as the government bureaucrats headed back to the capital, Harare.

The bakeries demand the use of firewood, a move that irked environmentalists who are now concerned about the looming massive deforestation if the project succeeds.

Zanu PF is currently training five people per ward on how to construct the mud oven as well as to bake bread before instructing them to go back home and impart the knowledge to others – a move that is expected to address bread shortages even in the marginalised far-flung regions.

Not so long ago, a big sugar manufacturing company hiked prices of the commodity — another key ingridient in the baking of bread.

With the country’s leadership keen on transforming Zimbabwe into a middle class economy by 2030, the advent of the bush bakeries has put the former bread basket of southern Africa under the spotlight in as far as modernity and innovation is concerned. Returning to medieval technology will obviously not get the country any closer to 2030.

About 20 years ago, the nation had flourishing community bakeries but most were forced to close shop due to incapacitation as the economy began to falter.

A Zanu PF official in Mashonaland East Province who preferred anonymity said despite the criticism on the issue of community bakeries, the programme has found takers and his constituency has welcomed it.

“There is a lot of criticism on this issue of community bakeries, but what people need to know is that Zanu PF has a target constituency. The constituency welcomes all strategies by the party and this is the reason why community bakeries are being welcomed by the party structures mainly in the rural areas. As of today, the project is flourishing despite negative publicity via social media platforms,” said the official. Some months ago, war veterans in Bulawayo announced that they were going to bake cheap bread for the people at their offices.

By Richard Muponde

SWITZERLAND yesterday offered to help Zimbabwe bring closure to past conflicts such as Gukurahundi and welcomed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s commitment to resolve the emotive issue.

Officially handing over a motor vehicle, GPS equipment, video camera and human resources support to the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) in Harare, the Swiss ambassador to Zimbabwe, Niculin Jager expressed his country’s readiness to capacitate government’s peace and reconciliation initiatives.

“NPRC is, indeed, a very important player in the national healing and reconciliation processes in Zimbabwe. Its mandate includes dealing with the past, mediation, reconciliation and dialogue,” Jager said.

“Over the years, Switzerland has acquired international recognition for expertise in dealing with the past. This expertise is in great demand all over the world and stems from the realisation that combating impunity and rehabilitating victims of conflict are vital for reconciliation, lasting peace and economic development.”

He welcomed Mnangagwa’s commitment to resolve past conflicts, especially Gukurahundi.

“President Mnangagwa, for example, has recently been in Matabeleland where he called for open dialogue on all conflicts including Gukurahundi, while other recent conflicts are also on the NPRC’s strategic agenda,” the Swiss diplomat said.

NPRC chairperson retired Justice Selo Nare applauded Switzerland’s support in strengthening the capacity of the commission in order to fulfil its mandate on national healing and reconciliation.

Switzerland and NPRC have partnered on a wide range of topics including work around the Peace Pledge by political parties towards the 2018 harmonised elections.

candour:Nqaba Matshazi

The year 2010 was a good one. The economy was on the up, the general mood in the country was bright, the politics were uncertain because of the power struggles in the Government of National Unity, but generally, there was a feel good atmosphere. Companies that had closed in the previous decade were re-opening, Alpha Media Holdings (AMH) tapped into that positive growth with the launch of NewsDay.

There was a bizarre “multi-currency” regime in place, shops did not have change and would give customers chewing gum and sweets in place of coins and our US dollar notes were soiled in the most unthinkable way, but somehow, the system worked for us and we were content.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue and Zimbabwe was certainly on the way up, the country would not go belly up again, we thought; or if it did go wrong, it would not be as bad as 2007 to 2008.

With the unity government, the ruling Zanu PF was kept in check and its excesses were moderated, although the party did threaten the stability of the government from time to time, it did not act on its brinkmanship.

At the beginning of the last decade there was so much hope that Zimbabwe had turned a corner, but as the decade came to an end, it was clear that the promise that 2010 gave us, was nothing but a false dawn and darker days lay ahead. The last decade, 2010 to 2019, is a lost one for Zimbabweans just because a certain group of people think only they have all the answers to the country’s problems, when history has proved otherwise.

In 2013, Zanu PF won the elections, bringing with it a new sense of triumphalism and unilateralism that saw Zimbabwe’s fortunes collapse almost immediately. On its side, the opposition was shocked by the scale of defeat; the predictable cries of rigging rang out loud and despondency set in.

The late former President Robert Mugabe was leading Zimbabwe to the precipice until he was removed by a coup in November 2017. Things did not get any better, as his successor, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has pushed Zimbabwe over the edge and the hapless country is in freefall.

No matter how we sugarcoat it, Zimbabwe is worse now than it was in 2010, 2013 or even in 2017, when the coupsters told us they were acting against Mugabe in an effort to save Zimbabwe from certain doom. The lesson that we should be learning from history is that unilateralism does not work and there is a need for everyone to come to the table to find a lasting solution.

Before 1980, after years of fighting, it was the negotiations that brought an end to the war and brought about Independence. When Mugabe threatened the nascent freedom that the nation had by unleashing bloodthirsty “genocidaires”, talks brought an end to the senseless killings that were commonplace in the western parts of the country and Zimbabwe was once again able to press the reset button.

But Mugabe still fancied a one-party State and soon went on the rampage crushing all opposition to his rule, culminating in the disastrous fast-track land reform programme. This belief that he could go it alone saw Zimbabwe literally collapsing with the lowest point being 2008, when the country literally ceased functioning. And guess what brought Zimbabwe back from the abyss; talks and negotiations. We are where we were some 11 years ago and its prudent for those in power to step back from their brinkmanship and see the value of a negotiated settlement.

It is not enough for Mnangagwa to say he won the elections and this was confirmed by the courts when the country is literally burning. He won the elections, but as it is, he is losing his country — economically and socially speaking — and that does not do him any good.

Mnangagwa and his supporters may proffer the self-serving argument that they have put in place the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), but this tin-eared approach is not taking us anywhere, as collectively that grouping barely represents 5% of eligible voters.

Hoping that Polad will deliver us from this political, economic and social mess is a fool’s errand. Besides Zanu PF, all those parties in that grouping barely represent anyone and their mandate is non-existent. It is now time for Mnangagwa to be the bigger man, step back from the edge and invite the MDC leader for talks — it might not be good for his ego, but this is the bitter pill he has to swallow.

You may ask why Mnangagwa should be the one to reach out not the other way around, this is because he is the President, his legacy is going down the drain and he will only be remembered as the person who gave Zimbabwe hope only to utterly and almost irreversibly destroy the country.

Mnangagwa is now compared in less favourable ways than his predecessor, Mugabe — something that he surely detests — and the only way to salvage this is by reaching out.

When things were bad — not as bad as they are today — Ian Smith, the racist Rhodesian Prime Minister went for talks with people he regarded as terrorists; Mugabe for all his faults was dragged to the negotiation table and in both instances, there was an uptick in Zimbabwe’s fortunes. Mnangagwa can also learn from history. The onus is on him to reach out to Nelson Chamisa for the country’s sake, with no conditions.

The first step to this is to stop beating his chest in triumphalism by reminding the nation how he won the elections, and how he was confirmed by the Constitutional Court, this is water under the bridge now. The second thing would be to thank his friends and foes in Polad, send them packing, with a view of never reviving that pointless body ever.

If the MDC leader rejects this offering, then Mnangagwa can say at least he tried and history will be kinder on him.

 Nqaba Matshazi is AMH’s head of digital. He writes in his personal capacity. Feedback: nmatshazi@alphamedia.co.zw. Twitter: @nqabamatshazi

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Zimbabwe yesterday marked the first anniversary of the 2019 violent anti-fuel price hike protests, with human rights organisations renewing calls for security sector reforms.
Human rights groups recorded more than 17 extra-judicial killings by the security forces during a violent crackdown against the protests, while at least 17 women were raped and sexually violated between January 14 and February 5 last year.

“The atrocities committed are still fresh in the heads of the Zimbabweans. Some are still mourning their deceased relatives and friends; others have permanent bodily and psychological injuries. It is January once more and the nation remembers,” the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said yesterday.

“The cries of the wounded and dying victims at the hands of excessive force meted out through baton sticks, gunshot wounds and dog bites remain a dark cloud over the human rights record of the nation.”

The rights body said the drivers of the January 2019 protests have remained unaddressed and with the deteriorating economic and political situation, citizens are exposed to more dehumanising conditions.

MDC vice-chairperson Job Sikhala, who represented some of the victims in court, said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government was worse than that of his predecessor, the late Robert Mugabe.

“During my representation of 188 victims of State persecution who were all acquitted, I observed frightening human rights abuses the accused persons went through under this regime. It was a statement that Zimbabwe is now under a regime worse than that of Robert Mugabe,” Sikhala said.

“There is no justification whatsoever for an accused person, even murderers, to be subjected to (such) gross abuses I witnessed. The world has long changed and governments cannot do whatever they want with their citizens.”

The courts also heard that some of the perpetrators, who were dressed in army uniform, were Zanu PF youths.

Most of the protesters were given blanket convictions as their cases were fast-tracked in violation of their constitutional rights.

Three members of the Zimbabwe National Army have been arrested after they allegedly shot dead two civilians following a dispute which occurred on Boxing Day at Shayamavhudzi township in Mwenezi.

Crispen Maphosa (28), Tapiwanashe Basopo (35) and Collen Ncube (28), who are attached to the HQ 1 Brigade in Bulawayo, had earlier on been reported for allegedly launching a reign of terror on civilians in Mwenezi.

The three soldiers made their initial appearance in court on Monday, December 30, 2019 before Mwenezi magistrate Honest Musiiwa advised them to apply for bail at the High Court.

It is alleged that on December 26, 2019, the three who were on assignment at Mujingwe Conservancy in Mwenezi West, were approached by Olman Nyunyani, who told them that his younger brother had been assaulted by brothers Hosia and Sifelani Matarise.

Armed with loaded AK 47 rifles, the soldiers, together with Nyunyani, proceeded to Shayamavhudzi township looking for the Matarises. Upon arrival at the township, the soldiers confronted the Matarise brothers and a dispute ensued.

The soldiers allegedly shot Hosia on the head and Sifelani on the chest, killing them on the spot.

The trio was arrested two days later by police.

Three spent cartridges and four live rounds were recovered from the crime scene. It is alleged that after committing the offence, the soldiers threatened witnesses with death.
Willard Chasi appeared for the State.

— Tellzim