PRIMARY and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela donated $10 000 and computers to two Bulawayo council-run schools for their prize-giving day programmes.

BY PATRICIA SIBANDA

This was revealed in the council’s latest minutes, which stated that Mganwini and Mawaba Primary Schools got $10 000 and an assortment of computers from the ministry on November 7 and 8, respectively.

During a full council meeting last week, the local authority hailed the permanent secretary for the gesture.

According to the minutes, the permanent secretary donated multiple Information Technology gadgets.

“The perm sec Thabela awarded the following to each of the respective schools: $10 000 prize money each, which was deposited into the schools’ accounts, 45 Lenovo learners’ laptops, one teacher’s laptop, one projector, one interactive white board, the secretary’s bell plaques which were affixed in the administration offices of the respective schools,” the minutes read in part.

The prize-giving ceremony took place in Novmeber last year.

According to the minutes, the release of the funds enabled the schools to adequately prepare for the occasion.
Engineering services director Simela Dube assisted in maintaining the roads around the schools ahead of the event.

The Royal Crown Trust and the Khumalo clan in Matabeleland will now engage government over the public coronation of Ndebele king, Bulelani Colin Khumalo, after the State blocked his purported installation in March 2018.

BY SILAS NKALA

The remarks were made by the Royal Crown Trust chairman Chief Mathema on Friday last week.

This comes in the wake of calls by Matabeleland activists for the public and official crowning of Bulelani after he was privately installed in 2018.

Supporting the idea of a public coronation of the king, Chief Mathema said: “We are now waiting for the courts as another aspirant, Peter Zwide Khumalo, took us to court. After the courts, we shall then persuade the government to see eye-to-eye with us.”

Plans to have Bulelani publicly crowned came after government allowed the official public unveiling and installation of the Mambo dynasty King Mike Moyo at a ceremony that was held in Mawabeni, Matabeleland South last year.

The Khumalo clan and Ndebele chiefs in March 2018 had fully prepared to conduct the coronation of King Bulelani at Bulawayo’s Barbourfields Stadium, but government blocked the process through the courts.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese ruled that there was no law in the country allowing the establishment of a monarch.

Chief Mathema filed an urgent chamber application challenging the government’s decision to declare the coronation illegal and unconstitutional.

Earlier, Local Government minister July Moyo had ordered the planned coronation to stop.

After the ban, the coronation had to be done at a private venue.

Matabeleland activists have accused government, especially Moyo, of being biased by allowing the Mambo dynasty to be revived, while blocking the Ndebele monarch installation.

Bulawayo-based political commentator Dumisani Nkomo said it was within the cultural rights of any group to crown a king.

“There are queens and kings in the United Kingdom, Holland and Monaco, so there is nothing amiss or new or old or indeed out of order about this,” Nkomo said.

Church and Civic Society Joint Forum national chairman Anglistone Sibanda said although the public coronation of a Ndebele king was a noble idea, government feared the rise of a Ndebele nation that might push for cessation, while a Ndebele monarchy could also be a threat to “the tribal hegemony agenda that frames the structure, systems and mindsets of those in charge”.

A GERMAN non-governmental organisation (NGO), Welthungerhilfe, is set to help Gweru residents by providing humanitarian aid, Southern Eye has established.

BY STEPHEN CHADENGA

Speaking at a recent ordinary council meeting, health and housing committee chairperson John Manyundwa (ward 18) revealed that the humanitarian organisation had submitted to council its application to operate in Gweru.

“Welthungerhilfe submitted its application to deal in all Gweru urban wards,” Manyundwa said.

All councillors unanimously agreed that the application be considered as the NGO would assist the impoverished urbanites.

There have been growing concerns that people living in urban areas be provided with food aid as starvation hits all parts of the country.

Recently, government announced that food aid distribution would be rolled out in urban areas to help alleviate hunger, which is being worsened by climate change effects and the economic meltdown bedevilling the country.

During World Food Day celebrations held in Lower Gweru last year, World Food Programme country director, Eddie Rowe, said projections suggested that about 2,2 million people living in high-density urban areas faced severe hunger in the January to March lean season.

Experts have called for investment in long-term projects that promote both economic and environmental sustainability in the face of climate change impact.

POLITICAL Actors Dialogue (Polad) members on Friday claimed that the platform had started producing results and they will continue to work to ensure that both the political and economic problems bedevilling the country are resolved.

BY DARLINGTON MWASHITA

Speaking on the sidelines of a Polad meeting held in Bulawayo on Friday, MDC-T leader Thokozani Khupe’s spokesperson, Khaliphani Phugeni, claimed that Polad had scored a number of achievements, citing the introduction of subsidies on mealie-meal and its push for the Free Education Bill.

“We intervened as far as the subsidies for meal mealie, considering it is the staple food for most of us in Zimbabwe. We intervened to make sure that subsidies are back, which is a big achievement from an MDC-T point of view, because of our proximity to the governing party, thanks to Polad,” he said.

“We have managed to influence policies, especially on education with regards to girls from Grade 4 to Upper 6 Form.

We have intervened there in terms of sanitary wear. We are also pursuing a Free Education Bill.”

Phugeni said they had meetings with Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, who he said intimated to the Budget and Finance Portfolio Committee chairperson, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, that US$400 million was set aside ahead of the roll out of the free education policy.

He said through Polad, they were now able to influence policy direction and change.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa did not attend the Friday meeting.

The People’s Rainbow Coalition leader, Lucia Matibenga, also said they had managed to define Polad’s institutional framework, purpose and plan covering the next two years.

“Polad, as you know, was a new idea, a new concept. (So) we have managed to define our institutional framework and our agenda and put across a strategic plan for up to year 2022,” Matibenga said.

She said since the economy is continuing to deteriorate, Polad intends to advise the government on what was the best way forward to create a better life for the people.

“I share the view that the economic situation is continuing to decline, but I cannot speak on behalf of those who are governing. What I can certainly tell you is that one of the committees of Polad which is meeting deals with the economy,” she said.

“Under Polad we intend to be able to advise the government on what we think will be the best way forward to create a better life for the people of Zimbabwe.”

A PROTRACTED territorial wrangle pitting Chief Neromwe (Clemence Madzingo) and Chief Tshovani (Hlausi Mundau) has finally been put to rest after Chiredzi magistrate Rodgers Mawarire ruled in favour of Neromwe last Friday.

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA

The dispute had raged on since Chief Neromwe was installed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in July last year.

He dragged Tshovani to court seeking a peace order barring him from holding meetings in an area which used to be under his jurisdiction.

Chief Tshovani, through his lawyer Vonani Majoko, was in turn challenging the legality of Neromwe chieftainship, arguing that the disputed areas falls under the resettlement area and is yet to be gazetted to determine the land ownership.

Magistrate Mawarire ruled that Chief Neromwe has the legal right to preside over wards 17, 26, 27 and 28 and ordered Chief Tshovani not to undermine the authority of the President by entering Neromwe’s area of jurisdiction.

In November last year, Chief Tshovani’s subjects staged a demonstration at Chiredzi Magistrates Court, accusing Chiredzi West MP Farai Musikavanhu and the then Chiredzi district development co-ordinator, Ndeya Nyede, of aiding Neromwe to wrest a large chunk of their territory.

Tshovani has since sued President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the matter, and the case is pending at the High Court.
“There is no mala fide or ulterior motive behind the installation of Neromwe,” said Magistrate Mawarire while delivering his judgement.

He then ordered Tshovani to pay Neromwe the costs he incurred during the legal battle in a bid to defend his rights.

The feud between the two chieftainships began when government decided to revive the Neromwe chieftainship which was removed by white settlers during the colonial era.

Tshovani, however, was not happy with the decision. Chief Serima of Gutu, Chief Nemauzhe of Chivi and Chief Maranda of Mwenezi adjudicated the arguments for and against the revival of Neromwe in 2017, while Nyede gave guidelines.
Former Zvimba councillor Madzingo (Zanu PF) was then selected the inaugural chief of the revived Neromwe throne and was given custody of wards 17, 26, 28 and 29, while Chief Tshovani was left with only three.

Magistrate Mawarire said after reviewing the President’s decision to install Madzingo as Chief Neromwe, he found that it was in line with history, languages of the set up and customary law.

However, a dejected Chief Tshovani said he was going to appeal at the High Court.

ONE of Malawi’s first solar projects has attracted investment volume totalling US$67 million.

BY ERNESTER,OUR READER

Initial site works have begun on Nkhotakota solar project and construction of the first phase is targeted for completion by March 2020.

Once complete, the project will add 46 megawatts (MW) of clean energy to the local power supply.
Developed by United Arab Emirates-based Phanes Group (PhanesGroup.com) in collaboration with responsAbility Renewable Energy Holding and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the project was the result of the first Power Purchase Agreement signed with Malawi’s national utility in February 2019.

This was Malawi’s first competitive tender in the power sector, and the PPA is projected to last 20 years.

The Nkhotakota project is part of a push by the Malawian government to use solar power to strengthen the country’s electricity infrastructure.

Currently, only 15% of the population has access to power and the national capacity is estimated at 362MW.
The project will also move Malawi away from its traditional reliance on hydropower, which currently comprises over 95% of the country’s energy mix.

Here in Zimbabwe, we had one person — Wicknell Chivayo — whose company was awarded a tender to construct the 100MW Gwanda solar project, which was supposed to feed into the national grid.

Had he bought steel frames and put a few structures, we would understand that he tried.

Nothing came out of it, except dozens of stinking shoes decorating his stupid bedroom.

National projects need people who are dedicated to improving their country.

Japan is a great country because of its dedicated people. Imagine what that country went through after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings in 1945.

But they moved on with life and now Japan is a marvel.

Go to Rwanda, war-torn until July 1994. Now Kigali is cited as a model in other countries.

Zimbabwe got her independence in 1980, and what has it achieved so far? Just war heroes and heroines rhetoric!

Nothing to show, except for our education system, which is fast going down the drain, anyway.

Our health system, once one of the best, is now a laughing stock. Our leaders are our worst detractors.

If it was possible, I would jail all politicians and throw the key into the Indian Ocean.

AFRO-JAZZ artiste Hope Masike has described some of the steamy poems in her debut collection to be officially launched on February 7 at Delta Gallery in Harare as adult material that was likely to make conservative people uncomfortable.

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

The artiste, however, said the poetry collection titled Ask Me Again was designed to bring better understanding between men and women in relationships.

Masike, however, told NewsDay Life & Style that open-minded readers would enjoy the “steamy” poems in the new literary offering that would come out in time for Valentine’s Day on February 14.

“A particularly steamy section of the book shall get many definitely hot, appropriately so as we approach Valentine’s Day,” she said. “So I must add, this is an adult book; not for persons below 18 perhaps.”

Masike said with the book, which contains 36 pieces, she sought to open the lid on sensitive subjects that people would rather keep under wraps.

“My genuine aim, however, is to bring better understanding between men and women, by inviting into the light the things we comfortably prefer to hide,” she said.

The musician said some difficult life experiences enabled her to explore her poetic talent, which saw her publishing the poetry collection.

Masike said publishing poetry was a long-cherished childhood dream.

She said parting ways with her management two years ago and the subsequent dry spell during which her show roster contracted helped her rediscover the poet in her.

“I have always written (poetry), especially in my younger years when I didn’t have much to do. I even dreamed to publishing books,” she said.

“So when I broke up with my management in 2018 and my gig roster started thinning out, I found myself in a place where I had plenty of time and for the first time in a long while, I read again. Without planning it, the reading brought back the obsessive writing.”

She said the lean spell forced her to make significant life adjustments, including going back to her family home rather than keep up appearances.

AFRO-JAZZ songstress Selmor Mtukudzi’s new album set to be launched on January 31 will mark the rebirth of the musician as she seeks to move away from her late father music superstar Oliver Mtukudzi’s shadow and reinforce her own brand as a musician, NewsDay Life & Style has established.

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

The musician’s publicist Reginald Chapfunga last week said they were in the process of rolling out the new strategy.

“Our vision is to establish Selmor as her own musician. Yes, she is the daughter of Oliver Mtukudzi, but she can’t live in the shadows of Dr Mtukudzi or on sympathy forever. Besides, she has been her own for a decade and a half,” he said.

“We are also focusing on the international market and one of the strategies is to attend music trade shows and festivals as exhibitors or performers. This will help us market the brand. We are also approaching international music agents.”

Following the death of Tuku last year, Selmor has drawn the sympathy of the late superstar’s fans in a development that saw many of her shows oversubscribed.

Chapfunga said they were working on striking a balance between maintaining Tuku’s legacy and getting Selmor out of her father’s shadow.

“Our thrust now is to preserve Tuku’s music legacy while establishing Selmor as a brand. However, you will see from the forthcoming album that we have a collaboration with South Africa’s Vusi Mahlasela and Steve Dyer also features on the album,” Chapfunga said.

“The year 2020 marks Selmor’s rebirth. Besides an 11-track album titled Dehwe Renzou, we are also going to embark on a nationwide tour. The tour is meant to promote the album and will also serve to take Selmor to the people and reignite the romance with Tuku’s fans.”

Chapfunga said they will mark the first anniversary of Tuku’s death on January 23 with the release of a video of one of the tribute songs from the album.

Selmor will, however, continue to play her father’s music during live shows while producing her own music.

Chapfunga noted that the songbird’s desire to preserve her father’s legacy kept her going during a difficult year as it was “not easy to pick up the pieces after such a loss”.

He also hailed their partnership with Impala Car Hire, saying that has helped the musicians to work with Steve Dyer and also improved many facets of the band and Alick Macheso for touring the country with Selmor.

HARARE — Six years ago, it was only a dream for Michelle Chitembwe (47), who slept on the floor of her slum house in Harare, to own a bed.

But challenging the difficulties, Chitembwe launched a soap-making venture and has shifted to a life of the rich from that of rags. She now enjoys her luxurious house in a Harare suburb.

Her initiative was a magic touch on her life, but it also changed the lives of many women as she employed scores to ensure a future for them.

For entrepreneur women, there are organisations in Zimbabwe showing them a way to help elude poverty.

“Apart from working my way through single-handedly to where I am now, I have also obtained support from organisations like Usaid (United States Agency for International Development) to shape my vision,” she said.

Chitembwe said she can now afford a private school for the education of her children thanks to her soap-making venture.

Actually, Zimbabwean women like Chitembwe have turned to forming home-based industries, with some of them even creating and producing dishwashing liquid, soft drinks and perfumes.

“These entrepreneur women have become sources of most of the domestic products many of us sell in our shops,” said Humphrey Gatawa, a Harare-based indigenous businessman.

Agness Chiramba, who lives in Harare’s Mbare township and makes dishwashing liquid, said the market for her product has never ceased to amaze her.

“I’m so amazed at the way local retail businesses have clamoured for my dishwashing liquid. I tell you, I’m making money just by making dishwashing liquid, pocketing over $200 every day in sales,” Chiramba said.
She was an unemployed woman with academic education in chemical engineering. Chiramba, without options, turned to making dishwashing liquid in order to support herself as a single mother.

Benefiting the support of non-governmental organisations, women entrepreneurs are thriving in Zimbabwe although their activities are not regulated by government due to bureaucracy and corruption which many fear would derail their success.

“Usaid Zimbabwe funded the course through its partnership with Junior Achievement Zimbabwe, a forum for youth business growth aggregators and that has helped women like me,” Chiramba said.

As a result, Chiramba and Chitembwe have become self-assisted, at a time Zimbabwe’s economy teeters on the brink of collapse, with inflation nearing 500%, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Zimbabwe is battling with a 90% unemployment rate, according to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions. However, women like Chiramba and Chitembwe have challenged the crisis with their entrepreneurial skills and have mastered over the years.

Based on statistics from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development in Zimbabwe, about 261 000 women are involved in self-assisted projects, like soap- and detergents-making, among other income-generating projects.

Of late, development experts have attributed the rise in women venturing into home-based manufacturing industries to the hostile economy of the southern African nation.

“The women have seen that men are losing their jobs as formal industries are closing down and the only option they have hatched for survival over the years is to leap into self-aided projects in order to survive the harsh economy,” Donald Sengwayo, a Harare-based Zimbabwean development expert, said.

Except for the technical and financial support they have earned from non-governmental organisations, the women say, the Zimbabwean government itself has not moved in with any help.

“NGOs have seen the need to support women and our government has not so far done anything meaningful to back our strides, leaving us to progress with the help of non-governmental organisations like Usaid,” Chitembwe said.

For Zimbabwe’s entrepreneurial women, working at the backyards of their homes is not enough — they are seeking more.

“Personally, what I wish is to end up, one day, running a huge industry producing soaps and even exporting,” Chitembwe said.

But for many women like Chiramba, this may not be easy.

“We have no access to loans at banks here because most of us don’t have collateral to enable us secure more capital from the banks,” she said.

Apart from difficulties in accessing capital from banks, Chitembwe and Chiramba said they also had to struggle to get customers for their homemade products, although they have now gone past the stage.

“Shop owners and ordinary people didn’t really trust my products at first, rather preferring ordering stock from countries like Dubai, South Africa or India; you see, naturally as Zimbabweans we shun locally manufactured products. So, lots of hard work had to be done explaining to people why I was making my product from home before they could buy,” Chiramba said.

Now, thanks to their endurance, many female entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe have become optional sources of affordable homemade consumable products at a time inflation has shot through the roof in the southern African country.

“Due to rising prices, women who produce products like soaps, candles and dishwashing liquid have become providers of such items at quite low prices and I’m personally happy dealing with them,” Marian Sithole, a 26-year old Harare woman, said.

Even Taurai Kandishaya, national co-ordinator of the Zimbabwe Citizens Forum, a civil society organisation with links to the country’s governing Zanu-PF party, is excited about the products women are producing in their backyards.

“Homemade products made by these entrepreneurs are offering our citizens a cheaper alternative although they may eventually be affected by price rises in the raw materials they use, which may eventually force them to increase their prices as well,” Kandishaya said.

— Anadolu Agency.