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Published by Review & Mail Zimbabwe, 2022-07-08 05:55:20

Review & Mail 21 March 2022

Review & Mail 21 March 2022

Wycliffe Mundopa:
‘I think the idea of
beauty as a kind of grace
and finesse is a
Eurocentric notion’

Read Arts & Culture section for more

Monday 21 March 2022

BOILING
POINT

Election fever grips Inside
Zimbabwe Memo
Makanika’s
Pages3&5 world

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Page 15

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Ja2n1uMarayr-cFheb2ru0a2r2y 2022 NEWS 200

Kuwaiti oil deal dirties hands
Chris Mahove It has also emerged that the top brass at

ACTING EDITOR Petrotrade have stood stridently against

The recent fallout at the state-owned fuel a forensic audit at the company when it
enterprise, Petrotrade, which led to the emerged the company had inflated the
suspension of the board by Energy and amount owed to a contractor who con-
Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda structed the Warren Park Serviced Station.
recently, has been linked to a shady deal in- “For example, some of the people have

volving a Kuwaiti company, Review & Mail said why do you ask for a contract as if you
don’t know what we agreed. The push-back
has learnt.
against the forensic audit is because it will
The deal entails the sale of Petrotrade to show that money was being paid not due
IPG, the Kuwaiti firm, which is said to be (sic),” the source added.
linked to some army and private business On February 28 this year, Petrotrade Board
bigshots. Chaiperson,Tinomudaishe Chinyokawrote
In a case of asset stripping, the sale of
Petrotrade resulted in losses of thousands a damning letter to Magombo accusing her
and other Ministry officials of unduly med-
of dollars by Government.
dling in the affairs of the company.
A source close to the developments at the This was after Magombo had written to the
weekend told Review & Mail revealed that board accusing it of making decisions with-
Zhemu and top brass at the parastatal con- out the approval of the Ministry, including
nived to sell the company to at far less its the appointment of the Chief Operations
value without going through proper proce-
Officer and the Business Development Di-
dures.
Our source revealed that an army-linked rector.
Chinyoka said the letter was a ploy by min-
top manager masterminded the deal, in istry officials to divert attention from the
the process allegedly corrupting the minis- investigations of corruption and fraudulent
ter. The permanent secretary in the minis- activities that happened during the period
try, Gloria Magombo, is said to be a lapdog when the Ministryhad direct oversight over
of the senior official, with a history dating
Petrotrade.
back a long time.
“We suspect that he (army-linked, senior He said the purported nullification of the
appointment of both the COO and BDD was Eye of the storm....Petrotrade Warren Park Service station is among
official) has been promised a cut by IPG,” unfortunate and betrayed the importance the scandals that have rocked the entity
the source said, naming other Ministry of- of the serious work the two were doing for
ficials. the company since they were hired, noting ing structure of Petrotrade , saying that was sible for hiring senior management and for
Review & Mail could not contact them at the company’s market share had jumped
the time of writing. from 2.68 percent to 6.46 per cent since inconsistent with sound corporate gover- organising the company to best achieve its
The source said suspicions were raised af- their appointment.
ter the realisation that each time the tech- ‘It is also not beyond the realms of possi- nance and was unlawful . objectives,”.
nical team met, IPG representatives would bility that the Ministry’s representative on
always be waiting at the Ministry for feed- the Board is being manipulated into raising He said it was ultra vires Sub part D of Part Minister Soda’s tenure has been synony-
back. “issues” of corporate governance by those
“Also when we did not have a Board, it was employees that have been involved in cor- iii Chapter iii of the Companies and Other mous with controversies and his appoint-
(the senior official) and the Ministry’s rep- ruption and who see the net closing around
resentative on the Board , (name supplied), them since the suspension one key mem- Businesses Act Chapterv 29:31 Act No 4 of ment has coincided with the return of pow-
who were running the company as the ber of their gang a week before your letter
“Board”. So these projects where there are was written,” he said. 2019 (The Companies Act). er outages, ever increasing fuel prices and
no contracts and money being demand- Chinyoka said the Ministry was attempt-
ed were corruptly rewarded in return for ing to micromanage the company by sug- “Your Ministry labours under the imm- he has made several reckless utterances
backhanders we think,” added another gesting that it should approve the operat-
source. pression that its the Ministry and not the when confronted over the challenges in his

Board that approves the structures of the Ministry. Chinyoka, who was suspended

entity. It is impertive that your office be by the Minister, has since made an urgent

fully disabused of this notion -In terms of Chamber application where he raised a lit-

the law and the Company’s own articles any of allegations against the Minister and

and Memorandum of Association, it is the Petrotrade Acting CEO, Godfrey Ncube.

Board and not the Ministry that is respon-

Botswana relaxes Sadist Marondera serial

port requirements killer finally arrested

Chris Mahove Review and Mail Writer

Botswana has scrapped the require- Police in have arrested Bright Zhantali(30)

ment for travellers into the country to for the alleged murder of six women in sep-

have had a booster shot for them to be arated incidents in and around the town of

deemed to have been fully vaccinated. Marondera.
In a statement dlakst Friday, the coun- The Criminal Investigation Department
try’s Ministry of Health and Wellness in Marondera have confirmed the arrest of

said travellers who would have complet- Zhantali who has confessed to the murders

ed the primary two dose vaccine series and further alleges that he has committed

would be considered fully vaccinated similar acts in Rusape, Nyanga and Mutare.

and allowed entry into the Southern Af- Investigations conducted by the police tell

rican country without having to produce a story of killing spree dating back to Janu-
PCR test results. ary and shows that the accused specifically
“Due to discordant periods for taking targeted sex workers .

booster shots between Botswana and Evidence gathered by police show a pat-

other countries, and for purposes of tern that Zhantali would scout the women,

smoothening international travel, the then either rape or have sexual intercourse

definition of being fully vaccinated in with them before proceeding to strangle
Botswana will no longer include a boost-
er shot,” the Permanent Secretary in the and mug the belongings of his victims. then used a stone to hit the now deceased
Ministry said.
The victims names have been identified several times on the head until she died.

as Mercy Simairi(28),Chipo Gwese(40),Bet- The second reported killing which is al-

It said those who were partially vacci- ty Mlambo(43),Nelia Marange(44)Meggie leged to have taken place three days later

nated or had not been vaccinated at all requirements did not take away the im- Kaomba(61) and Patricia Tsoka (49). also follows a similar pattern.
would be required to present a nega- portance of booster shots and encour- A memo from ZRP which Review and Mail A docket jointly compiled by ZRP Dombot-
tive PRC test result taken within 72 hours aged those eligible to take boosters to is privy to, indicate that the first victim was ombo and CID Marondera reveals the gory
and would also be required to undergo do so to keep their immunity against a woman named Mercy Simairi and she details of Zhantali’s murderous prowl over
COVID-19 testing at port of entry at their COVID-19 high. was raped and murdered on the 15th of Jan- a short period.
own cost. The Ministry urged members of the uary 2022. Between January and March,Zhantali is al-
“If negative, they will be allowed to pro- public to continue observing laid down The memo reads; leged to have either lured or pounced on
ceed into the country. If positive, they regulations for prevention of the pan- “On 15 January 2022 at around 1400 hours, five other ladies in an eerily similar man-
will be isolated in the district of the port demic. the accused person met the now deceased, ner.
of entry at own cost and allowed to pro- Thousands of Zimbabweans, majority Mercy Simairi at Dejagger Bus Stop who The police are also investigating another
ceed into the country only after recov- of them cross-border traders, cross into was on her way to Roughlands Farm to look murder which they believe is strongly tied
ery,” read part of the statement. Botswana everyday mainly through the for mushroom and offered to accompany to Zhantali.
The statement went on to say that those Plumtree border post. her. On arrival at Roughlands Farm, the The police managed to apprehend the ac-
not fully vaccinated and not willing to Botswana is one of the few African accused person tripped down the now de- cused after a joint collaboration with net-
undergo a COVID test would be charged countries with the lowest number of ceased, raped her once without protection. work service providers on the 19th of March
and fined or are taken to court. COVID-19 cases Using his hands, the accused choked the 2022.
It said the removal of boosters from the now deceased on the throat leading to her All the stolen property and goods are yet to
going unconscious. The accused person be recovered.

Ja2n1uMarayr-cFheb2ru0a2r2y 2022 NEWS 300

Concernover womenrepresentation

Review and Mail Writer “It is unfortunate that women continue
to bear the brunt of misinformation and

As the country heads for by-elections most of the time if you find a woman on
on Saturday, female political candidates the first page of a newspaper its usual-
from across different banners are cry- ly about a scandal, it’s a case of a wom-
an being sexualised or propaganda that
ing foul over the negative representation is being spread around.
that they have been subjected to as a re- “We have been doing a lot of advocacy
sult of biased media coverage during the work with the Gender Media Connect to
pre-election campaigning period. ensure women are actually given equal
Numerous women from across diverse
political parties admonished the me- and fair coverage especially during the
dia for fanning biased representation of campaign period and that the media
stops their biased reporting where they
women and extending the tentacles of focus mainly on the negatives that wom-
patriarchy in society. en are doing instead of also projecting
They bemoaned the lack of positive me- the positives that they are doing.”
dia coverage and the manner in which Lynette Mudehwe of Zimbabwe Activists
the media are conducting themselves by
largely sexualising women while over- Alliance (ZAA) dared women in leader- cy Susan Masuka bemoaned the pulling its hand in the disenfranchisement of
looking the positive role they are playing ship to deliberately own their own me- down of women in the media. women in leadership through the por-

in the country’s politics; which often go dia stables as a way of giving themselves “I feel like women are not fully repre- trayal of women as weaklings and sec-
unnoticed. an unbiased voice. sented particularly in the media. One of ond class citizens.
Labour, Economists and African Dem- “The media are mostly influenced by the reasons is that, once a woman opens “It’s sad that women in any political
ocrats (LEAD) president Linda Masarira men, and he who holds the key always up her views in the media, you’re quick- space are always disenfranchised, we
expressed her concern over the prolifer- detects how the presentation is sup- ly pulled down, have your name dragged are always seen as the weakest link while

ating negative coverage that women po- posed to be. So as long as women do not in the mud and people will be calling you men use money and power to influ-
own media houses, as long as women do names after that. We constitute 52% of ence other women to turn against oth-
litical candidates face in the media.
“I’ve noticed over the years that the me- not have their own spaces of articulat- the population, but in these by-elections er women. It’s regrettable that we don’t
ing their own issues, the media will al- most men act like it’s all about them have an even playing field in the politi-
dia in Zimbabwe is biased towards fe- ways be biased, patriarchal and shaped and we don’t exist at all. We demand fair cal and media space. If you’re a woman
male candidates, women in politics. I by men. Women are becoming a chari- coverage and space to air our voices as in politics, you’re called by many labels,
also think that it is actually beyond just ty case because of the coverage they get women,” said Masuka. it’s always assumed that you rose up the
women in politics, its generally about
women. We look at what happened to through the media, they have to ask to Only 15 per cent of candidates in the politics ladder because you’re associ-
Dr Thokozani Khupe or Dr Joyce Mu- get their issues represented in the me- forthcoming by-elections are female, ated with someone or are having an af-
juru. I mean, all those negative stories dia and express how they feel. We are with sad revelations that violence ten- fair with someone but never because of
accommodated in the media when they dencies during elections were deterring your ability as a woman. Women should
about what was happening to them (were only want a woman’s voice,” she said. women from particiapting in politics. rise and excel in whatever capacity,” said
meant)to elbow them out of politics,” ZANU-PF representative for Epworth, Makari.
said Masarira. Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Zalerah Makari criticised the media for
candidate for Mufakose Constituen-

By-election: Inside Zim’s ZEC has no fidelityto

‘mini generalelection’ administer elections: ZDI

Albert Chavhunduka liance name and the sudden proclama- Chris Mahove not only be people from the army or the
tion of the by-election nomination date, CIO who have the capacity to be the CEO

This past weekend saw political parties Chamisa’s choice of a new identity has Local think tank, the Zimbabwe De- of ZEC, that is rubbish,” he said.
wrapping up their major campaign ral- infused new energy into the whole po- mocracy Institute says the Zimbabwe’s
lies ahead of by-elections to be held next litical dynamic, with his yellow identity electoral body - the Zimbabwe Electoral He said there was enough evidence to
Saturday. quickly catching on, among opposition Commission - has “no fidelity to run free
Although there are some independent supporters. and fair elections” in the country. prove that those seconded to ZEC were
candidates and a few smaller parties that For many analysts, the sub-plot of this The organisation’s director and academ-
have fielded candidates in some con- election is the legitimacy question in the ic, Pedzisai Ruhanya, made the remarks pepople with a relationship with ZANU
stituencies, the by-elections are large- opposition camp as to who claims the while making a presentation on the elec-
ly viewed as a battle between the ruling popular mandate after the fights in the tion environment in Zimbabwe organised PF.
ZANU-PF party led by president Emer- opposition boardrooms. by the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe in Ha-
son Mnangagwa and the newly formed ZEC and the voter’s roll. rare last Friday. “We can prove this even in a court of law,
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) led Ruhanya said the body had a history of
by Nelson Chamisa. Commission (ZEC) finished its first being manned by securocrats with links that the ZEC Secretariat is captured by the
Chamisa formed the CCC after losing phase of its mobile voter registration to the ruling party, Zanu-PF.
out on the battle for the MDC-Alliance blitz in February. It’s history and composition, ac- security apparatus of the state and there-
name and trappings to his erstwhile sec- Now just a few days away from by-elec- croding to Ruhanya, predis-
retary general, Douglas Mwonzora. tions on Saturday, the lack of national posed it against the opposition. fore cannot masquerade as non-partisan.
Mwonzora now leads MDC-T as a party identity cards still remains a thorny is- “ZEC has no fidelity to administer free
but he has insisted on contesting the by sue, with thousands of first time voters and fair elections,” Ruhanya charged. It has no fidelity because of its history and
elections under the MDC-Alliance ban- already disenfranchised as they failed to He argued that ZEC was at the “centre
ner. register to vote as they could not acquire of electoral gravity” for the ruling party alliance with the security sector,” he said.
However, he has failed to field candi- identity cards in time. through the following creation of uncer-
dates in most of the constituencies while Opposition political parties claim the tainty around voter registration, deliber- Since 2000, according to Ruhanya, the
his campaign rallies have largely flopped. Registrar General’s office deliberately atelylimiting number of voter registration
The real battle is between ZANU-PF made it difficult or almost impossible for centres in urban areas and the militarisa- army has been intervening in electoral
and CCC. Both have been pulling large young school leavers to acquire nation- tion of the electoral body.
crowds at their rallies across the coun- al identity cards as they were perceived and public affairs of the state and were
try, setting the tone for a bruising en- to be pro-the-youthful CCC leader, Nel- ZEC, he said, has been militarised from
counter at the polls come March 26. son Chamisa and posed a threat to ZA- way back as the year 2000, with military responsible for ZANU PF’s continued hold
As has been the norm in previous elec- NU-PF’s stranglehold on power. personal appointed to run the affairs of
tions, the campaigns have been charac- They claimed thousands were denied the electoral body. on power through the use of coercion.
terised by some violence, with the two their constitutional and democratic right “Some have said there is no evidence;
main parties employing the old dirty to acquire national ID’s. others have said they have a right to work Ruhanya’s claims dovetail with conclu-
tricks of harassment, violence while the there. But my argument is since 2005, as I
police on the other hand was accused of ZEC has been largely criticised and ac- speak to you, the scretariat of ZEC has ei- sions of a new book , Electoral Capture
arbitrary arrests and harassment of op- cused of encouraging voter suppression ther been a military person or member of
position party supporters and those per- since many people were either turned the CIO or what they call the euphemism in Africa: Case Study from Mozambique,
ceived to be sympathising with the op- away or frustrated by the long queues for the Presidents Office,” he said.
position. and delays by ZEC officials at registra- The ZDI boss named several personali- Zambia, and Zimbabwe published re-
The preview tion centres. ties, including Brigadier General Nyika-
The entry of the CCC into the political Political parties have also queried the yaramba, Utoile Silaigwana, among oth- cently, electoral capture in Zimbabwe be-
fray hardly came as a surprise, with the current state of the voter’s roll that will ers, whom he said were seconded from
Chamisa-led opposition having spent be used for the by-elections. the security sector to be the CEOs of the came a key challenge in the post-2000 pe-
some time pondering on whether to Anonymous pro-opposition online ac- electoral body.
make a clean break from the MDC genus tivists going under the banner of Team “So the idea that ZEC is militarised is not riod when ZANU PF was confronted with
or family tree. Pachedu have extensively scrutinised a phantom it is not even abstract, it is not
After the power tussle between Cha- the voter’s roll and have claimed that it is metaphysical; it is emperical, it is observ- the reality of losing power to a popularly
misa and Mwonzora over the MDC-Al- not fit for the purpose able, it is tangible, it is seeable, it can be
touched , it can be talked to, its a fact. So supported opposition party that also had
To Page 5
backing from the country’s former colo-

nial country- the United Kingdom and its

political allies in the international com-

munity.

The book was written by experts from

the region and draws on historical and

current trends, and the roles of various

actors on electoral democracy.

“Zimbabwe, as critics have noted, has be-

come a typical example of a country under

‘electoral capture’- a system where elec-

tions are organized as window-dressing

exercises aimed at legitimizing the status

quo,” the authors conclude. They said the

red flags in Zimbabwe’s elec-

tions also included partisan interference

by members of the security forces, main-

ly members of the military, police and

intelligence services, in the administra-

tion of the elections and even at the levels

of manning of the election management

body.

To Page 5

I put it to you it is the observable. It can

coming soon...

Ja2n1uMarayr-cFheb2ru0a2r2y 2022 NEWS 500

‘Demands for new By-election: Inside Zim’s

voters’ roll too late’ ‘mini generalelection’
had been like that since 2018 when the
Chris Mahove country held its first general elections

Demands by the Citizens Coalition after the fall of strongman Robert Mug-
for Change (CCC) for a fresh voters abe in a 2017 coup.
roll ahead of the by elections slated for “Unfortunately the opposition also in
March 26, are a bit too late, political an- terms of startegy, in terms of anything
outside its capacity to draw support and
alysts have said.
In separate interviews, political ana- vibrancy; i think they still have a lot to
lysts said while the demands for a fresh learn in terms of strategy, intelligence
and also in terms of brilliance in coun-
voters’ roll were genuine, the timing was tering initiatives,” he said.
unpractical, adding the Nelson Chamisa
led outfit should have made those de- He said once the current voters roll was
mands well in advance to allow for their used for the by-elections, it was highly
implementation before the by-elec- likely that the same roll would be used
for the watershed 2023 elections.
tions.
Last week the CCC called on the Zim- “We are at a scenario where even in 2023
babwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to its not far, if we are going to forge with
compile a fresh voters roll to be used the by-elections in March with this kind
for the forthcoming plebiscite, which is of a shambolic voters roll, we are likely
to have a similar scenario next year al-
now just four days away.
There have been concerns from several most around the same time. So its pret-
quarters over the voters roll, with stake- ty much unfortunate on the part of the
CCC,” he said
holders claiming the electoral body had Time had come, he said, for the CCC
manipulated the roll to benefit the sta-
to actually deal with certain things that
tus quo.
For the past few days, the anonymous were in front of them and things they
social media lobby group Pachedu, want to pretend as if they only existed at
which is sympathetic to opposition led the immediate backdrop of an election .
by Nelson Chamisa, has been publish- “What is the coalition going to do at the
ing what it termed evidence of irregu- backdrop of the manifestations of vio-
lence that have started simmering that
larities in the current voters roll which we are already witnessing; they cannot
ZEC intends to use for the by-elections,
which will see hundreds of vacant par- just wait, they cannot just cry, we need
liamentary and municipal seats being startegies, we need a proper alternative
and countering strategies to know that
contested. we are dealing with a militant ruling From Page 3 Mwonzora outfit and other smaller polit-
The by-elections were called as a result party; therefore how best do you deal of the impending by-election on Satur- ical parties that did not necessarily field
of mainly recalls of MDC-A members by with a brutal ruling party in such a way day nor any other election. candidates, the by-elections may actual-
the MDC-T led by Douglas Mwonzora that you can secure the security of the Team Pachedu claims to have unearthed ly lead to their political burial or defec-
and in some few cases, as a result of the citizens,”. gross anomalies ranging from duplicate tions because people will not be follow-
death of sitting members, who the party Another political analyst, Gideon Chi- registrations, displaced voters, people ing parties that are not serious.”
claimed were still their members. tanga, said the demands were logisti- with same addresses being moved to Will the elections be peaceful come
Ironically, the Mwonzora led party is cally not feasible, adding ZEC would other wards and constituencies without 2023?
contesting the by-elections under the obviously ignore such demands de- their knowledge. These claims have been Since the proclamation of the by-elec-
MDC-A banner. spite being at the centre of the historical denied by ZEC, and no other bodies or tions set for Saturday, the campaign trail
“Tripple C’s demands are genuine; they controversies linked to the instrumen- interests have since carried forensic ex- in these past months has been intense
also make sense but unfortunately the talisation of the voters roll to facilitate amination of the voters roll to contest and political parties have been feeling
timing is very unpractical so to speak manipulation of the electoral processes. the claims made by Pachedu. the pressure on all sides.
and it is less likely that whatever griev- “Politically other players would have That ZEC’s position has been robust- A number of cases of inter-party vio-
ances that they have will be rectified,” to find ZEC to consent to such a radical ly challenged, is beyond question. It will lence and the re-emergence of so-called
said political analyst Alexander Rusero. move. Political parties should work with take a lot of effort by the body to show its torture camps were reported during the
Rusero said Zimbabwean opposition ZEC to ensure that the whole process of best side and win the trust of the voting run up to the March 26 by-elections.
parties had the tendency of sitting on elections is credible, transparent,with public. For ZANU-PF, it was pretty clear that the
important issues until the last minute, the necessary checks and balances to party dumped its ‘Zim is Open for Busi-
which gave an advantage to the ruling ensure free and fair outcomes whose Significance of the by-elections ness’ mantra and they are ready to incur
party, which in turn would potray them results are not disputed and conflict- The by-elections on Saturday are the any cost in order to remain in power.
as cry-babies. ual,” he said. first major event to take place since the So far, in these past few weeks of the
“That is exactly what ZANU PF wants, The voters roll has been the major bone 2018 harmonised elections campaign period, there was a resur-
they want to create a sustainable nar- of contention during the past elections Analysts concur that, for ZANU-PF, the gence of politically motivated violence
rative to the region (and) to the inter- with opposition parties and other stake- by-elections are a barometer which is against opponents particularly CCC ac-
national community (to say) that look holders accusing ZEC of manipulating going to be used to measure the popu- tivists and leadership. For instance, the
we are always dealing with people who the roll in favour of ZANU PF. larity of its leader Mnangagwa, whether death of a CCC supporter Mboneni Ncu-
complain, who raise certain issues when There have been questions around the he is the right candidate to represent the be from the injuries he sustained after
they realise maybe they are likely to lose number of people registered in some party in next year’s elections while they an attack at a rally in Kwekwe is a case
an election,” he said. constituencieswith allegations of dou- are also of the same weight of signifi- in point.
Rusero acknowledged that the cur- ble registration, ghost voters among cance for the newly formed outfit, the The one question that is now in the
rent voters’ roll was in tatters, noting it others. CCC-as they will determine how pre- minds of many is; Is the violence and

ZEC has no fidelityto pared the opposition party is for the face political intimidation therefore ending

off against ZANU-PF. as political parties round up their cam-

For Max Saungweme, the by-elections paign rallies?

are significant in three ways, test of ZA- Analyst Nunurai Zunidza believes that

administer elections: ZDI NU-PF effectiveness, offer lesson time the cases of violence which sprout-
for the CCC and the ultimate political ed in the past few months during the
burial of the MDC and disappearance of pre-election campaign were just results

other smaller parties. of the excitement brought about by the

manipulations. “For ZANU-PF, it is to measure how ef- arrival of a new party and will not recur

From Page 3 ZEC has over the years been under fire fective they are to win back some of the come 2023.

In the past few years, according to the re- from opposition political parties, CSO’s seats they had lost to the MDC-Alliance “Unlike his predecessor, Mnangagwa
search, the way Zimbabwe has organized and church organnisations for alleged in the past which became vacant due to continues to pronounce himself clear
its elections particularly in the post-2000 unprofessionalism and bias in the con- the recalls. So the by-elections will serve as an anti-violence advocate and even
period, has systematically violated almost ducting of elections and has been accused for them to ascertain their coercion as a fired his favourite minister Owen Ncu-
all basic democratic standards.
manipulating elction results. party and strength to reclaim constitu- be from cabinet for violent tendencies.

“The results of the elections have also In 2008, the electoral body was accused encies that had been taken by the oppo- On the other hand, Nelson Chamisa is
been predetermined through massive of denying the late former MDC leader sition,” claimed Saungweme.
also a proponent of peaceful campaigns,
electoral fraud, including ballot stuffing victory in the presidentnial election af- “For the CCC, the by-elections are sig- marking a shift from his combative erst-
with precast votes, disenfranchisement ter it ruled that although he had won the nificant in them ascertaining wheth- while mentor Morgan Tsvangirai,” said
of targeted voters through violence, dis- vote, he had failed to reach the 50% plus er the new kid on the block is raring to Zunidza.
placement and legislative changes, and 1 mark which would have made him the go. It will also give them a lot of lessons “Current pre-26 March skirmishes are a
distortion of election results through winner.
in terms of how the elections are rigged mere result of the excitement caused by
the amendment of voting results during Tsvangirai later withdrew from the re- and so forth. They’re a test to them in the arrival of a new political force in the
transmission to the final counting cen- run citing violence against bhis support- terms of showing that huge political form of the CCC. This should gradual-
tres,” the authors say.
ers and officials. goodwill and political capital can actual- ly dissipate after the by-elections as we

They said elections in the Southern Af- In the last election in 2018, the opposi- ly translate into political power through move towards 2023 where the opposition
rican region had been reduced to mere tion accused ZEC of manipulating results, reclaiming or taking of those seats which will freely campaign in the rural areas as
rituals with predetermined results, as the although it failed to prove the allegations previously were theirs.
was the case in 2018.”
electoral processes suffer a number of in court.
“To the other opposition parties like the

J2a1nMuaaryr-cFheb2r0u2ar2y 2022 COMMUNITY/ SOCIETY 600

China Africa Economic and Culture Exchange and Research Centre and M&G Stationery visited 20 Harare City Council schools
namely Tariro Council Primary, Glen Norah Infill, Glen View 6, 7 and 9, Marimba Council Primary, Budiriro 1, 2 and 5, Warren Park
6, Kuwadzana 1, 5, 7 and 8, Tafara Council School and Hatcliff e 1 and 2to handover scholarships to students who were selected to
benefit from China-Zimbabwe M&G Scholarship

M2o1nMdaayr0c0hJ2a0nu2a2ry 2022 PERSPECTIVE 700

ZEChasn’tdoneitselfmanyfavours

BriefingZimbabwe’sQualityJournalism That Zanu-PF has been grinding out ernment veritable albatrosses in the ad- This capacity would be a great thing for
with Tichaona Zindoga results against the opposition makes it ministration of work. the body and the general administration
a formidable force that the opposition Younger people often complain that of elections in the country.
Reading a lot of stories regard- won’t enjoy contesting with. these institutions are overtaken fast by It would inspire confidence, enhance
ing Zimbabwe’s elections, the And most of the times, the opposition has technology and modernity. transparency and quieten some noises.
country’s elections manage- to look frantically for sympathy or play As we notice currently, ZEC is on trial.
ment body, the Zimbabwe the referee to detract from the grinding Young people with digital sophistication A public relations disaster
Electoral Commission, features duel. are questioning its data and methods.
prominently. This is to suggest that elections in Zim- Forget, for now, the hired guns such as For an institution such as ZEC that is at
The most common thread is the babwe are not easy or one-sided, they Pachedu - the shadowy Internet outfit. the centre of elections in which so many
criticism that the body has re- will keep on being contested, in both To all intents and purposes, ZEC has not young people are invested in, there is a
ceived from various quarters, form and substance for a long time to deployed digital technologies to enable it tragic lack of self-consciousness and the
but chiefly from the opposition come. to reach to Zimbabweans who are spend- place that the organisation has to put it-
and its various appendages. ing their time on the Internet and infor- self in.
ZEC’s bureaucracy curse mation communication technologies. ZEC is as much an institution as a brand.
There is very little to hide the fact that Rather, ZEC has remained stilted, and It is a living thing. It is a commodity that
the local opposition has been trying to Those who have studied political science insists on physical registration centres needs to be sold. It is a service that must
play the referee that ZEC is in order to and administration will recognise that that are few, apart and uninviting. be enjoyed.
not just make excuses for possible and ZEC is a typical Weberian institution of ZEC still thinks of paper registration and It is a business in and in itself.
past failures, but also to make sure that government. voter slips. However, bureaucrats at ZEC have cer-
the game can be ungovernable at times. It is absolutely necessary for the admin- It is still resident some 10 or so years tainly not seen it this way.
It’s how dirty it can be! istration of elections - and indeed it is a back in terms of technology. The organisation has not bothered to
Zimbabwe will hold crucial by-elections creature of the Constitution - but it has Faced with criticism about its methods, package itself in a manner that it is sell-
at the weekend and many people will its own inherent weaknesses as an insti- ZEC has not come out to show its best able to the public, including the younger
agree that ZEC is not in a good spot. tution. side to demonstrate that it is also savvy demographics.
On one hand, there’s a lot of cynicism Such institutions as ZEC are afflicted by and can answer technologically, ques- It is content with being viewed as a cold,
by the opposition, which has been ring- inefficiencies, poor management, lack of tions hard asked of it. sterile institution that “does its work” -
ing through most of media coverage and resources, poor responsiveness, imper- It would be a marvellous fare if ZEC had which it does un-remarkably.
opinions of analysts, some of them deep- viousness to change, among other ills. shown us that it can crunch its numbers, It has not invested in winning the trust
ly embedded with the opposition. As many other institutions, they can be algorithms and other technological rit- and currency of young people and the
We carry some of the pointed criticism also be beset with corruption, nepotism, uals that have become bases for attacks rest of the population as a responsive
in this issue today. cronyism and lack of the right people in on it. Alas, it appears it doesn’t have the business that is afraid to lose its next
It is clear, and it must be said without certain places or position. capacity. customer.
fear, that the opposition is so wont to The lack of competency and sophistica- No. ZEC - it appears to many people -
blame the elections management body tion often renders institutions of gov- doesn’t really care what people think
to cover for its many deficiencies and about it, and the trouble it causes people
fallibilities and that these elections are in accessing the services it offers.
no different. It’s just like your Passport Office - the
With regular splits and muddled politi- worst of bureaucracy in this country,
cal, ideological and programmatic out- that indeed share a lot in common with
look, the opposition has been at the re- ZEC, including parentage.
ceiving end of the game for the past two For people of goodwill, ZEC needs to do
decades. more and not just invest more in being
Zanu-PF as the more senior and incum- efficient, transparent and trustworthy,
bent, has used its experience and ad- but also being likable as an institution
vantages of incumbency to see off the delivering democracy to the country.
opposition - sometimes not in the most The voting public has much a right to
tidiest of fashions. question its operations.
But what matters in elections are results. They also have to hold it to account
against its mandate and delivery.
An efficient, like-able and responsive in-
stitution will do well to deflect a num-
ber of cynical accusations and mudsling
currently being hurled at the body from
some quarters.
Unfortunately, ZEC itself doesn’t seem
too keen to do itself some favours.

J2a1nuMarayr-cFheb2r0ua2r2y 2022 TALKING POINT 800

Stopelbowing,sexualisingfemalepoliticians

The SADC protocol on Gender and Devel- Elections agent then went to ZEC and he clear on the role of all organs of the uency and the influential leaders to do
opment in article 12, requires that, “state was supplied with another voter’s roll in state, government departments, the pri- the campaigning on my behalf.
parties shall endeavour that at list fifty which my name was actually there.
vate sector and even political parties We have been suffering from politics of
percent of decision-making positions in So these are some reservations that we that they should to the principle of gen- populism for a very long time and having
the public and private sector should be have as a party that how many copies of der balance.
the people in the constituency voting for
held by women including the use of affir- the voter’s roll does ZEC have and which If we are ever going to adhere to tenets the same people who have failed to rep-
mative action measures as provided for in particular copy are they going to use on of gender balance, it is imperative for resent them over the years. It is not a se-
article 5.
the date of the by-elections. These is- us all to make sure that we start speak- crecy that Murisi Zwizwai has been win-
Unfortunately, Zimbabwe is still lagging sues, we have since given them to our ing with one voice to advocate for a pro- ning Harare Central constituency even
behind when it comes to the promotion of lawyer who has also written to ZEC and portional representation system like the though he is virtually unavailable in the
inclusive and equal participation of wom- we are waiting for their response.
one that is used in senate where politi- constituency just because of the political
en in the country’s politics and leadership. Going forward, we are also challenging cal parties submit a list of candidates. It party he is coming from.
Our writer Albert Chavhunduka (AC), had the printing of ballot papers in the ab- shouldn’t be a mammoth task for gov- So I decided to change strategy and use
a sit-down with the Labour, Economists sence and without consultation of stake- ernment to be able to pass this as law as influential leaders to do the campaign-
and African Democrats (LEAD) president holders because ZEC is supposed to be we are already using this system in the ing for me and to also have an environ-
Linda Tsungirai Masarira (LM). The top- transparent and accountable every step senate.
mental friendly campaign which does
ics of discussion included the call for the of the way as they do their way. So we are This proportional representation sys- not pollute the environment with dirt.
amendment of the Electoral Act, repre- really worried about the incapability of tem is being used again in South Africa I have also been doing door-to-door
sentation of female politicians and gen- ZEC to fulfil its mandate to be free and and we note with clarity that the par- campaigns in my spare time consider-
der issues.
fair and to ensure that they consult all liament of S.A has got diverse players in ing the fact that I’m also a very busy per-
Below is the full interview.
stakeholders in every electoral process parliament. It has got people from differ- son. I’ve also done online campaigns and
AC: Recently, you expressed concern towards any by-election or harmonised ent political parties and that the system some videos which have been circulating
over the representation of female po- election
itself is advantageous to the creation of a in different groups of people in Harare
litical candidates in the media, can you As it stands right now, the pre-election tolerant society because we will be able Central Constituency.
please tell us more about that?
period has been flawed and there isn’t to increase plurality of voices of politi- My prospects for the by-election on
LM: I’ve noticed over the years that the fairness in the way that ZEC is even han- cal parties in parliament. Every political Saturday are that there are 50-50 chanc-
media in Zimbabwe is biased towards dling dispute matters between political party that participates in the elections es and when you get into an election, it’s
female candidates, women in politics. parties, candidates and I don’t think that will have a representation in parliament either you win or you lose. My hopes are
I also think that it actually beyond just at this juncture we are going into a free, and it will help us to move away from a that I actually win but I’m going into the
women in politics, its generally about fair and credible by-election.
two party system, which has seen mas- election knowing that I should expect
women. There is a systematic attack on AC: What’s your take on the issue that sive dictatorial tendencies on both the anything even though the best result that
women in leadership, elbowing out of there should be an Amendment to the ruling party and those who have claimed I want for the election is to actually win
women in leadership in various spheres Electoral Act to allow for proportional to be the official opposition of Zimbabwe so that I can represent the people of Ha-
of our economy.
representation? for some years now. rare Central Constituency. By winning,
When we go to politics we look at what LM: We are actually one of the politi- So it’s important for us to start mov- we can have another voice in parliament
happened to Dr Thokozani Khupe or Dr cal parties which has been advocating ing towards the advocacy work to en- that is pragmatic, that speaks truth to
Joyce Mujuru. I mean, all those nega- for that since 2019, we even advocated sure that we amend the Electoral Act be- power and representative and wants to
tive stories about what was happening for that at the Gender Commission Ind- fore the 2023 elections and ensure that deal with the underlying labour issues
to them to elbow them out of politics. aba in the same year and many political by the time we get to next year. We need that have been bedevilling the workers
But there are a lot of positives that they parties present all agreed that there was to move away from these quotas which in Zimbabwe for a very long time.
do were hardly ever recorded and they a need for the Gender Commission to
hardly never got media space. have proved to be useless AC: As the president of LEAD, what do

push the agenda from the women and caused so much di- you stand for or represent?
When they are reporting about wom- in politics and different political
en, our pictures have to be smaller, and parties. vision among women LM: I stand for labour, gender and eco-

we have to be put in a particular corner We all have a responsibility to in political parties. nomic justice.

so we are suffering from an engendered ensure that constitutionalism AC: How is your I believe that Zimbabweans have been

media space where women are not given becomes a reality in Zimbabwe own campaign marginalised for a very long time and

enough space and fair coverage which is and that we move away from coming along now that their socio-economic justice and

a violation of the electoral code of con- treating the constitution of that we are just a aspirations have not been fulfilled. If I’m

duct and the electoral act which actually this country for our own sin- few days away from elected into office next week, I’m going

enshrine the media to ensure that they ister agendas and as at when the elections on Sat- to ensure that we deal with the ignored

give all candidates fair coverage espe- it its advantageous to us. We urday and what are issue of labour reform and make sure

cially during election time. your prospects for that the worker’s dignity is restored in

have seen over the years, po- the party? this country both for those in the infor-
Women continue to bear the brunt of litical parties, the government
misinformation and most of the time if and the judiciary doing selec- LM: My campaign mal and formal sectors.

you find a woman on the first page of tive application of the law. for Harare Central We can only rebuild this country when

a newspaper its usually about a scan- It is imperative for us to start has been unique and the workers are happy and the law pro-

dal, it’s a case of a woman being sexual- interrogating the fact that the I’ve been using a new tects them. It’s unfortunate that the laws

ised or propaganda that is being spread constitution is the supreme law and different way which we have in this country protects

around. It’s unfortunate that over a very of this land and that is of cam- the employer more than the employee.

long time, women candidates have nev- has to be adhered p a i g n - So my message to the people in Harare

er been given the right to respond and to in its total- i n g Central Constituency is that this is the

most of the times it’s just a story from a ity. Sec- time to vote a voice of trade unionism, a

journalist or even if its propaganda that t i o n voice of labour and a voice that wants the

was picked on social media, they hard- 17 of best for you to ensure sustainable hu-

ly even contact those women candidates man development and sustainable live-

to get their side of the story which raises lihoods.

the question on whether or not the me- AC: The pre-election period has been

dia in Zimbabwe is ethical in its opera- violent and characterised by the clos-

tions and they are not promoting gen- ing in of the democratic space with

der balance, women in governance and some parties failing to campaign freely.

they are not gender sensitive to some What’s your comment on that as LEAD?

issues. LM: After the by-elections of Saturday,

I can give an example, after Marga- I expect a non-violent environment and

ret Dongo I am the second woman in I expect all those parties that thrive on

this country to form a political party violence as a means of coercing votes

but you’ll never see that in the media and silencing dissenting voices to be

and them speaking about it or profil- where I able to stop their violent tendencies and

ing me on the journey that I’ve walked have been to be able to adhere to the peace pledges

in my political career, maybe just be- engaging that were signed in 2018.

cause I’m a woman. But if a man was to t h e v a r i o u s It is important for us as we build up to

start a political party today, you’ll surely C o n - s t a k e - the 2023 elections to ensure that we all

find it in the media. So as women, we feel s t i t u - holders spread a message of peace, a message of

that there is systematic elbowing out of tion of in the hope, a message of togetherness and a

women candidates and that has to stop. Z i m - c o n - message that together in our diversity,

AC: You’re now just a few days away b a - s t i t - we can build Zimbabwe without being

from the March 26 by-elections on Sat- b w e intolerant of other views

urday and there’s a lot of criticism of the i s Lastly, my message to the people of Zim-

electoral body ZEC over gross anoma- babwe is that if we can co-exists in fam-

lies in the voter’s roll. Does it not worry ilies, supporting different political par-

you? ties, what makes us to be violent against

LM: I’m really worried about the state people that we do not know to the extent

of the voter’s roll because of the fact that of killing each other and claiming lives.

I had my name missing from the initial A life lost can never be reincarnated and

copy that was supplied to me by ZEC it is important for us to exercise restraint

when we had the candidates meeting be tolerant of diverse views everywhere

a week after the nomination. My Chief that we go.

Ja2n1uMarayr-Fcehb2ru0a2r2y 2022 LONG READ 900

Born in Blackness

Howard French’s extraordinary new book reveals how the modern world was
shaped by Europe’s thirst for African gold and slaves.

Howard French has been a professor at

the Columbia University Graduate School

of Journalism since 2008. After teaching

at the University of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivo-

ire, in the early 1980s, he began a career

in journalism, writing on Africa for The

Washington Post, The Economist and

other publications.

After joining The New York Times, where

he became a foreign correspondent and

senior writer, he reported from Cen-

tral America, the Caribbean, West and

Central Africa, Japan, and China, wrote

a global affairs column for the Interna-

tional Herald Tribune, and was twice

nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Born in Blackness is an extraordinary

book that draws deep on his decades of

experience as he seeks to explain the

circumstances of Africa’s history with

Europeans who were first attracted to

the continent in the search of gold and

slaves.

The Europeans’ motives might have

been couched in the idea of bringing

“civilisation” to Africa, but they seldom

strayed from far more self-serving ideas

of immeasurable wealth and stealing a

march on their European rivals.

Gold as a catalyst for the slave trade

Beginning with the Portuguese mari-

ners who opened up both the mainland

and islands of West Africa, French’s nar-

rative is a bold retelling of what has of-

ten been told, but with additional details

that might have escaped the attention of

many historians.

One particular detail stands out. The

Portuguese settlement of Elmina on what

is now the Ghanaian littoral is given par-

ticular prominence. Rather than just be-

ing one of a string of slave forts strung

along the West African coast, French

makes a convincing case that Elmina was

pivotal to the story of the European lust

for gold and slaves.

Long before he sailed to America, Chris-

topher Columbus had voyaged with pro-

visions to Elmina, Europe’s first large,

fortified outpost in the tropics.

French tells us of references to the

search for gold in Columbus’s journals;

and in Columbus’ conversations with

Queen Isabella of Castile (part of mod-
ern-day Spain), the mariner justified his tion. They realised the value of slaves delivered to the West African mainland. this revolution is scarcely known or ap-
project of crossing the Atlantic by saying that could be seized from elsewhere and French writes: “As a purchaser of slaves preciated even among highly educated
that rich supplies of gold would be found delivered to the Akan people, who would from elsewhere in Africa, Elmina was Western readers.
put them to labour mining the metal. equally important as a catalyst for what “For at least two reasons, the invisibility
there.
Elmina, and the gold that the Portuguese Other Europeans, envious of Portugal’s became the Atlantic slave trade. of this self-liberation by slaves, most of

were able to obtain there, did much to growing wealth, began to take an inter- “In this, though, São Tomé deserves an them recently disembarked from Africa,
encourage other European countries to est in West Africa. The result of this new equal, if distinct renown – or infamy, is especially perverse and disturbing for
launch voyages of discovery. In modern rivalry led to Europe’s first colonial sea one that has so far largely eluded it. This Americans. That is because of the close
parlance, their quests might be termed battle, between Portugal and Castile off 330-square-mile island would be the last physical proximity to America of His-
Elmina. stop in the Eastern Hemisphere for sug- paniola, the island where Haiti is located,
as driven by a “fear of missing out”.
There was also the widespread belief in Won by the Portuguese, the battle re- ar cultivation.” and the outsized impact of Haiti’s revo-

Europe of the legend of lands with im- sulted in the Catholic church arbitrat- Portugal proved adept in developing the lution not just on the size and shape of
ing a new treaty. As French puts it, this plantation model adopted in territories the US but on its very character as a na-
mense deposits of gold.
Undoubtedly, accounts of the Mali king resulted in “a papal-sanctioned divi- controlled by other Europeans in the tion and emergence as a world power.”
Mansa Musa’s famous arrival in Cairo sion of the known world with immensely New World including the Caribbean and The reverberations of Haiti’s rebellion
in 1324, on his pilgrimage to Mecca, did far-reaching consequences for the early Brazil. extended to the US, and the author de-

much to underpin these beliefs. Twelve modern era and well beyond.” A taste of independence votes the rest of the book to examining

thousand slaves, each of whom reputed- Under the Treaty of Alcáçovas, of 1479, One such place was Saint-Domingue the facts and the myths surrounding the
ly carried a wand-like fan of gold weigh- Portugal would henceforth enjoy rights (today’s Haiti) in the Caribbean, once American civil war and the lot of first na-
ing four pounds, accompanied Musa. to all the islands already discovered and France’s most profitable colony. By the tion Americans and slaves of African an-
For a time, Portugal had it all its own to be discovered beyond the Canary Is- end of the 1780s, Saint-Domingue pro- cestry both in the Deep South and those
way in controlling Elmina, building a fort lands – essentially Church-sanctioned duced more wealth as the world’s largest that moved northwards to the suppos-
where gold could be safely stored before control of sub-Saharan Africa. sugar and coffee producer than the rest edly free states.

being shipped to Lisbon. Indeed, French However, Portugal’s hegemony over of France’s colonies combined. Along the way, French reveals his fasci-

informs us that Portugal’s main problem West Africa’s gold trade ended in 1652 “Like so many of the stories contained nation with the Delta blues and his hero
was sourcing the requisite trade goods when the (Protestant) Dutch seized El- in these pages,” French writes in dis- Muddy Waters. In many surprising ways,
to barter for bullion from the Akan peo- mina and expelled the Portuguese. cussing the first successful slave rebel- this book provides a brilliantly argued

ple, who controlled the richest gold-pro- Elsewhere, Portugal began to buy slaves lion and the birth of the first indepen- case for recognition of Africa’s immense
from Benin and later Kongo (today’s An- dent black nation, “outside of lineaments contribution to modernity.
ducing regions inland.
But then the Portuguese hit upon a solu- gola). These slaves were then transport- so bare boned that they would struggle Africa Business
ed to the island of São Tomé, before being to fill an almanac entry, the history of

Ja2n1uMarayr-cFheb2ru0a2r2y 2022 LEADER PAGE 1000

Successes
of African
Human
Rights Court

Guest

The African Court on Human and Peo- Zimbabweansshouldbe
ples’ Rights (African Human Rights Court) winners in any election
holds great promise in protecting human
rights and ensuring justice on the conti- should run and who should not, and the mandate of representing the electorate
nent. But it operates amid resistance by
states and this threatens its effectiveness Editor’s decisions are informed by a number of and pushing the development agenda
and very existence.
The idea of a regional human rights things, mostly communicated to citi- - which at the stage of our nascent de-
court surfaced at the 1961 African Con-
ference on the Rule of Law held in Lagos, zens. mocracy, remains one of the key expec-
Nigeria. African jurists at the conference
called on African governments to create In Zimbabwe’s predominantly par- tations of our poor people.
“a court of appropriate jurisdiction” that
would be “available for all persons under Comment ty-driven political processes, citizens Unfortunately, many elected officials do
the jurisdiction of the signatory states”. only endorse candidates from a pool not measure up.
Four and a half decades later, an opera- of those that would have made prima- Urban areas, for example, provide the
tional regional court became reality. The ry elections and nomination, all with the clearest signs of neglect.
court is the African Union’s judicial arm,
and sits in Arusha, Tanzania. It is one of The textbook definition of democra- approval of a small clique of individuals. Politicians campaign on the basis of
three regional human rights courts in the cy is that it is rule by the people for the Because of the heavy investment in pol- service delivery but become absent once
world. The others are the European Court people. It mens that the processes of de- itics of the party, citizens feel obliged to they achieve what they want.
of Human Rights and the Inter-American mocracy as we understand them, must vote for “their own” - which is actually They can even feign lack of power to
Court of Human Rights. They play an im- be driven by the people and serve the not their own - in elections and do not change things when they had openly
portant role in protecting human rights same people. It is imperative that the care whether there are more competent campaigned on the strength of that very
within their respective regions. people must own the process. However, people outside in other parties and in- same message.
The African court was established in what we have seen from time to time is dependents. Their sense of responsibility immedi-
terms of a protocol adopted in 1998. It be- that people - ordinary people - partake Independents are said to be endan- ately evaporates.
gan operating 15 years ago in 2006. In this of only but one component of democ- gered species in Zimbabwe, that is why The losers are the electorate.
way, African states have created an ave- racy, namely elections where they elect we can count on the fingers of our hands As we approach the by-elections at the
nue for judicial scrutiny of their domestic their leaders and send them to powerful the number of independents that have weekend, these reflections are import-
laws and executive actions that have an seats in Parliament, local government or made it to the highest levels since 1980. ant. Citizens must wake up and smell
impact on human rights. at State House. Independents routinely lose. So do can- the coffee!
The court entertains cases of alleged vi- It is moment of sheer release, as ordi- didates from the “wrong” parties. Or are we at that stage yet?
olations of human rights stated in the nary people feel that they have the pow- Some brilliant minds have lost opportu- The expectation would be that after
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ er in their hands to make or unmake nities to serve their communities, con- 40 years of Independence, our politics
Rights, and any other relevant human politicians. stituencies and country simply because would mature and drive politics in a new
rights instruments that have been rati- However, it can be grossly misleading they didn’t belong to the winning party trajectory.
fied by the state concerned. Its remedies too. in that side of town or country. It would be interesting to see wheth-
include payment of fair compensation or Do citizens really make a choice or it is It is shameful. er Zimbabweans can abandon primi-
reparations. Its judgments are binding made for them by their parties? What is more shameful is when citi- tive politics of groups, that have hardly
on the concerned state. Do citizens exercise real power over zens admit that they would have voted served them, and elect competent and
The court can also give opinions which their elected representatives? for someone they didn’t know simply committed people to various offices.
are “advisory” in nature but carry signif- Can citizens really sleep well at night because they belonged to the party they That should be the outcome of elec-
icant legal authority because it is an apex assured that their needs are taken care support. tions. Citizens should be the winners.
regional court. of by politicians. Often, these candidates oblige and pay Citizens must make decisions that they
Cases can only be brought against states The answer - largely - to this question back by not giving back to the voters, of- will be happy to live with, as they elect
that are party to the court’s protocol. is negative. ten for a whole term, save to come back true representatives from whatever
States that are party to the protocol, the Citizens hardly make decisions about just in time for another elections. party, rather than go with the party. The
African Commission on Human and Peo- who represents them. The decision is It’s a trick that has been played over and parties are not bands of angels, either.
ples’ Rights and African intergovern- mostly done by a small crowd of own- over again in both town and country. Citizens must feel free to exercise power
mental organisations can bring cases to ers of political parties who decide who The results have been disastrous. over them and give them what they truly
the court directly. NGOs with observer There have been no one to carry the deserve, including losing votes.
status at the commission and individuals
can only access the court directly if the About us Property of Ruzivo Media and Resource Centre
relevant state party permits them to do Room 207 & 211
so. Otherwise, individuals and NGOs can We are an independent, critical and alternative Courtney/Capstone Hotel
only access the court if the African Com- media platform established in the year 2021, spe- Corner 8th Street and Selous Ave
mission takes their case to the court. cializing in quality or good journalism made up of Call : 078 299 4101
Requests for advisory opinions can be professional journalism and well-curated content
submitted by the African Union or its from various contributors, writers as well as au-
members or organs, or African organisa- thoritative interviews with a range of sources that
tions that it recognises. make news locally and internationally.
But, sadly, the African Human Rights We strive to be an independent, non-partisan al-
Court’s success in protecting human ternative platform that serves our clientele, in its
rights and upholding the rule of law is diversity, well and timely.
undermined by state resistance. This has
been evident as far back as the early years As a media establishment, we are also dedicat-
of the court’s establishment. ed to play the normative role to educate citizens,
Striking a blow for human rights play a watchdog role through exposure of abuses
Despite current restrictions on direct and excesses of the powerful in society, includ-
access to the court, it has lived up to its ing politicians and the corporate world.
promise in most cases. It has issued some
progressive and ground-breaking deci-
sions and remedies, including substan-
tial reparations. For example, it found,
in response to a request brought by the
Pan African Lawyers Union that vagrancy
laws, which many African Union member
states retain on their statute books, were
incompatible with African human rights
standards. That’s because the laws crim-
inalise poverty, homelessness or unem-
ployment. The court has called on states
to review and amend or repeal such laws.
The Conversation

Ja2n1uMarayr-cFheb2ru0a2r2y 2022 OPINION & ANALYSIS 1010

Bio labs: world must bringAmerica to book

Strong evidence has emerged that the This makes America a huge suspect and

United States embassy in Ukraine de- a candidate for global investigation.

leted documents which implicated the Recently, the spokesman of the foreign

US for funding a series of laboratory fa- ministry of China Zhao Lijian, spoke with

cilities for the production of biological clarity on the issue.

weapons in that country. “I wasn’t to stress that the concerns of

Such revelations vindicate China which the international community about US

last year stridently made suggestions biological labs in Ukraine boil down to

that the conduct by US of secret biolog- what the US has done and what has been

ical and chemical laboratories could be hidden from the public. Why is the US

blamed for the outbreak of Covid-19 vi- the only party that is opposed to estab-

rus. lishing a BWC verification regime? Why

China made these suggestions within not open these bio-labs to independent

the context of discussions of Covid-19 investigation by international experts? I

virus origins, which had sought to de- suggest you ask the US such questions,”

flect from a wide-ranging inquiry to fo- he said.

cus on China. The Russian state media exclusively re-

Expectedly the US refused to put the vealed that the US was secretly funding

bio-labs up for investigation by interna- the production of biological weapons in

tional experts. Ukraine. 51 African countries to date. heightened inflation and its impacts dis-

Evidence pointed out that the US had US and secret bio-labs saga Through AFRICOM, the US successful- rupted livelihoods across the world.

hundreds of these facilities at home, mil- In 2021, it emerged that the Covid-19 co- ly infused its presence in a subtler way The US must be held accountable for the

itary installations and abroad. Accord- rona virus was made and leaked from a since Africa has been largely opposed to spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and the

ing to information available, Covid-19- military installation in Frederick, Mary- the establishment of military bases on millions of people who lost their lives as

like diseases had previously broken out land in the US. African soil. a result of this biological weapon.

near the facilities, and indeed that there It was revealed that this was once the Why the world should be worried about Why the world should support to bring

were poor security measures at some of centre of the US biological weapons pro- US expansionism and war games US to account

the places,making accidental leaks pos- gramme and that it housed biomedical There’s no denying the fact that the US The events currently unfolding in Eu-

sible. labs responsible for researching viruses has played a very disruptive role in global rope, in particular the smoking gun of

Now the crisis in Ukraine has brought including Ebola and smallpox. stability. The US’ military might is not a revelations that the US has been conduct-

back the issue into sharp relief, once The origins of the Covid-19 virus were force for good. It is a force of evil - whose ing dangerous experiments in Ukraine,

again. also connected to a US corona virus ex- worst expression was how the US leveled must bring the world to support Russia

Only now, the US appears to be holding pert Dr Ralph Baric and a team of re- two Japanese cities Hiroshima and Naga- and China in their concerted effort to

the smoking gun - and the world must searchers at Fort Detrick who created saki with atomic bombs at the end of the expose the vice.

hold it to account. the human-infecting coronavirus. Second World War. Up to now, those two The world cannot be a safe place with

It has emerged that Ukraine stored dan- According to the Chinese ministry, at cities are still inhabitable, and the world dangerous weapons on the loose.

gerous pathogens at laboratories des- the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in is in danger of this arsenal that the US The US poses a present and continuing

ignated for cooperative research and 2020, the Covid-19 outbreak was intro- supremely commands. danger to global peace and security, and

transfer to the US. duced to Wuhan by members of the US On the other hand, despite claiming to countries of the world must be sounding

Labs in Ukraine have reportedly been army who had visited the city that Octo- be a beacon of liberty and justice, the US the alarm and cooperating to see how

operating on the command of the US De- ber. has been directly or indirectly involved this present danger can be solved.

partment of Defense and the US invested US military expansionism in well-funded major conflicts around The world is at a most dangerous time.

over $200 million in them. Subsequent- Ukraine is one of the proxies used by the the world for example in Iraq and Af- The actions of US in manufacturing and

ly, they have run a number of projects US to run a number of bio-lab facilities. ghanistan. mishandling biological agents, which

of dangerous biological weapons. One This is part of a broader expansionism The US remains the biggest arms ex- could include Covid-19, are very grave

of them, the UP-4 project, studies the by the US in opening bases and facilities porter, the biggest military spender and and constitute a threat to humanity.

possibility of the spread of avian viruses to house weapons, conduct training and biggest regime changer in the world. Ironically, the US president Joe Biden

through migrating birds. use as potential launch pads against en- If one were to pin the origin of Covid-19 just a few days ago labelled Russian pres-

The R-781 project considers bats as car- emies. to the US’ military’s biochemical weap- ident Vladimir Putin a war criminal and

riers of pathogens that can be transmit- This has taken place in a number of re- on misadventures, it means that the US condemned him for his military assault

ted to humans. Another project code- gions throughout the world, and it is is responsible for the Covid-19 pandem- on Ukraine.

named UP-8 is aimed at studying the worrying because of its implications on ic which has killed millions of people all There should be enough pressure for

Congo-Crimean hemorrhagic fever vi- global security and peace. over the world. an international investigation into the

rus and hanta viruses. In Africa, many countries have been So far, according to the Johns Hopkins role of the US over the production of bi-

This implies that the facilities experi- worried about the proliferation of the University, over six million deaths have ological weapons and possibly Covid-19

ment with these dangerous diseases to Africa Command, AFRICOM. been reported across almost 200 coun- which indicatively leaked from some of

see how they can destroy man and na- AFRICOM is the Europe-based military tries in the world and this equates to war its secret bio-lab facilities.

ture. platform for advancing the US strategic crimes or mass genocide. African countries such as Zimbabwe

By simple inference, what the world has interest in Africa-has been a vehicle use There is widespread agreement among should follow the lead of China and Rus-

grappled with a regarding number of by the US to mark its presence on the economists that the Covid-19 pandemic sia in discussing this issue.

outbreaks of diseases that cannot be di- continent through the consolidation of has had severe negative impacts on the The world’s peace and stability depends

vorced from the above experiments. military-to-military relations with over global economy. The pandemic caused on it.

Colonial legacies endure in Africa’s legal systems

Recently there was a huge controversy hold such influence that a formerly col- When the British formally colonized the standing the British introduction of new

in Zimbabwe over the alleged purchase onized African nation’s adherence to the chiefdoms, they agreed to accept Indige- constitutions in 1946 and 1954 to appease

of British horsehair wigs for Zimbabwe- “rule of law” cannot be evaluated with- nous law as part of the dual legal system. Ghanaians by granting them some leg-

an judges. Given the financial challenges out considering the impact of its subju- But they also added “repugnancy claus- islative powers, the metropole retained

faced by ordinary Zimbabweans, it was gated past. es” that excluded aspects of the Ghana- full powers over the colony’s legal sys-

not surprising that the issue manifested As Britain established its colonial rule ian customs or cultures that the British tems, police and defense systems, and

in a larger debate over government fi- in Africa, it brought with it ideas about considered “appalling,” “ridiculous” or external affairs.

nancial mismanagement and its failure the rule of law, with the two becoming “unhelpful to maintaining Christian ide- Eventually as the nationalist movement

to provide adequate legal services for inseparable. als.” gained power, Ghanaians demanded full

regular citizens. In 1844, the legal system in what was Hence, during the colonial era, custom- independence, which they achieved in

More poignantly, in the larger Afri- then the Gold Coast colony became at- ary Ghanaian courts led by Indigenous 1957.

can context the debate was also about tached to the British legal system. Be- judges were allowed to adjudicate mat- Various constitutions introduced by

the continued influence of Europe- fore 1821 several European powers held ters deemed to be part of the Indigenous successive post-independent Ghanaian

an metropoles over their former Afri- claims in this region and established customs on issues such as marriage and governments retained the British West-

can colonies in many aspects of life. That commercial settlements and forts to fa- inheritance. But besides being subject minster-style government structure un-

the Zimbabwean judges needed to pur- cilitate the trans-Atlantic enslaved per- to the repugnancy clauses, the legal sys- til the 1979 constitution, which adopted

chase British horsehair wigs — which are son trade. The British consolidated con- tem’s ultimate decision-maker, the su- the U.S. presidential-style government.

no longer required even in many British trol gradually over the 19th century. Local preme court, had a British official at the And similar colonial-era legacies and in-

legal contexts — is a telling relic of the groups gradually submitted to British helm. fluences can easily be identified in other

colonial legacy foisted by Britain on its “protection” in an ongoing conflict with This system endured and became even Ghanaian institutions such as the mili-

African colonies. Not only must Zimba- the Asante state to the north. Finally in more complete after the British consol- tary (which was also established by the

bweans pay Britain for the wigs, but they 1844, some Indigenous Ghanaian chief- idated rule over the entire Gold Coast British) and the judiciary.

do so to fuel a legal system rooted in the doms accepted British sovereignty over territory by the turn of the 20th centu- Similar to Zimbabwean judges’ tradition

colonial era, when Britain systematical- them in exchange for protection from ry. The British metropole introduced of wearing British horsehair wigs and ju-

ly created and maintained legal systems, their warring neighbors. While conced- the 1925 constitution that empowered it dicial robes, Ghanaian lawyers and judg-

constitutions and other institutions pat- ing to British sovereignty, the chiefdoms to legally rule over Ghanaians as well as es engage in the same behavior of wear-

terned after its own. While in recent de- also agreed to the British adjudicating control the colony’s financial interests, ing British-styled wigs and robes despite

cades those colonial-era legal systems serious crimes and to a long-term plan including Ghana’s vast gold deposits and disdain and indignation by the general

and institutions are being replaced by of adapting their customs and practices cocoa, which during that era was fast public who consider it a relic of a painful

many African nations, they continue to in conformity with British law. becoming a global cash crop. Notwith- colonial past. The Washington Post

M2o1nMdaayr0c0h J2a0nu2a2ry 2022 PERSPECTIVE 1020

History turned into Legal
Corner
fable, a la ‘Animal Farm’
with
Reuben Mukavhi

Administration of a
deceased estate

Welcome to the Legal Corner, a column ries. The executor then files the draft

in which we discuss all things legal. We distribution plan with the Master, who

talk about court cases, deceased estates, shall keep it open for inspection by in-

business and corporate legal matters, terested persons for at least twenty-one

and everything legal in-between. days. The Master shall thereafter ap-

In today’s instalment, we talk about the prove the plan.

general process of the administration of The executor proceeds to distribute the

a deceased estate. Though we can only estate in accordance with the approved

hit it at a very high level, we have care- distribution account, and file with the

fully selected the points to talk about to Master proof to that effect. Only then

give the reader a clear view of the estate will the estate be taken to have been

administration process. fully wound up, and the executor is ex-

A deceased estate refers to all the prop- cused. This whole process should gen-

erty/assets left behind by a person who erally take six months to complete.

has departed this earth. Houses, cars, About the author

In NoViolet Bulawayo’s new novel, Glo- seen in the novel’s four-legged bad guys. company shares, debts owed to the per- Reuben Mukavhi is a Legal Practitioner,
ry, a nation riven by decades of autocrat- This is not a humourless book. The an- son, farms owned by the deceased per- Estate Administrator and Insolven-
ic rule finds itself dividing once again. imals are gleeful insulters (“You have a son all form part of his estate. To avoid cy Practitioner practising under the law
Seeking “to forget the screaming in their demon of idiocy!”) and inventive cuss- asset grabbing and a chaotic distribu- firm Rubaya-Chinuwo Law Chambers. He
heads”, the citizens of Jidada flock to the ers. Tuvy and the Father are as foolish tion of the estate, the law prescribes a holds an MBA; LLB; BSc in Applied Ac-
Internet. Safe inside this ‘Other Coun- as they are evil. The latter’s reaction to process by which deceased estates must counting; ACCA; ACIS, among other qual-
try’, they rage against their government finding himself in hell, to which he’s be administered. ifications. He is a former magistrate and

in ways that would be unthinkable in the been led by a lipstick-wearing mon- When a person dies leaving any prop- deputy Master of the High Court, and has
physical ‘Country’, where cancellation is key, is wickedly funny. Bulawayo even erty, a notice of death (which is a Form more than seventeen years of experience
delights in satirising a certain United available at the Master’s office) must in Zimbabwe’s legal terrain. He writes in
truly final.
The gulf between the world as it is and States president, represented here as a be completed by the nearest relative or his personal capacity. Get in touch with
the world as it could be is as wide in Bu- tweeting primate prone to subliterate connection of the deceased and be de- him on
lawayo’s novel as it is outside it. The ac- warnings of electoral malfeasance. His livered to the Master of the High Court [email protected].
within fourteen days of the death. It is
tions depicted in the book are so famil- handle: @bigbaboonoftheUS.
iar, the events so recognisable, the pain The citizens of Jidada often speak with this death notice that constitutes the
so acute, it’s easy to see how Glory began one voice. They recite long lists, grim initiating document for the registration
as a work of non-fiction. That the char- tautologies (“killed dead”, “died death”) of the estate. If the deceased left a WILL,
acters are animals – furred, feathered, and anecdotes that circle back on them- the person who has possession thereof
selves like tail-chasing dogs. Trauma- must also transmit it to the Master.
scaled and all – is almost incidental.
In a note to readers accompanying tised by violence at home and abroad, When the Master receives the death no-
pre-publication copies of her book, Bul- they repeat phrases that fill entire pages tice, the estate of the late is registered by
awayo reported that before writing Glo- of the book: “and talks to the dead”, “and the opening of a file and the allocation of
ry, she had been at work on a non-fic- considered the maths of the revolution”, a reference number, (styled DR…/2022),
for the estate.
tion account of the 2017 coup that ended “I can’t breathe”.
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s Glory reads longer than its 400 pages. The Master then convenes a meet-
oppressive, 37-year reign. The 93-year- Bulawayo shifts among omniscient nar- ing of the relatives and creditors of the
old strongman’s replacement was Em- ration, first-person plural, oral histor deceased, known as an Edict Meeting.
merson Mnangagwa, the 75-year-old y and even chapters written as Twitter Normally, the edict meeting occurs a lit-
vice president whom Mugabe fired threads. The effect can be disorienting, tle more than thirty days after the reg-
in one of his last acts as head of state. but individual voices stand out. None istration of the estate. The purpose of
Mnangagwa, a former military leader resonates as strongly as that of Destiny the edict meeting is for the relatives and
with an allegedly brutal history and a vi- Lozikeyi Khumalo, a goat who returns creditors to elect someone to be ap-
cious nickname, the Crocodile, won the to Jidada after a decade away. Hoping to pointed as the Executor of the estate. If
presidency by a narrow margin in 2018. exorcise the trauma that prompted her they fail to agree on a person, the Master
departure, Destiny becomes a chroni- will prefer the surviving spouse, if any,
Mugabe died the following year.
Web DesigningGlory repeats this story almost as it cler of her nation’s history and an advo- or a professional estate administrator.
happened. In Bulawayo’s telling, howev- cate for its future. Her writing provides The executor is the person tasked with

& Hostinger, Jidada’s deposed autocrat is an elder- a “way of rising above the past, of put- the duty of gathering the estate and dis-
ly stallion long known as Father of the ting together that which was broken”. tributing it to the beneficiaries under
Nation but now derided as Old Horse. In her author’s note, Bulawayo shared the supervision of the Master. An exec- -Domain name registration
Following a bloodless coup staged by how her book’s most obvious literary in- utor can be a relative of the deceased or -Email hosting

the nation’s canine military, the Father’s spiration, George Orwell’s anti-Stalin- a professional estate administrator. The -POP 3, IMAP & Webmail
vice president and fellow old horse, Tu- ism allegory Animal Farm, became a Master appoints the executor through
vius Delight Shasha, returns from a brief trending topic on social media in the Letters of Administration. -SSL Certificates
exile with promises of “a new dawn, a wake of Mugabe’s ouster. The parallels Once appointed, the executor must as- -SEO Certificates

new season, a New Dispensation”. Tuvy, between post-revolution Manor Farm certain all the property of the deceased, -Unlimited bandwidth
as he’s called, vows to make Jidada “great and post-coup Zimbabwe were too pain- compile a full inventory thereof known
again”. In no time, he acquires a cultlike ful to ignore. “Pivoting from non-fiction as the Executor’s Inventory, and file -Cloud server VPS hosting
following, a new nickname (the Savior) to create Glory became an extension of it with the Master. This inventory will -Cloud Solutions

and a reputation for megalomania, mi- my fellow citizens’ impulse to articulate contain not just the list of assets and li- -ICT services & products
sogyny and corruption that surpasses the absurd and the surreal,” she wrote. abilities, but also the values attaching to
Any satire worth its weight in talking them. Some assets require professional -Consultancy Services
that of his predecessor.
An expected chain of absurdities fol- animals is really a warning – to the valuation, for example, company shares,
lows. That is not a knock on Bulawayo’s powers that be, the complicit and any- while the executor with the approval of
storytelling gifts, which are prodigious. one who thinks nothing so terrible could the Master can value other assets. Contact us
Her 2013 debut novel, We Need New ever happen to them. When Destiny di- The executor then proceeds to draft a
Names, was shortlisted for the Booker agnoses Jidada’s condition as “the will- distribution plan of the estate, and for +263782994101

Prize for its indelible tale of a Zimba- ingness of citizens to get used to that this he must consult the beneficiaries of [email protected]
bwean girl who immigrates to the Unit- which should have otherwise been the the estate. In our law, the beneficiaries
source of outrage”, she could be describ- of an estate are the surviving spouse and
ed States. RUZIVO MEDIA & RESOURCES CENTRE
Among her new book’s many strengths ing a great number of places. By almost the children of the late. If the deceased
Room 207 Courtney hotel,

is Bulawayo’s portrayal of the Jidadans’ any measure, Glory weighs a tonne. / did not leave a surviving spouse and/or Corner Selous Avenue & 8th St
children, then the parents and siblings Harare
experience as at once distinct and uni- borneobulletin
of the deceased become the beneficia-
versal. A host of real-life tyrants can be

M2o1nMdaayr0c0h J2a0nu2a2ry 2022 PERSPECTIVE 1030

Botswana Chieftainess Fires Last
Protest Shot As British Leaders Scrap
Hunting Trophies Imports Ban

Emmanuel Koro are operating thereby benefitting the re-
source.”

After months of passionate appeals to International hunting revenue also con-

the British Government to discontinue tinues to significantly support socio-eco-
its plans to introduce the Trophy Hunt- nomic developments in Botswana’s hunt-

ing Imports Ban Bill, the protest voice of ing communities.

a Botswana Chieftainess who represents The Vice-chairman of the elephant

a wildlife-rich community, together with over-populated Chobe District-based,
those of SADC hunting communities have Chobe Enclave Conservation Trust
at last been listened to. (CECT), Mr Nchungu Nchungu said that
The David versus Goliath debate for and CECT has used international hunting rev-
against trophy hunting imports ban end- enue to establish other businesses such

ed this week when ‘Goliath’ - the British as Linyanti and Ngoma Lodges, in order

Government’s decision-makers scrapped to diversify benefits from international

the Trophy Hunting Imports Ban Bill that hunting.
was due for another reading in Parlia- “We used international hunting revenue
ment on Friday this week. to buy eight tractors for ploughing and for
“Government sources said it (the Bill) had collecting firewood for the local commu-
been scrapped, and that manifesto com- nities,” said CECT Vice-chairman Nchun-
mitments including the trophy hunting gu. “We also used international hunting

import ban would no longer take place in revenue to establish two general dealer

this parliament,” said a British newspa- Botswana Chieftainess Banika’s Paleka shops, in Mabele and Parakarungu Vil-
per, The Guardian this week. lages and a milling plant in Parakarungu.
Coincidentally, this week Chieftainess Right now we are working on creating a
Rebecca Banika who represents Botswa- business plan so that we know where to
na’s elephant over-populated Chobe Dis- lean on (fall back on) in case there is a fu-
trict at the House of Chiefs that advises ture international hunting ban.”

Parliament He said that local communities under-

had again fired another warning shot; stand that revenue from hunting is the

adding to the many powerful arguments one that helps to alleviate poverty and
for hunting that she has continue to make crucially promotes wildlife and habitat
over the last two years, warning the Brit- conservation.
ish Government and the international “They understand that wildlife can be
community to discontinue any actions to tolerated despite human- wildlife-con-

restrict or ban international hunting. flict because living with and benefiting

“If the international community (includ- these wild animals also helps put some-
ing the British Government) continues to thing on the table,” said CECT Vice-chair-
make calls to ban international hunting man Nchungu. “Wildlife can make them
my community will suffer a lot because earn a better living. This year we earned
we don’t have any other income besides US$392.285.00 from wildlife that is going
money from international hunting,” said to be hunted in the hunting season that

Chieftainess Banika. “My community will starts on 6 April 2022. Fifteen elephants

suffer starvation because the meat that are among other wildlife to be hunted in
they freely get from the carcass of hunt- 2022.”
ed wildlife will stop. If the ban on inter- Elsewhere, the Executive Director of
national hunting happens, the communi- Botswana Council of NGOs, Mr Siyoka
ty will revert to poaching because the ban Simasiku said that international hunt-
would remove ownership and direct ben- ing revenue supports a wide range of so-

efits from international hunting. There- cio-economic projects in local hunting

fore, we are still urging the internation- communities, including the provision of

al community to listen to the plight of the Executive Director of Botswana Council of NGOs Mr Siyoka clean drinking water, higher education
communities living with the wild animals Simasiku sponsorship, funeral cover for commu-
as they have better knowledge of how to nity members, supply of solar power and
conserve their wildlife than any other with other African hunting communities selection process has been concluded and household income.
person outside Africa.” Nevertheless, Botswana hunting com-
One of the strongest arguments that were going to be severely impacted by those who succeeded have been sent to munities argue that they should benefit
Chieftainess Banika had continued to more from international hunting reve-
make since learning about the British the British Government’s Trophy Hunt- Maun for training in hotel and catering, nue.
Government’s move to impose Trophy At the November 2021 Kasane African
Hunting Imports Ban Bill was that ‘if they ing Imports Ban Bill broke into celebra- professional hunting license, bookkeep- Wildlife Consultative Forum, Botswa-
continue to ignore the importance of in- na hunting communities took the lead in
ternational hunting to wildlife conserva- tion this week, upon learning that the ing and accounts, etc. Our main target is calling for the removal of the internation-
tion and socio-economic development al hunting middlemen, in order to create
in Africa then they should be blamed for British Government decision-makers had to train and empower the youth with the win-win hunting benefits. The Botswana
contributing to human starvation and Government said that it supports this ini-
wildlife and habitat conservation crisis in scrapped the Bill. relevant knowledge so that they automat- tiative. Therefore, Botswana Parliament
African hunting communities such as the plans to introduce a Community Based
Chobe District’s Paleka Community.’ “Hallelujah, we are so happythat my com- ically become the owners of the fauna and Natural Resources Management Act (CB-
Incidentally, the war in Ukraine has al- NRM Act) this year. Among other things,
ready put the spotlight on Western super munity along with other African hunt- flora species and therefore get motivated the CBNRM Act would ensure that lo-
powers’ worldwide record for treating cal hunting communities enjoy equitable
people from different continents equally ing communities will continue to direct- to conserve wildlife and its habitat.” benefits from international hunting.
when addressing humanitarian issues at Meanwhile, steps are already being tak-
different levels, including how interna- ly benefit from co-existence with wildlife The Paleka hunting community’s contin- en towards empowering the representa-
tional hunting bans compromise human tives of local hunting communities with
welfare on the African continent. through international hunting,” she said. ued efforts to invest in wildlife conserva- the knowledge of how hunting is market-
The Western animal rights groups fund- ed internationally.
raising industry is behind the continued “The British Government’s attempt to tion include the recently advertised posts “As a first step towards investigating
lobby for the ban on international hunt- possibilities to remove the internation-
ing in Africa, threatening wildlife conser- introduce the Trophy Hunting Imports for escort guides. al hunting middlemen, representatives of
vation and the socio-economic wellbeing Botswana hunting communities in Jan-
of African hunting communities such as Ban Bill was one of the biggest challenges “The successful candidates will be em- uary this year, attended Safari Club In-
those in the wildlife-rich Chobe District ternational Hunting Convention in Las
of Botswana. that we were facing here in wildlife-rich ployed and help with monitoring the Vegas, U.S.A. to learn what’s happening
Meanwhile, Chieftainess Banika who in the international hunting market. A
couldn’t keep quiet as international hunt- Northern Botswana. From international hunting operations in our community,” meeting to report back on their findings
ing benefits to her community, together to all trusts is planned for May 2022,” said
hunting proceeds at least we can contin- she said. “This is part of our ongoing ef- Mr Simasiku.

ue conserving wildlife and its habitat and forts to conserve wildlife in our area,

also create employment. We also benefit working in collaboration with the Bo-

from protein-boosting wildlife meat.” tswana Department of Parks and Wildlife

Chieftainess Banika’s Paleka hunting officers,” she said.

community this year alone earned over Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Offi-

half a million US dollars (US$533.370.00) cer of Botswana Wildlife Producers As-

from wildlife that will be hunted starting sociation Mr Isaac Theophilus confirmed

the first week of April 2022. that throughout Botswana; international

Apart from being used to conserve wild- hunting revenue continues to be used to

life and its habitat, revenue from inter- support wildlife and habitat conservation.

national hunting also creates employ- “In terms wildlife and habitat conser-

ment for local people who get employed vation, operators in the wildlife areas

as game rangers. commit to a number of projects amongst

“Last year some youths were asked to them the provision of water for wildlife,”

apply for hunting revenue scholarships,” said Mr Theophilus. “The operators also

said Chieftainess Banika. “As I speak the do anti-poaching work in the areas they

Review & Mail

A photographer’s naked dilemma

Fitzgerald Munyoro door wardrobes are a very real and be-
lievable possibility.

On a warm Saturday afternoon, Tinashe He then hears one of them saying ‘’we
Sithole (alias) packs his wide arsenal of are ready.’’
cameras, lights, reflectors and camera He turns around, only to see the wom-
stands as he heads for what he assumes en in their birthday suits once more and
will be an easy $100 job in one of Hara- covering their essential parts with leaves
and flower petals.
re’s leafy northern suburbs.
At the stroke of lunch hour, he is picked It is at this moment that he realizes what
up from his 2 room rented cottage in wa- is happening.
terfalls by a metallic Range Rover, peep- He is having his first nude photoshoot
ing eyes peek through windows of neigh- and ironically, it is not as glamourous as
boring houses, even the curtain on his he had imagined.
In fact, he had not imagined it at all!
landlord’s living room slightly tilts.
“The rent is definitely going to get raised Biologists say that the male mind has a
next month.”, he jokingly remarks to him- pleasant fascination with the nude fe-
self as he approaches the SUV. Upon ar- male body, however in this situation
rival at the car, he is welcomed by warm Sithole begs to differ, if anything the ex-
hugs from two light skinned middle aged perience is ethereal.
He feels like a deer staring at the head-
women.
Upon physical contact, Sithole can in- lights of a speeding car, clueless and
stantly smell the aroma of lavish living nervous.
and wealth on their Chanel jumpsuits. His trembling fingers struggle to locate
The first impression that these ladies give the shutter button and adjust the camera
him make him instantly regret agreeing lens.
to the $100 fee he charged for a pregnan- Meanwhile it seems like the ladies are
the worst body language readers in his-
cy photoshoot.
tory and are blind to see that their des-
It seems like breakfast change.
As he is sitting at the back of the car, he ignated photographer has turned into an who took nude pictures would make ef- condoned.
notices that both of them are pregnant, emotional wreck.
He starts having mental flashbacks of forts to disassociate themselves from What we are seeing at present are the
the events of the day and all the clues
though one is farther along than the oth- he ignored that lead him to this predic- such. machinations of western culture that has
er. He assumes that she is the one with ament. However, the photographer said that penetrated the impressionable minds of
whom he spoke to on WhatsApp. However, he thinks about the $200 on on occasions, they are forced to swal- our young people,” said Svosve.
As they are travelling, the heavily preg- offer and makes the ultimate decision low their morals when the price is too Nude photography finds its roots in Ro-
nant lady says to him,’’ I hope you don’t tempting. man era where artists of the time began
mind. My friend will be joining me for Chief Svosve of Mhakwe Heriatage Trust to draw nude depictions of mostly males.
the photoshoot. I wasn’t feeling really to forego his morals and whore away lambasted nude art and said it has no Locally, Europe based songstress Vim-
his camera for the elusive yet lucrative
comfortable doing this alone. Don’t wor- greenback. place in Zimbabwean society. bai Zimuto grabbed headlines a few
ry you will be fairly compensated.” In a numb state, Sithole endured the “Zimbabweans are a people who val- years ago after she shared a nude picture
Sithole casually agrees but he is doing worst two hours of his life. ue their culture, norms and values. De- of herself.
mental fist pumps and somersaults for To this day he says the memories of the spite our primitive dressing in historical It later emerged that the nude pictures
this moment is too good to be true. day still feel like an out of body experi- times, a woman’s body was always high- were used as a ploy to market her new
He will be handed two hundred dol- ly coveted. Even in Christian or Muslim song.
lar bills for two hours of snapping, aim- ence.
ing and clicking. On a normal weekend, However, Sithole’s story does not exist practices, nudity is not something that is

making $50 is laborious and a cause for in isolation.
Of late, images taken at nude photo-
celebration.
However, Sithole’s joy for hitting the shoots have periodically popped up on
jackpot is going to come at a cost. A cost social media platforms.
which could have been avoided if only he People fascinated with being photo-
had asked what the pregnant lady was graphed naked are frequenting photo
referring to when she said she would be studios.
This is an indicator of two things: firstly,
uncomfortable.
This is a cost he would soon pay for in that local culture is changing perspec-
a grueling two hours filled with tension tive as nudity which was once dubbed as
a taboo is now being celebrated as a vir-
and awkwardness.
As soon as he arrives their residence, tue or secondly; we are gradually seeing
the women take him to a green spacious the rise of rebel culture.
part of their estate and start explaining Various conversations that this reporter
to him how they want to have a Back to has had with photographers tend to lean
towards the latter.
Eden and natural garden theme.
Sithole has done garden wedding shoots The general feeling expressed by the
before and thinks to himself that this will men behind the lens reflect a plethora of
problems.
be walk in the park.
He absentmindedly nods in agreement Most if not all photographers that were
to what the ladies are saying. In truth spoken to said that they were not com-
he is mildly annoyed, there are trying to fortable with doing nude photoshoots.
Most of them who have shot semi nude
teach a chef how to cook.
After what seems like light-years, he di- pictures spoke on condition of anonym-
rects them to an area of the garden that is ity and said that the do not want their
blooming with flowers and fresh shrubs. brands to be associated with nude pho-
His photography deductions tell him toshoots.
that the yellow matching jumpsuits the Nyasha Chawatama of Chany Media
ladies are wearing will provide a perfect productions said;
“I don’t want my brand to be associat-
contrast to the green background.
As he is setting up his equipment, some- ed with such kind of content because it
tarnishes my name in the industry. As a
thing startles him instantly.
The two light skinned ladies who could professional photographer, it is better if
rightly be referred to in modern street I focus on corporate events.”
lingo as “yellow bones” start to undress. A Mutare based photographer said he
Instinctively he looks away, part of him did a nude photoshoot at the request of
rationalizes that the women must have an upcoming model. Nonetheless he re-
some clothes hidden somewhere in na- iterated that he had reservations with
nude photoshoots.
ture.
Given their wealthy appearance, out- He added that this was the position of
most of his peers in the field and most

Ja2n1uMarayr-Fcehb2ru0a2ry22022 ARTS & CULTURE 1050

Memo wants inspire a generation

Memo Makanika, born Memory Bere, has up the profession but may not have people by a lot of people. I realised that I order a girl mechanic. You will not go far in this
taken social media by storm as a beautiful to look up to. I want to inspire them that, if for me to push my brand to be known I field. It is a dangerous field and you will
young woman that has entered the male I can do it, they can do it too; and that they must utilise social media. I advertise and be destroyed’; etc. This really weighed me
dominated field of motor mechanics - and shouldn’t feel discouraged by what people publicise my work on social media. I con- down during my formative years. I had no
is winning hearts.
say because if you listen to detractors you cede that on social media there are some people telling me to go for it and pushing
Review & Mail caught up with her to un- won’t go where you want to go. As for me, people who do not like me who say neg- me on. All I had were discouragements.
derstand the woman behind the persona I didn’t look back or listen to what people ative things about me. However, I do not Review & Mail: What do you want to
most recognisable on Twitter.
said about motor mechanics being not a respond to them, because I need to main- achieve I life and what would you require
My name is Memory Bere, popularly female field, but stood firm to prove that tain my brand without being drawn into to get there?
known as Memo Makanika. I am a motor there isn’t a job exclusively for males or personal wars or negativity. So I just ig- Memo: I want to establish one of the big-
mechanic; I fix both diesel and petrol light exclusively for women. As long as you are nore the negative energy because I know gest workshops in Africa where female
motor vehicles. I was born and bred in capable of doing the job you can do it. This where I want to achieve and where I am mechanics will work. I also want to en-
Chipinge and I’m the last born in a family is what pushed me to perfect my work and going. However, I still maintain the use of courage young women to get into the me-
of four: two boys, two girls. I got my edu- what drives me to work harder to show the social media as a business tool as most of chanical field, and I will be training them
cation in Chipinge, that is where I did my young generation what I have achieved. my customers come through social media, at my workshop. It is my wish also to ad-
primary and secondary education. After I Review & Mail: Looking back, a fewyears especially on Twitter, followed by Face- vocate for young women not to get into
finished my high school I decided to study back, would you have imagined yourself book and LinkedIn. I can only be grateful early marriages. Most of them get into
motor mechanics since it was some- being the face of women blazing a trail? for social media because it has helped me these situations because of not having
thing I grew up enjoying as I was passion- Memo: I didn’t expect that I would be at achieve the level of recognition and busi- anything to do, so if I have my workshop I
ate about mechanics. When I was around the level that I am at right now because ness that I am now.
can recruit these young women and teach
Grade 5, my dad used to have a Datsun of challenges that I faced as a woman in a Review & Mail: Have you had some low them about the trade so that they can be
’59 and I sued to call it a skoro skoro be- male-dominated field. There are so many points in life; and what where they?
self-sustaining. In order to achieve those
cause each and every time that car used challenges such as sexual harassment, Memo: When I got into the motor me- things, I must have capital and it’s not
to be attended to by mechanics because of lack of support, lack of respect as well chanics field, the first days were the low easy to come by and I have set myself a
various faults. Whenever my dad took his as lack of support from my female kind points in my career because of lack of challenge to work for it so that I can have
car to the mechanics, I used to accompa- themselves. Actually it was some wom- support. I expected that would get sup- enough to set up that big workshop in
ny him and I got to study the way the me- en who would discourage me and some port from my community, friends and Zimbabwe where only women will be em-
chanics worked and I think that is when I thought I was working with men so as to family members but people were discour- ployed as motor mechanics.
fell in love with fixing cars because it was steal their husbands. Facing these chal- aging me saying, ‘Where did you ever see That’s my wish!
fascinating looking at all those spanners lenges, I just set on proving that I could do
that I would also play with. Back home, the work and I had to keep pushing and
when my father used to fix the car himself, believing in myself. It has been my hard
I would be the “spanner girl” as I assisted work that has brought recognition after
him with various spanners. Doing this all all those years in the industry – for nine
the time, I fell in love with the job and with years. I have come a long way but there is
time I started assist my father in mechan- a long way still, ahead.
ical tasks and fixing the car itself when Review & Mail: You are still young, but
it developed a problem. So, this is some- what would you say you have achieved for
thing that I grew up with and made me yourself?
fall in love with motor mechanics. When Memo: I think so far the best achieve-
I finished my high school I decided that ment I have made so far is introducing a
I needed to advance on the vocation so I number of young women to the motor in-
went to college and did motor mechanics dustry. I think it’s an achievement as I am
and obtained my certificate. However, af- seeing young women coming up and fol-
ter obtaining the certificate it was difficult lowing my footsteps. This is what gives me
to find a job because motor mechanics is joy. It’s my dream to introduce as many
a male-dominated field especially here in women as possible to get into the motor
Africa, including here in Zimbabwe. There mechanics field.
are not enough women motor mechan- Review & Mail: Do you have other goals,
ics. It was this difficult for me to find a job academically and professionally?
as a female motor mechanic in Zimbabwe Memo: My wish is to introduce and en-
so I decided to go to South Africa. When courage women to enter into male-domi-
I went to South Africa; but when I went nated fields. Barring resource constraints,
there it wasn’t so easy, either. In South Af- as a career goal, I want to modify and pat-
rica, like in Zimbabwe, there are no female ent my own motor engine and leave my
motor mechanics but I would say by the mark as a female Zimbabwean mechan-
grace of God, I finally found a job at what ic who came up with an innovation and
used to be one of the biggest workshops knowledge about a particular engineer-
in Durban. That is where I was groomed ing work. That is one of my goal, although
to be the motor mechanic that I am to- I see a challenge in terms of resources
day. So, I would say my overall motor me- which could be a huge drawback.
chanic experience I got it in South Africa, Review & Mail: Social media, as they
because that’s where I got my grooming, say, can be toxic, but I’m sure you have
although I recently made my way back harnessed it pretty well. Tell us how you
to Zimbabwe. The reason I came back margined to do this?
to Zimbabwe was to be an inspiration to Memo: In my case, I would say social me-
young women and give encouragement to dia have helped me a lot in getting known
the younger generation who want to take

Ja2n1uMarayr-Fcehb2ru0a2ry22022 ARTS & CULTURE 1060

‘I think the idea of beauty as a kind of

grace and finesse is a Eurocentric notion’

Wycliffe Mundopa is the 2021 FNB Art the history of Zimbabwean art, but I

Joburg Prize winner. His solo exhibition is don’t want to compare myself with any-

titled Zva Nyadza, Shona for “to bear wit- one. Every artist has their own unique

ness”. The show, which hangs in the east- way of seeing things and sharing that

ern wing of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, vision; in fact, this is their responsibil-

comprises about a dozen impassioned ity. My responsibility is to present Wy-

paintings. cliffe Mundopa’s unique vision and that

The gathered works shore Mundopa up is what I want to do.

as an artist who keeps faith and fidelity in Q: Do you remember your first inter-

the enduring power of painting.They are action with art? Describe to me about

monumental canvases that meet visitors how and when you decided you wanted

and viewers with the energy of a blood- to become an artist?

drenched birth bed, charged with trans- A: The critical moment for me was visit-

formative potential. ing an artist studio on a school field trip,

At the heart of the show are the sto- when I was about 15. For the first time I

ried spectres of violence and vulgari- realised that doing this can be a job and

ties suffered by the women in a Zimba- also that this was my calling. I have never

bwe brought to heel by years of Western looked back.

sanctions and misrule. Mundopa gathers Q: You have made a case for the impor-

them: a roumor of rape here, a report of tance of presenting life in your home

starvation there, even whispers of hope country with the same pathos and gran-

and defiant indulgent desire too. He then deur as the Dutch masters like Rubens

moulds each into coagulations of colours and Rembrandt, while situating your-

and clamorous clots of meaning on can- self as an heir to the grand tradition.

vas. Please describe how you negotiate this
Mundopa has managed to create an
European tradition with your Zimba-
art anchored not only in tradition and in-
bwean or African creative heritage; par-
telligence, but something visceral. For-
ticularly in a world grappling with de-
get painterly beauty: these works are
colonial ideas?
evidence of a man clawing at the limits
I situate myself as an heir to the global
of his form. Testing, as it were, a painter’s
history of art as an equal heir not con-
version of Theodor Adorno’s proposition
strained by either my location or iden-
about the barbarism of poetry after Aus-
tity. The reference to Rubens and Rem-
chwitz.
brandt is to them first and foremost as
Q: The world is finally emerging from
masters of the painting in oil tradition,
two years or so of isolation occasioned
which is as much a technical skill, as one
by the Covid-19 pandemic. How has this
to do with storytelling. For centuries,
affected you ?
Europeans have felt comfortable bor-
A: Two years is a long time so I was get-
rowing and appropriating African skills,
ting used to staying in the studio and fo-
visual and artistic traditions; I have no
cusing on my practice. Right now every-
problem turning the tables on that and
thing is moving back to normal and you
doing it consciously. This is absolutely
need to start to readjust to things like
a decolonial position and one in which
preparing for art fairs and travel and
I assert my agency as an artist to choose
things like that, but we’ve done it before
freely how and why I express exactly
and it is good to feel that things are back
what I want to express.
to moving forward and engaging with
Q: African contemporary artists of-
audiences more easily.
ten have to negotiate a disconnecting,
Q: Many people have found the isola-
or alienation between the communities
tion debilitating and unbearable. How
they grow up in, and the places where
did it affect your ability to remain cre-
their art is consumed. Your work is very
ative and productive during the months
much about your community. Can you
of uncertainty and isolation?
describe how the women and commu-
A: On my side, the lockdown was a real
nity that are the subject of your painting
positive because I spent most of my time
respond to your work?
in the studio and I produced a lot of work
A: Everyone in the world has a differ-
— my exhibition at Johannesburg Art
ent opinion on each and every subject,
Gallery is part of the body of work I made
so it is very difficult to say or predict how
during the lockdown. I also had more of
people see my work or react to it. But
a focused space to reflect on my practice
one thing for sure is that they can relate
and to develop my work technically.
to the subject that I paint. One thing that
Q: Your work is concerned with the
I have heard Zimbabwean women say is
plight and social conditions faced by
that they feel “seen” in my work — they
women in Zimbabwe. How do you un-
recognise themselves and women they
derstand the potential effects your work
know in the paintings and feel this val-
can have on Zimbabwean society?
idation as important in an environment
A: It is placing a little bit too much of a
where their needs are often neglected or
burden and being a little arrogant to ex-
dismissed. I can’t ask for more than that.
pect a work of art to change a whole so-
Q: Your work has been described as
ciety, but if it can shed light on what is
an act of bearing witness. This is a lan-
happening, then it is already important.
guage often used to speak about pho-
Q: Your subject is concerned with the
tojournalism. How do you understand
celebration or the beauty and resilience
your social role as painter in a world so
of Zimbabwean women, like your moth-
saturated with photojournalism about
er. Your painterly language is, however,
what is happening internationally and
very tactile, gestural and, one might say,
in your home, Zimbabwe?
violent. Could you please talk about this
A: I don’t aspire to document. This is
tension between this notion of beauty
truly the place of more accurate instru-
as graceful, and the robustness of your
ments like photography. My work is not
painterly language in your work? Wycliff e Mundopa
documentary or in any way literal. My
A: I think the idea of beauty as a kind
subjects, while based on real people, are
of grace and finesse or fragility you are You chose to stay and work from Zimba- cause I felt that it was my responsibility painted allegorically and symbolical-
referencing is a Eurocentric notion. The bwe during these difficult times. Could as an artist to speak the truth of the ex- ly. I employ a lot of visual references to
women I paint are real Zimbabwean you please describe how you came to periences of my people and you cannot vernacular slang, to comment on social
women, African women. They are pow- make this choice and how this affected do that if you are not sharing those ex- conditions and create microcosmic mis-
erful, vigorous, vibrant and dynamic; the way you see you work?
periences with them. This is why I stayed en-scenès, which speak to expanded sit-
they are my idea of beauty as a Zimba- A: Back in 2011, at a workshop we had and my position has not altered.
uations. My job as an artist is to reflect
bwean, as an African. I do not subscribe at our studio, I remember discussing this Q: Zimbabwe has a long and rich art and to create space for reflection and
to ideas of beauty from outside. I cele- subject with fellow artists, because this history. Where do you locate your ar- interpretation; to create the freedom for
brate what I see, the way I see it.
was a real question for many of them at tistic practice within this heritage and personal response and thought in every
Q: You came of age in a Zimbabwe in the time, and continues to be, on a certain why?
person who engages with my work.
which many of your peers had to leave level. At the time my response was, “This A: As a student of art history, I am keen- Mail & Guardian
to seek better opportunities elsewhere. suffering is what makes us.” I stayed be- ly aware of those who came before me in

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Zimbabwe goes green

Albert Chavhunduka access to national power supply and a
transformative shift from thermal power

President Emerson Mnangagwa this to green energy including solar and wind Communities along the pipeline will water to just once a week forcing resi-
past week officiated at the ground break- energy. benefit through access to water for irri- dents to resort to unclean water sources.
ing ceremony for the US48 million Deka This will ensure that there is minimized gation and other needs. Warning against vandalising electricity
Drum Water Pumping Station and River damage to the ozone layer which is caus- Provision of clean water in Matebele- infrastructure.
Intake System project in Matebeleland ing climate change and global warming land. President Mnangagwa issued a stern
North. which is affecting every region of the President Mnangagwa also took a tour warning against those who vandalize
The project is a partnership initiative world and continues to intensify at a of the Gwayi-Shangani dam which will electricity infrastructure around the
between the Zimbabwe government and rapid pace. be completed later this year. country.
the government of India. By encouraging a transition from the After the dam, the instalment of a pipe- “In the near future, we are going to put
The Deka pipeline will augment water use of thermal power at Hwange power line and pump station to Bulawayo will a law into place which will make van-
supply for the Hwange Power Station station, there are reductions in green- be finished followed by another pipeline dalism and damaging of infrastructure
stage 7 and 8 unit’s expansion project. house gas emissions which will enable from Zambezi to Gwayi-Shangani dam, criminal. Some people are failing to ac-
“We are grateful for the support from the country to meet the international which will round up the project. cess electricity because power lines are
the people and government of India who goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 de- Completion of the dam will make the damaged. Under this law, if one is caught
gave us US$48 million to build the Deka grees Celsius or even 2 degrees Celsius. Zambezi Water Project, which has been we will make sure that a vandal will be
pipeline. Zimbabwe is a friend to all and Funded by Old Mutual, the Solgas Solar on the cards for a very long time, a real- kept in prison for the rest of their days,”
an enemy to none. We have set to realise projects will contribute 5 Mega Watts in ity. he said.
energy self-sufficiency in the near fu- phase one to the national grid by 31 July In the past, the city of Bulawayo has bat- Vandalism of electricity infrastructure
ture,” said president Mnangagwa. this year. tled continuous water problems due to has become rampant across the country.
When fully completed, the water is set When the solar project is complete, it increased population growth versus few Last year, the Zimbabwe Electricity and
to benefit the expected grown of Hwange will have a massive capacity of 30 MW by dams and recurring droughts affecting Transmission Distribution Company
town and surrounding rural commu- end of 2024. the region. (ZETDC) reported that it had lost US$300
nities which include Mashala, Makwa, Employment creation In many cases, this forced the Bulawayo 000 worth of equipment to vandalism in
Mwemba and Chachachunda among The Deka project will improve reliabil- City Council (BCC) to limit access to tap the southern region alone.
many others. ity, extend reliability and create redun-
Funded by the government of India dancy for the existing water system to
through the Export-Import Bank of In- Hwange power station for sustainable
dia, the project is a reflection of the ef- power generation.
forts by government to strengthen bi- However, the project is also benefitting
lateral relations and cooperation with the local people in surrounding commu-
India as part of the re-engagement drive nities through job creation and other op-
by the Second Republic led by president portunities that will improve livelihoods.
Mnangagwa. During his tour, president Mnangagwa
President Mnangagwa also commis- also handed over fishing rigs to the com-
sioned the Solgas Solar Project at Cross munity in Binga.
Mabale. This will empower the people to cre-
National power efficiency before 2030. ate a sustainable fishing industry that
The construction of new dams and so- will help employ and change the lives of
lar power plants will ensure sufficient many people in the area.

Infrastructure investment critical to Zim

Deliberate infrastructure policies im- spending, particularly towards hospi-

plemented by Zimbabwe’s President H.E. tal infrastructure to support the health

Emmerson Mnangagwa has led to the sector given the pandemic,” stated Gu-

country’s re-engagement with the in- vamatanga.

ternational community, with targets set Highlighting Zimbabwe’s need to im-

for the rehabilitation of assets associated prove its economy in order to facilitate

with transport, electricity, information growth in infrastructure investment,

and communication technologies, water it was noted that the government has

and sanitation, and healthcare. Accord- placed priority on projects critical to

ing to a report by the African Develop- public utility services in areas such as

ment Bank Group, Zimbabwe will need electricity supply, the provision of water,

to invest $3.3 billion each year until 2030 sanitation, transport, healthcare, and

in order to restore and improve its infra- education.

structure. “We have also seen investment in edu-

Speaking in Cape Town on 11 March on cation, which is one of the key social ser-

sustainable financing support for crit- vices that we need to provide, and we

ical economic and social infrastructure have seen investment in dams, which

investment in Zimbabwe, George Guva- will improve our agriculture,” added the

matanga, Secretary for Finance & Eco- Secretary, concluding, “You need a sta-

nomic Development for the Zimbabwe- ble economy for you to actually have a

an Ministry of Finance and Economic stable platform to deliver on sustainable

Development, highlighted the southern infrastructure.” Nicholas Oliver, Head of Business Devel- tion in November 2017, the government
African country’s potential to utilize lo- The development of Zimbabwe’s eco- opment at international project develop- has placed a focus on re-engaging with
cal and international finance to drive nomic and social infrastructure has er, NMS International Group, stated, “We the international community to promote
growth and improve socioeconomic de- been seen by the Government as a means have been working with the Ministry of economic linkages to Africa, improv-
velopment. through which to promote socio eco- Finance and with the Ministry of Health, ing the country’s investment climate by
“Given the development in Zimba- nomic development within the country, for the last two years, putting together a enabling access to markets and reduc-
bwe, and what has happened over the facilitating a platform whereby an attrac- health program. The flow of funds has ing the costs of doing business, as well
course of the past three years, we have tive investment landscape may further been regular and on time and we’ve got- as through the integration of Zimbabwe
seen significant amounts of money go- improve the alignment of investments ten about $46 million into the program, into sub-regional markets in Africa to
ing into infrastructure. These have been within the country’s national objectives, which is being used to produce hospitals promote intra-regional trade.
the country’s own resources that have thus attracting financial support from a around the country.” Energy Capital & Power
been channeled to major infrastructure more diverse array of investors. Following Zimbabwe’s political transi-

Ja2n1uMarayr-Fcehb2ru0a2ry22022 SPORT 1080

HMT’s Initiativetakestennisto grassroots

Shelly Guni where.
“And starting from our communities we

Tennis, much like golf, is not a cheap had a lot of kids within our communities
sport to get into. who were just idle.
The financial requirements can prevent “There are no activities for them and
large portions of the community from having an understanding of what tennis
enjoying the game. can do to our society, we started these

The Harare Metropolitan Tennis Board initiatives so that we can take these kids
off the street and keep them occupied
(HMT) hopes to change that.
but under a strict covid-19 regulation
The Board has actually hit the ground where we have used our supervisory
running with a Community Tennis Ini- role to really monitor the protocols that
tiative programme which is aimed at they are being followed.
benefiting at least three hundred un- “We made sure that we have at least 30
derprivileged children from the select-
kids per centre, we are looking at com-
ed communities
The initiative took off in February and munities where they don’t have the priv-
the HMT development director Linsent ilege of having a tennis court right next
or opposite your house or within your
Chitiyo is happy with the response so premises. that are already competing and have in- for them to have success in their day.
far. “So by virtue of that we then started with ternational or local rankings points “We are there to create the pathway
In an interview with Review and Mail, 30 players in seven centres that we had whom we want to fuse with these from
Chitiyo said “the board is there to nur- targeted before approaching our parent the community. and create the signage for you to grow.
ture talent, and create the best pathway ministry and our stakeholders,” he says. “We want to create our player base so If you have what it takes, the systems are
for each athlete to explore their poten- Development Centres are created in our target base was to build a player base there and everything is accountable.
tial. most communities and each centre will of three hundred players. Once we have “We are also accountable to our own
“Usually it requires money and usually have a deliverer who oversees the play- established a target base, we then select system, the stakeholders and the com-
it requires going to a club,” Chitiyo said. ers and trains them. Every fortnight our provincial squad.” munities that we survive in, we also have
“What we do is offer the opportunity to these players will train at a Sports Club Chitiyo described why they are focusing the parent ministry that also supports
do it without either of those things.” that will be twinned with them. on the 9-11 age group. us.
“The community initiative program is “We take kids to those centres after ev- “The reason why we want 9-11 years is “We also want to create the high perfor-
being run by Harare Metropolitan Ten- ery two weeks and this creates a cohe- that we have got a skills market deficit mance kids that will also feed into the
nis Board. It’s not an individual thing.” sion between a community and sports because of covid-19 from 2019 to 2022. current PPP system that is currently be-
And while the Covid-19 pandemic was club. Indirectly it is like a sports club “We have got the basic fundamentals, ing run by our ministry. We want to be
wreaking havoc across the globe, for adopting a community,” Chitiyo says. the pathways. All the technical skills are an active player within the systems.”
children in Glennorah, Chitungwiza, The setting of centres was the first built before 12 years. After 12 years we Chiyiyo is however, calling for corpo-
Highfield, Dzivarasekwa, Warren Park, phase, the board now set the focus on are now looking at developing power on rates and well-wishers to come on board
Glenview, Mabvuku it came as a blessing the next phase which will see them host- the same skills. From 16 years going up and support their initiative.
in disguise. ing tournaments for the community. we are now looking at the mental atti- “Currently, we are having transport
“We started the community tennis ini- The tournament will help them to select tude of the players,” he says. challenges. We have to ferry kids to and
tiative because of the covid-19 pandem- players who will make up the provincial Chitiyo said the program is making a fro their centres and the board has been
ic restrictions that we had. Schools were squad for Harare. difference in the lives of the children. catering for that. But we would want a
closed, there were no activities any- “We have given these ones a privilege. “For many of the kids, this is a chance system which we know will not inconve-
where so we had to start from some- There are other players in this age group nience the program,” he said.

When war and violence reign, sports are no longer an escape

“What I love about sports,” the comedi- age in the United States,” that our belief

an Bill Burr admitted to Conan O’Brien a in sports as harbor from all else is not the

number of years ago, “is it’s a great way result of accident. Instead, the games we

to tap out from the news and just watch a love to watch came to be employed as a

game and get away from it.” diversion quite deliberately by media in

Burr also expressed annoyance, though the wake of World War I, when “sports as-

with typical hilarity, that his refuge from sumed its modern position as a corner-

the real world was being disturbed by too stone of American culture.”

many serious calamities. The 1920s “was also the decade when

“Can I just watch a game, without … the sports moved into its position as an in-

horrors of the world for half a second,” he dispensable section of the daily newspa-

asked with laugh, “ … like an earthquake per,” McChesney wrote.

and people getting buried in a mudslide It was what became known as the Golden

as the next pitcher’s warming up?” Age of Sports. Or, as sportswriter Robert
I recalled the observation from the al- Lipsyte called it, the Golden Age of Sports sensed as potholes of potentially vexing champ nicknamed Dr. Ironfist, was al-
ways piercing Burr while channel surf- Writing. When the games were first glo- issues outside the arena of sports. ready in Ukraine as mayor of Kyiv taking

ing recently — not for another postseason rified and those who starred in them be- “Sports is about uniting and ESPN needs up arms.
college basketball game, but for more cov- came deified, a new religious sanctuary to unite people around sports,” Pitaro “I don’t have another choice, I have to do
said. “That’s our role, or one of our roles. that,” the older brother told ITV’s Good
erage of Vladimir Putin’s illegal, unjusti- was created.
fied, malicious marauding of his Russia’s The specific reason coverage of sports We have to understand we’re here to serve Morning Britain.
neighboring Ukraine. Of the bombing, the became so conspicuous, McChesney ar- sports fans.” The boxers were joined by other ath-

destruction, the fear, the tears, the hu- gued, was because of rabid competi- ESPN announcers protest Florida bill re- letes, including a Ukrainian tennis player,
man suffering, the courage amid it all. tion for media’s growing audience and stricting LGBTQ discussion during bas- Sergiy Stakhovsky, and various Ukrainian
I’m hard-pressed to think of anything publishers’ recognition of what grew or ketball broadcast Olympians. A Kyiv ballerina, Lesya Vorot-

else at this time. I can’t escape into sports. shrank a paying customer base. It wasn’t But who as a sports fan can’t think about nyk, picked up an AK-47.
the Ukrainian athletes who have detoured The International Biathlon Union re-
Nor should I. I don’t even want to try, even controversy, or human tragedy.
during this most absorbing stretch of the “Newspapers tended to decrease their from their sporting careers for the fight to ported in early March that a 19-year-old
sports calendar. March Madness for me coverage of ‘hard news’ and politics,” Mc- save their country? The three-weight di- biathlete, Yevhen Malyshev, was killed
is no competition for the real madness Chesney wrote, “and instead emphasized vision world champion boxer Vasiliy Lo- defending his country. “The IBU express-
that, while overseas this time, seems oh escapist and sensational fare that would machenko, from a port city in southwest es its deepest condolences on the loss of
attract the largest possible readership. Ukraine and one of the star’s of ESPN’s former Ukrainian biathlete Yevhen Ma-
so close.
Sally Jenkins: The Olympics got in bed Sport fit perfectly within this conception boxing programming, left Greece to en- lyshev (19), who died this week serving in
list in the Ukrainian army three days af- the Ukrainian military,” the union tweet-
with autocrats like Putin. There will be of the press.
“Newspapers began to de-emphasize ter Russia invaded. He had been training ed. “The Executive Board once again con-
consequences.
I understand how so many of us have the strident political partisanship,” Mc- to fight Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. demns the Russian attacks on Ukraine
come to think of sports — to seek it out — Chesney stated. “Sports was ‘safe’ ideo- For the undisputed lightweight champi- and the support provided by Belarus.”
as some sort of haven from what distress- logically and did not antagonize any ele- onship. The current heavyweight cham- Among the cliches you have probably
pion, Oleksandr Usyk, stopped training heard too many times is one coaches and
es us, like this global pandemic in which ment of the desired readership.”
we’re still mired that has killed 6 mil- And from that, sports became a des- in London for a rematch against Anthony athletes regurgitate when something of
lion people. Or this Russian invasion of ignated refuge from the sobering and Joshua, which would have produced the unmistakable horror eclipses the routine
Ukraine that has sent 2 million Ukrainians the severe, a refuge that attracted a new biggest purse of his career, and returned of sports competition. It makes them re-
running for their lives and left hundreds and growing congregation. All of which to his native Ukraine to fight the Russians member, the refrain goes, that they are
dead, including children, who couldn’t helps explain why it shouldn’t have been a instead. just playing a game, and that there are

flee fast enough or find safe shelter. shock to hear Jimmy Pitaro all but decree, Usyk and Lomachenko joined retired more important things in the world.
Robert McChesney, a one-time free- after being handed the reins of ESPN a heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitsc-
lance sportswriter turned prominent few years back — during a time the sports hko, once an ESPN card headliner, who But that, of course, is always the case.
media scholar at the University of Illinois, network was wrestling with on-air tal- joined his country’s defense in early Feb- There is no optional reality. No matter
pointed out in his now 30-year-old sem- ent expressing strident political views — ruary. Klitschko’s older brother Vitali, an how much we wish or try.
inal analysis, “A History of Sports Cover- that his outlet would steer around what it even more decorated former heavyweight The Washington Post

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SPORT IS A

LEARNING

EXPERIENCE
Shelly Guni up,” he said. After 12-years of professional boxing, or how it could be done better. No set-

Manyuchi believes no matter where Manyuchi is also making an effort to back is permanent, never should one

Celebrated Zimbabwean pugilist one goes in life, the principle holds prepare for his life after boxing. lose hope,” Manyuchi said.
Charles Manyuchi has seen it all. that in order to achieve great success, Apart from his business interests Manyuchi won the World Boxing
The 32-year-old Manyuchi has a box- one must take risks. in transport and cattle ranching and Council (WBC) Silver title in 2016, be-
ing record of 25 wins, four defeats and “Everyone may take up sports; but farming, Manyuchi is now into min- fore events took a nasty turn, culmi-
a draw. only one may eventually become a ing. nating in the infamous first-round
“Tap that talent. It’s our talent id port. champion, but definitely all will be “Sport teaches you to plan ahead, see knock-out at the hands of Uzbek box-
Where we identify talent. We have giv- winners. through the consequences of your act. er Qudratillo Abduqaxorov on March
en out that initiative, you were saying “Sports helps an individual much You need to quickly assess the situa- 25, 2017 in Singapore.
you don’t have the facilities, you don’t more than in the physical aspects tion, adjust, adapt and act according- Manyuchi has recovered from that
know where to go if you have what it alone. It builds character, teaches and ly. Being flexible and not carry a fixed and is now the WBF middleweight and
takes to be in the sport,” he says. develops strategic thinking, changes mind-set. WABA champion.
Now based in Masvingo, the boxing lifestyle, analytical thinking, leader- “It’s through sport that I have man- “Sport teaches you to focus on your
star says he is happy with the progress ship skills, goal setting and risk tak- aged to learn how to invest in other strengths and abilities, not on your
he has made in his career so far, both ing, just to name a few. businesses. opponents’ strengths and capabili-
in and outside the ring. “For me sport has taught me some- “So my third experience is to never ties,”
“Sports has helped me and the prin- thing called fairplay. Though winning give up. Sports teaches you to nev- “Sport also teaches you that the pro-
ciples of sports continue to help me is important, losing is not a disgrace. er give up. ‘Success is just round the cess is more important than the re-
through difficult times. Being generous and graceful in victo- bend’, being persistent, nothing is im- sult. If the process is right, success
“Sports are filled with opportuni- ry as well as defeat. Have respect for possible. You never know how close will soon ensue.
ties for risk-taking, and repeated ex- the vanquished.” you are to success when you give up. “And Success is peace of mind, which
posure to these opportunities is the Manyuchi who now boasts of a num- “Sport is a great leveller - you lose is a direct result of self-satisfaction in
best training for developing a sense of ber of businesses and owns some one-day only to bounce back the next. knowing you did your best to become
when it’s a good time to take the shot properties, said if he had given up, it No loss is permanent. Even a loss the best that you are capable of be-
and when it might be better to pass it could have been a different story. teaches you how not to do something, coming,” he said.


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