NewsHawks 5 February 2021-NEW

Price

US$1

Friday 5 January 2021

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS BUSINESS SPORT

Battle lines drawn: Pension funds Zim continue
The Crocodile face liquidity search for
versus Gunner crunch quality players

Story on Page 4 Story on Page 16 Story on Page 39

Mnangagwa’s
cabinet hiatus
highlights Zim

leadership crisis

ALSO INSIDE Fresh corruption activities rock Zesa UK pushes to isolate Mnangagwa government

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Mnangagwa’s
cabinet hiatus
highlights Zim
leadership crisis

BERNARD MPOFU states that cabinet consists of the Nearly 1000 people died while nounced the renewed lockdown President Emmerson Mnangagwa
President, his two deputies and Mnangagwa was away. and made a few remarks. cumbed to Covid-19. Manicaland
AT a time when the surge in ministers appointed by the head Provincial Affairs minister Ellen
Covid-19-related deaths is dra- of state to the cabinet. The Attor- After the last cabinet meeting, Mnangagwa yesterday an- Gwaradzimba also died of corona-
matic, amid new rampant cases of ney-General and Chief Secretary at the 44thpost-cabinet briefing, nounced Zimbabwe had finalised virus. In the absence of post-cab-
the pandemic, the Zimbabwean to the President and Cabinet are government said Zimbabwe had 1 plans on its Covid-19 vaccine roll- inet briefings, then acting Infor-
government’s primary policy-mak- ex-officio members of cabinet. 0547 confirmed cases of Covid-19. out, adding 60% of the population mation minister Jenfan Muswere
ing body - cabinet - has not been would be targeted during the first periodically issued statements on
meeting, The NewsHawks has estab- The same section of the Supreme When Mnangagwa went on his phase. important issues.
lished. Law further states that: “Cabinet official leave on 1 January 4, Zim-
meetings are presided over by the babwe had 369 deaths and cumula- While government appeared Kudzai Kadzere, a Harare-based
The last time Zimbabwe’s cabi- President or, in his absence, by a tively 15 829 cases. Upon his return to have been on auto-pilot, an human rights lawyer, said while the
net met was on 8 December 2020. Vice-President or, in their absence, on February 1, there were 1 234 inter-ministerial task force on constitution is silent on how reg-
This well before President Emmer- by a minister referred to in Section Covid-19 fatalities. This means 865 Covid-19 was occasionally making ular cabinet should meet, Clause
son Mnangagwa went on his annu- 100 (1)(c).” people died while he was away. As decisions apparently directed by the 3 of the country’s Supreme Law
al leave from 1 January 2021 to 1 of yesterday there were 34 171 cases president. which deals with the national ob-
February 2021. This suggest cabinet does not and 1 288 fatalities. jectives speaks to good governance,
only have to meet when the Pres- Last March, Mnangagwa ap- which implies it is a requirement
Mnangagwa’s co-deputies, Mo- ident is there; it can and should While Mnangagwa was away, pointed 11-member inter-ministe- for cabinet to meet regularly. Good
hadi and Constantino Chiwenga, meet even in his absence given its there was little visibility for his dep- rial ad hoc taskforce on Covid-19 governance cannot be served by er-
alternated as acting president in-be- critical role in decision-making and uties on Covid-19-related issues, or after Zimbabwe reported first cases ratic meetings or a cabinet hiatus.
tween. Mohadi held the fort from 1 governance processes. anything related to public affairs. of the pandemic.
January to 14 January, while Chi- “Cabinet is the highest deci-
wenga came in from 15 January to But when Mnangagwa was on While he was acting president, The taskforce includes former sion-making body and citizens
1 February, although he was hardly leave none of his deputies chaired Mohadi made some statements on Health minister Obadiah Moyo, expect all-hands-on deck from
visible as he was said to have been a cabinet meeting. Even then, cab- purported availability of intensive who chaired the team, July Moyo, it, especially during a time of an
“exhausted”. inet had last meet on 8 December care unit beds, while Chiwenga, deputy chair (Local Govern- emergency like right now with the
before he went on leave. who was largely holed up at his ment and Public Works), Oppah Covid-19 situation. The failure by
Chiwenga’s health is frail after Chinese villa in Borrowdale, an- Muchinguri-Kashiri (Defence and cabinet to meet regularly, as im-
he fell seriously ill and was flown as When he came back on Tuesday War Veterans Affairs), Kazembe plied in the constitution, is serious
an emergency to China for medical — traditional cabinet meeting day Kazembe (Home Affairs and Cul- dereliction of duty. While there is a
treatment in 2019. — Mnangagwa did not convene an tural Heritage), the late Foreign taskforce in place dealing with the
expected cabinet meeting, physical- Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo, the pandemic it is not enough and does
However, there was confusion ly or virtually. late Transport minister Joel Biggie not and cannot substitute cabinet,”
within the executive yesterday after Matiza, Mangaliso Ndlovu (En- Kadzere told The NewsHawks in an
Mnangagwa addressed as someone There are always post-cabinet vironment, Climate, Tourism and interview.
back at work, while Chiwenga is- media briefings introduced after Hospitality Industry), Mthuli Ncu-
sued a statement, saying he was still Mnangagwa came into power in be (Finance and Economic Devel- “It must also be remembered
the acting president. 2017. The last one was on 8 De- opment), Professor Amon Murwira that cabinet has a five-year tenure
cember 2020. Constitutionally, (Higher and Tertiary Education, derived from the national elections.
Mohadi and Chiwenga did not Mnangagwa’s office exists to capac- Innovation and Science Technolo- Its scope for operation is thus lim-
hold any cabinet meetings for the itate and help him in leading state gy Development and Information, ited, hence time lost cannot be re-
whole of last month, just as Mnan- and government institutions to ex- Publicity and Broadcasting Services covered, particularly during such
gagwa failed to do so this week ecute his constitutional responsibil- Monica Mutsvangwa. times of adversity and crisis due to
upon his return to work. Prior to ities and duties. This is articulated Covid-19.”
that, he had failed to hold cabinet in Section 89 and 90 of the consti- Moyo, Matiza and Shiri suc-
after 8 December 2020. tution.

The failure by cabinet to meet The office is mandated to pro-
has raised eyebrows and fundamen- vide strategic policy direction, co-
tal questions on Mnangagwa’s lead- ordination, monitoring, advisory
ership form and content, style and oversight, planning and ensuring
fitness to govern. It has also raised efficient service delivery of govern-
queries about decisions which have ment ministries and departments.
been made and announced of late
to contain Covid-19, as well as on While the cabinet is in hiatus,
other issues — suggesting an arbi- Covid-19 cases and deaths spiked.
trary exercise of power or derelic-
tion of duty, or both.

Zimbabwe’s government is run
through a cabinet system. Hence,
cabinet makes critical decisions and
interventions for government min-
istries, departments and authorities
— the professional state bureaucra-
cy - to implement.

The Office of the President and
Cabinet is the highest office in the
land. It comprises Mnangagwa,
Mohadi and Chiwenga, cabinet
ministers and ministers of state.

Section 105 of the constitution

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Fresh corruption irregularities rock Zesa

BERNARD MPOFU in IT department before it brings “There are syndicates involving ployees. The company is resisting to for a fee by ZETDC IT people at
the whole company to knees. There people from IT Head Office and change its defective IT systems cit- Head Office and in the regions. The
POWER utility, Zimbabwe Elec- are a number of improper decisions regions billings section. Despite ing budgetary constraints,” a source problem is that IT experts who are
tricity Supply Authority (Zesa) has that have been made by the IT boss- leakages in the IT systems, there has said. occupying lower positions at Zesa
been rocked by a fresh scandal after es that are exposing the company to been no proper audit by external know much more than IT bosses
it emerged that one of its subsidiar- risk,” a source said. people because senior people at Zesa “The problem is that Zesa has de- and are also sharing the loot with the
ies, Zimbabwe Electricity Transmis- are involved. Zesa is using outdat- liberately ignored complaints from bosses.”
sion and Distribution Company A 2019 forensic Zesa audit un- ed billing and prepaid systems that users on the challenges experienced
(ZETDC), could be losing millions earthed massive irregularities and are prone to manipulation by em- with IT systems. It’s well known that Zesa’s billing system was supplied
of United States dollars through corruption at the power utility. bills were and are still being deleted by a company called Indra. The sys-
the manipulation of Information tem has been given the company
Technology systems on billing by nightmares over the years, but de-
its employees, The NewsHawks has spite the problems, the power utility
established. has been acquiring more modules
and upgrading the defective system
IT fraudsters at Zesa manipulate instead of replacing it by newer more
– reduce or increase bills – for pay- secure systems, sources said.
ments depending on the request. An
ongoing ZEDTDC audit has found “SAP has similar billing systems
that the IT-driven fraud on the bill- which are much better than the sys-
ing system is rampant. tem supplied by Indra. The SAP pro-
posal was turned down when they
A police dragnet has also result- offered Zesa. A team of engineers
ed in the arrest of some employees who were appointed to carry out due
in connection with the fraudulent diligence requested by Procurement
activities, police have confirmed. Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe
Sources said the corrupt activities when Zesa wanted to renew contract
has been happening for years and for ICS Billing system shared with
a number of people have been dis- us that the Indra systems are inferior
missed from work for defrauding the and outdated compared to systems
subsidiary of revenue through ma- from SAP and other IT vendors in
nipulation of the billing IT system. the market,” the sources said.

Zesa no longer uses a flat tar-
iff. Instead, it uses a stepped tariff.
What this means is that the first few
units customers buy are cheaper.
For instance, the first 50 units one
buys each month cost ZW$1.63
each. The next 51-100 units cost
ZW$3.27 each. Each month one
can buy 400 kWh at a discounted
rate of ZW$2 74.3

ZEDTC IT employees Joseph
Wagutsiwa (36), a billing clerk, and
Darlington Chiputura (41), a prin-
cipal systems analyst, have been ar-
rested over the corrupt activities.

ZETDC acting managing direc-
tor Lovemore Chinaka said he was
not aware of the issue as he was out
of town.

Zesa executive chair Sydney Gata
confirmed the internal audit was on-
going, but declined to give details.

“The audit is ongoing and is
confidential. Vanhu varikutaurwa
vakawandisa (a lot of people are cur-
rently being investigated) and its on-
going and I wonder why you want to
write about that when its ongoing.
Munondishamisa maZimbabweans
(Zimbabweans are just amazing),” a
terse Gata said in a telephone inter-
view.

Police spokesperson Paul Nyathi
confirmed the arrests, saying they
came after a tip-off. Following the
lead, police officers set up a trap for
the two.

“I can confirm the arrest of Joseph
Wagutsiwa (36) and Darlington
Chiputura (41), a principal systems
analyst at ZETDC. Police set up a
trap when they approached Wagutsi-
wa who is a billing clerk based in
Kadoma with the intention of buy-
ing tokens. Upon his arrest he impli-
cated Chiputura who he said would
assist him in generating Zesa tokens
fraudulently,” Nyathi said.

A whistle-blower had reported to
Zesa loss control and the police cor-
rupt officials.

Chiputura, sources said, was
working with some officials from
the department, who have been sus-
pended, to manipulate the system.

“The executive chairman needs
to take action and sort out the rot

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

OWEN GAGARE Battle lines drawn: The although Chiwenga had an up-
Crocodile versus Gunner per-hand after the coup. The
AFTER his initial daring purg- vice-president’s ill-health has
es of military commanders who · Chiwenga’s army faction suffers heavy casualities been a major drawback for the
propelled him to power through · Mnangagwa consolidates power ahead of congress military faction. On many oc-
a military coup in November casions Mnangagwa has purged
2017, President Emmerson Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga Chiwenga’s allies while he is out
Mnangagwa is now capitalising of the country, seeking treat-
on political contingency and It also influenced the coup. oted the coup including the vorce proceedings with his wife ment.
opportunities triggered by the Chiwenga, Shiri and Moyo commander of the Presiden- Marry Chiwenga nee Mubaiwa.
death of four ministers due to tial Guards Battalion retired Sanyatwe presented the Mubai- Chiwenga and his allies have
Covid-19 to consolidate power were critical in the planning and Lieutenant-General Anselem wa family with Chiwenga’s di- been trying to regroup and re-
and ensure he survives the Zanu execution of the 2017 coup. Sanyatwe - were removed in vorce token (gupuro), a tradi- cover lost ground with their eyes
PF elective congress next year, February 2019 while Chiwenga tional way of confirming that a fixed on next year’s congress and
insiders say. Besides being the face of was battling ill-health in China. marriage is irretrievably broken. the 2023 elections.
the coup, Moyo was one of the
The sources said Mnangagwa key architects of the operation Commanders retired ahead of Another big blow for the Chi- As exclusively reported by The
is moving to tighten his dead against Mugabe and worked diplomatic assignments, includ- wenga camp was the removal NewsHawks recently, Chiwenga,
man’s grip on power by phasing hand-in-glove with Chiwenga ed former Zimbabwe National of retired Lieutenant-General Moyo and Rugeje met in Victo-
out the military in cabinet, while when he was in charge of the Army chief-of-staff retired Lieu- Engelbert Rugeje from heading ria Falls in December where they
bringing in close political allies. military’s business units, which tenant-General Douglas Nyika- the Zanu PF’s critical mass mo- discussed, among other things, a
became central in building a war yaramba, who was chief-of-staff bilisation political commissariat. fightback strategy.
Mnangagwa is also seeking chest to execute the mission. responsible for service person- Rugeje operated in the war room
to seal his position as the par- nel and logistics, retired Lieu- during the coup. This was the nucleus of the
ty’s presidential candidate in the Before working with Chiwen- tenant-General Martin Che- 2017 coup, together with some
2023 elections, although he had ga, Moyo worked with former dondo and retired Air Marshal Soon after the coup, Chiwen- who have been retired by Mnan-
initially agreed to a deal with his Central Intelligence Organi- Sheba Shumbayawonda. ga arm-twisted Mnangagwa to gagwa in a bid to neutralise the
co-deputy Constantino Chiwen- sation (CIO) director-general appoint Rugeje as political com- military faction.
ga to serve one term after being Happyton Bonyongwe, a retired In May 2019, Mnangagwa missar ahead of his preferred
thrust into power by the army. Major-General, when he was then appointed Sanyatwe Zim- candidate Victor Matemadanda, “Chiwenga was in Victoria
still in the army. babwe’s Ambassador to Tanza- albeit temporarily. Mnangag- Falls during the festive period,
Chiwenga, who was the Zim- nia, while Nyikayaramba was wa later removed Rugeje from with a group of 15 family mem-
babwe Defence Forces com- After assuming power, Mnan- posted to Maputo, Mozambique. the position before appointing bers and friends. Moyo was also
mander during the coup, was gagwa unleashed a wave of Chedondo was sent to China. Matemadanda in June 2019. there with his family, including
tipped to take over from 2023. purges in the military, police his wife. Rugeje was also there.
and CIO targeting Mugabe and Sanyatwe had a personal rela- Mnangagwa’s cumulative ma- There were many VIPs in town.
However, to Chiwenga’s shock former first lady Grace Mugabe’s tionship with Chiwenga to the noeuvres have shifted the bal- Hotels were full, restaurants and
and chagrin Mnangagwa and allies, before going for Chiwen- extent that he flew from Tanza- ance of power in Zanu PF Mnan- the rainforest buzzing with a hive
his supporters started pushing ga’s loyalists. nia to assist him finalise his di- gagwa’s favour – at least for now, of activity. These VIPs couldn’t
for the president to remain in travel out of the country due to
charge beyond 2023 as early Key commanders - who piv- Covid-19, so they swarmed local
as December 2018 during the tourist destinations,” a security
ruling party’s Esigodini annual source told The NewsHawksa
conference. fortnight ago.

Sources say Mnangagwa has “Moyo was staying in the
been buoyed by the death of two presidential suite at Victoria
critical figures in Chiwenga’s Falls Hotel, but when Chiwen-
military faction, former Agri- ga arrived he vacated it for him
culture minister and Air Force and moved to Elephant Hills
of Zimbabwe Commander Per- Resort. Rugeje was also staying
rence Shiri and Rretired Lieu- at Elephant Hills. The three had
tenant-General General Sibusiso a number of meetings, in which
Moyo, who was Foreign Affairs they discussed family issues,
minister. holiday events and serious polit-
ical matters. Their meetings will
Shiri and Moyo were critical have a bearing on how political
political cogs in the Chiwenga events will unfold going forward
faction. but Moyo’s death will affect so
many things.”
After Shiri’s death in July
last year, Chiwenga and his ar- Rugeje has been doing grass-
my-driven faction pushed for roots work for the military fac-
his replacement with a person tion after they lost Shiri who was
with a military background, but also doing a lot of work. Shiri
Mnangagwa appointed his ally also took advantage of his role
from Masvingo Anxious Jongwe as Agriculture minister cham-
Masuka. pioning the Pfumvudza project,
which in essence is a Zanu PF
One of Mnangagwa’s key grassroots mobilisation tool, to
strategies has been to mainly ap- mobilise for Chiwenga.
point his ethnic Karanga home-
boys, mostly from Midlands and Shiri and Moyo’s death have
Masvingo provinces, into key left Chiwenga’s faction weak-
positions as part of a power con- ened, while its leader – the
solidation strategy. This is widely Vice-President – is now isolated
seen as continuation of Mugabe’s in cabinet after losing his most
ethnic and regional politics – powerful lieutenants, Shiri and
politicisation and weaponisation Moyo.
of ethnicity for political ends.
When Chiwenga was acting
Mugabe mainly appointed his President between 15 January
ethnic Zezuru homeboys into and 1 February, Chienga spent
key positions throughout his 37 most of his time marooned at his
years in power. This was the main Chinese Golden Peacock Villa
reason for the Tsholotsho Dec- Hotel located along Kingsmead
laration of 2004 which sought Road in Borrowdale where he
to rotate leadership among the has been staying after his di-
Zezuru, Karanga, Manyika and vorce.
Ndebele socio-ethnic groupings.

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

MORRIS BISHI Police, Zanu PF syndicates
in new illegal gold panning
ZANU PF and police syndi-
cates have taken over mining at Illegal gold panning activities rampant in Zimbabwe
the gold-rich Wondedzo Hill in
Masvingo North, 23 kilometres “We stopped operations at the those whom they give access. At the show here; if you don’t pay demand a lion’s share of public
from Zimbabwe’s oldest town, site last week and if there is any times their ore is taken by po- them, then you have to leave,” resources and party members
after sealing it off and clearing activity going on it is illegal. We lice vehicles, meaning the deal said Chikwanda. doing that are tarnishing the
thousands of miners who had are going to investigate the issue is involving senior officers in party. He said local communities
camped on the hill in search of so that we can take corrective the province. The guys (Police) Masosote, who was also at should be given priority in min-
the precious mineral. measures as the law enforcement are the ones who are running the mining site, said it is not ing opportunities.
agents,” said Dhewa. Zanu PF policy for members to
Police officers from the Sup-
port Unit sealed off the hill last A detective with the police Shining Light In The Dark Corners
week, but The NewsHawks, as Minerals, Flora and Fauna unit
well as interviews with villagers said that it is not surprising to Something New
and other stakeholders, revealed see top officials in the province Something For You
that Zanu PF officials and po- allowing mining activities to go
lice officers were either mining on at the site of the gold rush de- #STAYWOKE
or, in some instances, allowing spite the Covid-19 outbreak. He
their syndicates to mine. This said senior government officials Have You Liked Our Facebook Page and Twitter Handle?
comes after shutting out the vil- in the province were controlling
lagers and gold panners who had cartels involved in mining and The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLife www.newshawks.com join@thenewshawks.com
rushed in from as far afield as dealing.
Shurugwi and Kwekwe.
“What you are seeing here is
Police officers moved into the not surprising. There are hun-
area last week under the guise dreds of people despite the
of restoring order and also en- coronavirus, yes they are not
forcing the Covid-19 lockdown worried about it, and they only
regulations which, among oth- want gold. They are in power but
er stipulations, seeks to ensure their hands are found in all plac-
social distancing and disperse es where the precious mineral is
crowds. found and as junior cops we can
do nothing because they work
There were, however, large together with our superiors,”
numbers of people illegally min- said the detective who requested
ing gold last Saturday and Sun- not to be named.
day, despite the hill being sealed
off, including Zanu PF Masv- Tanaka Chikwanda from
ingo political commissar Jevas Nerupiri in Gutu South said po-
Masosote and members of the lice officers were making a kill-
women and youth leagues. ing from illegal mining on the
hill. He said his syndicate was
Masvingo Rural District allowed to extract gold ore from
councillor for ward 32 Stephen the tunnel on Friday night. They
Munyenyiwa told The News- were supposed to stop at 6am,
Hawks that members of the sup- but had to continue until 10am
port unit stationed at Wondedzo on Saturday after the police of-
Hill had taken over mining ac- ficers demanded 15 bags of ore.
tivities in the area.
“They are collecting ore from
Munyenyiwa said the police
officers are running syndicates
and demanding bribes from
miners.

“I met the officer commanding
Masvingo District on Wednes-
day to formally complain against
the conduct of police officers
who are stationed at Wondedzo
Hill. They are running syndi-
cates that are mining in the area
and demanding bribes. Given
that the security officers have
their fingers on the gold, we
want to know, who will guard
the guards? I think they should
be investigated because they are
always drunk, assaulting people
without hesitation. We want
people from the community to
benefit first before other people
come in,” said Munyenyiwa.

Masvingo police spokesperson
Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa
said law enforcement agents had
sealed off Wondedzo Hill af-
ter the gold rush last week and
now there are no activities going
on. However, he said police will
investigate reports that officers
protecting the area are involved
in illegal mining activities in-
cluding conniving with syndi-
cates.

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

ULongKReapd ushes to
further isolate
the Mnangagwa
government

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE in Zanu PF after its political dalliance
with the main opposition MDC had
THE United Kingdom’s unexpected not yield the desired results.
move this week to impose sanctions Laing worked frantically behind-
on four Zimbabwean security chiefs the-scenes to support, profile and
for human rights violations — fol- prop up Mnangagwa. She launched a
lowing a series of critical pronounce- daring campaign which included mo-
ments in recent months — signifies a bilising domestic, diplomatic, inter-
major policy shift, diplomatic sources national and media support for him.
say. She even went to the extent of in-
viting mainstream media editors for
In a move seen in Harare as an luncheons at her Chisipite official
unexpected kick in the teeth, the residence to sell and buttress her cam-
UK, now autonomous to make solo paign.
decisions on sanctions after breaking In off-the-record meetings with
away from the European Union, an- editors, Laing made it clear that
nounced new sanctions, including a Mnangagwa was the British horse in
travel ban and asset freeze, on State the race to succeed the late former
Security minister Owen Ncube, Cen- president Robert Mugabe ahead of
tral Intelligence Organisation direc- his preferred candidate, then Defence
tor-general Isaac Moyo, Zimbabwe minister Sydney Sekeramayi, not his Former British ambassador to Harare Catriona Laing with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Republic Police commissioner-gener-
al Godwin Matanga and retired Lieu- wife Grace as most pro-Mnangagwa
tenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe, media claimed at the time.
former commander of the Presiden- “Laing engaged political actors, course, Britain was not doing it for babwe’s own Deng Xiaoping in the economic environment for Mnan-
tial Guard, now Zimbabwe’s ambas- Mnangagwa, but for its own nation- whispering campaign. gagwa when he came in. This was
sador to Tanzania. captains of industry, diplomats, ac- al interest; we were clear on all those done through the Lima Plan which
tivists and media as well as diplomats, issues. Laing was even prepared to fight was fronted by former Finance minis-
UK Foreign secretary Dominic international financial institutions Mnangagwa critics to get her way. As ter Patrick Chinamasa, a Mnangagwa
Raab said the security sector chiefs and the international community to “The meetings were off-the-record a result, she had a nasty fallout with ally.
were responsible for serious human push the subtle campaign for Mnan- so we can’t really go into the details, main opposition MDC Alliance dep-
rights violations, including the deaths gagwa to take over from Mugabe,” but briefly the point is Laing sought uty leader Tendai Biti, who was then “Biti and Laing had nasty ex-
of 23 Zimbabwean protestors in Au- one editor who attended some of the to profile and promote Mnangagwa People’s Democratic Party leader, over changes over her moves to help install
gust 2018 and January 2019. briefings told The NewsHawks. as a reformer, business friendly leader the issue. Mnangagwa as leader. Biti was op-
and efficient administrator — which posed to it, saying it was wrong for
“These sanctions send a clear mes- “Basically, she pivoted the plot and of course some of us knew he wasn’t Biti, with the support of some Britain and even for Zimbabweans to
sage that we will hold to account those campaign to impose Mnangagwa. — who had liberation struggle cre- United States officials, was manoeu- push for the ‘Butcher of Bhalagwe’ (a
responsible for the most egregious hu- That is why after the coup, she even dentials and military support; so for vring in the diplomatic shadows and reference to a Gukurahundi killing
man rights violations, including the went to the unprecedented extent of her he was shoo-in to take over from international financial institution camp called Bhalagwe in Kezi, Mata-
deaths of innocent Zimbabweans,” putting on Mnangagwa’s scarf right Mugabe.” boardrooms to block a British-backed beleland South province) to become
Raab said. “These sanctions target in front of No. 10 Downing Street, plan to help Zimbabwe clear its ar- president as that would keep the
senior individuals in the government, Britain’s highest political office. Of Mnangagwa was packaged as Zim- rears and debts to create a conducive country locked in a cycle of political
and not ordinary Zimbabweans. We
will continue to press for the neces- violence, impunity and failure,” a
sary political and economic reforms source said.
that will benefit all Zimbabweans.” “Internationally, Liang was lob-
bying through embassies for Mnan-
UK Minister for Africa James gagwa and international financial
Duddridge reinforced Prime Minis- institutions, but Biti and others
ter Boris Johnson’s message, saying threw spanners in the works. Biti
investors were not coming to Zim- reached out and managed to scuttle
babwe due to three things: arbitrary the Lima Plan — of course helped
violations of property rights; currency by Zimbabwe’s bankruptcy and fail-
volatility and concerns over the legal ure to pay its obligations, as well as
system or judicial independence. its lack of creditworthiness — by go-
ing to Washington DC, London and
This was the first significant policy Scandinavian capitals, as well as the
step by London not just to criticise Paris Club to explain why funding a
Mnangagwa’s government, but also Mnangagwa regime would not help
to boldly move to isolate it from the reform and recovery.”
international community, restoring Informed diplomats said before
the pre-2017 coup pariah state status. and after the coup, London was the
fulcrum of the Mnangagwa power
The move marked a 360-degree bid in various ways. Its institutions,
diplomatic somersault by London to- state and non-state actors, pushed
wards Harare. collaborative processes with the Zim-
babwean government representatives,
Stephen Chan, a British-based private sector, investors and business
professor of world politics who fol- organisations, civil society and ex-
lows Zimbabwean issues closely, said perts, drawing on best practice and
London’s move was “very direct”, senior-level insights to identify pol-
although “diplomatically clumsy” – icy options for long-term economic
marking a new policy shift. “Clumsy, revival and expansion, and pathways
but direct. Pointed,” he said. for the Mnangagwa project.
Former British Minister for Africa Rory Stewart with President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare. After the coup, the British govern-
Britain had through its ambassador
to Harare Catriona Laing, before the
November 2017 military coup which
brought Mnangagwa to power, ma-
noeuvred to secure change from with-

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

ment enthusiastically demonstrated British Prime Minister Boris Johnson with the late Zimbabwean Foreign minister Sibusiso Moyo.
its goodwill by dramatically changing
its diplomatic stance towards Zim- crew and individuals like the trade Development Board. Its chair Clare uation in Zimbabwe justifies them.” but to also institute a wider raft of
babwe through a number of firsts in lawyer and novelist Petina Gappah, Akamanzi was in Zimbabwe in April In 2017, Britain had been willing confidence-inspiring reforms for both
decades. purported investment and trade ex- 2018 to impart advice to the govern- the overt and covert partners and sup-
perts, were roped in around him. ment on how to attract foreign direct to support Zimbabwe’s readmission porters of the military action”.
Former British Africa minister investment. to the club of mostly former British
Rory Stewart was among the first on The co-option process also target- colonies, the Commonwealth. “I think there is currently neither
the coup crime scene, arriving in the ed business, civil society and media, However, human rights abuses, appetite nor indeed capacity to struc-
country ahead of Mnangagwa’s inau- as well as critics. Even private media particularly the killing of six civilians But in February 2019 Baldwin ture and implement reform policies
guration in November 2017. His visit — except a few publications — were by soldiers on 1 August 2018 and the made a dramatic change and said her and actions aimed at pacifying the
was the first such high-profile visit in roped in subtly. They happily joined killing of 17 persons in January 2019, country would no longer back Zim- West. This is because the administra-
two decades. This was under former the bandwagon and even refused to as well as abductions, torture and ar- babwe’s plan to return to the Com- tion is over-stretched and fighting in-
prime minister Theresa May’s govern- acknowledge Mnangagwa was a coup rests of political activists, have hard- monwealth because of human rights tractable battles on too many fronts,”
ment. May was replaced by current leader at the time. ened Britain’s stance on Zimbabwe. violations. Zinyama said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Harare had its ducks is a row. Re- Mnangagwa has also failed to in- The NewsHawks reached out to In fact, I foresee the country sink-
In a statement before the ceremo- gionally, the geo-economic power troduce political and economic re- Laing who is now deployed in Ni- ing further into autocratic terrain as
ny, Stewart described the change in South Africa, Southern African De- forms he promised. After the August geria for her thoughts on the course the government will obviously have to
leadership as “an absolutely critical velopment Community and the Afri- 2018 killings, the British government Zimbabwe has taken, considering the rely more on coercive instruments to
moment” after Mugabe’s “ruinous can Union were lined up to support continued to support Mnangagwa, effort she made in propping up the manage the ever-increasing pressures
rule”. Mnangagwa. These moves were con- hoping the Kgalema Motlanthe-led Mnangagwa regime. from internal political players.”
sidered as a sign of confidence in the commission of inquiry he instituted
In February 2018, Stewart’s re- “New Dispensation” and its policies. to investigate the killings would en- However, her team in Nigeria Zinyama said the objective of
placement Harriett Baldwin for her sure the perpetrators were brought to refused to comment, referring the meaningful policy change had not
first visit came to Zimbabwe, mark- Diplomats then revealed the UK book. Duddridge this week said until publication to the British embassy been achieved through talks, so now it
ing the second UK ministerial visit to wanted a Rwandan model in Zim- the Zimbabwean government genu- in Harare. Hain is also another offi- is being compelled through sanctions.
the country in a short time. babwe, which blends authoritarian inely reforms, the UK will continue cial to change his tune on Zimbabwe
methods and homegrown solutions to criticise Mnangagwa’s regime. after proclaiming the country would “It’s also possible that Britain
“The past few months have seen with international best practice from rise from the ashes.Of late, he has considers these new additions to the
momentous change in Zimbabwe developmental states and the West, “The UK is committed to support- been criticising the Mnangagwa gov- sanctions list as the obstacles to the
and it is a privilege to visit at such a particularly the US, without emulat- ing Zimbabwe’s long-term success. ernment for “escalating human rights proposed and promised reforms. In
pivotal time,” she said, adding that ing their democratic governance sys- But the onus is on the Zimbabwean violations”. He is now calling for fur- other words, these are the specific in-
Britain was “committed to working tems. government to show it is willing to ther sanctions on key Zimbabwean dividuals whom they see as obstacles
with the government of Zimbabwe take steps to make critical political ministers and security chiefs. to the implementation of the prom-
for a bright, prosperous and hopeful Mnangagwa later met Rwanda and economic reforms the country ised reforms. So, in that case Zimba-
future for all Zimbabweans”. President Paul Kagame on the side- needs. This includes taking a different International relations expert bwe would be punished for failing to
lines of the 10th extraordinary sum- approach to upholding constitutional Tawanda Zinyama said the sanc- live up to its own word, as promised
In March 2018, Laing – who spear- mit of the African Union in March rights and tackling corruption than in tions are an additional “stick” to try in the pre- and immediate post-tran-
headed the campaign – stirred con- 2018. Like Kagame, Mnangagwa in the past. Until then, we will not shy to “prod the administration to not sition period,” he said.
troversy after being pictured wearing January 2019 appointed a 26-mem- away from defending human rights. only live up to its original promises,
Mnangagwa’s trademark scarf during ber Pac dominated by his cronies. We will continue to work alongside
a visit to No. 10 Downing Street. our international partners as a global Former British ambassador to Harare Catriona Laing wearing President Em-
Rwanda’s Pac, a group of eminent force for good, dedicated to foster- merson Mnangagwa’s scarf in front of N0. 10 Downing Street in London.
Also for the first time in 20 years, experts who offer strategic advice to ing more resilient and just societies,”
in May 2018, the British government Kagame on strategic development, Duddridge said in an opinion-editori-
in partnership with Standard Chart- was established in 2007. It has steered al article published in a South African
ed Bank extended a US$100 million the East African country to relative publication.
direct commercial loan to Zimbabwe economic prosperity, a model that
for the private sector. Mnangagwa sought to emulate, while “A more peaceful, prosperous, and
also pursuing his co-option strategy. democratic Zimbabwe is in all our in-
Even influential British politicians terests. Sadly, the repercussions of an
like Lord Peter Hain – who was doing However, Mnangagwa’s Pac has unstable, economically mismanaged
public relations for Africa Chrome turned out to be a disastrous public Zimbabwe, beset by corruption, are
Resources initially jointly owned by relations branding process. being carried by ordinary Zimbabwe-
the Ministry of Defence and the Pres- ans and are being felt across the bor-
ident’s South African associates – flew Kagame’s panel is mainly com- der in South Africa and throughout
to Harare to hold talks with Mnan- posed of a variety of individuals with the region.
gagwa. notable expertise in different spheres
and also involves experts from other “In 2017, President Emmerson
Hain famously described the coup nations like the US, but Mnangagwa Mnangagwa committed to reforms to
as a “dramatic shift in power with- relied on local skills who are mainly bring legislation and practice in line
in the ruling Zanu PF elites” as the his cheerleaders. with Zimbabwe’s constitution. This is
British and their Zimbabwean allies encouraging. But sanctions will be re-
struggled to set a new narrative for In a bid to replicate the Rwandan tained as long as the human rights sit-
Mnangagwa. model, Mnangagwa was also set to
establish an investment council in the
Thereafter, the branding of Mnan- mould of the highly regarded Rwanda
gagwa was intensified under labels
and refrains like “New Dispensation”,
“Second Republic” and “Zimbabwe
is Open for Business” – a narrative
which has since collapsed.

British officials and their Zim-
babwean allies always lurked in the
propaganda echo chambers to help
promote

Mnangagwa who suddenly found
himself featuring in the world’s most
influential media outlets, including
The Financial Times and The New
York Times.

Mnangagwa was prominently
paraded on international stages like
the World Economic Forum in Da-
vos, Switzerland, while efforts were
made to secure him the services of a
Cambridge-trained and Oxford and
London School of Economics visit-
ing scholar, Professor Mthuli Ncube
— a financial mathematician — as
Finance minister.

The late Foreign and International
Trade minister Sibusiso Moyo led the
re-engagement process; his hunting
ground being London, not Washing-
ton DC, Brussels or Beijing.

A group of businesspersons, sup-
posed technocrats and young tech-
no-savvy individuals, including the
Presidential Advisory Council (Pac)

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

ZimRights sues govt over Covid-19

NYASHA CHINGONO

THE Zimbabwe Human Rights As- ZimRights national director Dzikamai Bere
sociation (ZimRights) has issued the
government a seven-day ultimatum Covax programme. der) inter alia that compels the given any timelines on procurement, cember to 60% in January 2021. In
to release critical information on the “The first respondent (Minister of respondents to do the following. vaccine name, type or origin as well desperation to survive the pandemic,
procurement and rollout strategy of Allocate, disclose the budget and as how the vaccination programme the citizens have resorted to untested
Covid-19 vaccines. Health) has failed to work with oth- identify the resources that will be will be carried out. domestic remedies; whose efficacy is
er organisations such as the African required to purchase and distribute suspect to say the least.”
The human rights organisation Union, SADC and other regional the Covid-19 vaccine. Provide and Some African countries have ei-
on Wednesday filed an urgent High governments such as South Africa publish times frames for acquisition ther ordered vaccines or taken deliv- The lawyers accuse President
Court application citing President in order to ensure vaccine support and distribution of the Covid-19 ery of their first batches as is the case Mnangagwa of failing: “to protect
Emmerson Mnangagwa, the minis- to the Republic of Zimbabwe,” reads vaccine and the cost thereof. Publish with South Africa. the people of Zimbabwe by acquir-
ter of Health, Vice-President Con- the application. a detailed National Deployment and ing testing and providing a rollout
stantino Chiwenga and Finance Vaccination Plan for Covid-19 vac- In a letter written to the govern- plan for Covid-19 vaccines.”
minister Mthuli Ncube as respon- “As we hereby do, that the govern- cines with requisite time frames and ment on 27 January through its law-
dents, compelling them to release a ment discloses the plan and status of implementation.” yers DNM Attorneys, ZimRights ZimRight’s bid to force govern-
comprehensive budget for Covid-19 the procurement plan and strategy expressed fear that the second wave ment transparency follows a High
vaccines in Parliament. of Covid-19 vaccines to the nation Despite having a year to plan for of infections would further strain Court order compelling the Health
including timelines and the rollout an upsurge in cases and procurement the health sector where the recovery ministry to disseminate information
The application, filed by lawyer plan for the vaccine. In the event of of Covid-19 vaccines, an investiga- rate has tumbled from 90% in De- on private and public testing, isola-
Tendai Biti, came after the ministry failure to publish the information re- tion by The NewsHawks a fortnight cember to 60% in January 2021. tion and treatment of Covid-19.
of Health ignored a letter written quested, our client shall pursue oth- ago showed the government was yet
by the rights group on 27 January er actions to enforce its fundamental to write to the WHO to officially “Since the turn of 2021, Zimba- The order was granted on 21 Jan-
giving the government seven days rights in terms of the constitution. request vaccines under the Covax bwe has witnessed a sharp spike in uary following an urgent applica-
to release the information on Covid facility. Covid-19 infections and fatalities. tion filed by the Media Institute of
vaccines. “The rationale and purpose of this It is evident that the pandemic has Southern Africa (Misa) Zimbabwe.
application is to seek a declarator de- The NewsHawks also gathered landed in the country in full force
ZimRights contends that due to claring the respondents’ omission in that Zimbabwe’s bid to acquire the and it continues to stretch and test Misa says the current information
the rising Covid-19 cases and fatal- failing to provide Covid-19 vaccines Chinese vaccine had been marred by the capacity of our healthcare sys- and reportage is inadequate and un-
ities, the government must treat the to Zimbabwe as a breach of Zimba- government lethargy. tem,” the letter reads that govern- informative.
issue of vaccines as a matter of ur- bweans’ right to life and health as ment ignored.
gency. protected by Section 48 and 78 of Although government officials There have been concerns over
the Constitution.” maintain there are funds to purchase “Official statistics seem to show the government’s reporting of the
“This application is one to com- Covid-19 vaccines, they have not that the national recovery rate has Covid-19 pandemic, raising fears
pel the respondents to publicise a “We therefore seek for an (or- plummeted from over 90% in De- that infection numbers and deaths
Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan and are being under-reported.
strategy,” reads the application.

The rights organisation argues
that the government should also
provide a comprehensive financial
plan to back up the vaccination pro-
gramme.

“The obligation to acquire the
vaccine, surely must be a primary
role of the government. It is embar-
rassing that the 2021 National Bud-
get did not provide for that reaction
and purchase of vaccine drugs. It is
embarrassing that in this late stage,
there is no plan for the acquisition
of Covid-19 drugs,” the application
reads.

“This is an application to com-
pel the government to provide the
resources and publish a plan for the
registration of Covid vaccines, the
storage of Covid vaccine and most
importantly the distribution plan
for these vaccines,” further reads the
application.

ZimRights lawyers state that gov-
ernment has failed to kickstart a crit-
ical Covid-19 campaign in compar-
ison to other African countries who
have already begun vaccine rollout
programmes.

“Notwithstanding the availabili-
ty of the vaccines, the respondents,
jointly and severally have failed to
put in measures to ensure the roll-
out and availability of the Covid-19
vaccines to Zimbabweans. Their
failure has resulted in the loss of life.
In short, the respondent omissions
and commissions have breached the
rights of Zimbabweans to life and
health protected by the constitution
of Zimbabwe,” the lawyers argue.

The government has been accused
of failing to communicate a clear
strategy to combat the pandemic
post the lockdown, which was ex-
tended last week by another 14 days.

ZimRights says the government
should put in place measures to en-
sure the evaluation and registration
of Covid-19 vaccines, adding that
Zimbabwe had failed to submit full
applications to the World Health
Organisation for the international

NewsHawks News Page 9
Justice Clement Phiri
Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Covid-19 grips six High Court judges

MOSES NGWERE was around the same time that an a case postponed also said: “It’s of Despite having earlier promised
interpreter died. course frustrating because we would to respond to The NewsHawks’
THE High Court in Harare has want to conclude cases as soon as inquiries, Judicial Service Com-
been thrown into turmoil after six “I went there for a hearing and possible, but there is actually noth- mission head of communications
judges and several officials were was told the case had been indefi- ing anyone can do about this virus and corporate affairs Rumbidzai
placed on quarantine after con- nitely postponed because of this. which has caused terror around the Takawira later declined to comment
tracting Covid-19 or coming into Last week, I had another case before world. We only hope and pray that on the matter, saying: “I am not al-
contact with infected persons, it has a different judge also postponed on the situation improves as soon as lowed to speak on health issues; it’s
emerged. account of the quarantine.” possible.” a bit of a tricky one.”

On Tuesday, Chief Justice Luke Another senior lawyer who had
Malaba issued practice direction 3
of 2021, regulating the operations
of courts during the extension of
the Level IV national lockdown in-
troduced by Statutory Instrument
37 of 2021  announced over last
weekend.

With effect from 5 January 2021,
the filing of new cases, process, doc-
uments, pleadings and papers shall
be suspended for the period up to
15 February 2021.

All summonses, subpoenas and
warnings in court issued directing
accused persons and or witnesses to
appear in court between 5 January
2021 and 15 February 2021 are
cancelled and shall be reissued after
the expiry of the lockdown period.

ln light of the extension of the
national lockdown period, the prac-
tice direction shall accordingly re-
main in effect until the expiry of the
extended lockdown period.

The government is already operat-
ing with skeletal staff — 10% — af-
ter four ministers died of Covid-19.
Even President Emmerson Mnan-
gagwa and his two deputies Kembo
Mohadi and Constantino Chiwen-
ga have working from home amid
fears of going to their offices even
during a time of emergency.

Zimbabwe has been ravaged by
the coronavirus, with 1 288 deaths
so far, as of yesterday. This comes as
High Court judge Clement Phiri on
Monday succumbed to Covid-19
complications at his home in Ma-
rondera, days after he tested positive
for the deadly respiratory virus.

Judicial sources said the situation
is worrying as a backlog of unheard
court cases is mounting and may
take long to clear. Some judicial
activities were already crippled by
Covid-19.

Lawyers told The NewsHawks
this week they are failing to have
their cases heard because of judges’
absence. Early last month, a High
Court member of staff, Casper
Madzimbamuto, who was the chief
interpreter, also died of Covid-19
complications.

“There are six judges currently on
quarantine. Four (names supplied)
tested positive, while two have had
their close family members test pos-
itive. Besides those, a number of
staff members are also on Covid-19
quarantine and this has seriously
affected work here,” a source in the
judiciary said.

“It’s a crisis. Judges are coming on
ad hoc basis, mainly for bail hear-
ings but a lot of cases have been in-
definitely postponed. What this im-
plies that when normalcy returns,
there will be a huge backlog of cases
which will take a long time to clear.”

An advocate who failed to have
two cases heard at the High Court
also said: “When the lockdown was
imposed on 5 January, it was said
that four judges had gone into quar-
antine after contracting the virus. It

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Govt dubious tax exemptions wreak havoc

DUMISANI NYONI/ Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube Zimcodd said it is a huge con-
MOSES NGWERE tradiction that corporates get tax
a certain period. Nations Development Programme required to ensure sustainable and exemptions whilst the general cit-
THE Zimbabwean government But Zimcodd, in its latest report, indicates that the richest 10% have inclusive growth,” the civil society izenry is burdened by many taxes
should stop giving out “harmful” up to 40% of global income where- group said. and this has resulted in high levels
tax incentives to multinational com- said the government should stop as the poorest 10% earn only be- of inequality in the country.
panies as that has resulted in high giving out tax incentives to multi- tween 2% and 7%. “There is an urgent need for
levels of inequality in the country, national companies as this was not the government of Zimbabwe and “Government should consider a
the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt in the spirit of tax justice, constitu- “For there to be equality, we ar- other African governments to stop basic income grant to cushion the
and Development (Zimcodd) says. tionalism and progressive taxation gue that there is a need for just and giving out harmful tax incentives poor against the vagaries of poverty,
in the country. equitable distribution of the tax to multinational companies. This lack and hunger that has been wors-
In a bid to attract investment, the burden through the introduction of call comes at the backdrop of recent ened by the Covid-19 national lock-
government has been offering tax It said due to such practices, a wealth tax to ensure that the rich- media reports of tax exemption for down,” the organisation said.
incentives to some foreign compa- global inequality has increased by est pay a fairer share of the resources Great Dyke Investment,” it said.
nies, a move described by the eco- 11% in the recent past. The United Zimcodd said the government,
nomic and social justice watchdog question opaque through the taxes it has collect-
as harmful and unfair. ... MPs ed since introducing the 2% tax
on electronic transactions in 2018
For instance, last year the govern- Great Dyke tax exemption and a new set of presumptive taxes
ment exempted Chinese telecom- in 2021, should aim to capacitate
munications giant Huawei Tech- the minister to explain this deci- viding a second eye in the manner made against another principle of small businesses and informal sector
nologies from paying income tax sion when sessions resume,” the of ensuring transparency and ac- public finances which says money traders who have been hard hit by
backdating 11 years to December committee’s Chairperson Edmond countability. Where Parliament is received today is better than money Covid-19 restrictions.
2009. Mkaratigwa said. involved as the other agency of the received tomorrow and that is if the
masses, it becomes easy to oversee, decision’s optimum benefits do not The move to offer tax incentives
In recent days, Great Dyke In- “As a committee, we are empha- monitor and evaluate as well as to outweigh the losses. Transparen- to foreign companies was described
vestments (GDI), which is devel- sising that transparency and ac- reduce extreme speculation by the cy answers these questions easily,” by the then Zimbabwe Revenue Au-
oping a platinum mining project countability should be considered public. However, administratively Mkaratigwa said. thority commissioner-general Ger-
in Darwendale, Mashonaland West in making agreements and that is the decision has an implication on shem Pasi in 2015 as tantamount
province, was granted a five-year tax through involving parliamentary the public resources in the manner “Parliament has to take a harder to surrendering the country’s taxing
exemption by the government. scrutiny. The agreements should of the national budget although the stance that ensures observance, op- rights and would negatively impact
be known and optimum decisions business is private. That is the ex- erationalisation and enforcement of on socio-economic development.
This was done by Finance and be made thereafter. Our committee tent of the dilemma.” existing constitutional provisions
Economic Development minister was not consulted but I am not sure to ensure the government and cit- Pasi argued that tax incentives
Mthuli Ncube through an Extraor- if that of the Budget and Finance The committee, he said, was izens are moving at par. This space mostly resulted in benefits accruing
dinary Government Gazette dated was consulted since there are finan- concerned with the disregard for has to be reclaimed collectively by to the country of origin of the con-
27 January 2021. cial matters also involved. Since basic administrative issues from the Parliament as an institution so that cerned companies and not the host
there is a Statutory Instrument al- executive and wants Ncube to fully it reasserts its full authority regard- country.
The government has also said it ready in place, we will seek to know account for the paradox. ing government business.”
will offer tax incentives to compa- the extent of the exemptions retro- Tax, in most countries, is the
nies operating in the special eco- spectively for transparency’s sake, “At the moment it is key that He added that the committee main source of government income.
nomic zones (SEZs) in certain in- but it may be through a joint com- we hear from the other side in line would also demand copies of agree-
dustries such as manufacturing as mittee sitting with that of Finance with the principles of administra- ments entered into between GDI According to the Heritage Foun-
a way of attracting foreign direct upon liaison.” tive justice. We need to know the and the government regarding the dation Report (2012), tax in Zim-
investment. full reasons that were considered exemptions. babwe contributes 49.3% of gross
“Whereas Parliament, the execu- at the table leading to that deci- domestic product (GDP), in South
Tax incentives, according to ex- tive and the judiciary are different, sion and also, the associated losses “We have received some agree- Africa it contributes 26.9% whilst
perts, refer to a deduction, exclu- they complement each other for and benefits, then objectively and ments before but not around ex- in the US it contributes 26.9% of
sion, or exemption from a tax lia- the public good in terms of pool- independently weigh. Unfortu- emptions and we have not received GDP.
bility, offered as an enticement to ing of decisional resources and pro- nately this is a decision already some also. Generally these have
engage in a specified activity such as been post- than pre-agreements, This shows that in Zimbabwe tax
investment in equipment goods for contributes a very large chunk of in-
come towards the fiscal budget.
THE Parliamentary Legal Com- which sometimes make our work
mittee (PLC) will next week meet less complementary in that regard.
to examine the constitutionality of There have not been many of these
the five-year tax exemption grant- tax exemption facilities, hence we
ed to the controversial Great Dyke have not received any during my
Investments (GDI), which is devel- tenure and I believe even during
oping a platinum mining project in my two more recent predecessors’
Darwendale, Mashonaland West tenures. So this is new during my
province. tenure but not in the life of the
Zimbabwean Parliament and we
The move by Parliament, exer- are seeking procedural advice in
cised through its oversight func- that regard so that we move for-
tion, comes amid serious concerns ward,” he said.
from legislators regarding the lack
of transparency in the arrangement, Budget and Finance committee
announced last Friday by Finance chairperson Felix Mhona also said
minister Mthuli Ncube via a Stat- his committee was not consulted
utory Instrument (SI) published in on the GDzi exemption, but indi-
the Government Gazette. cated they would await the PLC’s
verdict.
Speaker of the National Assem-
bly Jacob Mudenda, who chairs the “Technically, the ministry is not
PLC, confirmed the development obliged to consult although it is
in an interview this week. good practice. However, since it
was done though an SI, the SI will
“The committee will meet next be reviewed by the Parliamentary
week to review the SI and see Legal Committee to check on its
whether or not it does not violate compliance with the constitution.
the Constitution. We will also be The PLC will then issue a report in
examining all the other Statutory the august House,” Mhona said.
Instruments given out in 2021,”
Mudenda said. GDI is a joint venture between
Russia’s Vi Holdings and Zim-
It also emerged that Ncube made babwe’s Landela Mining Venture
the decision without consulting (Pvt) Limited and is reportedly in-
Parliament, which has left the Par- vesting US$3 billion into platinum
liamentary Portfolio Committee on mining. Exemptions to run until
Mines and Mining Development 2025 include income tax and tax
seeking answers to questions of ac- on dividends earned by sharehold-
countability and transparency. ers.

“We will definitely summon

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Wetlands are the lungs of the ecosystem

On Tuesday, Zimbabwe joined the
rest of the globe in commemorat-
ing World Wetlands Day, at a time
the ecosystem is fast disappearing in
Zimbabwe’s urban areas due to both
illegal and legal infrastructural devel-
opment.

Many local authorities and some
land barons have been allocating
housing and commercial stands
on wetlands across the country.
The NewsHawks correspondent
Nhau Mangirazi (NM) caught up
with Hardlife Mudzingwa (HM),
founder of Community Water Al-
liance, to hear his views on wet-
lands and their management.
Mudzingwa challenged Finance
minister Mthuli Ncube to allocate a
wetlands preservation fund to reduce
the impact of climate change on the
citizenry. He also urged stern action
against local authorities allocating
stands on wetlands. Below are ex-
cerpts of the interview:

NM: This year’s theme was World
Wetlands Day 2021: Wetlands and
Water--Inseparable and Vital for
Life. Can you explain the challeng-
es faced by communities in urban
areas battling to access clean pota-
ble water?

HM: This year’s theme exposes Zim- by those in authority? What is View that are also cholera hotspots. that they become part of our law. Houses built on wetland
babwe’s government and local au- the best way forward in preserv- In Chitungwiza it is the same as they We have had challenges of wetlands velopment and Climate ministries.
thorities that have failed in their duty ing wetlands and making wa- have no water treatment of their maps produced by the Environmen-
on service delivery as non-accessibil- ter available to urban dwellers? own, they rely on water supply from tal Management Agency that are not The national budget must be im-
ity of water is a sad reality that we HM: If wetlands were preserved the City of Harare. gazzeted. proved to cater for this sector which
are all facing. The challenges faced by within local authorities, they could is as key as food security, health and
our communities are two-fold. First- have addressed these root causes of We had several houses that were If it is not gazzeted, it will never education, pillars for any developing
ly, there is inadequate water supply. the problem of access to water. Wet- flooded in areas like Unit P, K, among compel most urban authorities to nation.
There are shortcomings of clean and lands recharge streams that feed into others and residents are suffering due consider wetlands as ecologically
potable water, which is unacceptable, water bodies as all dams in local au- to poor town planning and because sensetive when planning. If this is The minister of Finance must be
as access to clean and safe water is a thorities haven’t yet improved on ex- of the affected wetlands. Other ar- done, they will be safe from abuse. reminded that he has overlooked
basic human right. Lack of water has pected levels due to poor catchment eas include Norton, Epworth, Ruwa Our communities must be sensetised this for too long. He must allocate
resulted in waterborne diseases such management where wetlands have while Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park on the importance of wetlands for enough resources to cater for water
as cholera, typhoid and others being been destroyed. and parts of Luveve are affected. In us and the future generations. As a infrastructure, replacement of obso-
reported because of poor quality of Gweru, areas in Senga are affected by country, we need to revisit our Envi- lete pipes as water leakages negatively
the water accessed by residents. Areas When you compromise wetlands, these floods. ronmental Impact Assessment (EIA) impact on water revenue.
mainly affected by this are almost all it affects water quality and commu- framework as property developers
local authorities in towns, munici- nities suffer. Secondly, wetlands deal Many other towns have these chal- have their own experts to do the As a country, we must invest more
palities and cities. It’s only Rusape with flood attenuation. Most houses lenges as houses built on wetlands EIA; that has resulted in abuse where in water than before, therefore we
that is a beacon of hope at the mo- built on wetlands were affected by may collapse soon due to flooding conflict of interest fuels corruption. need meaningful commitment at
ment as it is managing to meet water floods. during the past days. The framework must be done so that national level from the Finance min-
demand for its residents. there is separation of powers in the istry.
NM: Give us the statistics on affect- Where wetlands are preserved, Hardlife Mudzingwa founder of local authorities to ensure account-
ed communities in cities and towns they naturally build buffer zones Community Water Alliance ability in the manner in which EAI Funding partners and the donor
which are failing to access water. against flooding and in this cur- reports are produced. We also need community have done a lot for us
HM: Well, water accessibility is a rent rainy season we’re witnessing it NM: What’s the best way forward to strengthen laws so that we deal but we are not taking advantage of
big challenge countrywide. In Ha- on our doorsteps after most houses to ensure the problem of wetlands with matters relating to wetlands that so that we move forward with
rare, the council produces around flooded recently. We were ill-pre- destruction does not continue? preservation. We furthermore need wetlands advocacy and implementa-
320 megalitres per day against the pared due to some irresponsible HM: To ensure that we preserve wet- coherence of the Environmental tion of programmes that will see us
required demand of 1200 megalitres. mechanism on stands allocation on lands in the country, we must have Management Act with the Town and achieving sustainable development
Of that 320 megalitres produced, wetlands of late that was never ad- wetlands maps in each local author- Country Planning Act as it is being goals on access to clean and safe wa-
almost 40% of it is lost through dressed. ity, be it in urban or rural. These used by local authorities to flout ter for the citizens by 2030.
physical leakages. Gweru produces wetlands maps must be gazzeted so regulations on the preservation of NM: What sort of intervention can
between 20 to 40 megalitres per day, Thirdly, wetlands add value to the wetlands. Coordination of key stake- help?
depending on electricity availability, purification of raw water and im- holders on this must be improved. HM: As part of interventions, we
but it’s against demand of 80 megal- prove the quality of raw water, there- After celebrating World Wetlands must have a climate change and re-
itres per day. by reducing chemical costs that have Day, we must preserve them to help silience strategy as it has a bearing on
contributed to the water crisis as us solve the water crisis and improve our water delivery service systems.
Bulawayo has production of 90 most urban authorities do not have availability. It will help in mitigating We also have to improve our gover-
megalitres against 150 megalitres re- enough chemicals to treat the water. the impact of climate change. nance system, curb corruption in the
quired daily. Masvingo used to pro- These are wholesome advantages that NM: Are we doing enough as a na- water sector so that there are limit-
duce 20 megalitres per day against we are missing as a nation. tion on wetlands? ed leakages and improved access to
required 40 megalitres per day, but NM: Which areas have been affect- HM: We need to go beyond annual water.
in January the whole city was dry as ed by floods as a result of the un- talk shows when we commemorate
there was no drop of water coming sustainable use of wetlands? the day. There must be action and We need to build a culture of
out of the taps. Such are the hard- HM: We have affected areas in commitment from government. We community stewardship amongst
ships we are going through as a na- Harare that include mostly the therefore need to look at the national our citizens so that infrastructure is
tion. high-density suburbs of Mabvuku, budget allocation to the Water De- improved. It must be the commu-
NM: How do wetlands help to Tafara, Hatclife, Budiriro, Glen nity’s duty to ensure that infrastruc-
combat these challenges? Any ture is not vandalised. Lastly, water
chance for action, as past events catchment management must be im-
have been more of talk shows proved to protect water sources that
feed into all water bodies.

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Our Impact

Govt beats
hasty on
indigenisation

AFTER series of exclusive reports of this policy shift. It’s hidden under allowed locals to have at least 51% That it infringes mine-owners’ right dog responsibilities.
by The NewsHawks on the secret the Finance Act amendment,” one only in diamond or platinum ex- to property, guaranteed by section “Members of parliament cannot
Zimbabwean government move to minister had told The NewsHawks. tractive industries. 71 of the constitution,” Veritas said.
seize control of the mining sector The legal think tank argued that if be expected to scrutinise Finance
through an amendment of Section The operative part of the recent Before that it was in all minerals. the minister issues a notice prescrib- Bills to check that there are no
36 of the Finance Act promulgated amendment, Section 36 of Finance After The NewsHawks reports, ing minerals under the amended clauses that stray outside the Bills’
last December, authorities this week Act (No. 2), 2020 (“Section 36”) legal think-tank Veritas issued an section 3(1), it would affect all min- legitimate scope. They are entitled
beat a hasty retreat on the damaging gave power to ministers of Mines analysis saying the recently pro- ers currently mining those minerals, to expect that Government lawyers
and toxic policy path. and Finance to prescribe minerals mulgated indigenisation provisions and will limit their ability to dispose will not insert such clauses in Fi-
that should be indigenised. could spark legal challenges as the of their assets. nance Bills or, if they do, that the
On his first day at work after law infringes on mine owners’ con- minister who presents the Bills will
his month annual leave, President This made the ministers the new stitutional right to property. “The “The amendment will certain- inform Parliament of those clauses
Emmerson Mnangagwa ensured driving force behind indigenisation. legality of the amendment may be ly diminish their property rights, and will explain their effect.”
his government climbed down and open to challenge on two grounds. therefore, but it is a moot point
quickly withdrew on the issue as in- However, on 2 February — upon whether it will do so to such an Another clause which was likely
vestors, lobbyists and media — The Mnangagwa’s return to office - gov- extent that it amounts to compul- to cause a stir among miners was
NewsHawks in this case — showed ernment issued a clear statement sory acquisition of property so as to that the ministry had not yet pre-
going back to the late former pres- on the issue, saying all those new bring it within the ambit of section scribed any minerals for section 3,
ident Robert Mugabe’s indigeni- changes have now been discarded 71 of the constitution,” said Veritas. making the section invalid.
sation policy would drive the final and there is no more indigenisation
nail in the ailing economy’s coffin. on the mining sector. Veritas also argued that the new “The Minister has not yet pre-
Mnangagwa’s trademark “Zimba- amendment violates the primary scribed any minerals for the purpose
bwe is open for business” mantra When Mnangagwa took over in role of law making to the ministers. of section 3, so currently the section
— which has now gone mute — 2017 through a coup, he swiftly is inoperative,” Veritas said.
had effectively been thrown out the said Mugabe’s indigenisation policy In essence, it delegates parlia-
window in one fell swoop after gov- would be put aside and be repealed, ment’s primary law-making power. But at any time the minister
ernment clandestinely reverted to except in relation to diamonds and could decide to reserve particular
Mugabe’s disastrous indigenisation platinum. “The effect of section 134(a) of sectors of the mining industry for
policy on mining. the constitution is that while par- indigenous miners, and can give
So the new amendment had liament can confer power to make effect to that decision simply by
This had spooked investors who clearly marked a significant de- Statutory Instruments on minis- consulting two colleagues – the
have always thought mining pro- parture from the Indigenisation ters and other authorities, it must minister of Mines and Mining De-
vides the most attractive prospects and Economic Empowerment Act not delegate its ‘primary law-mak- velopment and the minister of Fi-
and dividends — a silver lining [Chapter 14:33] as amended by ing power’ to them,” it said. “The nance and Economic Development
— in Zimbabwe’s dark economic the Finance Act No.1 of 2018 that amendment surely gives the Minis- – and publishing a short notice in
cloud. ter of Industry and Commerce pri- the government Gazette designating
mary law-making power.” the particular minerals that are to be
Mining is seen as a safe haven for reserved, noted Veritas.
investors seeking to enter the local The argument came amid reve-
market or grow their existing invest- lations that there was little debate “In fact, by virtue of section
ment portfolios. on the amendment in the national 21(2)(a) of the Interpretation Act,
assembly and the senate, while some she could designate all minerals,
The country is reeling from a lawmakers have no clue the law even thereby reserving the entire mining
deep structural and functionality exists. industry to indigenous control,” the
economic crisis triggered by leader- legal think-tank says, warning that
ship, governance and policy failures. “The way the amendment was foreigners will not get investment
slipped through Parliament is de- licences to engage in mining unless
An amendment of Section 36 of plorable,” the legal think-tank said. controlling interests are held by an
the Finance Act (No. 2), 2020, pro- “appropriate” designated entity.
mulgated in December 2020, gave “The effect of prescribing miner-
government the new prerogative to als under section 3(1) of the Indi- The indigenisation amendment
indigenise a controlling equity hold- genisation and Economic Empow- has spooked investors in the mining
ing in any mineral in this country. erment Act will largely be to fence sector which has often been consid-
off sectors of the mining industry ered a safe haven for foreign capital.
For perspective on the secret from foreign investment. If that is
manoeuvre, Section 3(1) of the In- to be done at all it should be done Reeling from unrelenting eco-
digenisation Act allowed ministers by Parliament itself through an Act nomic troubles for decades now,
of Mines and Finance to prescribe of Parliament after careful debate, Zimbabwe desperately needs for-
51% equity stake ownership by rather than by a single minister after eign investment, and the last thing
Zimbabweans only in diamond and consulting two other ministers. it wanted to hear about was Mug-
platinum, but authorities had been abe’s moot indigenisation policy.
given powers to do so over all other “An Act to make further provi-
minerals in Zimbabwe. sion for the revenues and public However, at least government has
funds of Zimbabwe and to provide abandoned the controversial and
This meant blanket indigenisa- for matters connected therewith or deleterious mining policy — cour-
tion of mining had returned. incidental thereto.” tesy of pressure behind the scenes
from investors, lobbyists and The
An analysis of the unexpected Veritas called upon legislators not NewsHawks.
move to revert to Mugabe’s indi- to shirk their legislative and watch-
genisation policy on mining done
by Manokore Attorneys, a local
commercial law firm, raised import-
ant points and ominous warnings
about the dangers of the move.

The analysis unpacked Section 36
of the Finance Act (No. 2) 2020 on
indigenisation, promulgated in De-
cember 2020.

Besides, several ministers had said
they were not aware that the Zim-
babwean government is reverting to
Mugabe’s indigenisation policy on
mining.

“I have seen what you have sent to
me, but to be honest I’m not aware

Page 14 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Murderers must be
brought to justice

AN ambitious quest by the Zimbabwean government Zim should go back to the basics
to re-engage the international community after years
of self-inflicted ostracisation has ended in shame, con- ZIMBABWE has a serious and deep death. ious groups making up the population
firming what the world already knew: Zanu PF is in- multifaceted problem: broken and toxic Fourth, leadership, governance and of a particular state. Distinguished in
capable of reform. politics – characterised by mutual de- this way, ‘state-building’ focuses on the
structive polarisation - with no room for policy competence are the key. This is practical task of building or strength-
The post-coup honeymoon which saw the British rational disputation, a protracted eco- the crux of the matter. Zimbabwe as a ening state institutions, while ‘na-
government entertaining the idea that Emmerson nomic crisis and complex social prob- nation has failed on that account. tion-building’ is more concerned with
Mnangagwa is the best Zimbabwean politician to lems. the character of relations between citi-
work with came to a dramatic end this week when Fifth, inclusive nation-building and zens and their state.
Whitehall imposed sanctions on his securocrats. Yet the problem is not as complex nation-building must be revisited. Zim-
and complicated as it looks. It not that babwe’s state building – constructing and Though widely used, the term ‘na-
Four security sector chiefs responsible for serious convoluted as in many African countries strengthening state institutions - and tion-building’ remains imprecise and
human rights violations — including the deaths of like Nigeria, Central African Republic, nation-building, developing a shared contested. In much of the policy doc-
dozens of unarmed protestors — have been desig- Libya, Somalia, South Sudan, Demo- sense of identity and vision - failed from umentation, its meaning is assumed
nated under the United Kingdom’s new autonomous cratic Republic of Congo and Mozam- the beginning. Zimbabwe was stillborn rather than defined.
sanctions regime, Foreign secretary Dominic Raab an- bique, for instance. in 1980. It needs reconstitution.
nounced. There is also a tendency to use the
Zimbabwe’s problem is defined by a Rhe good thing, though, State-build- term ‘nation-building’ interchangeably
The four are Owen Ncube, minister for State Secu- crisis of leadership, governance and pol- ing’ is seen as the task of building with that of ‘state-building’. Despite
rity; Isaac Moyo, director-general of the Central In- icy failures. That is what we are dealing functioning states capable of fulfilling this, many observers would maintain
telligence Organisation; Godwin Matanga, commis- with here. A proper election is the start- the essential attributes of modern state- that, while closely related, ‘state-build-
sioner-general of the Zimbabwe Republic Police; and ing point. This is not reductionism or hood. ‘Nation-building’, on the other ing’ and ‘nation-building’ are distinct
Anselem Sanyatwe, former commander of the Presi- rocket science. This is essence of the hand, refers to more abstract process of processes.
dential Guard and tactical commander of the Nation- national question. The problem look
al Reaction Force which slaughtered protesters. multifarious and compounded, but Hawk Eye ‘State-building’ is seen as the task
upon further reflection it is not. of building functioning states capable
These four men cannot freely travel to the UK, Dumisani of fulfilling the essential attributes of
channel money through UK banks or profit from that To resolve its problems, Zimbabwe Muleya modern statehood. ‘Nation-building’,
economy. The targeted sanctions include a travel ban needs to go back to the basics. People on the other hand, refers to more ab-
and asset freeze. must take a step backwards, breathe developing a shared sense of identity or stract process of developing a shared
and ask what is the problem? What is community among the various groups sense of identity or community among
It is yet another stark reminder that the world will to be done? making up the population of a par- the various groups making up the pop-
neither forget nor ignore the atrocities of 1 August ticular state. Distinguished in this way, ulation of a particular state.
2018 and mid-January 2019. The Mnangagwa regime First, the country needs new poli- ‘state-building’ focuses on the practical
committed horrific international crimes; the blood of tics based on a new value system, ideas task of building or strengthening state Distinguished in this way,
the victims is crying out for justice. and rational contestation, not anger, institutions, while ‘nation-building’ is ‘state-building’ focuses on the practical
hate and labelling. Politics driven by more concerned with the character task of building or strengthening state
The impunity of this government is astounding. ideas, values and principles, not politics of relations between citizens and their institutions, while ‘nation-building’ is
An official commission of enquiry, chaired by for- of the stomach. So this means reconsti- state. more concerned with the character
mer South African Kgalema Motlanthe, concluded tuting the political. of relations between citizens and their
that the military carried out the killings. State-building’ is seen as the task of state. ‘State-building’ has long been
The probe also recommended that the perpetrators Second, political parties must have building functioning states capable of a focus of international development
be prosecuted and the victims compensated. Identities proper identity – their heart and soul fulfilling the essential attributes of mod- assistance with a wide range of ca-
of the soldiers who murdered those unarmed civilians - about what they stand for in terms of ern statehood. ‘Nation-building’, on pacity-building programs directed at
are known; some of the shootings were beamed live on ideas and values. Political parties must the other hand, refers to more abstract strengthening key institutions.
international television. The commanders who led the not be a haven for organised criminal process of developing a shared sense of
atrocities are known. gangs in suits. Indeed, parties mustn’t be identity or community among the var- ‘Nation-building’, on the other hand,
The politicians who ordered the deployments of ethnic assemblages. And by that logic, has often been viewed as a more neb-
soldiers and police are known. Despite the glut of ev- elections must not be an ethnic census ulous process with a limited role for
idence — and this is where Mnangagwa’s blood-taint- as Frantz Fanon warned. external assistance.
ed leadership ethos displays its true colours — no ac-
tion has been taken. Third, elections must be credible, free The good thing, though, is that di-
The murderous soldiers and police are still walking and fair. Zimbabweans must learn that agnosis and prescription are known to
scot free. Those who deployed them are free to con- elections are not a matter of life and everyone.
tinue orchestrating more human rights violations. The
victims and their families have not been compensated.
There is something tragic about Zanu PF leaders’
assumption that they can practise primitive Stone Age
politics in a 21st century global community and liter-
ally get away with murder.
What kind of leaders are these? Impunity has de-
fined Zimbabwean politics for far too long. It may take
years to bring the killers to justice because they deem
themselves untouchable, but the world is watching
and one day these egregious crimes will be punished.

Reaffirming the fundamental importance The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
of freedom of expression and media free- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
dom as the cornerstone of democracy and Media which is owned by Centre for Public Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba Cell: +263 735666122
as a means of upholding human rights Interest Journalism News Editor: Owen Gagare cphiri@thenewshawks.com The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the Code
and liberties in the constitution; our mis- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue Digital Editor: Bernard Mpofu marketing@thenewshawks.com of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate, fair and
sion is to hold power in its various forms Beverly Court, 6th floor Reporters:
and manifestations to account by expos- Harare, Zimbabwe Bridget Mananavire, Nyasha Chingono, Enoch Muchinjo Subscriptions & Distribution: balanced news reporting. If we do not meet these
ing abuse of power and office, betrayals +263 735666122 standards, register your complaint with the Voluntary
of public trust and corruption to ensure Trustees/Directors: Email: newsdesk@thenewshawks.com Media Council of Zimbabwe at No.: 34, Colenbrander
good governance and accountability in Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Rd, Milton Park, Harare. Telephone: 024-2778096 or
the public interest. Professor Wallace Chuma, Teldah Mawarire,
Doug Coltart 024-2778006,
24Hr Complaints Line: 0772 125 659
Email: director@vmcz.co.zw or info@vmcz.co.zw
WhatsApp: 0772 125 658, Twitter: @vmcz
Website: www.vmcz.co.zw, Facebook: vmcz Zimbabwe

NewsHawks New Perspective Page 15

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Brett Private funding has improved
Chulu Zimbabwe wheat productivity

THE 2020 winter production
was entirely funded by private
players and the improvement
in both gross output and pro-
ductivity (yield per hectare) has
been very significant.  
Government  set an average
target of 5.2 tonnes per hectare
(ha) for the 2020 winter wheat
production, a 30% increase
from an average of 4 tonnes per
ha. Contract growers funded by
commercial banks were expect-
ed to increase productivity to 5
tonnes per ha while private sec-
tor-funded growers were expect-
ed to ramp up productivity to 6
tonnes per ha. 
As at the beginning of Decem-
ber, 190 000 tonnes had been
delivered to the Grain Market-
ing Board (GMB).
The Agriculture ministry
projects that 200 000 to 220
000 tonnes of wheat will be de-
livered. This output exceeds the
post-land reform programme’s
highest ever delivery of 164
000 tonnes, an improvement
of 15.8%. The 2019-2020 sea-
son produced a measly 90 000
tonnes. The 190 000 tonnes de-
livered to the GMB by 30 No-
vember represents a 111% in-
crease. 
The amount of land under
wheat this year increased by
83.5% from 24 186 ha to 44
399 ha. 
When the winter wheat pro- oping and upgrading irrigation private sector-anchored funding tonnes per ha over 90 000 ha; cultural assets in top condition.
gramme was launched in April, infrastructure. for production--it will attract this is as a result of a combina- The greater role of the private
the national target was set at If secure land tenure were to more skilled producers who will tion of high-tech and a relatively sector in the broader agricultural
416 000 tonnes. The projected be given, more farmers with an have enough confidence to in- small area. Chile produces its 6 funding matrix is critical. 
wheat delivery of 200 000 to agri-business perspective would vest long-term.  tonnes per ha over 230 000 ha;
220 000 tonnes is 108% below be more willing to take the risks this is due to the natural grass- Zambia can particularly be a
the set target of 416 000 tonnes. associated with winter wheat Zambia produces 6 tonnes lands, accumulated knowledge good benchmark. Zambia has
In terms of hectarage, 80 000 ha production. per ha over 24 000 ha, mak- and modern technology.  Chi- a leasehold system of land ten-
were set as the target. Increased wheat production ing Zambia, jointly with seven na produces its 6 tonnes per ha ure - it is accepted as a basis for
The 44 399 ha achieved is will generate some import sav- other  countries/national groups from 23 730 000 ha; this is tes- lending. We need to learn from
80% below the target. In terms ings. At US$198 per tonne on (Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Swit- tament to its traditional exper- the Zambians what makes their
of projected productivity, 4.5 to the world market, the 200 000 to zerland, Chile, China, EU-27 tise in grasses, combined with leasehold system work. From
4.95 tonnes per ha is expected, 220 000 tonnes projected wheat and Egypt), the world’s second high tech and research. The EU- New Zealand we can learn how
which is 5% to 15.5% below the deliveries to the GMB, import most  productive wheat-growing 27 achieves its 6 tonnes per ha they manage to produce 9 tonnes
5.2 tonnes per ha target.  savings of between US$22 mil- nation. Zimbabwe’s wheat-grow- over 26 065 000 ha, the result per ha with almost the same
The policy to have wheat lion to US$26 million will be ing ambition is to catapult itself of high tech, research, advanced hectarage we used for wheat in
farming being privately funded gained over last year’s figures. to this illustrious league. methods and good funding. A 2020. 
was the right move. Granted, the type of wheat we competitive investment envi-
Although the government still produce here in Zimbabwe is The most productive ronment supported by a highly With the right policies that
has provided guarantees for the not suitable for certain confec- wheat-growing nation is New trusted property rights regime underwrite security of invest-
loans farmers got from commer- tionery needs, the savings that Zealand, at 9 tonnes per ha. will attract the right brains and ment, the wheat production
cial farmers who were formerly will result by way of improved There are nuances to be noted.  technology.  sector in Zimbabwe has the po-
under the Command Agricul- wheat output through import The top yields per ha for maize tential to improve both in terms
ture scheme, the move seems to substitution is significant.  as per the current global produc- Egypt achieves its 6 tonnes of total output and productivity.
have attracted better farmers as We can learn from the world’s tion records happen over a lower per ha over 1 370 000 ha; this The shift to private funding for
the average yields have improved most productive wheat produc- hectarage. New Zealand achieves is a result of abundant irrigation, the 2020 wheat production has
by between12.5% and 23.7%.   ers. The world’s most productive its 9 tonnes per ha over 45 000 accumulated knowledge and re- shown how allowing the private
It is still short of the differen- wheat-producing nations have a ha. Zambia produces its 6 tonnes search. Security of investment sector take the lead in support-
tiated productivity targets of 6 mixture of freehold and lease- per ha over 24 000 tonnes. underwritten by a renewed bond ing agribusiness can raise both
tonnes per ha set for the contract hold land tenure. of trust will attract long-term output and productivity.
farming growers. These two types of tenure en- This is largely due to the skill funders to undertake critical in-
What is worrying is the 80% gender security of investment, and knowledge Zambia gained frastructural development such Brett is a management con-
shortfall on the total hectarage not because of the type , but from former Zimbabwean farm- as irrigation. It is one thing to sultant and a classic ground-
target. as a result of trust in the policy ers. invest in irrigation infrastructure ed theory researcher who
More work needs to be done framework that has a track re- and another one to maintain the has published research in an
to incentivise farmers to increase cord of years of consistency. Namibia produces its 6 tonnes infrastructure. academic peer reviewed in-
the land under winter wheat-- Trust restoration is critical in per ha on 1 000 ha. Saudi Ara- ternational journal. He can
this entails assistance with devel- further boosting and sustaining bia produces its 6 tonnes per ha Private risk takers have the be contacted through email:
over  120 000 ha; this is due to incentive to maintain irrigation brettchuluconsultant@gmail.
its high-tech methods enabled infrastructure to keep their agri- com
by petro-dollars.

Switzerland achieves its 6

Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
EUR/USD
USD/JPY 1.213 +0.001 +0.11 *NAT GAS 2.624 -0.04 -1.5
GBP/USD
USD/CAD 104.68 +0.47 +0.45 *SILVER 26.915 +0.993 +3.83
AUD/USD
1.371 -0.001 -0.073 *COPPER 3.563 -0.016 -0.43

1.28 -0.003 -0.234 *WHEAT 660.75 +13.75 +2.13

0.765 -0.003 -0.443 *SOYBEAN 1,366.25 +13 + 0.96

Pension funds
face liquidity
crunch crisis

BERNARD MPOFU much less. Imara Asset Management Chief Executive and founder John Legat
“Overvalued pension fund assets
ZIMBABWE’S pension funds may amounts by selling equities in order longer fund pay-outs. This situation 50% of assets as compared with 36%
face a severe liquidity crunch this year will serve to boost any fees that are de- to fund large pension pay-outs as could be even worse if the company a year earlier. In US dollar terms, in-
as the over-valuation of their proper- termined by the value of the pension a result of early retirements and re- behind the pension fund is not pay- vestment property rose from US$225
ty portfolios backfires, a local invest- fund thereby increasing the expenses dundancies. Should this continue ing pension contributions on time million to US$671 million over one
ment firm has warned. of the fund. More seriously, any pen- into 2021, then we should expect or the contributions are less than the year, a gain of US$446 million, ac-
sion pay-outs will also be overinflated equities as a proportion of pension pay-outs.” counting for 66% of the entire gain
In a research note titled Pensions leading to far greater cash calls than funds to fall even further. At some of the pension funds.
Funds: More Smoke and Mirrors, should be the case. This would ben- point there could be a severe liquidity Official figures show that equities,
Imara Capital says overvalued in- efit those receiving those cash calls crunch for those pension funds who which accounted for 39% of pen- “We very much doubt it is possible
vestments — property or alternative now and be disadvantageous to those hold too great a proportion of their sion assets in 2019, have fallen to for investment property to nearly tri-
investments — can have serious con- individuals remaining in the fund assets in illiquid assets and can no just 28%. Investment property, on ple in USD over that period,” Legat
sequences for the country’s pension who may have to experience a write the other hand, rose to a whopping said.
funds as the funds liquidate their down in such asset valuations at a
shares on the country’s equities mar- later date,” Legat said in the research
ket to meet their pay-out obligations. note.

Official figures from the Insurance “There is a further negative conse-
and Pension Commission show that quence to consider. If pension pay-
as at September 2020, the total value outs are in reality too great for the
of the pension industry was ZW$108 real underlying value of the pension
billion or US$1 billion at the paral- funds’ assets on the one hand, and
lel market rate and US$1.3 billion at on the other, there is minimal cash to
the official auction rate. This com- make those pay-outs, then the only
pares with a value of US$622 million liquid asset left to sell are equities
(based on the official rate) in Septem- which trade on the ZSE (Zimbabwe
ber 2019, effectively doubling in size Stock Exchange) on a daily basis. The
in real terms over the year. property investments and alternatives
cannot be sold without taking a sig-
Imara Asset Management Chief nificant write down given a lack of
Executive and founder John Legat demand for such investments. Over
said while the performance of that time, equities will become a smaller
fund might look good on paper, in portion of pension funds as a result.
reality the real or market value (the
value another investor may be pre- “Anecdotally a number of our cli-
pared to pay for those assets) may be ents have asked us to raise sizeable

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 17

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Nampak seeks govt resolution of land dispute

BERNARD MPOFU leases which will provide the secu- officially signed the compensation
rity required for new investment agreement with the former com-
ZIMBABWE Stock Exchange-list- and job creation.” mercial farmers.
ed packaging firm Nampak Zimba-
bwe says it is optimistic the govern- In 2019, Van Gend said the Zimbabwe embarked on a cha-
ment will resolve a long-standing group struggled to access foreign otic and often violent land reform
dispute at one of its estates which currency despite assurances around programme at the turn of the mil-
is protected by an international the intention to ensure BIPPA lennium that saw more than 4 000
agreement. agreements are honoured. Nam- white farmers losing vast tracts of
pak is principally engaged in the land. During the exercise, some
Nampak’s estates fall under manufacture of paper, plastic and farms that were protected by in-
Hunyani Forests Ltd, which is a metal packaging products, as well ternational law, which include an
supplier of eucalyptus and pine as leasing biological assets and the estate run by Nampak, were com-
timber for transmission poles, pit timber processing plant. The group pulsorily acquired, resulting in the
props and timber for pulping. narrowed its loss to ZW$658 000 southern African nation facing in-
from ZW$6.2 million in prior ternational condemnation.
The group has in the past said comparative period after massive
its land holdings will be central in cuts in expenses. Zimbabwe has in past years
enabling it to support the tobacco signed agreements with regional
industry’s stated position to move Last August, Zimbabwe signed and international countries but
away from using coal to cure tobac- a ZW$3.5 billion compensation the violation of such agreements
co to utilising renewable resources agreement with the country’s dis- and policy inconsistencies have
by 2020. possessed white farmers, signalling been a thorn in the flesh for many
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s an investor, raising questions as to
Foreign investors have in the intention to address the emotive whether such agreements are un-
past been anxious about investing land issue. locking any meaningful investment
in Zimbabwe because of the high projects.
levels of uncertainty about the pro- Finance minister Mthuli Ncube
tection of their investments, par-
ticularly the protection of property in a statement accompanying the SALES TRAINING
rights. financials for the year ended 30 SALES STRATEGY
September. SALES RECRUITMENT
“We maintained our engage-
ment with the relevant Authori- “Our intention is to rehabilitate
ties to regain effective control of them for timber and agricultural
our estates in terms of the BIPPA purposes, in support of the current
agreement with South Africa,” the government policy thrust in this
group’s MD John Van Gend said direction. We remain hopeful for
the restoration of title or long-term

Lockdown fuels SELLING IS THE ONE
trade deficit SKILL YOU NEED TO
ACHIEVE SUCCESS
DUMISANI NYONI exports globally reached US$4.39
billion against imports of US$4.98 Whatever your profession or vocation, the ability to SELL will take
TRADE between Zimbabwe and billion, creating a trade deficit of
South Africa totalled US$4.19 bil- US$589.67 million. your further than any qualification alone.
lion in 2020, with the neighbour-
ing country enjoying 58.7% of this In the year 2019, the country We offer UK accredited Sales Courses through partner institutions
amount, official figures have shown. recorded US$4.79 billion imports as well as customised Sales Training to transform your Team.
against US$4.28 billion exports,
South Africa remains Zimbabwe’s giving a trade deficit of US$514.54 UK-Certified (Ofqual) ONLINE COURSES include:
most important trading partner. million. Awards, Certificates and Diplomas in Sales & Marketing

Latest data from the Zimbabwe Other notable trading partners for Management, Strategic Sales, Account Management, Telesales
National Statistics Agency (Zim- Zimbabwe in the period under re- and many more.
Stat) shows that Zimbabwe exported view were the United Arab Emirates,
goods and services worth US$1.73 Mozambique, Zambia, China, Sin- Enroll Today for flexible and highly interactive Sales Courses!
billion to South Africa last year gapore, India, Kenya, Belgium and
against imports of US$2.45 billion, Botswana, among others. Register at www.the-sales-institute.com to enroll on a program or email
creating a trade deficit of US$733.31 info@the-sales-institute.com or WhatsApp +263773336828 for details.
million. In his 2021 national budget, Fi-
nance minister Mthuli Ncube had
The widening trade deficit, ac- indicated that the overall current ac-
cording to analysts, is mainly at- count balance for 2020 was project-
tributed to the economic instability ed to be in surplus at about US$1.2
experienced in Zimbabwe, the out- billion.
break of Covid-19 which disrupted
the movement of goods and the vola- For 2021, he said the current ac-
tility of the South African rand to the count is projected to remain positive,
US dollar. despite vulnerabilities in the global
economy, driven by “continued re-
In 2019, however, Zimbabwe re- covery of exports and imports, cou-
corded a trade surplus of US$246.85 pled with an increase in remittances
million against South Africa, with and efficient foreign exchange market
imports at US$1.86 billion against auction system, which prioritise allo-
exports of US$2.1 billion. cating foreign currency to industry
raw materials, rather than consump-
In 2020, exports fell by 18% while tive goods.”
imports increased by 33%.
Ncube said the growth in exports
Exports to the neighbouring coun- will be driven mainly by increased
try included scrap metal, agricultural production and productivity riding
produce, beef, minerals and wines, on a stable domestic macro-econom-
among others. ic environment.

Zimbabwe’s imports from South Imports are projected to grow in
Africa included raw materials, ma- line with the reopening of the econo-
chinery, manufactured goods, food, my and growth pressures thereof, he
electricity and vehicles, among oth- said
ers. In the period under review,

Page 18 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

RONALD MUCHENJE Low healthcare budget Regulatory
cannot fund Covid war deadline
ZIMBABWE’s low healthcare squeezes
budget allocation will not be The country relies heavily on external funding to finance healthcare making the provision of health services unstable. pension funds
enough to support the country’s
struggling public health system at important basis for growing the Rights (ZADHR) says the coun- cern over a spike in infections RONALD MUCHENJE
a time hospitals are overwhelmed economy. try’s hospitals are unable to deal among frontline workers.
with rising Covid-19 infections with an increased demand for THE pensions industry is struggling
while medical professionals are However, Zimbabwe contin- admissions. The number of dai- Nearly 1 000 frontline workers to meet the 31 March auditing dead-
being disproportionately affected. ues to face hyperinflation and ly Covid-19 confirmed cases has have been infected by Covid-19 in line set by the Insurance and Pensions
the socio-economic environment risen sharply from the start of the Zimbabwe due to lack of personal Commission (Ipec), a challenge which
In its 2021 budget, Treasury remains challenging, for example New Year, increasing from 172 protective equipment. has been exacerbated by the govern-
allocated ZW$54.7 billion (about the incidence of extreme poverty cases on January 1 2021 to 924 ment’s Covid-19 lockdown which runs
13% of the national budget) to increased from 29% in 2018 to cases on January 11 2021. How- The testing positive of many into mid-February 2021.
the Ministry of Health and Child 34% by the end of 2019. This is ever, the true number could be frontline workers is seen having
Care (MoHCC). expected to worsen on account of much higher as the testing capaci- a knock-on effect by lowering Insurance companies, listed on the
the Covid-19 pandemic. ty in the country is low at 0.2 per healthcare worker capacity in an Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE), also
But BMI Research said while 1 000 people per day as of January already stretched system. have a 31 March deadline to report to
this is an increase from the 10.1% “Zimbabwe’s hospitals are over- 8 2021,” said BMI. the bourse. Zimbabwe’s pension funds
allocated in 2020, it still falls whelmed with rising Covid-19 A continued lack of funding has and insurance companies are now re-
short of the 15% target outlined infections. The Zimbabwean As- ZADHR has also raised con- also kept intensive care unit and quired to make public their financial
in the Abuja declaration. sociation of Doctors for Human ventilator capacity low, with Ha- results, among other new disclosure
rare having only 30 ICU beds. procedures, to create more openness
The per capita health allocation around their operations. The entities
for 2021 is about US$45 up from hold billions of dollars in pensioners’
about US$30 in 2020. and insurance clients’ monies and au-
thorities say openness around how
This is below the regional av- they run their finances is critical to
erage healthcare expenditure per ensuring the protection of these funds.
capita of US$87.
However, players in the pension
Medicine shortages and recur- industry told The NewsHawks that
ring strikes over pay and working the 31 March deadline was unrealis-
conditions were common even tic, considering the number of funds
before the Covid-19 pandemic in their custody. Industry personnel
and the country continues to rely who spoke to The Newshawks said it is
heavily on external funding to fi- normal for a company that administers
nance healthcare, making the pro- pension funds and is listed, to prioritise
vision of health services unstable. meeting the March deadline for listed
companies.
“Donors are projected to pro-
vide about USD496 million to- The clash in timeframe between the
wards health in 2021, far more ZSE and Ipec is putting auditors and
than what the government has pension funds administrators under
allocated. Healthcare spending pressure, industry official said. Pen-
in Zimbabwe reached a value of sions industry personnel are arguing
USD2.5bn in 2020, which we that even if the company can hire more
expect to increase by 10.7% to auditors, they all report to the same ad-
reach USD2.7bn in 2021. By ministrator, making it hectic.
2025, we forecast the sector will
rise to a value of USD4.11bn, “We are finding this deadline very
corresponding to a compound difficult to work with. I’m not so sure
annual growth rate (CAGR) of what the regulator seeks to achieve,
10.7%. Over the long term, we but considering that most companies
forecast the market will grow at a are already struggling in terms of re-
10-year CAGR of 10.6% to yield sources, it is very difficult,” an industry
a market size of USD6.7bn by stakeholder said.
2030,” said BMI.
“I will give you an example, if you
The national budget was an- look at a accompany like Old Mutual,
nounced at a time when the coun- say it was still actively participating on
try had achieved some measure of the ZSE, it means that the auditor will
stability on the foreign exchange have pressure to auditing Old Mutual
markets, thereby providing an first for it to be able to meet its ZSE
obligations for the first quarter, then it
Bulawayo’s abandoned buildings increase has pension funds under its manage-
ment which are more than 30. How
LIZWE SEBATA ance companies and a law firm. known activity undertaken by the quire BCC and government to en- then does Old Mutual accommodate
The third and final phase, costing company being the relocation of ven- sure reliable water supply to investors auditors for those pension funds under
BULAWAYO is witnessing an un- dors and public transport operators. and make Bulawayo as a better and its roof? I find it very difficult.”
precedented increase in the number an estimated US$4 million, which rewarding investment destination,”
of abandoned, neglected and derelict was scheduled to start in 2016, en- Other city properties are neglected, Ncube added although he noted that The situation has now been further
buildings in the central business dis- tailed turning the ground and mezza- and dilapidated. this cannot excuse the fact that BCC complicated by the extended Covid-19
trict (CBD) in a clear sign of urban nine floors of a building (formerly a has been weak and lethargic in at- lockdown.
decay. gym) next to the Princess Court into In 2017, the BCC condemned 35 tracting investments.
a mall, to be named Buyani Mall. buildings as unfit and in need of ur- “The deadline is tricky to achieve
The country’s second largest city gent attention. This followed the col- Activist Khumbulani Maphosa given the lockdown in place. The au-
has gone for more than two decades Upon completion, Buyani Mall lapse of a building housing a popular weighed in, saying the city also need- dit fieldwork is done fairly manually
without any new infrastructural de- was expected to house 37 shops with fastfood outlet, killing one person. ed a “properly clearly spelt out archi- and the lockdown has wiped out a
velopment in the CBD, with the Bul- fast-food outlets and clothing retail tectural kind of policy decision from month which auditors were supposed
awayo Centre shopping mall, built in shops earmarked to occupy the build- “The lack of infrastructural de- the local authority. to access to sample files, etc, as they
1997, being the last project. ing. A flyover cross-bridge linking the velopment in Bulawayo is caused by conduct their fieldwork. “Adminis-
Mall and Bulawayo Centre was also four factors. First, Bulawayo is what “We need a proper economic de- trators and trustees had geared them-
Even then, the Bulawayo Centre expected to be constructed with a se- it is today because of the Zanu PF velopment policy agenda and vision selves up for this new deadline but the
shopping mall project remains in- ries of escalators and panoramic lifts policy of marginalising Matabele- for the city. These two can spur a lockdown is a real joker. Personally, it
complete to date. Phase one of the expected. land. Second, Bulawayo mirrors the drive for infrastructural development was achievable but under a strict work
construction of Bulawayo Centre be- general economic and infrastructure but of course not neglecting the water code/attitude but, with the Covid-19
gan in 1994 and comprised 55 shops However, to date the Bulawayo decay that has set in the past 41 years situation.” lockdown, I don’t think so anymore.
on two levels and business suites on Centre mall project remains incom- of Zanu PF mismanagement. If the lockdown is lifted, auditors will
three levels. The second phase in- plete while other planned projects However, deputy mayor Mlandu need to access administrators’ records
volved the redevelopment of Princess such as redevelopment of Basch “Third, the BCC has done a poor Ncube blamed the country’s econom- from, say, mid-February and that will
Court, a building adjacent to Bula- Street bus terminus, popularly known job in marketing Bulawayo locally ic woes and toxic business climate for probably end first week of March,” an-
wayo Centre, into shops and business as Egodini, into a mall hang in the and internationally. Fourth, the water scarring away investment. other industry insider said.
suites and was completed in 2013 at balance. situation in Bulawayo is repelling po-
an estimated cost of about US$10 tential investors,” argued Effie Ncube, “We have got a lot of investors “Thereafter they take a week or
million after work on the building Bulawayo City Council (BCC) a Bulawayo-based commentator. expressing interest but the unstable two to come up with audited draft
had commenced the previous year. awarded Terracotta Trading Limited economic conditions we find our- accounts which are then presented to
(TTPL) a US$60 million tender in In recent years, a number of com- selves in are our major undoing. We trustees and then finally signed off.
Some of the businesses now oc- 2015 to undertake the Egodini mall panies have been either closing shop have a country where legislation that
cupying the building are a takeaway project under a build, operate and or relocating to other places, citing is dangerous to investment is passed “The earliest all this can be achieved
food outlet, a telecoms firm, pharma- transfer facility. the unresolved water challenges facing and this also affects investor confi- now and again, in my view, is probably
cies, micro-finance business, insur- the city. Residents currently endure a dence and development,” Ncube said mid-April. So, deferring by a month,
TTPL began working on the proj- week-long water shedding regime. on Wednesday this week. assuming there is no continued exten-
ect in March 2018 with the only sions, would be ideal.”
“To change the situation will re-

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 19

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Small-scale miners propose changes to law

DUMISANI NYONI Currently, Zimbabwe’s legal system is unpredictable with artisanal miners having no collective rights under the law. stop shop at either the Mines office or
Environmental Management Agency
THE Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation whereby they are proposing that oper- national good outweighs the current mistake them (workers) for game and offices.
(ZMF), has recommended, among ational mines pay a land levy deduct- land use, the organisation said the Bill begin to shoot them for demanding
other measures, the establishment of ible from mineral sales and collectible should ensure mining rights enjoy their dues.” ZMF said Zimbabwe Mining De-
special courts for the resolution of by the respective land owner upon the priority over other land uses. velopment Corporation (ZMDC)
mining disputes. successful claiming of such levy. ZMF proposed that the Bill stip- and the department of mining pro-
“In all such cases, may the Bill pro- ulate that people with disabilities be motions are holding onto a number
ZMF, an umbrella body of small- “The justification is to compensate vide for community social investment automatically allocated 10% from of mining concessions for speculative
scale miners, made the proposals in for the inconvenience occasioned on in order for both the mining houses the mining-backed Sovereign Wealth purposes as they are not adequately
a draft position paper on the Mines farming by the additional human and ministry to manage their images Fund collections for their use in skills capitalised to exploit the resources
and Minerals Amendment Bill, a key traffic on the farm which is attracted especially where the decision occa- acquisition and investment in their and this will adversely affect national
piece of legislation expected to bring to the farm by mining,” ZMF said. sions displacement on communities commercial projects. economic development.
sanity to the mining sector. or economic activities,” it said.
“Miners are further appealing to The paper notes that the core busi- Government should unbundle
The draft Bill, which has been farmers, in turn, to forego the auto- On the Sovereign Wealth Fund, ness of the ministry of Mines is the some of these and offer them to peo-
stuck in parliament since 2015, con- matic right to issue letters of consent ZMF said the Bill can provide for a administration of the Act and so the ple who can utilise them for the ben-
tains provisions to resolve disputes to miners on land holding hectarage 1% levy on all mineral sales to raise department of mining law should not efit of the nation. An audit should be
between farmers and miners and will below one hundred hectares which is capital for investment in strategic na- be removed, replaced or dwarfed by conducted to determine this, said the
also regularise artisanal mining activ- mandatory right now.” tional infrastructure. Further, it said any technical department. mining organisation.
ities, among other policy outcomes. those who contribute to such fund
Miners want farmers to offer a re- should be treated as shareholders of It said technical departments ZMF proposed that government
According to the ZMF draft pro- ciprocal concession to miners for pay- the Sovereign Wealth Fund. should revert back to their respective come up with a “Homelink” concept
posal, the Bill should provide for ing farmers land levy and forego the core functions as the ministry has for mining whereby financial resourc-
the establishment of special mining right to be consulted for land hold- “Only in this way will our actions glaring shortcomings in geology and es are pooled by people in the diaspo-
courts of first instance presided over ings below one hundred hectares con- be fair to generations to come who exploration, mine survey plans and ra to mine capital-intensive minerals.
by seasoned practitioners to ensure sidering the subdivisions in the farms have entrusted these resources into metallurgical process research which
that disputes do not unduly short- borne of the agrarian reform. our hands,” the paper reads. render the ministry a mere spectator It also proposed that the Gold
change economic players. as minerals are being abused and sto- Trade Act be incorporated into the
“Our appeal is for farmers to meet ZMF also proposed that the Bill len by unethical people. Bill and come under the direct ambit
“This will buy the industry confi- us halfway in reciprocation and we introduce a law which reserves certain of the ministry of Mines so as to elim-
dence from investors as well as mini- expect the government to adjudicate mining areas for exploitation by indi- “Again these technical departments inate instances where non-licensing
mise business disruption,” it said. fairly on this issue between two crit- genes. It said the reservation can be of need to help the ministry to audit institutions like Fidelity Printers end
ical players in the economy,” it said. a particular mineral and if any other mines and help the ministry appre- up licensing their own competitors,
Currently, Zimbabwe’s legal system mineral is later discovered, it can be ciate how the Act is actually applied thereby making compliance policing
is unpredictable with artisanal miners On the need to ensure there is no explored and exploited by non-indig- practically. We have lots of minerals a nightmare for law enforcement offi-
having no collective rights under the disturbance to food security, ZMF enous people provided it is on land that have not yet been discovered and cers of the Minerals Unit who find it
law and, in the event of dispute, the said the Bill must ensure existing land open to prospecting. If not, the miner it’s shaming as illegal miners are run- hard to deal with licensed people who
authorities often apply the law un- use is not affected by proposed min- can partner the respective indigenes ning away with the trophy on miner- offer producers a premium, which
evenly, failing to hold politically con- ing projects and land owners do not to exploit the new discovery. al discoveries ahead of our graduates obviously suggests the product is be-
nected parties to account and inflict- experiment with unjustified land use from universities,” it said. ing smuggled.
ing damage on mining companies. change without following due process ZMF said investors do not need to
to assure the nation of food security. come and hold ground for speculative On ways to arrest fatalities in the On exclusive prospecting orders,
Gang violence flourishes around purposes or experiment with mining; mining sector, the body proposed the the Bill should provide for them to
gold mining sites where the rule of Further, ZMF said the Bill must they need to show seriousness and Bill introduce and formalise commu- take just six months from submission,
law is weak. Disputes over mining site stipulate transparent land-use change preparedness to mine. nity mining projects along the lines of approval to confirmation and not
ownership are frequent, and police of- with relevant ministerial departments the Campfire model. longer.
ten do not take decisive action against playing a meaningful role than leave “So far our observation is that
intruders and violent gangs in mining land-use conversion from farming to some of them are unfit to own mines In Zimbabwe, environmental leg- On people with disabilities, ZMF
areas, particularly where the thugs are mining at the mercy of farmers who as they end up owing our people sal- islation with regard to mining is being proposed that the Bill provide for
politically connected. are at times more of gamblers than aries, they are reluctant to pay Nssa administered by more than 10 differ- them to access all mine title appli-
committed farmers. (National Social Security Authority), ent ministries. ZMF said there is a cation services in the ministry and
ZMF said the Mines and Minerals the MIPF ( Mining Indistry Pension need for harmonisation and to walk industry at a 50% discount for their
Act is correct in the powers it vests in In the spirit of national develop- Fund) and accident compensation the talk on the ease of doing business ease of entry into mining and to en-
the government to administer mining ment, where a valuable mineral is fund and, worse, they deliberately concept by the introduction of a one- able them to become competitive
and the stipulated processes used in discovered whose contribution to the in the attraction of both capital and
mine title acquisition are very inclu- partners to their projects.
sive and need to be retained with a
few amendments meant to accom- On the contentious issue of min-
modate digitalisation and accuracy ing inside national parks, ZMF said
in mine location plotting. The law ecologically sensitive as these game
must also prioritise eliminating hu- sanctuaries are, they carry vast miner-
man interface, managing incidences al resources that can propel the econ-
of double allocation and disputes and omy to prosperity in record time.
differentiating between those who are
titled to the mining heritage and in- “Can the Bill provide for the De-
vestors who need to meet set criteria partment of Parks to either lease
and deserve the opportunity to mine. mines in the parks for a fee to indi-
genes or issue Special Grants for in-
The body said the vestment of digenous people to mine in the Na-
mining rights in the state President tional Parks with strict supervision
in section 2 of the principal Act must from the relevant authorities? Surely
not be tampered with or qualified in if people can make way for mining,
any way without going to a nation- then animals can co-exist with super-
al referendum because the wording vised mining as well,” it said.
suggests that it is people who repose
such rights in the President for the “Lastly, we are very disturbed with
unconditional enforcement of the law budget deficits which have become
in future. a perennial blight in our annual fi-
nancial planning. We are therefore
“The contract between the people proposing that a miner master file be
and government on vestment time used to ensure miners submit tax re-
was for safekeeping and nothing turns for the right to mine must come
more. We hope the proposed Bill will with responsible citizenship.”
recognise the spirit of this contract be-
tween government and its people in Artisanal miners also proposed that
the Act and respect it,” the proposal the Minerals Marketing Corporation
reads in part. play an active role in regulating min-
eral prices, especially of base metals.
It said miners are against the idea of
having to seek consent to prospect or “Right now, the discrepancy be-
search for minerals from land owners. tween international prices and those
They would want a continuation of offered to miners does not support
the prevailing situation where a notifi- the growth of miners, especially con-
cation letter from a pegger is sufficient sidering miners need to buy capital
to continue with business. equipment for sinking shafts as each
shovel of minerals sold is proportion-
However, in the interest of peace- al to the deposit becoming more and
ful co-existence with farmers, miners more inaccessible,” it said.
have come up with some concessions

Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

BERNARD MPOFU

Covid-19 lockdown createsZIMBABWE could be losing
millions of dollars in poten- fresh smugglers’ paradise
tial revenue during the on-
going Covid-19 lockdown
due to smuggling of goods
through porous ports of en-
try, the country’s tax collec-
tor has said. US$100 million worth of gold smuggled out of the country Home Affairs ternally, lifestyle audits were
every month, which is being through porous borders. minister Kazem- carried out and corruption
Official figures from the cases investigated as the au-
Zimbabwe Revenue Authori- thority maintains zero toler-
ty (Zimra) show that although ance towards corruption.”
most tax heads performed
above target, the stabilisation Experts also said last year’s
of exchange rates and limited ban on cigarette sales in
trade and travel due to the South Africa also worsened
lockdown, resulted in sub- the problem as the smuggling
dued collections and contri- of tobacco has dire ramifica-
bution to total revenue. tions.

The smuggling of precious Zimbabwe’s highly regard-
minerals such as gold as well ed tobacco, used as flavour-
as products like cigarettes to ing by global cigarette mak-
neighbouring countries such ers, is grown by more than
as South Africa has, accord- 170 000 mostly small-scale
ing to the authorities and farmers.
leaders of industry and com-
merce, prejudiced Treasury The golden leaf is the coun-
of funding to finance critical try’s second -biggest foreign
projects. currency earner after gold,
contributing roughly 19% of
Home Affairs minister Ka- export earnings, according to
zembe Kazembe last year said official figures.
Zimbabwe is losing at least
The Zimbabwe National
Chamber of Commerce says
the country is losing more
be Kazembe last than US$10 million a month
year said Zim- in cigarette export revenues
to smugglers feeding the in-
Shining Light In The Dark Corners babwe is losing creased demand south of the
at least US$100 border.
FIGHTING million worth
Such losses are potential-
ly devastating to Zimbabwe,
COR NA of gold every whose economy was already
month, which is suffering from chronic for-
eign currency shortages, hy-
VIRUS being smuggled perinflation, lack of food,
out of the coun- medicine and fuel shortages
try through po- before the global pandemic
erupted.
REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS: rous borders. Cigarette smuggling has

long been a problem along
Zimre says it has sought the porous border between
assistance from other state Zimbabwe and South Africa,
After coughing or sneezing agencies. with “runners” carrying the

“The risk of revenue leak- contraband in plastic bags
ages within and outside ports attached to their backs cross
When caring for a sick person of entry continued, particu- the Limpopo

larly just before and during River in the dark, accord-
Before and after preparing a meal the festive period, and Zimra ing to a 2019 investigation
stepped up its efforts to plug by the US-based Global Ini-
these leakages. “Collabora- tiative Against Transnational
Before you have your meal tive operations were done Organised Crime.
with relevant stakeholders On the South African side,
such as the Zimbabwe An- they offload the cargo into
After using the toilet ti-Corruption Commission small trucks that travel on
(Zacc), Vehicle Inspectorate backroads to avoid detection,
Department (VID) and the said Simone Haysom, the re-
When the hands are visibly dirty Zimbabwe Republic Police port’s author and a senior an-
(ZRP),” Zimra said in its full- alyst with Global Initiative.
year report for the period “The buyers at the South
After they come in contact with an ending December 2020. African side are businessmen
“Unfortunately, lockdowns who will be waiting to fetch
animal or animal waste instituted to contain the the cigarettes from the run-

spread of the Covid-19 pan- ners,” said Haysom.
demic have led to increased “To get to their destina-
smuggling of goods along the tions, their trucks use small
For further enquiries contact 024 272 1044/5 or email marketing@thenewshawks.com country`s porous border line. and private roads to avoid

Or Visit Joint patrols with security tollgates, roadblocks, and ad-

arms of state were conduct- hoc searches by law enforce-
ed to plug such leakages. In- ment on main roads.”
The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLife www.newshawks.com join@thenewshawks.com

NewsHawks STOCK TAKING Page 21

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Price Sheet

Friday, 05 February 2021 A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
(cents) Traded Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
Price (%)
2400.00 -
AFDIS Consumer Goods AFDIS: ZH 143.46 - 2400.00 39,900 - - - - 2,815.34
African Sun Consumer Services ASUN: ZH 500.00 170.00 163.47 25,600 65,224.50 20.01 13.95 -3.84 1,408.74
ART ARTD: ZH 223.83 550.00 541.41 102,800 138,600.00 41.41 8.28 13.43 2,365.84
Ariston Industrials ARISTON: ZH 1734.82 225.00 225.17 231,476.00 1.34 0.60 68.04 3,664.41
Axia Consumer Services 429.07 1750.00 1757.92 1,200 21,095.00 23.10 1.33 91.91 9,578.81
BNC AXIA: ZH 87333.33 420.00 444.82 74,400 330,945.00 15.75 3.67 17.06 5,559.61
BAT Consumer Goods BIND: ZH 8000.00 87333.33 58.79 18,019.94
CAFCA Basic Materials BAT: ZH 1067.20 - 8000.00 - - - - -11.01
Cassava CAFCA: ZH 10254.59 8000.00 300 24,000.00 - - 79.62 698.81
CBZ Consumer Goods CSZL: ZH 2050.00 434,000 5,066,995.00 100.31 9.40 8.11 30,245.25
Dairibord Industrials CBZ: ZH 41.25 1200.00 1167.51 24,100 2,226,720.00 -1015.09 -9.90 58.83 63,496.77
Dawn DZL: ZH 4450.97 8700.00 9239.50 300 6,242.07 30.69 1.50 -31.73 7,448.89
Delta Technology DAWN: ZH 1478.05 2100.00 2080.69 18,300 7,381.25 -0.92 -2.23 107.50
Econet Banking DLTA: ZH 115.00 15,800 745,900.00 269.92 6.06 76.05 990.98
Edgars ECO: ZH 2485.53 40.00 40.33 801,000 13,326,210.00 185.65 12.56 15.00 60,638.00
FBC Consumer Goods EDGR: ZH 220.00 4800.00 4720.89 20,000 27,600.00 23.00 20.00 70.12 43,099.43
Fidelity Real Estate FBC: ZH 194.44 171,800 4,388,040.00 68.63 2.76 15.36
First Capital FIDL: ZH 1253.74 1770.00 1663.70 - - 76.65 451.25
FML Consumer Goods FCA: ZH 550.00 138.00 138.00 - - -0.13 -0.07 28.79 17,162.68
FMP Telecommunications FMHL: ZH 25.00 2560.00 2554.16 73,900 143,593.25 98.59 7.86 69.75
GBH Consumer Services FMP: ZH 25.90 220.00 259,300 3,506,600.00 - - 4.00 239.63
Getbucks GBH: ZH 10142.06 - -0.04 -0.16 107.20 4,190.72
Hippo Banking GBFS: ZH 5825.00 900 4,950.00 - - 11.11 9,333.01
Innscor Financial Services HIPO: ZH 1570.00 194.00 194.31 45,100 11,255.00 -142.06 -1.40 58.98 6,809.87
Lafarge 97.42 1500.00 1352.33 61.77 1.06 95.83
Mash Banking INN: ZH 1630.00 550.00 550.00 - - 310.00 19.75 12.90 133.93
Masimba Financial Services LACZ: ZH 17,300 1,730,000.00 7.58 7.78 42.86 301.25
Medtech MASH: ZH 7.37 25.00 24.96 494,900 29,133,630.00 -30.00 -1.84 -6.33 19,302.06
Meikles Real Estate MSHL: ZH 4104.64 - 25.90 0.03 0.41 86.17 33,247.09
Nampak Industrials MMDZ: ZH 366.00 10000.00 100 1,880.00 -7.94 -0.19 80.01 1,504.00
NatFoods MEIK: ZH 7210.00 10000.00 5886.77 683,900 718,095.00 44.88 12.26 19.97 1,952.03
NTS Financial Services NPKZ: ZH 6000.00 1880.00 - - 3,866.46
NMBZ Consumer Goods NTFD: ZH 27.45 1880.00 105.00 300 4,800.00 - - - 224.94
OK Zim 611.99 115.00 511,600 37,852.40 -7.30 -1.19 51.15 10,350.15
Padenga Industrials NTS: ZH 1635.06 204,835.00 123.95 7.58 95.45 3,104.81
Proplastics Industrials NMB: ZH 3004.99 1600.00 1600.00 5,000 53,004.00 341.47 11.36 59.24 4,931.65
RTG Real Estate OKZ: ZH 1990.00 7.40 7.40 12,900 395.00 19.85 177.01 69.69
RioZim Industrials PHL: ZH 175.00 - - - -8.74 2,443.99
SeedCo Healthcare PROL: ZH 1560.00 4000.00 4096.70 - - - - 4.33 21,931.56
Simbisa Industrials RTG: ZH 2984.00 439.00 410.88 - 311,416.00 547.65 18.35 53.55 18,124.21
Star Africa Industrials RIOZ: ZH 2029.95 51,500 12,953,330.00 240.00 11.82 88.88 6,008.66
Truworths Consumer Goods SEED: ZH 31.56 - 7210.00 736,400 1,512,600.00 2.89 9.16 27.59 4,367.12
TSL Industrials SIM: ZH 74.97 - 27.45 45,200 40,545.00 5.29 7.06 172.07 1,903.66
Turnall SACL: ZH 4609.84 600.00 604.69 1,700 7,700.00 -45.20 -0.98 164.62 8,671.19
Unifreight Banking TRUW: ZH 90.00 1775.00 4,400 - - - -3.23 12,761.31
Willdale Consumer Services TSL: ZH 95.25 3300.00 1759.01 - 8,133,380.00 19.00 19.95 514.25 1,624.35
ZB TURN: ZH 38.85 2385.00 3346.46 230,300 851,230.00 2.88 7.41 30.41 308.25
Zeco Consumer Goods UNIF: ZH 4000.00 175.00 2385.00 37,500 380,479.20 - - 66.67 16,300.44
Zimpapers Industrials WILD: ZH - 175.00 1,104,600 2,167.00 - - 443.74
Zimplow ZBFH: ZH 0.02 3580.00 1560.00 2,700 14,899,000.00 - - - 121.65
ZHL Consumer Services ZECO: ZH 98.00 3531.65 326,400 - 125.91 17.15 - 741.96
Basic Materials ZIMP: ZH 734.09 - 457.00 -4.79 -1.78 72.00 7,007.63
TOTAL ZIMPLOW: ZH 269.00 2400.00 2269.95 400 21,405.00 -15.72
Consumer Goods ZHL: ZH 35.00 34.45 51,300 16,000.00 0.09
Consumer Goods 80.00 80.26 400 - 564.48
Consumer Goods - 98,490.00 2,050.07
Consumer Services 4500.00 4564.64 100,500 1,720.00 4,051.23
Consumer Goods - 90.00 200 56,805.00 476,631.61
114.25 21,500 101,443,647.67
Industrials 114.25 41.73 6,549,700
Industrials 45.00
Industrials 4000.00 4000.00 33,766
0.02
Banking - 98.00
Industrials 98.00
Consumer Services 860.00 860.00
Industrials 260.00 264.21
Financial Services

ETFs OMTT.zw 159.25 180.00 180.00 60,778.80 20.75 13.03 79.60 144.00

Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

VFEX Open (US cents) Close (US cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap (US$m) Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
SCIL 18.00 0.00 43.40 Edgars 138.00c +23.00c +20.00 +15.00
18.00 - Unifreight 114.25c +19.00c +19.95 +514.25
FINSEC Open (cents) YTD (%) Mkt Cap ($m) Proplastics 2385.00c +19.85 +177.01
OMZIL 2665.55 Close (cents) Change (%) 0.59 2,212.72 Lafarge 1880.00c +395.00c +19.75 +95.83
2665.55 - SeedCo 3531.65c +310.00c +18.35 +53.55
Index +547.65c
ZSE All Share Top 5 Fallers YTD %
Top 10 Close Change (%) Open YTD % CBZ Price Change % +8.11
Top 15 4,012.47 +2.73 3,905.77 +52.60 Dawn 9239.50c -1015.09c -9.90 -31.73
Small Cap 2,526.95 +1.98 2,477.84 +52.73 Masimba -2.23 +42.86
Medium Cap 2,918.88 +2.22 2,855.46 +49.84 ZHL 40.33c -0.92c -1.84 -15.72
+5.71 13,543.78 +20.55 Hippo 1600.00c -30.00c -1.78 +11.11
14,316.79 +4.24 8,179.51 +53.23 -1.40
8,526.48 264.21c -4.79c
10000.00c -142.06c

SALES & TRADING: Davide Muchengi: davide@morganzim.com | Lungani Nyamazana: lungani@morganzim.com | Tatenda Jasi: tatenda@morganzim.com

RESEARCH: Batanai Matsika: batanai@morganzim.com | Precious Chagwedera: precious@morganzim.com | Tafara Mtutu: tafara@morganzim.com

Tel: (+263) 08677008101-2 | Email: research@morganzim.com | Address: 1st Floor, Block D, Smatsatsa Office Park, Borrowdale, Harare

MORGAN & COMPANY has issued this document for distribution to its clients. It may not be reproduced or further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose. This document is not and should not be
construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe to any investment. MORGAN & COMPANY has based this document on information obtained from sources it believes to
be reliable but which it has not independently verified; MORGAN & COMPANY makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as to the accuracy or completeness

of its content.

Page 22 News Analysis NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

NYASHA CHINGONO Mnangagwa squanders ify Mnangagwa and his troops for
international goodwill failing to reform.
THIS week’s decision by the Brit-
ish government to impose sanc- President Emmerson Mnangagwa “This is a difficult situation for
tions on Zimbabwe’s top security the Zimbabwean government. The
officials has thrown President Em- Mugabe pulled out in 2003, it was British Foreign ger support Harare’s bid to re-join Zanu PF regime is trying to play a
merson Mnangagwa’s re-engage- expected that Mnangagwa’s gov- Secretary said the the Commonwealth, among other delicate diplomatic and balancing
ment agenda into disarray as the ernment would go out of its way sanctions were as re-engagement initiatives with the act of trying to dangle little to no
international community contin- to prove that indeed the “new dis- a result of gov- international community. reform in exchange for significant
ues to demand tangible reforms. pensation” was a clear departure ernment’s fail- goodwill from the British and the
from the 37-year-old tyrannical ure to account This week’s sanctions will rest of the West,” international
Mnangagwa’s re-engagement rule of Mugabe. for the 1 August heighten Zimbabwe’s alienation relations expert and Bindura Uni-
drive, touted as one of his flagship 2018 post-elec- from the community of nations, versity lecturer Ronald Chipaike
policy initiatives after long-time Despite a painful colonial histo- tion shootings reminiscent of the Mugabe era. said.
leader Robert Mugabe was top- ry, the UK had continued postur- in central Harare
pled by a military coup in 2017, ing as a strategic economic co-op- where six civilians The mask has fallen off, expos- Chipaike said the UK sanctions
has been reduced to tatters as the eration partner to Zimbabwe. were killed and ing Mnangagwa, who presented signalled the coming of a tougher
reforms façade has fallen off in the the shooting of 17 himself as a pragmatic leader in international stance if Zimbabwe
face of growing international pres- London remains a major door- people in January the aftermath of the November continues refusing to reform.
sure. way to the international financial 2019 following 2017 coup.
system which has alienated Zim- riots over a fuel “The regime is being effectively
On Monday this week, Brit- babwe since 2000 due to failure to hike. With little to no reforms, told that you can’t have your cake
ish Foreign secretary Dominic service debts and a terrible human Mnangagwa’s government has over and eat it too in international poli-
Raab announced an asset freeze rights record. Britain’s influence the past three years made frantic tics. These are power games at play
and travel ban on Central Intel- was seen in 2018 when it helped efforts to re-engage the interna- and, unfortunately, the weaker
ligence Organisation chief Isaac Zimbabwe come up with a debt tional community. side has much to lose in the short
Moyo, Zimbabwe Republic Police arrears clearance plan at Chatham to medium term,” Chipaike said.
Commissioner-General Godwin House. From blowing millions of dol-
Matanga, Anselem Sanyatwe, a lars hiring public relations firms to “Effectively, re-engagement ap-
former commander of the presi- But this week’s pronouncement spruce up the country’s battered pears to have gone off the rails be-
dential guard and State Security has proven that the goodwill that image, to displaying a propensi- cause the major condition has not
minister Owen Ncube. Zimbabwe enjoyed from its for- ty for hollow rhetoric, it is clear been adhered to by the Zimbabwe-
mer colonisers has evaporated. Mnangagwa wants to engage the an government. To them engaging
Raab said the sanctions were world on his own terms, an inter- in too much reform also means
as a result of government’s failure Raab’s sentiments echo former national relations expert says. losing sovereignty because they
to account for the 1 August 2018 British Minister for Africa Har- would have bowed to the dictates
post-election shootings in central riet Baldwin’s statements in 2019 It is apparent the re-engage- of an external power. Regime pride
Harare where six civilians were vowing that the UK would no lon- ment drive has gone off the rails is at stake in this regard.”
killed and the shooting of 17 peo- as foreign powers continue to vil-
ple in January 2019 following riots However, he said Zimbabwe
over a fuel hike. should continue engaging the
West.
“These sanctions send a clear
message that we will hold to ac- “Although both sides are not
count those responsible for the willing to compromise on their
most egregious human rights vio- relative postures and stances, it is
lations, including the deaths of in- possible to continue low-inten-
nocent Zimbabweans,” Raab said sity engagements, negotiations
in a statement. and bargaining until some sort of
compromise is reached in the fu-
The four were implicated in vi- ture. What is dangerous is to stop
olations that happened between talking,” Chipaike said.
2018 and 2019, arguably the
darkest period of Mnangagwa’s A professor of world politics
rule. Mnangagwa’s regime has at the University of London, Ste-
since 2018 been implicated in the phen Chan, said the Zimbabwean
abductions of government critics, government’s heavy handedness
torture and imprisonment of hu- would continue to derail its re-en-
man rights defenders, including gagement agenda.
journalists.
He said even the US under the
The regime has gone for broke newly elected President Joe Biden
in bid to silence dissent, with would also seek re-engagement on
heavy-handedness by the police the basis of a clear improvement in
and army continuing, drawing in- human rights.
ternational condemnation.
“The constant arrest and re-ar-
Since the killings, Mnangagwa rest of journalists and suppression
has come under pressure to reform of popular expressions of dissent,
the security sector and ensure that even of simple dissatisfaction
perpetrators are brought to justice. with the conditions of life, have
led to a disenchantment with the
Despite a detailed report by early promises of the Mnangag-
the Kgalema Motlanthe Commis- wa government. Above all, the
sion into the August 2018 kill- heavy-handed crushing of demon-
ings which implicates the army, strations and shooting of citizens,
nothing has been done to punish all seen by the international public
the killers while government has eye, mean that Western govern-
remained mum on the compensa- ments must listen to the reactions
tion of victims and their families. of dismay from their own citi-
zens,” Chan said.
While the British were among
Mnangagwa’s leading cheerlead- He said Zimbabwe could not
ers following Mugabe’s dramat- continue to evade reforms, urging
ic ouster, showing willingness to the government to pro-actively en-
help the southern African nation gage the West.
regain its place in the community
of nations, there has been no cor- “For Zimbabwe, there is no
responding action from the gov- choice but to deal more pro-ac-
ernment to prove that indeed the tively with the West. No one wants
reform agenda was a worthwhile to recolonise anything or anyone.
venture. Who would want to recolonise a
bankrupt country? But human
With Zimbabwe seeking a re- rights are a highly important issue
turn to the Commonwealth after of great value in the West,” Chan
said.

NewsHawks In-depth Page 23

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

HENNING MELBER/ Zim remains pariah state under
ROGER SOUTHALL Mnangagwa’s administration

IN November 2017 Zimbabwe’s Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa meets his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping in Beijing, in 2018.
military replaced Robert Mugabe
as head of state with his long-time loyalty, it does not translate into US Senate Foreign Relations China’s blessing as the best option regional solidarity, estranged from
confidante Emmerson Mnangag- increased economic collaboration. Committee chair Jim Risch called available. Nonetheless, strains soon the West, and increasingly depen-
wa. He declared Zimbabwe “open upon the Sadc’s 15 members states appeared. When it became increas- dent on China.
for business”, linking foreign Two decades ago the Unit- to focus their energies on support- ingly apparent that Zimbabwe was
relations with economic policy. As ed States and European Union ing democracy, not kleptocratic unable to service its debts, China Yet China has its own very clear-
he stated: imposed sanctions on those linked regimes. wrote off some of the liabilities in ly defined interests. These focus on
to the government in response to 2018. resource extraction in mining and
“We look forward to playing a human rights abuses. Mugabe’s The deterioration of Zimbabwe’s agriculture for its own domestic
positive and constructive role as a regime reacted by blaming its eco- relations with the West coincided What particularly rankled Bei- economy. As a strategic and devel-
free, democratic, transparent and nomic woes on the West. Mnan- with growing Chinese interest in jing was that Harare’s incapacity to opmental partner, Zimbabwe is of
responsible member of the family gagwa decried sanctions as western access to African resources for its pay its debts was deemed to be due minor interest.
of nations.” attempts to bring about “regime own rapidly expanding industries. to the government’s misappropri-
change”. Zimbabwe’s growing isolation ation or misuse of Chinese funds. Chinese-Zimbabwean relations
International expectations (more offered a convenient entry point. Accordingly, there was need to serve an elite in the Zanu PF gov-
so than those among local people) Unimpressed by the rhetoric, tighten controls. This culminated ernment. They are accused of “asset
looked forward to translating the US extended restrictive mea- But, China’s greater involvement in the signing of a currency swap
sures against targeted individuals was spurred less by solidarity than deal in January 2020. stripping”. They exclude any
these promises into policy. This and companies in August 2018. In by self-interest. And it’s singular oversight, civil society involve-
was despite the fact that Mugabe’s March 2019, US sanctions were importance in throwing a life-line Back in mid-2019 China’s ment, and lack transparency
departure had been anything but renewed. to the Zimbabwean regime in embassy in Harare had already and accountability. The absence
democratic. need gave it enormous influence in stressed that development relied of visible benefits for ordinary
In contrast, the EU demonstrat- directing the collaboration. Failure mainly on a country’s own efforts. Zimbabweans has engendered
But there have been few if any ed more willingness to reengage to mend relations with the West It expressed hope that the Zimba- anti-Chinese sentiments.
changes in Zimbabwe’s political with Harare. In October 2019 the and other global institutions leaves bwean side would continue to cre-
trajectory. A deepening econom- EU announced an aid package, Zimbabwe with no other partners ate a more favourable environment Having failed to restore friend-
ic crisis combined with a brutal bringing support during the year for development and cooperation, for all foreign direct investment, ly relations with the West, and
crackdown on the government’s to €67.5 million. thus vulnerable to manipulation by including Chinese enterprises. its “look east policy” not bearing
domestic opponents has resulted in China. fruits, has left the Mnangagwa
disappointments. Aid to Zimbabwe since 2014 Indications suggest that China’s regime with few options. Russia
stood at €287 million in 2020. An initial honeymoon started patience with the ailing Zimba- has entered the arena, showing
On the foreign policy front This made the EU Zimbabwe’s big- at the turn of the century, after bwean “all- weather friend” is increased interest in the extractive
Mnangagwa has fared no better. gest donor. To ease the woes of the Zimbabwe became isolated from wearing thinner. The new eco- industries, arms trade and political
In a recently published analysis we COVID-19 pandemic, it added the West through its fast-track land nomic challenges following the fraternisation.
examine the status of Zimbabwe’s another €14.2 million humanitari- reform of 2000, and the increased COVID-19 pandemic might have
foreign policy. We identify what’s an assistance in 2020. repression of the political opposi- shifted priorities in global supply This sounds not much like an
gone wrong in its efforts at rap- tion. But China became increas- chains. alternative to the current ties with
prochement with Western coun- Mnangagwa, however, contin- ingly concerned about Mugabe’s China. The bedfellows remain
tries in a bid to get sanctions lifted, ued to blame the West for sanc- indigenisation policy. This is also affecting the Belt more than less of the same. And
and why its efforts at cosying up to tions he compared with cancer. and Road Initiative, China’s mas- an old adage comes to mind: with
China haven’t gone to plan either. With Chinese companies the sive global infrastructure project. friends like these one does not
Responding to criticism the EU largest foreign direct investors, This might reduce interest in what need enemies.
We conclude that Mnangagwa’s declared: “Zimbabwe is not where the announced enforcement of Zimbabwe has to offer by way of
hopes of reorienting Zimbabwe’s it is because of the so-called sanc- the 51% Zimbabwean ownership natural resources. Melber is Extraordinary Pro-
foreign policy have been con- tions, but years of mismanagement in assets exceeding US$ 500 000 fessor, Department of Political
founded by his government’s own of the economy and corruption.” from April 2016 caused discom- No stability, no money, few Sciences, University of Pretoria
actions. Its repressive response to fort. friends? and Southall is Professor of
mounting economic and political Similarly, the US Ambassador Sociology, University of Witwa-
crisis increased rather than dimin- dismissed “any responsibility for Mnangagwa’s elevation to the Zimbabwean foreign policy tersrand in Johannesburg, South
ished its isolation. The more the the catastrophic state of the econo- presidency may have received remains locked in the parameters Africa.
Mnangagwa government fails to my and the government’s abuse of of recent times past: looking to
its own citizens”. – The Conversation.
engage democraticallywith
its own citizens, the more it will
negate any prospect of re-engage-
ment.

Since the Mugabe era the Afri-
can Union and Southern African
Development Community (Sadc)
have been tolerant of the Zanu PF
regime’s politics.

Sadc’s annual summit in 2019
demanded an end to Western sanc-
tions. But the continued repressive
nature of Mnangagwa’s regime is
not making this loyalty easy.

Tensions have begun to show.
In August 2020, South Africa
dispatched official envoys to
Harare to press for restraint on
the Mnangagwa government in its
actions against opposition figures.
The envoys weren’t greeted warmly.
Instead they were subjected to a
presidential harangue and denied
the opportunity to meet the oppo-
sition.

A subsequent mission by South
Africa’s governing party the African
National Congress (ANC), acting
as a fellow liberation movement,
was as shoddily treated.

South Africa’s patience may be
wearing thin. But, for its part, Sadc
has preferred to officially ignore
developments by remaining silent.
But while “business as usual”
translates into continued political

Page 24 Critical Thinking NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Exploring the idea of reinventing the
intractable Zimbabwe into the future

Sabelo J. We are in a mess. Let us take a post-colonial state. President Emmerson Mnangagwa consequences of political divi-
Ndlovu-Gatsheni step back and reflect seriously. We have to trace the sources of sions among black nationalists.
of legacy” as the coup leaders of For Joshua Nkomo and Robert
NATION-BUILDING is as Where do we come from and repression and violence to an ac- November 2017 tried to justify Mugabe to pretend to be united
important as economic recov- who do we want to be? We come tual existing history and politics their actions. It is because we are under the Patriotic Front (PF)
ery for Zimbabwe, which now from various ethnic groups, of the making of Zimbabwe. in a deep mess. was just to postpone troubles
needs to reinvent itself and craft hence we have 16 official lan- that could have been nipped in
a new value system and national guages, including sign language. These are issues which occu- The historical record indicates the bud with political will and
identity to take the country into pied my mind when I wrote the that Zimbabwean nationalism vision.
the future. We share a common experi- book Do “Zimbabweans” Exist? became bifurcated at the lead-
ence of being colonised by the Trajectories of Nationalism, ership level in 1963 when Zanu If we fast-forward to post-
Zimbabwe needs to revisit British. As a nation, we are born National Identity Formation and emerged as a splinter formation 1980, we realise that a mere
its state formation processes; of anti-colonial struggle. The Crisis in a Post-colonial State from Zapu. It is always at the two years into independence,
state-building, nation-building very idea of Zimbabwe is a na- (2009). leadership level that things are were plunged the nation into
and institution-building to re- tionalist invention of the 1960s. messed up. Operation Gukurahundi at a
build a firm foundation for a new At stake is the very constitution It is a question about the time when state formation and
progressive nation. of the nation itself and the terms extent of the success or failure I have never been satisfied by nation-building at their most
of belonging to it. At the centre of Zimbabwean nationalism as a the reasons given for the split. If critical stages.
Nations remain intact and is the very nationalist conception terrain on and within which the Joshua Nkomo was a weak leader
progress when citizens share a of liberation and freedom. very imagination of the indepen- – something that was never sub- The year 1963 came back to
common value system, vision and dent nation emerged. stantiated beyond political power haunt the newly- born political
opportunities. Nobody knew during the contestation – then shaking and formation. The guns of libera-
liberation struggle that those who It is a historical and political beefing up the executive around tion were turned on each other
Yet what is currently happen- fought for the liberation of Zim- question calling us to go back to him would have reinforced the as comrades list focus and the
ing in Zimbabwe is generally babwe would emerge as first-class the drawing board so as to retrace leadership and pursued the revolution lost its way.
inimical to nation-building, citizens and reduce all of other where we lost our way. people’s agenda for liberation
development and progress. compatriots into second-class without splitting the nationalist Zanu PF and Mugabe used
citizens. Forty years after attainment movement with far-reaching the newly-found state power to
Political polarisation has eaten of political independence is long consequences. deal with PF Zapu and Nkomo
into the very soul of the nation- Nobody knew that the ‘‘by- enough a time to do historical through liquidation of its social
in-the-making. Partisan identities right-of-conquest’’ mentality of and political audit and introspec- Leaders should always be base in pursuit of a one-party
and identify politics have solidi- colonial rulership would mutate tion of the very idea of Zimba- changed when the need arises, state and political hegemony.
fied over common belonging. and interpellate the liberation bwe. but not merely for individual
movements and reproduce itself political ambitions at the expense This was the first sign of the
Ethnicity continues to be used in terms ‘‘by-right-of-dying-for- This is not for nostalgic of the national agenda. perilous failure of Zimbabwean
instrumentally for political power you’’ used by former liberators to reasons. It not for “restoration nationalism. The nation died at
purposes. Elections in many claim to be the alpha and omega Now the culture of factional- its birth. Zimbabwe was still-
respects remain a national census, leadership of the country. ism and splits is wreaking havoc born. A morbid creature emerged
as Frantz Fanon would put it. on the Zimbabwean political in its place and this is what we
What is emerging is that the landscape. A bad precedent was have now. The popular anti-colo-
Complaints of marginalisation present governance challenges set in 1963. Zimbabwe became nial nationalism which animated
have intensified. Intolerance cannot be understood outside the born with a very bad birthmark. and propelled the liberation
of different political opinion is broader question of the original Lancaster House Conference struggle did not successfully tran-
growing and thinking differently imagination and invention of never paid enough attention to sition into postcolonial, pan-eth-
criminalised. Zimbabwe. intra-nationalist ructions. The nic patriotism and horizontal
British were more interested in comradeship.
National interests are subor- The democracy and human getting a fair deal for the white
dinated to partisan imperatives. rights issues cannot be dealt with minority. Something else was being
The country itself is reduced to a outside the broader history of constructed. Norma J. Kriger
“thing” (chinhu chedu) owned by the making of Zimbabwe, from That Bishop Abel Muzorewa named it “party-nation” and
a clique of politicians and their being a colony to a sovereign was leading a delegation with Ian “party-state.” This is not what
cronies. Smith as a member signaled the was fought for. The very idea of
Zimbabwe which people origi-
National leadership is mo- nally fought for had failed right
nopolised by a political clique. from the beginning.
Citizens have been reduced to
fear-gripped subjects. Gover- Nation-building had failed
nance has been reduced to feudal from day one. Unsurprisingly,
rulership (kutonga), rule by law, the people of Matebeleland and
which endangers rule of law. the Midlands regions had to be
violently suppressed for voting
Looting of national resources differently – a brutal opposi-
by those in power has become tion to democracy - and forced
normalised with unprecedented into embracing the monstrosity
deepening material inequalities of a “party-nation” and a “par-
between those in power and ty-state.”
those outside power.
A party-nation and a par-
Parasitic bourgeois-bureau- ty-state had to have a party-army
cratic accumulation through the and that partisan military force
state is rampart. Those who speak enforced party political agendas
out about this appalling state of and drove personal ambitions to
affairs are subjected to endless murderous heights.
arrests. The judiciary seems to be
captured. And the media too is Two initiatives were at play.
captured. The first was to try and turn the
integration of ex-Zanla, ex-Zipra
and ex-Rhodesian forces into a
party-army through Zanlafica-
tion, that is, making ex-Zanla the
core of the neq Zimbabwe Na-
tional Army (ZNA) and elevating
some ex-Zanla into its command
structures.

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 25

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

After the Zanlafication of the The late former President Robert Mugabe (left) and the late Vice-President Joshua Nkomo
army, then came Zanufication of
government and the state. fear among citizens, but also in and invent a surrogate one in l³iberation struggle such as equal- persecution, the potentials for
terms of abuse of the military to true Leninist dictum “the best ity, equal opportunity, social reinvention of Zimbabwe and
This entailed needless repres- deal with civil-political affairs in way to control the opposition is justice, democracy, human rights, reconstitution of the political lies
sion against ex-Zipra forces and Zimbabwe. to lead it ourselves”. development, and commitment in the hands of the people, es-
juniorisation of ex-Rhodesian to serve the people. It is these pecially the youth. Political elite
troops as part of the Zanlafica- Its roots are in the liberation Taking all this burden serious- positive values that have been bargains cannot deliver it.
tion process. struggle itself where violence ly, there us urgent need to rein- displaced by negative ones of
in the rear-bases and on the vent Zimbabwe. This reinvention ‘‘liberation war credentials’’ and Military intervention in
Even this was not trusted front-line inside Rhodesia was has to be predicated on a recon- commodification of participation civilian affairs has never been
enough. So, a second initiative common. This political culture stitution of the political itself. in the liberation struggle into and will not be the solution to
emerged. The establishment of continues t½o eat the lives of entitlement to material benefits build a great and prosperous
the Fifth Brigade. It was trained Zimbabweans long after the end This is necessary because the ahead of all citizens. nation which serves the interests
by North Koreans and oriented of the liberation struggle. people of Zimbabwe are current- of all citizens without political,
as a pure party-army. It is this ly hostage to the downside/neg- For this political paradigm gender, ethnic, religious and class
force that carried out Operation Regular elections every five ative cultures of liberation, with shift to happen, there is need discrimination.
Gukurahundi. This was the earli- years have not resolved the violence and impunity on the top for a new breed of leaders with Professor Ndlovu-Gatsheni
est sign of things to come. A gov- political culture of violence. In list. Reinvention of Zimbabwe untainted political pedigrees of is Chair of Epistemologies of
erning party with a private army fact, it is at election time that the entails recovery and reconnection privileging the people-agenda the Global South Faculty of
is always ominous. The massacre political culture of violence walks with the pre-1963 forms of in- ahead of itself. Humanities and Social Sci-
of an estimated 20 000 civilians on all four legs with its ugly head clusive nationalism and common ences, Africa Multiple Cluster
from Matabeleland and the Mid- protruding menacingly for every- vision. A service leadership is in of Excellence, University of
lands regions of Zimbabwe was one to see it. short supply in Harare. While Bayreuth, Germany.
the consequence. Reconstitution of the political at the moment and the citizens
Mediation, both internal and is about recovery and reconnnec- are paralysed by violence and
Only the surrender of PF Zapu external, has not resolved this tion with the positive values of
and Nkomo would prevented problem. The military coup of
further atrocities, otherwise November 2017 has not resolve
genocidal massacres would have it. In fact, what happened in
continued. August 2018 and January 2019
indicates the intensification of
At the time of the signing of culture of violence with live
the Unity Accord on 22 De- bullets being used by the army,
cember 1987, Canaan Banana, which is expected to protect the
the first titular president of citizens, against unarmed civilian
Zimbabwe, posited that the Zimbabweans.
accord should mark the end of
a political behaviour where one This revealed the fear that the
Zimbabwean is pointing a gun at coup would produce a military
another Zimbabwean. junta even though they have
invited Emmerson Mnangagwa
What Banana missed was that to take over as president.
the accord had nothing to do
with change of political culture The military has not yet return
and values. It had more to do to the barracks, hence the awk-
with conquest of PF Zapu and ward political reality in Harare of
its social base for purposes of a ‘‘military with a political party,’’
pursuit on a one-party state. which is currently busy trying to
conquer the genuine opposition
Because Operation Gukura-
hundi was so successful Gukura-
hundi for Zanu PF, ‘‘governance
by military operations’’ as coined
by Martin Rupiya, became nor-
malised and routinised.

The security forces were to be
unleashed to settle future politi-
cal or national questions, partic-
ularly against the new opposition
at the turn of the millennium.

Decades later the other
military campaign, Operation
Restore Legacy, resulted in the
forcible removal from power of
President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
in November 2017. Guns were
pointed at other Zimbabweans.
Others had to survive by escap-
ing to exile.

Guns had been pointed at
other Zimbabweans from 2000
onwards, including mainly
during the 2008 presidential
election run-off where a national
military deployment was made to
settle an electoral contest.

So Operation Gukurahundi
became foundational not only in
terms of violent conquest of soci-
ety by the state and imposition of

HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED YET?

To receive a free copy send an email to join@thenewshawks.com

The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLife www.newshawks.com join@thenewshawks.com

Page 26 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

COVID-19: What Africans and the
African diaspora should do and how

partner with private sector tech-
nocrats, medical experts and ac-
ademic institutions to jump-start
Arthur the efforts. COVID-19 partner-
ships such as that between AU
Mutambara and MTN on vaccinations must
not be an exception but the rule.
Resources, involvement and
CLEARLY, it is not sufficient to agenda ownership must also be
merely articulate the lack of collective mobilised and cultivated from
agency facing the African continent ordinary Africans and civil soci-
and its diaspora with respect to the ety organisations.
COVId-19 pandemic. We must prof- • Leveraging continental bodies
fer solutions that address both ‘what’ such as the AfCFTA, the AU
should be done and ‘how’ it could be Commission and UN Economic
accomplished. Commission for Africa to mobil-
ise buy-in and resources for the
The Work to be Done on the Afri- projects. More importantly, the
can Continent AU vehicle – Africa CDC, must
Several strategic initiatives can be ex- be enabled and empowered as
ecuted to assert Africa’s agency in the the Africa COVID-19 response
fight against the COVID-19. These strategy and implementation en-
efforts require prioritisation, sequenc- gine.
ing and a detailed implementation • Partnership with the African
matrix anchored by a monitoring and diaspora to establish collective
evaluation framework. An inexhaus- COVID-19 (and related infec-
tive list of what Africans and their tious diseases) African agency. In
brothers and sisters in the African Di- particular, we must reach out to
aspora should immediately do on the the leadership, conscience and
continent include the following: resources of the Black elites, en-
• Clinical trials on local remedies trepreneurs, enterprises, intellec-
such as Zumbani/Umsuzwane tuals and medical experts in the
(Lippia javanica) and Moringa Local Covid-19 remedy, Zumbani/Umsuzwane United States, Europe and the

(Moringa oleifera) to demon- develop that capacity is now. and livelihoods, leading to the – research laboratory into African rest of the world.
strate drug safety, efficacy and • Building in-country capacity to formulation of appropriate pol- COVID-19 remedies and their • Establishing COVID-19 part-
side effects (if any) leading to develop, manufacture and ser- icy responses for countries, re- codification, including clinical nerships with the Global North
professional packaging of med- vice COVID-19 related equip- gions and the continent. trials of such solutions. Efforts driven by African agency and pri-
icines with specific professional ment and technologies such as such as those of Madagascar with orities. This collaboration must
dosages. Clinical trials to formal- ventilators, oxygen tanks, oxygen How Africa and its Diaspora can its Artemisia annua COVID-19 be buttressed by the clear under-
ly establish the impact and lim- concentrators, diagnostics, PPEs, Accomplish this Agenda drug must be embraced and sup- standing that the COVID-19
itations of other natural solutions testing facilities and contact trac- The articulated plan is achievable if ported by Africans and African crisis is a global problem that
such as steaming, culminating ing capacity. Africans work together in regional institutions such as Africa CDC. requires both global solutions
in the development of technical • Development of regional and bodies such as SADC, EAC, COME- • A vaccine efficacy and safety test- and leadership. In fact, the pan-
guidelines for the interventions. continental research centres to SA and ECOWAS, but primarily as ing facility in each of the regional demic will only be defeated if
• Clinical trials of human formu- study the virus, its mutation, the African Union, while leveraging blocks (SADC, EAC, ECOW- the virus is eradicated globally
lation of the ‘wonder drug’ Iv- transmissibility and disease pat- the financial and global influence of AS, etc.). Regional centres of – in every country. The sooner
ermectin for use in prevention tern. The work such as that of the African diaspora and harnessing excellence must be established to this is achieved, the better, as the
and treatment of COVID-19 to Nigeria, SA, and Kenya to de- the vast resources of the African pri- run clinical trials for COVID-19 COVID-19 virus has shown the
establish drug safety, efficacy and tect local COVID-19 variants vate sector. and other infectious diseases. capacity to mutate into variants
side effects among African pop- (through genome sequencing) Of course, front and centre in this • Four AU-driven world-class drug that make existing vaccines inef-
ulations. must be enhanced, continental- endeavour will be the African health manufacturing plants, one in fectual.
• Development of laboratory ly leveraged and systematically experts and professionals, together West Africa, North Africa, East Achieving African agency in the
capacity to test the safety, effi- replicated. The commendable with their research institutions such Africa and Southern Africa, all fight against the COVID-19 is not
cacy and side effects of all the efforts of Africa CDC must be as universities and teaching hospi- focusing on COVID-19 vac- mission impossible. It simply requires
COVID-19 vaccines – without strengthened, heavily resourced tals. As Africans, we must emphasise cines and other infectious agents both political will and commitment
exception – being brought into and granted the requisite politi- regional and continental integration, and drugs. We must deliberately to deploy effective regional and con-
the continent. Africans must in- cal commitment. which gives us the economies of scale build African drug manufactur- tinental strategies, anchored by vi-
dependently do this evaluation • Revamping of and investment to achieve our objectives. ing capacity, and then approach sionary African leadership in both the
before using any of the externally in healthcare facilities across the We must also share COVID-19 those who have developed vac- private and public sectors.
developed vaccines. As the first continent. COVID-19 has ex- best practices, lessons and innovations cines to partner with us and The financial resources are there.
batch of vaccines arrives in SA posed the inadequacy and fragil- across regions and the continent and manufacture the vaccines on the The medical expertise and skills to do
on 1 February 2021, it will be ity of our healthcare systems. We minimise unproductive and disrup- continent. Collaboration such as the research and development are in
prudent to adhere to this philos- have learnt valuable lessons that tive competition among ourselves. that between SA’s Aspen Phar- abundance. The enabling tools of the
ophy. We must ensure this test- we must act on. Furthermore, The intellectual property of African macare and the US firm, John- 4IR such as AI, big data, virtual real-
ing and verification capacity is we must build world-class hospi- knowledge systems and medicinal son & Johnson, must not be ad ity and 3D printing are here. In fact,
available throughout the African tals across the continent. African remedies must be protected and lev- hoc but systematically motivated COVID-19 has catalysed innovation
continent. elites must never travel outside eraged to benefit the continent and its and incentivised by states, re- and the uptake of these new technol-
• Development of manufacturing Africa for treatment. people financially. gional bodies and the AU. ogies.
capacity, so that we can partner • Building of world-class vac- There is a need for a change of • Three AU-driven world-class Let us get to work.
with owners (from the Global cine research and development mindset and a paradigm shift by the drug development research lab- The current status quo where Afri-
North) of the already developed capacity, so that in the case of African from worshipping external oratories on the continent. For can leaders pay lip-service to region-
COVID-19 vaccines and relat- future pandemics, we partici- medical solutions to embracing local future pandemics and other dis- al and continental integration and
ed drugs and manufacture these pate in vaccine development as remedies, including locally developed eases, we must conduct research strategies (and their implementation)
products in Africa. This will be Africans. The ineptitude of the and manufactured drugs. and develop our own vaccines must be challenged. We are Africans
cheaper than receiving pre-man- COVID-19 experience must Some of the strategic activities that and medicines. first, regional citizens second and na-
ufactured drugs. It will also ad- never be repeated. will enable us to attain the outlined • Development of an Africa-wide tional citizens third. There is no space
dress the challenges of transport, • Continent-wide coordination COVID-19 African agency initiatives drug distribution infrastructure for national plans, visions or strategies.
storage and other logistical con- of systems and mechanisms to include the following: and network, driven by the AU. The continent is the only viable unit
cerns in the movement of the detect and eliminate counter- • Pooling of national (governmen- • Direct appeal and incentives at of analysis. COVID-19 has amply
drugs from the Global North to feit medicines, with respect to tal) resources into regional and national, regional and AU levels demonstrated the immortality of this
Africa. This is a long-term strat- COVID-19 and in general. continental centres of medical to African businesses in particu- fact. Let us move forward as a unit-
egy to develop the capacity to • Establishment of regional and excellence with specific man- lar well-endowed entrepreneurs ed and harmonised continent in sync
supply the entire continent with continental research centres dates. Emphasis must be on re- to participate in funding the out- with its diaspora.
all its drug requirements. Afri- to investigate the efficacy of gional and continental plans and lined projects. African govern- The destiny of the health of our
can needs to strive towards drug COVID-19 lockdowns and the strategies and not national ones. ments must deliberately identify people is in our capable collective Af-
self-sufficiency and the time to impact of the pandemic on lives • A regionally funded – say SADC African philanthropists willing to rican hands.

NewsHawks Opinion Page 27

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Deconstructing
journalist Hopewell
Chin’ono’s ‘Dem
Loot’ soundtrack

Taona T. the parasitic and vulturistic ruling
Denhere elites.

THE great African-American #DemLoot casts focus on the
novelist, poet and essayist James unanswered questions of the dubi-
Baldwin once philosophically said: ous ways in which funds earmarked
“Music, is our witness, and our for management of the Covid-19
ally”. pandemic are being abused and
misused by the Zanu PF govern-
The “beat” is confession which ment.
recognises, changes and conquers
time. Music itself must act upon It is politically attuned to the
time, not lose itself to it; must stem prevailing social realities of Zimba-
itself against the empty flood. bwean citizens. It has an obvious
bearing on the urgent need for
The philosophical and peda- collective agency amongst citizens
gogical significance of this ex- in holding the government to
cerpt brings us to the politics of account.
the rhythm as embodied in the
currently trending #DemLoot’ ‘Dem Loot’ is a so-
soundtrack.
cially conscious and
In the late hours of last Sunday
Chin`ono, days after his release politically charged
from jail where was detained for al-
legedly “spreading falsehoods preju- song. It is acting as
dicial to the state” over the video of
a woman whose baby was report- a promethean fiery
edly beaten to death by a police
officer, in “solitary confinement” of searchlight spot-
his book laden study, echoed with
a ddee-throated booming vocal, a lighting the endem- Hopewell Chin’ono
55-second ‘Dem Loot’ song. a voice of dissent from musicians.
ic corruption and whose insatiable piratical brigand- through these open seasons of av-
The soaring pyrotechnics of cancerous venality, age has bankrupted the nation and aricious insatiable looting of State Evidently pronouncement of the
his voice was infused with the old that has decimated pauperised the masses. fund, the frontline workers like ban was premised on a distortion
dancehall chanting style accompa- the socioeconomic nurses, doctors, teachers and civil and bias which deems entertain-
nied and scaffolded with Shabba and moral fabric of ‘Dem Loot’ speaks about the servants don’t have PPEs, Covid-19 ment as non essential for locked
Ranking flavour in the yesteryear Zimbabwe. runaway institutionalised looto- testing kit and social safety nets. down masses.
hit Dem Bow. This is in many cracy that has been plaguing the Therefore, being asked to report
ways instructive given Chin’ono’s Chin’ono provides credible nation since the so-called Second for duty by the callous Zanu PF To make a bad situation worse,
deep reggae roots. He has rubbed musical lessons to the experienced Republic was born on the ashes of government is tantamount to being recently released on bail Chill Spot
shoulders and interviewed some music practitioners on the polit- the November 2017 coup. sent on a suicidal mission which Producers have even extended
great Reggae artists like Luciano ical power of the microphone in will put them in harm’s way. their gestures of compliance to
“Jah Messenger”. holding the government to account ‘Dem Loot’ literally translated the regime as sung in their “Ed
in delivery of its constitutional means there are looting, however Furthermore, the song traces the Pfee’ riddim. These uncharted and
Coupled with the fact that obligations towards citizens. metaphorically and politically it levels of the high levels of unem- uncontested terrains provided the
demographically the biggest con- means the ruling elites are engag- ployment and underemployment worthy background for Chin’ono
sumers of music in Zimbabwe are After its initial trial and error ing in unrestrained and wanton among the ghettoized youths to produce the scorcher ‘Dem
the youths who are also some- release on those late hours of last pillaging and plunder of taxpayers’ occasioned by the obscene pilfering Loot’.
times known as the Zimdancehall Sunday of January, ‘Dem Loot’ has money, national coffers and the and looting of State resources by
generation, the millennials or the since gone viral and spread like a nation`s resources. the ruling elites. In an increasingly tyrannised
post-1995 generation. wildfire in dry savannah. socioeconomic, politico and
The song and its consciousness The song also details the state cultural ecosystem of Zimbabwe, it
#DemLoot is an expression of Consequently, it has spawned arousing lyrics has been timely, be- of hopelessness and despair which is not surprising that ‘Dem Loot’
rebel art and, thus, follows in the various remixes and versions which cause it comes out at a time when is translating the current gener- was mooted and invisibilised on
rebellious and provocative sonic includes mbira version, acapella the nation is in apocalyptic death ation of the youth into a “lost” the public funded and State control
art steps of the likes of Fela Kuti, Ladysmith Mambazo-style version, throes of man -made disaster epit- generation without looking at the media platforms.
Thomas Mapfumo, Bob Marley, Shona version etc. omised by the mishandling of the intertwined endemic corruption
Peter Tosh and etc. second surge of Covid-19 pandem- and plunder of national coffers. This is despite the constant re-
Moreover, techno-savvy Zimba- ic by the Zanu PF “mis-leadership” quests by Zimbabweans via media
#DemLoot reignited the rebel- bwean’s netizens have also creatively elites. The voices of musicians can act personality Misred to have it played
lious spirit in anti-corruption songs produced video imagery of the as critical enablers in solidifying the on the local radio station Zifm.
like Stop Corruption by Mapfumo, song that sought to lampoon the Thus, the upsurge in number of communication of lost possibilities
Cerambulator by Fela Kuti, and filthy corrupt ruling elites. Covid-19 deaths and infections are and clarification of citizens’ con- Moreover, its underlining mes-
Them Belly Full by Bob Marley. directly interlinked with the grand testations with maladministrative sage resonates with the majority of
‘Dem Loot’ is a socially con- theft and rapacious sleaze of the practices endemic of Zimbabwean long-suffering Zimbabweans and
This is an art form that verbalises scious and politically charged pandemic funds by the ruling elites state. other foreign radio station have
socio-economic concerns and the song. It is acting as a promethean and their accomplices’ buccaneers. already sampled the tune.
political desires of downtrodden fiery searchlight spotlighting the If musicians feign ignorance
subalterns who are preyed upon by endemic corruption and cancerous The incestuous looting sprees of of broader state political issues, This conspicuous absence of
venality, that has decimated the Covid-19 by the disgraced former they could at least engage with the ‘Dem Loot’ from the national
socioeconomic and moral fabric of Health minister Obadiah Moyo recent announcement of the cessa- airwaves is testament to the fact
Zimbabwe. The lyrics indict Zanu in cahoots with bogus entities like tion of online music concerts, but that, its socially conscious lyrics
PF misrule by bureaucratic elites, Drax International and others has even this material dispossession and and politically potent message is
led to these avoidable deaths and shortchanging of their sole source an anathema to the extractive and
infections. of livelihood has failed to generate over-accumulation cronyism of the
Zanu PF establishmentarians.
‘Dem Loot’ is saying that,

Page 28 Opinion NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

TOENDEPI SHONHE/ IAN SCOONES/ Social differentiation across
FELIZ MURIMBARIMBA medium-scale Zim farms

THE emergence of medium-scale linked to land reform after 2000, tiation among such farms, and so Chambati 2013). This involves a permanent workforce, the use of
farms is having important con- which created around 23,000 addi- the diverse trajectories of change small-scale farms, including com- high levels of ‘modern’ inputs and
sequences for agricultural com- tional medium-scale farms (rang- observed. munal areas, as well as old and the generation of substantial mar-
mercialisation across Africa. This ing in size from c. 10 ha to over new (A1) resettlement areas (total ket offtake. All this requires capi-
article examines the role of medi- a thousand hectares, averaging 153 Farm size distributions in agrar- 1.3 million farms, over 25.8 mil- talisation and regular flows of fi-
um-scale A2 farms allocated fol- ha). These land reform resettle- ian economies matter, as they lion ha), medium-scale farms (A2 nance, as well as considerable skill
lowing Zimbabwe’s land reform ment farms (denoted A2) account influence overall patterns of in- farms, plus older small-scale com- in both production and marketing.
after 2000. While the existing lit- for 3.5 million hectares, nearly 9% equality, the opportunities for mercial farming areas, total 31,200 Of intermediate scale, embedded
erature focuses on changing farm of the area of all agricultural land- accumulation and the potential farms, over 4.4 million ha) and in regions where smallholder farm-
size distributions, this article in- holdings (Moyo 2011: 498). linkage effects between farm sec- large commercial farms and estates ing dominates, they take on a new
vestigates processes of social dif- tors in regional economies (Sitko (total 1,618 farms, over 2.6 mil- role in regional economies, poten-
ferentiation across medium-scale This paper explores the origins & Jayne 2012). Agrarian structure lion ha) (Moyo 2011: 512).1 tially offering support for equip-
farms, based on qualitative-quan- and implications of these me- also often reflects rural political ment sharing, labour employment
titative studies in two contrasting dium-scale farms in Zimbabwe, settlements, with different agrarian Medium-scale farms are crucial and market assistance.
sites (Mvurwi and Masvingo-Gu- asking how they fit into the post- classes linked to farms of different in this new agrarian structure.
tu). land reform agrarian structure, sizes (Moyo 2011; Scoones 2015). They are neither small-scale, of- This is the theory at least and
who the owners are, what they In former settler economies, land ten subsistence-oriented peasant was the driving inspiration behind
Diverse processes of accumu- produce and sell and how they reforms have been focused on farms, nor are they large-scale, Zimbabwe’s resettlement planning
lation are identified across com- are differentiated. As a now ma- overturning a highly unequal land highly capitalised farms and es- from the 1990s. This paper ex-
mercial, aspiring and struggling jor, but poorly understood, part of distribution, creating new oppor- tates, sometimes owned by mul- plores the practice, nearly 20 years
farmers, and linked to contrasting the agricultural economy, the aim tunities for both smallholders and tinational capital. Previously, after the land reform of 2000, ask-
patterns of agricultural production is evaluate the A2 farm experience ‘emergent’ commercial farmers. black-owned, medium-scale farms ing whether such medium-scale
and sale, asset ownership, employ- against the wider story of the rise were created as ‘Purchase Areas’ farms offer a vision of the future
ment and finance. of medium-scale farms in Africa In Zimbabwe, land reform was from the 1930s (Cheater 1984), of commercial agriculture, as some
more broadly, examining in par- aimed at transforming the for- but the extent was limited. Today, claim based on studies elsewhere in
The ability to mobilise finance, ticular the processes of differen- mer dualistic structure, creating medium-scale farms in Zimbabwe, Africa, or whether in fact there are
influenced by the state of the mac- a ‘tri-modal’ structure (Moyo & as defined by the A2 ‘model’, are more diverse trajectories of change
ro-economy, as well as forms of mostly sufficiently large that they emerging, with some succeeding,
political patronage, is identified as offer the opportunities for com- while others struggle. – First pub-
a crucial driver. Contrary to asser- mercialised agriculture, involving lished online by Cambridge Uni-
tions that A2 farms are largely oc- mechanisation, the employment of versity Press on 3 February 2021.
cupied by “cronies” and that they
are unproductive and under-uti-
lised, a more differentiated picture
emerges, with important impli-
cations for policy and the wider
politics of Zimbabwe’s countryside
following land reform.

Across Africa, the size struc-
ture of farms is changing, with
an increasing proportion of medi-
um-scale farms (Jayne et al. 2016).
This is having profound implica-
tions for the patterns of agrarian
accumulation and the possibilities
of commercialisation. In Ghana
and Zambia, for example, medi-
um-scale farms now account for
more land area than small-scale
farms, defined as cultivating under
five hectares (Sitko & Chamberlin
2015; Jayne et al. 2016).

Land concentration in medi-
um-scale farms, under new own-
ership and land tenure arrange-
ments, occurs through different
routes – either through accumula-
tion of land by those who earlier
had smaller plots via local land
markets, or acquisition of land by
‘outsiders’ through political and
other connections.

In Zimbabwe, the emergence
of a medium-scale farm sector is

NewsHawks Opinion Page 29

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Byo water crisis:
A manifestation
of governance
failure

Dumisani O. power in 1870. He ruled pres- Construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam has been delayed
Nkomo ent-day Zimbabwe for 23 years
until he was toppled by colonial and capacity to build supply dams • Poor policy/legislative frame This approach epitomises water
THE current water crisis in Bu- invaders. almost every 15 years, while the framework; governance failure by government
lawayo — located on a plain that Zimbabwe National Water Au- and exposes policy contradic-
marks the highveld of Zimbabwe Bulawayo’s water problems thority (Zinwa) has built only one • Lack of political will from gov- tions given government’s current
and is closer to the watershed be- date back to that period when the new supply dam for the city in 40 ernment; devolution and decentralisation
tween the Zambezi and Limpopo British South Africa Company years – a dismal record. policy, and importantly chapter 14
drainage basins — characterised (BSAC) seized power from Lo- • Misplaced priorities in budget- section 264 of the Constitution.
by rationing and cutting off sup- bengula in 1893 and firmly took The factors contributing to this ary allocations; and
plies, is not a new phenomenon. charge after the 1896 Ndebele/ include the state of the economy There is a need to revisit the
Shona uprisings, with jurisdiction and revenue authority collections, • Leadership, governance and Zinwa Act and the Water Act to
Usually, Zimbabwe’s sec- over the whole country and indeed among other reasons, which all policy failures. give expression to a policy frame-
ond-largest city cuts running the city. speak to leadership and gover- work which prioritises an inclusive
water supplies amid reports that nance. Failure to develop an inclusive policy and regulatory approach
its reservoirs are dry due to severe In 1898, the BSAC granted Bu- water governance framework at within a devolved system of local
droughts, crumbling infrastruc- lawayo Waterworks Company the The fact that the Bulawayo national and local levels which governance and service delivery.
ture and outbreak of waterborne authority to supply the town with water crisis has lasted more than involves citizens and relevant
diseases. water and electricity. The capacity a century shows there has been stakeholders has also been a huge Government has spectacularly
of the company to meet the water no political will and capacity, problem. This is not withstanding let down Bulawayo by persistently
Bulawayo’s 676 000 residents needs of the growing town was imagination, seriousness, as well as the Zinwa Act which envisages and consistently failing to allocate
always have been restricted to tap severely constrained even after the leadership and governance capabil- the creation of local catchment adequate resources to address the
water once a week sometimes as construction of Hillside dams in ities to resolve the issue. councils. cities long-term water needs by
storage capacity dwindled to as 1898. building dams and infrastructure.
low as 26% or one day’s supply. A century has passed since the Centralisation of bulk water That is besides the failure to build
Residents of Bulawayo regularly idea of resolving the chronic water supply, thus construction of dams the Zambezi Water Project.
While the water crisis seem complained about the company’s woes of Bulawayo and Matabele- through the Zinwa Act, was more
to be a problem of lack of water inability to supply clean and reg- land region by constructing a of a poorly thought-out political Of course, Bulawayo is not the
sources and changes of rainfall ular city for the city. The Hillside 450km water pipeline from the strategy of social and political con- only city with water shortages
patterns – before the current heavy dams were up to then the only Zambezi River to Bulawayo was trol rather than a suitable public in Zimbabwe, but it has its own
rains – in reality it is not just a supply source for the city. initiated in 1912 by the colonial policy approach to deliver service. unique problems.
crisis of lack of water, but more administration. The fact that government through
importantly a crisis of leadership In 1924, after a protracted legal its water flagship built one dam The Gwayi-Shangani Dam,
and governance deficit at local and battle and following the referen- The project, when concep- in 40 years for Bulawayo, while which is expected to be the
national levels. dum in which Rhodesia voted to tualised, was expected to spur a colonial municipality built five country’s third-largest inland dam
be independent from the Union socioe-conomic growth by creating dams before that shows there is a after Kariba, Tugwi-Mukosi and
The shortage of water has of South Africa, the dams were a green belt of agricultural projects problem with the centralisation Mutirikwi, is still incomplete even
bedevilled the city since it estab- handed over to the Bulawayo in the region. To date, the project approach, and indeed governance. though a cabinet implementation
lished in the 19th century. Town Council. A sum of 117 is yet to come to fruition. matrix had envisaged that the dam
000 pounds was paid to Water- While devolving of water supply would be completed at the end of
The Bulawayo area has been works Company. Many studies sought to unravel may cause administrative ineffi- 2018.
populated since prehistoric times. factors accounting for this policy ciencies, there is little empirical
The San people painted their pic- The history of different entities inaction, drawing from imple- evidence to sustain this argument. The government now says the
tures in the caves of the Matobo being in charge of water supply menting experiences in Africa and dam will be completed in 2022.
Hills, the Rozvi kings built a stone for the city is therefore not new. across the world. The fundamental assumption
city at Khami and the Ndebele To their credit, colonial adminis- though in local authorities being This raises the pertinent ques-
State kings founded the city and trations built a number of other One study revealed a series of given the mandate to take over tion of development patterns and
gave it its name. dams to supply the city namely: interlocking factors relating to the bulk water supply is that town priorities, as well as justice in the
• 1928 – Khami Dam; nature of the project, legal hitches, councils, city councils and rural allocation of state resources to
Bulawayo has been an admin- • 1943 – Lower Ncema; fiscal incapacity, and regionalisa- district councils have the requisite different regions in this country.
istrative capital of the Ndebele • 1956 – Umzingwane; tion of the project, among others. capacity to deliver on this man-
State since the late 1840s after • 1973- Upper Ncema; and date. It is clear there has been a lack
the arrival of King Mzilikazi and • 1973- Mayfair (Insiza) Dam The bilateral route recently of political will, state and govern-
his people from Zululand and the adopted by the government should This was possible previously mental incapacity, fiscal dire straits
transvaal region following their So colonial administrations be vigorously pursued. Govern- because of the broad revenue base and marginalisation issues when it
departure in 1820 amid Zulu constructed more supply dams for ment should also mobilise local which, for example the Bulawayo came to the implementation of the
King Shaka’s regionally disruptive the city of Bulawayo than Zim- funds through local public-private City Council had, and the hive Zambezi Water Project.
mfecane wars. babwe’s post-independence black sector arrangements of economic activity soon after
government which only built Mt- independence. While government contribu-
It officially became the capital shabezi Dam in the 1990s -- the The Bulawayo water crisis is by tions have been notable in recent
of the Ndebele State when Lo- dam’s pipeline to the city was only its very nature multi-faceted and Centralisation, especially of years and Covid-19 disruptions are
bengula, one of the sons of King connected in 2013. multi-dimensional, but can be bulk water supply, has been one a major issue, the reality remains
Mzilikazi, ascended to the throne. largely attributable to the follow- of the most monumental policy that the water crisis in Bulawayo
The initial town was established in We can thus infer that there was ing: failures of this government which is a manifestation of chronic lead-
1872 and was known as Gibix- proper planning and allocation of • Centralisation of bulk water have contributed to the current ership and governance failures in
hegu, but it was later renamed resources during that time. The water crisis. Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo after a fierce succession five supply dams which were built supply;
civil war between Lobengula and prior to Independence were also
his rival Mbiko KaMadlenya of constructed by the local authority.
the Masuku clan, who was Mzi-
likazi’s son-in-law. We can also draw various
conclusions from this, but it is
Lobengula won the civil war clear that the advent of centralisa-
which broke out after Mzilikazi’s tion and monopolisation of bulk
death in 1868 and ascended to water supply by the post-colonial
government has occasioned lack
of investment in water supply and
infrastructure while population
grew, hence shortages.

There were, however, pre-ex-
isting conditions which enabled
the council to have both the will

Page 30 Opinion NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Intimate sexual partner violence:
A serious conversation for all of us

MEMORY PAMELA KADAU/ another person mentally or current or former intimate es any sexual act (whether showed how date rape (and leave’. Norah Casey TED
MARIA MACHE MALOMALO emotionally and/or to exert relationship, whether the within intimate relationships IPSV) are normalised within Talk titled The Courage to
control over another person. partners are married or not. or not ) which, ´compels the community. Leaveshares her experience
IT is all of us! one to witness, maintain or with IPV and notes the par-
We subside at harmful One in four women and IPSV involves using force, participate in a relationship One question that stood adox of loving someone and
one in 10 men are reported threats or coercion to obtain through violence, coercion, out was; Why did she go for leaving them.
practices and behaviour. We to have experienced IPV at sex or sexual acts; shaming threat or placing the person a sleepover at a man´s house
all defend them as part of some point in their lives. women’s sexuality or sexual in a situation of uncon- in the first place? The reality Additionally, we must
our culture and or religion. Anyone can experience IPV preferences; and/or not sciousness or inability to is that a sleepover does not understand that perpetrators
We laugh at rape jokes and regardless of race, gender, respecting a woman’s sexual resist´. translate to sexual consent. take time to undermine feel-
even share them. We dis- sexual orientation, class and or physical privacy. A past sexual encounter does ings and break their victims
criminate against those that education. Several obstacles hinder not translate to consent. to submission. They isolate
have been raped or assaulted In a relationship in which survivors from reporting Being part of a conjugal rela- and at times brainwash them
and call them names. We However, women pre- IPSV is present, perpetrators and/or accessing legal tionship does not translate to to believe that what will be
apportion blame to those dominately experience IPV use sexual violence to gain or medical services. For consent. happening to them is an act
who share their experiences. resulting in negative effects power and control over a example, church, family, of love. Consequently, sur-
We turn our backs and keep including trust issues, low partner. While most IPSV or friends often downplay Just as consent is given, vivors feel isolated, helpless
quiet in the name of keeping self-esteem, diminished takes place in relationships the feelings and concerns of it can also be withdrawn at and fear blame, judgement
our relationships, marriages confidence and long-term where additional forms of marital rape survivors point- any time during an intimate and the unknown.
and preserving the family consequences on physical violence are present, IPSV ing out that it is their “wifely encounter. Rape stems from
name. We point fingers to and psychological health. can occur in relationships obligation” to submit to sex a general perception among By understanding sur-
the media among others that are not characterised by with a partner. most men that women´s vivors and what they go
as the main instigators. By There are many other other forms of violence. bodies are theirs for the through, we can be able
doing this, we are accepting negative health outcomes Similarly, police, the taking. This perception is to extend compassion and
and normalising abuse. It is associated with IPV such Despite negative con- legal system or other service continuously fuelled by the support to them when they
not just the media, it is all as anxiety, depression, sequences on individuals providers who continue to unsubstantiated (and ridicu- reach out. Fundamentally, it
of us! Post-Traumatic Stress Dis- and society, IPSV is rarely perpetuate inaccurate beliefs lous) belief that women have is impossible to address IPV
order (PTSD), alcohol and talked about or reported on around IPSV and sexual no sexual desire and that dat- without also addressing so-
More often than not, we substance abuse and risky and often characterised by violence in general, may ing, visiting or staying with a cial factors, especially in the
ignore the fact that either sexual behaviours. In addi- a misconception that sexual not take survivors seriously. man must culminate in sex. context of a pandemic that is
we could be perpetrators or tion to personal consequenc- assault within an intimate re- Survivors are constantly causing significant isolation
survivors of violence or it es, IPV has so many costs to lationship is not assault and revictimized, face criticism, Evidently, as the com- and vulnerability.
could be someone we know society, which include and survivors bear a number of judgement and blaming ments showed us, when
and love. We refuse to rec- are not limited to, lifetime repercussions for reporting when they try to seek ser- women speak out, society, We all have the power to
ognise our role in accepting economic cost associated or talking about it openly. vices. which is ideally supposed end IPV by shinning a spot-
violence as an appropriate with medical services, loss of to protect, re-victimises and light on it. Show abuse the
tool for social interaction. productivity from paid work Legislation in Zimbabwe Navigating the line mud slings them. They are light of day by talking about
and criminal justice. under the Criminal Law between consent and rape in stuck in unfulfilling relation- it with your children, at
This article explores Inti- (Codification and Reform) intimate relationships ships for fear of judgement work, friends, family, com-
mate Partner Violence (IPV), Intimate Partner Sexual Act, Section 68 is very clear and/or persecution. munities and as a nation.
specifically Intimate Partner violence (IPSV) is any form and stipulates that any sexual A week ago, Twitter was
Sexual Violence (IPSV) of sexual assault that takes act without consent even in ablaze with reactions to a We are all responsible for Recast survivors not
which is one of the most place within an intimate marriages/relationships is a case in Zimbabwe where breaking the silence as victims but people of
pervasive yet under-reported relationship. It includes not crime. a man allegedly raped his courage, lovable and deserve
and seldom discussed crimes. only marital rape, but all girlfriend during a sleepover. Survivors of Intimate dignity and respect. Take ac-
other forms of sexual assault In Angola, Law 25/11 The ensuing comments Partner Violence are mostly tion and speak out especially
UN Women describes that take place within a against Domestic Violence particularly from men clearly misunderstood and are often in our homes. Recognise
Intimate Partner Violence under Article 3 criminalis- asked, ‘Why can’t you just the early signs of violence,
(IPV) as a more inclusive consciously intervene and
term of any form of violence deescalate it. Understand
perpetrated by someone that sexual violence thrives
on a person they are in an in silence.
intimate relationship with.
The violence can take many Kadau is a social justice
forms, it can be physical, advocate and co-Direc-
emotional, sexual, or psy- tor of Adult Rape Clinic
chological. Physical violence (ARC) an organisation
is when a person hurts or that provides medico-legal
tries to hurt their partner by and psychosocial support
hitting, kicking or using any services to all survivors of
type of physical force. sexual assault facilitating
their healing, re-establish-
Sexual violence is forcing ing voice and autonomy
or attempting to force a part- and also implementing
ner to take part in a sexual activities that disrupt rape
act, touching, or a non-phys- culture and encourages a
ical sexual event (e.g., sex- culture of consent.
ting) when the partner does
not or cannot consent Malomalo is a feminist
and the Founder and Di-
Stalking is a pattern of rector of Mwana Pwo, an
repeated, unwanted atten- Angolan youth serving or-
tion and contact by a partner ganisation which promotes
that causes fear or concern and protects the sexual and
for one’s own safety or the reproductive health and
safety of someone close to rights of girls and young
the victim. women in the mining prov-
ince of Lunda Sul through
Psychological aggression leadership training, move-
is the use of verbal and ment building and commu-
non-verbal communication nity mobilisation.
with the intent to harm

NewsHawks Africa News Page 31

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

SOUTH Korean Trade Minister Okonjo-Iweala’s path to WTO
Yoo Myung-hee ended her cam-
paign to lead the World Trade clears hurdle as Korean quits race
Organization, leaving former al of the Paris-based Internation- functional and all three pillars of
Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala al Chamber of Commerce, urged its work are under threat. The
Okonjo-Iweala as the likely can- a quick appointment of Okon- WTO has struggled to produce
didate for the job and setting up jo-Iweala. meaningful multilateral trade
a key decision by WTO members agreements, its trade monitor-
to approve her appointment. “With geopolitical tensions ing function consistently under-
high, the global economy in re- performs and former President
Yoo decided after discussions cession and ‘vaccine nationalism’ Donald Trump neutralized its
with the U.S. and other major threatening an equitable recov- appellate body in 2019, which
nations, and took various issues ery, there is now no reason for effectively sidelined the organiza-
into account including the need further delay in filling this crit- tion’s role as the global arbiter of
to revitalize the multilateral or- ical role with the well-qualified international commerce.
ganization, according to a state- candidate at the ready,” he said.
ment from Korea’s trade ministry Though the power of the
on Friday. The WTO has been leaderless WTO leader is limited by the
since September, when former directives of its members, the di-
“There was no consensus,” Yoo Director-General Roberto Azeve- rector-general can convene meet-
said. “So we needed enough time do stepped down a year before his ings, and offer suggestions and
for in-depth consultations with term was set to expire. Since then strategies for addressing conflicts
important members, including the WTO has been overseen by in the global trading system.
the U.S.” four unelected deputy directors
general. Okonjo-Iweala has pledged to
Her withdrawal could help take a more active role as direc-
thaw the deadlocked race to lead The appointment of a new tor-general and to act as a sound-
the Geneva-based WTO at a mo- WTO chief will help the orga- ing board to try to find common
ment when the organization is nization confront an array of in- ground among the trade body’s
struggling to surmount a series ternal crises that have ground its disparate membership.
of crises that have diminished its work to a near halt.
role in the international trading —Bloomberg
system. The trade forum is largely dys-

Dozens of former U.S. gov-
ernment officials have urged
President Joe Biden to endorse
Okonjo-Iweala after the Trump
administration blocked her se-
lection in 2020, making the U.S.
and Korea the only holdouts fa-
voring Yoo. That opposition was
enough to halt the selection pro-
cess because WTO decisions are
made on the basis of a consensus
of its members.

By quitting the race, Yoo
would appear to be clearing
Okonjo-Iweala’s path. But as
the Biden administration forms
its trade team, few clues have
emerged publicly about wheth-
er it will lift U.S. opposition to
Okonjo-Iweala’s candidacy. The
U.S. mission to the WTO in Ge-
neva didn’t immediately respond
to Bloomberg’s request for com-
ment.

Okonjo-Iweala congratulated
Yoo on her “long campaign” and
welcomed South Korea’s commit-
ment to rebuilding and enhanc-
ing multilateralism, the Nigeri-
an’s spokeswoman Molly Toomey
said in a statement.

“The WTO must turn its fo-
cus to the Covid-19 pandemic
and global economic recovery,”
Toomey said. “Dr. Okonjo-Iwea-
la is eager to focus on the many
needed reforms at the WTO.”

The 66-year-old Nigerian
economist, who is also a U.S. cit-
izen, emerged as the front-runner
for the WTO director-general
post last year. If the U.S., Korea
and the other 162 members join
a consensus to appoint Okon-
jo-Iweala, the WTO can an-
nounce a meeting to confirm her
appointment within a matter of
days.

If confirmed, Okonjo-Iweala
would be the first woman and the
first African to lead the organiza-
tion in its 25-year history.

John Denton, secretary-gener-

Page 32 World news NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Goodread

Short of War: How to keep US-Chinese
confrontation from ending in calamity

This is the first instalment of a two-part series in-depth article by former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd assessing and analysing
the biggest geopolitical question in the world today — the United States and China’s competition for global supremacy and dominance.

KEVIN RUDD Chinese President Xi Jinping with US President Joe Biden before he took over from Donald Trump. now strong enough to weather such
sanctions, and the party can protect
OFFICIALS in Washington and Bei- relations, military operations, and A prime example of this type of economic plan that extends all the officials from any fallout, as well. Fur-
jing do not agree on much these days, activities in cyberspace within agreed foreign policy myopia was an address way to 2035, and the fact that Xi has thermore, unilateral US sanctions are
but there is one thing on which they parameters that would maximise sta- that then Secretary of State Mike not even hinted at who might succeed unlikely to be adopted by other coun-
see eye to eye: the contest between bility, avoid accidental escalation, and Pompeo delivered last July, in which him even though only two years re- tries, for fear of Chinese retaliation.
their two countries will enter a deci- make room for both competitive and he effectively called for the overthrow main in his official term.
sive phase in the 2020s. collaborative forces in the relation- of the CCP. “We, the freedom-loving Nonetheless, the CCP remains
ship. nations of the world, must induce Xi experienced some difficulty in sensitive to the damage that can be
This will be the decade of living China to change,” he declared, in- the early part of 2020, owing to a done to China’s global brand by con-
dangerously. No matter what strat- The two countries need to consider cluding by “empower[ing] the Chi- slowing economy and the COVID-19 tinuing revelations about its treatment
egies the two sides pursue or what something akin to the procedures and nese people.” pandemic, whose Chinese origins put of minorities. That is why Beijing has
events unfold, the tension between mechanisms that the United States the CCP on the defensive. But by become more active in international
the United States and China will and the Soviet Union put in place to The only thing that could lead the year’s end, official Chinese media forums, including the UN Human
grow, and competition will intensify; govern their relations after the Cuban the Chinese people to rise up against were hailing him as the party’s new Rights Council, where it has rallied
it is inevitable. missile crisis — but in this case, with- the party-state, however, is their own “great navigator and helmsman,” who support for its campaign to push back
out first going through the near-death frustration with the CCP’s poor per- had prevailed in a heroic “people’s against long-established universal
War, however, is not. It remains experience of a barely avoided war. formance on addressing unemploy- war” against the novel coronavirus. norms on human rights, while also
possible for the two countries to put ment, its radical mismanagement of a regularly attacking the US for its own
in place guardrails that would prevent Managed strategic competition natural disaster (such as a pandemic), Indeed, Xi’s standing has been aid- alleged abuses of those very norms.
a catastrophe: a joint framework for would involve establishing certain or its massive extension of what is al- ed greatly by the shambolic manage-
what I call “managed strategic compe- hard limits on each country’s secu- ready intense political repression. ment of the pandemic in the United Xi is also intent on achieving Chi-
tition” would reduce the risk of com- rity policies and conduct but would States and a number of other Western nese self-sufficiency to head off any
petition escalating into open conflict. allow for full and open competition Outside encouragement of such countries, which the CCP has high- effort by Washington to decouple the
in the diplomatic, economic, and discontent, especially from the US, lighted as evidence of the inherent United States’ economy from that of
The Chinese Communist Party ideological realms. It would also is unlikely to help and quite likely superiority of the Chinese authoritar- China or to use US control of the
(CCP) is increasingly confident that make it possible for Washington and to hinder any change. Besides, US ian system. And just in case any ambi- global financial system to block Chi-
by the decade’s end, China’s economy Beijing to cooperate in certain areas, allies would never support such an tious party officials harbour thoughts na’s rise. This push lies at the heart
will finally surpass that of the United through bilateral arrangements and approach; regime change has not ex- about an alternative candidate to lead of what Xi describes as China’s “dual
States as the world’s largest in terms of also multilateral forums. Although actly been a winning strategy in recent the party after Xi’s term is supposed circulation economy”: its shift away
GDP at market exchange rates. West- such a framework would be difficult decades. to end in 2022, Xi recently launched from export dependency and toward
ern elites may dismiss the significance to construct, doing so is still possible a major purge—a “rectification cam- domestic consumption as the long-
of that milestone; the CCP’s Politbu- — and the alternatives are likely to be Finally, bombastic statements such paign,” as the CCP calls it — of term driver of economic growth and
ro does not. For China, size always catastrophic. as Pompeo’s are utterly counterpro- members deemed insufficiently loyal. its plan to rely on the gravitational
matters. Beijing’s long view ductive, because they strengthen Xi’s pull of the world’s biggest consumer
In the US, few have paid much at- hand at home, allowing him to point Meanwhile, Xi has carried out a market to attract foreign investors and
Taking the number one slot will tention to the domestic political and to the threat of foreign subversion to massive crackdown on China’s Ui- suppliers to China on Beijing’s terms.
turbocharge Beijing’s confidence, as- economic drivers of Chinese grand justify ever-tighter domestic security ghur minority in the region of Xin-
sertiveness, and leverage in its deal- strategy, the content of that strategy, measures, thereby making it easier for jiang; launched campaigns of repres- Xi also recently announced a new
ings with Washington, and it will or the ways in which China has been him to rally disgruntled CCP elites in sion in Hong Kong, Inner Mongolia, strategy for technology R&D and
make China’s central bank more like- operationalising it in recent decades. solidarity against an external threat. and Tibet; and stifled dissent among manufacturing to reduce China’s de-
ly to float the yuan, open its capital intellectuals, lawyers, artists, and reli- pendence on imports of certain core
account, and challenge the US dollar The conversation in Washington That last factor is particularly im- gious organizations across China. Xi technologies, such as semiconductors.
as the main global reserve currency. has been all about what the US ought portant for Xi, because one of his has come to believe that China should
Meanwhile, China continues to ad- to do, without much reflection on main goals is to remain in power until no longer fear any sanctions that the Beijing has concluded that the US
vance on other fronts, as well. whether any given course of action 2035, by which time he will be 82, US might impose on his country, or would never fight a war it could not
might result in real changes to China’s the age at which Mao passed away. on individual Chinese officials, in re- win.
A new policy plan, announced last strategic course. sponse to violations of human rights.
fall, aims to allow China to domi- Xi’s determination to do so is re- The trouble with this approach is
nate in all new technology domains, flected in the party’s abolition of term In his view, China’s economy is that it prioritises party control and
including artificial intelligence, by limits, its recent announcement of an state-owned enterprises over China’s
2035. And Beijing now intends to hard-working, innovative, and entre-
complete its military modernisation preneurial private sector, which has
programme by 2027 (seven years been primarily responsible for the
ahead of the previous schedule), with country’s remarkable economic suc-
the main goal of giving China a deci- cess over the last two decades.
sive edge in all conceivable scenarios
for a conflict with the United States In order to deal with a perceived
over Taiwan. external economic threat from Wash-
ington and an internal political threat
A victory in such a conflict would from private entrepreneurs whose
allow President Xi Jinping to carry out long-term influence threatens the
a forced reunification with Taiwan be- power of the CCP, Xi faces a dilemma
fore leaving power — an achievement familiar to all authoritarian regimes:
that would put him on the same lev- how to tighten central political con-
el within the CCP pantheon as Mao trol without extinguishing business
Zedong. confidence and dynamism.

Washington must decide how to Xi faces a similar dilemma when
respond to Beijing’s assertive agenda it comes to what is perhaps his par-
— and quickly. If it were to opt for amount goal: securing control over
economic decoupling and open con- Taiwan. Xi appears to have concluded
frontation, every country in the world that China and Taiwan are now fur-
would be forced to take sides, and the ther away from peaceful reunification
risk of escalation would only grow. than at any time in the past 70 years.
Among policymakers and experts, This is probably correct.
there is understandable skepticism as
to whether Washington and Beijing But China often ignores its own
can avoid such an outcome. role in widening the gulf. Many of
those who believed that China would
Many doubt that US and Chinese gradually liberalize its political system
leaders can find their way to a frame- as it opened up its economic system
work to manage their diplomatic and became more connected with
the rest of the world also hoped that
that process would eventually allow
Taiwan to become more comfortable

NewsHawks World News Page 33

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

with some form of reunification. US warships operations in South China Sea have been raising diplomatic and military tensions between the two coun- and basic scientific and technological
Instead, China has become more tries. research.

authoritarian under Xi, and the China. possible in its ongoing negotiations to Japan. Any risk, however small, of The Trump administration dam-
promise of reunification under a “one As for China’s maritime and ter- with Southeast Asian claimant states China losing such a conflict would aged U.S. alliances, abandoned trade
country, two systems” formula has on the joint use of energy resources be politically unsustainable in Beijing liberalization, withdrew the US from
evaporated as the Taiwanese look to ritorial claims in the East China and and fisheries in the South China Sea. and have massive domestic political its leadership of the postwar interna-
Hong Kong, where China has im- South China Seas, Xi will not con- Here, as elsewhere, China will fully consequences for Xi. tional order, and crippled US diplo-
posed a harsh new national security cede an inch. Beijing will continue to deploy its economic leverage in the America through Xi’s eyes matic capacity. The Republican Party
law, arrested opposition politicians, sustain pressure on its Southeast Asian hope of securing the region’s neutral- Underneath all these strategic choic- has been hijacked by the far right, and
and restricted media freedom. neighbours in the South China Sea, ity in the event of a military incident es lies Xi’s belief, reflected in official the American political class and elec-
actively contesting freedom-of-nav- or crisis involving the US or its allies. Chinese pronouncements and CCP torate are so deeply polarized that it
With peaceful reunification off igation operations, probing for any literature, that the US is experienc- will prove difficult for any president
the table, Xi’s strategy now is clear: weakening of individual or collective In the East China Sea, China will ing a steady, irreversible structural to win support for a long-term bipar-
to vastly increase the level of military resolve — but stopping short of a continue to increase its military pres- decline. This belief is now grounded tisan strategy on China.
power that China can exert in the provocation that might trigger a direct sure on Japan around the disputed in a considerable body of evidence. A
Taiwan Strait, to the extent that the military confrontation with Washing- Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands, but as in divided US government failed to craft Washington, Xi believes, is highly
United States would become unwill- ton, because at this stage, China is not Southeast Asia, here too Beijing is a national strategy for long-term in- unlikely to recover its credibility and
ing to fight a battle that Washington fully confident it would win. unlikely to risk an armed conflict, vestment in infrastructure, education, confidence as a regional and global
itself judged it would probably lose. particularly given the unequivocal leader. And he is betting that as the
In the meantime, Beijing will seek nature of the US security guarantee next decade progresses, other world
Without US backing, Xi believes, to cast itself in as reasonable a light as leaders will come to share this view
Taiwan would either capitulate or and begin to adjust their strategic
fight on its own and lose. postures accordingly, gradually shift-
ing from balancing with Washington
This approach, however, radically against Beijing, to hedging between
underestimates three factors: the dif- the two powers, to bandwagoning
ficulty of occupying an island that is with China. But China worries about
the size of the Netherlands, has the the possibility of Washington lashing
terrain of Norway, and boasts a well- out at Beijing in the years before US
armed population of 25 million; the power finally dissipates. Xi’s concern
irreparable damage to China’s in- is not just a potential military conflict
ternational political legitimacy that but also any rapid and radical eco-
would arise from such a brutal use of nomic decoupling.
military force; and the deep unpre-
dictability of US domestic politics, Moreover, the CCP’s diplomatic
which would determine the nature of establishment fears that the Biden
the US response if and when such a administration, realising that the US
crisis arose. will soon be unable to match Chinese
power on its own, might form an ef-
Beijing, in projecting its own deep fective coalition of countries across
strategic realism onto Washington, the democratic capitalist world with
has concluded that the US would the express aim of counterbalancing
never fight a war it could not win, be- China collectively.
cause to do so would be terminal for
the future of American power, pres- In particular, CCP leaders fear that
tige, and global standing. President Joe Biden’s proposal to hold
a summit of the world’s major democ-
What China does not include in racies represents a first step on that
this calculus is the reverse possibility: path, which is why China acted rapid-
that the failure to fight for a fellow ly to secure new trade and investment
democracy that the United States agreements in Asia and Europe before
has supported for the entire post-war the new administration came into of-
period would also be catastrophic for fice. – foreignaffairs.com
Washington, particularly in terms of
the perception of US allies in Asia, Rudd is the President of the Asia
who might conclude that the Ameri- Society in New York. He previously
can security guarantees they have long served as Prime Minister of Austra-
relied on are worthless — and then lia.
seek their own arrangements with

A CIVIL disobedience movement Myanmar coup: Teachers join to have flocked to other social me-
in Myanmar is gaining momentum growing protests against military dia platforms like Twitter and Ins-
with teachers and students protest- tagram.
ing against Monday’s military coup. Aung San Suu Kyi protests seen in the country since protests from their homes, banging
told the AFP news agency. the coup. pots and pans and singing revolu- Twitter declined to comment
Demonstrators at a university in tionary songs. There have also been when asked by the BBC if it had
the biggest city, Yangon, chanted There have been a number of Residents in some cities, includ- daytime flash mobs. seen a spike in new users or tweets
support for jailed leader Aung San demonstrations in different parts of ing Yangon, have conducted nightly from Myanmar.
Suu Kyi and wore red ribbons, her Myanmar - the first large-scale street About 70 MPs are said to have
party’s colour. held an insurgent parliament, to The military overthrew Ms Suu
replicate the parliamentary session Kyi’s government after it claimed
Ms Suu Kyi and other leaders that was supposed to take place a November election won by the
have been held since the coup on this week. In a pre-dawn phone call NLD was fraudulent, though the
Monday. Earlier, the military de- with BBC Burmese, Win Htein, a country’s election commission said
tained another senior leader from 79-year-old patron of the NLD and there was no evidence to back up
her National League for Democracy strong supporter of Suu Kyi, said he these allegations.
(NLD) party. was being taken to the capital, Nay
Pyi Taw, by members of the police The move has been met with
Although Suu Kyi has not been and the military. global outrage. On Thursday, US
seen in public since Monday, she is President Joe Biden called on the
believed to be under house arrest, He said he was being detained military to “relinquish power” and
according to an NLD official. under sedition laws — which carry release detained officials and activ-
a maximum punishment of life im- ists. The US had already threatened
Myanmar, which is also known as prisonment — although he was not severe sanctions on Myanmar.
Burma, has remained mostly calm told the exact charge.
in the aftermath of the coup, which However, the military is seem-
has plunged the South East Asian “They don’t like what I’ve been ingly undeterred, continuing down
country into uncertainty. talking about. They are afraid of its path of consolidating power and
what I’m saying,” he said. appointing new ministers, says the
On Friday afternoon, hundreds BBC’s South East Asia correspon-
of teachers and students gath- Many have also turned online to dent Jonathan Head.
ered outside Dagon University in protest against the coup. The mili-
Yangon, where they displayed the tary has since temporarily banned The UN Security Council also
three-finger salute - a sign that has Facebook, which is widely used called on the military authorities in
been adopted by protesters in the across the country. Myanmar to release Ms Suu Kyi and
region to show their opposition to other detained leaders - but stopped
authoritarian rule. Since the ban began on Thurs- short of condemning the coup. In
day, many Burmese citizens appear doing so, it has brought China and
They chanted their support for Russia behind a call for her release,
Suu Kyi and carried red flags. in what our correspondent has de-
scribed as a rare show of interna-
“We will not let our generation tional unity. —BBC
suffer under this kind of military
dictatorship,” Min Sithu, a student,

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 34 Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA Dominic Benhura worked with a lot of sculptors. nancially prepared for such a
It’s been a sad year for the sec- problem, this is a first in our
THE Covid-19 pandemic has Creative sector grapples tor unfortunately. We have to lives and it has taught us life
fundamentally changed daily with effects of Covid-19 remain hopeful, for the future lessons that we have only de-
life across the globe, includ- cial distancing is proving to a pandemic. Humour allows But how can Zimbabwe- is digital pended on one line of income
ing in Zimbabwe where the be the worst experience of the us to escape that which we’re an visual artists make use of stream.
creative sector is one of the days of our lives. Some artists dealing with and releases us social media to engage their “Harare conversations on-
hardest-hit. However, it has have become so desperate that of any heaviness we might be followers in the new normal? line, exhibitions online and “Unfortunately, CD sales
made the creative sector more they are resorting to produc- carrying. trying to get our collection were already affected by pira-
important than ever! While it ing memes, videos, GIFs and Raphael Chinovava Chi- to work for us and we have cy then Covid-19 came and
appears the country is in this statuses just to engage their “The popularity of TV-re- kukwa, the National Gallery meetings with different web most artists sell CDs at their
for the long haul, creatives are fans. lated content on social media, of Zimbabwe director, said designers and we take small shows, so with no shows, no
continuously exploring ways including memes, GIFs and going online was the next big steps at a time, also contrib- sales.”
of survival since everything As Zee International recaps, is an opportunity for thing for visual artists. uting to other online festivals
has been turned upside down. Africa and Asia Pa- TV channels and platforms and projects like the festival in He explained the drop in
cific CE Harish “Well, it is hard but it’s Mali, C-Map Africa platform compact disc (CD) sales in
One of the things that has Goyal once noted: to deepen their engage- time to reflect, rebirth and with MOMA,” he said. the music business: “World-
made it difficult for consum- “The idea that hu- ment with fans of shows we are busy working on ways wide, CD sales had already
ers of art and culture prod- mour can be used as and stars, and to help steer and means to improve our on- World-renowned sculptor gone down greatly because
ucts is social distancing and a tension reliev- line visibility as the pandemic Dominic Benhura bemoaned of downloads and because we
yet art thrives when there is er in trying online conversations spreads and gets stronger. We the travel ban as a result of the don’t have a good online sales
an audience. Imagine, the big times isn’t about their con- want to catch more online au- Covid-19 pandemic. system we can’t trade but late-
theatres, the huge stadiums, anything tent. And at diences since everyone is on ly some artists have walked
cinema or galleries are now new. Life the end of lockdown. “With some international into online sales but I’m not
empty because there are no is so much the day flights grounded and lock- sure how things are going.
audiences. easier with it is all “The reality of Covid-19 downs across the world, I
a sense of hu- they is real and this so-called new could not travel since the “The lockdown has really
No more beer binges, pub- mour. Even have to normal is not normal but we beginning of national lock- killed the entertainment in-
bing and clubbing as people when things offer: jokes have to deal with it as a cul- down last year and what is dustry, but at the same time
have to stay at home and are bleak and and more tural institution. We lost one worrying is that there are no I also totally agree that the
avoid such super spreaders as even during jokes which of our first generation art- tourists coming through to safety of the fans is the most
concerts, gigs and live perfor- do not bring in- ists, Lazarus Takawira and a Zimbabwe. As a result, our important. At the same time,
mances. come.” gallerist Pinius Sibanda who livelihoods have been great- our safety (matters), as well as
ly affected. Save for the fact that of the artists.
What started as a 21-day that I am busy at the work-
national lockdown turned shop since I work alone and “Unfortunately, our in-
into months and, before we my scheduled shows are just dustry means crowds can
knew it, the year ended with on hold. Hopefully, it will be be super spreaders, so until
restrictions still in place. Up all systems go once the pan- the situation improves we’re
to now, watching television demic is behind us and when struggling; the same as in
is a bother because of repeats the world opens up we will be sports.
after repeats. There is nothing ready,” Benhura said.
new showing on our small “Well, it’s not really mak-
screens and yet there seems Musician Sam Mataure, ing sense recording because
to be no end to national lock- who also doubles as you need to play to promote
down. Chimurenga music maestro the album, but guys are still
Thomas Mapfumo’s manager, recording, keeping theirs
Filmmakers and produc- said the Covid-19 had im- fans happy and staying on
ers have stopped churning pacted the creative sector in the market and in touch with
out new work because of more ways than one. their fans, also interacting on
Covid-19. As for musicians, social media with fans. I’ve re-
while they have been releas- “Well, the Covid-19 pan- corded with a few new artists
ing new music, they, too, are demic has affected the whole who are hoping to get into the
complaining that they were world, all industries. For us industry.
caught flat-footed with all as musicians it means no gigs,
their income streams literally therefore no income and I “Everything else is going
closed. don’t think anyone was fi- on except the live gigs in clubs
and pubs or the usual gigging
They are not allowed to
perform live gigs and even
when they release the new al-
bums or songs, they still can-
not promote because they are
not allowed to stage concerts.

Oddly enough, Zimba-
bwe is recording a decrease
in new cases of infections and
perhaps deaths but the fight
against the coronavirus still
continues, much to the be-
musement of artists.

While artists have indi-
cated that they are raring to
go, they are also aware of the
threat that comes with staging
gigs and concerts. The threat
is that an entire fan base risks
being wiped out by the virus
in an instant.

The regimented life of so-

NewsHawks Life & Style Page 35

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

venues. I’ve only done one Mary Lee Ann Bernard JM: What do you do in your
with the Zim Jazz Festival spare time?
but I’ve seen that most artists My competition isn’t local but ML: I’m a workaholic, my
have been busy on the virtual global, says ZTV news anchor only spare time comes if my
performances, not much of outings are planned, if not I’m
the virtual recordings though, grew up on a farm set-up be- ML: I did my first live bulle- come just like him one day. So the characters isn’t as easy as always at work.
but just giving. There is not cause my dad was in the Zim- tin in 2018 on the provincial when I managed to make an it comes but difficult as they JM: What is your philoso-
one artist I know who has not babwe Prisons Correctional news until I was later put on acquaintance with him much grow each year. Teenage tan- phy in life?
been affected by this pandem- Service department; that’s the Good Morning Zimba- later in the field, he was my trums are terrible too. ML: My philosophy in life is
ic.” how I learnt to speak Shona. bwe breakfast news after im- mentor and coach. From how JM: You have been attacked attitude is everything. We are
I did my primary school at proving my presenting skills. to look on TV and character- on Twitter, how did you all given the same amount of
Realist painter Barry Lungu Courtney Selous and attend- I am currently the face of the istic approach to life. survive the cyber bullying, time, if you cannot dream it,
says the pandemic was both a ed secondary education at Lunch Time News and Sun- JM: Are you a full-time news including being linked to you cannot achieve it in real-
gift and a curse to artists. Roosevelt Girls High School. day Edition. anchor or you have another different man? ity. Lead from the front and
I furthered my education to JM: Take us through the au- job elsewhere? ML: Over the years, I have always leave room for the next
“Covid-19 has impacted business management, and dition, how did it go? ML: I’m on contract at ZBC. learnt that I do not argue person to join you and em-
on my work positively. Due my first job was at Eastlea ML: I auditioned with five I own a branding company with the person, instead I deal power the next person below
to lockdown, my followers Spar as the customer service participants before a panel (Wincobrands) that has been with the argument. I am not you.
are spending enough time at manager at the age of 20. I of then radio personalities in the industry for four years defined by utterances labeling JM: What is your view
home to admire art on their had my baby at 22, resigned and current affairs manage- now. Wincobrands is named me what I am not, so I usu- on gender-based violence
walls,” he said. at 25, got married and di- ment. Two months later, I was after my children and is into ally like to turn it around for (GBV) and how it can be
vorced at 28. shortlisted and started radio corporate wear and promo- them to see the other side of stopped?
Keyboardist Filbert Ma- editing, then radio news in tional material. me and love me for me. What ML: Until it’s 365 days of ac-
rowa, a member of the group I then started a brand- 2016. I was pregnant at the JM: You are a single mother, they perceive, people’s opin- tivism, we cannot be silent.
The Other Four, while ac- ing business with a lawyer as time, so I left radio to go and tell us about the challenges ions are always available and There is an increase in GBV
knowledging that the music my business partner, but he deliver, and later returned to you face in parenting. it’s up to me whether to select and society needs to commit
sector has slowed down, said pulled out as he had more re- the broadcaster in 2018. ML: Being a mom is a beau- the suitable content I can use to gender equality and diver-
artists are continuing to ex- sponsibilities to attend to at JM: Who is your inspira- tiful experience, however the to either build me or bury sity across all avenues. We
plore ways of remaining rele- the time. So, I had to pre-reg- tion? only challenges that I en- it. I have been bullied from need to increase awareness
vant. ister my own company and ML: My inspiration is Hugo counter is having to play both pre-school to high school programs for women and
start all over again this time Ribatika. I used to watch him roles, the discipline side and and took up public speaking men. There should be full
“Things are tight, but as from where I left off. on TV and was inspired to be- the cuddle mum. Switching which taught me to speak out participation in civil society
tight as they may be, we al- JM: And when did you start and stand by my beliefs. and scaling up prevention
ways try to improvise,” he presenting the news on efforts that address unequal
said. Delectable MARY Lee ZTV? gender power relations as a
Ann Bernard has endeared root cause of gender-based vi-
herself to ZTV audiences olence. Lastly, more male cen-
during news bulletins. tres should be available for the
men to express their views as
Her natural optimism and this affects both the men and
energy have helped her polish women, worse still during this
up every aspect of her presen- Covid-19 pandemic.
tation. The 34-year-old was JM: How do you relate to
recently named Best News other news anchors?
Anchor alongside Anika Ars- ML: I relate pretty well, es-
en from eNCA in the SADC pecially since most of my
region at the SADC Success presenting skills are all from
Awards 2020. watching international news
channels. I always tell myself
She has been reading news my competition isn’t local
since she was a child. At the but on an international level.
age of 8, she would imitate I was recently awarded as the
the late veteran journalist Ju- best News Anchor alongside
dith Makwanya and many Anika Arsen from eNCA in
would call her Judy. She is a the Sadc region.
single mother of three chil- JM: What is your favourite
dren — Whitney (12), Orey food, artist and music?
(5) and Winnie (3). ML: I love braai pork chops
and sadza, no gravy. Jah
Mary Lee (ML) talks to Prayzah and Janet Manyowa
The NewsHawks’ Jonathan are my favourite musicians. I
Mbiriyamveka (JM) about listen to gospel, I love soaking
how she started out and her myself in worship.
views on gender-based-vio- JM: Any advice to your fans?
lence. Here are excerpts of the ML: Tomorrow is never guar-
interview: anteed. Believe in God. You
JM: How did you learn to can’t do it on your own. Be-
become a newsreader? sides, your strength is limited.
ML: From the age of 8, I Believe in yourself, you are the
would sit my parents down in designer and creator of your
the living room to give them own universe. Never be be-
daily news updates as to how littled by anyone; we breathe
the house was run in their the same air. Run your own
absence. I cut up an old cup- race. Tell your own story.
board box, get a chair and in-
troduce myself as Judith Mak- As I always sign off on the
wanya. At the time, I only news, “I’m Lee Ann Bernard
knew the late Makwanya and and it’s a wrap, good day, stay
Reuben Barwe, so my nick- safe and mask up”.
name was Judy. This passion
has always been there, to sit
before the camera and address
an audience.
JM: Tell us about your up-
bringing.
ML: My father was originally
from Mozambique, my mom
from Scotland. I didn’t get
the opportunity to see our
relatives in Mozambique, but
my two siblings are in the UK
through ancestral rights. I

NewsHawks People & Places Page 36

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

THERE are many small resort Chengeta offers great • 1 x Family room and
Zanimd bhaobliwdaey. sThpleapcelasctehsraoruegaolusot safari experience • r1o6oxmSstandard double/twin
suitable for business and con-
ferCenhceensg. eta Safari Lodge lies species spotted from the com- months and insulated in win- cuddle up with a nice warm All the rooms have ceiling
in the midst of a 13 000-acre fort of the main entertain- ter. drink. There is also a curio floancks, mbooxsqaunitdo cnoemts,pmlimineinbtaarrsy,
spmrivaalltteogwanmoefrSeesleoruves,anloenagr tthhee ment area, which overlooks a shop near reception for guests tea and coffee facilities.
Harare-Bulawayo. multi-level swimming pool. The dining area and bar are convenience, selling local sou- toCthheengneattaionLaoldggreidi,s solintkheadt
onAe t tuthrne sSleelfotuasnrdoudnrdivaebsotuot-, adjacent to one another, with venirs. appliances like hair dryers and
wards Zimplats Mine, and All the buildings are a wonderful fireplace built into leolencgtraics sthhearveerissnm’taaypboewuesredcu, sto.
dthreivne.tuErnntserlienfgt tahfteerfa1rm5 sm, tihnes thatched, keeping them nice the TV trophy room for those There are 17 rooms in total,
road then leads up to Cheng- and cool during the summer wanting to stay indoors and comprising of: If the power does go out,
etaItLios dapgep.roximately one hour athbeleretoissuappblayckth-ueplodggene.eraTthoer
30 mins drive from Harare or hot water is heated by a wood
HwhaircahremIneatenrsnaactcioenssalisAairqpuoirctk, pbuhronniensgigRnhaol disegsioaondb,oainledr.thCeerlel
road transfer from the capital is Wi-Fi available throughout
claistyt, foenw takrirloedmreoteardss,owncitehytohue theThpereremiasrees. various activities
enter the boundary fence on on offer at Chengeta, compris-
wiselal mshaoirnttadinisetdandciertfrroomadst.hIet ing of:
tarred road leading to Zim- • Horse riding;
plaTths.e lodge is built incorpo- • tCraannsofeeirnregd; t(oyoPuamwuilzlindbae
rating the natural indigenous
btrueielsdiningtso, wiatnhdbeaaurotiufunldmathne- for this activity)
icured lawns flowing through- •• GGaammee dwrailvkess;;
ouTththiseelondcoguergargoeusnadsw. ide va- • Chengeta school tour.
riety of bird life, with many froImt istahegrfeaasttpplaaccee toofgceittyawliafye
for a chilled weekend with
family and friends alike.

Property
NewsHawks

Page 37 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

The home of prime property: property@newshawks.com

CFI reports progress on
Saturday Retreat project

RONALD MUCHENJE group’s results for the year ended 30 agreements in preparation for the de- year will assists the group in giving agreements in preparation for the de-
September 2020, CFI chairperson velopment phase of the project. impetus to the development stage of velopment phase of the project,” she
AGRO-concern CFI says the group Itai Pasi said an encouraging num- the project. An encouraging number said.
has received approved town planning ber of residents who had fallen into “The group approved town per- of residents who fell in arrears on
permits for 80% of the Saturday Re- arrears for their stands had regular- mits for 80% of estate from city payments for their stands regular- During the period, Pasi said Crest
treat Estate project in Harare, a move ised their payments and signed legal council. This progress together with ised their payments and signed legal Breeders, on the other hand, contin-
which gives impetus to the formative other preliminaries pursued in the ued to collect instalments for stand
stage of the residential property de- purchases during the period.
velopment initiative.
The group progressed title surveys
The Saturday Retreat project is and completion of engineering draw-
one of the flagship property schemes ings during the period.
run by CFI together with Suncrest
Park project while a legal process Meanwhile, Pasi said legal pro-
for the reversal of a property it once cesses for the reversal of Langford Es-
owned, Langford Estates, is still tates’ sale was still pending before the
pending before the courts. courts despite the company having
gotten approval for the reversal.
In 2015, more than 7 500 low-in-
come residential stands owners in CFI once wholly owned Langford
Harare South’s Saturday Retreat got a Estates before 81% was sold to Fideli-
relief after government struck a deal ty Life in 2016 in a deal that was later
with CFI Holdings for them to pay challenged by other CFI shareholders
modest amounts in compensation to as fraudulent.
Crest Breeders International as part
of efforts to regularise their stay. From that time until May 2020,
CFI had sought reversal of the deal.
The resolution put closure to a le-
gal battle over ownership of the land “The Extra Ordinary General
which belongs to Crest Breeders. Meeting regarding the reversal of
the Langford Estates took place on
In a statement accompanying the 29 May 2020. As a result, the group
secured the resolutions enabling it to
continue to pursue reversal of the sale.
The legal proceedings remain pend-
ing before the tribunals. The market
will be updated with further details in
due course,” Pasi said.

Page 38 Sport NewsHawks

Issue 16, 5 Feb 2021

Al Ahly and Zamalek battle Ex-star applauds
for Khama Billiat’s signature Pakistan visit

BRIAN GOREDEMA

EGYPTIAN giants Al Ahly and FORMER Zimbabwe women’s cricket team wicketkeeper Non-
Zamalek are expected to attempt hlanhla Nyathi has lauded the forthcoming home series with
to sign Zimbabwean forward major international side Pakistan, describing it as a rare oppor-
Khama Billiat in the next transfer tunity in her playing days.
window, according to reports.
Pakistan arrived in Harare this week for three one-day
Ever since his breakthrough matches and two Twenty20 internationals in the Zimbabwean
season with Mamelodi Sun- capital. Zimbabwe Women, however, do not have ODI status,
downs in 2016, Billiat has been meaning that the 50-over contests are only classified as one-day
constantly linked with a move to matches.
North Africa.
“To be honest with you, I am just happy that the girls will
However, since his move to be playing a formidable international side, something that was
Kaizer Chiefs, 30-year-old Kha- rare during my playing days,” Nyathi told The NewsHawks this
ma Billiat has become a shadow week.
of his former self, scoring just
15 goals in 79 appearances for “As far as I am concerned the result will be inconsequential,
Amakhosi. the most important thing is for the girls to learn from this tour
because you can’t buy such an experience from the supermar-
Despite that, Soccer Laduma ket.”
reports that Billiat, whose con-
tract ends on June 30, is still Zimbabwe’s women team has been enjoying a fair share of
gathering interest from Egypt game-time in recent seasons, an exciting period that has also
especially from Zamalek, Al Ahly delivered central contracts for some of the female cricketers
and Pyramids FC. for the first time since the team made its international debut
in 2006.
Al Ahly coach, former Ma-
melodi Sundowns mentor Pitso “Great strides have been made by the current board to make
Mosimane, may have the inside sure that the women’s game is professionalised, and as a former
track to have Billiat put pen to cricketer who paved way for the current generation, I can only
paper. envy from a distance,” commented Nyathi, adding on: “In the
past, it would have been convenient not to organise games for
Previously, Al Ahly were linked the girls due to Covid-19, but imagine now our women are able
to Gaston Sirino, but those nego- to play at the height of a pandemic. This just shows you that the
tiations fell through. women game is now being taken seriously within the corridors
of power.”
Billiat is currently sidelined
with a broken leg which has The 33-year-old former international said the current Zim-
ruled him out of action for two babwe side, captained by Mary-Ann Musonda, should take full
months. advantage of local conditions if the hosts are to entertain any
hopes of causing an upset against the Asian giants.
Reports have placed Billiat as
the highest paid Amakhosi player “Let’s not make any mistake, Pakistan start the series as fa-
with a package of around R8 mil- vourites, but for our ladies to come out of the series with some-
lion per annum, before bonuses. thing, they should utilise the home conditions at Harare Sports
Club where the ball bounces more than in the subcontinent. If
Billiat has been a kingpin of our senior players like Mary-Anne, Modester (Mupachikwa),
Zimbabwe’s national side over Patience (Marange) and Chipo (Mugeri) come good with the
the past five years or so, mix- bat, I’m sure our bowlers will defend any good score, or restrict
ing his playmaking ability and them to a total our batters can chase.”
goalscoring instinct in a versatile
Warriors frontline. The three one-dayers will be played on February 11, 13, and
15 while the two T20Is will take place on February 18 and 20.
– Agencies/Staff Writer The tour will be conducted in a bio-secure bubble with no spec-
tators allowed at the match venue.
Khama Billiat

FOR 18 West Indies cricket- A wonderful opportunity circumstances?
ers, a much-vilified 1983 tour to be branded a friend I find it astonishing that
of South Africa invited villain that was purely financial – by kind in a world nearing the truly electrifying atmosphere bwe’s cricketers were in defi-
status on the young sportsmen no means not an endorsement end of a deeply divided past. in the stands – as cricket-crazy ance of terrorism to tour Pa- since Zimbabwe’s entrance
from the Caribbean for the of a brutal and racist political A beautiful documentary Pakistani cricket fans showed kistan in 2015, there is a new into the pinnacle format of
rest of their lives. regime condemned by all and about that first West Indies genuine gratitude to their and unprecedented menace to the game in 1992, the two
Sporting contact with pariah sundry across the world. rebel tour, titled Branded a African visitors, in song and the sport: coronavirus. neighbouring countries have
state South Africa had been Rebel, has been produced, a dance, for agreeing to come played each other just eight
forbidden by the rest of the In fact, for many onlook- powerful human sto- This week, Australia post-
progressive world at the height ers including players in that ry that captures all poned its Test tour of times in Test cricket, over
of apartheid – but enticed by touring West Indies – then the the behind-the-scenes South Africa in March five series since 1995.
a financial windfall offered by best team in the world and a events of that episode. HawkZone due to health concerns
the hosts’ cricket board – the dominant force in the game in It was the unifying regarding the Covid-19 Zimbabwe, which doesn’t
poorly-remunerated young that era – that rebel tour, due power of sport on full pandemic. South Africa often have the privilege of
West Indian cricketers sacri- to the presence of supreme- display. is battling a second wave playing against quality oppo-
ficed their integrity and made ly-gifted black athletes in We witnessed it Enock of Covid-19, and the Aus- sition like South Africa, is it-
a very tough decision to secure the Caribbean side, changed in 2015 when Zim- tralians said they were not self battling against Covid-19.
their families’ future. hearts among the conserva- babwe’s cricket team Muchinjo ready to take risks. These
tive South African white pub- ended a tour boycott are testing times for the Travel between Zimbabwe
For that defiant West In- lic and instilled in them new of Pakistan by other sporting industry across and South Africa, though, is a
dies team of early 1983, most- respect for members of other international teams, the globe, and worse for direct flight of just under two
ly young black men from a races. arriving in the volatile Asian to their boycotted country – South Africa, it might hours, thus probably a lower
proud region of the planet nation following a six-year was something to remember risk of infection. Is this not
– itself recovering from the Indeed, images of ador- international cricket drought for a lifetime for each touring take a while before faraway an opportunity for the two
oppression of people of colour ing white South African fans sparked by a terror attack on member of the Zimbabwean countries tour there again in neighbours to forge greater
– that rebel tour has long been – both young and old – lin- the Sri Lankan team bus in team. So while the cricket- the wake of Australia’s 11th cricketing ties in these unprec-
labelled as one of the most dis- ing-up for autographs from 2009. ers of the Caribbean defied hour cancellation. edented times?
graceful off-field events in the the West Indies stars charmed The sights and sounds of apartheid to tour South Africa
history of world sport. millions of people around the packed stadiums in Lahore, a initially in 1983, and Zimba- Nobody knows how long In the early 1980s, the
globe, heartening proof that it will take before things start great cricketing nation of
Those tourists would be there was still hope for man- to normalise. Who then can South Africa, in its hour of
shunned by their own com- South Africa turn to in these need, turned to West Indies,
munity, and by several other with those young men from
stern critics across the globe, the Caribbean being branded
but unjustifiably so in the view rebels. If they were to turn to
of many others who felt that Zimbabwe this time around,
the hugely talented but poor it could be a tremendously
cricketers made a decision reformed South Africa, a new
democratic nation post-apart-
heid, being branded a good
friend and neighbour.

Sports Al Ahly, Ex-star
Zamalek applauds
Thursday 1 October 2020 battle for Pakistan
Billiat – Page 38 visit – Page 38

Friday 5 February 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com new

Zim continue searchNEWS
$60 Covid
tariff for
visitors &
WHAT’S INSIDE CULTURE SPO

Community Zim
radio laun
regulations Prem

tourists under review Leag

Story on Page 3 Story on Page 8 Story o
for quaClhitaympliasyaerresachENOCKMUCHINJO
EXPLOSIVE Cheetahs utility back
Tapiwa Mafura remains a prime
target of Zimbabwe’s national rug- out to Khupe
by team as the country continue
to reinforce its squad ahead of the
beginning of World Cup qualifiers
in July.
While South Africa-raised Ma-
fura has officially been approached
by the Zimbabwe Rugby Union
(ZRU), it appears the light- Unofficial president calls for emergency
ning-quick former Varsity Cup star
is leaving open the question of his
international allegiance for now.
The 24-year-old Mafura was
born in Harare and was groomed in
the rugby system of South Africa,
where he was schooled up to col-
lege level at North-West University
in Potchefstroom.
Mafura’s regular position is full-
back, but his blistering turn of pace
and eye for gap makes him equally
at home on the wing or outside-cen-
tre. The Sables target has made a
handful of appearances for Free
State Cheetahs in South Africa’s
premier domestic competition, the
Currie Cup, and one in the Pro14
when the Bloemfontein-based out-
fit featured in Europe’s third major
domestic competition in the 2019-
20 season.
“We really would like him (Ma-
fura) to join us,” Zimbabwe’s team
manager Jason Maritz told The
NewsHawks. “We’ve given him our
dream, our vision, what we are try-
ing to achieve, and how we believe
he can fit in the squad. I believe at
this stage he is considering his op-
tions. So ja, hopefully he can come Jason Robertson (left), Brandon Mudzekenyedzi (centre) and Tapiwa Mafura

to join us alongside a few others we bwe’s vision. will qualify for the Sables because ifiers) and be allowed back into the phase of World Cup qualifiers next
are in touch with. And, of cause, we The 24-year-old robust centre, of their Zimbabwean roots. Both US? I say so because currently there year.
are still busy with sponsors, there is who has played for Waikato in New now play for the Old Glory club in is a travel ban on people traveling Two pools of four teams will
certainly going to be some big news Zealand’s Mitre 10 Cup, arguably the United States. to South Africa. It’s not easy times.” then be set up next year, with the
coming in terms of a title sponsor the strongest domestic competition “Mungo is a flank who can also The World Cup qualification top two in each group going into
for the Sables. There will be a big in the world, can also acquit him- play as a wing, while Jason is a fly- competition for Africa begins in the semi-finals and then a final,
announcement soon.” self well at wing or full bAaLckSOlikeINShIaDlf,”E explaFiinnedanMceariMtz.in“iWsteyjwusitpeesaronuestt $in3.2JuBlyillwioitnh dteeampos sbietionrgs fuwnhodsse winneZr iwmil'lsqlauatleifsyt floarntdhecontrov
Maritz, meanwhile, has revealed Mafura. need to figure out how it’s going to grouped according to the world 2023 World Cup in France.
that Harare-born centre Brandon In addition to Mudzekenyedzi, work because these two players will rankings of 2018. Zimbabwe is making its most
Mudzekenyedzi – who grew up in two more players have also con- be in America. Will they be allowed Zimbabwe will travel to Tunisia spirited effort in years to qualify
New Zealand – has made the deci- firmed their availability if called to come to South Africa for a train- to face the hosts and a repechage for the Rugby World, following
sion to play for his country of birth up. These are overseas-born Mungo ing camp and then go to Tunisia challenger, with the top two of the the country’s last appearance in the
after being impressed with Zimba- Munro and Jason Robertson, who (for the first leg of World Cup qual- three sides proceeding to the final tournament in 1991.

ALSO INSIDE Wonderful opportunity to be branded friend Zamalek, Al Ahly battle for Billiat