NewsHawks 19 March 2021-min

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 19 March 2021 BUSINESS Price

NMEnWanSgagwa, Competition US$1
minister sued Commission
over corrupt Harare assesses SPPSOL RinT
land grand heist mergers lukewarm
reaction to
Story on Page 4 Story on Page 17 quick return

Story on Page 41

Mugabe’s son-in-law,
daughter struggle to
complete mansion

...Full story on next page

ALSO INSIDE Ex-Zapu leaders anxious over Mohadi successor Flying into Zim remains dangerous business

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE/ Mugabe’s son-in-law, daughter  electrical engineer. These days
OWEN GAGARE there is also the environmental
engineer. While professional
NESTLED on a mountain architects usually charge 7%
in the exclusive Umwinsidale struggle to complete mansion of the project cost, the engi-
suburb on the outskirts of Ha- neers charge 3.5%. These are
rare’s northeastern periphery, the professional rates but, of
the mansion is immersed in course, people always negoti-
scenic surroundings and there ate. 
seems to be a seamless connec- “Besides all that, there will
tion between its interior design also be a road which will stretch
and the outside environs. for a kilometre inside the prop-
erty given its magnitude and
The woodland prevents the that will cost up to US$1.5
onlooker from taking in a di- million on its own. Building
rect view of the house, which a kilometre of a proper tarred
stands on the steep slopes of road costs between US$1 mil-
the mountain as if the lush lion and US$1.2 million.”
environment has embraced When Simba wed Bona in
the mansion. The architectural 2014, Mugabe gave them his
theme suggests that the prop- old historic house at 40 Quorn
erty was specially designed Avenue in Mount Pleasant.
with a spirit of adventure and That is where Mugabe first
the wow factor in a locality stayed when he became prime
overlooking the suburb on the minister in 1980 after leaving
edge of the equally picturesque his Highfield home. 
Carrick Creagh neighbour- From there, Mugabe stayed
hood in Borrowdale. at Zimbabwe House and then
went to the Blue Roof, which
The house also overlooks was registered in the name of
Glen Lorne and other nearby a company linked to Zanu
suburbs across the rugged ter- PF that donated the stand to
rain, as well as the farms dot- him. Mugabe was also given
ted around the rolling outer – he did not buy – the Mount
reaches of the city. Down the Pleasant house.
foot of the mountain, sizeable While it is not clear how
structures are seen, notably a much Mugabe was worth at
big wedding arena, Venue Um- the time of his death in Sep-
winzii, which stands out.  tember 2019, his account at
CBZ Bank had US$10 million
Apart from Carrick Creagh which was part of his estate. 
Road, the wedding venue and Mugabe’s family, children
the massive house are also ac- and relatives did not make
cessible through Umwinsidale much money during his rule,
Road and Luna Road, which floor has another eight rooms. Simba his historic Mount escalate to around US$39 tained at US$2 500 per square hence most of them are strug-
meet along the way from op- The sundeck or upper terrace Pleasant house during their million, considering the price metre,” another source said. gling at the moment.
posite directions. for sunning and relaxing offers wedding, but after that they of the vast tracts of land, con-
a stunning view of the moun- asked him to build a house struction expenses, design “So when you add land, con- Mugabe, however, allowed
Besides the backdrop of tains and surrounding areas. of their choice and dreams. charges, finishings and land- struction, design and landscap- his family members to grab
leafy indigenous trees, through Mugabe said he would fund scaping, which he would have ing costs, at a minimum square farms and his cronies to loot
which the Umwinsi River Checks with architects and the project; he paid for every- been prepared to finance.  metre charge of US$2 500 it and accumulate wealth. His
flows majestically, the spacious quantity surveyors in Harare thing before he died. Simba becomes US$20 million, but wife Grace is more monied
wedding venue — which con- showed that given the steep and Bona are now struggling “The price would have been if you take a maximalist ap- than the rest of the struggling
stitutes the lower boundaries of slopes of the mountain where to complete it. It’s a huge proj- much higher if they still had proach it will be US$39 mil- family.  As reported by  The
the house — adds to the aes- the house is built, the cost of ect; they need millions of US money because in an elevat- lion. This includes the cost of NewsHawks last October,
thetic splendour with its vast construction is about US$2 dollars to finish it.” ed mountain area like that it paying the whole project team; Mugabe’s family, according to
lush-green gardens. This is the 500 per square metre. This might have cost up to US$5 the architect (team leader), documents, accumulated 24
mansion which the late former means that with a built-up The source said if Mugabe 000 per square metre to build, structural engineer, civil engi- farms, not 14 as widely and re-
president Robert Mugabe’s area of 7 800 square metres, was still alive the cost would but that has now been con- neer, mechanical engineer and peatedly reported.
son-in-law Simba Chikore, a the house — which is half
pilot, and his wife Bona, an ac- complete — will cost US$19.5
countant, are building.  million, or roughly US$20
million. 
An investigation by  The That is before factoring in
NewsHawks into the property expensive finishings, key fea-
development shows that the tures like a big swimming and
construction of the 25-room magnificent landscaping of the
house is estimated to cost at sprawling grounds. 
least US$20 million. It was When all these addition-
originally expected to cost al features are factored in,
US$39 million. the house will cost well over
US$20 million, according to
The imposing mansion sits conservative estimates. The
on a 22-hectare tract of land initial planned cost was US$39
that cascades down the moun- million, before Mugabe’s death
tain right to its foot in the gave Simba and Bona a finan-
Umwinsi River valley. To put cial reality check.
it into perspective, the house “At the moment the total
is built on land that is big- cost of the house is expected to
ger than the Harare Gardens be at least US$20 million. This
which sit on 21 hectares.  is because the owners of the
property are now struggling
The house’s plinth – a built- to finish the house, which at
up area measured at the floor the beginning was supposed
level of the storey or at the base- to cost US$39 million,” said
ment – is about 7 800 square a source at the Mugabes’ Blue
metres. The multi-storey house Roof family home in Borrow-
has a basement which is 1 200 dale, Harare.
square metres; ground floor (3 “The late former president Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore (circled) confronts The NewsHawks news crew investigating his house. Unwittingly he confirms own-
000 square metres); first floor ership of the masnion and vast tracts of land around the area. Chikowore tried to intimidate journalists by calling police, but the reporters
(3 000 square metres); and a was financing the project. Re- rejected his intimidatory tactics. After an argument which lasted 30 minutes The NewsHawks crew left the scene. He also drove away back to
sundeck which is 600 square member he gave Bona and the mansion.
metres.

In the basement are nine
rooms, including an apart-
ment, while the ground floor
has eight rooms and the first

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Long Read Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Mnangagwa,
minister sued
over corrupt
Harare land
grand heist

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE velopment (Private) Lim- Part of the land in Pomona, Harare, on which President Mnangagwa guaranteed Ken Sharpe’s Augur Investments and associated companies
ited, was supposed to immunity.
IN what has been de- get only  99 4197  hect-
scribed in court papers as ares (ha), but ended up non-existent company.
a land “grand heist” — a with 239 3923ha valued at The parties agreed they
large haul of loot — im- US$45.4 million, accord- would form a JVC with
plicating President Em- ing to court papers. the intention that it would
merson Mnangagwa and build middle-income
a cabinet minister, the Augur then got a fur- houses and a hotel at Ma-
Harare City Council ille- ther  273.29ha, which belreign Golf Course, de-
gally transferred vast tracts Moyo, acting on behalf velop a commercial centre
of property almost equiv- of the state, undertook at Hopely and Mukuvisi
alent to about 615 soccer to immediately withdraw Phase One incorporating
fields to the President’s as- all and any criminal cases Airport Road.
sociate, businessman Ken- against Augur, its associat- They also agreed that the
neth (Ken) Sharpe’s Augur ed companies, representa- JVC would obtain regula-
Investments and associat- tives and its directors. This tory approval licences and
ed companies. is illegal, court papers say. consent to implement the
project. It was also sup-
The dodgy affair puts Council had been in posed to acquire necessary
Mnangagwa at the centre court trying to recover its land for the houses, over-
of land barons’ activities. land, but Augur entered see employment issues,
into the secret deal with procure raw materials,
In two court applica- Mnangagwa and Moyo for funding, market sales and
tions filled at the High immunity. Under the deal, to complete the 20-ki- clerk Tendai Mahachi pur- invest US$30 million, but confer the houses, among
Court, the Homeless Peo- the local authority and lometre Airport Road, portedly representing City has put nothing to date. other tasks.
ple’s Federation, Harare government departments also known as the Joshua of Harare and Augur In- The JVC was only to re-
residents, a former coun- were instructed to expe- Mqabuko Nkomo Ex- vestments, so that the land Furthermore, the ap- ceive 99.4197ha of land al-
cillor and a legislator are dite licences and permits pressway, which was later can benefit the desperate plication argues Augur located from three prima-
seeking to have the trans- in relation to his other taken over by the govern- home-seeking poor popu- should not have been in- ry sites, including Warren
fer of land reversed and land development projects ment. The contract for lation. volved in the project as it Park, Hopley (Mbudzi)
the agreements between across the city. the project was signed does not have an invest- and Mukuvisi Arcadia.
Harare City and Augur in 2008 between Harare According to the court ment certificate, which is Court papers further
nullified. Some of the land was City Council and Augur. papers, the illegal agree- required before a foreign show that additional land
acquired during former The Zimbabwe Homeless ments and transfer of land company can invest in was allocated outside
They say the land deal Local Government min- People’s Federation said its were necessitated by the Zimbabwe. the agreement, without
was done illegally and cor- ister Ignatius Chombo’s members’ chances of get- “greed” of Mahachi and proper valuation and not
ruptly through the Airport tenure, but Mnangagwa ting land to build homes the embattled Chom- Court papers show that in line with the Urban
Road construction project and Moyo moved to pro- were being limited by the bo working with Sharpe on 22 June 2007 Harare Councils Act. Also, Sun-
that was never completed. tect Augur Investment to alleged corrupt parcelling through his company Au- City Council represent- shine Development failed
ensure the company keeps out of land to Sharpe who gur Investments. ed by Mahachi and the to honour the agreement
In the court applica- the irregularly acquired was now selling it at unaf- chairperson of the govern- by failing to inject US$30
tions, Mnangagwa is being property. The NewsHawks fordable prices. Sunshine Development ment-appointed commis- million into the project.
sued together with Local visited a few sites where has not paid a cent to- sion that was then running It failed to use this loan
government minister July Augur acquired land, in- They are seeking a can- wards the land, 14 years it, Sekesayi Makwavarara, agreement for the purpos-
Moyo, the Harare City cluding Gunhill Rise, cellation of the deeds of later, but is instead selling entered into a memoran- es of developing the land
Council, Augur, Sharpe, which covers the area be- transfer of the land to the stands at an inflated dum of understanding as planned.
and other companies hind Borrowdale Race- Sunshine Development price against the purport- with Augur Investments, “More than that, instead
linked to Sharpe and their course and Pockets Hill up (Private) Limited, a joint ed agreements of the JVC. which was referred in the of developing the land,
representatives. to Enterprise Road. venture company (JVC) documents as Augur Lim- Sunshine Development
formed by former town Mahachi agreed to be a ited back then. It is alleged
The NewsHawks in its The other land is where 30% shareholder with a that Augur Limited was a
very first publication in the Mall of Zimbabwe was partner that promised to
October 2020 exposed supposed to be construct-
how Mnangagwa and ed, just after Dandaro Vil-
Moyo were entangled in lage to Teviotdale and also
a messy secret agreement covering the land from
that gives millionaire Borrowdale Road to Alpes
Sharpe’s Augur Invest- where Pokugara is located.
ments unusual immunity
from litigation on disput- The biggest piece of
ed huge tracts of land he land, stand 654 Pomo-
acquired through the Air- na, measuring  273.29ha,
port Road construction stretches from Harare
project. Drive to close to the Po-
mona dumpsite.
As payment of the
project, Augur and the Augur got the land and
council’s joint venture favours from the govern-
company, Sunshine De- ment despite having failed

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

(Private) Limited will ef- President Emmerson Mnangagwa chatting with Minister of Local Government July Moyo.
fectively become a land
baron selling and allocat- had no right to act on public entity in Zimbabwe “It has not done any but never cared to inform randum of Understanding
ing part of the property behalf of the council and is obliged to comply with work in Ukraine or Es- the council for discussion. and Shareholders’ Agree-
that ought to be devel- their commission lacked the Procurement Act. tonia. Michael Mahachi The memorandum of un- ment with Augur Invest-
oped,” read court papers. authority to bind the City and Ignatius Chombo, the derstanding was kept away ments as the chairperson
of Harare. Harare City Council driver of these agreements, from councillors. of the Council. Thereafter
The Zimbabwe Home- needed land development were motivated by self-in- he approves a representa-
less People’s Federation is The Urban Councils Act services and that needed terest,” wrote Tondori. “The court cannot al- tive of the council on the
seeking a declaratory order does not permit a com- to be floated via tender, low a situation where appointment of himself as
to the effect that the share- mission to last more than but this was not complied Mahachi, who was ap- Michael Mahachi chaired a project manager, (which)
holders’ agreement and in- 180 days, but Makwavar- with. In any event, there pointed chairperson of the a caretaker council meet- above that would guaran-
deed the agreement itself ara, who was appointed by is also no evidence that commission by Chombo ing which awarded a tee him at least US$1,9
were null and void from Chombo, was at the helm Augur Investments has after Makwavarara, is ac- multi-million-dollar proj- million,” Tondori said.
the very beginning. for seven terms. ever had any experience in cused of having chaired ect to Augur Investments
construction and develop- two meetings after the without going to tender. The matter is yet to be
It is also seeking can- There was breach of pro- ment. signing of the agreement, He then signed a Memo- heard.
cellation of all the deeds curement laws in that any
of transfer of the land to
Sunshine Development
(Private) Limited.

Further, it complained
that those who signed and
executed the memoran-
dum of agreement and the
shareholders’ agreement
had no authority from the
city of Harare to do so.

“At no stage has the City
of Harare ever ratified or
authorised the agreement.
Augur Investments, being
a foreign investor, lacked
the requisite approvals and
compliance with Zimba-
bwe investment laws. The
Agreement and the Share-
holders Agreement, being
a form of procurement,
was done in breach of the
country’s procurement
laws. In other words, the
City of Harare breached
its obligation to go to
tender. The agreements
in any event were fraud-
ulent and were contracts
against public policy. The
agreements should be set
aside on the basis of un-
just enrichment,” wrote
Shadreck Tondori, the
national co-ordinator of
the Zimbabwe Homeless
People’s Federation, in his
founding affidavit.

Mahachi and Makwa-
varara-led commissions

Picture showing houses under construction in the area.

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE Flying into Zim remains in our airports is concerned,
dangerous business particularly the Robert Gabri-
ZIMBABWE is yet to acquire el Mugabe International Air-
a new state-of-the-art air traf- lack of radar shows rudderless leadership port,” Gusha said.
fic radar control system, al-
most nine years after the Civil under business reconstruction. Tawanda Gusha, the act- structure, the radar, as part of airports are safe and up to in- “So when they would just
Aviation Authority of Zimba- The country has eight oper- ing chief executive of the Air- the air navigation system, will ternational standard despite come in, they look at all the
bwe (Caaz) raised alarm over ports Company of Zimbabwe be operated by Caaz which will cases of security manipulation, systems (to check) whether
the urgent need to replace the ational airports. (ACZ), an offshoot of Caaz, also be responsible for aviation power blackouts and other they meet the standards as
current outdated – and dan- Government was supposed told The NewsHawks this industry regulation. The ACZ challenges. stipulated by the Internation-
gerous – aviation technology. week that the process of ac- will be responsible for running al Civil Aviation Organisa-
to acquire the new radar sys- quiring a radar system is on- airports, infrastructure de- “The country underwent a tion. We scored 74%, which
The country – whose failure tem at a cost of US$22 mil- going. velopment and all associated new universal security over- is quite a good score. We are
to acquire a radar symbolis- lion, but there has been hag- issues in relation to the day-to- sight audit in 2019 that is above the global average, and
es rudderless leadership – has gling among officials who “It is not yet in place. Caaz day running of airports. conducted by the Internation- we are way above the region-
been using an obsolete avi- want to escalate the price to is still working on finding a al Civil Aviation Organisa- al average in terms of security.
ation control system, which above US$30 million to cov- solution, it is a work in prog- Meanwhile, Gusha said tion. We were audited and we Our airports meet the mini-
constantly breaks down, ren- er their “cuts” and bribes. This ress,” he said. apart from the lack of a mod- scored very well in that audit mum International Civil Avi-
dering the airspace insecure has put the radar deal under ern radar system the country’s in as far as our security with- ation Organisation standards
and risky. close watch and scrutiny. Under a new administrative and recommended practices
in as far as aviation security is
This comes as the fierce concerned.”
contestation between the Zim-
babwean military and Caaz Last year, the nation was
over the installation and man- shocked to hear how Zimba-
agement of the radar control bwe Miners’ Federation boss
system rages on, with the army Henrietta Rushwaya allegedly
citing national security to take connived with airport staff to
over the show. switch off the Robert Gabriel
Mugabe International Airport
However, sources told The closed-circuit television cam-
NewHawks that the fight be- eras to enable her to smuggle
tween Caaz and the army over six kilogrammes of gold to
the radar is not about national Dubai. Gusha said they have
security, but personal interest, a continuous monitoring plan
“our time to eat” and “cuts”, in place to improve security.
denoting greed and corrup-
tion. “Where there is human in-
teraction, there are bound to
The issue first raised a stink be mistakes and, again, where
in 2017 when former Trans- there is technology it has been
port minister Joram Gumbo proven that there are also
allowed the Caaz board to bound to be errors where you
award a US$33 million con- will find that systems may just
tract to Indra Sistemas and shut down or just break down.
Homt Espana SA for the fi-
nance, supply and installation “Something happens –
of the airspace control system maybe there’s a power surge
without going to tender. or leakages that take place,
be it water pipe leaks which
Since then, the critical proj- affect the electricity or power
ect has been caught up in a outages which interfere with
self-aggrandisement battle be- your system – so those things
tween the military and Caaz happen. But we continue to
with different companies lined make sure that we improve our
up to supply the equipment. systems to continue to meet
the international standards as
There are about nine airlines stipulated by the International
flying into Robert Gabriel Civil Aviation Organisation.
Mugabe International Airport,
including flag carrier Air Zim- “What we have done in
babwe, locally-registered Fast- terms of dealing with power
jet, South Africa’s independent outages is that, for the most
carrier Airlink – the biggest in sensitive systems, we have in-
the region – and some interna- stalled UPS (uninterrupted
tional airlines such Ethiopian power supply system). In ad-
Airways and Emirates. South dition to that, we have also
African Airways, which dom- installed standby generators
inated flights into Zimbabwe, within our airports.”
is not flying now as it is still

...Airport aircon remains broken, a year later

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE “We had a breakdown of and because of these delays, we the extension.” annum.  the land is already there. Alter-
our aircon system and efforts to are now looking at completion Robert Gabriel Mugabe Speaking on the upgrading natively, we will put it up,” he
AIRPORT authorities have repair it have proved fruitless, of 2022. What is happening is said. 
failed to fix the Robert Mugabe but again in my calculations, that, when we finish the exten- International Airport currently of the Victoria Falls Interna-
International Airport air condi- in the next summer, operations sions we will then close off the has a passenger handling capac- tional Airport commissioned “Our initial calculations,
tioning system which has been will be in the new wings where current terminals for refurbish- ity of 2.5 million per annum in 2016, Gusha said between we’re talking about US$15 mil-
down for over a year, with the we are installing brand new ment and move operations to and the upgrade will increase US$15 million and US$20 lion to US$20 million to put
country’s flagship airport only air conditioning which we are it to more than six million per million is needed for an in- up that. We will need to put the
likely to have aircon when the confident will last us a couple flight catering facility. building and then the equip-
upgrading and construction of years according to the man- ment and the vehicles that will
of new terminals is completed ufacturer’s specifications,” Air- “We need to put an in-flight be used to transport the food in
next year. ports Company of Zimbabwe catering service in Victoria the required conditions from
acting chief executive Tawanda Falls in order to attract direct the facility to the aircraft. And
The construction of the Gusha said.  flights into Victoria Falls. We so, those are the things that we
new terminals has been slowed submitted the request, and factored in when we did our
down by the Covid-19 pan- “We’re still working with we got some money to do the costings, we came up to 15 to
demic. Initially, the airport was the contractor and the consul- feasibility, so this is something 20 million US dollars.  We also
supposed to have been com- tants to come up with the ex- that we are going to be starting want to develop cargo facilities,
pleted in September 2021 but act timelines. But initially, we this year. Our initial plan was there are operators who are see-
it is now set for completion in were targeting to complete this to have an investor who would ing opportunities and we want
2022. project in September of 2021, come in, put up the facility and to explore that opportunity.”
operate it for a while because

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

NYASHA CHINGONO Ex-Zapu leaders anxious leading the race to succeed Mo-
over Mohadi successor hadi. As the Zanu PF spokes-
PRESIDENT Emmerson his former party. person and a former national
Mnangagwa has not consult- Dube said in the past ex- Former vice-president Kembo Mohadi chairperson, he is a leading
ed former Zapu and Zipra member of the party and one
cadres on the filling of the Zapu leaders would second a in political circles, although Midlands and Matabeleland is that he was anti-coup. of the most senior officials from
post of vice-president follow- vice-president, but now they he could be a wild card. — he is from Mashonaland Masuku, although very se- Zapu.
ing the resignation of Kembo are currently waiting to see Mutinhiri remains a factor, East — he is also almost cer-
Mohadi over a series of sex how the process will unfold. but coming from outside the tainly out. His main problem nior, is now elderly and prac- The fact that he was Joshua
scandals with various women, tically out. This leaves Moyo Nkomo’s right-hand man puts
some of them married. There are a number of can- him in good stead. Besides, he
didates whose names are be- could bring a civilian and so-
This has created anxiety ing bandied about, including phisticated side to a presidium
among former Zapu and Zip- Simon Khaya Moyo, wide- which is largely associated with
ra leaders. Zapu cadres have ly seen as the frontrunner, more brawn and brutality than
positioned themselves to cau- Sithembiso Nyoni, Philip brain.
cus over Mohadi’s replace- Valerio Sibanda, Cain Math-
ment, in line with a tradition ema, Obert Mpofu, Jacob Moyo, an experienced diplo-
established under the former Mudenda, Ambrose Mutin- mat, is generally respected and
late president Robert Mug- hiri and Angeline Masuku. represents the Zapu old order.
abe. But the caucus has not In terms of competence, he is
yet taken place. However, Mpofu and seen as a decent administrator.
Mudenda can only qualify
Speaking to The News- if Mnangagwa acts arbitrari- Mpofu, as the Zanu PF sec-
Hawks this week, one of the ly as they were not Zapu by retary for administration, ranks
most senior former Zapu offi- the time of the signing of the highly in Zanu PF and his
cials, Tshinga Dube, said the 1987 Unity Accord, having name is naturally being men-
caucus to nominate Mohadi’s defected to Zanu PF. tioned among potential succes-
replacement has not yet met. sors. Mpofu played a key role
During the Mugabe era, in Mnangagwa’s ascendancy
Dube, being the most se- the top four Zanu PF posi- and chaired the Zanu PF cen-
nior Zapu/Zipra member tions were shared equally be- tral committee meeting which
alive, was earmarked to lead tween the two parties, mean- removed Mugabe and installed
consultations which would ing Zanu had the President him as party leader.
have resulted in the nomina- and one co-vice-president and
tion of a candidate to replace Zapu had the co-vice-presi- He has also managed to
Mohadi. dent and chairperson. build a political base in Mata-
beleland North and is arguably
“We do not know who will However, after the 2017 the most powerful Zanu PF
replace comrade Mohadi. All coup Mnangagwa changed politician in the province.
we know is that comrade Mo- tack and appointed a Zanu
hadi was seconded to be the leader, Oppah Muchinguri, However, Mpofu defected
deputy secretary of the party, as the new chair. from Zapu before the 1987
but we do not know who will Unity Accord, which many
replace him,” Dube said yes- This did not go down well Zapu officials say effective-
terday. with former Zapu leaders ly rules him out of the race.
who feel Mnangagwa is vi- Mnangwagwa also dropped
Dube said Mnangagwa olating the agreement and
would ultimately decide on tradition, risking losing the Mpofu from cabinet and
who will take over from Mo- Matabeleland swing electoral sent him to the party headquar-
hadi, although former Zapu regions. ters, showing he is not wanted
leaders expect consultations up there.
to take place first as per tra- Moyo is seen as the front-
dition. runner. Nyoni has a chance Like Mpofu, Mudenda also
mainly on the gender card. defected from Zapu before the
Since Mohadi came from Sibanda is seen as an outsider Unity Accord.
Zapu, his replacement in
terms of the 1987 Unity Ac- The Speaker of the Nation-
cord between Zanu PF and al Assembly has an ugly past
FP Zapu, signed by their to reckon with, as he featured
leaders the late Robert Mug- prominently in the Willowgate
abe and Joshua Nkomo re- scandal in the 1980s.
spectively, must come from

Crisis Coalition condemns Sadc over Mozambican crisis

AS Islamic jihadists continue to Republic of Congo President expressed continued Sadc soli- This came after humanitarian show muscle by deploying forc- Madina at Tauheed Wau Muja-
rampage through the gas-rich Félix Tshisekedi, President darity with Mozambique”. agency Save the Children indi- es to stop this inhumane act as hedeen were affiliated to the ji-
northern region of Mozam- Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), cated that children as young as boldly pronounced by our 11 hadist group Islamic State (Isis).
bique, killing and terrorising Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanza- “The extraordinary organ 11 were being beheaded in Mo- November 2020 statement after
people, a Zimbabwean coalition nian Vice-President now acting troika summit directed the fi- zambique. Save the Children the beheading of more than 50 It also said Al Ansar al-Sunna,
of civil society groups has con- President after John Magufuli’s nalisation of a comprehensive said it had spoken to displaced people in the village of Aldeia da locally known as al-Shabaab in
demned Southern African De- death on Wednesday), Jaime regional response and support families who described “horrify- Paz outside Macomia in North- Mozambique, was also affiliated
velopment Community (Sadc) Neto (Mozambican Defence to the Republic of Mozambique ing scenes” of murder, including ern Mozambique,” Crisis Coa- to the Islamic State group.
leaders’ lethargy and inaction minister) and Dr Stergomena to be considered urgently by the mothers whose young sons were lition spokesperson Marvellous
over the deteriorating situation. Lawrence Tax, Sadc executive summit,” its communique said. killed. In one case, the woman Khumalo said. Leaders of the organisations
Secretary. The summit noted hid, helpless, with her three oth- have been named as “specially
Sadc leaders have been “with concern, the acts of terror- Crisis Coalition in Zimba- er children as her 12-year-old “The Coalition is convinced designated global terrorists”.
hand-wringing and procrasti- ism in the region, particularly in bwe said it is dismayed by Sadc’s was murdered nearby. that Sadc has both a humani-
nating on intervening in Mo- Cabo Delgado province of the continued sluggish approach tarian and geopolitical responsi- As a result of the designations,
zambique, with no firm and Republic of Mozambique, and over the Mozambican crisis, “We reiterate our position bility to end this madness which they will face US sanctions.
specific decisions being taken while violence and killings are that the regional body must has the potential for regional
on the deadly conflict. intensifying. instability. We are appalled and “Among other consequenc-
disappointed by the seeming es, all property and interests in
Regional leaders last met disinterest being exhibited by property of those designated
over the Mozambican crisis on Sadc to decisively act on the in- that are subject to US jurisdic-
27 November last year at their surgency.” tion are blocked, and US per-
headquarters in Gaborone, Bo- sons are generally prohibited
tswana, and promised to meet Crisis Coalition said it was a from engaging in any transac-
at the beginning of this year to shame the United States was al- tions with them,” the US State
come up with decisive moves ready active in the conflict while Department said.
on the issue. The extraordinary Sadc is still procrastinating.
organ troika summit was host- “The Islamic State of Iraq
ed by Mokgweetsi Masisi, Sadc The US has deployed Ma- and Syria (Isis) announced the
organ on politics, defence and rines to help in the Mozambique launch of the Islamic State Cen-
security cooperation chair. situation and made high-level tral Africa Province (ISCAP)
diplomatic engagements with in April 2019 to promote the
The meeting was attended by Maputo over the situation. presence of Isis associated ele-
South African President Cyril ments within Central, East, and
Ramaphosa, in-coming troika Further, the US has designat- Southern Africa.
chair and Zimbabwean Presi- ed rebel groups in Mozambique
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa, and the DRC as foreign terrorist “Although Isis-associated
outgoing troika chair. organisations. The State De- media portray ISCAP as a uni-
partment said the DRC’s Allied fied structure, ISIS-DRC and
There was also Democratic Democratic Forces (ADF) and ISIS-Mozambique are distinct
groups with distinct origins.”

— STAFF WRITER

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Forced displacements of poor vulnerable
mining communities exacerbate poverty

OWEN GAGARE Tiyani Chilonga, a community leader in Chilonga village. to protect rights of communi- and Marange Resources. The
ties, conserve the environment companies were looking to relo-
WHEN members of the Chiadz- dent their fate is predictable. due to human rights violations shocks, insecurity, and poverty. and monitor the exploitation of cate communities without pay-
wa community were relocated A study of community land and illegal smuggling. When dia- In relocating people the gov- natural resources, says rural com- ing fair and adequate compensa-
in 2009 to a farm owned by the monds were discovered in 2006, ernment adopted a ‘top-down’ munities are vulnerable when it tion and before the development
state-run Agricultural Rural De- rights and mining in Zimbabwe, thousands of artisanal miners de- approach which triggered con- comes to these situations. of adequate social infrastructure
velopment Authority Transau in titled Forced Displacements in scended on the diamond fields,” testations and conflicts with the (education and health) at the re-
Odzi, about 40 kilometres from Mining Communities: Politics in the study says. people who felt alienated from “Mining operations in Zim- location site in Arda Transau.
Mutare, to pave way for dia- Chiadzwa Diamond Area, Zim- their ancestral land and excluded babwe operate within an eco-
mond mining – they were prom- babwe, shows that the removal of “In response, the government from diamond wealth. Conse- nomic enclave that is de-linked “The mining companies be-
ised a new beginning and better villagers for diamond extraction unleashed the army and police quently, sabotage, resistance and from other sectors of the econ- sieged the community, catching
life by the government and min- left them poorer than they were in brutal crackdowns to drive subversion were commonplace omy. The result is that mining them unprepared to resist the
ing companies. before. The research was pub- artisanal miners off the diamond in the relocation process. These operations impose high negative eviction. There was no official
lished last year by Simbarashe fields. This militarisation of dia- socio-political ‘tactics’ should be social costs on local community notice given to the community
About 1 200 villagers were Gukurume and Lloyd Nhodo, mond fields and extraction was viewed as ‘weapons of the weak’.” members, with very limited ben- members that were earmarked
forcibly moved from their ances- who trained at the University followed by forced displacement efits,” Zela says. for relocation. Given the sur-
tral lands at Marange diamonds of Cape Town and University of the Chiadzwa people. There are widespread fears prise, the immediate response
fields in eastern Zimbabwe’s Mu- of KwaZulu-Natal respectively. Chilonga communities may suf- “Communities in mineral was not a concerted effort to
tasa district to around Mutare They are currently lecturers at “Findings reveal that displace- fer a similar fate. resource-rich areas suffer from refuse relocation. Some com-
with promises of getting new Great Zimbabwe University. ments dislocated the livelihoods mining-induced irregular dis- munity members accepted the
arable land, grazing land, hous- and socialities of the people. Dis- The Zimbabwe Environmen- placements, degradation of their relocation because they felt they
es, social amenities, schools and “The Chiadzwa diamonds placements also exacerbated peo- tal law Association (Zela), a civil lands and environment, loss of had no choice and the commu-
clinics and other infrastructure, attracted widespread attention ple’s vulnerability to livelihood society organisation which seeks life and livestock to deep open nity had not yet mobilised to
as well as US$5 000 compensa- pits left by mining operations, resist the demands of the mining
tion each. and loss of communal land and companies. Many were relocated
natural resources. Because local forcefully, in the dead of night or
Government and several communities do not have strong at gunpoint. Others resisted the
mining companies operating in communal title, mining com- relocation process and demand-
Chiadzwa were expected to fulfil panies typically fail to pay com- ed fair and adequate compensa-
the promises. However, they did pensation to local community tion before they were moved.
not. They abandoned the villag- members in cases where they are
ers to their own fate – poverty displaced.” “The relocation process posed
and suffering. a serious threat to the health and
Zela says the Mines and Min- livelihoods of local community
The case of Chiadzwa is now erals Act of 1961 prioritises min- members. The mining compa-
being evoked as government ma- ing over other land uses, further nies and complicit government
noeuvres to relocate 12 500 vil- weakening communities’ land officials threatened to relocate
lagers in Chilonga, Chiredzi, rights. There is often collusion the communities to a farm just
purportedly for a daily lucerne between government and mining outside Mutare (Arda Transau)
grass project. companies due to officials’ efforts before housing, schools and clin-
to promote investments “at all ics had been put in place. Some
However, as The NewsHawks costs”, but mostly due to corrupt community members were ini-
reported last week, the real mo- self-interest. tially settled in tobacco-curing
tive of the Chilonga displace- barns because there were no
ments is diamonds as was the This is worsened by the fact housing facilities at the reloca-
case in Chiadzwa. Maps and that the state is now playing an tion site.
exploration documents show the increasingly direct role in min-
government is after diamonds ing through establishing mining “This risked a potential health
and gold there. operations or claiming stakes in crisis due to the lack of sanitation
mining operations. This conflict facilities. The absence of ade-
Hence, fears are growing that of interest often results in gov- quate housing and the arbitrary,
a fate similar to that which befell ernment failing to protect the violent nature of the relocation
the Chiadzwa villagers awaits the rights of local communities. process also meant human life
Chilonga community, already was at risk. In addition, once re-
under siege from the government “In 2010, the community of located, some community mem-
and politically connected dairy Marange faced forced relocation bers lost livestock when they
company Dendairy, run by Pres- due to diamond mining opera- failed to adjust to the new envi-
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa’s tions. Initially, 136 families were ronment. Some of the relocated
business associates, the Coetze earmarked for relocation; the community members also lost
family. Mnangagwa’s wife Auxil- number of families has since ris- livelihoods as they had been pri-
lia is also now hovering over the en to 4 321. The companies in- marily engaged in trading and in
area under the guise of charity volved in mining projects includ- farming on lands that they now
work. Although what lies ahead ed Mbada Diamonds, Diamond could not access.”
for Chilonga people is unknown, Mining Corporation, Canadile,
going by the Chiadzwa prece- Anjin, Jinan, Rera Diamonds

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Legislators recall a big before the courts. So it’s not
political fraud – Biti possible to recall anyone when
you are not a member of a par-
Benjamin Rukanda wrote a letter to Parliament purporting to recall MAIN opposition MDC Alli- allied opposition parties to “I don’t really know much ty and while the issue is still in
Biti and other MDC Alliance MPs under the PDP ticket. ance co-vice-president Tendai destabilise the MDC Alliance about Rukanda. He was at the courts. So obviously, this
Biti says his purported recall, as was the case with MDC-T, provincial level before the fraud will be challenged.”
together with several other first under Thokozani Khupe party split ahead of the 2018
MPs, at the behest of a “polit- and now Douglas Mwonzora, elections; with Lucia Matiben- In 2015, Biti and his allies
ical nonentity” Benjamin Ru- fighting them. ga and Gorden Moyo support- broke away from MDC-T
kanda, who once belonged to ing Joice Mujuru and us going then led by Tsvangirai, the
his breakaway People’s Dem- Rukanda wrote a letter to back to back Morgan Tsvangi- original MDC founding lead-
ocratic Party (PDP) before Speaker of Parliament Jacob rai,” said Biti. er, and formed PDP. However,
leaving for other parties, is a Mudenda purporting to recall towards the 2018 elections,
political fraud. Biti and other senior MDC “He is not PDP secre- PDP split over the issue of go-
Alliance MPs linked to PDP tary-general. We don’t know ing back to support Tsvangirai
Biti said Rukanda is be- even though he has no polit- him. He is fake. So how can he or backing Mujuru who had
ing used by his political op- ical, hierarchical or legal basis recall MPs from other parties? been expelled from Zanu PF
ponents in Zanu PF and its to do. In any case, this issue is still in 2014.

Matibenga and Moyo – who
was PDP secretary-general –
supported Mujuru, while Biti
and other MDC formations
like the Welshman Ncube par-
ty backed Tsvangirai. Mujuru
led the People’s Rainbow Co-
alition.

After Moyo left, PDP ap-
pointed Mbizo MP Settlement
Chikwinya as secretary-gener-
al up to this day.

Tendai Biti

However, Rukanda, who
purported to be PDP secre-
tary-general, a position cur-
rently held by Chikwinya, this
week wrote a letter to Muden-
da recalling Biti who is Harare
East MP, William Madzimure
(Kambuzuma), Kucaca Phu-
lu (Nkulumane), Sichelesile
Mahlangu (Pumula), Regai
Tsunga (Mutasa South) from
parliament and Chikwinya.

Chikwinya, the real PDP
secretary-general, said it was
legally not possible for Rukan-
da to recall any PDP official
from parliament as he was not
a member of the party and,
even then, before the split he
was merely a provincial offi-
cial.

“Rukanda was a provincial
member for Masvingo when
the PDP was still united.
Ahead of the elections, the
likes of Rukanda joined the
PRC led by Mujuru, but we
contested under the MDC
Alliance. Those who joined
PRC said they had fundamen-
tal differences with Tsvangirai
and could not work with him,
but we swallowed our pride
and joined the alliance, which
means legally they cannot re-
call us because we are not part
of them and they never spon-
sored us to be MPs in the first
place,” Chikwinya said.

“So legally it’s impossible
for them to recall us, but polit-
ically we know they are being
sponsored by Zanu PF to de-
stabilise our party. In this case,
Zanu PF looked for a willing
tool and they found one in
Rukanda. This is a Zanu PF
agenda, we know that.”

—STAFF WRITER

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Boat operators
enjoy brisk
business in
Chilonga

MORRIS BISHI for Chiredzi South Kallisto
Gwanetsa told The New-
TO reach Chiredzi, their sHawks that it is always a
nearest town, the people of nightmare for people in his
Chilonga must travel 35 kilo- area during the rainy season
metres. since it is difficult for them
Be it for business reasons or to reach Chiredzi, the nearest
to seek medication, this is the town. He said only a few can
distance they have to trave. manage to use the Mwenezi
The Runde River has be- route which is 400km, mean-
come a headache to them ing that many will risk their
during the rainy season as it is lives using boats at Runde
always flooded and they have near Chilonga. 
to travel 400km via Mwenezi
to the reach the same destina- “Is has become an annual
tion which usually takes them thing. Whenever the river is
less than an hour to reach. flooded, we face this chal-
Travelling 400km to lenge.
Chiredzi is costly to people Some of the manually operated boats used by Chilonga villagers when crossing the flooded Runde River.
It is difficult for our people
who are based south of the to reach Chiredzi either for
Runde River, mostly peasant medication, work, business
farmers living in an arid area or whatever. The area will be trip. We charge R50 per head
which is in agro-ecological re- totally marooned, if it was and on a good day l can ferry
gion five, so they had to risk not for these boats people 50 people, which is quite lu-
their lives passing through the were going to die without any crative for us. We have a chal-
flooded river using manually plan. I have raised these issues lenge of hippos which always
operated boats. in parliament on several oc- terrorise our boats at night,”
The river has so far claimed casions and l think when re- said Freeman.
the lives of more than 15 peo- sources permit we will have a
ple in recent years. Some of proper bridge at Runde,” said Another operator Livison
these people died while cross- Gwanetsa. Lisingo said trucks with 30
ing using these boats but the tonnes of maize usually have
boats are still a source of hope Chiredzi Rural District their loads offloaded at the
for the communities south of Council chief executive offi- river on the Chiredzi side
the Runde River.  cer Ailes Baloyi said the coun- before boats ferry the goods
The only way to a hospital cil is worried about the state across the river for onward
for pregnant mothers and crit- of affairs south of the Runde transportation by trucks wait-
ically ill patients is through River during the rainy season. ing on the southern side of
a boat. On Wednesday last He said there is a government the river.
week, a body of a deceased plan to construct a bridge
woman which was coming which could give people ac- Chiredzi district develop-
from a mortuary in Chiredzi cess to Chiredzi.  ment coordinator (DDC)
was ferried across the river by Lovemore Chisema, who is
boat in the presence of The “People are using boats to also the district chairperson
NewsHawks.  cross the river but there is an ernment ignored calls to told TheNewsHawks last also said as a safety measure of the Civil Protection Unit,
The river is the only way ongoing plan which will see construct a proper bridge at week that business is high this to avoid capsising the boats, a told The NewsHawks that his
being used to transport gro- the construction of a proper Runde River to be used by year after excessive rain which single boat is allowed to carry committee is regularly hold-
ceries, alcohol, cement, mea- bridge at a site which was al- people. They said the govern- saw the river being flooded five people at a time. ing sensitisation meetings
lie-meal by shop owners in ready pegged by government ment was aware that it would for the first time in ages. He with various groups of people
Chilonga, Chibwedziva, engineers. He said his coun- evict people to pave way for said they are charging R50 “There is brisk business this teaching them about the dan-
Mhlanguleni, Boli, Chi- cil is in full support of the the lucerne grass project, as is for one person to cross and season considering that we gers of crossing flooded rivers.
kombedzi, Malipati, Gezani project and it will allocate the case. on a good day a single boat had a long rainy season. The He said the issue of boats at
and all other areas. resources towards its implen- can transport more than 50 boats are controlled by expe- Runde is a cause for concern
Member of Parliament tation,” said Baloyi. A boat operator who iden- people across the river. He rienced people and we allow and it is better for people to
tifed himself only as Freeman only five people in a boat per use longer routes which are
People who spoke to The safe than risk their lives.
NewsHawks said it now
makes sense why the gov-

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Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Women highly vulnerable in Chilonga

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE the decision-making pro- Chilonga villager, Beauty Luvani Luvani’s friend, who re-
cesses and they fear they quested anonymity, said
WOMEN in Chilonga say will not be able to continue the planned evictions had
they fear losing their an- with their farming.   made her and other women
cestral land which has been anxious.
a source of livelihood for Civil society organisa-
the community, located 35 tions say women are at a “I am a widow and I sur-
kilometres from Chiredzi disadvantage as they do not vive through farming vege-
town. have full land ownership tables, sorghum and maize
rights as a result of patriar- that I take to the Grain
They are afraid of being chal practices. Forced dis- Marketing Board (GMB).
unable to get arable land, as placement comes with a lot In cases where I got two
the government prepares to of violence as well as other tonnes, I would keep one
evict 12 500 villagers. injustices. tonne and store it in the
granary so that we can have
The villagers have been “Here in Chilonga, we some food, and the other
resisting displacement, ac- are able to breed goats and tonne I would sell for us to
cusing the government of cattle. I could sell goats to get money for school fees,”
hiding behind a lucerne pay fees and cater for other she said.
grass project yet the real needs. I was able to build
motive is to mine gold my home from selling cat- “We used to farm and
and diamonds discovered tle, and farming. harvest sorghum as well as
by South African diamond maize. We would sell and
mining giant De Beers in “I was able to live an be able to look after chil-
the 1950s. okay life. Now that they are dren and even manage to
evicting us, I am not sure take them to school so that
Women who depend on how we will be able to sus- they can have a better fu-
agricultural activities to tain ourselves and start over ture.  We do not even know
provide for their families as someone without a help- if we will be able to support
told The NewsHawks that er,” Beauty Luvani, a mem- our families through farm-
they are being sidelined in ber of the community, said. ing as we are doing now.
Even farming vegetables
Wash your hands for at least and selling at the market.”
20 seconds or more.
Masvingo Centre for
Use soap and water or a Research Advocacy and
hand sanitizer when you: Community Development
Ÿ Get home or into work. (Macrad) co-ordinator
Ÿ Blow your nose, sneeze or Ephraim Mutombeni said
there was a likelihood of
cough. women ending up in dif-
Ÿ Eat or handle food. ficult circumstances as a
result of unmitigated patri-
Mask up and maintain archal tendencies.
social distancing.
“In Masvingo (province)
The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLive www.newshawks.com join@thenewshawks.com most of the women acquire
land after the deaths of their
husbands and it is even dif-
ficult for them to rent out
the land or sell without
permission from their in-
laws. They do not have full
ownership of land. This is
going to widen the gap of
land ownership. Security
of tenure was already ab-
sent, and this is even going
to make it difficult. Our
concerns are whether there
is going to be fair distribu-
tion of the land,” he said.

“Looking at Chilonga, it
is an area where patriarchy
already exists.  The current
legal framework or poli-
cy does not recognise or
is not deliberate on wom-
en and rights. Women are
still excluded in key deci-
sion-making processes, so
at the end of the day do not
have a representative voice.

“In Chilonga, most vil-
lage heads who are respon-
sible for land distribution
are men, the district ad-
ministrator of Chiredzi is a
man as well as the provin-
cial administrator. The pol-
icies are not favourable to
women and women should
be involved in the land
distribution so that their
voices are heard.  Forced
displacements also come
with violence, bribery and
a lot of practices women are
unfamiliar with.”

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Nurses abandon Bulawayo council clinics

LIZWE SEBATA “It is not isolated to BCC as it ernment to fill vacant posts and now.” Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo salaries and the failure to pay
is a national crisis where nurses recruit additional staff,” Ncube Council has since advertised health catastrophe, Ncube said. workers on time. The local au-
AS Bulawayo City Council are leaving the country. We have said in an interview on Tuesday. thority is owed nearly ZW$663
(BCC) battles to stem an exodus also been greatly affected but the 50 contract vacant positions for Contacted for comment, Lo- million by ratepayers as of Feb-
of health personnel, particularly major contributor to the staffing “The ministry has been tak- general nurses after the ministry cal Government minister July ruary 2021.
nurses, owing to low salaries, crisis is that we have to ask for ing its time in approving our approved a council request to re- Moyo was not answering calls
the local authority now blames permission from central gov- request to fill the vacant posts cruit additional staff to prevent on his mobile phones.   The staffing challenges are
a government directive which hence the staffing crisis we face the staffing crisis turning into a compounding other challenges
prohibited the hiring of new Council blames Covid-19- at BCC health centres following
personnel to fill vacant posts. induced financial shocks for low the introduction of an e-patient
health management project in
Council clinics are operating Zimbabwe military must not October 2020 that is seeing pa-
at less than 50% staffing capac- subvert democratic institutions tients being forced to spend sev-
ity amid recent reports that the eral hours before being attended
local authority battles a staff ex- reasons, I would say that the military became kingmakers for security sector reform by have failed to resolve structur- to.
odus of health professionals. military in general should be after long-time leader Robert the opposition. al weaknesses.
kept out of dialogues.” Mugabe lost to his arch-rival The electronic health records
As much as 10 resignations during the general elections. Zimbabwe has had two “There might be one ex- (EHR) unveiled, a novel exer-
are submitted every month However, he said the men post-independence internal ception to that, which is that cise to allow the local author-
from nurses protesting delayed in uniform may be engaged Before Mugabe’s fall from settlements — the Unity Ac- maybe if you are managing ity to migrate to a paperless
and worthless salaries, coun- in managing a transition if grace, the army played a role cord of 1987 and the Gov- a transition. For example, it healthcare service faces system
cil officials said.  In January, the incumbent leader is vot- in ensuring his iron-clad grip ernment of National Unity looks pretty clear that the op- and network challenges with
council workers downed tools ed out of office. In 2008, the on power, despite several calls of 2008 — which critics say position has won an election nurses also claiming they were
protesting poor pay, weeks after ill-trained and ill-prepared to
they also staged a sit-in over the operate information technology
issue. gadgets and programmes used
in capturing patient data into
The gvernment in 2010 is- the database.
sued a directive barring local
authorities from recruiting ad- Council received the net-
ditional staff. work equipment for the EHR
programme from the US Cen-
This comes amid claims that tres for Disease Control (CDC)
BCC clinics are  operated by through ICAP (formerly the In-
skeletal staff, a development ternational Centre for Aids Care
that could compromise the and Treatment Programmes) in
health delivery system. February 2020.

Insiders say 41 years after In- Installation and cabling of
dependence, the local authority the health facilities was done in
still relies on the nurse staffing the same month as well as tge
set-up that is now failing to cope configuration of wireless access
with the city’s growing popula- points. Patients are flocking to
tion. council clinics where services are
affordable compared to private
Bulawayo deputy mayor health facilities where consulta-
Mlandu Ncube admitted there tion fees are pegged beyond the
is a staffing crisis at council clin- reach of most residents. Private
ics, but he blamed the Local doctors charge up to US$25 in
Government ministry for main- consultation fees.
taining a 2010 freeze on recruit- and you need to get a grip of
ment of additional staff. all parties on how the tran-
sition is going to happen. It
BERNARD MPOFU might be in that context to
talk to senior military officials
Zimbabwe’s military should to reassure them, to perhaps
not take a prominent role in make sure that they are going
any political dialogue that to allow the transition to hap-
seeks to break the country’s pen and also just make sure
socio-economic impasse as that there isn’t a coup,” Chee-
lobbying for talks intensifies, seman said. 
a leading scholar has said.
“And, in so doing, to pre-
The southern African na- serve and maintain a dem-
tion is battling rising infla- ocratic transition that is
tion, political intolerance and underway. So under those
high cases of human rights conditions I think it makes
violations targeting activists sense to bring the military in,
opposing President Emmer- otherwise they could be spoil-
son Mnangawa’s government.  ers and prevent the transition. 

To address the deep-seat- “But other than that, I
ed issues, the opposition, the think it is very dangerous to
clergy and civil society organ- officially give the military
isations are now pushing for a seat at the table and in so
dialogue, among several other doing institutionalise and
political and economic actors. recognise and legitimate their
direct influence over Zimba-
Nic Cheeseman, a pro- bwe. They are not political ac-
fessor of democracy and in- tors, they have not been elect-
ternational development at ed, and they have not been
Birmingham University and selected to represent people so
a former director of the Afri- they shouldn’t have a seat on
can Studies Centre at Oxford the table that’s prominent.”
University, told The News-
Hawks that the militarisation Attempts by the ruling par-
of democratic institutions is ty to push for national talks
unhelpful.   via the Political Actors’ Dia-
logue platform are considered
“My sense is and if you futile by the main opposition
look across Africa, I think this MDC Alliance, the party that
is borne out that military gov- came second to Zanu PF in
ernments and military influ- the disputed 31 July 2018
ence in government is usually general elections.
bad not only for civil liberties
and human rights but also Early this month, the Zim-
for economic development,” babwe Council of Churches
Cheeseman said.   said the military should be in-
volved in any effort to initiate
“And therefore what we dialogue in the country.
need to fight against and re-
sist if we want to promote de-
mocracy is the militarisation
of politics. And for all those

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Vaccination apathy rife in Masvingo

MORRIS BISHI ing to be vaccinated. masks. many of them are not aware The second batch of covid -19 vaccines being off-loaded from a
“The province received 22 “Following the laid down that the virus is still active. plane in Harare.
AFTER receiving 22 000 vac- They are no longer wearing
cines during the first phase of 000 vaccines since the incep- Covid-19 protocols is diffi- face masks. In Chiredzi, ven-  Zim epicentre of
the Covid-19 vaccination pro- tion of the programme but we cult to many and this becomes dors, touts and kombi drivers new Covid-19 strains
gramme, Masvingo province managed to vaccinate only 3 risky. Wearing of face masks are no longer observing so-
managed to vaccinate only 3 600. The first programme was is at times totally disregard- cial distance or wearing face BRIDGET MANANAVIRE “N501T is thought to im-
600 health workers with the targeting health workers. ed whilst maintaining social masks. prove ACE2 receptor binding
rest of the population still distance in market environ- ZIMBABWE is a now an in mink.3.
sceptical. “There are people circulat- ments becomes difficult. The Tiyani Chilonga, a commu- epicentre of new Covid-19
ing negative messages on so- development is unsafe for us nity leader in Chilonga, told strains, which researchers say “A mutation in the same
Business is also going back cial media and l think that is considering that we are fac- The NewsHawks that the wear- have worrying mutations, a re- location, N501Y, is associated
to normal with many people what caused a low uptake in ing the third wave of the virus ing of masks in the communi- search paper has shown. with increased transmissibility
no longer putting on their our province. We are about which can be more fatal,” said ty is now a thing of the past. in humans. In December 2020,
masks or observing social dis- to enter into phase two of the Irimayi. In January, Zimbabwe re- 18 (15%) of 117 of cases were
tancing in public. Pirate taxi programme and it is our hope He asked if coronavirus is corded a 95% prevalence rate found to be of the C.2 vari-
operators commonly known that those targetted, main- On Wednesday, the prov- still affecting people in the of the (B.1.351) variant, orig- ant, whereas in January, 2021,
as mishika shika are now back ly teachers, will be willing to ince recorded a single case of country, saying rural commu- inally identified in South Afri- this number fell to 3 (3%) of
on the road. come forward. new Covid-19 infection and nities appear immune to the ca, making it the second coun- 104. Phylogenetic analysis of
the cumulative positive cases disease. try other than South Africa to international genomes of the
Masvingo Covid-19 task- “This is a voluntary pro- now stand at 2 366 with 66 report B.1.351 as the domi- C.2 variant indicated that they
force spokesperson Rodgers gramme so we will continue deaths. “You are not seeing masks nant variant to date, according were interspersed with C.2 ge-
Irimayi told The NewsHawks educating people on the ad- because we know nothing to the paper published in The nomes from Zimbabwean cas-
that the vaccine uptake in the vantages of taking the vaccine The province has 18 active about the disease. We are Lancet Microbe journal. es, indicating that Zimbabwe
province was still low large- for them to understand,” said cases and 2 282 recoveries. a community which lives was a possible source.”
ly because of disinformation Irimayi. The new case is from Chiredzi amongst itself so where can we The variant accounted for
through social media. district which remains the get the virus? 69% in December. The researchers said the
Irimayi added that there is hotspot in the province. observation highlights the
He said the province is now great concern over people are Is the virus still killing peo- “Prospective surveillance importance of global surveil-
geared up for the second phase who now disregarding laid During a visit to Chiredzi ple? We think it ended some- of SARS-CoV-2 by genome lance through whole-genome
of the vaccination programme down Covid-19 protocols by last week, The NewsHawks time ago. We are just hearing sequencing in Zimbabwe be- sequencing of SARS-CoV-2
and his committee is hoping failing to observe social dis- established that people in about the vaccine, but we have tween December 2020, and to identify sources and trans-
that more people will be will- tancing at public places as well Chilonga are at great risk of no information in this part of January 2021 (the period of mission routes, and to provide
as neglecting the use of face contracting the coronavirus as the country,” said Chilonga. the so-called second wave), supporting evidence for policy
has identified that variants decisions.
AN average of 1 839 people Vaccination numbers with concerning mutations are
are being vaccinated against remain markedly low prevalent in sequenced sam- The Zimbabwean govern-
the Covid-19 pandemic every ples,” the journal read.  ment implemented a Covid-19
working day since Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport where he lockdown on 3 January, clos-
launched the first phase of the received the second batch of covid-19 vaccines from China. In December, out of the 107 ing all its land borders includ-
national programme as daily sequenced cases, 95 (89%) of ing the land border that links
inoculations remain low, fur- the number of vaccinators campaigns will be deployed cess is not cumbersome. them contained mutations Zimbabwe and South Africa,
ther complicating the coun- will be increased by involving across the country to raise One is expected to present of concern, with the number Beitbridge, following a spike
try’s fight against the pandem- the health worker in the uni- awareness.  growing to 104 (98%) cases in in cases and deaths, and only
ic. formed forces, local authori- their personal contact de- January 2021. relaxed them beginning of
ties and health worker retir- “It will help educate people tails, which include physical March. 
The low vaccination figures ees,” cabinet said.  that they will be vaccinated for address and that of a close The identified variants
are likely to make it difficult free. Information on frequent- relative. Some candidates for in Zimbabwe included the As of 14 March, 37 660
for Zimbabwe to achieve 60% However, cabinet urged ly asked questions has also vaccination were subjected to B.1.351 (501Y.V2) and A.23.1 people had received the first
herd immunity and end the citizens to continue abiding been translated into all official Covid-19 testing. variants, along with a novel dose of the Sinopharm vaccine
pandemic which has since by the World Health Organ- languages,” cabinet said.  variant under investigation after the launch of the vacci-
killed more than 1 500 people.  isation (WHO) preventative Before vaccination, one is (C.2).1, 2, 3. nation programme on 18 Feb-
measures to combat reinfec- Nurses and doctors have also asked if they have any al- ruary. The country received its
About 36 786 people had tion, at a time the globe is often expressed concern over lergies to ascertain if it is safe “Variants with concern- first batch of 200 000 vaccines
been vaccinated as of Tuesday grappling with mutations of the lack of information on the to administer the vaccine.  ing mutations have all re- from in February and received
since the programme began on the virus.  side effects of the vaccines al- placed previously identified 344 000 more vaccines from
18 February, with Vice-Pres- though, so far, most of the vac- The vaccine is then admin- lineages in Zimbabwe. As in Sinopharm and Sinovac on
ident Constantino Chiwen- The government also says cinated persons have not expe- istered by a health worker, other countries, this variant Tuesday.
ga receiving his first dose of information on vaccines will rienced worrying side effects.  who also issues a vaccination (B.1.351) has been associated
the Sinopharm vaccine. He be translated into all 16 offi- card with a notification of the with increased transmissibil- The journal paper was au-
received his second dose on cial languages, while advocacy Meanwhile, those who have next dose. ity, resulting in overwhelmed thored by local and interna-
Thursday this week. been vaccinated say the pro- healthcare systems and in tional researchers including
— STAFF WRITER higher mortality than the first Tapfumanei Mashe, Fausti-
While the number of those wave (appendix),” the journal nos Tatenda Takawira, Hlanai
vaccinated remains low, gov- reads. Gumbo, Agnes Juru, Charles
ernment efforts yo ramp up Nyagupe, Kenneth K Maeka,
the inoculation got a boost this “Secondly, the A.23.1 vari- Sekesai Mtapuri-Zinyowera,
week after Zimbabwe received ant of concern, first reported Muchaneta Gudza-Mugabe,
400 000 doses from China. in Uganda, was observed in 3 Leonardo de Oliveira Mar-
(3%) of 107 sequenced cases tins,  Justin O’Grady, Robert
Although the doses from in December, but was not ob- A Kingsley, Andrew J Page and
China are a drop in the ocean, served in 104 sequenced cases Raiva Simbi.
they are welcome as the coun- in January. Thirdly, a variant
try battles to counter an im- designated C.2 and contain- Agnes Mahomva, the chief
pending third wave amid ing a spike protein mutation co-ordinator of Zimbabwe’s
growing warnings from health (N501T) that was previously national response to the
experts.  reported in another lineage of Covid-19 pandemic, was not
SARS-CoV-2 found in mink available for comment on the
The government has also was present in Zimbabwe in issue as her phones went unan-
announced that it will take both December, 2020, and swered.
delivery of more vaccines from January, 2021.”
Sinopharm, Sputnik and the
Covax facility. 

However, the country is far
from achieving 60% herd im-
munity. Cabinet blamed the
low daily vaccination figures
on lack of personnel at inocu-
lation centres. 

Cabinet says the personnel
administering vaccines will be
doubled to include uniformed
forces and health retirees.  

“To gather momentum,

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

PROUD MOYO Cash-strapped govt cuts “Legislators played an over-
off Covid-19 allowances sight role and we did not expect
ABOUT 60 000 vulnerable them to be involved in the direct
urban families hard hit by the were badly affected.  500 allowance which cannot cy (Sassa) disbursed R300 social Labour minister Paul Mavhima. implementation of government
ravaging effects of Covid-19 last The 60 000 families headed by feed a family of six. A consumer relief, R440 child support grant enterprises.  programmes.”
received cushion allowances from basket for low-income families and R500 per caregiver.
government in September 2020 children and the elderly largely in high-density suburbs costs “All applicants were subjected Apart from vulnerable groups
as Treasury has no resources to relied on government Covid-19 around ZW$21 000, according Mavima said Covid-19 cush- to a means test and verification who were supposed to receive
finance the social safety net.  allowances but the cash-strapped to the Consumer Council of ion allowance beneficiaries were process by our ministry staff. Pol- cash transfers, there are about 3.5
state has not been able to finance Zimbabwe.  drawn from local authorities, iticians and other interest groups million people who require food
Government, earlier this year, the programme.  vendors’ associations, informal referred potential applicants to assistance from the government
reviewed the payout from a mea- Comparatively, South Africa sectors groups, women’s organ- our offices and these would also and donors such as the World
sly ZW$300 to ZW$1 500 per There were widespread com- through its Social Security Agen- isations and small to medium go through a means test and veri- Food Programme. 
household of five people.  plaints over the paltry ZW$1 fication process,” he said.
Mavima told Parliament that
In 2020, a social support cash it was fundamentally the respon-
transfer grant of ZW$600 mil- sibility of the government to pro-
lion was announced but it had vide social protection to citizens
little to no effect due to the high to manage “vulnerability associ-
cost of basic commodities. ated with exogenous shocks”. 

In his food deficit mitigation Due to biting food insecurity
programme and Covid-19 relief as a result of poor agricultural
grants presentation to the Par- seasons, the government and do-
liamentary Portfolio Committee nors launched a food deficit mit-
on Public Service, Labour and igation strategy in 2011. 
Social Welfare, on Monday this
week, Labour minister Paul Ma- The programme is meant
vima said his office last disbursed to avail free food assistance to
Covid-19 allowances in Septem- people living with disabilities,
ber 2020.  chronically ill, older persons and
child-headed families. 
“We have not received funds
for this programme in 2021. Mavima said a total of 735
However, cash transfers for the 455 households have been receiv-
23 child protection supported ing free grain as part of efforts to
districts continue. Allowances for avert food insecurity in both ru-
cash transfers have been raised ral and urban communities. 
from $300 to $1 500 per month
per household per five people,” “In line with the food deficit
he said.  mitigation programme policy,
cabinet has approved the retar-
Mavima said there was no geting exercise for 2021-2022
Treasury authority to extend the cycle.
Covid-19 allowances beyond
December 2020.  “We will stop grain distribu-
tion end of April, which coin-
Zimbabwe was plunged cides with the peak of the hunger
into a strict level four national period. Distributions will only
lockdown in January 2021 as commence after the 2021 Zim-
Covid-19 decimated lives, claim- vac (Zimbabwe Vulnerability As-
ing three ministers, namely Sibu- sessment Committee) results are
siso Busi Moyo (Foreign Affairs), published and retargeting done.
Joel Biggie Matiza (Transport The ministry will, however, be on
and Infrastructure Develop- the lookout for distress calls even
ment) and Ellen Gwaradzimba during the period of retargeting,”
(Manicaland provincial affairs he said. 
minister). Agriculture minister
Perrence Shiri succumbed to the Last year, the government
coronavirus last year.  announced a ZW$18 billion
economic recovery and stimulus
As business came to a grind- package for formal businesses to
ing halt due to the national recover from Covid-19, but there
lockdown, 310 000 individuals is no information on how the
drawn from the informal sector money was disbursed and im-
pacted on industry.

Page 16 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Corrupt cartels
have taken over

IF anyone ever doubted the power and influence of the cor- Critical lessons from Magufuli’s death:
rupt cartels that have captured the Zimbabwean state, the Leadership is both an art and a science
glaring evidence was laid bare this week, stunning citizens
who are rarely shocked by anything anymore these days. THE late Tanzanian leader John Ma- the occasion, especially during times of ple to fast and pray, and later claimed
gufuli was a polarising figure: at home adversity. Tanzanians believed corona had been
Barely a few hours after the National Assembly’s Public he was loved by many for his practical eliminated by God. He later went on to
Accounts Committee conducted an open hearing into the leadership skills, which bordered on To do that, leaders do not necessarily declare the country Covid-19 free.  
breathtaking corruption at Zesa Holdings, the panel’s chair- bravado and folly. Hence, some ques- have to be geniuses or to perform won-
person, Tendai Biti, was recalled from Parliament. It is a na- tioned that.  ders, they simply need to get and moti- Denialism writ large.
ked ploy to silence him and scupper investigations into or- vate people to do great things. On some occasions he claimed do-
ganised economic crime. Outside his country, especially in nated material could be used to trans-
Africa where there is a serious dearth That is the art and science of leader- mit corona, a reflection of uninformed
In the face of a tough line of questioning, Zesa executive of leadership, people initially warmed ship, not the myth that leaders are born, scepticism, cynicism and ignorance.
chairperson Sydney Gata admitted that the awarding of a up to his command-and-bulldoze style or worse still they are there by divine A devote Catholic, Magufuli made
US$250 million Dema Power Plant deal to Sakunda Hold- which emphasised practical delivery. will. You don’t need to be a committed many comments about the virus at
ings was a “bad” decision. Biti described it as “atrocious”. atheist to reject that, nor does one need church services. Last March he said:
However, later his idiosyncratic style to be secularist to frown at it. The fact “Coronavirus, which is a devil, cannot
We must remember that the real cost of the corrupt Dema drove some admirers away. In the end, is leadership is not in-born. People are survive in the body of Christ... It will
project escalated alarmingly from US$250 million to US$498 he appeared like a caricature to outsid- socialised to be leaders. In other words, burn instantly.”
million over three years. ers. leaders are made, not born. Two months later at mass in his
hometown of Chato, he said:
Corruption is the only reason why a broke government By the time of his death, Magufu- Despite his good artistic and inter- “We have had a number of viral dis-
chose to generate electricity -- using diesel-powered genera- li had squandered a lot of his political personal approaches, Magufuli lacked eases, including Aids and measles. Our
tors -- at 30 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh), yet it would have capital, goodwill and damaged his rep- the scientific dimension to leadership. economy must come first. It must not
been much cheaper to import power from Mozambique at utation irretrivably, especially through sleep… Life must go on... Countries
four cents per kWh. Clearly, that stinking deal was foisted on his Covid-19 denialism and attendant Hawk Eye [elsewhere] in Africa will be coming
the taxpayer by someone in the Office of the President. When strange antics. He buried his head in here to buy food in the years to come…
the political overlords and their cronies tossed Biti out of Par- the sand over the pandemic, and sim- Dumisani they will be suffering because of shut-
liament this week, he was on the verge of forcing Zesa officials ply sought refuge in religion – a dan- Muleya ting down their economy.”
to answer the all-important question: Who exactly in the of- gerous path for a leader. At the funeral of a top presidential
fice of the President forced Zesa to give the deal to Sakunda? Covid-19 exposed and sadly killed him. aide on 19 February – and following the
For indeed the first responsibility of In the end, his poor leadership had death of Zanzibar’s vice-president from
The corruption at Zesa is mind blowing. The Zimbabwean a leader is to understand and define Covid-19 earlier in the month – he said
government’s dealings with Afreximbank are a closely guard- reality. That requires art and science. devastating consequences for himself God could not forsake Tanzania. 
ed secret. It was only at the end of 2020 that citizens began That is why it is important for leaders and endangered the whole nation. He rejected Covid-19 tests, lock-
catching a few glimpses into the toxic brew of opaque public to respect both.  downs and vaccinations.
loans and publicly guaranteed loans, thanks to a court or- While he was hailed by some for his He even influenced President Em-
der that has caused official discomfort. But even then, the One of Donald Trump’s many flaws, no-nonsense approach, his style became merson Mnangagwa to fire Zimba-
information released by Treasury on the odious debts has apart from seeing the world through increasingly authoritarian and degener- bwe’s Health ministry director Dr
been sketchy and carefully curated to preserve the interests the prisms of raw prejudice, intolerance ated into a laissez-faire crisis. Chaos in- Gibson Mhlanga for merely enforcing
of kleptocracy. and lies, was his failure to respect sci- evitably reigned on how to navigate the Covid-19 rules; that travellers to and
ence. When leaders respect science, it coronavirus minefield. from Tanzania must be tested.
The massive corruption at Zesa, unearthed by tenacious means they can  define reality. The ca- In the end, Magufuli’s  scientific ig-
journalists and a forensic audit, is stunning — even by Zim- pacity to translate vision into reality is Magufuli said many things that ex- norance became fatal. Leadership is just
babwe’s rotten standards. central to leadership. posed his poor leadership during the not an art, but a science as well.
Covid-19 emergency. He urged peo-
Zesa clinched a US$35 million facility at Afreximbank for For that to happen, leaders should
the installation of five electricity sub-stations at Glen Norah, have the skills to mobilise, rally people
Mufakose, Hatcliffe, Epworth and Greystone Park. Under to a common purpose and the charac-
the arrangement and through “technology transfer”, a private ter to inspire confidence. Leaders rise to
company, PME, would make and install the equipment.

What happened next was baffling. In a patently illegal
move, Zesa managers took the US$35m from Afreximbank
and transferred the money to PME, without demanding a
performance bond or a guarantee. Zesa was eventually preju-
diced of US$1.9 million in that transaction.

The tragedy in all this is that the taxpayer must now pick
up the tab. Not only that; there is a suffocating sense of im-
punity because citizens have helplessly witnessed officials en-
gaging in such corruption for decades and getting away with
it. The corruption at Zesa is a microcosm of the staggering rot
that has reduced Zimbabwe to a basket case.

Zesa Enterprises, a subsidiary of Zesa Holdings, procured
goods and services totalling US$253.6 million from suppliers
without obtaining the stipulated three quotations. Six of these
transactions (US$23.8 million) were processed on quotes ob-
tained via the phone and 26 of them, totalling US$229.8 mil-
lion, were not accompanied by the requisite three quotations.

Cartels and their political cronies have captured the state.
For that reason, economic revival will remain wishful think-
ing.

Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
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Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

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GBP/USD 105.53 -0.13 -0.123 *OIL 59.62 -0.9 -1.49
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USD/CAD 1.402 +0.005 +0.34 *GOLD 1,785.3 +10.3 +0.58
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1.214 +0.005 +0.41 *SILVER 27.535 +0.457 +1.69

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0.788 +0.011 +1.39 *COPPER 4.057 +0.156 +4

Competition Commission assesses mergers

DUMISANI NYONI

THE Competition and and solely for the purpose such as beef production, clay bricks, property devel- market. Analysis focused on “This gives unfair advan-
Tariff Commission (CTC) of purchase of shares in catering and facilities man- opment and earth-moving the deep pockets hypothesis tage over competitors which,
adjudicated on 13 mergers Power Sales and there was agement, private health- equipment business. through assessing how ex- in turn, results in them be-
and acquisitions during the no known record of having care hospitals and retailing tensive financial resources ing booted out of the mar-
second half of last year, ap- deep pockets. of fresh produce and bread The merger was qualified and other resources could ket. Once other competitors
proving five of them, as com- manufacturing. as conglomerate in nature. facilitate the sale of products exit the market, the merged
panies continued to consol- “In addition, the target below cost for extended peri- firm will then raise the price
idate their operations in the market for the merging par- Radar is into manufac- “The merger was not like- ods of time,” it said. above normal prices to re-
face of Covid-19 challenges. ties is highly price sensitive turing and distribution of ly to substantially prevent cover its losses.”
and can easily switch to any competition in the relevant
In its latest report, the cheaper products should the However, the CTC said
CTC said during the third merged entity decide to en- it was noted that the nature
and fourth quarters of 2020, gage in predatory pricing. of clay bricks is that they are
it made six decisions on Following the analysis, the low value margin and high
mergers and acquisition and commission approved the volume products which are
seven cases were carried over merger without any condi- associated with high trans-
to this year. tions,” it said. port costs.

During this period, three Again, in June last year, “Thus even if their prices
mergers and acquisitions the commission said it re- are lowered, customers, for
were approved without con- ceived notification of a instance in Mutare or Hara-
ditions, two were approved merger involving Investors re, may still find it difficult
with conditions, one was in Africa (Takura) and Cau- to purchase and transport
disapproved and seven were licle Investments Pvt Ltd bricks from Bulawayo where
carried over to 2021. (Caulicle). Radar is located,” it said.

In July 2020, the com- In the transaction, Takura “Furthermore, Radar was
mission received notification purchased 100% shares in less likely to engage in pre-
of a merger involving Giant Caulicle, which owns 20% dation post-merger given
Tree (Pvt) Ltd and At The of Hinshaw which, in turn, that it is not a market power
Ready Wholesalers (Pvt) Ltd owns 79.6% in Radar which which is a condition for pre-
(ATRW). gave Takura 16.9% indirect dation. Beta and Willdale are
shareholding in Radar, the the market leaders in the clay
The transaction pertained ultimate target party. bricks manufacturing sector.
to the 80% acquisition of
a stake held by Pep Stores Takura is a Zimbabwe- Following the analysis, the
(Zimbabwe) Private Limit- an-registered investment commission approved the
ed and Tendril S.A.R.L in holding company and has merger without any condi-
ATRW. Giant Tree is a cloth- investments in companies tions.
ing, footwear and homeware
retail chain store trading
as Power Sales.  The CTC
said it identified the retail-
ing of clothes, footwear and
homeware products to the
low-income and middle -in-
come classes in the whole of
Zimbabwe. The merger was
classified as conglomerate in
nature.

“Analysis revealed that the
merger was not likely to pre-
vent or lessen competition
in the relevant market and
did not result in a monopoly
situation contrary to public
interest. Since the merger
was conglomerate in nature,
predation would be possi-
ble only where the merged
entity would have financial
muscle to sustain the busi-
ness during the period of low
price,” the CTC said.

“From assessing the activ-
ities of the acquiring party,
it was clear that the under-
taking was newly established

Page 18 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Zim economy ernment’s foreign currency
to bounce back auction system. This would
in 2021: AfDB translate to increased credit
by the country’s banks.
NYASHA CHINGONO blighted by the pandemic overhang, weakening the 2000,” reads the outlook re- Fund  have  not  agreed  to 
whose end seems out of sight government’s capacity to at- port.  a  new arrangement,  which “The banking system is
Zimbabwe’s economy is set amid growing concerns of a tract fresh capital.  would be aimed at helping stable. Banks have some
to bounce back from two suc- third wave.  To deal with the bur- Zimbabwe clear its arrears.  room to increase credit.” 
cessive years of contraction “Zimbabwe’s total pub- geoning debt situation ,
and register 4.2% growth “Modest economic recov- lic debt is US$11.1 billion Zimbabwe instituted a Staff As  a  result,  the  coun- However, Zimbabwe’s
in 2021 on the backdrop of ery is projected in 2021, if (53.9% of  GDP), of which Monitored Program with try  will  have  to  continue  economy continues to be
sustained price stability, with effective measures are tak- 95.6% is external. including the International Monetary to  rely  largely  on  domestic  blighted by poverty which
potential to create room for en to  stabilise  foreign  ex- US$6.4 billion in arrears to Fund to help implement  resource  mobilization  and  stood at 70.5 percent in
economic recovery, the Af- change    and avoid exces- international financial insti- economic policies from May borrowing from non-Paris 2019.
rican Development Bank sive money creation.  But tutions, bilateral,  and pri- 2019 to March 2020 col- Club members like China. 
(AfDB) says.  the  outlook    is clouded by vate  creditors.  Zimbabwe lapsed  in  September  2019.  The loan to deposit ratio
a number of factors,” AfDB has been  in  default    since AfDB attributed stability was 38.8 percent in 2020
While Zimbabwe was al- says, urging the government The  government  and  the   on the money market to gov- against the Benchmark of 70
ready in recession before the to ease border closures.  percent, said AfDB. 
Covid-19 pandemic, with
the economy contracting by “The pandemic and gov- AfDB also warned that
6% in 2019, the global pan- ernment policies to  contain  another wave of infections
demic worsened the situation the (Covid-19)  disease  will  would further retard growth
as the economy slumped by affect   production levels for African countries like
10% in 2020.  across all sectors although a Zimbabwe. 
partial easing of border clo-
In its economic outlook, sures may help.” “New waves of the
the pan-African bank says COVID–19 infections could
Zimbabwe will also see 3.2% The continental bank require reimposition of se-
Gross Domestic Product warned that the industri- vere containment measures
growth in 2022.  al and mining sectors were such as lockdowns and quar-
faced with reduced compet- antines that would retard or
Zimbabwe will pin its itiveness, low commodity derail the recovery  process,”
hopes on sustained stabili- prices and power shortages.  reads the outlook report. 
ty in the country’s banking
system, which has increased “The problems are exac- “Downside economic and
capacity of credit and an im- erbated by debt distress and social factors include the
proved agricultural season arrears and low international risks of social tensions, debt 
characterised by normal to reserves that can cover less overhang,  extreme  weather 
above normal rains.  than one month of imports,” events,  subdued  commodity 
AfDB says.  prices,   weaker  tourism  and 
However, AfDB said re- remittances,  and  financial 
covery will continue to be Zimbabwe has been buck- market volatility that im-
ling under a debilitating debt pedes capital flows.”

The projected recovery
could be better than antic-
ipated if vaccines become
available around the conti-
nent. Several African coun-
tries have begun their nation-
al vaccination programmes
as they battle to save their
populations from the deadly
pandemic. 

Busting the myth about a How AYO became a victim
R2bn loan from the PIC of institutional actions

SEKUNJALO Independent The PIC had invested R167 Such challenges included the CAPE TOWN – JSE-listed was intended to talk about wrong and is a victim of a
Media Consortium has bust- million for an equity stake of PIC reneging on its support for Ayo Technology Solutions the outcome of the PIC smear campaign by hidden
ed the myth that the purchase 25 percent, R133m to acquire the transaction by reducing its (AYO), on Wednesday told Commission, except to rein- hands,” said Mgoqi.
of Independent Media, the an existing portion of a share- support from R2bn to R850m, Parliament’s Standing Com- force the point there was no
biggest media group in the holders’ loan and a R285m as well as “aggressive and public mittee on Finance (SCoF) evidence of corruption per- The AYO board chairper-
country, from the Irish for R2 bridging loan. It also provided posturing by the (SA National that the tech investment taining to AYO contained in son told the SCoF that the
billion was only through fund- R215m of the R365m required Editors Forum [Sanef ]) and its firm was a victim of several the report. PIC initially insisted that
ing from the Public Investment to fund Independent Media chairperson Nic Dawes to stop institutional actions, such as the British Telecom (BT)
Corporation (PIC). Consortium (SIM) 55 percent the transaction”. being unfairly censured with “The investment was pre- investment form part of the
equity into Independent Me- fines, which made no sense. sented to the PIC by the AYO listing and significant
The company appeared be- dia. “Intensive smear campaigns AYO corporate investment capital was earmarked for
fore the Standing Committee by competing media such as AYO chairperson Dr team, including the new- the BT investment, which
on Finance (SCoF) on Wednes- “Sekunjalo invited other the Times Media Group and Wallace Mgoqi cited an- ly recruited chief executive was the foundation for a
day to detail the facts of how investors to co-invest in Inde- Naspers, who feared the com- other example whereby the from a multinational, and multinational customer ac-
its umbrella body, Sekunjalo pendent Media, which provid- mercial competition of a black- Companies and Intellec- executives with a combined quisition strategy. The PIC,
Group, actually sealed a deal ed the remaining capital with owned enterprise as well as a tual Property Commission value of 75 years (experi- however, scuppered the BT
with the Irish media company, approximately R1.15bn,” said competitor and diverse narra- (CIPC), without any ratio- ence) in the ICT sector, pre- investment, by relying on
which was the owner of Inde- Hove. tive now in the public space. nal basis and precedent, had sented to peers. negative media reports
pendent Media in South Africa launched a litigation case
at the time. Hove stated categorically “Attempts to influence the against AYO. CIPC lost the “Experienced PIC ana- “Without PIC support,
that since 2013, the PIC had Irish by some senior privileged case. Mgoqi said that in the lysts with 50 years’ experi- the BT company decided to
Independent Media’s delega- not supported Independent editorial staff at Independent spirit of transparency, AYO ence and together saw the withdraw from engagement
tion included Sekunjalo’s exec- Media with a single cent, but Media who also attempted to had welcomed the commis- business case for the ICT with AYO. We fear that
utive chairman, Dr Iqbal Survé, “only the Sekunjalo Group is put in their own bid and retain sion of inquiry into alleged investment and transforma- that there is a hidden hand
chief operating officer Takudz- providing Independent Me- editorial control,” read the pre- impropriety at the Public In- tion. Hearsay and unsub- that used the commission
wa Hove, editor-in-chief Aneez dia financial support to grow sentation. vestment Corporation (PIC) stantiated claims were made to smear AYO and that con-
Salie, editor of The Star, Sifiso its business and compete in and had voluntarily sent ex- by people at the commis- tinues to direct activities to
Mahlangu, and Daily News ed- the marketplace. To date, di- Hove told SCoF that in the ecutives to be fully transpar- sion,” said Mgoqi. undermine the business and
itor Ayanda Mdluli. rectly and indirectly from the early years after the successful ent in their engagement with reputation of AYO,” said
Sekunjalo Group, almost R500 sale, Independent Media had to the commission, chaired by He said AYO chose to Mgoqi.
SCoF heard how SIM suc- million has been provided, al- put up with a hostile environ- Justice Lex Mpati. deal with the facts instead
cessfully saved its investors fi- lowing the PIC to benefit as a ment in the media space. “One of gossip. “AYO is confident, In its presentation, AYO
nancially as it managed to ne- shareholder without providing of the media groups had a proj- He said the AYO board notwithstanding the nega- noted it has lost normal
gotiate the price at which the any additional funds.” ect which was well funded and was shocked at the intense tive publicity, that it will be business which it had, pri-
Irish owners were selling from intended to deliver maximum focus on AYO at the com- successful in any litigation or to listing, to the tune of
R2.6bn down to about R2bn Despite encountering seri- damage on Independent Media mission, when compared to by the PIC or any other par- R1.3 billion, in the public
“saving hundreds of millions ous challenges, SIM success- and its chairman in order to re- other companies, but that ty. and private sector and has
in value for its shareholders, in- fully acquired the Independent duce its influence in the media their presentation to SCoF faced cancellation of bank-
cluding the PIC”. Media group from the Irish. landscape.” —IOL “AYO’s position remains ing facilities. —IOL
that it has done nothing

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 19

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

DUMISANI NYONI New transport minister sury you will be frustrated be-
challenges NRZ board cause the Treasury is incapac-
N E W LY- A P P O I N T E D itated. Remember, it’s not the
Transport and Infrastructural Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona. only ministry that is feeding
Development minister Felix from the bowl. So, at the end
Mhona has challenged the strategy is one of the expec- you are going to turnaround ment, which is the largest into the rail entity. of the day, the turnaround
National Railways of Zimba- tations that I would expect the institution.” shareholder, was broke and “The moment you go with strategy has to come from the
bwe (NRZ) board to come from the board to say how could not inject more capital board and management,” he
up with a sound turnaround Mhona said the govern- the begging bowl to the Trea- said.
strategy to revive the insti-
tution following successive “They have to say ‘yes’, let’s
years of loss-making. enter into strategic partner-
ships whereby we will have
Formed in 1897, the NRZ, build-operate-transfer and
then known as Rhodesia Rail- then leverage the infrastruc-
ways, is struggling to “move ture that we have and turn-
the nation” as its motto sug- around.”
gests, due to mismanagement,
political interference, poor Currently, the NRZ has
government policies, corrup- about 40 locomotives, but
tion and obsolete equipment, some of them are not func-
among other challenges. tional.

Several efforts to revive the It requires at least 40 more
institution have failed with locomotives, 300 new and
the latest being the US$400 modern coaches and 300
million recapitalisation deal wagons for it to be able to
with the Diaspora Infrastruc- meet some of the service re-
ture Development Group and quirements.
Transnet.
Mhona also revealed that
Speaking after meeting the the government was seeking
NRZ board in Bulawayo re- to transport all heavy goods
cently, Mhona said the board and metals by rail to prolong
led by Martin Dinha should the lifespan of the roads.
come up with a feasible and
pragmatic turnaround strate- “But at times it’s not even
gy to revive the company. necessary to ring-fence. Imag-
ine the resuscitation of ZIS-
“From the fiscus, the cake CO, the amount of loads that
is very small whereby we go will come out of ZISCO will
each year and do our bids as a be amazing. So re-industri-
ministry and at times you are alisation of some of our in-
given third or so of what you dustries that are not running
are anticipating. However, as currently or under-capacity
a nation we are endowed with utilisation now, you would see
a number of resources that the volumes being channeled
we can turn around ourselves towards the rail,” he said.
and it’s not about having the
money but the capacity to At its peak in the 1990s,
have ideas to generate the the rail entity moved 14.4
money which is of paramount million tonnes against an in-
importance,” Mhona said. stalled capacity of 18 million
tonnes annually.
“So, I think the turnaround
Currently, it moves about
three million tonnes annually.

Corporate sector seeks to import own vaccines

BERNARD MPOFU opments said. launch of the first phase of
“A lot of consultations are the vaccination programme
SOME Zimbabwean busi- last month, the government,
ness organisations are look- also in progress after countries through the Medicines Control
ing outside the Chinese-made such as Germany suspended the Authority of Zimbabwe, has
Covid-19 vaccines after cabinet use of AstraZeneca vaccine. It’s also approved the use of Sino-
gave the corporate sector the back to the drawing board.” vac, also from China, Covaxin
green light to procure their own from India and Sputnik V from
inoculation. Chris Mugaga, the ZNCC Russia. With the second phase
chief executive, confirmed that of the vaccination programme
As new cases gradually rise the country’s business member having been approved, authori-
amid fears of a third wave of organisations had begun the ties have also urged companies
the coronavirus, some compa- process of procuring the drug intending to buy vaccines for
nies are now turning to other after getting the nod from gov- their employees to procure only
vaccines such as Johnson & ernment.  those that are registered in the
Johnson, The NewsHawks has country.
established. Questions sent to Sekai Ku-
varika, the CZI chief executive, “All those intending to pro-
It is understood that business on what progress had been cure vaccines for their employ-
member organisations such as made by the manufacturing ees must procure only vaccines
the Confederation of Zimba- sector, were not responded to. registered in Zimbabwe. The
bwe Industries (CZI), Chamber The CZI, sources said, was in- ministry of Finance and Eco-
of Mines of Zimbabwe and the strumental in organising last nomic Development will be
Zimbabwe National Chamber month’s meeting, in which busi- purchasing the vaccines on be-
of Commerce (ZNCC) have ness leaders sought to map out half of the government of Zim-
partnered medical aid compa- a private sector response to the babwe. Cabinet would also like
nies and health insurance com- pandemic. to unveil the guidelines for the
panies such as CIMAS and PS- procurement and administra-
MAS in procuring the vaccine. “Companies have indicated tion of Covid-19 vaccines by the
their willingness to contribute private sector in Zimbabwe,”
“Some organisations have towards a common private sec- Monica Mutsvangwa, Informa-
begun buying vaccines such as tor vaccine fund to support gov- tion minister, said last week.
Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 ernment,” the source said.
vaccine while others have ex- “All vaccines administered
pressed interest in purchasing   Last week, the government at private institutions will be
jabs which have a high efficacy approved four Covid-19 vac- transported by the ministry of
rate compared to the Sinopharm cines, as the second phase of Health and Child Care medical
and Sinovac vaccines which are the country’s vaccination pro- staff under guard by the Zimba-
under the government rollout,” gramme is rolled out. bwe Republic Police.”
a source familiar with the devel-
Apart from the Sinopharm
vaccine from China which is
currently in use following the

Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Sadc region public debt shoots up

MOSES NGWERE Malawi US$91million; Mo- and Mozambique.
zambique US$309 million; “Sadc market access
THE average public debt in Tanzania US$14.3 million; countries like South Africa,
the Southern African Devel- and Seychelles US$31.2 Botswana, Namibia, Mauri-
opment Community (Sadc) million.  tius, Eswatini and Seychelles
increased from 39.2% in have debts considered sus-
2011 to 55% in 2020, with The World Bank has also tainable,” he added.
most of the countries, in- committed US$160 bil- He said the main drivers of
cluding Zimbabwe, now in lion over 15 months. This debt accumulation include
debt distress. amount includes US$50 budget deficits, exchange
billion to the International rates depreciations, rise in
This came out during a Development Association interest rates, debt-creating
webinar themed “Interna- (IDA). inflows, commodity price
tional Monetary Fund (IMF) fluctuations and low foreign
Special Drawing Rights: A Afrodad senior policy direct investment. 
Sustainable Option for Fi- analyst Tirivangani Mutazu “Covid-19 has drastically
nancing the Fight Against the said the Sadc region — like reduced government rev-
Covid-19 Pandemic and Eco- the rest of the African con- enues while expenditures
nomic Recovery in Africa”. tinent — was already facing have increased due to sharp
heightened debt challenges rise in health expenditures,
The online meeting was prior to the outbreak of the social programmes and re-
jointly organised by the Sadc Covid-19 pandemic. covery bailouts to firms,” he
Parliamentary Forum (Sadc explained.
PF) and the African Forum “Covid-19 has affected Mutazu also said Soecial
on Debt and Development key macro-economic vari- Drawing Rights must be
(Afrodad) this week. ables and global value chains treated like any other loan
which have significant im- deal to ensure transparency,
The IMF has so far ad- plications for debt sustain- accountability and inclusiv-
vanced close to US$1 tril- ability outlook across the ity.
lion to its members through globe. The fiscal pressures, “Sadc governments
emergency financing facili- Covid-19 health expendi- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe should ensure that proper
ties.  tures and economic stimulus good debt governance prac-
packages are putting coun- higher for Angola, Mozam- “Botswana, the Demo- countries were in high risk tices, for example parlia-
Sadc member states which tries at risk of debt vulnera- bique, Zambia, Swaziland, cratic Republic of Congo, of debt distress, namely mentary approvals, are fol-
have accessed these facili- bilities,” Mutazu said. Namibia and South Africa, and Zimbabwe experienced Zambia, Angola and Mala- lowed during the Covid-19
ties include the Comoros exceeding the regional aver- a decline in their debt-to- wi, and two countries were crisis and risks are mini-
which borrowed US$12.13 “The average public debt age of 30%,” he said  GDP ratios. In 2020, three in debt distress, Zimbabwe mised,” he said.
million; Democratic Re- for Sadc increased from
public of Congo (DRC) 39.2% in 2011 to 55% in
US$363.27 million; Mad- 2020. The pace of public
agascar US$165.99million; debt accumulation has been

Govt’s continued suspension of Cumbersome export
Old Mutual, PPC unhelpful procedures irk business

CUMBERSOME and tedious “Certain products are
export procedures are incon- deemed strategic and therefore
veniencing the business com- require some form of controls.
market/exchange into the other munity, prompting calls on the There is a vehicle in the form of
RONALD MUCHENJE and vice versa. Partial fungibili- government to urgently solve the Rapid Response Initiative
ty is when shares can only move the burdensome process.
THE government’s decision in one direction. This advantage (RRI) whose aim is to reduce
to extend by another year the can be critical because investors Speaking to The NewsHawks impediments to doing export
suspension of the fungibility of that are risk averse are more Business  this week, Zimbabwe business and the government
Old Mutual Limited and  PPC willing to make investments in National Chamber of Com- has been playing an active role
Limited  shares is a huge blow foreign corporation with en- merce president Tinanshe in resolving these issues.”
to the country’s efforts to build hanced listing requirements. Manzungu hinted that the He added that the business
business confidence, particular- Another biggest advantage of country still lacks standardised environment should be made
ly among foreign investors, a dual listing is superior access to export procedures with a conducive by removing imped-
research firm has said  . liquidity and capital,” said  FBC unique set of licences being iments that have been identi-
Securities  required for different commod- fied through the RRI.
Old Mutual and PPC were ities. Apart from imposing the
suspended alongside Seed Co   It added that the increased onerous demands, the govern-
International, after being ac- liquidity is mainly driven by “This depends on the type ment is currently demanding
cused of causing financial indis- enhanced liquidity trading vol- of product being exported. Ag- the Control of Goods Import
cipline and fuelling the manipu- umes offered by an exchange ricultural products require an Permit US$70; Control of
lation of the exchange rate. with greater numbers of trading export permit from the Minis- Goods Export Permit US$50;
partners, investors and a more try of Agriculture and at times Plant Import Permit US$18;
This week, the government sophisticated asset management depending on the customer’s Phytosanitary Certificate
gazetted an extension of the sus- infrastructure.  requirements, a phytosanitary US$5; Seed Import and Ex-
pension of the fungibility of the certificate or a vet certificate, port Application fee US$10;
two firms for other 12 months. FBC Securities tressed that again depending on the prod- and Carcass Movement Permit
The outcome of last year’s offi- investor base is increased and uct. US$2.
cial investigations remains un- corporate brand is promoted Also speaking on the need to
known. through publication of compa- “Other documentation re- reform export laws, United Re-
ny news and financial reports.  quired is a CD1 form from fineries Limited chief executive
As the battle drags on, a Lon- the bank and a bill of entry ob- Busisa Moyo, who is also Zim-
don Stock Exchange-listed firm fungible if it can be exchanged investment opportunities in sec- “This diversity allows inves- tained from Zimbabwe Reve- babwe Investment Develop-
with investments in Zimbabwe, (bought or sold) on one mar- tors that may not be available on tors the possibility of tacking nue Authority (Zimra). Export ment Authority (Zida) chair-
Cambria Africa, recently an- ket or exchange and then sold/ the local stock market. advantage of geographical diver- permits for agricultural prod- person, urged the government
nounced that  it had engaged  bought on another market/ex- sity and consequently reduces ucts are valid for three months to look into the bottlenecks
the authorities for permission to change. “ This is a huge blow to confi- portfolio risk, “it said. and can be a cumbersome task, posed by export requirements.
transfer its shares to the Johan- dence rebuilding specifically for if an exporter is processing a lot “When we export we nor-
nesburg  Stock Exchange (JSE).   FBC Securities in a com- foreign players invested in these Last year, the Insurance and of exports,” he said. mally sign a service level agree-
mentary said dually listed ini- assets. Fungibility is the ability Pensions Commission (Ipec) ex- ment which stipulates what
Zimbabwe has been expe- tial public offerings (IPOs) are of a good or asset to be inter- pressed concern over the delay While Manzungu acknowl- must be exported and, if one
riencing investor flight due to significantly more attractive to changed with other individual in scrapping the suspension of edged the impact of reforms fails to export within the agreed
policy inconsistency.  investors because of the inves- goods or assets of the same type. the fungibility of Old Mutual which have been made so far, timeframes, a heavy penalty is
tor protection derived from in- Full fungibility is when a finan- and PPC share, saying it is af- resulting in some export per- charged,” he said.
Fungibility is the ability of a creased corporate governance, cial instrument (stock/bond) fecting the determination of as- mits being scrapped, he be-
good or asset to be interchanged adding that investors diversify can be sold/ bought from one set values of pension fund mem- moaned the tortuous process — STAFF WRITER
with other individual goods bers and policyholders currently followed by government de-
or assets of the same type. In tied up in the two counters. partments in assessments.
trading, a financial instrument
(stock or bond) is considered

NewsHawks Stock Taking Page 21

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Price Sheet A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Friday, 19 March 2021

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Traded
AFDIS Consumer Goods Price (cents) Traded Volume Traded Change Change (%) Cap
African Sun Consumer Services
ART Price - Value ($) (cents) (%) ($m)
Ariston Industrials 123,200
Axia Consumer Services AFDIS: ZH 4275.00 - 4275.00 - - - 78.13 5,014.83
BNC ASUN: ZH 193.73 190.00 188.19 1,500 231,854.50 -5.54 -2.86 10.70 1,621.77
BAT Consumer Goods ARTD: ZH 660.00 660.00 660.00 900 38.27 2,884.05
CAFCA Basic Materials ARISTON: ZH 213.00 213.00 213.78 9,900.00 - - 59.54 3,479.05
Cassava AXIA: ZH 1601.94 1600.00 1589.74 53,100 1,924.00 0.78 0.37 73.55 8,662.40
CBZ Consumer Goods BIND: ZH 513.72 590.00 590.00 1,200 844,150.00 -12.20 -0.76 55.26 7,374.16
Dairibord Industrials 80000.00 80000.00 - 7,080.00 76.28 14.85 45.45 16,506.81
Delta BAT: ZH 13200.00 - 13200.00 - 46.83 1,153.03
Econet Technology CAFCA: ZH 1345.54 - 1345.00 400 - - - 106.92 34,843.26
Edgars Banking 7114.29 1345.00 7600.00 300 - - - -11.07 52,229.61
FBC CSZL: ZH 1866.67 7300.00 1845.73 5,380.00 -0.54 -0.04 40.90 6,607.73
Fidelity Consumer Goods CBZ: ZH 4220.92 1845.00 4000.12 12,400 22,800.00 485.71 6.83 75.82 51,379.99
First Capital Consumer Goods DZL: ZH 1750.72 4000.00 1714.14 302,100 228,870.00 -20.94 -1.12 81.39 44,406.11
FML Telecommunications 380.00 1700.00 377.85 12,084,380.00 -220.80 -5.23 214.88 1,235.54
FMP Consumer Services DLTA: ZH 2500.00 375.00 2540.00 56,500 968,490.00 -36.58 -2.09 69.18 17,067.53
GBH ECO: ZH 600.00 2500.00 600.00 46,200 174,565.00 -2.15 -0.57 214.63
Getbucks Banking EDGR: ZH 189.72 600.00 189.71 12,700.00 40.00 1.60 72.46 653.54
Hippo Financial Services FBC: ZH 1999.19 189.00 1990.05 500 600.00 - - 89.53 4,091.51
Innscor FIDL: ZH 401.00 1995.00 401.00 100 180,413.25 -0.01 -0.01 23.77 13,734.19
Lafarge Banking FCA: ZH 62.82 401.00 60.59 95,100 220,895.00 -9.15 -0.46 152.46 4,965.01
Mash Financial Services FMHL: ZH 35.00 62.00 35.00 11,100 8,020.00 - - 180.00
Masimba FMP: ZH 11000.00 - 11000.00 2,000 23,025.00 -2.23 -3.55 22.22 325.12
Medtech Real Estate GBH: ZH 6500.25 11000.00 6874.00 38,000 - - - 85.64 407.09
Meikles Industrials GBFS: ZH 4800.00 6875.00 4800.00 10,395,000.00 - - 400.00 21,232.26
Nampak HIPO: ZH 213.88 - 200.43 - 8,104,450.00 373.75 5.75 115.52 38,822.73
NatFoods Financial Services INN: ZH 1795.56 200.00 1517.78 94,500 - - - 35.52 3,840.00
NTS Consumer Goods LACZ: ZH 11.35 1500.00 12.25 117,900 27,660.00 -13.45 -6.29 55.06 3,726.14
NMBZ MASH: ZH 4485.00 12.85 4307.20 68,300.00 -277.78 -15.47 95.74 3,667.77
OK Zim Industrials MSHL: ZH 720.00 4300.00 725.00 - 18,723.55 0.90 7.93 217.63 372.37
Padenga Industrials MMDZ: ZH 31500.00 800.00 31500.00 13,800 215,360.00 -177.80 -3.96 424.13 10,881.97
Proplastics Real Estate MEIK: ZH 742.81 31500.00 745.45 11,600.00 5.00 0.69 2615.66 5,478.45
RTG Industrials NPKZ: ZH 765.09 746.00 794.36 4,500 630,000.00 - - 98.57 21,546.03
RioZim Healthcare NTFD: ZH 1450.29 794.00 1477.27 152,800 16,400.00 2.64 0.36 64.14 1,892.49
SeedCo Industrials NTS: ZH 2690.59 1505.00 2643.79 19,859.00 29.27 3.83 25.81 3,210.58
Simbisa Industrials NMB: ZH 2280.00 2500.00 2256.21 5,000 4,202,825.00 26.98 1.86 162.05 18,418.79
Star Africa Consumer Goods OKZ: ZH 190.00 2255.00 190.23 1,600 7,566,540.00 -46.80 -1.74 -0.79 14,318.59
Truworths Industrials PHL: ZH 1700.00 190.00 1700.00 2,000 1,962,900.00 -23.79 -1.04 13.70 5,684.20
TSL PROL: ZH 2160.89 - 2160.89 2,200 12,555.00 0.23 0.12 -6.05 4,747.18
Turnall Banking RTG: ZH 2710.70 - 2706.66 2,500 - - - 125.22 2,074.50
Unifreight Consumer Services RIOZ: ZH 47.24 3000.00 48.90 284,500 - - - 81.11 5,305.59
Willdale SEED: ZH 100.00 48.90 95.57 286,200 8,609,900.00 -4.04 -0.15 223.97 15,216.43
ZB Consumer Goods SIM: ZH 4300.00 95.00 4000.00 87,000 331,759.60 1.66 3.51 131.88 2,305.68
Zeco Industrials SACL: ZH 335.86 4000.00 334.00 6,600 13,380.00 -4.43 -4.43 259.14 367.05
Zimpapers TRUW: ZH 1528.95 334.00 1485.71 6,632,000.00 -300.00 -6.98 7887.69 14,284.10
Zimplow Consumer Services TSL: ZH 95.26 1500.00 92.47 - 8,350.00 -1.86 -0.55 188.97 1,646.75
ZHL Basic Materials TURN: ZH 3700.00 92.00 3900.00 - 31,200.00 -43.24 -2.83 62.50 1,581.90
TOTAL UNIF: ZH 3900.00 318,100 47,066.50 -2.79 -2.93 1,644.12
Consumer Goods WILD: ZH 0.02 - 0.02 678,400 19,500.00 200.00 5.41 - 6,832.44
Consumer Goods ZBFH: ZH 125.24 145.00 143.92 14,000 - - - 46.86
Consumer Goods ZECO: ZH 795.00 795.00 795.00 165,800 3,454.00 18.68 14.92 59.00 0.09
Consumer Services ZIMP: ZH 221.09 220.00 201.69 2,500 34,185.00 - - -35.66 828.98
Consumer Goods ZIMPLOW: ZH 2,100 219,845.00 -19.40 -8.77 1,895.13
ZHL: ZH 50,900 3,092.59
Industrials 500 64,227,859.40
Industrials - 493,557.26
Industrials 2,400
4,300
Banking 109,000
Industrials 3,153,700
Consumer Services
Industrials 54,842
Financial Services

ETFs OMTT.zw 172.12 188.00 180.47 98,970.96 8.35 4.85 80.07 144.38
Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

VFEX Open (US cents) Close (US cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap (US$m) Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
SCIL 20.00 Zimpapers +46.86
20.00 - 11.11 48.23 BNC 143.92c +18.68c +14.92 +55.26
FINSEC Open (cents) Medtech 590.00c +76.28c +14.85 +55.06
OMZIL 2910.00 Close (cents) Change (%) YTD (%) Mkt Cap ($m) CBZ +7.93 -11.07
2910.00 - 9.81 2,415.64 Innscor 12.25c +0.90c +6.83 +85.64
Index 7600.00c +485.71c +5.75
ZSE All Share Top 5 Fallers 6874.00c +373.75c YTD %
Top 10 Masimba +35.52
Top 15 Close Change (%) Open YTD % ZHL Price Change % -35.66
Small Cap TSL +131.88
Medium Cap 4,168.14 +0.15 4,161.72 +58.52 Mash 1517.78c -277.78c -15.47 +115.52
2,391.23 +0.81 2,372.02 +44.53 Delta 201.69c -19.40c -8.77 +75.82
2,762.25 +0.78 2,740.91 +41.79 -6.98
44,875.78 +0.43 44,684.46 +277.86 4000.00c -300.00c -6.29
10,082.42 -0.92 10,176.22 +81.20 200.43c -13.45c -5.23

4000.12c -220.80c

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Page 22 Executive Chat NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Quality is vital in tobacco production: TIMB

TOBACCO is Zimbabwe’s
second-biggest foreign cur-
rency earner after gold, hav-
ing generated about US$748
million from 184 million ki-
logrammes exported to coun-
tries such as China, South Af-
rica, Indonesia, Belgium and
the United Arab Emirates last
year. Tobacco Industry and
Marketing Board (TIMB)
chief executive officer An-
drew Matibiri (AM), who is
preparing to leave the tobac-
co industry regulatory body
next month after 12 years of
service, told The NewsHawks’
business reporter Dumisani
Nyoni (DN) in an interview
that, as a way of keeping the
auction system running, they
were rolling out the Tobacco
Input Credit Scheme (TICS)
to support farmers with in-
puts, working capital and
technical expertise. Below are
excerpts of the interview:

DN: What are the roles or
functions of TIMB in Zim-
babwe’s tobacco industry?

AM: The roles or functions of funds at their disposal. The the report will then be circu-
TIMB are to control and reg- government recently intro- lated in due course.
ulate the marketing of tobac- duced the Land Agricultural DN: Recently, tobacco
co in Zimbabwe; to promote, Development Bank of Zim- farmers tabled a series of
project and maintain the sale babwe (LADBZ) to provide demands that they want the
of tobacco; collate statistics financial support to all cate- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
relating to the provision, gories of farmers. As TIMB, and TIMB to address be-
marketing, manufacture and we are also rolling out the To- fore this year’s marketing
consumption of tobacco; to bacco Input Credit Scheme season kicks off. One of the
distribute market studies and (TICS) to support farmers demands is that the TIMB
information relating to the with inputs, working capital must finalise an assessment
marketing, manufacture and and technical expertise. to see if contractors com-
consumption of tobacco; to DN: For the last farming plied with minimum sup-
advise the minister of Lands, season and the current one, port packages provided to
Agriculture, Fisheries, Water what were the quantities, growers. Farmers felt that
and Rural Resettlement on all comparatively? Did we get not all contractors were
matters relating to the mar- more tobacco deliveries compliant. How far have
keting of tobacco. compared to the current you gone in addressing
season? some of these demands?
DN: In your system of grad-
ing tobacco, what are the
factors that influence the
grade and therefore price?

AM: Uniformity of tobacco;
quality; other physical char-
acteristics of the tobacco for
example, group, colour and
other factors (can be related
to chemical characteristics);
and defects.

DN: In recent years, partic- TIMB chief executive officer Andrew Matibiri AM: For the 2020 farming AM: As TIMB, we have come
ularly after the land reform season, we recorded 184 mil- up with guidelines that every
programme, the production season. their own tobacco production lion kg of tobacco sold and registered contractor should
of tobacco by small-scale DN: Statistics show that de- until they sell on the market. for this season the auction meet, that is for funding for
farmers has dramatically liveries to the auction floors With the limitations on access floors open on the 7th of small-scale farmers. The min-
increased. Has there been are declining. For instance, to funding from the banks April 2021. imum to be paid out for half
a corresponding improve- last season there were 9.21 because of lack of collateral, DN: What are your expecta- a hectare is US$500, for one
ment in quality with the million kilogrammes out of most farmers are now opting tions this season in terms of hectare US$1 000 and for
increase in crop production? 184 million kg total deliv- for contract farming. That is tobacco yield and deliveries? large-scale farmers the mini-
AM: Yes, we have recorded eries. The remaining huge why tobacco sales on the auc- AM: The estimated volumes mum support package for one
an increase in quantity and chunk of 174.8 million kg tion floors have declined. expected to be received are hectare is US$4 000.
also on quality, for example was delivered through con- DN: Are there any plans to still being worked on with a DN: Lastly, as you leave
in 2017, 57% of total pro- tract floors. What does this correct this trend? preliminary report capturing TIMB in April this year,
duction was of fair to high mean about the auction AM: Certainly, there are plans the estimates having been what is your word of advice
quality. floors? to keep the auction system shared with key stakeholders to tobacco farmers?
DN: From your observa- AM: Tobacco growers who running. The only way that on the 9th of March. The re- AM: The advice for farmers is
tion, who delivers most of sell through the auction floors can be achieved is to ensure port took some time to pro- that they must stick to basics
the tobacco crop? are self-funded, they support farmers have access to more duce as some contractors took during production and always
AM: Small-scale tobacco long to submit some required aim for quality to ensure the
farmers who delivered 58% documents. Once approved, viability of their ventures.
of tobacco produced in the
country in the 2020 farming

NewsHawks News Analysis Page 23

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

NYASHA CHINGONO Mnangagwa’s ‘zero tolerance’ RedwingMineinPenhalonga,
Manicaland province. Zimba-
REPEATED corruption alle- bwe’s then largest gold-mining
gations levelled against Presi- to corruption rings hollow group Metallon Gold, owned
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa by South African tycoon Mzi
and his family have blighted Khumalo, suspended opera-
Zimbabwe’s fight on graft, tions at its Redwing Mine in
making a mockery of his “zero 2014 due to flooding. 
tolerance” stance. Mohadi was hit by a Cen-
tral Intelligence Organisation
Mnangagwa has often been operation which recorded his
implicated in messy scandals calls and messages with a ha-
as several dodgy deals worth rem of women — some of
millions are either linked to them married — using spy-
him or his family.  ware developed by Israeli tech-
nology company Circles. 
Last week, Zimbabweans Political analyst Stephen
expressed outrage over the gov- Chan said state capture is en-
ernment’s intention to evict 12 demic in Zimbabwe. 
500 villagers from their ances- “It is usually expressed as
tral land in the Chilonga area state capture by corrupt cor-
of Chiredzi to pave way for a porate interests. However,
Lucerne project being run by what we are seeing in Zim-
Mnangagwa’s cronies at pri- babwe follows a pattern seen
vate company Dendairy.  throughout the African con-
tinent, and that is corporate
As investigated by The New- capture by leading figures of
sHawks, the Lucerne project is state, often by corrupt means,
a cover-up for the state’s bid to so that the phenomenon of the
exploit diamonds in the area, party-corporation-state is an
to the detriment of powerless everyday reality. That certainly
villagers who, being an ethnic is the case right now in Zimba-
minority, have been marginal- bwe,” Chan said. 
ised for years.  Political scientist Ibbo Man-
daza said Mnangagwa’s cor-
What has unsettled citizens ruption was well documented
is that Mnangagwa’s friends at and should not be analysed in
Dendairy, the Cotzee family, isolation. 
is at the helm of the project, “Obviously, his name is
which has been touted as ben- dominant everywhere, the Qa-
eficial to national economic tar report and many others.
development.  You need to trace all the alle-
gations against him. No one
It is also further worrying seems to reference any of that,
that the head of state is of- but there is ample evidence.
ten implicated in such dodgy Mnangagwa and the late SB
deals, while his association Moyo were central to the
with questionable elements DRC diamonds scandal. Em-
also weakens his rhetoric on merson always stands behind,
the fight against corruption.   saying that these are rumours
and saying people hate him,
Since his ruse to power Mnangagwa, two decades after alleged close associate Delish ing fall from grace was okayed in Penhalonga. 
on the back of a 2017 coup, the DRC war.  Nguwaya, who is the Zimba- by Mnangagwa himself after The Mnangagwas also but there is evidence to that
Mnangagwa has often made Mnangagwa was named in bwe representative for Drax clashes over business interests clashed with Mohadi over effect,” Mandaza said. 
headlines for his involvement the United Nations report as International, was arrested
and implication in shady a key strategist for the Zim- over the scandal.
transactions.  babwean arm of the illicit net- Nguwaya has been pictured
work.  at different places with mem-
For a leader who pledged In an investigative report bers of Mnangagwa’s family in
“zero tolerance” to corruption, in 2013, Spanish newspaper the wake of claims that they
Mnangagwa has scored poorly El Pais, named Mnangagwa as have close ties. Collins has de-
in nipping the problem in the a key figure in facilitating the nied that he is friends with the
bud. Memories of the US$60 smuggling of diamonds from controversial businessman.
million Drax Covid-19 public the DRC via the then Harare Mnangagwa’s wife Auxillia
procurement scandal are still International Airport.  and son Collins were also em- Wash your hands for at least
fresh and the US$3 billion Mnangagwa’s tainted record broiled in the Henrietta Rush-
Command Agriculture out- has been amplified by the esca- waya gold smuggling case late 20 seconds or more.
rage remains unsolved, even pades of his family, who have last year. 
after Parliament held a series become notorious for sticking Rushwaya, who is now out Use soap and water or a
of public hearings on several their fingers in the “honey hand sanitizer when you:
occasions.  pot”.  of jail, had been caught al- Ÿ Get home or into work.
legedly attempting to smuggle Ÿ Blow your nose, sneeze or
Command Agriculture is The Mnangagwa family, six kilogrammes of gold from
the brainchild of Mnangag- including his eldest son, the Harare to Dubai.  cough.
wa which was blighted by twins Collins, Sean and First Ÿ Eat or handle food.
high-level graft where officials Lady Auxillia have hit the Auxillia swiftly moved to
misused state funds for per- headlines for the wrong rea- clear her family’s name, issuing
sonal gain.  sons in recent years.  a statement and challenging
the police to also prove their
Mnangagwa, who presented Their appetite for opaque involvement in the case. 
himself to the world as a prag- deals has not gone unnoticed.
matic leader after benefitting In a recent move to protect
from the toppling of Robert Last year Mnangagwa’s sons its business interests, the First
Mugabe, has continued the were embroiled in the Drax Family has moved to push out
ruinous path of his long-time Covid-19 scandal but in a former vice-president Kembo
mentor, whose name was also slippery fashion they escaped Mohadi.  Mask up and maintain
synonymous with corruption unscathed. Investigations by The News-
which has been blamed for Mnangagwa was forced Hawks show that Mohadi had social distancing.
Zimbabwe’s economic failure. to fire his close ally Obadiah clashed with the First Family
Moyo as Health and Child over the US$300 million bor-
Unsurprisingly, 78-year-old Care minister after it was re- der renovation by Zimborders,
Mnangagwa was a major play- vealed that he played a key role fronted by Glynn Cohen, who
er in Mugabe’s corrupt and re- in facilitating the dodgy Drax is linked to the Mnangagwa
pressive state machinery.   The NewsHawks @NewsHawksLive www.newshawks.com join@thenewshawks.com

His involvement in illicit International deal. Collins’ family.  Mohadi’s embarrass-
Democratic Republic of Con-
go (DRC) diamond deals is
well documented alongside
that of army officials. The
ghost of corruption still haunts

Page 24 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Patriotism can’t be imposed on citizens

Daniel F. Zanu PF MP for Mberengwa South, Alum Mpofu Zimbabwe should make sure
Molokele that devolution helps to bring
commitment. It comes from has not taken a clear stance in are being made right now so-called diaspora are Zim- development to the people
ON 2 March 2021, the the heart of the person. You making sure that the people of by the political leadership of babweans who were forced on the ground. This is what
National Assembly adopted cannot legislate and dictate the Midlands and Matabele- this country. Moral mistakes out of this country. Has this a people-based parliament of
a motion by the leader of patriotism. As Zimbabweans, land are fully restored to the around corruption, gen- Parliament taken time to ask Zimbabwe should be worried
government business and we should focus on nation national development agenda. der-based violence, sexual them about patriotism why about. It should be worried
minister of Justice, Legal and building. We should focus Up to today, they remain mar- harassment and all these issues they are in Johannesburg or about the social welfare of the
Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi on things that unite us as a ginalised from the national are being allowed to happen why they are in Hillbrow? Has people of Zimbabwe. Right
Ziyambi, for a substantial de- people. Whilst we want to development agenda. and people are being allowed this parliament of Zimbabwe now we have got lockdown
parture from the order paper. build this nation together, we to go scot-free. If people try taken time to understand why restrictions and people are fac-
do not need to have parlia- So you cannot as a Parlia- to go onto the streets to raise they cannot come back to ing hunger across the country
This effectively superseded ment debating something like ment of Zimbabwe come back concern about these unpatriot- Zimbabwe? and that is what we should be
urgent Bills and other import- a Patriotism Bill because if to the people of Matabeleland ic acts by our political leaders, debating.
ant government business to all is indeed going well, then and people of the Midlands it is those who are protesting Even Lovemore Majaiva-
allow Alum Mpofu, Zanu PF everyone will be happy and who were victimised in this who are being incarcerated na is now in America. Our So I am totally disappoint-
MP for Mberengwa South, everyone will be proud to be country and teach them about and it is them who are demon- prophet for the people of ed by this motion and this
seconded by Zanu PF chief associated with this country. patriotism before you address strating in line with section Matabeleland is stranded in whole talk about patriotism
whip Pupurai Togarepi to In my view, those who have the issues that affect them 59 of the constitution of this America. Is he going to be which is forced on the people.
present a motion on the Patri- moved this motion have put today. Some do not have birth country who are being denied labelled unpatriotic without We need to work on things on
otic Bill. the cart before the horse. certificates, some do not know bail for weeks while those who the Parliament of Zimbabwe the ground instead of focusing
where their relatives are bur- assume to be the most corrupt understanding why he is on cheap politicking and pre-
After a lengthy presenta- There are a lot of unre- ied, some were forced to go politicians in this country, stranded in America and he tending of things that are not
tion, Mpofu said Parliament solved issues in this country to Botswana and South Africa but connected to the elite, are cannot be in his beloved city there. The people’s Parliament
should enact a law that: that need to be addressed by and they are still displaced as given bail the next day. This is of Bulawayo? must listen to the conscience
this Parliament. If it is indeed refugees and asylum seekers in a gross miscarriage of justice. of the nation and, as things
a) recognises and celebrates the people’s Parliament, it foreign countries. This is the question that stand right now, there is no
efforts made by Zimbabwean must be sensitive to the reality I also wanted to address the Parliament of Zimbabwe debate that it is hard to be
citizens at home and abroad to of the issues on the ground. You cannot preach patri- the issue around Zimbabwe- should be addressing. We patriotic in this country. The
promote the country’s positive For us to debate this kind of otism to them. You need to ans who are being accused of cannot force our citizens to economy is doing badly and
image and brand; and motion is a very disappointing address the situation on the speaking ill of their own coun- be patriotic and we cannot people are suffering. Poverty
situation for the Parliament of ground. Today in Zimbabwe, try. We must not be surprised legislate laws to force people is the order of the day in a
b) prohibits any Zimba- Zimbabwe. mining investments are being that this is happening. How to be patriotic. country that has 60 precious
bwean citizen from wilfully done and in my constituency many Zimbabweans have been minerals and that has been
communicating messages in- Our people are suffering Hwange Central, we have got displaced from their country What we need to do as blessed with a lot of natural
tended to harm the image and right now and they are suffer- investors coming, imposing in the last 25 years? We have representatives of the people resources.
reputation of the country on ing due to bad political deci- themselves and defying the got millions of Zimbabweans of Zimbabwe is to come up
international platforms or en- sions made by our leaders. De- local community and you who should be in this country with laws that make it easier We want to encourage the
gaging with foreign countries cisions made in the past that want those people to become who have been forced out of for development to happen. Parliament of Zimbabwe, in-
with the intention of commu- have brought so much pain to patriotic? When they see this country. cluding myself, to be honest in
nicating messages intended the people of Zimbabwe. We someone from China being For example, right now our conversation and start to
to harm the country’s positive can give examples over history. given special treatment by They are stranded in Bo- we have the national consti- focus on issues that give daily
image and/or to undermine its From 1982 to 1986, thou- their own government at their tswana, Zambia, Malawi and tution that clearly articulates bread to our people.
integrity and reputation.” sands of people were killed expense, their culture, history, Mozambique, South Africa, the devolution agenda. The
in Matabeleland North and heritage and you want to force America and UK and all over Parliament of Zimbabwe This talk about patriotism
Seconding the motion, the Midlands and up to today them to be patriotic? Europe and some in Austra- should be debating seriously is misplaced and it should not
Togarepi said the “Patriotism this Parliament of Zimbabwe lia and New Zealand. The on how to ensure that there be allowed to continue in this
Act” should target those who There are mistakes that is a law on devolution on the Parliament, in my view. I am
lobby for sanctions against ground. The Parliament of very disappointed that we are
Zimbabwe, civic organisations still focusing on such issues
that destabilise the people of when we have political pris-
Zimbabwe and President Em- oners in this country. We have
merson Mnangagwa’s critics. civil society activists who have
been arrested and denied bail
Norton independent MP in this country for standing up
Temba Mliswa said there were for the truth or being the true
more important matters for patriots of this country for
the ruling party to deal with saying let the law be applied
than the Patriotism Bill – such equally, let it not be selectively
as policy inconsistency and applied.
corruption. In any case, it is
not the role of Parliament to People from a certain
enact “oppressive laws”, he political party can host public
said. events, government officials
can host public events, but if
Zanu PF MPs, who someone from civil society or
supported the motion, cited the opposition does the same
the United States Logan Act thing, they are immediately
of 1799 which criminalises arrested and even denied bail
negotiation by unauthorised for weeks. This is what will
American citizens with foreign make people unhappy. Patrio-
governments having a dispute tism would only be promoted
with the US. if everyone is treated equally
before the law.
A number of main opposi-
tion MPs criticised the motion So I would like to say that
and proposed Bill, with myself true patriotism will come from
(Fortune Daniel Molokele, the heart of the people. Do
Hwange Central legislator) not force them. Parliament
making an incisive and com- should not force our people to
pelling presentation: be patriotic. Do not pass laws
that are fascist, laws that are
Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir dictatorial in nature and say
for giving me this opportunity that the people of Zimbabwe
to join this motion raised by are free.
Hon. Mpofu. I want to air
my opinion with regards to Let them be free to express
the debate. I think for me their voices. Why are you
the starting point is that I trying to use the Parliament
need to be clear, that I do of Zimbabwe to force people
not support this motion. I to be patriotic when there is
think this motion is mistimed nothing to be patriotic about?
and misplaced. Starting by Please stop it. Stop it! Thank
the definition of patriotism; you, Mr Speaker sir.
patriotism is an act of love and
*Molokele is a main oppo-
sition MDC-Alliance mem-
ber of parliment for Hwange
central and a lawyer.

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 25

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Pitfalls, tested positive for SARS-
challenges CoV-2, and possibly may have
and Covid-19 been contagion sources for the
transmission community.
drivers Testing: the testing capacity
falls grossly short of expecta-
AS the third Covid-19 wave sweeps across Vice-President and minister of Health Constantino Chiwenga. tions. Real-time polymerase
some parts of the world, it has already chain reaction (RT-PCR)
arrived in African countries like Kenya. locally acquired infections as The initial 21-day lockdown for mandatory quarantine of testing is scarce and expen-
There are fears it might hit South Africa Zimbabwe entered into the period meant stoppage of all returning residents has been sive, and the role of antibody
and Zimbabwe as well. In a bid to keep dreaded phase of community non-essential services except removed as the need to deal testing in the management of
stakeholders, policymakers and the public SARS-CoV-2 transmission. for healthcare and security. with community transmission Covid-19 remains controver-
engaged, we hereby publish a research ar- As of 25 August 2020, the Local and international travel has grown. sial, with the WHO advising
ticle by Grant Murewanhema, Department cumulative number of cases was banned, with the require- Pitfalls, challenges and rapid detection tests (RDTs)
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of in Zimbabwe stood at 6196, ment for exemption letters drivers of SARS-CoV-2 to be reserved for academic
Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, with 166 fatalities, and a case at road checks. Retail outlets transmission research and community
first run in January. This paper was pub- fatality ratio of 2.7% and 80% were permitted to operate for Quarantine centres: The surveillance. RDTs can have
lished when Zimbabwe’s infections were still recovery rate according to the restricted hours during the day primary purpose of the quar- a high incidence of false
600 and fatalities 150. A lot has happened WHO de-isolation criteria. with screening and sanitising antine centres was to house negatives who subsequently
since then by way of 36 504 cases and 1 504 Harare province contribut- of hands at entrances. The returning residents for the turn positive on RT-PCR.
deaths, but the observations herein are still ed an estimated 40% of the sale of alcoholic beverages was duration of the incubation The testing in the country
relevant and compelling. disease burden, and 56% of banned. period, and contain any possi- remains centralised to refer-
the fatalities, and Bulawayo ble infections in these centres ence laboratories in Harare
GRANT MUREWANHEMA isation (WHO) situation Province was the second most The lockdowns have to avoid local transmission. and Bulawayo. Shortage of
reports indicate that by 24 affected with 20% of the cases been gradually relaxed, with However, the conditions in cartridges has hampered
Despite numerous public August 2020, an estimated and 17.5% of the fatalities. resumption of most services the quarantine centres were efforts to capacitate GeneX-
health interventions intro- 21 million individuals had The other eight provinces con- under strict regulations. anecdotally reported as unsuit- pert testing at provincial level.
duced by the Zimbabwean contracted SARS-CoV-2, with tributed 40% of the infection Mass gatherings, including able. Reports of overcrowding, Therefore, the reference labs
government, the Covid-19 slightly over 800 000 fatalities. burden, and 62.5% of the religious gatherings, were sharing of amenities and remain overwhelmed with
burden continues to grow. The Another estimated 1.7 million deaths. initially banned but are now sexual activities within the backlogs. Sometimes, patients
number of confirmed cases individuals had contracted the permitted with not more than quarantine centres were noted. have to go beyond 10 days
increased from less than 600 virus in the preceding seven Controlling transmission 50 congregants. On 4 April There were multiple reports without receiving their results.
to over 6 000 in a period of days, making SARS-CoV-2 effectively requires an urgent 2020, mandatory wearing of on inmates running away Meanwhile, especially consid-
two months, and the fatalities the most aggressive virus ever, evaluation and understanding facemasks in all public places from inhumane conditions in ering that the initial situation
now exceed 150. with a high effective reproduc- of the infection dynamics, was pronounced. Returning the centres and escaping into reports indicated that most
tion number R0. including hotspots and possi- residents were mandated to go communities. Administrative cases were asymptomatic, they
The source of infection has ble drivers for new infections. into quarantine at designated factors including mixing of could pass on SARS-CoV-2
significantly changed from Africa is the fifth worst As the country is now in facilities throughout the coun- different cohorts and delayed unknowingly.
imported cases to community affected continent, with community transmission, dif- try. Rapid response teams were release of results further Population dynamics: Africa
transmission. The greatest slightly over one million cases, ferentiated models of control activated to respond swiftly complicated the situation, as has a relatively young pop-
burden of Covid-19 is in the constituting an estimated 4% are required based on local to rumours and alerts, and inmates went beyond 21 days ulation. It is postulated that
country’s two biggest prov- of the global burden, with transmission patterns. Unfor- surveillance teams were con- without results. During the young people who contract
inces, Harare and Bulawayo, about 20 000 fatalities. Zim- tunately, no formal research stituted to facilitate contact early phases of the outbreak in SARS-CoV-2 may remain
and differentiated approaches babwe reported the first cases has been published to date to tracing, follow-up, and case Zimbabwe, the highest num- asymptomatic for Covid-19
are urgently required to curb of Covid-19 in March 2020, explore this situation, and the investigation. An expanded ber of cases were diagnosed in and be drivers of transmission.
further transmission whilst which were all imported. The focus has been on quarantin- testing strategy was released quarantine centres; therefore, In the initial phases, the ma-
allowing other aspects of the trajectory was very slow in ing returning travellers, and in April 2020 to increase the it is possible they were the jority of cases were confirmed
population’s livelihood to the first 3 to 4 months of the testing, treating and isolating scope of surveillance, and sources of infection. among young people return-
continue. We discuss some pandemic, with less than 600 confirmed cases. We describe detect and isolate confirmed Porous borders: Zimbabwe ing from other countries for
of the pitfalls and challenges cases by the end of June 2020. the mitigating public health cases, and protect healthcare shares borders with a num- economic reasons and they
for Covid-19 control, and the Despite scholarly projections interventions introduced by workers and patients. De- ber of neighbours, including were reported as asymptom-
possible drivers of SARS- that Zimbabwe would reach 1 the Zimbabwean government spite a comprehensive testing South Africa, Botswana, atic, and deaths in the young
CoV-2 community transmis- 000 cases by mid-April 2020, since March 2020, and discuss strategy, implementation has Zambia and Mozambique. are rare. With the thriving
sion in the country. An urgent the confirmed cases were still the pitfalls and challenges been complicated by regular Though the actual numbers informal sector driven by
multi-sectoral intersection to less than 60% of the projec- for control, and the possible stock outs of essential testing are unknown, a number of young people in Zimbabwe,
effectively deal with these ca- tion. drivers of transmission since reagents. Targets to test 40 residents entered illegally into silent SARS-CoV-2 infections
veats is required, and political the beginning of the outbreak 000 people per month as was their communities through maybe a common occurrence.
commitment to deal with the The majority of cases in Zimbabwe. proposed in the Zimbabwe porous borders and escaped Public health sector chal-
crisis remains an indispensable during this period were Covid-19 operational plan mandatory quarantine. Some lenges: the public health
variable. imported, as indicated by the Responses to the Covid-19 have not been met. Zimbabwe who were reported by their sector in Zimbabwe faces
daily situation reports from pandemic by the Zimbabwean imports test kits for Covid-19 communities subsequently many challenges. Constant
Severe acute respiratory the Ministry of Health and government: a state of national and provincial testing capac- industrial action by healthcare
syndrome coronavirus 2 Child Care (MOHCC), and disaster was pronounced at the itation through GeneXpert personnel, shortages of equip-
(SARS-CoV-2) is the aetiolog- the highest number of return- outset of the pandemic, culmi- platforms has not materialized ment, medicines and sundries,
ical virus for the coronavirus ing residents were from the nating in a total lockdown adequately. The requirement including personal protective
disease 2019, commonly neighbouring South Africa. effected on 30 March 2020. equipment (PPE) are widely
known as Covid-19. From the However, since July 2020, reported. These may have been
initial cases detected in Wu- the number of reported cases further worsened by supply
han in December 2019, the increased significantly, with chain disruptions owing to
outbreak of this novel virus over 100 cases confirmed per travel restrictions. Prices of
rapidly evolved to become a day in many instances. imported commodities includ-
global pandemic by March ing medicines may go up by
2010. World Health Organ- The balance of infection between 10% and 25%.
source shifted heavily towards Fear and anxiety by healthcare
practitioners further worsens
the situation. Public health fa-
cilities have not been offering
clinical services regarded as
non-emergency, and patients
without Covid-19 test results
have been denied services, the
majority of whom are not on
medical insurance and cannot
afford private testing. People
have been forced to look after
their sick relatives at home
without adequate infection
prevention control measures,
which could potentially result
in widespread community
transmissions. Without ade-

Page 26 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

quately dealing with healthcare urgently. Physical distancing proportion of the population this may drive SARS-CoV-2 Generation of local evidence is pandemic and curbing further
issues, Covid-19 control is and wearing of masks in public in the high-density suburbs community transmission a critical missing link between spread of SARS-CoV-2
likely to remain a challenge. places such as supermarkets of Harare and Chitungwiza before access to testing and SARS-CoV-2 community remains an urgent need in
Risk perception: an unpub- and banks remains a huge fetches water from community results. There are political chal- transmission and control. Zimbabwe. Controlling com-
lished report by the risk com- challenge. boreholes where people queue lenges. Political commitment Documenting challenges and munity transmission requires
munication and community Economic and social chal- for long hours without physi- to dealing with a national secu- pitfalls, strengths and best differentiated approaches
engagement (RCCE) pillar lenges: the majority of the cal distancing and facemasks. rity threat entails prioritisation practices, and meaningful premised on comprehension
observed low risk perception working population depends With an unemployment rate of resource allocation to the analysis of available data is the of the pitfalls and challenges
among Zimbabweans, espe- on public transport to go to estimated to be in excess of health sector to effectively deal crux of evidence-based public for control, and the drivers
cially the young. People believe work. Most forms of public 90%, in an economy hit by with the ongoing challenges. It health and clinical practice for for transmission. An urgent
what they see, and similar to transport were banned at the chronic high inflation, many also entails wide consultative Covid-19. The academia must discourse between politics,
the HIV epidemic, people beginning of the lockdown have taken to the informal forums with public health ex- be regarded as an important science, academia and public
would not believe it was a real- period, except for those sector for a livelihood. There perts to obtain evidence-based sector to advise the research health is needed for the gener-
ity until they lost close family affiliated to the state-owned is no basic infection screening recommendations to effec- pillar, and this must be priori- ation and implementation of
members. Similarly, there are Zimbabwe United Passenger including temperature checks; tively deal with the pandemic. tised as differentiated interven- evidence-based public health
some who still believe that Company, which unfortu- there are no facilities for hand Whilst political commitment tions are urgently required to interventions to effectively deal
Covid-19 is not an African nately does not have enough hygiene, shared ablution remains an indispensable vari- deal with the pandemic whilst with the pandemic.
disease. Low risk perception vehicles to service the public. facilities are unhygienic, and able of the COVID-19 pan- allowing other aspects of peo-
serves as an inhibitor for the Overcrowding in these buses is physical distancing is a luxury. demic control, the scientific ple´s livelihoods to continue. *Murewanhema is with the
uptake of preventive mea- common and does not permit The high unemployment rate world must be allowed to take Conclusion Department of Obstetrics
sures and must be addressed physical distancing. A good means many cannot afford to the lead. Surveillance and op- Dealing with the Covid-19 and Gynaecology, College of
seek treatment on time, and erational research are crucial. Health Sciences, University
of Zimbabwe.

C VID-19
STAY SAFE

REDUCE YOUR RISK OF

COVID-19

INFECTION

Wash your hands with soap or use a hand Cover your cough or sneeze with your sleeves or tissues.
sanitizer. Dispose the tissues and wash hands afterwards.

Keep a distance of around 1 meter away from Always stay at home unless you have an
others in public. important reason to leave the house.

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

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 27

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Why Zimbabwe should defend,
entrench constitutional patriotism
rather than support Patriotic Bill
does not need a Patriotic
Taona T. Bill or Patriotic Act but defending fundamental idea is expressed in the been enacted into an Act triotism encapsulated by
Denhere rather needs to cultivate human rights and free- sentence “Cherishing of Parliament. Mark Twain when he said’
and entrench constitu- doms,..............., Cher- freedom, equality, peace, Critical patriotism
THE standard dictionary tional patriotism and ishing freedom, equality, justice, tolerance and pa- Critical patriotism is a “Patriotism is support-
definition of patriotism critical patriotism and peace, justice, tolerance, triotism in search of new concept that upsets and ing your country all the
is simply “love for one’s discard blind patriotism prosperity and patriotism frontiers under a common challenges the conven- time, your government
country”. which the Patriotic Bill in search of new frontiers destiny”. tional definitions of when it deserves it”.
attempts to foist upon under a common desti- patriotism as purely a
However, in a phil- Zimbabweans. ny,.........., Resolve by the Moreover, constitu- celebration of the nation This act of patriotism
osophical book-length Constitutional patrio- tenets of this Constitu- tional patriotism also and support of the gov- was exemplified by what
study of patriotism, tism tion to commit ourselves means the full loyalty ernment. pastor Evan Mawarire
Stephen Nathason defines The notion and concept to build a united, just of Zimbabwean citizens did in June 2016 with his
patriotism as encompass- of constitutional patrio- and prosperous nation, to the constitution and Critical patriotism was #ThisFlag campaign.
ing: special affection for tism is an idea that was founded on values of constitutional order. aptly captured in the liter-
one’s own country; a sense born out of the ashes of transparency, equality, Therefore, the “Patriotic ary work of James Bald- We all remember the vi-
of personal identification post-war Germany. The freedom, fairness, honesty Bill” attempts to subvert win’s Notes of a Native sual portraits of Mawarire
with the country; a special German political philos- and the dignity of hard the tenets of constitution- Son, an essay collection. donning the national flag
concern for well-being of opher Dolf Sternberger work, ………… hereby al patriotism. Because the Baldwin declared that: “I and vocalising the aspira-
the country and willing- developed this concept in make this Constitution Bill tramples on constitu- love America more than tions, desires and con-
ness to sacrifice to pro- the late 1970s, which was and commit ourselves to tionally enshrined prin- any other country in the cerns of ordinary Zimba-
mote the country’s good. then further enhanced it as the fundamental law ciples such as freedom of world……. And exactly bweans who felt betrayed
and articulated by Jurgen of our beloved land. speech, association and for this reason I insist on by their government after
On 2 March 2021, Habermas. Habermas ar- conscience. the right to criticize her their dreams and aspira-
the Zanu PF Member of gued that the constitution What is of crucial perpetually”. This type tions of Independence
Parliament for Mbereng- triumphs over nationality importance from this Accordingly, our consti- of patriotism is a dou- were turned into night-
wa South, Alum Mpofu, as the ideological glue and extract is the phrase “We tution is buttressed with ble-edged sword because mares.
tabled a motion on the unifier. That is, constitu- the people ‘’, it didn’t say human-centered princi- it encourages citizens to
adoption of Patriotic tional patriotism is under- “We Zanu PF” or “We ples and Zimbabweans take pride and embrace Furthermore, we
Bill. The motion was pinned by taking pride in the MDC-T” or “We the as admirers of rule of law what is right in their witnessed critical patri-
subsequently second- the rule of law and consti- Politicians” or “We the and procedural rights. country. otism in action during
ed by another Zanu PF tutional guarantees rather Members of Parliament”. Therefore, Zimbabwean the ICC Cricket World
MP, Pupurai Togarepi than in ethnic affinity. citizens are constitutional On the other hand, it Cup of 2003 which was
and MDC-T MP David Thus, citizens can depend This an affirmation of a patriots. enjoins citizens to engage, co-hosted by South Africa
Tekeshe. Suffice it to say on the rule of law and the communitarian solidarity critique and pushback and Zimbabwe when
that this motion has sent rules based on law (con- which is undergirded by Consequently, as forcefully against any two Zimbabwean crick-
serious shockwaves among stitution) as an equally utilitarianism of freedom, constitutional patriots, wrongful misdeeds in eters, Henry Olonga and
Zimbabweans and has and unifying concept. justice and equality for all Zimbabweans must their country. Andrew Flower, donned
subsequently ignited a citizens. Most important- challenge the unconsti- black armbands.
series of debates on the Therefore, constitution- ly, the Kantian universal tutional provisions of the This is the form of pa-
rationale behind the Patri- al patriotism for Zimba- Patriotic Bill once it has It was an act of silent
otic Bill. bweans can be located but thought-provoking
from the very first page protest and an expression
Nonetheless, in so- of the national constitu-
cio-economic, cultural, tion, in the preamble. The
political and humanitar- preamble reads:
ian dynamics and in the
body politic of any na- We the people of
tion, patriotism is a very Zimbabwe, United in our
intricate concept and phe- diversity by our com-
nomenon. Thus, it is not mon desire for freedom,
a one-size-fits-all concept; justice and equality, and
it encompases various our heroic resistance to
strands of patriotism such colonialism, racism and
as constitutional patrio- all forms of domination
tism, critical patriotism/ and oppression, •Ex-
constructive patriotism alting and extolling the
and blind patriotism. brave men and women
Therefore, this opinion who sacrificed their lives
piece will situate the during the Chimurenga/
controversial Patriotic Bill Umvukela and national
within the frameworks liberation struggles, Hon-
of the above-mentioned ouring our forebears and
strands of patriotism. I compatriots who toiled
will argue that Zimbabwe for the progress of our
country, Recognising the
need to entrench democ-
racy, good, transparent
and accountable gover-
nance and the rule of law,
Reaffirming our commit-
ment to upholding and

Page 28 The Big Debate NewsHawks
of solidarity with the
oppressed Zimbabweans. Zimbabwe. tutional. legal scholar Jonathan protect the President Issue 22, 19 March 2021
Here we had two world- Pokitical elites shun Additionally, in Sep- Turley argued that the from public scrutiny and
class sportsmen who were only reason the Logan Act accountability. Fur- government.
proudly representing their local medical facilities tember 2007 in the case has not been repealed is thermore, the intended The Patriotic Bill aims
country but were ashamed and public hospitals and of John Doe v Gonzales, because it is considered a targets of this Bill are the
of the autocracy and mis- instead seek medical judge Victor Morreno harmless relic. Therefore, opposition MDC Alli- to impose a tunnelled
governance of the Robert attention in India, China ruled that the provisions it is ridiculous for the ance, especially Tendai vision and one-size-fits-all
Mugabe government. and South Africa using of the USA Patriot Act Zanu PF government to Biti and Nelson Chamisa type of blind patriotism.
The Olonga and Flower taxpayers’ money. Under violated the doctrine of try to invoke both the because the Patriotic Bill Thus, it wants to force a
protest clearly shows that critical patriotism, the separation of powers and Logan Act and the Patriot will seek to disqualify heterogeneous, cultural,
there is a clear distinc- citizens will be able to the First Amendment Act as legal justification from holding public office political, socially diverse
tion between loving one’s expose the neo-imperi- protection of free speech. for imposing the Patriotic those perceived to have Zimbabwean society to
country and disliking alism of decolonisation Furthermore, the Logan Bill. campaigned against the have a politicised and
one`s government. Thus, undertaken by the Zanu Act of 1799 has never government of Zimba- zanufied patriotism which
hating one`s government PF government against been successfully used The insidious nature of bwe. It is abundantly clear will demand blind loyalty
must not be conflated the Chilonga people. against any US citizen. the Patriotic Bill is that it that the Patriotic Bill is and unquestionable and
with hating one’s country. Accordingly, the critical will criminalise those who nothing but an oppres- uncritical patriotism to
patriots will declare that It is a piece of legis- will critique and question sive and draconian piece the powers that be. How-
Furthermore, the #Zim- they love their country lation that, if it is ever the policies or the omis- of legislation designed ever, Malcolm X once said
babweLivesMatter hashtag but are disappointed by used, will violate the First sions and commissions of for authoritarian consol- “You are not supposed to
which went viral on social their government. Amendment which pro- President Mnangagwa. idation by the Zanu PF be blind with patriotism
media and spread globally Blind patriotism tects freedom of speech, that you cannot face re-
was another classic act of religion and press. US It seeks to insulate and ality. Wrong is wrong no
critical patriotism. That Blind patriotism is matter who says it.”
is, #ZimbabweLivesMat- always associated with J&oPianythe Fidelity way.
ter acted as a form of the famous toast made by member of
digital civic republicanism US naval officer Stephen You can join the Fidelity Life family, wherever you are
which served as a bulwark Decautur who in 1816 by signing up for a funeral policy on WhatsApp. You
against the authoritarian declared “Our country! can also pay for your policy on the platform.
excesses of the Zanu PF In her intercourse with
government against a foreign nations may she At Fidelity our aim is to make your life easy and
plethora of pro-democrat- always be right; but our convenient.
ic forces and individuals country, right or wrong!”
who were extralegally Thus, blind patriotism is Save and WhatsApp
criminalised and had the antithesis of critical “Hi” to +18 639 008 090 to start chatting.
their constitutional rights patriotism and constitu-
violated. tional patriotism; it is a Harare Office
corrupted, twisted and a Fidelity House | 66 Julius Nyerere Way
Constitutional patriots self-serving form of pa- +263 24 2 750 927 - 37
can highlight that, con- triotism which demands
trary to Zanu PF’s twisted that citizens of a nation
and self-serving concept must uncritically support
of patriotism, in fact the and endorse the actions,
most unpatriotic elements commission or omissions
are Zanu PF establish- of their leaders even if
mentarians and elites. For they are detrimental to
instance, they can point their overall well being.
to the unpatriotic avari-
cious corruption of Zanu This is the form of pa-
PF ministers who selfishly triotism that the “Patri-
squandered people’s pen- otic Bill” is earmarked to
sion savings. Additionally, ram down the throasts of
critical patriots will point many Zimbabweans.
to the US$60 million
Covid-19 public procure- There has been intel-
ment scandal which led lectual dishonesty and
to the dismissal of Health false equivalence drawn
minister Obadiah Moyo. between the Zimbabwe’s
Patriotic Bill with the
The corruption put US Patriot Act of 2001
the lives of millions of and the US Logan Act
innocent Zimbabweans at of 1799. In fact, the US
risk, especially the front- Patriot Act is an acronym
line healthcare workers which stands for: Pro-
who had to perform their viding Appropriate Tools
duties without proper Required to Intercept and
personal protective equip- Obstruct Terrorism.
ment.
The Patriot Act was a
Corruption kills, as kneejerk anti-terrorism
Covid-19 has shown. enacted by the George W
Furthermore, critical Bush adminstration in
patriotism will expose the the aftermath of the 11
unpatriotic proclivities of September 2001 terrorist
Zanu PF members such attack on the US.
as Henrietta Rushwaya
who allegedly attempt- Therefore, it is purely
ed to smuggle US$300 an anti-terrorism piece
000 worth of gold to of legislation designed
Dubai, which would have to prevent and combat
prejudiced the nation. terrorism in the US. It Is
Under critical patriotism, not about foisting pa-
citizens will expose the triotism on US citizens.
hypocrisy of the Zanu PF Nonetheless, in 2004 the
government’s self-serving US district judge Ann
and corrupted love of Aiken ruled that some of
the provisions of the US
Patriot Act are unconsti-

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 29

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Chilonga: New wine in old wineskins

Fidelicy published to correct two errors this notice is to allow the victims Mercy of the State: Plight of the
Nyamukondiwa that had nothing to do with the an opportunity to air their con- Chilonga Community.”
forced evictions. cerns before any administrative Conclusion
THE Publication of the illegal action is taken against them. If you pour fresh wine into old
Statutory Instrument (SI) 50 of SI 50 of 2021 had erroneous- wineskins, you lose both the
2021 was followed by a public ly addressed the Local Govern- The authorities have a duty wine and the wineskins. Put
uproar. ment minister as “Minister of to notify affected persons that differently, you will be left with
Local Government, Urban and if they are unhappy with any nothing. SI 50 of 2021 is the
Presidential spokesperson Rural Development” instead administrative action eventu- old wineskin and SI 63A of
George Charamba reacted by of “Minister of Local Govern- ally taken, they have the right 2021 represents the new wine!
assuring the nation that “in the ment and Public Works”.The to have the case reviewed or
coming days, there will be…a second correction made by SI appealed against. In a democratic society, citi-
refashioned Statutory Instru- 63A of 2021 was to disguise zens should never be evicted at
ment.” Many anticipated that the purpose of eviction as The lack of both substantive the drop of a hat. Did the draft-
the refashioned SI would cure “establishment of an irrigation and procedural fairness in the ers of SI 50 of 2021 forget that
the illegality. Little did they scheme”. SI 50 of 2021 had manner in which the Chilon- “No person may be evicted from
know it would be new wine in stated “lucerne production” as ga issue has been handled is their home … without an order
old wineskins. the justification. without doubt, a clear violation of court”? Did they misinterpret
Why SI 50 of 2021 is a nullity of the right to administrative property, administrative justice
For the benefit of those who SI 50 of 2021 is flawed for two justice set out in section 68 of and other relevant human rights
might have missed these events, main reasons: the constitution. set out in the constitution? To
SI 50 of 2021 is the law that was Inconsistency with the en- avoid straddling into politics,
gazetted on 26 February 2021 abling Act. That SI 50 of 2021 infringes the argument ends here.
to expel about 12 500 villag- An enabling Act is a statute or upon property rights set out in
ers in the Chilonga area of Act of Parliament under which section 71 of the constitution is *Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa
Chiredzi. The displacement a Statutory Instrument is made. a no brainer. I cannot do more is a former public prosecutor
is meant to create room for A Statutory than concur with Alex Magaisa who writes here in his person-
Dendairy, a privately-owned who succinctly deliberated on al capacity.
company, to grow lucerne grass Instrument must be con- the subject in his Big Saturday
for its dairy cows. sistent with its enabling Act. Read (BSR) article titled “At the
The enabling Act for SI 50 of
On 9 March 2021, SI 63A 2021, the Communal Land
of 2021 was gazetted to make Act (CLA), allows the minister
some corrections to SI 50 of to evict citizens and specifies
2021. Quite convincing argu- that reasonable notice must be
ments have been put forward to given. The Local Government
suggest diamond mining as the minister failed to give reasonable
main reason behind the forced notice of eviction. Such failure
displacements. This is, however, invalidates SI 50 of 2021.
a discussion for another day. Inconsistency with the consti-
This article attempts to expose tution.
the illegality of SI 50 of 2021. All laws, be they enabling Acts
What is SI 50 of 2021 all about? or Statutory Instruments, must
In essence, SI 50 of 2021 had be consistent with the constitu-
two objects. tion. If a statutory instrument
is not in line with the constitu-
Firstly, to notify that the tion, it becomes invalid.
Local Government minister had
set aside certain communal land Ordering a person to “depart
in Chiredzi measuring about 12 permanently with all of his or
940 hectares for the purpose of her property” without adequate
growing lucerne grass. Its second notice is brutish and arbitrary.
purpose was to promptly evict Fortunately, the constitution
inhabitants of the specified land. protects citizens from arbitrary
eviction. Section 74 provides
Persons with registered min- that “no person may be evicted
ing claims and those occupying from their home, or have their
or using the targeted land by vir- home demolished, without an
tue of operating or working in order of court…”
hotels, shops and other business
premisses, churches, clinics, hos- SI 50 of 2021 evicted
pitals and schools among other thousands of people from their
institutions were exempted. homes in Chiredzi without any
court order. Both the SI and the
It is the ordinary villager who CLA are therefore inconsistent
fell victim to the SI. An estimat- with section 74 of the consti-
ed 12 000 villagers are resident tution.
within the targeted area. The SI
ordered every affected person The prompt eviction of vil-
to “depart permanently with all lagers from their homes of many
of his or her property…” by 26 years is a violation of their right
February 2021. to administrative justice set out
in section 68 of the constitu-
Ironically, 26 February 2021 tion. The section provides that
is the very same day they were every person has the right to
technically informed to vacate. lawful, reasonable, substantively
It is technical in the sense and procedurally fair adminis-
that they were only informed trative conduct.
through a Government Gazette
publication. The question on whether
administrative conduct is proce-
The SI neither suggested nor durally fair is determined by the
specified where the affected Administrative Justice Act. The
families would go with their Act imposes three duties upon
property, which includes pets an administrative authority.
and livestock. One wonders
if they were just supposed to Duty to give adequate notice
vanish with their belongings. of the nature and purpose of the
Enter SI 63A of 2021 proposedaction.
It is the immediate eviction of
helpless villagers that trig- Duty to afford the affected
gered public outrage. Hope persons a reasonable opportuni-
was pinned on the promised ty to make adequate represen-
“refashioned SI” to suspend tations.
the autocratic evictions. To the
disappointment of many, the While the CLA does not
refashioned SI 63A of 2021 was expressly mandate the Local
Government minister to give
the affected persons an oppor-
tunity to be heard, it mandates
the minister to give reasonable
notice. Arguably, the purpose of

Page 30 Opinion NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Magufuli: a brilliant start but an ignominious end

AIKANDA CLEMENT KWAYU school science teacher. Ma- The late Tanzanian President John Magufuli he wasn’t associated with any with underperforming leaders
gufuli then obtained a degree major corruption. This is de- in the region. However, after
JOHN Joseph Pombe Ma- in education science from the he was responsible for. As min- of the country and a new rapid spite the fact that  infrastruc- less than a year in office  his
gufuli was a man who deftly University of Dar-es-Salaam ister for works between 2010 bus system in Dar-es-Salaam, ture projects, which often re- authoritarianism side began to
played the long political game. in 1988. and 2015, he built a road net- Tanzania’s commercial capital. quire huge investments spread show.
He was nevertheless a puzzle work connecting many parts over time, are generally asso-
both to Tanzanians and the The following year he was During these two decades ciated with corruption. Also, He spent most of his first
world. employed as an industrial Tanzania was plagued by  ma- term  cracking down on the
chemist at Nyaza Cooperative jor corruption scandals  be- opposition and cementing the
When he first entered remaining there until 1995. tween 2005 and 2015. ruling party’s power position.
the presidency in 2015, he He then ran for the Chato par- Over the years he has  turned
gained worldwide acclaim for liamentary seat and won. Magufuli’s clean record, into a full-blown populist,
his no-nonsense approach to and his reputation for getting claiming that he has the peo-
fighting corruption and  im- In 1995 President  Benja- things done, became useful ple’s interests at heart. But
prudent government spend- min Mkapa, who passed away during the 2015 general elec- his subsequent actions have
ing. But as he settled into in 2020, appointed him dep- tion campaign. He promised called these claims into ques-
office, his  true political co- uty minister for works, trans- to  fight corruption, discipline tion. This included tightening
lours  — the authoritarian port and communication. the civil service, and create the noose on the media, as well
and “the bulldozer” of human Magufuli drove an ambitious employment for the youth. as aggressive action against op-
rights — showed up. road building project, earn- position figures, a rise in arbi-
ing himself the nickname, ‘the But the “bulldozer” moni- trary arrests and crackdown on
He was born in 1959 in bulldozer’. He served in Cabi- ker went on to haunt him as civil society.
Tanzania’s Chato district in net in different portfolios until he increasingly began to be
the Lake Victoria zone, and 2015 when he ran for presi- seen as the man who  bull- More recently, his Covid-19
was only two years old when dency. dozed human rights. denialism has been well docu-
Tanzania got independence in The bulldozer moniker Magufuli’s rise to power mented.
1961. Throughout his 20 years as a In June 2015, four months
cabinet minister he was known before election day, Magufuli He became more focused
After attaining his basic ed- to be a hard worker. He also was not seen as the Chama cha on cementing his power and
ucation he trained as a teacher kept a corruption-free record, Mapinduzi party’s  strongest less concerned with his elec-
at Mkwawa College of Educa- a rare feat given the portfolios candidate. The front runner tion promises. By the end of
tion, Iringa in central Tanza- had been Edward Lowas- his first term in 2020, there
nia, and became a secondary sa, who had served as prime was still much left to be done,
minister for three years under including completing con-
Mkapa’s successor, Jakaya Kik- struction on a speed railway
wete. Lowassa was forced to and hydroelectric dam.
resign after being caught in  a
corruption scandal. Magufuli Regardless, and despite
eventually won the nomina- a  flawed election, he was
tion, which came as a  sur- re-elected in October 2020.
prise to some within his party. The election was marked
with violence and a systematic
Mkapa quietly pushed the crackdown on the opposition.
party to  nominate Magufu- As he began his second term,
li.  The former president and there were questions about
other party elders were for the what kind of legacy he would
first time advising the ruling leave.
party’s central committee on
the nomination of the presi- When speaking of his leg-
dential candidate. The “bull- acy, one must start with the
dozer” went on to become Magufuli’s effect on Tanzania’s
Tanzania’s fifth president. economy. There are mixed
feelings about his economic
And two years into Magu- performance. While some  as-
fuli’s first term, Mkapa  pub- sessed him positively  others
licly gave his performance a underscored the  negative im-
thumbs up. pact of his administrative style.

Two factors appear to have Magufuli’s  nationalistic
been critical to Magufuli’s rhetoric scared off investors,
nomination by the Chama cha despite his administration’s
Mapinduzi and his rise to the attempt to convince the world
presidency. that Tanzania was a good busi-
ness environment.
One, that prior to his can-
didacy, he had not been impli- More recently, his  denial
cated in any corruption scan- of the Covid-19 pandemic  as
dal while Lowassa was directly straight out of his nationalistic
associated with a corruption and populist playbook. And
deal. the state violence that sur-
rounded 2020’s general elec-
Two, he was  not affiliat- tion will forever be a stain on
ed  within any factions within his legacy.
the ruling Chama cha Mapin- Looking back
duzi. After Lowassa was forced Tanzania is as polarised  as
to resign as prime minister in ever. The 2020 election  en-
2008 after a fraud case, sharp trenched the ruling party’s
divisions emerged  between dominance and set a bad pre-
Chama cha Mapinduzi mem- cedence for the suppression of
bers who supported him and dissenting voices.
those who supported then
president Jakaya Kikwete. Ma- A country that  was once
gufuli  remained neutral  and lauded for its progress in de-
that worked in his favour. mocracy  has rapidly regressed
to  authoritarian rule  under
Throughout his political Magufuli’s watch.
career before the presidency,
Magufuli appeared to eschew Most recently, his adminis-
party politics. As a minster tration denied the existence of
under Mkapa’s and Kikwete’s Covid-19  while its people and
administrations, he focused on many others across the world
work, not party politics. This died. In Tanzania today, speak-
- plus his clean governance ing truth to power is a crime.
record - made him the go-to- As a result Magufuli will be
guy  when his party needed a remembered for rolling back
presidential candidate with a Tanzania’s democratic gains,
clean record and who was not making the country an unwel-
aligned with any party faction. come investment destination
The authoritarian and denying the existence of
Back in 2015, when he was the Covid-19 pandemic.--The
first elected president, Magu- Conversation.
fuli earned praise nationally
and internationally.  “What About the writer: Aikan-
would Magufuli do” became a de Clement Kwayu is an
catch phrase to compare him ndependent researcher and
honorary research fellow at
the University of Wiscon-
sin-Madison, United States.

NewsHawks Critical Thinking Page 31

Issue 22, 19 March 2021 only to the elitist how vulnerable leged individuals which is managed by
approach of the this economy is to and companies. the central bank has not
The political system but also a clique of privi- In conclusion, helped much in price dis-
economics of covery.
Zim’s forex
allocation The discrepancy be-
tween the official rate and
Chris programmes), the ben- we maintain that the parallel market rate
Mugaga eficiaries’ list thus raises the current Dutch continues to widen and
questions on the effica- auction system retailers have responded
cy of government sup- to this.
port programmes such as
Smart Agriculture (pre- Consumers will pay an
viously known as Com- arm and a leg for this dis-
mand Agriculture). tortion.

While Smart Agricul- Addressing structur-
ture is now led by the al issues in this econo-
“private sector” under- my as well as adopting
written by CBZ Bank, far-reaching reforms that
the main objective of this will unlock concessionary
programme is import finding may be the only
substitution which should sustainable way, going
translate to less demand into the future.
for foreign exchange, but
ZIMBABWE’S cen- that is not the case when
tral bank this week an- you look closely at the
nounced a list of compa- list.
nies and individuals who
are enjoying the lion’s On the quantitative
share of the country’s side, it would have been
scarce foreign currency more helpful if the central
which has traded on the bank had also provided
official forex auction since critical information on
its inception back in June whether or not the top
last year. beneficiaries are export-
The list comes at a time ing, how their capacity
the apex bank recently has improved, among
announced that diaspo- other key variables that
ra remittances into the may aid in understanding
country had surpassed whether or not the money
proceeds from gold deliv- is being put to good use.
eries over the years. De-
bate on the diaspora vote Turning to governance
immediately gained trac- issues, it would have been
tion following this reve- helpful if the central bank
lation. We will leave this had also made more dis-
debate for now. closures on the beneficia-
The top 100 beneficia- ries to allay fears of any
ries consist of well-known conflict of interest. Some
firms as well as somehow of the beneficiaries are
little known entities and key figures in the central
ordinarily some would bank decision-making
raise eyebrows on this. A processes and going for-
qualitative and quantita- ward more disclosures are
tive analysis into the top required in the allocation
100 provides some in- of such funds.
sights into the configura-
tion of Zimbabwe’s econ- The beneficiaries list
omy as well as exposing also brings to the fore the
some paradoxes. effectiveness of the coun-
Interesting to find out try’s competition laws.
from the list is that no For instance, milk proces-
mining company is found sors Dendairy and Dairi-
in the top 10. Mining is bord are now on the cusp
Zimbabwe’s top foreign of merging yet they are
exchange earner with min- both beneficiaries of the
erals such as gold, plat- central bank forex auc-
inum group metals and tion. So the question now
chrome being the major becomes: “What is the ra-
contributors. Throughput tionale of merging instead
for this capital-intensive of capacitating themselves
sector is mainly sourced individually and what
outside the country’s bor- impact will this have on
ders due to the moribund smaller players?”
state of yesteryear manu-
facturers. Instead, nearly Let us go back to the
80% of beneficiaries that numbers. Parcelling out
make the top 10 are in the nearly US$640 million to
manufacturing sector. only 100 companies and
Given the vertical and individuals in an econo-
horizontal linkages be- my where there are about
tween the country’s man- 12 000  firms speaks not
ufacturing sector and ag-
riculture (which is at the
centre of all government

Page 32 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Tanzania’s first female leader urges
unity after Covid sceptic Magufuli dies

TANZANIA’S new President, Described as a soft-spoken as a potential contrast from She praised the late leader stations and the blocking of Samia Suluhu Hassan
Samia Suluhu Hassan, has said consensus builder, Hassan will Magufuli, a brash populist in her remarks: “He taught me social media and other abuses. DaMina Advisors, a polit-
the country should unite and also be the country’s first pres- who earned the nickname a lot, he was my mentor and ical risk advisory firm, pre-
avoid pointing fingers after the ident born in Zanzibar, the “Bulldozer” for muscling prepared me sufficiently.” New York-based Human dicted the new president was
death of John Magufuli, her archipelago that forms part through policies and who drew Rights Watch said Tanzania likely to make a public U-turn
Covid-19 sceptic predecessor. of the union of the Republic criticism for his intolerance of Rights groups say Magufu- had a chance to revive its de- on her predecessor’s policy of
of Tanzania. dissent, which his government li’s six-year rule was marred by mocracy and reverse the coun- Covid denial and his generally
Wearing a red hijab, she denied. arbitrary arrests, suspension try’s “downward human rights negative attitudes toward for-
took her oath of office on the Her leadership style is seen of critical television and radio trajectory” under Magufuli. eign investors. —Reuters
Qur’an in a ceremony at State
House in the east African
country’s commercial capital,
Dar es Salaam. She is the first
female head of state in the
country of 58 million.

Hassan, vice-president since
2015, gave a brief and sombre
address after she was sworn
in, addressing a heavily male
crowd that included two for-
mer presidents and uniformed
officers.

“This is a time to bury our
differences, and be one as a
nation,” she said. “This is not
a time for finger pointing, but
it is a time to hold hands and
move forward together.”

The remarks appeared
aimed at dispelling a mood
of uncertainty that developed
after Magufuli, criticised by
opponents as a divisive and
authoritarian figure, disap-
peared from public view for
18 days before his death was
announced.

His absence from public
life  drew speculation he was
critically ill with Covid-19.
Magufuli died of heart disease,
Hassan said when announcing
his death on Wednesday.

Among the first tasks facing
Hassan (61) will be a decision
on whether to procure Covid
vaccines.  Under her prede-
cessor, the government said it
would not obtain any vaccines
until the country’s own experts
had reviewed them.

She will also be faced with
the task of healing a country
polarised during the Magufuli
years, analysts said, and build-
ing her own political base to
govern effectively.

NewsHawks Africa News Page 33

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

A DEVASTATING new book ‘We choose good guys and bad guys’:
(see picture) will accuse Rwan-
da’s president  Paul Kagame  – beneath the myth of ‘model’ Rwanda
long feted by his prominent neighbouring DRC, but among
international supporters as the braced the RPF’s narrative. murder of Hutus fleeing into killer as they left. she was harbouring doubts those once in Kagame’s most
model of visionary new African Wrong has already been the Democratic Republic of the It was a murder that Kag- about Kagame. trusted inner circle.
leadership – of being a serial hu- Congo (DRC) by RPF’s forces
man rights abuser, including for accused on social media of be- and remembers thinking: “This ame’s ministers publicly cele- It was the  assassination in “The people that Kagame
his role in a sustained campaign coming a “genocide denier”, the is nonsense! It was so at odds brated. Defence minister James Kenya  of Seth Sendashonga, a really fears, the people he is
of assassinating his rivals in exile. standard accusation levelled at with what I believed the RPF Kabarebe told journalists at the Hutu former interior minister reaching out across the globe
critics of Kagame. She has no stood for. Now I look back, that time: “When you choose to be in the government of national to silence, intimidate, harass
Written by Michela Wrong, doubt that genocide occurred, was a briefing we should have a dog, you die like a dog, and unity in Rwanda who had fallen and kill are more often than not
the author who covered the only that it hid a far more com- paid more attention to.” the cleaners will wipe away the out with the regime in Kigali, members of his own Tutsi elite.”
Rwandan genocide in 1994, plex picture, including the sub- trash so that it does not stink for that was the first crack in her
when more than 800 000 peo- sequent murders of Hutus by Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame them.” perception. After four years researching
ple – largely ethnic Tutsis as well Tutsi forces after the RPF took At the centre of Wrong’s re- and writing Do Not Disturb,
as moderate Hutus – were killed power. Kagame denied involvement. She recalls it as the day “when what shocks Wrong is how, in
by Hutu militias over 100 days, visiting is her  detailed depic- “Rwanda did not kill this per- with a near-audible mental the light of the public outcry
Do Not Disturb represents one “Going from village to vil- tion of the circumstances of the son – and it’s a big ‘no’,” he an- ping, I realised I no longer be- over the attempted and suc-
of the most far-reaching histori- lage with the French troops you gruesome strangling of Patrick swered when asked by a western lieved most of the key ‘truths’ cessful assassinations carried
cal revisions of Kagame and his were confronted by mass graves Karegeya in a South African reporter. Yet he could not resist: upon which [Kagame’s RPF] out abroad by Russia and Saudi
regime. where people had been hurried- hotel room in 2014. Kagame’s “But I add that, I actually wish built its account.” Arabia, criticism of Kagame has
ly buried, seeing women scrub- charming if deeply implicated Rwanda did it. I really wish it.” been at best tepid.
Meticulously researched, bing the floors of the church former intelligence chief was “That was 1998. Early on.
with substantial new material naves trying to get the blood murdered in Johannesburg by, Kagame’s message  to Rwan- There were two attempts on his “It feels like it has been conse-
and interviews, Wrong is careful stains out. she says, Rwandan agents after da’s domestic audience was dif- life and that made it impossible quence-free. There’s been a very
to set competing claims next to he, having fallen out of favour, ferent. He delivered it at a prayer to pretend it was just random tactful diplomatic cover-up by
each other where there are unre- “Then you’d meet members had fled Rwanda, setting up an breakfast in Kigali: “Whoever crime. Rwanda’s allies abroad.
solved questions, including the of the RPF who were reserved opposition organisation in ex- betrays the country will pay the
suspicions – thus far uncorrob- and disciplined and spoke ex- ile. A “do not disturb” sign was price, I assure you,” he told a “It’s not what I expected the “At the most there have been
orated – of Rwandan involve- cellent English, who didn’t seem hung outside the room by his small crowd of dignitaries. RPF to be doing. I remem- a very few court cases, with Pat-
ment in the 2001 assassination to speak in forked tongues like ber the behind the scenes RPF rick Karegeya’s inquest being the
of Congolese president Laurent the departing government of Ju- “Any person still alive who counter-narrative to journalists most prominent, with testimo-
Kabila. vénal Habyarimana [the Hutu may be plotting against Rwan- and diplomats with friends in ny showing the South Africans
president who was killed when da, whoever they are, will pay the movement was: ‘No! You wanted to bury the story com-
While Kagame has come his plane was shot down, spark- the price,” Kagame said. “Who- have to understand, he’d gone pletely because it was the Rwan-
under increasing scrutiny in ing the genocide]. ever it is, it is a matter of time.” abroad and he was mustering dan government behind it.
recent years, not least over the these former genocidaires. They
high-profile murder of his for- “I was completely won over Wrong claims it has not were going to attack Rwan- “There have been massive
mer intelligence chief Patrick by them and completely will- been an isolated incident, with da. He’d gone over to the dark consequences for the Russian
Karegeya in South  Africa  in ing to accept that their takeover opposition figures and critics – side.’” targeting of [Sergei] Skripal and
2014 by Rwandan agents, Do was a very good thing because including in the UK – receiving [Alexander] Litvenenko abroad
Not Disturb alleges Kagame’s it spelled the end of the horror. warnings that their lives may But as Wrong points out, yet Rwanda is just given a little
involvement in multiple rights That’s how I viewed the RPF for be in danger, raising a question many, such as Karegeya and Gen scolding. There’s a double stan-
abuses from his earliest days in many years and that’s how the over why the UK is so support- Kayumba Nyamwasa, the exiled dard because Rwanda is seen as
the Rwandan Patriotic Front world saw it.” ive of a regime that Scotland former Rwandan chief of staff the good guys. Our friends. And
(RPF). Yard has had to provide protec- (who also survived an attempt they’re people we give an awful
Wrong talks of an encounter tion against. on his life in South Africa), were lot of aid to.”
Beginning with his role as a with a French diplomat who far from former genocidaires
dour rebel intelligence officer described the later pursuit and But even long before Kare- camped out in the forests of the All of which raises the ques-
behind the grisly executions of geya’s murder, Wrong admits tion: why?
suspected infiltrators, Do Not
Disturb chronicles Kagame’s Wrong sees a mixture of
rise as well as his part in the vanity and lazy thinking, com-
overthrow of two Congolese pounded by the west’s post-co-
presidents and the looting of lonial habit of seeking to anoint
that country’s mineral resources, favoured African leaders.
relying on numerous interviews
with former members of his in- “It’s an old story. We always
ner circle. pick sides. Leaders are embraced
and a blind eye turned to the
With Rwanda heavily reli- atrocities. There’s a temptation
ant on international aid for al- to personalise and simplify, to
most two-thirds of its budget, choose good guys and bad guys.
Wrong’s examination of Kag-
ame and Rwanda’s role in de- “The other argument of
stabilising its neighbours in the Rwanda’s international support-
Great Lakes raises embarrassing ers is that it’s a stabilising force,
questions for his prominent but the destabilising force in
supporters – who have includ- the Great Lakes for decades has
ed Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Bill been Rwanda, including the
Gates and Clare Short – and systematic pillaging of Congo’s
for international aid donors in- minerals.”
cluding the UK accused of long
turning a blind eye. Wrong is highly critical of the
role played by the aid and devel-
The book is being published opment sector, including that of
just months before the Com- the UK.
monwealth Heads of Govern-
ment meeting is due to be held “There’s a development par-
in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, adigm playing out in Rwanda
this summer, an event that will which goes quite deep and it’s
once again  put Kagame at the sinister. It’s this idea that the
centre of an international stage. west can deliver development ir-
respective of what the local gov-
Far from the charismatic, ernment is like and that you can
driven and progressive leader strip the politics out of the de-
he is perceived as by his inter- velopment agenda by focusing
national supporters, Kagame on education, health, mosquito
emerges from Wrong’s account nets, vaccination rates.
as a murderously authoritarian
figure; a cold, petty and vindic- “But the local politics are the
tive individual. She compares only thing that matters. There’s
him to Stalin’s notorious secret something profoundly uncom-
police chief Lavrentiy Beria, al- fortable about insisting that a
ways able “to find the crime to government which has a dete-
fit the man”. riorating human rights record
and has committed egregious
In an interview with the war crimes is a worthy recipient
Guardian, Wrong described of aid because it performs well
how her view of Kagame had on aid metrics yet is busy killing
changed radically over the years journalists and rounding up and
since she first encountered his disappearing critics.”
RPF forces as a young reporter
covering the genocide, when – —The Guardian
like so many others – she em-

Page 34 World News NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

France limits AstraZeneca Covid jab to
over-55s as Europe treads cautiously

FRANCE has said only peo- AstraZeneca Covid vaccine have the opposite effect, of the AstraZeneca shot far help them prevent and miti- ing countries, where it will
ple aged 55 and over should undermining public confi- outweighed the risks. But gate possible side-effects. be vital.
receive the AstraZeneca age take-up. dence in the shot, further while they found the shot
Covid-19 vaccine, and three The continuing hesitancy delaying the continent’s al- was not associated with an Germany’s health minis- “Unfortunate events” in
Scandinavian countries have ready sluggish vaccine pro- increase in the overall risk ter, Jens Spahn, said it had Europe will “clearly not be
reserved judgment until next around the Oxford/Astra- gramme and, with multiple of blood clots, the agencies been right to pause the shot helpful … in building pub-
week, a day after Europe’s Zeneca shot, given to 7 mil- countries now entering a said a link between the rare “until the clustering of this lic confidence on the use of
health regulator declared the lion people in  Europe  and third wave of the pandemic, clotting disorder and the very rare type of thrombo- that particular vaccine and
shot safe and effective for all 11 million in the UK, comes costing lives. vaccine could not be defin- sis had been examined” and other vaccines, for sure,”
age groups. after several European coun- itively ruled out. France’s Europe minister, said John Nkengasong, the
tries initially said it should National vaccination Clément Beaune, said it had director of the Africa Cen-
As politicians launched be used only on people un- campaigns in the EU lag far They will update their been “necessary in order to tres for Disease Control and
an urgent effort to convince der 65 because of a lack of behind those in Britain and guidance on the AstraZen- coordinate and remove the Prevention.
citizens of the vaccine’s safe- trial data. the US, dogged by supply eca vaccine to include an doubts”.
ty, the French health reg- shortages and slower im- explanation for patients The episode has highlight-
ulator said the shot’s use France was joined by plementation. According to about the rare potential risks But some health experts ed a generally more cautious
should resume “without Germany, Spain, Italy, the Our World in Data, the UK alongside information for worry the AstraZeneca sus- approach to the benefit-risk
delay”.  France  was among Netherlands, Portugal, Lith- has delivered nearly 40 shots healthcare professionals to pensions may have done calculation on the continent.
more than a dozen EU states uania, Latvia, Slovenia and for every 100 people, the US lasting harm. “Stopping the Germany’s health ministry
to suspend the shot this others on Thursday in an- 34 and the EU 12. AstraZeneca maximises the said explicitly it risked facing
week. nouncing early resumptions damage to its image that legal consequences if it failed
after three-days suspensions, The EMA on Thursday has plagued the German to follow its national health
But Dominique Le Gulu- which authorities said had echoed the UK regulator vaccination strategy from agency’s advice.
dec, the head of the regula- been decided on out of an MHRA in saying it had the beginning,” said Ulrich
tor, said it should be provi- abundance of caution and reached a “clear scientific Weigeldt, of the German “Exercising precaution is
sionally reserved for people to retain trust. conclusion” that the benefits association of general prac- one way in which policy-
aged 55 and over until fur- titioners. makers manage risk, and it’s
ther information was avail- Many experts, however, more prevalent in European
able, on the basis of rare but fear the suspensions may One poll in France this countries than the US or
serious cases of a brain blood week suggested confidence UK where the emphasis is
clot disorder known as cere- in the AstraZeneca shot had more on weighing risks and
bral venous sinus thrombo- fallen to 20%. Enrico Bucci, benefits,” said Stephan Le-
sis (CVST). an Italian biologist and sci- wandowsky, a cognitive psy-
entific data analyst, said chologist at the University of
Le Guludec said 25 peo- Bristol, who described it as
ple who had received the As- the pause was an “unre- “a difficult issue”.
traZeneca shot had fallen ill pairable communications
with the disorder in Europe, disaster”. The EMA had He suggested that since
and nine aged under 55, never recommended halt- the European public was
most of them women, had ing vaccinations, he noted: generally more risk-averse,
died. The cases needed fur- “Governments made po- the suspension and careful
ther investigation, she said. litical and emotional deci- examination of the
sions”.
Norway, whose expert AstraZeneca shot “may
panel said on Thursday it There are also fears that help maintain public trust
was “convinced” of a link be- the European suspensions of in the vaccination process,
tween the shot and the rare the AstraZeneca shot, which even though it may also
brain blood clots, Sweden, is among the cheapest Covid mean that more people will
which reported one death vaccines available and easier get sick from Covid-19 than
from clotting and heavy to store and transport than if vaccinations had contin-
bleeding, and Denmark said some of its rivals, would ued.”
they needed more time be- harm its rollout in develop-
fore making a decision. — The Guardian

Norway’s institute of pub-
lic health said it “took note”
of the European Medicines
Agency’s (EMA) finding but
felt it was “premature” to
come to a final conclusion,
saying it would issue its own
guidance late next week.

Sweden said it would “ex-
amine the information” and
hoped to decide within days
“on the best way to use this
vaccine in the future”. Søren
Brostrøm, head of the Dan-
ish health authority, said it
needed “time to get to the
bottom of this … We need
to look for causal relations
and see if there are other ex-
planations”.

Finland said it was sus-
pending the use of the jab
while it investigates two pos-
sible cases of blood clots.

Italy said people who
decline the AstraZeneca
vaccine will be given an al-
ternative later on, with the
government reportedly de-
vising an advertising cam-
paign featuring high-profile
people, including footballer
Francesco Totti, to encour-

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 35 Issue 22, 19 March 2021

MORE often than not, people mis- Meet Zimbabwe’s enjoy it. I have played lead roles in a
take us for other people because we own Dwayne Johnson! few theatre productions and recently
perhaps look like someone else. There played the lead in a DStv production,
is a striking resemblance between Zim- show? economic trends have their own driv- Dwayne Johnson Gold Diggers. For my acting I am
babwe’s popular television personality AE: Which one? If you’re talking about ers and, if someone wants to conduct looked almost identical. Just to set the actually represented by an agency in
Arthur C Evans and Dwayne Douglas the self-named ‘The Arthur C. Evans business in a region, they will still be record straight, The Rock looks like South Africa. With business acting gigs
Johnson so much so that when you see Show’ which aired on DStv, all I can subjected to the market forces in that me! Lol! are generally well scheduled.
one you think you have seen the oth- say is that I never share my plans. I sow area and therefore people should not  JM: Have you tried acting? JM: What has been your worst expe-
er. And the two share a lot in common seeds and let people enjoy the harvest. think that it is a one-stop shop for suc- AE: I have acted before and I really rience as a news anchor?
besides the looks. Johnson, also known The first season won awards and to this cess. That being said, there is an obvi- AE: The teleprompter stopped work-
by his ring name  The Rock, is an day I know that it set a benchmark for ous disparity in many decision-making ing and I hadn’t organised my back-up
American-Canadian actor, producer, talk shows across the country and also processes, for example. In media all the scripts so I fumbled for a few seconds
retired professional wrestler, and for- catalysed a talk show frenzy as soon af- biggest marketing and PR (public rela- to find my place and on a live televi-
mer American football and Canadian ter it aired DStv was inundated which tions) agencies are in Harare and gen- sion broadcast, a few seconds is an
football player. And Evans is a multiple talk show proposals and ZBC at one erally seek service providers and talent eternity for the viewer and the pre-
award-winning multi-talented, private time had about 22 talk shows on air from Harare. I have been fortunate to senter. I would have been happy if the
and creative entrepreneur, sought-after after my show aired. This is important have worked all over the country from ground swallowed me!
director ceremonies nationally and in- to me because motivation and personal Victoria Falls, Mutare, Harare, Kariba JM: If you were to do it again what
ternationally, television producer and development are important to me and and Bulawayo as the majority of my would it be?
media personality. He is a director of it’s something I share on my social me- service points. There is business all AE: Allow to start with a disclaimer
Technoexpert Construction, a catego- dia (@arthurevanszw), so being a posi- across the country, but unfortunately that I have generally always put my
ry ‘A’ civil and building contractor that tive influence is great. I celebrate all the most large opportunities have decision best foot forward in all I do and so
has more than 30 years of trade under dream chasers. makers based in Harare. everything has led me to this perfect
its belt. 16 years of entrepreneurial ex-   JM: Most people believe Harare is JM: Most people say you are a moment. Even meeting you guys from
perience, over 10 years of senior man- more lucrative for business than Bu- Dwayne Johnson look-alike. Do you The NewsHawks and being part of
agement experience, 15 years of media lawayo. Do you believe in this? know this and are you offended? this publication and interacting with
experience. There are many cards in AE: Not entirely, as you must under- AE: I’m not offended at all and one day the person reading this very sentence
the pack but there is only one Arthur stand that the grass is not always green- I had to concede wholeheartedly after is just perfectly set – it’s where I am
C Evans (ACE). Evans (AE) speaks to er on the other side. Geographical a friend of mine in Chicago shared a meant to be.
The NewsHawks’ Jonathan Mbiriyam- picture of the two of us and we literally
veka (JM) in this interview in which However, if I could turn back time
he explains why he is not offended I would either continue to pursue
when people mistake him for Johnson. athletics as I was a national athlete
And for the record, he said, “The Rock and even vice-captained Zimbabwe at
looks like me!” Read the excerpts: Under-20 level. Or, not turned down
JM: You are a ZBC TV news anchor. a place at Zimbabwe Saints FC squad
Tell us, how did it all start? to play in the Premier Soccer League
AE: ZBC were looking for anchors in so that my body was conditioned for
2005 and the owner of Strides bou- my trials that I was meant to attend at
tique heard of their audition call for Galway FC in Ireland. Unfortunately,
good English speakers that are not I tore my meniscus two weeks before
camera shy. trials and damaged my ACL (anterior
cruciate ligament) in my right knee.
Despite my not being attached to I could have been playing profession-
Strides Modelling Agency, she for- al soccer in Europe if it wasn’t for that
warded my name. I went for inter- injury.
views and did enough to get placed for JM: Tell us, do you have a family or
some trial live news broadcasts. you are a singleton?
AE: I have a family that prefers to stay
My relationship with the national away from the public eye. They leave
broadcaster has mainly involved the me to deal with that although they un-
Main News bulletin but has in the past derstand that when we’re together in
included numerous other productions public that we will be disturbed as peo-
in various roles such as voice overs, ple will want to meet me, take pictures
Good Morning Zimbabwe, other pre- and have a quick chat and I don’t mind
senting roles and recently as a present- because even if I don’t know everyone,
er and producer of the popular World I appreciate that they have taken time
Sports show which I’m excited to say to recognise me and what I do.
will be making a return to the screens JM: Any information you want to
soon. share with your fans?
 JM: Are you a full-time employee of AE: Every weekday I promote my
ZBC or you have other side hustles monthly theme on my social media.
that you do? You have to follow me on Instagram
AE: I am a part-time employee. The and Twitter @arthurevanszw and on
station and I have enjoyed a great re- Facebook @Arthur C. Evans. “ACE”
lationship and, despite my other com- are my initials, so many of my friends
mitments, I have always made an effort call me “ACE” and I don’t mind any-
to stretch myself whenever called upon one calling me this. I’m always going
because behind the scenes I’ve met and to reply messages but people have to
still work with what I consider some of follow me and ask the hard questions
the most dedicated professionals that I and get ready for honest hard-hitting
have ever seen. Most people bemoan answers. If anyone is a Manchester
the quality of the broadcasts, but no United fan, then we will be very good
matter the mountains the staff and friends!
leadership are always on duty ready to
fulfill their commitments.
JM: What happened to your talk
show and what was the thrust of the

Page 36 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Maskiri to release
Mbinga from Binga

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA young rich upwardly mobile man. sistency,” he said. tertainment and then Stunner. 2011 was a good year for Maski-
The album cover depicts Maskiri Mbinga from Binga, produced by “Well, I was attacked because I ri after he moved to South Africa
ZIMBABWE hip-hop rapper Maski- where he teamed up with Zimba-
ri is readying his 10th studio album and his Tonga girlfriend standing South Africa-based GT and Movie was the man at the top. Mr C at- bwean super producer of the urban
simply titled Mbinga from Binga. beside a cow with beads around its D, is due out this month-end. tacked me and so did Stunner. But grooves era -- Sipho Mukhuhlani
head. with Stunner it was a different case aka TBA. The album featured he hit
The album, which drops after a It has been three years since Ma- because he told me he wanted to be song Wenera, a collaboration with
year-long lull on the mainstream And in Binga, besides its cultur- skiri’s return from South Africa and known. I never believed in beef un- Nox Guni.
music scene, will either make or al significance, has plenty to enjoy he says he is now in a good space. less if it’s physical,” he said. 
break Maskiri’s career spanning two including basketware, beadwork, Wenera was his first-ever music
decades. drums and carved stools and doors. “I live in Chishawasha and so far “If you notice, people who usual- video and it was voted Video of The
The town is a good destination for so good. I like it here because it is ly beef in hip-hop do it for business. Year at the 2012 edition of the Na-
Now aged 40, Maskiri aka Skillaz tourists who enjoy long drives. There quiet and serene,” he said. But here it doesn’t work because at tionsl Arts Merit Awards. Wenera
believes his music is still as relevant is plenty to enjoy on the southern the end of the day you get nothing made it to number two on the Power
as it was during his formative years shores of Lake Kariba. Born Alishias Musimbe, Maskiri out of it.” FM top 100 charts the same year.
around the turn of the millenni- made a huge splash on the main-
um when the new genre of urban Already, Maskiri has released stream music scene with his 2003 While the Blue Movie album cre- He then released Recovery in
grooves took root. two singles off Mbinga from Bin- debut album Muviri Wese which ated a lot of hype and enjoyed com- 2014 that featured Tererai Mugwadi
ga --- one titled Mabude featuring topped the charts. The album has ex- mercial success for Maskiri, it never on the song Namwari and Mari Yako
“I appreciate the music scene has his new signee Blackarose and Mai plicit sexual content, but somehow made it on radio, thanks to national Chete. After riding the popularity
changed a lot, but my music is as rel- Mukudzeyi featuring Vito. made it to the airwaves. galas at the time where he performed wave, Maskiri took a sabbatical.
evant as it was before. I have collab- songs on the album.
orated with Tererai, Blackarose and The reception was lukewarm, es- The song Dhara Rangu was later It was only in 2019 that be an-
Vito,” he said. pecially now that there are young- banned on national radio stations His follow-up album was Tapinda nounced his return with an al-
sters who are running the game, for its controversial lyrics where Ma- Tapinda, which was a buzz word in bum titled Comeback, but it was a
Titling the album Mbinga from the likes of ASAP, Holy Ten and Ti- skiri makes reference to God as his the streets at the time. lukewarm project or rather under-
Binga is no misnormer as Maskiri Gonzi. homeboy. ground. It did not achieve commer-
explained. He came back with Ndotaundi cial success as Maskiri was perhaps
“Of course, these youngsters are His sophomore album Blue Mov- Yacho in 2009 and maintained his going through a lot both musically
“Nowadays people are talking doing well in Zim hip-hop and it is ie, released in 2005, caused quite a dominance on the scene, but not and socially.
about mbinga (wealthy men). There my hope that they remain levelhead- stir on the music scene and was con- without stirring up further contro-
are fake mbinga and real ones, but all ed. Another thing is they should en- demned in some circles for its explic- versy. Maskiri’s love life was messy “I have two lovely daughters, but I
I am saying I am mbinga in my own sure longevity in music. I have been it sexual content. However, it put after he was allegedly involved in am single,” he said.
way from Binga. Remember Binga watching the trend over time that Maskiri in the spotlight with other a scuffle over a woman. He broke
has rich traditions and customs and musicians come and go and it would contemporaries going after him as he his leg after falling off a third-floor It remains to be seen whether or
there is a beach,” he said. be sad if these young stars fizzle out maintained his pole position. apartment in the Avenues in Harare.  not Mbinga from Binga will attain
after one or two songs; we want con- He still limps after that incident. commercial success.
Mbinga is a slang word for a Then came beef with his former
stablemate Mr C of Phathood En-

NewsHawks People & Places Page 37

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Mbano Manor: Zim’s most expensive hotel

Mbano Manor Hotel rooms and insert is the owner, Martha Matifadza.

WITH 19 private and secluded luxu- Mbano Manor Hotel swimming pool Mbano Manor Hotel Victoria Falls offers an abundance of
ry suites nestled in an ancient teak tree a spacious king-sized bedroom, bath- leisure pursuits and adventure tourism
forest, room, dressing room and a private provided by an international investor. four kilometres from the entrance to activities, with options including sight-
courtyard. The perfect and tranquil These include Hippo Valley and Trian- the Victoria Falls rainforest. This means seeing at the iconic Victoria Falls, riv-
Mbano Manor Hotel – which cost space in which to unwind. gle Pension Funds, as well asStandard visitors will be able to enjoy the best er safaris, helicopter excursions, game
US$8 million to build – offers one of Chartered Pension Fund, and from two of all worlds – a tranquil hotel setting, drives in nearby parks, river rafting, and
the most luxurious environments in Local pension funds financed the Minerva Pension Funds. wildlife safaris, adventure sport, or a much more.
Zimbabwe. development, over and above an ini- tour of the Victoria Falls Rain Forest
tial injection of feasibility funding, The hotel is located on Old Kazu- and its majestic views of the world’s Guests are welcomed to a bespoke
The prices per room range from ngula road, on the edge of town, only largest curtain of water. luxury experience, defined by intuitive
US$305 to US$500. This is obviously service within a timeless nature setting.
for well-heeled clients. No chancers. The tranquil suites-only luxury bou- Generous terraces connect the main
tique hotel offers world-class hospital- hotel facility featuring an indoor and
Owned by Professor Norman Nyaze- ity to travellers seeking luxury accom- outdoor dining, a self-service bar and a
ma and his wife Dr Martha Matifadza, modation and personalised, intuitive swimming pool. Chauffeured golf carts
the founder and executive director of service, while visiting the Victoria Falls provide easy shuttle between suites and
the project, Mbano Manor Hotel was and its surrounds. hotel facilities. We pride ourselves in
launched in August last year by Presi- delivering intuitive service geared to ap-
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa. The Forest Villa offers even greater preciate your needs all overlooking the
luxury and enhanced privacy for the bird and tree forest gardens.
It forms part of the National Tour- VIP visitor or visiting dignitary.
ism Recovery and Growth Strategy A masterpiece design, Mbano Manor
launched by Mnangagwa on 6 August The icing on the cake is that Mbano Hotel was carefully situated to ensure
2020 at the Victoria Falls. This week Manor Hotel is conveniently located minimal disruption of the original teak
it got a government guarantee for a within close proximity of the Victoria tree forest. The design is classic-chic,
ZW$10 million loan from CBZ Bank Falls, a Unesco World Heritage site and crafted around bungalow architecture,
in that context. one of the Seven Natural Wonders of traditional shutters, abundant spaces
the World. and generous verandas from which to
Situated on four acres, its 19 suites, enjoy the rich natural setting.
including a masterpiece Forest Villa, are
boosted by support services including a Interiors boast effortless comfort
classy reception, lounge, bar, back of with modern amenities, and thoughtful
house, kitchen and swimming pool, in touch points to guarantee a luxury stay.
a teak forest setting adjacent to Zam- Ancient teak trees dominate the large
bezi National Park. forest setting, with pathways linking
public areas and the luxury suites
The exterior design of Mbano Man-
or Hotel, whose name is derived from Mbano Manor Hotel design show-
the owner’s totem, embraces effortless cases a great collaboration between ho-
countryside yet modern experience, tel owner Mati Nyazema, Zimbabwe-
defined by large bungalow architecture, an and award-winning architect Bruce
open-flowing public areas and impos- Rowlands, and South African interior
ing verandas. designer Ryan Illgner. – STAFF WRITER

The individual suites consist of a
calming lounge area with high ceiling,

Property
NewsHawks

Page 38 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Issue 21, 12 March 2021

The home of prime property: property@newshawks.com

Pictures showing different elevations of the neglected Siakobvu government office complex project.

OBERT SIAMILANDU Real estate sector subdued as Parliament John Houghton could
economic impact hits home only say he would seek answers from
CONSTRUCTION of the the relevant authorities.
multi-million-dollar Siakobvu gov- level in 2003. Musambakaruma. could have ballooned owing to re-
ernment office complex, 210 kilo- The office complex was meant to Villagers in Siakobvu travel for cent price adjustments by construc- “With regard to the barely com-
metres south of Kariba town, re- tion hardware suppliers.  menced government office complex,
mains incomplete, almost 20 years accommodate all government de- more than 300 kilometres to Kari- I can submit a written question to
later. partments in Siakobvu. ba town when using the Karoi-Bin- The project site where one office Parliament but please be aware that
ga road or 210 kilometres via the block had been built to deck level it is unlikely to be answered within
The complex, located approxi- The failure to complete the con- Gatche Gatche – Nemakande road, has been derelict for several years. about six months and is also unlike-
mately 100 metres from Nyamin- struction means that people are to access basic but critical govern- Some of the building material on ly to have a conclusive or satisfacto-
yami Rural District Council offices, forced to travel to government offic- ment services. Meanwhile, there are site has been vandalised. ry response,” he said.
has been neglected owing to a lack es in Kariba, yet most local commu- fears that the project cost which was
of funding, causing massive incon- nities are clustered under four rural, estimated at US$5 million in 2017 Contacted for comment on the “By way of examples, when I
veniences to the rural communities namely Mola, Negande, Nebiri and stalled project, Kariba member of asked about the Karoi to Binga
who were hoping government ser- road, Parliament was informed that
vices would be brought closer to government has undertaken to com-
their homes. Citing a shortage of plete 10km each year. The road still
funds, the contractor abandoned needs around 200km so you can
the structure while it was at window hope that the road will be complet-
ed in 20 years’ time.”

NewsHawks Sport Page 39

Issue 22, 19 March 2021 ‘Silent warrior’ hangs up A mentor, a friend, a brother.
What a player and even better
ENOCK MUCHINJO person. All the best brother!”
Born in Harare and raised
A TRULY unique sight of Cape boots after clocking century  in Bulawayo, Mukondiwa ex-
Town, something inescapable celled as an all-round sports-
even to folks least interested in man at Milton Junior and
sport and as exceptional a fea- Milton High Schools in Zim-
ture of the city as Table Moun- babwe’s second largest city
tain, is the club rugby culture – initially winning colours in
of this remarkable place.   of the terminology used by the football, rugby, cricket and
club on its platforms to de- athletics.
It is simply a way of life for scribe Mukondiwa. Rugby and cricket compet-
Capetonians, since time imme- For his 100th Milnerton ap- ed for attention in later years
morial, part and parcel of the pearance, which came against such that even after making
locals’ collective psyche across the Villagers club, Mukondiwa his international rugby debut
all the racial communities of took to the field in a specially for the Sables away to Kenya
the Western Cape at large. designed jersey with his name in 2002, Mukondiwa was still
and number of caps printed on good enough to be part of the
Big happy crowds gather all the front, and a big “100” in- CFX National Cricket Acade-
day on a Saturday to support scribed at the back. my squad in 2003-4.
their favourite local club, from To suit the occasion, Mil- Despite some cricket first-
the youth teams all the way up nerton invited none other than class appearances in-between,
to the first XV – friends, male Zimbabwe national team great rugby finally won the contest
and female, young and old, Mzi Nyathi to hand over the to be Mukondiwa’s chosen ca-
children and parents, grandpas shirt to Mukondiwa, a young- reer, thanks chiefly to a club
and grandmas – all passionate er teammate of his, some years spell in the United Kingdom
about a sport that has been back home in Bulawayo at Old around 2005. 
played in their parts for cen- Miltonians club.  He then returned to south-
turies.  Ex-Sables hooker Nyathi, ern Africa to launch his career
who now coaches a club in in earnest, starting off in Polok-
Sights and sounds so beau- Kenya, had spent some time wane. With that, his romance
tiful as the scenery of Cape working with schools in the with Zimbabwe’s national team
Town itself, it becomes easy to Western Cape, where he had was rekindled and several Test
see why South Africa is, in the also managed to build a good caps earned, teaming up with
eyes of the world, the special reputation of his own.  different generations of Sables
rugby nation that it is.  “Honoured to have Zim- players over the years. 
babwe Rugby legend, former Big and rugged, Mukondiwa
The veneration of rugby in captain, Old Miltonian Mzi was a key member of Zimba-
the Western Cape has made the Nyathi hand me over my 100th bwe’s 2012 Africa Cup-win-
sport occupy a very important game jersey last night. Bless- ning side, and back in 2007
place in society in that while ed to be part of the Unimilrfc he had captained the country
not everyone gets to become family,” posted Mukondiwa on once on interim basis.
a nationally recognised star, or Facebook back then. Often an eighthman at Test
a Springbok, local heroes are Waseem Taliep, a Milnerton level – gifted with ball-carry-
created, admired and looked teammate of Mukondiwa, had ing abilities and solid defence
upon to exhibit exemplary life- some words of admiration for – Mukondiwa was the perfect
styles on and off the field. One his colleague on notching up team man throughout his in-
of those role models of Cape 100 caps for their club.   ternational career, attributes
Town rugby is Norman Mu- “This week we pay tribute that won him the enormous
kondiwa, who has retired from to a true club legend. Norman respect of teammates, coaches
the game after clocking an in- Norman Mukondiwa walks onto the field for his 100th club appearance. Mukondiwa congrats on 100 and fans of the Sables.
credible 100 caps for Union
Milnerton inside a decade. caps, pity I can’t run along- This is revealed in the words
play in the Western Province Loose forward Mukondiwa’s paid glowing tribute to the side you for this special occa- of former Zimbabwe teammate
The former Zimbabwe in- Rugby Football Union Super 100-caps feat was greeted with likeable Zimbabwean.  sion but extremely honoured Tichafara “T-Mak” Makwanya,
ternational reached the mile- League A, are one of the top much fanfare at Milnerton as “Silent warrior” and “Ulti- and privileged to have walked who applauded Mukondiwa’s
stone in August 2019 but the clubs in the Cape Town area. teammates, staff and fans alike mate club legend” were some part of this journey with you. contribution after hearing of
interruption of Covid-19 has the ex-star back-row’s retire-
contributed to his decision to
finally call time on his playing
career at the ripe age of 38.

Union Milnerton, who were
established 48 years ago and

ment from all forms of rugby.  
“A fierce warrior and com-
petitor on and off the park.
Multi-talented too,” wrote fly-
half Makwanya. “Appreciate
the lessons given, love shown
and acceptance when I first
made the (Zimbabwe) team.
May you enjoy your retirement
knowing you fully earned the
respect of your peers#onethe-
best#8wenyika.”
Another ex-Zimbabwe
teammate, Jan Ferreira, wrote
in short: “You’re a legend, bug-
ger.” 
In retirement, Mukondi-
wa still plies his trade in the
vibrant sporting fraternity of
Cape Town, where he has ven-
tured into fitness training and
conditioning. Coaching could
be a possible route, if he de-
cides to follow in the footsteps
of some of his old teammates.
Former national team cap-
tain Daniel Hondo, who
teamed up with Mukondiwa
in one of the most formidable
Sables sides of recent years,
is now the Zimbabwe team’s
backline coach.
Mukondiwa can also look
at cricket and see that two of
his old CFX Academy team-
mates, Stuart Matsikenyeri and
Stanley Chioza, are part of the
Zimbabwe national side’s back-
room staff – Matsikenyeri as
batting coach and the later as
video performance analyst.
But for now, the easy-going
“silent warrior” will take it one
step at a time, just like he did
on his way into the hearts of
Cape Town rugby lovers.

Page 40 Sport NewsHawks

Issue 22, 19 March 2021

Why is Brazil so good at football?

ASK soccer fans which team welcome at the all-white Euro- common in Brazilian soccer remained a persistent temp- Brazil football fans first to write about soccer in
they want to see play before pean clubs. —Friedenreich made sure he tation. One of Brazil’s early Freyre, an academic whose the enthusiastic tones that fans
they die and many will say was never photographed with black stars, Leônidas, invented writings placed soccer at the used when they spoke about
Brazil. In their yellow shirts Brazilians celebrated when a his black mother and slicked the bicycle kick, but even he heart of what it meant to be the sport.
and blue shorts, Brazil has collection of their best players down his curly hair before ev- had to deal with people rush- Brazilian. For him, soccer was
earned the reputation of play- beat a visiting English side in ery game. ing the pitch during one game the perfect reflection of his The idea that blacks are
ing attractive soccer more 1914. They celebrated again and chanting, “Lynch him!” multi-racial country, where all naturally more creative or
consistently than anyone else. when their team won the However, as white Brazil- races had to work together to athletic than whites attracted
When Brazilians dubbed soc- South American champion- ians discovered that winning In the 1930’s, three men win. He celebrated the black critics in Brazil, and rightly
cer “o jogo bonito,” the beau- ship in 1919. games fed their national pride further cemented soccer at the contribution to Brazilian soc- so. But the ideas that soccer
tiful game, it wasn’t just an they were willing to overlook core of Brazil’s national iden- cer, arguing that the fluid, cre- made Brazil special and that
aspiration. The winning goal in that their prejudices. Racist abuse tity. The first was the coun- ative way Brazilians played was Brazilians made soccer special
final was scored by a player of Afro-Brazilian players in try’s authoritarian president, a result of their African roots, now had the support not just
Brazil also wins. with African heritage, or an Argentina in 1920 and at the Getúlio Vargas. He didn’t like and contrasting this to the rig- of fans, but of leading figures
The team’s reward for mak- Afro-Brazilian — Arthur Frie- World Cup in fascist Italy in soccer, but he made use of it to id, unimaginative style of Eu- in politics, academia, and
ing football more about art denreich. 1934 encouraged Brazilians to unify people and reduce social ropean teams. journalism. This popular-elite
than science has been more see soccer as a unifying force in tensions. combination created a stable
World Cup trophies than any He was only allowed to play their society — even if racism The third man was a jour- foundation for the connection
other nation and the highest on white teams because of his The second was Gilberto nalist, Mario Filho. He was the between soccer and Brazil’s na-
winning percentage of any na- German father. Racism was tional identity.
tional team.
How did Brazil get so good? With that foundation in
Some say it’s because poor place, Brazilians became good
Brazilians playing on the street at soccer in large part because
learn how to stay on their feet the prestige attached to the
and control the ball better than game ensured that every year
those who grow up playing on millions of youngsters would
grass. But you could make the juggle a ball and dream of rep-
same argument for many other resenting their country.
countries — poverty is unfor-
tunately not unique to Brazil. Success also helped. Bra-
Brazil is not great at soccer zil won the World Cup three
because of any special, natural times in quick succession
endowment. Brazil became —1958, 1962, and 1970.
the best in the world because That their best player, Pelé,
Brazilians made the game cen- was Afro-Brazilian, solidified
tral to their understanding the idea that racial diversity
of what made their country was central to the team’s suc-
special. Every nation wants cess. Brazil won the cup again
something they can take pride in 1994 and 2002.
in. For Brazil, that was soccer.
And they decided on that long When the team loses, the
before they won their first nation mourns. The 7-1 de-
World Cup. feat by Germany on home
The British invented the soil in the 2014 World Cup
modern game of soccer and semi-final was especially hard
took it to Brazil in the 1890’s. to stomach. Yet Brazil contin-
Before long, there were several ues to win more games than
teams in São Paulo and Rio de it loses —69% in the World
Janeiro made up of European Cup — and to produce players
immigrants. Locals watched, with skills that make the rest
then took up the game. They of the world smile. They are
formed their own teams be- not the only country to do so.
cause most of them weren’t But nowhere else is soccer so
central to a country’s self-un-
derstanding and self-belief.

– restoftheiceberg.com

IT took six years of South Fifa’s African football still care about processes and
Africa’s transition to democ- pact: Hope all ends well their potential consequences
racy – and four years after – and that is the nature of Mo-
neighbouring Zimbabwe gave doing so, greatly transforming tion of African Football (Caf ) tsepe’s election.
them a harsh reception to in- the lives of many footballers last week was a long overdue
ternational competition with a who never had that chance in realisation that control of the Clinching the biggest job in
4-1 demolition in Harare – for game needed to African football unchallenged,
Bafana Bafana to clinch their come down south through an electoral pact, is
first Africa Cup of Nations ti- to strike a balance part of the democratic process
tle. in a lop-sided hi- to elections. 
HawkZone erarchy of football
For Orlando Pirates, one of governance on this But there is a question:
South Africa’s biggest football continent. what does the future hold in
clubs, transformation had paid And in Motsepe, a game full of diverse views,
off handsomely even earlier Enock no one from this diverse interests and diverse
when the Soweto giants were agendas? For how long is the
crowned champions of African Muchinjo part of the conti- entire continent going to rally
club football in 1995. nent seems to fit behind the Motsepe admin-
the bill perfectly for istration, exhibiting the kind
Qualifying for the 1998 that office than the of harmony shown before and
World Cup finals in France highly successful during the Caf general assem-
was therefore celebrated glee- their own countries.  Mamelodi Sundowns owner.  bly in Morocco last Friday?
fully across the Rainbow Na- Yet hitherto, despite all the Billionaire Motsepe’s track
tion – an exciting new democ- on-field achievements, Africa’s record as a successful entrepre- As for Fifa, while the world
racy – as both the culmination most advanced economy has neur gives high hope that his football governing body is
of all the good work done not had much say insofar as proven leadership will swiftly feeling rather chuffed with
since readmission and only the Caf president Patrice Motsepe the governance of the game is set up African football for a itself at the moment for bro-
beginning of even better days kering what appears to be a
for South African football. concerned on the continent. prosperous future.  masterstroke deal for African
competition, the Premier Soc- tablished itself as the richest In a sense, the Fifa-backed However, at the great risk of football, the suits in Zurich
South Africa though has cer League. league in Africa, recruiting ascendancy of South African sounding pessimistic, there is will know too well how fickle
not been able to maintain that some of the best footballing tycoon Patrice Motsepe to the something though that should the politics of the game is.
level of early success, apart Since the 1990s, the South talent on the continent and, in presidency of the Confedera- concern those amongst us who
from Mamelodi Sundowns African Premiership has es- Certainly, by playing a deci-
winning the African Cham- sive role in the African football
pions League in more recent elections, the last thing Fifa
times, 2016. want is to be accused of, some
day, of using the esteemed
One consistent aspect of member nations of Caf as
South African football that the pieces on their chessboard.
country can however be proud
of is its top-flight domestic This is not something we
want to see happen.

Sports Fifa’s Caf
‘Silent warrior’ football pact:
Hope all ends
hangs up boots well

after clocking
centuryThursday 1 October 2020

Friday 19 March 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

NEWSWHAT’S INSIDE CULTURE
$60 Covid
tariff for PakistanCommunity

PSL invisitors & radio
tourists
Tests inregulations
Story on Page 3 Zim tounder review
go aheadStory on Page 8
PAKISTAN looks likely to pro-
ceed with the two Test matches
in Zimbabwe after all, following
earlier indications that the Asians

Chamisa reaccould drop the five-day format
on their upcoming tour of Africa
next month.
Reports last week said the Pa-

lukewarm kistan Cricket Board (PCB) was
considering postponing the Test
series from the Zimbabwe leg of
out to Khupetheir tour to this region, sched-
uled to take place after a pair of
white-ball series against South
Africa.  The reason given for the
proposed postponement of the

reaction Utnoofficial president calls for emergeTests was that the PCB was ea-
ger to complete the Pakistan
Super League (PSL) before the
beginning of the Indian Premier
quick return League (IPL) mid-April.
The three Twenty20 inter-

nationals on the Zimbabwe leg
of the tour would, however, go
ahead under a tweaked itinerary.

However, Pakistan’s chief se-
lector Mohammad Wasim has
since announced a 20-man squad
for the two Tests in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s PSL has been granted and, with no official statement
provisional permission to resume. yet from both national boards re-
garding the series, it does appear
that it will go ahead as scheduled.
Reports indicate that both the
two Tests and three T20s will be
ENOCK MUCHINJO This publication has established that the SRC, in fact, played in Bulawayo.
was in the last 24 hours ready to give final authority for
ZIMBABWE’S Premier Soccer League (PSL) has damp- Zimbabwean domestic football to resume, but could not The Asian giants will fly into
ened hopes for a much quicker return to competition in a do so “until the law is in place”, according to an insider. Zimbabwe’s second largest city on
statement that lays out the league’s roadmap for resump- The authorisation, the last hurdle in the resumption 17 April, a day after completing
their three ODI and four T20 se-
tion.  process, will be issued when the government officially ga- ries against the Proteas.
The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) this zettes the guidelines for the return of competitive domes- The specialist Test players on
week announced that football activity, headlined by the tic football in the country. tour will remain in Pakistan and
Premiership, could resume, but only after meeting laid- The PSL’s statement further reads: “The Premier Soccer only travel here ahead of the se-
out health and safety requirements in the midst of the League accepts the conditions and operating procedures ries. The Test series will provide
Covid-19 pandemic. set by the Sports and Recreation Commission in light of much-needed game-time consis-
the return of football. The League is currently in the pro- tency for action-starved Zimba-
Despite the lifeline thrown to the local game, a PSL cess of engaging key stakeholders to discuss steps to be bwe in the longer format of the
statement on Thursday however reveals the league’s anxi- taken to meet the set conditions for the safe and appro- game following recent matches
ety over an immediate return to full activity. priate return of football.” against newcomers Afghanistan in
the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The process will involve Covid-19 testing, pre-season The league’s unenthusiastic reaction to the latest devel- After demolishing Afghanistan by
training, registration of players and inspection and sani-
tisation of stadia before the commencement of competi- opments appears to stem from serious concern over its 10 wickets inside two days in the
tions,” PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare said in the state- cash-strapped clubs’ ability to return to normalcy follow- first Test, the Zimbabweans were
ment.  ing 15 months of forced hiatus, as well as the poor state of brought down to earth in the sec-
“The League’s priority is the health and safety of the stadia across the country.  ond contest, losing by six wickets
nation including the players, coaches, club staff and sup- wipes out $3.2 Billion depositors c
porters and will ensure that all the necessary safety precau- Zifa, the goverAniLnSg ObodINy oSfItDheEgameFiinntahne ccoeuMntriyn, isty fuaansodtnhsee-tawllod-rmawaZt. cihmse'rsielsafitneisshtedlainnd
tions are taken.”
has only pledged to keep its obligation to foot referees’ The UAE tour, meanwhile,
Hope and relief greeted the announcement by the expenses for all leagues as well as footing some costs for has ended in misery for Zim-
country’s national sport regulator, more so with the SRC Covid-19 testing. babwe, who have now lost the
excluding the precondition of the costly bubble concept, three-match T20 series to the
which is being used in the more advanced world where The national federation added that it “has further Afghans following defeats in the
competitive sport is back in full swing. engaged all affiliates for further input to ensure that the opening two ties. The last match,
eventual standard operating procedures we shall use are
relevant to local football realities.” a dead-rubber, is on this Saturday.

—STAFF WRITER

ALSO INSIDE Fifa’s Africa footbal pact: Hope all ends well