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US$1
Friday 26 November 2021
WHAT’S INSIDE NMEnWanSgagwa to BGUoSvItNbEuSrdSens FSPifOa RsiTlence
acquire a new taxpayers with keeps Zim
chopper after US$3bn RBZ in suspense
scary incidents legacy debt
Story on Page 44
Story on Page 4 Story on Page 7
I have strong
case against
Mnangagwa
- Musengezi
ALSO INSIDE War vets poised for better pay after hefty budget allocation
Page 2 News NewsHawks
I have strong Issue 58, 26 November 2021
case against
Mnangagwa:
Musengezi
ZANU PF member Sybeth Musengezi, also a He says given this, Mnangagwa cannot plead those in power accountable. Zanu PF leaders Zanu PF member Sybeth Musengezi
local businessman and economist, says he has immunity, as his immunity as state President must uphold their own constitution before they the status quo should be interrupted”.
a strong case against the ruling party which in- does not extend to his position as Zanu PF lead- are expected to respect the national constitution,
stalled President Emmerson Mnangagwa at its er. He adds Mpofu was “purposefully conflat- he adds. “Herein lies the 1st respondent (Zanu PF)’s
helm unconstitutionally and unlawfully, making ing” the two offices for a thinly-disguised and real fear, that is, that all things subsequently
him a creature of illegalities. self-serving agenda. On the issue of exhausting internal remedies built on the basis of illegality must now come
first, Musengezi contends it is irrational for any- tumbling down. But the law, so I am advised, is
In his answering affidavit, in High Court Case “The constitutional provision relating to presi- one to expect him to get justice from the same very clear, that, nothing attaches to an illegality
Number. HC 5687/21, Musengezi comes out dential immunity is not applicable in the present party structures he is accusing of acting illegally no matter how big or great or important such
guns blazing against Zanu PF (first respondent), case,” Musengezi says. “No relief is being sought and causing injustice in the first place, and who construction may be,” Musengezi says.
Mnangagwa (second), Obert Mpofu (third) against the President of the Republic of Zimba- are also “tainted with illegalities”. “Such would
and Patrick Chinamasa (fourth). The fifth re- bwe, either in his official or personal capacity in amount to judgment of a complaint by the sus- He adds that he has crystallised a clear and
spondent is former vice-president Phelekezela this application. Accordingly, applicant stands by pect,” he says. solid case against Zanu PF and by extension
Mphoko and the sixth is ex-Zanu PF secretary its afore averred averments.” Mnangagwa, hence his relief sought cannot be
for administration Ignatius Chombo. The illegalities Musengezi complains about incompetent as claimed by Mpofu and others.
Musengezi goes further: “To drag the office of arise from the Zanu PF central committee meet-
Zanu PF and Mnangagwa are represented by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe into ing of 19 November 2017, which he says was “I persist in praying for declaratory orders
Edwin Manikai of Dube, Manikai and Hwacha, this suit is to obfuscate issues upon which my unconstitutionally convened, constituted and sought herein for good reason and measure,” he
while Musengezi’s counsel is Bulawayo-based application is rooted. I restate for the umpteenth conducted, as the late former president Robert notes.
Ncube Attorneys, whose correspondent law firm time, that no relief is being sought by myself Mugabe and Mphoko — the only two officials
in Harare is Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Ma- against the President of the Republic of Zim- who could have legally called for it — were not Musengezi argues failure to convene a legal
koni. babwe in his official or personal capacity. Relief there. central committee meeting, citing “exigencies
is sought against the 1st respondent, a political of the situation” sowed the seeds of subsequent
In a devastating answering affidavit, Musen- association known as the Zimbabwe African Na- “I am advised that illegalities even by opera- illegalities. “That is where the lawlessness crept
gezi seeks to crush all the issues raised by Manikai tional Union Patriotic Front, itself a legal entity tion of prescription do not then become legali- in,” he says.
for Zanu PF and Mnangagwa, as well as others. founded upon its Constitution. Such institution ties,” he adds.
is capable of suing and being sued in its own “To be clear, in terms of the 1st respondent
He says to begin with the opposing affidavit standing”. On time lapse, Musengezi states: “The relief(s) (Zanu PF)’s constitution, the central committee
filed by Manikai for Zanu PF and its officials, sought are declaratory orders of illegality that can meet either for the purpose of making new
particularly Mpofu, was done without an exhib- Addressing Mpofu’s claim, supported by Zanu cannot be time bound or prescribed for so long regulations or for the purpose of applying exist-
it of the ruling party’s resolution or permission PF member Goodwills Masimirembwa, that he as the illegalities complained of are continuing. ing regulations. It cannot meet to make new reg-
for them to do so, as the party is supposed to be is not a party member, Musengezi emphatically Thus, the provisions of the Prescription Act here- ulations and apply them at that same meeting,”
represented in litigation by its secretary for legal dismisses the allegation. He says he is a Zanu PF in cited are not applicable in circumstances such he states.
affairs — Paul Mangwana — in terms of article card-carrying member whose POSB statement as these”.
9, section 55(3) of its constitution. is linked to the party’s bank account through “The submission of illegality, and therefore of
which he subscribes for his membership for 20 In any case, there was Covid-19 and the resul- a nullity is well grounded.”
Musengezi notes Mpofu, secretary for admin- years now. tant lockdowns, he argues. Musengezi says Zanu
istration, merely claimed to be representing the PF and Mpofu’s assertions that the matter is now Musengezi adds: “It is alarming to hear that
party without producing evidence. As a result, he He attached documents to support that. moot is wrong. He says since the party acted ul- illegalities from start can be rectified or validat-
says Zanu PF has not properly filed its notice of Musengezi adds that he contested Zanu PF’s tra vires its constitution in appointing and install- ed later. I submit that, that which is founded on
opposition and opposing affidavit, meaning it is 2018 primary elections after being vetted by the ing Mnangagwa leader illegally, that legal nullity an illegality cannot stand, and further cannot be
legally out of court. Central Intelligence Organisation operatives as cannot be overtaken and cured by time, or even- validated by subsequent events. A nullity, I am
the party usually does, which proves beyond rea- tuation of certain events. advised, is a nullity for all time . . . It started with
Musengezi further says Mnangagwa and Chi- sonable doubt he is a bona fide member. illegality and ended with it. It was, and still is a
namasa have also not filed their notices of oppo- He says he is defending the party’s constitution “A legal nullity does not become overtaken or nullity . . . All the subsequent built up, was built
sition and opposing affidavits, but instead sub- and its political and ideological values therein. cured by passage of time and the eventuation of on a nullity.
mitted supporting affidavits to Mpofu’s papers. “I thus have a substantial interest in the affairs certain events. My prayers herein are therefore
of the 1st respondent (Zanu PF) as to bestow lo- not moot,” he says. “I restate for the umpteenth time, that illegal-
In other words, they refrained from opposing cus standi upon myself in relation to the party’s ities do not become moot, and do not cease to
his case against themselves and are content with affairs,” Musengezi says. On Zanu PF’s claim that Mnangagwa was still hurt. I also submit that illegalities do not pre-
merely backing Mpofu in court. He adds that it was strange for Mpofu and a party member when he was installed by the scribe, and that the court should interrupt and
Masimirembwa to claim he is not a party mem- central committee, Musengezi boldy states: “This stop the illegalities any time they are brought
Musengezi, put differently, says the party ber and yet fail to produce the cell register they is not correct”. before it. I therefore respectfully submit that this
against whom substantive relief is sought — cite as evidence. In any case, they are not the ones application is neither academic of the mind nor
Zanu PF — has not opposed the application, who keep the records, but the commissariat de- He says that is why the central committee had an attempt to address matters that now lie moot.
even though Mpofu purports to be representing partment. to first restore his membership before appoint-
it without an exhibit to that effect. Mnangagwa Mpofu and others also tried to boldly declare ing him party leader pending approval by the “Over the years since independence, it is the
is cited as an interested party or beneficiary of Musengezi belonged to former Zanu PF youth extraordinary congress of 15 December 2017, 1st respondent (Zanu PF) that has provided per-
Zanu PF’s illegal activities, he avers. leader Godfrey Tsenengamu’s Front for Econom- which was not elective, but about ratification. sonnel to govern this country, and it is accord-
ic Emancipation in Zimbabwe (Feez) in search ingly, important that a party that governs, itself
On another note, Musengezi says Mpofu, of technicalities to get his application dismissed Musengezi contends Mnangagwa’s party lead- observes its own constitution before it is expected
with Mnangagwa and Chinamasa’s support, im- without considering the merits. He says he asso- ership was “founded on illegality” and “therefore to respect the broader national constitution. That
permissibly pleads law, violating the trite rule ciated with Feez while it was still an economic is how important this matter is.” —STAFF WRITER
that one does not plead the law, but facts only. empowerment and anti-corruption platform.
He thus demands Mpofu’s pleadings of the law When Feez was turned into a party on 31 Au-
should be expunged from the official court re- gust 2021, Musengezi says he remained a mem-
cord. ber of Zanu PF. He states that he has a legitimate,
direct and substantial interest in this case. “I am
Musengezi also says he has sued Mnangagwa directly affected by patently illegal decisions that
in his official capacity as the president and first its officials have foisted on it,” he points out.
secretary of Zanu PF, not as state President. Musengezi argues that having demonstrated
his Zanu PF membership and locus standi, he
“Applicant is alive to the distinction between wants to uphold the party constitution and hold
the office of the President of the Republic of
Zimbabwe and the President of the Zimbabwe
African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu
PF),” Musengezi states. “To suggest that the ap-
plicant is thereby suing the office of the President
of the Republic of Zimbabwe is self-servingly
misleading.”
NewsHawks News Page 3
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
IN the aftermath of his High Court application Who is Sybeth Musengezi?
challenging his own party Zanu PF over how it
unconstitutionally and illegally convened, consti- Sybeth Musengezi (right) with former Primary and Secondary Education minister Lazarus Dokora donning Zanu PF regalia in support of former president
tuted and conducted a Central Committee meet- Robert Mugabe and displays his academic regalia (left, below).
ing on 19 November 2017 to readmit and appoint
President Emmerson Mnangagwa interim leader hereto, exhibiting transactions between myself
pending ratification by the extraordinary congress and the 1st Respondent. It must be noted that
the following month, questions have arisen as to before any 1st respondent’s member participates
who is Sybeth Musengezi. in any election, there is thorough vetting from
the 1st respondent’s security department in liai-
Is he a bona fide Zanu PF member? Does he son with the commissariat department of the 1st
have locus standi to file the case? What is his back- respondent regarding membership and standing.
ground? Where does he come from? Who is be- The President’s Department, commonly known
hind his court application? Is he his own man or as the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO),
the proverbial tortoise on a post? also receives copies of the curriculum vitae of 1st
respondent’s primary election candidates as to
The NewsHawks sought to find out. also do security checks, which I passed before I
Essentially, Musengezi is a Zanu PF Youth participated in the primaries for the 2018 parlia-
League member born on 17 November 1984. His mentary elections.” — STAFF WRITER
party branch is Muzinda. He comes from Chi-
unye in Mount Darwin in Mashonaland Central
province. He went to primary school in his home
area. He then attended Mutondwe High School
in Mount Darwin in the late 1990s and later
Marlborough High School in Harare after 2000.
Musengezi later studied for a Bachelor of Ac-
counting Sciences (BCompt) with the University
of South Africa, Bachelor of Economics with the
University of Zimbabwe and Master’s in Econom-
ics (Bindura University of Science Education).
Apart from politics, Musengezi has business
interests in mining, and civil and structural en-
gineering.
Yet he is now facing a storm of observations
and accusations, claims and assertions about why
he has taken Zanu PF to court over how it re-
stored, appointed and installed Mnangagwa to
power.
One of the claims Musengezi faces is that he
is the proverbial pole turtle put up there by the
Zanu PF faction loyal to Vice-President Con-
stantino Chiwenga — who is locked in a power
struggle with Mnangagwa over the unresolved
party leadership question after the ouster of the
late former president Robert Mugabe — or G40
movers like Saviour Kasukuwere, who lives in
self-imposed exile in South Africa. Some even say
he is related to Kasukuwere.
Musengezi emphatically dismisses the accusa-
tions that he is simply a tortoise on a pole.
“I’m doing this on my own supported by some
like-minded youths and young intellectuals in the
party. This has nothing to do with Chiwenga or
Kasukuwere,” Musengezi said.
“I come from the same areas as Kasukuwere in
Mount Darwin South, but I’m not related to him.
I’m not working on this case with him. I have
never gotten a cent in my life from him. So claims
that he is involved in this matter is a blatant lie.
He is not involved at all.”
Musengezi strongly supported Mnangagwa
when he came to power, but was not happy with
how Zanu PF had managed the process of his as-
cendancy, which is what he is challenging in the
courts now.
Asked if he is a bona fide Zanu PF member
with locus standi on this case, Musengezi said: “I
am a card-carrying and paid-up member of Zanu
PF”.
In his answering affidavit, Musengezi attached
as annexure “AA” and “AB” his POSB statement
linked to Zanu PF’s account through which he
pays subscriptions as a party member and the
confirmation letter from POSB, saying: “I operate
the account herein described, plus a subscription
receipt I attach hereto as Annexure ‘AC’. Being a
member of the 1st respondent (Zanu PF) means
promoting and defending the party’s political and
ideological values as are espoused in its constitu-
tion.
“It is those political and ideological values of
the 1st respondent (Zanu PF) that stand harmed
by the conduct of the 1st respondent (party) and
its officials herein cited, that I have stood up to
defend in this application. I am entitled to legality
in the conduct of my party’s affairs. I thus have a
substantial interest in the affairs of the 1st respon-
dent (Zanu PF) as to bestow locus standi upon
myself in relation to the party’s affairs.
“I am a bona fide member of the 1st respon-
dent (Zanu PF). 1st respondent’s records will
themselves show that I am a standing member
of the 1st Respondent, having transferred from
Mashonaland West Province to Harare Province
in 2014.
“I have attached both my old membership card
and my new, personalised electronic membership
card linked to the 1st respondent’s account such
that, I subscribe to the party electronically. I have
attached my Post Office Savings Bank Account
Page 4 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
BRIDGET MANANAVIRE President Emmerson Mnangagwa (wearing scarf ) is set to get a new helicopter, not only for safety reasons, but also for campaign purposes.
GOVERNMENT has set in motion plans to Mnangagwa to acquire a new
acquire a helicopter for President Emmerson chopper after scary incidents
Mnangagwa amid concerns over his security fol-
lowing a spate of hair-raising incidents aboard Chegutu district, when Mnangagwa was coming the scene, as the team also worked out an emer- formation gathered by The NewsHawks indicat-
ageing and unreliable Air Force of Zimbabwe from his Kwekwe farm. The President frequently gency rescue plan to complete their 45-minute ed that the Augusta Bell 412 which crashed in
choppers, inside sources have told The News- flies out of Harare to his Precabe Farm in Sher- journey. April, killing two pilots, as well as a technician
Hawks. wood, Kwekwe. and a child on the ground, was on a test flight
Again in August, Mnangagwa was forced to for presidential use.
The sources say the plan is to get a new-model The 79-year-old leader, who has spoken sev- make a last-minute postponement of his flight to
helicopter for Mnangagwa from either Russia or eral times about his passion for farming, includ- Mutare, where he had been expected to officially The Air Force, which maintains Mnangag-
China. The issue is being treated as an urgent ing in his recently published biography, A Life of open an industrial and medicinal oxygen plant, wa’s helicopter and military choppers that escort
matter, as election season nears. Sacrifice: Emmerson Mnangagwa, often leaves his due to bad weather. him when he flies within the country, has been
state residence in Harare on Sunday mornings blighted by aviation accidents in recent years due
Although both Mnangagwa’s spokesperson for the farm where he grows several crops and The NewsHawks in September reported that to bad weather, human error and the use of age-
George Charamba and Information perma- rears livestock. Mnangagwa’s fleet of presidential helicopters was ing aircraft.
nent secretary Nick Magwana did not respond depleted in April when an Air Force of Zimba-
to several phone calls and messages from The Upon the Sandringham incident, Mnangag- bwe chopper crashed in Acturus, 30 kilometres Earlier reports had suggested that in a bid to
NewsHawks, high-level sources say that the ac- wa’s security details, including an aide-de-camp, east of Harare. replace the dilapidated equipment, Mnangagwa
quisition of a new helicopter is being treated as marksman from the Presidential Guard, a medic in April this year acquired a new helicopter, but
a priority. and intelligence officers, scrambled to cordon off As investigations into the emergency landing that has not been seen flying.
of one of Mnangagwa’s choppers progressed, in-
This is not only for safety reasons, but also in
view of the impending 2023 general elections,
which will see Mnangagwa hitting the campaign
trail in earnest next year seeking re-election un-
der tougher conditions than in 2018.
“It is a real big issue. The President needs a safe
and modern helicopter for the local trips, seeing
that 2023 is around the corner. Apart from that,
he needs to be going around the country to as-
sess the various projects by government, which
are also now being used as part of the Zanu PF
campaign,” an official said. “It’s a matter of time
before they buy it.”
A government official also pointed to a tweet
by Mangwana on 11 November hinting that the
acquisition of a helicopter was a priority follow-
ing the President’s frightening mid-air incidents.
“Whatever the veracity of this story, a case for
a new, safe and dynamic presidential helicopter
has been made,” Mangwana wrote on his verified
Twitter account on 11 November in response to
a story by a local daily newspaper.
The report had said two of Mnangagwa’s he-
licopters were on 10 November forced to turn
back and make a sudden landing at Marondera
Golf Course while on his way to Chimanimani,
due to a technical fault.
Government officials, however, said it was an
issue of bad weather.
This incident followed another hair-raising
episode which left heads rolling in the Air Force
after Mnangagwa’s presidential helicopter was
dramatically forced into an emergency landing
more than 60 kilometres south-west of Harare
in August due to technical failure.
The emergency landing incident happened
in the Sandringham area, Matsvaire village, in
NewsHawks News Page 5
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
DUMISANI NDLELA Marc Holtzman: His axis with
Mnangagwa and CBZ Bank
ON Monday last week — 15 November —
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Rwandan president met again — this CBZ Bank chairperson Marc Holtzman tz from Starbucks and now Starbucks is one of the
travelled with a delegation of senior government time in circumstances pregnant with opportunity would like your advice’,” Holtzman said. “And I largest buyers of Rwanda coffee beans,” Holtzman
officials and top business executives to the In- and reward. did — it changed my life.” said.
tra-African Trade Fair in Durban, South Africa.
It is said Kagame was flicking through the Fi- On Holtzman’s first visit to Kigali, the Rwan- From there Holtzman became chairperson
One of those business executives was March nancial Times, a leading British financial publica- dan capital, Kagame instructed him to spend a of the Bank of Kigali since 2015, rolling out its
Holtzman, chairperson of CBZ Holdings, which tion, when he saw a small section on Holtzman day at the Bank of Kigali and give him feedback digitisation and reaching out to Rwanda’s large
owns CBZ Bank. Mnangagwa was later seen tour- and decided to give him a call in excitement. afterwards. agricultural sector to boost its market share from
ing the event with his delegation, Holtzman in 25% to 33%. He also introduced several other in-
tow. Holtzman has previously narrated the story in “I was later to learn this was typical of his ap- novations.
the media. proach. He reaches out. He flew to Bentonville Ar-
This brought back the spotlight to one of Zim- kansas to meet Rob Walton, chairman of Walmart Holtzman, well-known for innovation within
babwe’s most controversial business arrangements: “Kagame said: ‘Would you come to Rwanda, I 15 years ago. He did the same with Howard Shul- the banking community, has been quoted in the
How Mnangagwa in September 2019 appoint- media as saying: “There will be a lot of winners
ed Holtzman CBZ Bank chairperson against all and losers as banks around the world strive to digi-
corporate governance and legal procedures. It had tise their business models”.
never happened before that a chair of the bank, in
which government has an interest, was appointed During his time in several banks, he developed
by the President. This inevitably raised eyebrows. a reputation, especially from his time as CEO of
Kazakhstan’s largest private bank, for weeding out
Was it because Mnangagwa’s corporate asso- corruption, inefficiency and incompetence.
ciate, Kudakwashe Tagwirei, who reportedly has
a 30% equity stake in CBZ, or could it be that On Kagame’s recommendation, Holtzman was
Mnangagwa himself has a secret interest in the introduced to Mnangagwa, who was on an invest-
bank, possibly held through Holtzman as a front? ment promotion drive following Mugabe’s ouster
Or both. Holtzman, who has a wealth of knowl- and his subsequent ascendancy.
edge, experience and exposure in banking, was
introduced to Mnangagwa by Rwandan President In September 2019, Holtzman was appointed
Paul Kagame, these days the Zimbabwean leader’s CBZ chairperson which runs subsidiaries in bank-
close associate. ing, insurance, property, retail finance and wealth
management.
Since Mnangagwa came to power through a
coup in 2017 before winning a disputed election Holtzman had the specific mandate from
the following year, he has deliberately been trying Mnangagwa of “cleaning house” and removing
to forge a close relationship with Kagame. This the US financial penalties, which he did.
against a backdrop of intense hostility between
Rwanda and Zimbabwe during the reign of the “The government is one of the largest share-
late former president Robert Mugabe over the holders and the President was very clear that he
Democratic Republic of Congo War (1998-2002) would give me carte blanche to do what needed to
in which the two countries fought on opposite be done,” he said.
sides.
Holtzman’s work as a consultant for two presi-
In an interview with South African-based vet- dents — Kagame and Mnangagwa — has earned
eran Zimbabwean business journalist and CNBC him a reputation in top government circles across
Africa editor-in-chief Godfrey Mutizwa, during Africa as a fixer. He has since been asked by Gha-
the Durban trade fair, Holtzman hailed Mnan- naian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
gagwa, claiming he is a reformer, while also say- to work as the senior independent director for a
ing Zimbabwe is one of the most exciting frontier company in the extractive sector.
markets in the world.
“I personally draw more reward and satisfaction
He also explained how he became CBZ chair- from the work I do in Rwanda and Zimbabwe
person. than from anything I have done in my career,”
Holtzman said in the media. “It’s amazing to see
“Well, the trade fair was a huge success, we financial inclusion grow and work to mentor local
were really proud as CBZ, Commercial Bank of talent in these markets.”
Zimbabwe, to be one of the prime sponsors of the
event,” Holtzman said in the interview. While everything seems clear, there is a shade
of grey in the whole story. What are the nature
“I had the privilege of attending with Presi-
dent Mnangagwa . . . Let me give perspective, I President Emmerson Mnangagwa (second from right) with CBZ Bank chairperson Marc Holtzman (third from right) at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Durban
came to Zimbabwe in January 2018; I was asked recently.
by President Mnangagwa to come, and he later
asked and encouraged me to consider becoming
chairman, which I now have the privilege of doing
right now.”
At the time when Holtzman was appointed
CBZ chair to “clean the house”, the bank was
facing a US$385 million penalty by the United
States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control
(Ofac) for processing transactions on behalf of ZB
Bank, a local lender which was under American
sanctions.
Interestingly, Holtzman is now overseeing a
big merger between CBZ, ZB Bank, First Mutual
Holdings Limited and First Mutual Properties to
create a financial behemoth with a local and re-
gional footprint as first exclusively reported by The
NewsHawks recently.
Tagwirei, who is under US and British sanc-
tions, has taken a back seat and is lurking in the
shadows of the massive deal.
On Holtzman’s watch, the US Treasury eventu-
ally cleared CBZ of the US$385 million penalty
and only issued it with a warning. Holtzman is
connected in Washington DC, having served un-
der President Ronald Reagan’s administration.
And yet the story of how Kagame met Holtz-
man is more interesting than how the American
met Mnangagwa.
Sometime in 2004, the story goes, on the 10th
anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Kag-
ame travelled to the US to make a foreign policy
address at the University of Denver in Colorado.
After his speech, Kagame was introduced to
Holtzman, the university president — a network-
ing moment that in the following five years would
change the fortunes of Rwanda’s largest financial
institution, the Bank of Kigali (BK). And Holtz-
man’s future trajectory and fortunes too.
Holtzman moved to London, United King-
dom, in 2008 as the vice-chairperson of Barclays
plc, a British multinational universal bank. While
there, coincidentally again, the banking executive
Page 6 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
and dynamics of the relationship between Mnan-
gagwa and Holtzman? Why did Mnangagwa flout
the rules by handpicking Holtzman to become
CBZ chairperson? What was his interest such that
he had to get personally involved? Does Tagwirei
own the 30% in CBZ as a matter of fact? What
is Mnangagwa’s role in all this? Does he own any
equity stake in CBZ either through Tagwirei or
Holtzman, or both?
Background: Who is Marc Holtzman? Rwandan President Paul Kagame (left) with Marc Holtzman
Marc Holtzman is a seasoned American banker
who serves as CBZ Holdings chairperson. He was economic resurgence following the fall of the Ber- he is establishing himself in Zimbabwe. tration, Holtzman served as executive director of
appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, lin Wall, Kwasniewski presented Holtzman with As a frequent guest lecturer, Holtzman has ad- Citizens for America, former President Reagan’s
raising eyebrows in the market. Holtzman now The Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit — national issues advocacy group. In 1989, Holtz-
claims Mnangagwa is a reformer and Zimbabwe Poland’s highest civilian honour — for his service vocated the process of continued market reforms man was nominated by Reagan to the Peace Corps
is one of the most exciting frontier markets in the to the country. and democratisation before audiences, including National Advisory Council.
world. the World Economic Forum and Harvard Uni-
He is also chairperson of the board of directors On 29 August 2005, in appreciation of his versity’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Holtzman is passionate about his work with the
of the Bank of Kigali, Rwanda’s largest financial contribution to the development and improve- and has appeared as a guest on CNN, ABC News, Point Foundation, a British-based charity which
institution. ment of relations between Russian and Tatarstan, Sky News, the British Broadcasting Corporation’s supports Rwandan orphans and is a long-time
Following a successful transformation and sale then prime minister (and now President) Rustam BBC World and CNBC, among other top global supporter and former trustee of the Colorado
of Kazkommertsbank, Kazakhstan’s largest bank Minnikhanov of Tatarstan awarded him the Rus- broadcasting channels. Animal Rescue Shelter. Holtzman also serves as
in July 2017, Holtzman stepped down as chief sian Medal, In Commemoration of Millenary of a National Trustee of National Jewish Health —
executive officer having joined as chairperson in Kazan. Holtzman is widely recognised as a leading In 1997, Holtzman was named a World Eco- America’s leading respiratory hospital. He holds
March 2015. authority on economic and political developments nomic Forum “Global Leader for Tomorrow” a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Le-
Previously, Holtzman was chairperson of Me- in Eastern Europe, Russia, Africa and Asia. Now (now renamed WEF Young Global Leader). high University. He is married with four children.
ridian Capital HK, a private equity firm with in-
vestments in natural resources, real estate, food, During the first term of the Reagan adminis-
agriculture and transportation. Prior to joining
Meridian, he served as vice-chairman of Barclays Holtzman became chairperson of the Bank of Kigali in 2015, rolling out its digitisation and reaching out to Rwanda’s large agricultural sector to boost its market
Capital and as vice-chairman of ABN Amro Bank. share from 25% to 33%.
Before that, he was co-founder and president of
MeesPierson EurAmerica (a firm which was ac-
quired by ABN Amro) and senior adviser to Sa-
lomon Brothers. He lived and worked in Eastern
Europe and Russia from September 1989 until
October 1998.
Holtzman also serves as a member of the board
of directors of TTEC (formerly TeleTech NAS-
DAQ: TTEC), the world’s leading provider of
analytics-driven technology-enabled services and
FAT Brands (NASDAQ: FAT), a global franchi-
sor of leading restaurant brands.
From 2012 through 2015, he served on the
board of directors of FTI Consulting Inc., (NYSE:
FCN) a global financial and strategic consulting
firm and Sistema, Russia’s largest listed private
company (London Stock Exchange).
To further assist with the development of Cen-
tral Asia’s financial sector, Holtzman was appoint-
ed by Kazakhstan’s Prime Minister to serve on the
board of directors of Kazyna — the nation’s sover-
eign wealth fund — from 2006 to 2008.
In addition, he served as a member of the board
of trustees of the United States Space Foundation
from 2004 to 2010.
From 2003 through 2005, Holtzman was pres-
ident of the University of Denver where he was
responsible for the development of the Rocky
Mountain Centre for Homeland Security. The
University of Denver has approximately 10 000
students and includes the Daniels College of
Business, which, during Holtzman’s tenure, was
ranked by The Wall Street Journal as being among
the world’s top 50 MBA programmes.
He was co-founder of the Denver School for
Science and Technology, a charter high school
which claims the highest percentage of minority
and under-privileged students of any charter high
school in Colorado. Holtzman led the effort to
fund the school and was instrumental in persuad-
ing Bill and Melinda Gates to make the initial seed
contribution.
Holtzman also served in the cabinet of gov-
ernor Bill Owens as Colorado’s first secretary of
Technology. In addition, he was chairperson of
Colorado’s Information Management Commis-
sion and co-chair of the Governor’s Commission
on Science and Technology. Holtzman helped
guide Colorado’s economic transformation into a
fully diversified technology hub. During his ten-
ure, Colorado was consistently ranked first among
the 50 states in having the highest percentage of
technology workers per thousand in the nation.
Drawing on more than three decades of politi-
cal and public service in the US, Holtzman devel-
oped close relationships with a wide range of lead-
ing governmental, political and corporate leaders
around the world.
Former Polish president Aleksander Kwas-
niewski asked Holtzman to co-found and serve as
a member of the board of directors of “Poland for
Europe”, a non-partisan, non-profit group which
was instrumental in promoting Poland’s early en-
try into the European Union.
On 24 January 1999, in recognition of his pi-
oneering work contributing to Eastern Europe’s
NewsHawks News Page 7
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
BERNARD MPOFU Govt burdens taxpayers with
US$3 billion RBZ legacy debt
THE government has proposed assuming the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s US$3.3 billion al financial institutions, Zimbabwe has largely RBZ 2021. Of the public external debt, US$5.45 bil-
legacy debt in outstanding foreign payments in- relied on internal resources in the form of tax- nance some of its key infrastructure. lion is owed to bilateral creditors, US$2.67 bil-
curred during the transition from the multi-cur- es, bilateral loans, grants and financial support lion to multilateral creditors, US$221 million
rency system to a mono-currency regime in from regional banks such as the African Export Official reports show that Zimbabwe, which to creditors under the 2015 RBZ Debt Assump-
2019. and Import Bank to finance key capital projects has been struggling to access long-term financ- tion Act and US$4.9 billion is RBZ’s balance
such as infrastructure development. ing from multilateral lenders due to a huge debt sheet external debt,” Ncube told lawmakers
The assumption of the debt came a few years overhang, requires over US$15 billion to up-
after the murky RBZ Debt Assumption Act was Finance minister Mthuli Ncube on Thursday grade its infrastructure in energy, road network during his budget presentation.
signed into law with government taking liability presented the 2022 National Budget, revealing and water and sanitation. “RBZ’s balance sheet external debt comprises
of an estimated US$1.35 billion debt incurred that Zimbabwe had borrowed offshore to fi- of US$1.4 billion guaranteed debt, US$72 mil-
by the RBZ before 31 December 2008. “Zimbabwe’s public external debt stock is es- lion non-guaranteed debt and US$3.3 billion of
timated at US$13.2 billion as at end September blocked funds.”
A large chunk of the debt was incurred by Before the budget presentation, Zimbabwe’s
beneficiaries of the central bank’s farm mechani- total public and publicly guaranteed (PPG)
sation programme who included ministers, se- debt stood at US$10.7 billion. This represented
nior Zanu PF and government officials, security 72.6% of the country’s gross domestic product.
service bosses and their associates. PPG external debt owed to the multilateral cred-
itors, as at the end of December 2020, amount-
Government refused to release a list of the ed to US$2.68 billion, of which US$1.53 bil-
beneficiaries of the programme despite it being lion is owed to the World Bank Group, US$729
placed on the shoulders of taxpayers. million to AfDB, US$356 million to the Euro-
pean Investment Bank and US$68 million to
Presenting the 2022 budget statement in other multilateral creditors.
Parliament yesterday, Finance minister Mthu- During the period January to September
li Ncube said: “During the transition from 2021, the Finance minister said, Treasury made
the multi-currency system to mono-currency payments to external creditors amounting to
in 2019, there were outstanding foreign pay- US$44.2 million.
ments estimated at US$3.3 billion as a result of These payments were made to active port-
shortages of foreign exchange. The outstanding folios and for token payments to international
payments were shelved as blocked funds/legacy financial institutions and bilateral Paris Club
debt. creditors. Payments to active portfolios are crit-
ical in unlocking disbursements for ongoing
“Government seeks to assume the legacy projects.
debts/blocked funds held by the Central Bank “Total external on-lent loan disbursements
on its balance sheet in order to create a sound for the period January to September 2021
RBZ balance sheet. The intervention is based on amounted to US$3.9 million, from the India
the recognition of the role of the financial sector Exim Bank for the Deka Pumping Station and
in economic development and the need to en- River Water Intake System project. The low dis-
sure fair compensation for losses that occurred bursements are due to accumulation of arrears
during the currency reform period. on projects such as Victoria Falls Airport (China
Eximbank), Netone Network Expansion Phase
“The proposed blocked funds assumption will III (China Eximbank) and TelOne Backbone
be done through issuance of long-term Govern- Network and Broadband Access (China Exim-
ment securities (tax exemption, liquid asset sta- bank),” Ncube said.
tus, prescribed asset status and tradable).” “Projected external loan disbursements for
2022 for projects implemented by State-Owned
Former Finance minister Tendai Biti, who Enterprises are estimated at US$308.6 million.
described the budget as irrelevant because of its The disbursements will be towards the Hwange
“failure to address the structural issues around 7 and 8 Thermal Power Station, Deka Pump-
currency, the auction rate, deficits, corruption ing Station, RG Mugabe International Airport,
and debt question” slammed the assumption of NetOne Network Expansion Phase III and the
the debt. Bulawayo Thermal Power Station.”
The Bill for assumption of blocked funds is
anticipated to go through Parliament during the
first quarter of 2022.
“The illicit takeover of RBZ legacy debts,
three years after the RBZ Debt assumption Bill,
is criminal. RBZ is a haven for crime and defi-
cits,” Biti said.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s external debt rose by
over 20% to US$13.2 billion as of September
this year compared to US$10.7 billion reported
at the end of last year, official figures released by
Treasury have shown.
With no budgetary support from multilater-
War vets poised for better pay after hefty allocation
MARY MUNDEYA
AFTER exerting pressure on the authori- to ensure that our security services are fully ing allocated to the Ministry of Home Affairs Thrity-nine war
ties through protests demanding an increase funded to enable them to effectively execute and Cultural Heritage and ZWL$61.5 billion veterans were last month
in their pension allowances, veterans of the their mandate of reducing crime in order to for the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans
armed liberation struggle got a big Christmas create a conducive environment for develop- Welfare,” he said. arrested in Harare after
gift courtesy of the minister of Finance who ment. An amount of ZWL$49.4 billion is be- staging a demonstration
allocated a whopping ZW$61.5 billion to the The ministry of Defence and War Veterans
ministry of Defence and War Veterans Welfare against government.
in the 2022 National Budget. Welfare received the third-largest budget allo-
cation after the ministry of Health which got
A month ago, 39 war veterans spent four ZW$117.7 billion and Lands, Agriculture,
days in detention after being arrested by po- Water, Climate and Rural Development which
lice in central Harare. They were charged with got ZW$124 billion.
participating in a gathering with intent to pro-
mote public violence.
This came after they mounted a protest in-
tending to deliver a petition to Parliament, as
well as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s of-
fice at Munhumutapa Building.
In his 2022 budget remarks, Finance min-
ister Ncube emphasised the importance of ca-
pacitating security organs of the state to enable
them to effectively execute their mandate.
“Madam Speaker ma’am, the prevailing
peace and security is important for sustain-
able economic development and must be pre-
served at all cost. Government will continue
to capacitate the Security Organs of the State
Page 8 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
ZIMBABWE has so far received US$647.6 mil- Zim gets Western funding
lion in development assistance from Western despite sanctions outcry
countries in the period from January to Septem-
ber 2021 despite claims by the government that it Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube arriving at Parliament to present the 2022 budget yesterday. — Picture Aaron Ufumeli
is barred from receiving funding.
Travel restrictions and a freeze on assets have for internal repression. by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, the
Of the US$647.6 million, at least US$401.7 been imposed, along with the sale of military Recent economic data suggests Zimbabwe's average economic output per person.
million was from bilateral partners and US$245.9 hardware and equipment which might be used
million from multilateral partners, according to economy has recently been shrinking as measured — STAFF WRITER.
the 2022 National Budget presented on Thursday
by Finance and Economic Development minister
Mthuli Ncube.
While the Zimbabwean government makes
noise about sanctions, it is happily receiving aid
worth millions in United States dollars from the
same countries it accuses of imposing restrictions
and the international community without any
sense of irony, as budget figures show.
“Mr Speaker Sir, development partners con-
tinue to play a pivotal role in supporting Gov-
ernment’s efforts towards the implementation of
(National Development Strategy 1) NDS 1 pro-
grammes and projects,” Ncube told Parliament.
“During the period January to September
2021, the country received development assis-
tance amounting to US$647.6 million of which
US$401.7 million was from bilateral partners and
US$245.9 million from multilateral partners.”
“A further US$202.4 million in development
assistance is projected during the fourth quarter
of 2021.
“In 2022, support from the development part-
ners is projected at US$764.7 million, mainly
towards health, agriculture, social protection and
governance.”
The government of Zimbabwe has regularly
blamed the dire economic performance on sanc-
tions with the country concerned about the im-
pact of the its worsening economic crisis on the
region.
But there is little evidence to suggest the US
and EU sanctions are responsible for Zimbabwe’s
troubles.
The US blame the crisis on what an official de-
scribed as “catastrophic mismanagement” of the
economy.
The EU also points to economic policies, a
poorly carried out land reforms programme,
drought and the HIV and Aids pandemic.
EU sanctions also target specific individuals
both within the Zimbabwean government and
associated with it. The EU says these restrictions
have no impact on the economy of the country.
Halt in processing IDs sparks public uproar
MORRIS BISHI is currently facing challenges in the production recently assured his commission that the short- or other challenges including shortage of printing
of primary documents but the government has age of primary identity documents was addressed ribbons or malfunctioning printing machines.
THOUSANDS of people in the country are promised to avail funds to address the challenges. long back.
struggling to get identity documents in a move Observations at the Registrar-General's Office
seen as a ploy by the Zanu PF government to “I am not allowed to give you a comment, but “This is news to me, as a commission we are in Harare, also known as Makombe Building,
frustrate voters as the country draws closer to the to tell you the truth we are facing challenges as not aware of this latest shortage. The minister showed that national ID cards at the moment
2023 general elections. a ministry. Polythene-synthetic consumables are informed us that the issue was addressed, but l are being issued out only to those who booked in
in short supply in the country and many of our am aware that the issue was recently discussed in September this year while people who have lost
Millions of Zimbabweans are expected to vote centres are facing challenges issuing identity doc- Parliament and I will advise you to talk to them their IDs are spending 10 days before getting a
in the polls expected to be decisive at a time the uments. We are planning a mobile registration in so that they will give you their latest position,” replacement. Meanwhile, citizens intending to
ruling party is riddled with factionalism and April 2022 and it is our hope that the situation Mugwadi said. get an ID are being referred to to branches in
struggling to fulfill its 2018 election manifesto will improve as we move towards the 2023 gener- Chitungwiza, Mabvuku or at Market Square, or
promises. President Emmerson Mnangagwa came al elections,” the director said. A survey by The NewsHawks throughout the are simply told to return to Makombe Building
to power on the back of the 2017 military coup. country established that several registration offic- in January next year.
The prevailing economic hardships have contrib- MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere es are not fully functioning due to either short-
uted to a rising tide of discontent, putting the told The NewsHawks that both the Registrar-Gen- ages of polythene-synthetic identity consumables In Masvingo, those willing to replace lost iden-
government under immense pressure. eral's Office and Zimbabwe Electoral Commis- tity documents this week were advised to return
sion (Zec) are deliberately first-time voters who in March 2022. The office is prioritising school
The ministry of Home Affairs says it is facing want to obtain identity documents and register to pupils and first-time ID seekers who are being ad-
challenges in the production of polythene-syn- vote in 2023. She urged the Registrar-General to vised to come back after two weeks.
thetic identity cards owing to the unavailability of act swiftly to address the issue.
consumables. The registry has since discontinued In Bulawayo, people are being booked during
the issuance of the cards amid complaints that it “The MDC Alliance condems the continued mornings, but they are not served on the same
takes up to four months to replace lost identity voter suppression tactics being invoked by the day. In Harare, only a few people are being served
documents. Registrar-General and Zec who are frustrating at Market Square while hundreds are sleeping
first-time voters who want to obtain IDs and outside the offices in the hope of being served ear-
The challenges facing the national registry are register to vote. Without notice or explanation, ly the next morning.
however viewed by the main opposition MDC the voter registration blitz that was scheduled for
Alliance and human rights activists as a ploy by December was postponed indefinitely. Equal- In Mashonaland East, Chikomba, Wedza,
the Zanu PF government to frustrate Zimbabwe- ly, persons of age who are seeking to obtain IDs Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe, Chikomba, and
ans wishing to register for the 2023 elections. or replace lost ones are being frustrated through Mudzi, the registrar’s offices are not issuing IDs
administrative bottlenecks, excessive delays and due to the unavailability of printing ribborn. In
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe chronic inefficiency. We demand that the Regis- Bulawayo, only the Mpilo office is issuing IDs
(pictured) promised to respond to questions sent trar-General acts swiftly to make sure the process while Nketa and Drill Hall are not serving clients
to him by The NewsHawks, but spent the whole of of collecting IDs is accessible and efficient,” Ma- due to malfunctioning printers and unavailability
Thursday without responding to calls. here said. of electricity.
A senior director in the ministry of Home Af- Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission chair- Most offices in Mashonaland Central, Masho-
fairs told The NewsHawks that the civil registry person Elasto Mugwadi told The NewsHawks naland West, Matabeleland North and the Mid-
department will conduct a national mobile regis- that it is sad to note that citizens are still finding it lands are issuing the documents, with Chipinge,
tration exercise in April 2022 to ensure that all eli- difficult to access primary identity documents at Chimanimani and Mutasa districts in Manicaland
gible voters are able to exercise their constitutional a time Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe not serving the public due to the unavailability of
rights in the 2023 elections. He said the ministry printing ribbon.
NewsHawks News Page 9
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
The 2022 National Budget highlights
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube presented Finance minister Mthuli Ncube arrives at Parliament to present the year 2022 National Budget. — Picture Aaron Ufumeli
in Parliament the year 2022 National Budget
yesterday and below are the highlights: however, be limited to a maximum of US$ 2 250 targeted at growth and development of the dairy through the tariff regime with effect from 1 July
per year of assessment; sector; 2022;
l ZW$927.3 billion budget was proposed;
l ZW$850.8 billion revenue expected with l A preferential duty regime which promotes l Suspend duty on ring-fenced quantities of l Extended duty suspension on minimum
deficit being funded mostly from domestic bor- use of environmentally friendly vehicles upon raw cheese for a further period of 12 months, be- quantities of milk powder for the year 2022;
rowings; importation of components, infrastructure and ginning 1 January 2022;
l The ministries of Agriculture and Primary targeted motor vehicles, mindful of local value l A levy of 5% on the value of imported
and Secondary Education get the biggest vote addition initiatives to be availed; l Extended suspension of duty on the motor dairy products. The funds will be ring-fenced
of ZW$124 billion each. Health gets ZW$118 vehicles imported by the Safari and Tour Oper- for re-capitalising the Dairy Revitalisation Fund,
billion; l Excise duty will be levied in the currency of ators for a further 2 years, beginning 1 January targeted at growth and development of the dairy
l Economy to grow by 5.5%; trade in order to ensure fairness and equity in the 2022; sector;
l Annual inflation projected to end the year tax treatment of excisable product;
between 52% and 58%; l Suspension of Duty on Vehicles Imported l Suspend duty on ring-fenced quantities of
l External debt reaches US$13 billion; l Duty-free importation of capital equipment by Immigrant’s/Returning residents; raw cheese for a further period of 12 months, be-
l Excise duty on spirits and cigarettes to fi- through the tariff regime with effect from 1 July ginning 1 January 2022;
nance healthcare; 2022; l Suspension of duty on motor vehicles for
l Security ministries gobble over a tenth of the physically challenged; l Extended suspension of duty on the motor
budget; l Extended duty suspension on minimum vehicles imported by the safari and tour operators
l Part of IMF Special Drawing Rights hold- quantities of milk powder for the year 2022; l Revisions to the civil servants’ rebate of duty sector for a further two years, beginning 1 Janu-
ings to stabilise domestic currency; and facility on motor vehicles ary 2022; and
l Budget for 2022 by-election included. l A levy of 5% on the value of imported
Revenue-enhancing measures dairy products. The funds will be ring-fenced Industry support l Suspension of duty on vehicles imported by
l Levy of US$50 on cellphone handsets to be for re-capitalising the Dairy Revitalisation Fund, l Duty-free importation of capital equipment immigrants/returning residents.
collected prior to registration of new handsets by
mobile network operators; Current account surplus seen narrowing
l Excise duty on cigarettes reviewed to 25%
+ US$5/1000; FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube says Zim- the year. He however said the continued soften- mained subdued.
l Flat rate excise duty on energy drinks at a babwe’s external sector position remains strong, ing of prices for some key export commodities “In 2022 merchandise exports are projected to
rate of US$0.05/litre or local currency equiva- with preliminary estimates showing that the cur- presents a potent risk to the outlook for exports
lent. Additional funds generated from these two rent account had a surplus of US$684.4 million in the medium term. grow by 0.4% to US$4.73 billion, mainly driven
will be ring-fenced towards treatment and sup- in the first nine months of the year. by mineral exports.”
port of non-communicable diseases such as can- “The current account balance is projected to
cer, diabetes and hypertension; The current account balance however nar- remain in surplus in 2022 driven by secondary Ncube said merchandise imports increased by
l Withholding tax on non-compliant taxpay- rowed from a surplus of US$688.2 million in the income, though at a much narrower level of 27.3% to US$4 194.7 million in the first nine
ers without a tax clearance certificate moved to first nine months of 2020. US$723.2 million, compared to US$1078.0 months of 2021 from US$3 294.4 million for
30% from 10%; million projected for 2021,” Ncube said. the comparable period in 2020.
l No Tax Clearance Certificate will be issued Presenting the 2022 National Budget state-
to registered operators whose devices have no in- ment in Parliament yesterday, Ncube said strong “Merchandise exports increased by 19.2% to Fuel, machinery and raw material imports ac-
terface with the Zimbabwe server; global commodity prices supported export per- US$4 053.4 million recorded in the first nine counted for the increase.
l Only fiscalised tax invoices will be used formance during the greater part of 2021, while months of 2021, from US$3 400.3 million in
for input tax claims, with effect from 1 January relatively subdued petroleum prices moderated 2020, spurred by increases in agriculture and “In 2022, merchandise imports are forecasted
2022. the import bill, during the first four months of mineral exports, while manufactured exports re- to grow by 8.5% to US$5.9 billion, in line with
l 20% of the premium on the Motor Insur- the envisaged GDP growth and the re-opening
ance Pool to be redirected to the Consolidated of the global economy,” he said. — STAFF WRITER.
Revenue Fund for assistance to victims of acci-
dents;
l Withholding tax increased to 1.5% on
shares that are held for a minimum period of six
months. Shares held for a period of less than six
months will be subject to a 2% withholding tax.
Previous regime was on a flat 1%; and
l Presumptive tax on commercial waterborne
vessels of a carrying capacity of 26 passengers in-
creased to US$315 or the local currency equiva-
lent thereof.
Tax relief measures
l Tax free threshold adjusted to ZW$25 000
from $10 000 from January 1, 2022;
l Tax free threshold on foreign currency in-
come adjusted to US$100 from US$70 with ef-
fect from January 1, 2022;
l Tax-free bonus threshold adjusted to
ZW$100 000 from ZW$25 000 and the foreign
currency tax-free bonus threshold to US$700
from US$320, with effect from November 1,
2021;
l Tax bands to end at $ZW500 000, above
which a marginal tax rate of 40% will apply from
January 1, 2022;
l Non-taxable portion of the local currency
tax-free threshold reviewed from the greater of
ZW$50 000 or a third of the retrenchment pack-
age, whichever is higher, up to a maximum of
ZW$240 000, to the greater of ZW$400 000 or
a third of the retrenchment package, whichever is
greater, up to a maximum of ZW$2 million, for
income earned in local currency;
l Fuel levy be pegged set at a maximum of 2
cents per litre of both diesel and petrol from 2c
and 6c respectively.
l The tax-exempt portion of the deceased es-
tate reviewed to US$100 000 from ZW$50 000
with effect from 1 January 2022;
l Tax credit of US$50 or local currency
equivalent introduced per additional employee
recruited per month for corporates that employ
physically challenged persons. The credit will,
Page 10 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
No easy walk back into Commonwealth
BRIDGET MANANAVIRE l Zim must reform before readmission: British Lords
ZIMBABWE’S quest to re-join the Common- President Emmerson Mnangagwa (centre) with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) in Glasgow, Scotland recently.
wealth is set to hit a snag, following revelations
during a debate in the British House of Lords dent of Zimbabwe,” he said. continuing to engage with Commonwealth part- foreign government in a negative way about Zim-
this week that the United Kingdom is far from Zimbabwe has been seeking Rwanda’s help in ners on a range of issues concerning human rights. babwe? At a time when Zimbabwe is considering
supporting the country because of human rights re-joining the Commonwealth. Can the Minister
abuses, among other concerns. efforts to re-join the Commonwealth, with For- “On the specific question of Zimbabwe re-join- make it clear that our government will support
eign Affairs minister Fredrick Shava, two months ing the Commonwealth, we are clear that we this only when the rule of law is restored, and free-
While President Emmerson Mnangagwa says ago, saying Rwanda had assured the government would only support readmission to the Common- dom of speech and political freedoms are protect-
he made giant strides in international re-engage- that it was very keen on supporting Zimbabwe. wealth if Zimbabwe met the admission require- ed?” she said.
ment efforts during the climate change summit ments. We continue to articulate that in relation
in Glasgow, Scotland, at the beginning of the Rwanda was earmarked to host the Common- to fundamental human rights to our Common- Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick also asked if
month, the UK remains concerned with the lack wealth Heads of Government Meeting this year, wealth partners as well,” he said. the ministers were in discussions with other Com-
of reform, four years after a military coup which but the event has been postponed because of monwealth counterparts about the continuing
toppled former president Robert Mugabe. Covid-19. Lord St John of Bletso went further to query political repression in Zimbabwe and about the
the Zimbabwea cabinet’s intentions in signing off need to build the local economy and political de-
Mnangagwa however believed his mere pres- However, it will need more than just Rwanda’s the Patriot Bill, at a time the country is seeking mocracy.
ence in Glascow was a signal of his commitment support to convince the world, with the British re-admission into the Commonwealth.
to the re-engagement programme. lords and the minister insisting Zimbabwe should The sentiments from the British Lords were
uphold freedom of speech and political freedoms “. . . (the Bill) would make it a criminal offence that the Zimbabwean government was giving a
In an opinion piece published by Al Jazeera Me- before it can be re-admitted into the group. for anyone to criticise President Mnangagwa and deaf ear to the concerns of the UK government.
dia Network on 14 November, Mnangagwa wrote: for any member of the opposition to speak to any
“We are applying to re-join the Commonwealth The British Foreign Minister said his office was
of nations and I hope my presence at COP26 is
yet another sign of Zimbabwe’s re-engagement
efforts.”
Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003
after relations with Britain got frosty following
Zimbabwe’s chaotic and violent land reform pro-
gramme.
However, Lord Purvis of Tweed said despite the
Zimbabwean media promoting the meeting that
took place between Mnangagwa and the British
Africa minister, conditions of re-joining the Com-
monwealth should be made clear.
“Zimbabwean Press promoted the fact that
President Mnangagwa met our Prime Minister
and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
in Glasgow at COP 26. As the Minister is also
the Minister for the Commonwealth, can he say
whether we are making clear that, while we want
the Commonwealth to be inclusive and open to
Zimbabwe being a member, the conditions of a
free and fair political system and the restoration of
the 2013 constitution and the rule of law are es-
sential criteria for membership and re-joining the
Commonwealth?” he said.
In response, the minister of state for the For-
eign, Commonwealth and Development Office,
Tariq Mahmood Ahmad, said the British govern-
ment was making that clear to the Mnangagwa
administration.
“My Lords, I totally agree with the noble Lord;
those points are being made. On the COP engage-
ment, it was the Minister for Africa, my honour-
able friend Vicky Ford, who met with the Presi-
KUMBIRAI MACHINGURA Voter registration suspension raises eyebrows
PROJECT Vote 263, a non-governmental or- tity cards. Youths are perceived to be members of left us with a huge backlog of people who need 2023 general elections.
ganisation that is pushing for civic education to the opposition.” transport to come and register to vote,” said Ma- A quality voters’ roll is important in engender-
promote inclusive participatory democracy by en- tete.
couraging people to register to vote, has expressed Matete said voting is a constitutional right, not ing public confidence in the integrity of elections.
disappointment over the postponement of mobile a privilege, and any theatrics meant to bottleneck Biometric registration was initiated in Zim- Reports on past elections have concluded that the
biometric voter registration by the Zimbabwe the process is a huge disadvantage to the people of babwe in 2017 in a bid to improve the electoral voters’ roll lacks credibility.
Electoral Commission (Zec) without a clear rea- Zimbabwe. He said besides ensuring that the Reg- processes by providing an accurate, efficient and
son. istrar General’s Office issues identity documents transparent process. A report by the International Foundation for
to Zimbabweans, there was an urgent need to Electoral Systems revealed that the voters’ roll
Zec announced through a memorandum that educate people on the need to register while also It was hoped the initiative would provide hope which was used in the 2013 elections contains
the mobile biometric registration programme, ensuring that services are made accessible. for a comprehensive nationwide top-up registra- thousands of names of dead people and double
which was scheduled to commence on 6 Decem- tion drive that was going to enhance the quality of registration and was marred by the under-registra-
ber “has been rescheduled to a later date to be ad- “The cancelation of the mobile registration has the voters’ roll ahead of 2022 by-elections and the tion of young voters.
vised in due course”.
Youngerson Matete, director of Project Vote
263, suggested that the postponement could be a
ploy by the government to disenfranchise many
youths.
“It is unfortunate that in 2018 we had a huge
number of people who were not registered on
the day of voting and to address this challenge
we have resorted in assisting people in providing
them with transport services. We were very happy
and relieved to have Zec coming up with such an
initiative — only to hear that they have cancelled
it without a satisfactory reason,” said Matete.
“We are shattered, but we know it is part of the
huge plan to disenfranchise the young people of
their right to vote, knowing that 85% of the youth
are unemployed and they do not afford transport
to and from regional centres. The youths make up
67.5% of the total population, which will be a de-
ciding number come 2023.
“That is why it is difficult for them to get iden-
NewsHawks News Page 11
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Midlands factions renew jostling for posts
STEPHEN CHADENGA their State Security minister Owen Mudha Ncube (front). saying their preferred choices were “the solution
WhatsApp group dubbed “Endorsement of Nyathi to deputise Mavima. to their problems” (in the province).
THE battle for the political control of the
Midlands pitting rivals State Security minister Mudha“. The group is also pushing for youth activist All the candidates did not respond to ques-
Owen Mudha Ncube and incumbent Daniel The Mackenzie Ncube faction prefers in- Ralph Piki and Zanu PF Kwekwe proportional tions from The NewsHawks.
Mackenzie Ncube has continued despite the representation MP Perseverance Zhou to be the
two front-runners dropping out of the race af- cumbent deputy provincial chairperson Robson youth and women’s league leaders respectively, However, a party insider who spoke on con-
ter President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s interven- dition of anonymity, told this publication that
tion. the Midlands was in the “spotlight” and nobody
wanted to come out in the open expressing in-
Following Mnangagwa’s intervention, Mid- terest for provincial positions.
lands Provincial and Devolution minister Larry
Mavima was imposed as an uncontested candi- “You would remember that there was intense
date for the provincial chair with both Mudha violence in the province during the district re-
Ncube and Mackenzie Ncube pulling out of the structuring exercise that placed the Midlands in
race for the top post. the spotlight,” he said.
Mudha Ncube’s camp initially set the ball “So people are nocturnally campaigning us-
rolling by vigorously campaigning for the State ing their supporters and for now they would
Security boss but in October it had to change not want to publicly declare their interest for
tactic after he gave the nod for his group to the positions. Tactics such as the use of cam-
push for former youth league leader Edison paign posters on social media platforms have
Chakanyuka to contest Mackenzie Ncube. become the order of the day while those be-
ing campaigned for remain silent behind the
The camp is now pushing for Mavima to be scenes.”
deputised by Chakanyuka, while also pushing
for Mberengwa Zanu PF member Tsitsi Zhou Provincial party spokesperson Cornelius Mu-
and youth activist Phineous Makombe to be pereri did not respond to questions sent to him.
provincial women and youth league bosses re-
spectively. But according to a party source, Mudha Ncu-
be and Mackenzie Ncube are fighting “tooth
“Attention comrades and friends, myself as and nail” to outmanoeuvre each other in the
chief campaign manager Gweru district for province.
Team Mudha (wish to announce) we do have
some changes to our team. This is now official,” Mudha Ncube reportedly has the backing of
key Mudha Ncube campaigner Philemon Sa- Local Government minister July Moyo, while
falan told faction members a fortnight ago in Mackenzie Ncube has the support of the min-
ister of State in the President’s Office, Joram
Gumbo. All protagonists claim they are loyal to
Mnangagwa.
LIZWE SEBATHA . . . Zim drifts into 2023 election mode
NO date has been set for the 2023 elections, but MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa (left) has been conducting whirlwind tours across the country.
Zimbabwe is already getting into election mode,
with evident electioneering and voter registration While civic groups and other stakeholders are wayo-based political analyst Effie Ncube said. damental right to free, fair and regular elections
awareness campaigns by political parties and var- running voter registration awareness campaigns, “We have a problem really with our politics. It for any elective public office.
ious stakeholders. President Emmerson Mnangagwa and main op-
position MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa is election-minded and not governance-oriented. But analyst Rashweat Mukundu argued that
Last week saw Matabeleland civic groups have also been conducting whirlwind tours across Political parties, in this instance Zanu PF, always Zimbabwe has an “over-politicised society suffer-
launching “EkhayaVote2023” to contribute to- the country. focus on elections and do not focus on governing ing from lack of good governance”.
wards a “high voter turnout through extensive the country properly.
voter education campaigns.” Mnangagwa has been holding mini rallies on “If elections are not concluded to the satisfac-
the sidelines of state occasions almost every week “It does not focus on stabilising the currency tion of all parties, to that extent, we never really
“Ekhaya simply means home, we are mobilis- while Chamisa terms his electioneering activities and the economy, ensuring the rule of law and get out of the election mode because the legitima-
ing citizens in the Matabeleland region to partic- “Citizens’ Convergence for Change” in rural ar- respect for human rights. It does not even focus cy question will be still hanging,” Mukundu said.
ipate in the upcoming entire electoral processes,” eas. Chamisa’s whirlwind tours have been disrupt- on electoral reforms and the implementation of
the civic groups said in their preamble. ed by suspected Zanu PF activists and sometimes the 2013 constitution.” The country’s elections have produced disputed
met with violence. outcomes since 1980.
“This is a localised campaign and the name Mnangagwa has said by-elections for the va-
Ekhaya drives a message that promotes every citi- Recently, Zanu PF’s central committee ex- cant 133 local government and parliamentary Main opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson
zen to think about Ekhaya — home — in the next pressed concern over Zanu PF’s inroads in rural ar- seats will be held during the first quarter of 2022. Chamisa insists Mnangagwa rigged the 2018 elec-
elections. It seeks to promote an electoral grass- eas, long perceived to be ruling party strongholds. The seats fell vacant following the recall of MDC tions.
roots approach.” Mnangagwa is set to square off with Chamisa in Alliance legislators and councillors in 2020.
the 2023 elections. He narrowly beat Chamisa in “By all indications, Zimbabwe is already in
The “EkhayaVote2023” seeks to mobilise vir- the disputed 2018 elections. Mnangagwa received But Health and Child Care minister Con- election mode, which is good to the extent that
gin voters to register to vote after the Zimbabwe 50.8% of the vote against Chamisa’s 44.3%. stantino Chiwenga, who is also Vice-President, it refocuses us on the questions of leadership and
Electoral Commission (Zec) warned that Mata- indefinitely suspended by-elections via Statutory its capacity or lack thereof to deliver, but the
beleland risks losing a number of seats in the next Political analysts argued that the shift to elec- Instrument 225A of 2020, citing Covid-19 risk. negatives of this never-ending electoral mode are
delimitation exercise — the redrawing of electoral tion mode, several months away from the 2023 that it takes us away from the fundamental de-
boundaries. polls, is a sign of problematic politics. On 16 November, the Combined Harare Resi- velopmental issues that are affecting our society,”
dents Association (CHRA) petitioned Mukundu added.
Bulawayo currently has about 258 000 regis- “We are seeing a number of things that real-
tered voters, far below the minimum threshold. ly manifest an election season, which is quite Parliament to summon Zec and the Health and “Instead of the ruling party and government
problematic given the fact that really we are un- Child Care ministry over the suspended by-elec- addressing the socio-economic needs of this coun-
Zimbabwe last carried out a delimitation exer- der two years away from an election, particularly tions. In the petition to the Speaker of Parliament try, already decision making and resources are be-
cise in 2007 ahead of the 2008 general election. for Zanu PF which has to be focusing on gover- Jacob Mudenda, CHRA said the continued sus- ing channelled towards electioneering and, with
nance instead of preparing to be re-elected,” Bula- pension of the polls was unconstitutional. that, the tarnishing of the image of the country . .
Zec will conduct a delimitation exercise in . the ultimate strategy to ending this never-ending
2022 as provided for under section 161 (1) of the CHRA cited section 67 and 158(3) of the con- focus on elections is to have a clean election.”
constitution. stitution which gives every Zimbabwean the fun-
“EkhayaVote2023” voter registration aware-
ness campaign is not limited to Matabeleland.
The clergy, political parties and human rights’
groups, including the Zimbabwe Association for
Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR, have also
launched similar campaigns encouraging the pub-
lic to register to vote in the 2023 elections.
ZADHR’s campaign, titled #ParticipateEn-
gageInfluence, is directed at both doctors and nurs-
es, who the association says do not often take part
in civic processes.
A number of voter registration awareness
campaigns running under various hashtags were
launched recently ahead of a Zec mobile voter
registration blitz which was supposed to kick off
on 6 December and run for six days.
Zec has postponed the voter registration blitz,
but normal voter registration at its offices contin-
ues.
Zec has not announced whether a second blitz
that was expected to commence on 28 December
and to run for 35 days, is still on. Voter registra-
tion is provided for in section 17A of the Electoral
Act.
Page 12 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Coal fires swallow children in Hwange
BRIDGET MANANAVIRE A report by CNRG claims several children are being burnt by underground fires caused by harmful activities by mining companies in Hwange.
THE Centre for Natural Resource Gover-
nance (CNRG) has raised the alarm over the
effects of underground coal fires on children
in Hwange, urging the government to speed-
ily act on the issue.
In a report released last week titled Effects
of Coal Seam Fires and Other Environmental
Hazards on Children in Hwange, the CNRG
said several children are being burnt by un-
derground fires caused by harmful activities
by mining companies in Hwange.
The practices, according to the lobby
group, are in breach of section 73 of the con-
stitution, which guarantees every person the
right to an environment that is not harmful
to health or wellbeing.
“The unmitigated underground coal seam
fires present serious hazards for children.
Most of them experienced grave accidents
in places no-one ever expected such disasters
could happen. There were no danger warning
signs to keep people away,” the report reads.
“For instance, the coal seam fires that swal-
lowed the little boy driving away cattle from
their field had never been detected as there
was no sign of fire on the surface. The mother
who sent the boy to drive away the cattle now
lives with a permanent sense of guilt over an
accident she is not responsible for.
“Similarly, those who met their fate whilst
playing suddenly found themselves trapped
in an underground lake of fire with no slight-
est idea of what was happening or how they
ended up there.”
According to the report, the underground
coal seam fires are also prevalent throughout
the concession owned by Hwange Colliery
Company Limited (HCCL), where there are
also human settlements for the mine labour.
The organisation said residents have noted
that mine residue dumps found in Number
Two area and three other areas of HCCL are
some of the most hazardous sites with raging
underground coal seam fires.
Questions sent to Hwange Colliery cor-
porate affairs manager Beauty Mutombe had
not been responded to by the time of publi-
cation.
Studies have shown that the survivors of
burn injuries often suffer from chronic pain
and sensory problems, pruritus, and loss of
strength. Psychosocially, a certain proportion
may develop depression and post-traumatic
stress disorder after being discharged from
hospital and this can go on for several years
after the incident.
The lobby group said the government
should set up a dialogue among mining
stakeholders in Hwange on reducing and
bringing to an end underground fire inci-
dence.
“There is also need to offer various forms
of help to the affected children and their
families and ensure they get equal opportuni-
ties in life. Both the families and the children
need psycho-social support to overcome the
trauma they now live with,” the report reads.
According to Global Forest Watch, most
coal seam fires are ignited by human activity,
usually in the process of coal mining or waste
removal.
These fires can burn underground unde-
tected for decades, occasionally protruding
to the surface, with severe effects on flo-
ra and fauna. According to Global Forest
Watch, underground coal seam fires cause
the ground to become extremely hot and un-
stable, destroying roads and homes, as well
as creating fiery sinkholes that swallow any-
thing from cars to people.
As part of the recommendations, CNRG
called on the government to align its pro-
gressive climate change response strategy and
policy to practical reduction in coal activities
in Hwange.
The organisation also recommended that
the government come up with rehabilitation
programmes for victims of coal seam fire.
NewsHawks News Page 13
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Corruption allegations rock ZOU
THE Zimbabwe Open University Some lecturers at ZOU allegedly charge students for assignments and dissertations, which they write for them for payment.
(Zou)’s Department of Peace, Leadership
and Conflict Resolution is rocked by se- charge always make sure their associates which is now US$1 to ZW$160 in the The sources said this is prevalent at the
rious allegations of corruption involving get more time to teach than others, hence informal market, it means they make a Peace, Leadership and Conflict Resolu-
foreign students paying tuition fees in more money. lot of money over nothing. All said and tion Department at Harare’s main post
foreign currency and attendant arbitrage done, paying in forex is 99.9% higher office chaired by Andrew Mukono.
activities. “There is a lot of corruption going on than paying in local currency.”
at Zou in relation to payment of fees by Mukono last week said he was not
Sources at Zou say some lecturers at the foreign students and other things, such Another source said: “Corruption is aware of the corrupt practices in his de-
university’s Harare learning centres are as a virtual classes and writing of assign- also rife in relation to virtual classes which partment. He also distanced himself from
running a racket for self-enrichment by ments and dissertations,” a source said. involves foreign students. Some lecturers any corrupt activities.
collecting fees from foreign students, who lie that some students attended lessons
include locals based outside the country, “What is more lucrative is lecturers locally when they didn’t to justify award- “I have nothing to do with payment of
and then paying for them in local curren- collecting hard currency from foreign ing them marks on subjects they did not fees for foreign students. If you are you
cy a fraction of the fees in real terms due students or students outside who pay in actually do. to get the truth of the matter , nowhere
to exchange rate differentials. forex, but pay for them an equivalent have I got money from students. That is
amount in local currency. So instead of “Currently there are virtual students’ a fabrication I have never done anything
This helps them to make money remitting the forex, they present them as dissertations being supervised and of that sort. If there is anyone who wants
through arbitrage, prejudicing the uni- local so that they pay in RTGS or using marked as local students. The virtual stu- to tarnish my image, my hands are clean.”
versity. a bank card. Given the exchange rate, dents pay for people to do their research.”
— STAFF WRITER
“It’s a clear case of arbitrage. You get
one currency in one market and take ad-
vantage of exchange rate differentials to
make money,” a source said.
“The only problem here is that this
involves some corrupt practices of col-
laboration, deception and lies. But the
arbitrage opportunities are huge and
profitable in this scam. Students also
benefit from the scam as they are asked to
pay much less in forex if they agree to the
deals. So everyone benefits.”
Foreign students pay as if they are lo-
cally registered to be allowed to settle
their fees in local currency.
Lecturers change their registration in
order to pay much less and take the dif-
ference through arbitrage.
But arbitrage is just one of the corrupt
practices at the university. The sources
said some lecturers are also charging stu-
dents for assignments and dissertations,
which they write for them for payment.
Some students who do virtual classes
are presented as if they are actually phys-
ically attending classes to assist them to
pass for payment. Apart from that, Zou
lecturers, who work on contract basis,
are manipulating the system to give their
friends more work to earn more. Those in
ADVERT SPACE
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Charmaine on 0735 666 122
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Page 14 News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Special Covid-19
PANDEMIC coverage
GOVERNMENT is still working to put in Public exams to proceed: Govt
place measures to ensure public examinations,
which began on Monday, are held in a safe envi- numbers, the cumulative number of vaccines 767 243 people receiving their second dose. 96% with 510 active cases being recorded. The
ronment, cabinet minutes have revealed. administered during the reporting week in- Zimbabwe has so far recorded a cumulative 133 overall national number of new cases decreased
creased to last week,’’ the cabinet briefing reads. 747 Covid-19 cases and 4703 deaths. slightly during the week with 209 cases record-
The Zimbabwe School Examinations Coun- ed compared to 251 the previous week.
cil (Zimsec) public examinations kicked off on As of 24 November 2021, a total of 3 718 Zimbabwe had targeted to inoculate 10 mil-
22 November for Ordinary Level candidates, 776 first doses had been administered, with 2 lion people by December. The recovery rate was — STAFF WRITER.
while the Advance Level examinations will com-
mence on 29 November overlapping to January
2022.
‘‘Regarding preparation for the safe adminis-
tration of 2021 Zimbabwe School Examination
Council (Zimsec) examinations, the nation is
advised that the ministry of Primary and Sec-
ondary is currently monitoring and strength-
ening Covid-19 compliance in preparation for
the 2021 Zimsec Examinations. The same col-
laboration between the education and health
sector and successful 2020 schools examination
processes, is expected to deliver the desired out-
come,’’ the 40th cabinet briefing reads.
This year will be the first that Zimsec incor-
porates Continuous Assessment of Learning
(Cala) marks into the final results for the Grade
Seven, Ordinary, and Advanced level examina-
tions.
‘‘The nation is also advised that 2021 is the
first year that the Zimbabwe School Examina-
tions Council (Zimsec) is incorporating Con-
tinuous Assessment of Learning Area (Cala)
marks into the final result for the Grade 7, ‘O’
and ‘A’ level examinations. To ensure that the
continuous assessment was done in compliance
with Covid-19 regulations and to also ensure
that the credibility of the Zimsec examination
system remains intact senior management were
all out in full force moderating and ensuring
that completion of Continuous Assessment of
Learning Area Activities (Cala) is done by the
end of November 2021,’’ the briefing reads.
The ministry of Health and the ministry of
Education are also collaborating on a drive to
vaccinate school children aged 16 to 17. Cabi-
net reported that the inclusion of teenagers has
increased the target population and the vacci-
nation rate. “It is pleasing to note that in actual
New Covid-19 variant likely to ruin festive season
KUMBIRAI MACHINGURA Chief coordinator of national Covid-19 response in the Office of the set to travel to the country for the festive season.
President and Cabinet Dr Agnes Mahomva The variant has since been confirmed in three
ZIMBABWE says it will not change its Covid-19
response strategy amid reports of a new variant “We have not identified any case in Zimbabwe year. countries by genetic sequencing. The B.1.1529
of the disease being detected in neighbouring and still have to confirm the authenticity of the As at 24 November 2021, Zimbabwe had contains 32 mutations in the spike protein, the
Botswana, South Africa, as well as Hong Kong. information about the detection of the new vari- part of the virus that most vaccines use to prime
ant, we are also guided by our local scientists,” recorded 133 747 confirmed cases and 4 703 the immune system against Covid-19. Mutations
Scientists this week said they have discovered a she said. deaths. A total of 3 718 776 people had also re- in the spike protein can affect the virus's ability
new coronavirus variant that carries several mu- ceived their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, to infect cells and spread, making it harder for
tations. Reports have shown that the new variant The government of Zimbabwe has been tar- while 2 767 243 had been fully vaccinate. the immune system to attack the pathogen.
known as b.1.1529 by experts is a serious cause geting to attain herd immunity, by getting 60%
for concern as it is different from the previous of the population inoculated by the end of this The new variant is a cause for concern for Zim- The new variant was first detected on 11 No-
incarnations due to its unusually large number of babwe, as thousands of citizens living aborad are vember in Botswana where three cases have been
mutations posing a high chance of immune eva- confirmed, followed by South Africa with six cas-
sion and transmissibility to neighbouring coun- es in Gauteng and lastly one case in Hong Kong
tries such as Zimbabwe. from a traveller returning from South Africa.
The chief coordinator of national Covid-19 Amid the discovery of the new variant, media
response in the Office of the President and Cab- reports in South Africa say the country has been
inet, Dr Agnes Mahomva, said Zimbabwe will experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases with daily
not change its implementation strategies in man- infections shooting up to 1 200 on Wednesday,
aging the spread of the new variant which has up from around 100 earlier this month.
10 mutations compared to the Delta variant’s
previous two. South African media reported that the author-
ities had predicted the coming of the fourth wave
“The new variant does not change what we are to hit the country during mid-December, hence
doing; we are encouraging people to be vaccinat- another worrying factor which might heighten
ed, wash hands with soap and running water, and the danger of another surge in cases.
all other measures that we have been implement-
ing in trying to prevent the potential fourth wave British experts told the media that current jabs
which could be triggered by the coming of the would be unlikely to fend off the new variant.
new variant,” Dr Mahomva told The NewsHawks
yesterday. They warned that B.1.1.529, its scientific
name, has the potential to be worse than any
other previous viruses, including the well-known
Delta.
NewsHawks News Page 15
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
DUMISANI NDLELA Zim firms circumnavigate Covid
pandemic through trying times
COMPANIES listed on the Zimbabwe Stock
Exchange (ZSE), which hold sway across the NSSA reportedly upped its stake in the company to 91.5%
vast swathe of the economy and are strategic,
are buoyant about the outlook as they adapt to June 2021, that the environment had been heav- has reduced the levels of infections and mortal- turnover falling below forecast by the end of
the devastating Covid-19 environment after re- ily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, with a ity rates and enabled some countries to return September 2021,” Ndlovu said.
sumption of major economic activities. spike in new infections from mid-May 2021. to normal levels of social and economic activity.
There remains a risk of the resurgence of more “Given the uncertainties around Covid-19,
Zimbabwe took its first lockdown measures in “While the Covid-19 pandemic is expected to virulent strains of the virus which would neces- we are taking mitigating steps to protect the
March 2020 after the virulent coronavirus rav- remain ongoing, the group expects an improved sitate the re-imposition of lockdowns. There are group’s operations. This includes empowering
aged the global community, disrupting normal business outturn overall for FY2021 (full-year many uncertainties that make it difficult to fully staff members to work from home and main-
economic activities and social order amid a wave 2021), due to the implementation of the more estimate the full impact of the Covid-19 pan- taining World Health Organisation protocols
of infections and fatalities. flexible lockdown measures compared to prior demic on the financial health of the company enacted at the height of the pandemic to ensure
year,” CFI said. and group entities.” safety of employees and customers,” she said.
Lockdowns were imposed to curb infections
and deaths after three Covid-19 waves hit the The group is expected to publish its financial He said the group had recorded tremendous “As at end of September 2021 over 70% of
country. The third-wave lockdown, the last ma- results for the full year before year end. success in the vaccination of employees. This, he our staff members had been fully vaccinated.
jor one to hit the country, has been relaxed after noted, “bodes well in ensuring that the business The pandemic has had a significant impact on
a concerted effort to vaccinate the population, The pandemic had resulted in delays at Cas- continues to operate in a safe environment”. the group’s performance in the current period,
the majority of whom have been hesitant to get sava Smartech Zimbabwe in the publication of most notably on revenue generation, profit mar-
the jabs due to conspiracy theories surrounding its financial results. This had been accompanied “The Zimbabwean operating environment is gins, administration efficiencies and the mer-
the inoculation and lack of access to inoculation. by the need to resolve certain technical issues, expected to remain complex as the country be- chandise value chain.”
the company said. However, its businesses had gins to focus on the 2023 general elections in
In a trading update, Axia Corporation, a re- experienced phenomenal growth. the circumstance of difficult economic policy About the outlook, Ndlovu said: “Uncertain-
tail and distribution sector operator which deals choices. This may be further complicated by the ty caused by the pandemic is likely to continue
in household goods and appliances, automotive Beverage manufacturer Delta Corporation Covid-19 pandemic which remains a factor into due to emerging new variants of the virus and
goods and distribution of fast-moving consum- said Covid-19 mitigation measures implement- the short-term,” Moyo said. vaccine efficacy challenges. We are taking steps
er goods, said the first two months of the first ed by the government, which included lock- to exercise rigorous management of inventory
quarter to 30 September 2021 had been charac- downs, restrictions on travel and social gath- Clothing retailer Edgars Stores had taken a levels, closely monitor all aspects of the trade re-
terised by Covid-19 Level Four lockdown mea- erings, had limited the sale or consumption of knock from the impact of lockdowns, although ceivables portfolio and optimising our funding
sures, which were accompanied by “a concomi- alcoholic beverages. all its businesses experienced growth during the mix to meet the needs of the business.”
tant reduction in trading hours”. quarter to 10 October 2021 after the introduc-
However, aggregate demand for its prod- tion of lockdowns following the heightened Packaging group NamPak Zimbabwe said
“Despite this, the group’s retail operations ucts had remained firm, despite the impact of third-wave infections in June. This had curtailed it continued to operate as an essential industry
registered good volume growth,” the company Covid-19. Demand had been driven by a suc- foot traffic into stores during the trading quarter during lockdowns.
said, forecasting an improved performance based cessful 2021 agricultural season, increased min- to 10 October 2021.
on execution of expansion opportunities. ing output and firmer commodity prices and However, group managing director John Pa-
spending on infrastructure projects. This, reported chief executive officer Tjeludo ton Van Gend said resurgence of Covid-19 in-
Tobacco giant BAT said the trading environ- Ndlovu, led to lost sales, productive time and fections brought many uncertainties that made
ment for the nine months ended 30 September Board chairman Sternford Moyo said: “The pressure to settle fixed operating costs including it difficult to estimate the full financial impact
2021 showed an improvement driven by the re- company will continue to review its responses Covid-19-related expenses for the group. on the group’s financial results.
laxation of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. to the Covid-19 pandemic based on the best
The company had delivered an overall volume available medical and safety advice with a focus “Consumer confidence and spending was Nampak’s full year ended in September, and
growth of 32% over the same period the previ- to avoid or reduce transmissions of the disease significantly depressed, resulting in year-to-date the company should publish its financials before
ous year, mainly attributable to increased con- through its activities. The roll out of vaccines the end of December.
sumer demand, increased export of cut rag to-
bacco and the easing of the Covid-19 lockdown
restrictions, reported company chairman Love-
more Manatsa.
He said the outlook was promising, with the
national economy forecast “to recover in the
context of a good agricultural season, adaptation
to Covid-19 induced limitations, and continua-
tion of fiscal and monetary policy reforms”.
“The company remains committed and confi-
dent that our business strategies will deliver val-
ue growth for our shareholders,” Manatsa said.
In its trading update, hospitality and tourism
group RTG, which staged a spectacular turn-
around after a spell in technical insolvency, said
the Covid-19 pandemic had impacted its per-
formance for the period to 30 September 2021,
although it remained in a strong trading position
despite business disruptions caused by the pan-
demic.
“We are confident that the impact of the
Covid-19 pandemic and the concomitant lock-
down during the remaining part of the year
will not have a material negative impact on the
group’s financial performance for the year end-
ing 31 December 2021,” Tapiwa Mari, the com-
pany secretary, said.
This week, the National Social Security Au-
thority was reported to have upped its stake in
the company to 91.5%, a clear vote of confi-
dence in the group’s future and its management.
Border Timbers’ judicial manager Peter Bai-
ley last month said the economic conditions
during the financial year to 30 June 2021 had
been “slowed down by partially relaxed Covid-
19-induced restrictions to gatherings, travel, and
business trading hours”.
Regional countries had relaxed their lock-
downs in response to the subsiding Covid-19
infection rates, which had a positive impact on
the export business.
“The reassuring recovery in the Zimbabwe
economy, mainly attributable to receding infla-
tion and a relatively stable exchange rate, created
a better trading environment which is expected
to continue as the government continue to im-
plement economic reforms,” he said.
Bailey, however, said that the impact of
Covid-19 on future business operations re-
mained uncertain, but management was quite
optimistic that the efforts by the government to
vaccinate the population will go a long way in
ensuring that the economy rebounds and eco-
nomic activity normalise.
CFI, which recently bounced back from pro-
longed suspension from the bourse, said in its
recent trading update for the third quarter to 30
Page 16 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks
CARTOON Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Merchants of poverty
bask in fictional glory
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube presented the 2022 Nation- Mnangagwa court case:
al Budget yesterday, which did little to dispel his growing rep- Let there be fair hearing
utation as a sleek-talking merchant of mass impoverishment.
THE High Court Case in which administrators. istration Ignatius Chombo.
He may resort to the high-flown language of sophisticated President Emmerson Mnangag- That is why the spotlight will be Zanu PF and Mnangagwa are
algorithms to make himself sound like a well-meaning techno- wa’s legitimacy and legality is be-
crat, but there are very few people who disagree with the court ing challenged has predictably on them when the hearing into the represented by Edwin Manikai
of public opinion which has since arrived at the conclusion that provoked public interest, not least matter begins. of Dube, Manikai and Hwacha,
the professor and his boss, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, among lawyers who see this as a test while Musengezi’s counsel is Bu-
have vandalised people’s quality of life. of credibility for the judges. Zanu PF member Sybeth Musen- lawayo-based Ncube Attorneys,
gezi, also a local businessman and whose correspondent law firm in
The budget failed to address the three pressing issues which Not only would it be a credibility economist, says he has a strong Harare is Mbidzo, Muchadehama
are screaming out for attention: poverty, currency crisis and test for judges, for also for the judi- case against the ruling party which and Makoni.
structural infirmities linked to corruption, bad governance and ciary as a whole. parachuted Mnangagwa to its helm
policy inconsistencies. unconstitutionally and unlawfully, In a devastating answering affida-
Integrity, independence and im- making him a creature of illegali- vit, Musengezi seeks to crush all the
There were no tax breaks worth talking of in this budget; in partiality are key prerequisites for ties. issues raised by Manikai for Zanu
fact, Ncube has piled on the misery by introducing new taxes. an effective and functional judiciary PF and Mnangagwa, as well as oth-
and judicial system for the peaceful His case is against Zanu PF, not ers.
Figures do not lie. resolution of legal disputes. Mnangagwa per se. Mnangagwa is
While Ncube was at pains to portray a picture of economic He says to begin with the op-
normalcy, the latest official statistics revealed the grim reality The judiciary is one of the pillars Hawk Eye posing affidavit filed by Manikai
that year-on-year inflation rose to 58.4% in November from of the state, together with the ex- for Zanu PF and its officials, par-
54.5% in October. ecutive and legislature. The media, Dumisani ticularly Mpofu, was done with-
The ultimate measure of a government’s economic policy is fourth estate, belongs to that realm Muleya out an exhibit of the ruling party’s
quality of life. Anything else is smoke and mirrors. When a re- as well. resolution or permission for them
gime makes it near-impossible for the average citizen to buy a cited as the outcome would have to do so as the party is supposed to
loaf of bread, eat three square meals a day, afford decent shelter, An independent and effective a material impact on his position, be represented in litigation by its
healthcare and education, it has failed to govern and has no justice system that safeguards hu- whether positive or negative for secretary for legal affairs — Paul
legitimate business clinging on to political power. man rights, facilitates access for all him. Mangwana — in terms of article 9,
The few workers who still hold down a formal job have been and provides transparent and ob- section 55(3) of its constitution.
reduced to paupers. As for the poverty-stricken majority in the jective recourse is a core value of In his answering affidavit, in As a result, he says Zanu PF has
informal sector who must eke out a living on the tough streets democracy. High Court Case Number HC not properly filed its notice of op-
or at the mercy of hostile climate change, life is getting more 5687/21, Musengezi comes out position and opposing affidavit,
unbearable by the day. A strong, stable and fair justice guns blazing against Zanu PF (first meaning it is legally out of court.
A budget is the most important policy instrument of a gov- mechanism helps to ensure demo- respondent), Mnangagwa (second), In other words, they refrained
ernment. It is a qualitative and quantitative expression of state cratic, economic and social stabil- Obert Mpofu (third) and Patrick from opposing his case against
planning for a fiscal year. ity as disputes — like the one on Chinamasa (fourth). The fifth re- themselves and are content with
Although it is fundamentally a political statement, a budget Mnangagwa’s legitimacy — can be spondent is former vice-president merely backing Mpofu in court.
reflects the economic priorities of those in power. But it is cru- resolved within a structured and Phelekezela Mphoko and the sixth Musengezi, put differently, says
cial to guard against the arrogance of power. orderly framework. is ex-Zanu PF secretary for admin- the party against whom substantive
In the Zimbabwean polity, while it is the exclusive jurisdic- relief is sought — Zanu PF — has
tion of the ruling elite to determine the direction in which the These principles apply not only
national budget takes, the government dare not ignore the con- to members of the judiciary, but To Page 17
cerns of the masses. other actors in the justice system,
If legitimate political authority is derived from the consent of including prosecutors and judicial
the governed, the national budget must, of essence, be an elo-
quent elucidation of the national interest. This national interest
is supposed to transcend the untidy arena of the fleeting politics
of the day; it must encompass the higher ideals of statecraft,
national survival and prosperity.
Achieving national objectives requires commitment, dil-
igence and practical action. A budget is reduced to a useless
piece of paper if the government is not serious about its imple-
mentation.
The only way in which a budget’s scope can go beyond the
narrow definition of “estimates of revenue and expenditure” is
when it is implemented as a public policy imperative and in the
national interest.
This is where the Zanu PF regime has been found wanting. A
good budget is not just a collection of the wishes of the ruling
elite; it must be an organic, living and breathing public policy
instrument that achieves clear goals and objectives, transform-
ing the lives of citizens for the better.
When minister Ncube gloats about a “fiscal surplus”, he
comes across as insincere to long-suffering citizens who feel in-
sulted by flowery rhetoric meant to hide the ugly underbelly of
bad governance.
This economy is a waking nightmare; anyone making utopi-
an claims to the contrary must now budget for the inevitable
backlash from half the entire population which is wallowing in
untold poverty.
Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
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NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 17
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Mnangagwa court case: Let there be fair hearing
From Page 16 Zanu PF secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu
not opposed the application even though
Mpofu purports to be representing it with- solid case against Zanu PF and by extension validated later. I submit that, that which is “Over the years since independence, it is
out an exhibit to that effect. Mnangagwa, hence his relief sought cannot founded on an illegality cannot stand, and the 1st respondent (Zanu PF) that has pro-
be incompetent as claimed by Mpofu and further cannot be validated by subsequent vided personnel to govern this country, and
He thus demands Mpofu’s pleadings of others. “The submission of illegality, and events. A nullity, I am advised, is a nullity it is accordingly, important that a party that
the law should be expunged from the official therefore of a nullity is well grounded, ” he for all time . . . It started with illegality and governs, itself observes, its own constitution
court record. says. ended with it. It was, and still is a nullity . . before it is expected to respect the broader
. All the subsequent built up, was built on a national constitution. That is how important
Musengezi also says he has sued Mnan- Musengezi adds: “It is alarming to hear nullity. this matter is.”
gagwa in his official capacity as the president that illegalities from start can be rectified or
and first secretary of Zanu PF, not as state
President.
“Applicant is alive to the distinction be-
tween the office of the President of the Re-
public of Zimbabwe and the President of the
Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic
Front (Zanu PF),” Musengezi states.
“To suggest that the applicant is thereby
suing the office of the President of the Re-
public of Zimbabwe is self-servingly mislead-
ing.”
He adds: “The constitutional provision re-
lating to presidential immunity is not appli-
cable in the present case.
“No relief is being sought against the Pres-
ident of the Republic of Zimbabwe, either in
his official or personal capacity in this appli-
cation. Accordingly, applicant stands by its
afore averred averments.”
Musengezi goes further: “To drag the office
of the President of the Republic of Zimba-
bwe into this suit is to obfuscate issues upon
which my application is rooted. I restate for
the umpteenth time, that no relief is being
sought by myself against the President of the
Republic of Zimbabwe in his official or per-
sonal capacity. Relief is sought against the 1st
respondent, a political association known as
the Zimbabwe African National Union Patri-
otic Front, itself a legal entity founded upon
its Constitution. Such institution is capable
of suing and being sued in its own standing”.
Addressing Mpofu’s claim, Musengezi says
he is a Zanu PF card-carrying member, whose
POSB statement is linked to the party’s bank
account, through which he pays subscrip-
tions for his membership for 20 years now.
He attached documents to support that.
Musengezi adds that he contested Zanu PF’s
2018 primary elections after being vetted by
the Central Intelligence Organisation.
He says he is defending the party’s consti-
tution and its political and ideological values
therein.
He states that he has a legitimate, direct
and substantial interest in this case. “I am
directly affected by patently illegal decisions
that its officials have foisted on it,” he points
out.
Musengezi argues that having demonstrat-
ed his Zanu PF membership and locus standi,
he wants to uphold the party constitution
and hold those in power accountable. Zanu
PF leaders must uphold their own constitu-
tion before they are expected to respect the
national constitution, he adds.
On the issue of exhausting internal reme-
dies first, Musengezi contends it is irrational
for anyone to expect him to get justice from
the same party structures he is accusing of
acting illegally and causing injustice in the
first place, and who are also “tainted with il-
legalities”. “Such would amount to judgment
of a complaint by the suspect,” he says.
The illegalities Musengezi complains
about arise from the Zanu PF central com-
mittee meeting of 19 November 2017 which
he says was unconstitutionally convened,
constituted and conducted as the late former
president Robert Mugabe and Mphoko —
the only two officials who could have legally
called for it — were not there.
“I am advised that illegalities even by op-
eration of prescription do not then become
legalities,” he adds.
Musengezi contends Mnangagwa’s party
leadership was “founded on illegality” and
“therefore the status quo should be inter-
rupted”.
He adds that he has crystallised a clear and
Page 18 New Perspectives NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
SDRs: Allocation and fiscal usage
FOUR groups of influential Dem-
ocratic lawmakers urged United United States Treasury secretary Janet Yellen.
States Treasury secretary Janet Yellen
on Tuesday to back the issuance of tries that do not need them, so they balance of payments for countries itarian, labour, human rights, and and Social Justice made some very
US$2 trillion in additional emer- should be reallocated." has been in the shape of high com- faith-based groups… have called on important points: "The first is for
gency reserves by the Internation- modity prices. A recent Bloomberg the IMF to allocate a total of US$3 the finance ministry, on behalf of its
al Monetary Fund to help poor The Economist in its recent article, titled "Soaring cost of food is trillion worth of SDRs.’ country, to receive the SDRs and de-
countries still struggling with the Espresso morning brief titled "A lot forcing families to scrimp at the din- Indeed, a justification for greater posit the exchanged amount at the
Covid-19 pandemic. better than nothing: special drawing ner table", pointed out the follow- allocation of SDRs for developing central bank. The second replicates
rights" pointed out in this regard: ing: "Food prices were up 31% from countries could be seen from esti- the mechanism used by the US: that
In the letter, the lawmakers wel- "The IMF expects the allocation the same month last year, according mates by the United Nations Con- the ministry receives the SDRs and
comed Yellen’s support for a US$650 to provide relief to poor countries to an index compiled by the United ference on Trade and Development issues SDR certificates for the cen-
billion allocation of IMF Special struggling to support fragile curren- Nations’ Food and Agriculture Or- (UNCTAD), as pointed out by Lat- tral bank to hold. The third is for the
Drawing Rights (SDRs) in August, cies and pay for imports. But the ganisation. …The sustained increase in American Network for Econom- central bank to pay the equivalent
and asked her to support a measure aid is of a modest sort. SDRs are in prices for basic staples is making ic and Social Justice in their same amount in SDRs to the ministry as
passed by the House of Representa- doled out broadly in proportion to some governments nervous. …The handbook: "According to estimates a dividend. And the fourth is for the
tives in July that called for issuance countries’ contributions to the IMF, surge has stirred memories of 2008 by the United Nations Conference central bank to grant financing to
of 1.5 trillion more SDRs, valued at meaning most will go to rich econ- and 2011, respectively, when spikes on Trade and Development (UNC- the ministry for an indefinite term,
around US$2 trillion. Zimbabwe re- omies." triggered food ri- for an amount equivalent to that of
ceived an allocation of US$961 mil- ots in more than the SDRs received."
lion in recent SDR allocation which So just like the issuance of SDRs 30 nations across
it plans to use to support spending in 2009, where out of an allocated Africa, Asia, and Econometrics Moreover, with regard to its us-
in social, productive, and infrastruc- US$250 billion worth of SDRs, the Middle East. age, the Handbook rightly indi-
ture sectors, as well as building re- the majority of it (US$132 billion) ..." HawksView cated that "The most specific des-
serve buffers. went to rich, advanced countries; Hence, while tination of spending, understood
only US$18 billion was received by there is a need for as investments in healthcare or
Writing in the wake of the Global low-income countries and US$100 re-allocation of payments of debt, corresponds to
Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2009 in a billion by developing countries and resources towards Tinashe Kaduwo each country according to its needs,
Project Syndicate published article emerging economies. Similarly, the mainly the poor priorities and current legislation."
titled "The new IMF", the then ex- majority shares of SDRs have been countries, a case for releasing a big- TAD), developing countries would
ecutive director of the International received by rich, advanced countries ger amount of SDRs should be se- require between US$2 trillion and In the particular case of Zim-
Monetary Fund (IMF), Age Bakker, in the recent allocation of US$650 riously supported. Highlighting the US$3 trillion until December 2021 babwe, with high balance of pay-
commended the IMF for coming up billion worth of SDRs. need for greater issuance of SDRs, a to respond to the fall in tax revenues ments needs, it may make sense to
with "flexible lending policies", es- recently published article titled "As and avoid a lost decade. The richest utilise some of this SDR allocation
pecially with regard to the introduc- Notwithstanding that allocation IMF allocates US$650 billion worth countries have implemented mea- for building up foreign exchange
tion of a new non-conditional credit should have adopted a special quo- of special drawing rights, economists sures for US$13 trillion, which has reserves. All that has been said, in
line for well-performing countries, ta regime so that more deserving say more will be needed" by the allowed them faster recovery but has Zimbabwe; it is not clear whether
but he asked the IMF to have a bal- countries in terms of financial need Centre for Economic and Policy Re- also widened the inequality with the authorities are following the pro-
anced approach towards its member obtained the lion’s share of this al- search (CEPR) stated the following: low-income and middle-income cedure outlined by the Latin Ameri-
countries as "the ‘new’ IMF" should location, it would make sense that "The US House of Representatives countries.’ can Network for Economic and So-
be an institution that communicates rich, advanced countries reallocate recently passed legislation support- Having said that, the allocation cial Justice.
better with its members, balances as much as possible. ing an additional issuance of 1.54 of SDRs that has been released to
the interests of its advanced, emerg- trillion SDRs (worth US$2.2 tril- countries needs to be used properly. *About the writer: Tinashe
ing and developing members in an If not all, SDRs allocated to them lion), and similar legislation is pend- The same Handbook by the Latin Kaduwo is a researcher and econ-
even-handed manner, and aligns its to poor, developing countries, and ing in the US Senate. Major human- American Network for Economic omist. He writes in his personal ca-
policies better to the needs of the emerging economies. Already, the pacity. Contact kaduwot@gmail.
moment. allocation of US$650 billion lost its com whatsapp +263773376128
gloss owing to a variety of factors.
The Covid-19 pandemic and An added or new pressure on the
the global recessionary spiral on
account of that have placed great-
er financial burdens on developing
and emerging economies in partic-
ular. An important step in assisting
countries by the IMF was in the
shape of recently released SDRs to
the tune of US$650 billion, yet the
needed balance in terms of alloca-
tion could not be achieved, whereby
a major portion went to advanced,
rich countries since the usual quota
sharing mechanism was strictly fol-
lowed. Having said that, the delay
in release of such support is indeed
regrettable, since it arrived almost
one-and-a-half years after the official
announcement of the outbreak of
the pandemic by the World Health
Organisation (WHO).
A recently released report, "Hand-
book for the Use of Special Drawing
Rights (SDRs) for Fiscal Purposes"
by the Latin American Network
for Economic and Social Justice has
pointed out in this regard the fol-
lowing: "the decision to issue $650
billion in Special Drawing Rights
(SDR) is bittersweet news: on the
one hand, it is the recognition of the
seriousness of the crisis and the need
for a unified plan on the internation-
al agenda, but on the other hand it
leaves the unpleasantness of being
insufficient, untimely and with pros-
pects of deepening inequality if oth-
er corrective measures are not taken.
For example, two thirds of these
resources will be directed to coun-
Business
MATTERSNewsHawks
MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
EUR/USD 1.168 +0.001 +0.05 -1.402
USD/JPY 109.75 +0.03 +0.03 *OIL 62.61 -0.89 +0.123
GBP/USD 1.362 -0.002 -0.154 -0.39
USD/CAD 1.29 +0.007 +0.55 *GOLD 1,785.3 +2.2 +0.44
AUD/USD 0.713 -0.001 -0.098 +1.14
*SILVER 23.14 -0.09
*PLATINUM 975.5 +4.3
*COPPER 4.087 +0.046
CTC approves seven acquisitions
DUMISANI NYONI
THE Competition and Tariff Commission CTC approved the transaction involving the acquisition of 38% to 40% of MyCash Financial Services.
(CTC) has approved seven acquisitions, in-
cluding the acquisition of 100% shares in DSI During the meeting, the CTC approved the Group products, related or unrelated, at be- for a period of 5 years, submits a report to the
Underground Holdings by Sandvik Aktiebolag transaction involving the acquisition of shares low the cost of providing such a service and commission on how it has complied with the
PLC. in Tavistock Estate by Dairibord Zimbabwe. that all pricing decisions by Mars will be in conditions,” the minutes read.
line with prevailing market conditions and
Sandvik Aktiebolag PLC is a public limit- However, was fined ZWL$144 192.68 for best business practice. The CTC approved, without conditions,
ed company incorporated in Sweden and its consummating the merger without the com- the acquisition by Sandvik Aktiebolag PLC of
operations are based on expertise in material mission’s approval. “Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe (Private) 100% of shares in DSI Underground Hold-
technology and extensive knowledge regarding Limited shall not, through use of its VAYA ings.
industrial processes, according to the CTC’s Another deal which sailed through was the ambulance platform, engage in any activity
minutes of the 88th board meeting held in acquisition of Mars Zimbabwe by Cassava which would favour MARS Zimbabwe (Pri- Another deal which sailed through is the
September 2021. Smartech Zimbabwe. vate) Limited over other Emergency Rescue acquisition of 68% shareholding of Star Afri-
Services providers; and CASSAVA Smartech ca Corporation Limited by investors in Afri-
In Zimbabwe, Sandvik Aktiebolag supplies The transaction was approved on condition Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, annually, and ca-Takura Ventures (Pvt) Ltd and Takura III
underground trucks, drill rigs, aftermarket that Cassava and its successors-in-title shall (Pvt) Ltd.
parts, crushers and consumables through its not bundle Mars and Cassava
subsidiary Sandvik Mining and Construction
Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd.
DSI Underground Holding is a registered
company in Luxembourg active in the ground
sector and its main business is the supplying of
ground control systems and concrete accesso-
ries to the mining sector.
It has no entities in Zimbabwe, but supplies
hard rock bolts in the mining sector through
Rocbolt Africa located in South Africa.
The commission also approved the transac-
tion involving the acquisition of 38% to 40%
of MyCash Financial Services by Syntegra
Solutions and Boomway Investments.
MyCash is a financial service provider that
offers digital banking, mobile wallet and pay-
roll payment services to individuals and small
and medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. Its mo-
bile wallet allows clients to transact using ei-
ther a phone or Zimswitch.
One of the acquiring firms, Syntegra Solu-
tions, provides services that include cloud-
based services, retail enterprise, big data, retail
planning and e-commerce. On the other hand,
Boomway Investments (Pvt) Ltd is a wholly
investment vehicle of Innscor Africa Limited
established for the purposes of this transaction.
It had no operations at the time of the merg-
er notification. The transaction was approved
on condition that MyCash Financial Services
and its successor-in-title avails application
programming interface and allows third-party
integration with its systems.
Diversified African Mining Resources Fund
intends to snap up 60% shareholding of In-
trachem, a Zimbabwean-registered company
whose primary business is the supply of explo-
sives, explosive accessories and process chemi-
cals for mining, manufacturing industry and
quarrying, the report shows.
Diversified African Mining Resources Fund
is a newly incorporated entity that was created
as a special purpose vehicle with the intention
of investing in Zimbabwe and Zambia mining
sectors.
Samanyanga Fund and its subsidiary Diver-
sified African Mining Resources Fund do not
have any undertaking, the CTC said.
CTC approved the deal without conditions.
Again, the CTC approved, without condi-
tions, the acquisition of the entire issued share
capital of Dawn Properties Limited by African
Sun Limited.
Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
BERNARD MPOFU Settle WB arrears first to get
fresh IMF funding, Zim told
ZIMBABWE will not access any concessionary
funding from the International Monetary Fund Zimbabwe has been frantically negotiating with its creditors, particularly the World Bank.
(IMF) until the country settles arrears with the
World Bank, the international financier’s com- billion is owed to the World Bank Group, ra, mission chief for Zimbabwe, held discussions market distortions, accompanied by an appro-
munication director Gerry Rice has said. US$729 million to AfDB, US$356 million to the through virtual meetings in the context of the priate monetary stance; creating fiscal space for
European Investment Bank and US$68 million 2021 Article IV Consultations from 25 October critical spending while containing fiscal deficits;
In 2016, Zimbabwe paid US$108 million to other multilateral creditors. to 16 November 2021. implementing growth-enhancing structural and
to the IMF using its Special Drawing Rights, a governance reforms; and continuing to enhance
development many said signaled the country’s Last week, an IMF team which recently con- “Decisive actions are needed to lock in eco- data transparency,” the IMF mission said.
commitment to settling arrears with multilateral cluded its Article IV Consultations on Zimba- nomic stabilisation gains and accelerate reforms.
financial institutions. The country defaulted on bwe, said the country should push for reforms The near-term macro-economic imperative is to In August, the IMF gave Zimbabwe and oth-
its obligations at the turn of the millennium and despite receiving nearly US$961 million worth continue with the close coordination among fis- er member states Special Drawing Rights hold-
became ineligible to access long-term capital. of Special Drawing Rights from the multilateral cal, exchange rate, and monetary policies. In this ings to help them absorb the economic turmoil
lender. context, key priorities relate to allowing greater which had been triggered by the outbreak of the
Following settlement of the IMF arrears, Zim- official exchange rate flexibility and tackling FX Covid-19 pandemic.
babwe launched the Lima Plan, a debt and arrears An IMF staff team, led by Dhaneshwar Ghu-
clearance plan which was rolled out in Peru during
IMF-World Bank annual meetings. The plan,
which initially had the support of some financial
institutions in Britain and the United States, col-
lapsed after the country failed to implement a raft
of reforms during the agreed timelines.
Since then, Zimbabwe has been frantically ne-
gotiating with its creditors, particularly the World
Bank, African Development Bank and the IMF,
to waiver the pari passu rule, which required the
country to pay the three financiers — which en-
joy preferred creditor status — simultaneously
and without preference .
Rice told a Press briefing that Zimbabwe re-
quires a comprehensive debt and arrears and
settlement plan, as well as goodwill from the in-
ternational community in order to extricate itself
from the huge debt overhang.
“Zimbabwe is currently not eligible to make a
request for debt relief under the Common Frame-
work because of its arrears to the World Bank,”
Rice said.
“Once the conditions for international re-en-
gagement are in place and arrears to the bank, the
World Bank, are resolved, what I can tell you is
we believe the Common Framework could be a
useful option to address Zimbabwe's debt diffi-
culties and of course for its part the international
community requires improvements also in do-
mestic political conditions and economic policies
to initiate re-engagement with Zimbabwe.”
Official figures show that as at December
2020, Zimbabwe’s total public and publicly guar-
anteed (PPG) debt stood at US$10.7 billion. This
represents 72.6% of the country’s gross domestic
product. PPG external debt owed to multilat-
eral creditors, as at the end of December 2020,
amounted to US$2.68 billion, of which US$1.53
Forex tax payment threats ill-informed: Analysts
ECONOMIC analysts have expressed concern mind is the fact that the same government was from the standpoint of national interest, there constraints.
over recent threats by the authorities to conduct responsible for the depreciation of the Zimdol- is a need to bear in mind that the US dollar is “This is because we are operating in a
forensic audits on companies allegedly failing to lar, hence the need for the authorities to take elusive and the mechanisms of acquiring it on
pay their taxes in foreign currency despite trans- responsibility and accept their own currency. the auction floor are shaky. multi-currency regime and firms can easily
acting in US dollars. switch currencies and evade the US dollar tax.
“No country the world over has been seen “It is necessary for companies to keep the for- The other factor is that there is deep-rooted rent
They were reacting to this week’s reports that demanding tax payments in the currency of an- eign, especially for those who import raw ma- seeking and corruption in the country such that
companies have until the end of this year to de- other country. Audits must be done to expose terials for their productive processes. However, those firms handling the US dollar can easily
clare sales undertaken in foreign currency or risk tax compliance issues not in pursuit of foreign the need for the government to maximise tax avoid what is due by ‘oiling’ the tax collection
rigorous audits and hefty fines, amid indications currency,” he said. revenue is understandable, but
that companies have not been honest enough to their success is sub- machinery,” he said. — STAFF WRITER.
complement government efforts. He said it appeared the authorities were des- ject to some
perate to find money for civil servants’ bonuses.
This follows policy initiatives which saw the The US dollar is elusive and the mecha-
monetary authorities last year allowing com- Economist Tawanda Purazeni nisms of acquiring it on the auction floor
panies and members of the public to use free said while it is unfair to
funds in carrying out local transactions, on the demand such in Zimbabwe are shaky.
understanding that the firms would pay back by taxes
settling their taxes in US dollars.
However, it has now become the norm for
companies to issue Zimdollar-denominated re-
ceipts even after collecting foreign currency for
such transactions.
“Zimra is therefore urging all traders to
come forth and make voluntary disclosures of
all under-declared or non-payment of tax by
31 December 2021 to avoid vigorous audits,
prosecution and penalties that will be insti-
tuted soon after the deadline,” the Zimbabwe
Revenue Authority said in a notice.
But speaking to The NewsHawks Business,
leading economist John Robertson said the
move to threaten companies over the issue of
US dollar tax payments was not “noble”.
“The development shows that the govern-
ment is too desperate to raise foreign currency
from companies. But what must be borne in
NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 21
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
THE refurbished Bulawayo SMEs Centre, with Renovated Bulawayo SMEs Centre
an improved carrying capacity, has managed to rekindles hope for clothing sector
accommodate more clothing manufacturers in
a development expected to help rejuvenate the to generate more jobs ,” Sibanda said. well-to-do clients. This is different from the era tune Sithole, said initial assessments confirmed
clothing sector in the metropolitan province. A tailor operating at the centre, Tawanda Mu- before the renovations where I would carry my that the project has gone a long way to positively
wares in a small bag and move around in the loca- reflect the model for effective formalisation of the
The just-completed renovation works were cheche, hailed the latest developments, saying lu- tions to get customers,” he said. informal sector in a way which equitably cascades
funded by the International Labour Organisation crative deals were coming his way. down the socio-economic benefits to many.
(ILO) and through technical knowledge impart- The ILO progamme assistant for Employment
ed by partners, namely the National Social Secu- “Business activity has greatly improved, with Creation and Labour Market Governance, For- — STAFF WRITER.
rity Authority (Nssa), Women’s Affairs ministry, most operators at this centre managing to attract
National University of Science and Technology
(Nust), among others. The improvements have
seen the working space adopting international
best practice and creating a model that could be
emulated by other local authorities.
Speaking to The NewsHawks on the sidelines
of an ILO-organised media tour recently, the Bu-
lawayo SMEs Development Trust administrator,
retired Captain Dumile Sibanda, said a range of
trades are accommodated at the centre, the major-
ity are tailors in the clothing sector.
“The clothing sector players operating at this
centre constitute around 70%, signifying the
potential of rejuvenating the province’s past
manufacturing glory days. Added to the robust
training extended to these tailors which has seen
them overcoming negative perceptions on formal
registration, there are high hopes that the sector’s
fortunes will be turned around for the better,” he
said.
The ILO was motivated to renovate the centre
upon realising that Zimbabwe’s economy has rap-
idly informalised.
To date, more than 20 000 workers have been
left jobless in Bulawayo in the past few years after
more than 100 firms, mostly in the manufactur-
ing, textile and clothing sectors, closed down.
Many large companies that constituted the
backbone of the city’s industry in the clothing
sector have either closed shop, liquidated or have
been placed under judicial management.
These include Merlin, David Whitehead Lim-
ited, Textile Mills, Belmore Manufacturers and
Ascot Clothing. National Blankets and Security
Mills are under judicial management, while Cold
Storage Company, National Railways of
Zimbabwe, United Refineries, Dunlop Zimba-
bwe and Archer Clothing have down-sized, leav-
ing thousands jobless.
“It is our hope that these efforts will go a long
way to revive the city’s backbone as it has potential
BLACK FRIDAY IN PICTURES
Customers take advantage of Black Friday specials at Edgars, Stanley House branch in
Harare. Pictures: Aaron Ufumeli
Page 22 Companies & Markets NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Ncube impoverishing workers: Experts
EXPERTS have slammed Finance minister search Institute of Zimbabwe (Ledriz) senior and, while Ncube has scored some successes Finance minister Mthuli Ncube
Mthuli Ncube for implementing econom- researcher Prosper Chitambara said the major in some areas, there have been setbacks for the “More importantly, he maintained a high tax
ic policies which have plunged the country’s setback against the economic reform agenda is working class and citizens. Budget surpluses regime which took away more at a time when
workers into untold poverty amid calls for the unsustainable inflation. were achieved at the expense of funding critical workers were receiving the least. However,
Treasury boss to reflect and be more sensitive to sectors. there is more room to keep improving going
the plight of long-suffering citizens. “Incomes were largely eroded by inflation
forward,” he said. — STAFF WRITER.
Speaking to The NewsHawks this week, Zim-
babwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
secretary-general Japhet Moyo said Ncube’s
reform agenda has been tilted against the work-
ing class since their inception.
“Since Ncube’s appointment as minister, his
‘austerity for prosperity’ policies have impacted
negatively on the poor, including the workers.
The Transitional Stabilisation Policy (TSP) led
to huge cutbacks in welfare expenditure, while
at the same time compressing workers’ earn-
ings. This, in turn, complicated hardships as
health and education facilities went beyond the
reach of many,” he said.
He said the subsequent de-dolarisation of the
economy through Statutory Instrument 142 of
2019 drastically eroded the average worker’s
salary from an average of US$500. This, cou-
pled with the introduction of the 2% tax on
electronic transactions, amounted to massive
wage theft.
“Remember the economy didn’t have cash
and all transactions were done on mobile plat-
forms that then attracted the levy of 2% on
every dollar transacted. The banks also hiked
charges, while fuel in local currency disap-
peared. Even as inflation soared to reach 300%
by September 2019, salaries were not adjusted
accordingly to match the erosion, as they re-
mained static.
“A similar trend has been sustained since
then, as we see that even after allowing busi-
nesses to charge for their goods and services in
prices rated against the US dollar and direct
US dollar payments, no corresponding policies
have been effected on workers’ salaries,” he said.
The concerns come against a background
where the leading labour federation has de-
scribed the government’s move to pay civil
servants’ dollar bonuses as “insensitive” and
“shortlived”, with workers threatening unspec-
ified action if an official directive to pay all sal-
aries in US dollars is not issued.
In 2020, almost two years into Ncube’s
policy implementation framework, the World
Bank reported that extreme poverty in Zimba-
bwe had risen by 49%.
The document, titled Zimbabwe Economic
Update, observes that the number of extreme-
ly poor citizens rose to 7.9 million, adding 1.3
million more people into the already existing
poverty bracket in 2020 alone.
However, part of the surge in poverty was
attributed to the disruptions caused on the
national economy by Covid-19, coupled with
inadequacies in terms of social protection, the
latest World Bank report has established.
Labour and Economic Development Re-
THE majority of defined-benefit pension Economic turbulence hits pension sector
schemes are facing huge actuarial deficits, but
have no plans in place on how to address the high at 33% as at 31 December 2020, up from “Zimbabwe’s pension industry is affected by tory body. The implication is that sometimes
shortcomings, among myriad challenges the about 20% in 2018. Self-administered funds growing contribution arrears. Most sponsoring pension funds have to disinvest in higher yield
pension sector is seized with, the Labour and have an average expenses-contribution ratio of employers are facing viability challenges (exacer- investments so as to meet the statutory require-
Economic Development Research Institute of 51%. Despite several amendments, the Pension bated by the Covid-19 pandemic) and therefore ments with regard to prescribed assets.
Zimbabwe (Ledriz) has said. and Provident Funds Act is outdated and is not they are unable to remit monthly contributions
flexible enough to take into account the ev- to the pension funds. Generally, a certain per- Chitambara said the challenge with pre-
An actuarial deficit is the difference between er-changing trends in management of pension centage of the employer contributions should scribed assets was that it was very difficult to
social security obligations and the income rate funds. The current pension legislation does not be set aside to meet operating expenses of the access competitive prescribed assets in the Zim-
of the Social Security Trust Fund. Social secu- adequately reflect the increasing sophistication pension fund. However, when employers fail to babwean market, a problem exacerbated by a
rity is said to be insolvent when in an actuarial and ambition of pension funds. Pension funds remit any contributions, the operating expenses shallow financial market where the equities and
deficit, where income is less than the cost rate. are seeking to invest offshore but the legislation may end up being recovered from the assets of the property market are the main markets for
requires that they only make domestic invest- the fund. In the absence of adequate investment pension funds in the country.
In a paper recently presented to the Zim- ments,” Chitambara said. returns to offset operating expenses, the total
babwe Association of Pension Funds on mac- asset base of the fund may get depleted. De- “Moreover, pension funds are affected by
ro-economic performance and implications on He added that the Zimbabwean pension sys- pletion of the fund’s assets means reduction of high default rates by sitting tenants who rent
the pension industry, Ledriz chief economist tem was suffering from low coverage, which re- members’ value in the fund,” he said. their properties. A lot of tenants are closing
Prosper Chitambara said due to the current sulted not only from informality in the labour businesses because of the harsh economic envi-
economic environment, investments are not market, but also from low income levels (most Pension funds are also mandated to invest ronment. Occupancy rates are very low in most
yielding good returns and this has resulted in low-income earners have no pension) and high at least 20% of their investments in prescribed of the properties owned by pension funds, par-
actuarial deficits for defined-benefit pension unemployment. Moreover, he said there is also assets in the form of local registered securities ticularly those in the city centres (tenants are
schemes. a problem of low savings, which needed to be which are issued or guaranteed by the state or opting for office parks, where rentals are lower
addressed. which are issued by a local authority or statu- and rental yields are declining.” he said.
However, he said most of the sponsoring em-
ployers are failing to fund such deficits. — STAFF WRITER.
“In addition, the average expenses-contribu-
tion ratio for the entire pensions industry is very
NewsHawks Stock Taking Page 23
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Price Sheet
Thursday, 25 November 2021 A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE
Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price Traded (cents) Traded
AFDIS Consumer Goods (cents) Volume Traded Change Change (%) Cap
African Sun Consumer Services AFDIS: ZH Price 10500.00
ART ASUN: ZH 10500.00 704.53 - Value ($) (cents) (%) ($m)
Ariston Industrials ARTD: ZH 768.77 - 1100.00 4,500
Axia Consumer Services ARISTON: ZH 1045.00 616.00 378.48 3,300 - - - 337.50 12,546.92
BNC AXIA: ZH 391.08 1100.00 3400.00 31,500 31,704 -64.24 -8.36 314.43 10,032.02
BAT Consumer Goods BIND: ZH 3400.00 370.25 466.40 36,300 55.00 5.26 130.46 4,806.75
CAFCA Basic Materials 449.99 3400.00 274000.00 800 119,223 -12.60 -3.22 182.45 6,159.37
Cassava BAT: ZH 274000.00 520.00 17000.00 507,400 27,200 271.18 18,773.11
CBZ Consumer Goods CAFCA: ZH 17000.00 4274.15 2,366,517 - - 22.74 5,936.03
CFI Industrials 4479.11 - 9025.45 - 16.41 3.65 398.18 56,535.84
Dairibord CSZL: ZH 9433.33 - 7210.00 - - 89.10 1,484.97
Delta Technology CBZ: ZH 7210.00 4400.00 4821.00 5,300 - - - 557.56 110,725.16
Econet Banking 4846.67 9000.00 15002.90 5,500 226,530 - - 5.61 47,172.55
Edgars CFI:ZH 15248.92 - 5702.85 - 496,400 -204.96 -4.58 10090.81 7,645.55
FBC Industrials DZL: ZH 5513.86 4830.00 518.18 1,000 - -407.88 -4.32 268.02 17,259.22
Fidelity Consumer Goods DLTA: ZH 500.59 15000.00 3448.19 411,500 48,210 - - 559.44 195,664.16
First Capital Consumer Goods ECO: ZH 3448.19 5800.00 900.00 224,200 61,736,950 -25.67 -0.53 503.48 147,736.71
FML Telecommunications EDGR: ZH 900.00 520.00 360.04 1,100 12,785,790 -246.02 -1.61 331.82 3,131.09
FMP Consumer Services FBC: ZH 355.64 - 2300.00 - 5,700 188.99 3.43 129.67 23,170.11
GBH FIDL: ZH 2300.00 900.00 853.33 400 - 17.59 3.51 371.95
Getbucks Banking FCA: ZH 800.00 365.25 195.36 132,800 3,600 - - 227.31 980.31
Hippo Financial Services FMHL: ZH 190.00 - 900.00 - 478,132 - - 119.05 7,776.20
Innscor FMP: ZH 900.00 960.00 32500.00 9,300 - 4.40 1.24 163.37 15,873.29
Lafarge Banking GBH: ZH 32500.00 190.00 15000.68 5,600 79,360 - - 714.00 10,565.57
Mash Financial Services GBFS: ZH 15110.89 - 9200.00 - 10,940 53.33 6.67 7100.00 1,048.28
Masimba HIPO: ZH 9200.00 32500.00 419.20 100 - 5.36 2.82 261.11 10,468.07
Medtech Real Estate INN: ZH 450.00 15000.00 4800.00 58,700 32,500 - - 305.10 62,731.68
Medtech Class B Industrials LACZ: ZH 4804.92 - 5060.00 - 8,805,400 - - 858.33 85,485.34
Meikles MASH: ZH 4434.70 448.00 1800.00 500 - -110.21 -0.73 350.75 7,360.00
Nampak Financial Services MSHL: ZH 0.01 4800.00 14500.00 8,586,600 2,096 - - 328.57 7,793.24
NatFoods Consumer Goods MMDZ: ZH 17500.00 5200.00 1100.00 500 412,156,800 -30.80 -6.84 63950.63 11,599.38
NTS MMDZB:ZH 1133.33 1800.00 171829.27 200 25,300 -4.92 -0.10 17999900.00
NMBZ Industrials MEIK: ZH 171829.27 14500.00 780.00 2,700 3,600 625.30 14.10 558.95 607.20
OK Zim Industrials NPKZ: ZH 780.00 1100.00 1050.00 800 391,500 1799.99 17999900.00 381.93 24.16
Proplastics Real Estate NTFD: ZH 1050.00 - 2603.98 - 8,800 -3000.00 -17.14 2759.06 36,633.68
RTG Industrials NTS: ZH 2595.63 - 2995.00 - - -33.33 -2.94 2741.53 8,312.13
RioZim Financial Services NMB: ZH 2995.00 - 552.80 - - - - 162.47 117,531.41
SeedCo Financial Services OKZ: ZH 566.00 2600.00 3700.00 17,200 - - - 189.33 1,980.20
Simbisa Industrials PROL: ZH 3700.00 - 11795.11 - 447,885 - - 247.86 4,243.80
Star Africa Industrials RTG: ZH 11795.11 500.00 8018.59 500 - 8.35 0.32 188.29 33,484.17
Truworths Consumer Goods RIOZ: ZH 8477.16 - 127.66 - 2,764 - - 147.46 7,545.47
TSL Industrials SEED: ZH 121.73 - 235.00 - - -13.20 -2.33 412.83 13,795.10
Turnall SIM: ZH 235.25 8500.00 6600.00 6,400 - - - 567.22 4,515.09
Unifreight Banking SACL: ZH 6600.00 128.00 541.00 124,300 513,190 - - 372.81 29,157.82
Willdale Consumer Services TRUW: ZH 540.00 235.00 3000.00 200 158,680 -458.57 -5.41 696.61 45,079.29
ZB TSL: ZH 3000.00 - 289.20 - 470 5.93 4.87 282.61 6,019.28
Zeco Industrials TURN: ZH 294.51 541.00 7700.00 100 - -0.25 -0.11 481.72 902.56
Zimpapers Consumer Services UNIF: ZH 7700.00 - 0.24 - 541 - - 16029.03 23,568.76
Zimplow WILD: ZH 0.24 288.00 299.51 4,400 - 1.00 0.19 803.75 2,667.35
ZHL Basic Materials ZBFH: ZH 291.43 - 2597.44 - 12,725 - - 220.83 3,194.23
TOTAL Consumer Goods ZECO: ZH 2597.44 - 393.09 - - -5.31 -1.80 1100.00 5,141.98
Consumer Goods ZIMP: ZH 380.00 305.00 3,600 - - - 205.62 13,489.68
Consumer Goods ZIMPLOW: ZH - - 10,783 - - 419.49
Consumer Services ZHL: ZH 385.00 8,900 - 8.08 2.77 25.39 1.11
Consumer Goods 10,159,900 34,985 - - 1,725.18
501,060,574 13.09 3.44 8,950.27
Industrials 7,147.24
Industrials 1,266,178.07
Industrials
Banking
Industrials
Consumer Services
Industrials
Financial Services
ETFs OMTT.zw 538.16 525.00 526.98 10,739 56,592 -11.18 -2.08 425.82 421.58
Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF
FINSEC Financial Services OMZIL 7100.00 7100.00 7100.00 130 923,000 - - 167.92 5,893.83
Old Mutual Zimbabwe
VFEX (US cents) US$m
Padenga Consumer Goods PHL:VX 19.50 - 19.50 - -- - -45.83 105.61
SeedCo International Consumer Goods SCIL:VX 28.00 - 28.00 - -- - 55.56 106.81
Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
ZSE All Share 10,603.20 -1.51 10,765.64 +303.26 Medtech Class B 1800.00c +17999900.00
6,559.88 -2.12 +296.49 5060.00c +1799.99c +17999900.00
Top 10 7,317.01 -1.80 6,702.24 +275.60 Medtech +63950.63
400,183.91 +0.90 7,451.41 +3269.64 853.33c +625.30c +14.10 +163.37
Top 15 20,952.01 -0.19 396,607.79 +276.54 FMP 1100.00c +130.46
20,991.50 127.66c +53.33c +6.67 +372.81
Small Cap ART
+55.00c +5.26
Medium Cap Star Africa
+5.93c +4.87
Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %
Meikles 14500.00c -3000.00c -17.14 +558.95
-64.24c -8.36 +314.43
African Sun 704.53c -30.80c -6.84 +350.75
419.20c -458.57c -5.41 +567.22
Mash 8018.59c -204.96c -4.58 +557.56
4274.15c
Simbisa
Cassava
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Page 24 News Analysis NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Forex bonuses signal govt economic failure
PALESA MUWANI month on allegations of illicit activi- altogether and made the Zimbabwe sprung into action publicly exposing Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube.
ties as well as halting the fungibility dollar the sole legal tender without more than 70 individuals for illegal currency chaos.
THE decision by the government to of three counters, namely Old Mutu- putting in place the necessary bench- forex activities and money laundering
pay civil servants' bonuses in hard al, Seed Co and PPC. marks for its stability. However, this with the threat to arrest retailers and “The Zimbabwe dollar is now in
currency is yet another strong indi- spawned chronic high inflation, players in other sectors of the busi- real peril and urgent and well-con-
cator of the failure by President Em- The move by the government re- with the year-on-year rate breaching ness community for foreign currency sidered policy measures must be im-
merson Mnangagwa's administration sulted in huge losses as well as the the 800% mark last year.This led to violations. plemented by the authorities aimed
to shore up the Zimbabwe dollar. flight of investors from the local government making an embarrassing at bringing back confidence into the
bourse. The failure by the govern- climbdown as it re-introduced the use In a further bid to salvage the Zim- currency markets,” the CZI said in an
Government recently announced ment to lift the suspension has caused of the multi-currency regime last year babwe dollar, the RBZ in collabora- update to its members.
that it will pay the annual bonuses major confusion as to the value of under the guise of ameliorating the tion with the police had intiaited a
in hard currency of up to US$700, Old Mutual and PPC shares with impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. crackdown on business leaders whom “In truth, we find ourselves in a
a move welcomed by civil servants, shareholders incurring huge losses as they accused of abusing the forex auc- situation that could and should have
but also seen as an admission that the a result of the suspension. This is a far The introduction of the foreign tion market. The move was met with been avoided had appropriate policy
local currency is in the intensive care cry from the objective of shoring up currency auction market in June last outrage from business executives. prescriptions been in place. We are, of
unit. the Zimbabwe dollar. year to ease access by business to forex course, concerned about the response
at cheaper rates last year led to rela- "The arrest of business leaders will by the authorities so far, which was to
This is the first time government In another bid to stabilise the lo- tive stability of the Zimbabwe dollar. only serve to destabilise the relation- blame players in the foreign currency
will pay its workers in the greenback cal currency Mnangagwa's govern- ship between business and authorities markets.”
since it introduced the Zimbabwe ment promulgated a new law in 2018 However, the stability was as the two need to work together to
dollar after the use of the multi-cur- which would result in money-chang- shortlived as the central bank soon re-industrialise the economy in pur- The government's decision to pay
rency regime. ers being jailed for up to 10 years with struggled to keep up with payment suit of Vision 2030,” CZI president bonuses in hard currency shows that
the confiscation of ill-gotten wealth. of the forex allotments which re- Kurai Matsheza warned in a state- reality that the economy is dollarising
Mnangagwa's administration said sulted in business suffering delays in ment. "Fear will drive business de- rapidly has hit home, according to
it has done so to protect its workers However, three years on, there has getting funding, with backlogs of up cision-making as has happened with economist Prosper Chitambara.
from "exchange rate fluctuations". been a proliferation of money chang- to nine weeks, according to the Con- the 2007 arrests with resultant short-
ers countrywide as the country's citi- federation of Zimbabwe Industries ages as companies could not find oth- "I think it is the reality on the
The latest move by the government zens are desperate to ditch the freef- (CZI). This was followed by the local er ways of funding their forex require- ground in the face of chronic infla-
could sound a death knell for the lo- alling local unit for the greenback. unit plunging to the current levels of ments legitimately." tion which is persistently high," he
cal unit in terms of confidence in the US$1:ZW$200. said. "Some say that the economy is
currency. The Zimbabwe dollar has In 2019, Mnangagwa promulgat- In another statement, the CZI now 60% dollarised. Whether the
rapidly lost value in recent months, ed Statutory Instrument 142 which The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe called for urgent action to end the decision to pay bonuses sounds the
plummeting from US$1:ZW$125 to banned the multi-currency regime death knell of the Zimbabwe dollar
the current US$1:ZW$200. remains to seen."
The plunge in the value of the lo-
cal currency has resulted in sharp in-
creases in prices of basic commodities
and has further eroded disposable
incomes. Even the official exchange
rate, which has shot up from between
US$1:ZW$80 when the Reserve
Bank of Zimbabwe launched the
foreign currency auction market in
June last year to surpass the ZW$100
mark.
The lack of confidence in the local
currency comes after the country has
suffered two bouts of hyperinflation
in a space of 11 years. This has led
to massive erosion of incomes and
pensions.
The government has made vari-
ous interventions in an attempt to
strengthen the local unit and prevent
its collapse.
The government in May this year
promulgated Statutory Instrument
(SI) 127, which prohibits business
operators from charging above the
official exchange rate and empowers
the authorities to punish those that
refuse to accept the Zimbabwe dollar
for local transactions.
However, the central bank retreat-
ed, with Mangudya saying that SI
127 would now be limited to those
who wantonly abuse the foreign ex-
change auction system, manipulate
the exchange rate and do not comply
with anti-money laundering regula-
tions after a huge outcry by business
and after the SI triggered a fresh wave
of price increases.
The government last year abrupt-
ly suspended trading on the Zimba-
bwe Stock Exchange for more than a
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NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 25
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Covid-19 impact on women – Time for Zim
to strengthen gender responsive budgeting
ANGELA MANDOREBA
IT is a sad reality that the Covid-19 pandemic continues to
worsen social vulnerabilities in Zimbabwe, including the
plight of women, people with disabilities, youths and children.
However, the impact of the corona virus-related challeng-
es is varied on different population groups because of the var-
ious social and economic factors. It is therefore impera-
tive to understand how and why some population groups
are more susceptible to the effects than others to inform bet-
ter formulation and implementation of adaptation poli-
cies and programmes.his short piece seeks to bring to light how wom-
en, as part of the most vulnerable groups in Zimba-
bwe, have been affected by the devastating impacts of the dead-
ly Covid-19 pandemic and how their plight can be ad-
dressed through gender-responsive budgeting.
Covid-19 impact on women nance are also responsible for leading initiatives to mea- of Zimbabwe through the ministry of Finance and Econom-
The coronavirus pandemic is not just a health issue. The pan- sure the social impact of PFM development in gener- ic Development to make deliberate efforts to strengthen gen-
demic brought to light and worsened the socio-econom- al and gender equality in particular, (Bosnic, 2015). der-responsive budgeting through sufficient budget alloca-
ic woes Zimbabwe was already grappling with, including de- A gender-responsive budget can be best understood as a bud- tion and expenditure to cater for the needs and aspirations
teriorating public service delivery characterised by poor pub- get that works for everyone including men, women, chil- of Zimbabwean women.
lic healthcare, deteriorating public education system, di- dren and other vulnerable members of the society and ad-
lapidating infrastructure, acute shortages of potable water, vancing gender equality and the rights of women in particu- Way forward
and power outages, among other ills. lar. It is thus a form of budgeting that deliberately raises rev- • Gender-responsive budgeting is key in address-
enue and channels resources in a manner that addresses disad- ing the exclusion of women in national programming and pol-
The Covid-19 pressures on public service delivery increased vantage & exclusion. icy implementation;
the burden of unpaid care work on women due to their gen- • The government and Parliament must invest in gen-
dered roles and responsibilities;hence Zimbabwe’sgender norms and ex- The urgent need to formulate and implement budgets that pro- der analysis of national budgets to ascertain the extent to which
pectations look up to women to fill in the public ser- mote the progressive realisation of women’s rights and empow- they promote gender equality in general and how they re-
vice delivery gap, including fetching firewood in erment in Zimbabwe cannot be over-emphasised. This is main- spond to the needs of women in particular;
the face of power outages, fetching water from various alterna- ly due to the historical exclusion of women from key economic gov- • The plight of women in Zimbabwe has been wors-
tive sources, including boreholes in the face of dry taps, tak- ernance processes due to cultural practices and skewed poli- ened by the devastating effects of Covid-19, hence the for-
ing care of the sick at home in face of incapacitated pub- cy processes titled in favour of men. mulation of the 2022 National Budget must be in-
lic healthcare institutions and home-schooling in a situation w- formed by a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of the chal-
here online learning can only be afforded by the privileged few. Such a position is influenced by section 17 of the consti- lenges faced by women in the Covid-19 context;
tution of Zimbabwe which compels the state to rectify gen- • There is a need to ensure that adequate resourc-
Covid-19 did not only offer a death nail to an already ail- der discrimination and imbalances resulting from past practices and policies. es in the national budget are allocated towardsthe promo-
ing public service delivery but also affected, through nation- Therefore, the various challenges faced by women in Zimba- tion of women’s rights and empowerment. This must also entail ef-
al lockdowns, the majority of citizens’ livelihoods which are sus- bwe can be addressed through the adoption and implementa- fective monitoring beyond allocation to ensure that expen-
tained by the informal sector. According to the International tion of gender-responsive budgets. diture is done accordingly. The ministry of Finance and Eco-
Monetary Fund (IMF) research “Shadow Economies Around nomic Development must also, in its call for budget proposals, in-
the World: What Did We Learn Over the Last 20 Years?”, Zim- Nevertheless, taking stock of the govern- clude instructions for mainstreaming gender in the formula-
babwe has the second-largest informal economy, after Boliv- ment of Zimbabwe’s commitment to promote and ful- tion of budget proposals by line ministries and government agencies;
ia, with a percentage score of 60.6% of its total economy. fil women’s rights and ultimately gender equi- • Gender-responsive budgeting is a technical con-
ty through budgeting in the past two years, it is worri- cept which the majority of public officials might lack the rel-
According to the Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy some to note that not much has been done. evant skills and capacities to comprehend. There is, there-
Associations, approximately 5.2 million people in Zimbabwe fore, a need for sustainable capacity building for responsi-
who make up the backbone of the economy are in the infor- There has been a remarkable decrease in the budget al- ble personnel in relevant ministries, including the minis-
mal sector- about 68% of which are women. location for the Women's Affair’s ministry whereby the al- try of Finance and Economic Development and govern-
location for the ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, ment agencies to increase their capacity to mainstream gen-
The Covid-19-induced lockdown restrictions meant that in- Small and Medium Enterprises was reduced from 0.7% in 2020 der in planning, programming and budgeting;
formal players largely dominated by women could not do busi- to 0.5% of the total 2021 national budget (2020 and 2021 Na- • The Parliament of Zimbabwe must create con-
ness as usual to fend for themselves and their dependents. tional Budget Statements). ducive platforms and opportunities for women participa-
tion during budget consultations for them to meaningfully partici-
On another note, the majority of women cross bor- According to the Institute for Community Development pate and share their needs and aspirations for the national budget;
der traders were also heavily affected by the travel restric- in Zimbabwe, such an allocation decline highlights the gov- • Civil society must create spaces for dia-
tions which also meant the closure of ports of entry and exit. ernment’s lack of commitment to addressing gender inequali- logue with women and conduct a gender analysis of bud-
ty in the country. This is even though one of the major aims gets to inform their advocacy strategies with Parliament
The direct consequence of the situation is increased levels of of a national budget is to reduce inequalities and it, there- and the ministry of Finance and Economic Development; and;
poverty and the deepening of socioeconomic inequalities which fore, means that without sufficient resources allocat- • Women must be organised and take a lead-
weigh heavily on women’s shoulders because of their gen- ed to the ministry of Women, Community, Small and Medi- ing role in monitoring the budget implementation by relevant
dered roles and responsibilities. um Enterprises, the empowerment of Zimbabwean women re- ministries like the ministry of Women’s Affairs, Communi-
mains compromised. ty, Small and Medium Enterprises and agencies with a man-
GRB as a panacea to the women’s plight in Zimbabwe date to advance women’s rights and empowerment.
It is imperative to note that the national bud- It is in this regard that the Institute for Communi-
get is one of the key macro-economic and fiscal poli- ty Development in Zimbabwe argued that the meagre al-
cies in the promotion and fulfilment of citizens’ constitution- location to the ministry of Women’s Affairs also signifies
ally guaranteed rights. that the 2021 national budget fell short of the gender-based bud-
As such, the success or failure of any national bud- geting principle; hence the urgent need for the government
get must be assessed on the extent to which it seeks to advance
the rights of the different social groups, including vulnera-
ble members of the society especially women.
In this contemporary world, one of the major aims of pub-
lic finance management (PFM) reforms is to ensure the effective al-
location of public resources for guaranteed improved pub-
lic service delivery. The implication is that there has been a remark-
able paradigm shift from solely looking at public finance man-
agement as purely an accounting issue anchored on balanc-
ing the books of account. Rather, the new dimension fo-
cuses on the “new” role of ministries offinance (MFs) in lead-
ing the process of achieving social impact through fiscal policy, (Gov-
ernance and Social Development Resource Centre, 2015).
Gender Responsive Budgeting is considered an import-
ant tool for integrating social dimensions, based on gender rel-
evance into the planning and budgeting process.
This integration means that ministries of fi-
Page 26 The Big Debate NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
The Kampala suicide bombings and evolving
threat of terrorism in the Great Lakes region
STEPHEN BUCHANAN-CLARKE People extinguish fire on cars caused by a bomb explosion near Parliament building in Kampala, Uganda, on November 16, against the ADF and other non-state
2021. Photo: Ivan Kabuye/AFP armed groups in the region.
ON 16 November, three suicide bomb-
ers detonated improvised explosive de- Tabliq Islamic sect and the National besides removing President Museveni while the Islamic State is able to con- On 17 December 2017, an ADF at-
vices (IEDs) in Kampala, Uganda. Army for the Liberation of Uganda from power – to the point where they tinue its global project in line with tack against a MONUSCO base in
(NALU) to fight the Ugandan govern- earned the moniker of ‘rebellion with- their motto of “baqiya wa tatamadad” Beni Territory, North Kivu region of
The first occurred opposite the cen- ment of President Museveni. out a cause’. However, in recent years, ("lasting and expanding"). Regard- the DRC saw 15 Tanzanian peacekeep-
tral police station. Two more occurred its leadership began to openly espouse less, the ADF is attempting to imple- ers killed and another 53 UN person-
a few minutes later at government While the ADF has historically con- a jihadist discourse and align with the ment the Islamic State’s aqeeda (creed) nel wounded, making it the deadliest
buildings on Parliament Avenue. Three tained salafi-jihadist elements, they Islamic State. and manhaj (method), and by adopt- incident against any UN peacekeeping
civilians died in the attacks. Another have been adept at exploiting ethnic ing IS-aligned propaganda, has been force to date. In a November 2018
33 people have been hospitalised. and social tensions to embed them- Research by the UN Group of Ex- able to attract a new wave of recruits operation against the group in Beni, 9
selves in local communities along the perts on the DRC, Congo Research from Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and UN peacekeepers were killed and an-
The Islamic State (IS) has claimed re- border region of eastern DRC. Group, and George Washington Uni- Uganda. other 10 wounded.
sponsibility via the group’s semi-official versity Programme on Extremism, all
Amaq news agency, but the operation Building a strong regional security indicate the ADF likely opened com- A better understanding of the re- The FIB has been plagued by op-
was likely carried out by a Ugandan strategy requires trust and collabora- munication channels with the Islamic lationship between the ADF and the erational, political, and financial chal-
cell of the ISIS-affiliated Allied Demo- tion between states. However, in the State in 2017/2018: Islamic State is critical. Why? Stud- lenges.
cratic Forces (ADF), a non-state armed Lake Chad region, many of the rela- • In 2018, the Central African ies show the Islamic State was able to
group which has historically operated tionships between states are character- strengthen and shape the tactics of However, given the deeply embed-
in the eastern Democratic Republic of ised by mistrust, and there have been Province (ISCAP) was formally the Boko Haram faction that became ded nature of the ADF in the eastern
Congo (DRC) and Rwenzori border- several cases of state-sponsored support recognised by the Islamic State, the Islamic State West Africa Prov- DRC, an outright military defeat is
lands region between Uganda and the for non-state armed groups for do- with non-contiguous territory in ince (ISWAP) by providing a limited highly unlikely. Moreover, the ADF’s
DRC. mestic political or economic gain. The eastern DRC and northern Mo- amount of training, resources, and strategy of carrying out brutal mass
ADF itself received early support from zambique. instruction, transforming the group reprisals against civilians in response
This week’s events follow three in- former DRC president Mobutu in his • In April 2019, the Islamic State into the deadliest in the Lake Chad re- to FARDC and FIB offensives compli-
cidents last month involving IEDs proxy war against President Museveni first began to publicly claim re- gion. This has caused untold hardship cates matters by counteracting MON-
where ADF involvement is suspected. in the 1990s. sponsibility for ADF attacks. in the region and severely undermined USCO’s peacekeeping mandate.
On 23 October, an IED was detonated • In June 2019, ADF leader Musa the "One Nigeria" project. Under-
at a restaurant in the Kampala suburb The mountainous terrain where the Baluka standing the relationship between the In response to the increasing fre-
of Kamamboga, killing one civilian. ADF’s strongholds and training camps • pledged formal allegiance (bay`a) ADF and Islamic State networks will quency of ADF attacks in the eastern
On 25 October, a suicide bomber are located makes engaging the group to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, former inform more nuanced counter-terror- DRC, on 02 May 2021, President Felix
detonated an explosive vest on a bus militarily difficult. The region allows caliph of the Islamic State. ism strategies and which tools from Tshisekedi announced a ‘state of siege’
travelling through Mpigi district in the ADF access to cross-border trade • In September 2020, Baluka pub- law enforcement, state security, border on 02 May in North Kivu and Ituri,
the central region of Uganda, killing and the ability to exploit longstand- licly stated that the ADF is now management, conflict management placing the provinces under military
himself and injuring several passengers. ing inter-community tensions in both “one of the numerous provinces and mediation are most important for administration. In August, President
And on 30 October, an IED killed two Eastern DRC and Uganda. The lack which make up the Islamic State”. this purpose. Tshisekedi authorised a United States
children in a village in Nkaseke dis- of government authority in the eastern However, it is unclear whether Historical efforts to combat the (US) special forces deployment to the
trict, 60km north of the capital. Also DRC has seen the group engaging in Baluka represents the ADF as a ADF DRC to help the Congolese army fight
noteworthy, on 1 October, Rwandan forms of rebel governance, establishing whole or a specific faction. To date, efforts to combat the ADF the ADF.
authorities arrested 13 suspected ADF prisons, schools, and providing rudi- • In March 2021, the US Depart- have been unsuccessful. In March
members for allegedly planning to mentary healthcare for local communi- ment of State designated the “the 2013, the UN nations approved the While these efforts have dampened
bomb civilian targets in Kigali. ties to entrench themselves in the area. Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – creation of its first-ever “offensive” ADF activity in the eastern DRC,
Democratic Republic of the Con- combat force intended to carry out tar- subsequent increased ADF activity in
The ADF has historically operated There are roughly 120 armed go (ISIS-DRC)” a Foreign Ter- geted operations to “neutralise and dis- Uganda illustrates the group’s adaptive
in the eastern Democratic Republic groups operating in eastern DRC. The rorist Organization under section arm” Congolese M23 rebels and other capacity and regional challenge it pos-
of Congo and Rwenzori borderlands ADF is one, if not the most violent 219 of the Immigration and Na- armed groups in the eastern DRC. es.
region between Uganda and the DRC. and responsible for hundreds of mass tionality Act and its leader, Musa Uganda’s response to recent ADF
The incidents outlined above indicate killings, rapes, kidnappings, looting, Baluku, a Specially Designated After initial successes against M23, activity
that the ADF has multiple cells in the extortion, and use of child soldiers. Es- Global Terrorist (SDGTs) under the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) Following ADF attacks in October,
region and the ability to activate these timates suggest the group has killed Executive Order 13224. staffed by the Southern African De- Uganda’s Joint Anti-Terrorist Task
cells to carry out attacks. The utilisa- 6 000 civilians since 2013. They also It remains difficult to determine the velopment Community (SADC) and Force (JATF) led a security crackdown
tion of IEDs is in line with an upward regularly attack hard targets, including nature of the relationship between the attached the UN peacekeeping force against the group.
trend in their use which began around both government security forces and ADF and the Islamic State. It is like- (MONUSCO), was tasked with im- • On 27 October, 3 people were ar-
two years ago with substantial effect. United Nations (UN) peacekeepers. ly a mutually beneficial one whereby plementing its offensive mandate
the ADF is able to raise its profile, rested suspected of funding ADF
Most significantly, perhaps, the use For much of the ADF’s existence, operations through petroleum
of suicide bombing as a tactic and a the group did not communicate a and real estate businesses.
clandestine cell system as a method wider political or ideological agenda • On 01 November, the police an-
of organisation, illustrates the evolu- nounced the arrest of 48 people
tion of the group into one with wider in connection with the October
ideological aims aligned to the IS. This bombings.
raises the potential for transnational • On 04 November, police an-
collaboration with other IS affiliates nounced the
and pro-IS groups dotted across the • arrest of several suspects and re-
continent and the risk of further terror- covery of a suicide belt, explosives,
ist attacks both in Uganda and other and an AK-47 rifle in Kampala.
states in the Great Lakes region. One of the suspects was shot dead
by police while trying to escape.
Reducing the terrorism risk posed This week’s suicide bombings has
by increasingly regionalised and net- seen the deployment of additional
worked armed groups like the ADF law enforcement and military person-
will require increased security coopera- nel to the capital; enhanced security at
tion between states and a clear regional police stations and other government
strategy, with military, law enforce- buildings; increased foot and vehicle
ment, and developmental compo- patrols; and stop-and-search opera-
nents. This will be difficult given that tions. These may help deter terrorist
relationships between many states in activity in the capital in the short term.
the Great Lakes region are character- However, dragnet arrests and security
ised by mistrust, and there have been crackdowns, particularly on Muslim
several cases of state-sponsored support communities, as seen in Kenya’s Usala-
for non-state armed groups for do- ma Watch (“protect the nation”), have
mestic political or economic gain. The also produced negative outcomes and
ADF itself received early support from worsened the state’s relationship with
Former DRC president Mobutu Sese the communities which it should be
Seko in his proxy war against President seeking to gain as allies.
Museveni in the 1990s. — Good Governance Africa.
Who are the Allied Democratic Forc- *About the writer: Stephen Bu-
es? chanan-Clarke is a security analyst
with several years of experience work-
Despite being operational for over ing in both conflict and post-conflict
two decades, the ADF is poorly un- settings in Africa.
derstood. The group formed in the late
1990s between portions of Uganda’s
NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 27
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
How cities can adapt to climate change
BRODIE BOLAND/ ELIZABETH CHARCHENKO/ ing nature of the climate threat and the them build systemic resilience, mean- vant hazards and by understanding the Second, cities can invest in actions
STEFAN KNUPFER/ SHIVIKA SAHDEV dizzying array of adaptation options ing they strengthen all kinds of cities. risks those hazards pose to their com- that increase resilience systemically, in
available. The other 11 are hazard specific, mean- munities. On that basis, cities can then addition to adapting to specific and im-
CITIES are on the front lines of the ing they target particular physical cli- conduct detailed analyses of the risk-re- mediate hazards. Systemic resilience in-
growing physical risks associated with This report, cowritten with C40 mate risks. Some of the 15 actions, such duction impact, costs, and feasibility of cludes increasing awareness of physical
climate change. Cities Climate Leadership, a network as building barriers to protect coastal different actions. climate risks, incorporating risk aware-
of large cities that are committed to ad- areas and retrofitting infrastructure, are ness and preparedness into city process-
They are home to more than half of dressing climate change, seeks to help complex and expensive. Others, such as Several important themes emerge es, optimizing emergency responses,
the world’s people, and by 2050, that leaders set priorities and choose courses planting trees next to streets and initiat- from the research. First, nature-based and enhancing financial and insurance
figure is projected to rise to 68%. Ur- of action. It identifies a starting list of ing behavioral-change programmes to solutions — such as planting trees next programs.
ban areas are often located in places 15 high-potential actions that can work conserve water, are not. Examples from to streets, river-catchment manage-
of particular climate risk, such as on for many types of cities. The actions all over the world, in both advanced ment, and sustainable urban-drainage Third, there is an important equi-
coastlines, floodplains, and islands. were chosen on the basis of three main and developing economies, demon- solutions — are among the most at- ty element to climate-risk adaptation.
Moreover, modern urban infrastruc- sources: C40 Cities Climate Leadership strate what is possible. tractive actions because of their impact Vulnerable populations, such as chil-
ture and its operating systems are close- and McKinsey analysis, consultation on reducing risks and their feasibility. dren, the elderly, low-income commu-
ly connected. A failure in one part of a with adaptation experts and city lead- The second part of the report de- Nature-based solutions also often pro- nities, some minority groups, people
network can affect another, multiplying ers, and an extensive literature review. scribes, in broad terms, how cities can vide benefits beyond adaptation in ar- with disabilities, and women, may be at
the damage. Flooded roads, for exam- implement the actions. We suggest that eas such as decarbonisation, economic higher risk for climate-related damage.
ple, can damage links to public trans- There are two parts to the report. they begin by defining the most rele- growth, and health. For example, continued rapid urbanisa-
port. Storm surges and extreme heat The first sets out the 15 actions. Four of tion is leading to increased populations
can lead to power outages that knock in informal settlements.7 They often
out the technology systems critical to lack the resources and adaptive capac-
homes, hospitals, and industries. ity to withstand major events, such as
floods and extreme heat.
Given existing greenhouse-gas emis-
sions, some climate change is already Climate risk directly affects people
locked in, making such risks unavoid- (health, livability, and workability), as-
able. To protect the lives and livelihoods sets (businesses, homes, and hospitals),
of urban residents, the imperative is to and services (energy and food supply).
adapt — and to start now. Climate This report can serve as a starting point
change could increase the severity and to help cities develop their agendas for
frequency of extreme heat, flooding, adaptation. Leaders will need to go
drought, and wildfires — the specific deeper as they work out their strategies.
hazards addressed in this report. More Local knowledge is critical to success.
than 90% of all urban areas are coastal; At the same time, climate adaptation is
by 2050, more than 800 million urban one of many competing priorities, and
residents could be affected by sea-level urban resources are limited. By iden-
rise and coastal flooding. In addition, tifying the most effective and feasible
1.6 billion people could be vulnerable actions, cities can focus on executing
to chronic extreme heat (up from 200 them well and build momentum to do
million today), and 650 million could more. This report is a call to action—
face water scarcity. focused action. We hope that it will
help cities play an important role in
Because different cities face different making swifter, surer progress toward a
climate risks and have varying levels of healthy and sustainable future.
vulnerability, adaptation options that
are effective in most may not be feasible —McKinsey.
in others. To manage that complexity, *About the writers: Brodie Bo-
cities can concentrate on actions that land is a partner in McKinsey’s Wash-
play to their strengths (in resources, ington DC office; Elizabeth Charch-
physical features and assets, and ju- enko is a consultant in the New York
risdictional control) and offer a high office, where Shivika Sahdev is a
return in risk reduction. Identifying partner; and Stefan Knupfer is a se-
such high-impact adaptations can be nior partner in the Stamford office.
daunting, given the steadily develop-
PEARL MATIBE To energise democracy in Africa, to be easier than it was 20 years ago
diaspora voices must be heard when these discussions were in forma-
IN 2002, a Future of Africa conference, tive stages
televised on C-SPAN, featured voices the international community has too of their depth, and the term ‘democra- understanding about the role and pow-
from the African diaspora who were often been quick to accept this dubious cy’ is not well understood. It has also er of democratic citizens is necessary. These processes should be inclusive.
given the opportunity to weigh in on rhetoric. In this void, substantive action been mischaracterised by abusive lead- Civil liberties and political rights, the
the prospects for democracy. between Africans on the continent and ers who once again frame democratic In a healthy democracy, those af- sanctity of free and fair elections, as
those in the diaspora has been severely values as somehow being "imposed by fected by the decisions of their leaders well as media freedoms are all under
Nearly two decades later, Africa’s lacking. What is needed today, then, is the outside", conveniently ignoring – assuming they are elected in free and increasing assault in Africa. In such
indigenous voices are being largely ig- a collective and united effort to urgent- many of the conventions and treaties fair elections – ought to have a say in it. repressive and closing spaces, diaspora
nored. These key voices, of which I ly defend democracy. to which their countries are a signatory. This includes diaspora communities. In communities and their leaders can and
am one, have been marginalised on Therefore, an increase in education and our age of rapidly advancing technolo- should exhibit leadership. In the US
the continent. This has also been the Today, several states are clearly out gy and interconnectedness, this ought especially, it is important for taxpayers
case here in the United States, despite like us to ask critical questions of our
routine pledges from American ad- elected representatives, and to put them
ministrations who have promised en- on the spot, so that we do not become
gagement and support for our shared tacit financiers of human rights viola-
pro-democracy values. tions back home, or passive bystanders
to the high-paid lobbyists who are on
Back in 2008, former secretary of the payrolls of our oppressive rulers.
state Condoleezza Rice established the
Advisory Committee on Democracy Clearly – be it Eswatini, Uganda,
Promotion (ACDP), a group of experts Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Sudan, or Tan-
to advise on how to best integrate issues zania – the “network of well-governed
of democratic governance and leader- states” as envisioned in 2008 is yet to
ship into US foreign policy, including be realised.
in Africa. Among the stated goals of
the ACDP was “to advise on methods The policy approach that foresaw a
for consulting and coordinating with new generation of transformational de-
individuals and NGOs … regarding mocracy will not be achieved without
programs related to the promotion of reforms or innovative policy approaches
human rights and democracy admin- that withstand the merchants of doubt.
istered by the United States Govern- It is time for leaders in the diaspora to
ment.” stand up, to be heard, and to contribute
convincingly to this hugely important
In tandem, and to overcome mar- endeavor.
ginalisation from the Global North,
African leaders have leaned heavily on —Vanguard Africa.
the “African solutions to African prob- *About the writer: Pearl Matibe
lems” mantra – it has also been used to is a Zimbabwean scholar, journalist
justify human rights abuses and to lob and media commentator based in
attacks against ‘foreign meddling.’ And Washington DC, United States.
Page 28 The Big Debate NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
ROSS HARVEY Abandoning fossil fuel could
catalyse African development
CLIMATE change is perhaps tially as a result, the state-owned
the ultimate "wicked problem". the heart of de facto ruling coali- centralised grid infrastructure. In electricity tariffs. Gas-fired power energy parastatal is now indebted
Or, for economists, it is the ulti- tion that consolidates wealth and fact, micro grids should be a major stations still take a long time to to the tune of nearly US$35 bil-
mate collective action problem, power for the few at the expense of focus for African countries in the build, and mega-projects of any lion, which is equivalent to about
as demonstrated by the recently the many. The availability of these years ahead. Precisely because they kind are subject to unproductive half the country’s entire annual
closed 26th Conference of the Par- rents disincentivises the ruling coa- do not rely on the establishment rent-seeking. The idea of natural budget.
ties (CoP) in Glasgow, Scotland. lition from building a broad-based of expensive transmission grid in- gas as a kind of bridge towards a
economy with multiple tax revenue frastructure, these systems are ide- green economy sounds plausible African countries have an op-
Global political will to take mea- streams. Politically, this means that al for overcoming energy poverty. in theory, but in practice the gov- portunity to leapfrog traditional
sures necessary to avoid decimating the costs of reform (towards better Centralised grid networks should ernance risks are material. By the industrialisation paths by tapping
the planet for future generations is governance) are higher than the largely be abandoned in a world time a gas-fired power station is into global value chains associated
in short supply. India, for instance, costs of maintaining the status quo. that has to do everything it pos- built, the costs of renewable energy with the transition to clean energy.
will only commit to net zero by sibly can to wean itself from fossil and battery storage will likely have On the grounds of justice, it can
2070. But the scientific evidence Clean energy, laudably, is central fuels. Moreover, trying to distrib- descended further. well be argued that African coun-
strongly suggests that leaving all re- to the Nigerian government’s plan ute electricity over vast distances is tries should not be denied the op-
maining fossil fuels in the ground to transition to net zero emissions. subject to significant energy (and Third, continued investments portunity to exploit their natural
is imperative for limiting warm- Indeed, the goal to electrify five rent) leakage, rendering the sys- into fossil fuels – the exploration, gas reserves. However, there are
ing to manageable levels. One can million households through the tem inefficient. While developing production and burning of them practical moral barriers to such
understand the developing world’s Solar Naija programme by 2023 is countries have concerns over being – has two destructive economic ef- arguments. Past experience, for
hesitancy, however. admirable. However, according to locked into expensive intellectual fects. First, it comes at the oppor- instance, strongly suggests that
the Foreign Affairs article referenced property arrangements entailed in tunity cost of allocating resources fossil fuels are unlikely to sudden-
A recent Foreign Affairs arti- above, “weak traditional grids will renewable energy projects, inno- towards building local industries ly transform energy poverty into
cle compellingly argued, for in- continue to hamper wind and solar vative arrangements can be found that can improve and expand re- wide-scale electrification. If they
stance, that fossil fuel divestment is penetration long into the future”. that are less costly than being newables. Foregoing the latter were going to serve that purpose,
essentially unfair towards African To overcome this weakness, the au- locked into dirty alternatives. risks leaving African countries even they would already have done so.
countries. In a nutshell, the divest- thor appeals to the speed at which further behind their more indus- It is time, therefore, to see the just
ment movement stands accused of gas-fired power can be ramped up Second, the argument presup- trialised counterparts. Second, it transition differently.
cutting off a development lifeline. or down to meet demand. He fur- poses that gas is cheap and renew- locks countries into destructive
Given the miniscule proportion of ther writes that “our citizens can- ables are prohibitively expensive. path-dependence because me- Justice is ultimately about ensur-
greenhouse gas emissions that Af- not be forced to wait for battery However, all recent research points ga-projects typically exhibit sunk- ing that we entrust a better world
rican countries contribute, divest- prices to fall or new technologies to to the sheer speed of simultaneous cost fallacies. South Africa’s two to our children and grandchildren.
ment is cast as essentially hypocrit- be created in order to have reliable improvements in quality and de- latest coal-fired power stations, for The divestment movement pro-
ical and destructive. energy and live modern, dignified crease in costs of solar grids and instance, are still not fully opera- vides us with an opportunity to
lives.” batteries. A June 2020 report by tional and have incurred signifi- truncate the historical relationship
This is an argument with which the University of California, cant cost and time overruns. They between environmental degrada-
everyone should sympathise. It There are at least three criti- Berkeley, noted that the US could should have been abandoned but tion and income per capita. Even
is all good and well for wealthy cal factors to address here. First, derive 90% of its power without the government continued to pour while decrying divestment as a
countries, whose production and solar and wind projects, strategi- greenhouse gas emissions at lower resources into them. At least par- hypocritical injustice, we might do
consumption patterns created the cally positioned, need not rely on well to embrace the opportunities
environmental destruction, with that it entails. African countries
which we all live, to preach from have vast quantities of minerals
a posture of comfort and afford- and metals that the world requires
ability. Global energy and trans- for the global transport and energy
port revolutions therefore require revolutions, along with other new
a just transition if they are to technologies.
achieve the Paris Agreement targets
in a way that avoids pushing Afri- Our focus should be on exploit-
can countries deeper into poverty. ing those in ways that develop our
capabilities to optimally tap into
Indeed, the very countries driv- the global value chains associated
ing divestment have profited from with new products such as solar
oil and gas for decades. However, panels, electric vehicles, battery
it is not entirely true that divest- power walls, wind turbines and so
ment drives consistently fail to forth. The longer we lament the
consider the vital role some fuels unstoppable train that is the di-
play in powering the growth of vestment movement, the more op-
developing economies, especially portunities we will lose.
in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria, by
way of example, is rich in natural Ultimately, the key to solving
resources but still energy poor. It the wicked climate change prob-
is, therefore, right to argue that lem lies in taking advantage of
the transition to net-zero emissions the opportunities entailed in the
must not come at the expense of development of clean energy tech-
affordable and reliable energy for nologies. These technologies are no
people, cities and industry. Less silver bullet, but countries current-
right, though, is the idea that con- ly stuck in fossil fuel dependency
tinued reliance on fossil fuels will need to be sufficiently incentivised
help to aid such a transition, even to break that cycle of rent and ener-
if the preference is predominantly gy inefficiency. If that is achieved,
for natural gas rather than oil per global collective action might be in
se. greater supply by CoP27.
Missing from too many of the —Good Governance Africa.
"just transition" analyses is an ac- *About the writer: Dr Ross
knowledgement of why countries Harvey is a natural resource
like Nigeria and Angola remain en- economist and policy analyst. He
ergy poor despite being oil wealthy. has a PhD in economics from the
Since oil became commercially via- University of Cape Town, and his
ble, both countries failed to trans- thesis research focused on the po-
late their prodigious oil wealth into litical economy of oil and insti-
inclusive and sustained develop- tutional development in Angola
ment. This reality of the oil curse and Nigeria.
must be addressed before questions
of the role of natural gas in electri-
fication can be addressed with any
degree of clarity. Prevailing wis-
dom has it that unless a country’s
institutions are strong at the time
of discovering oil wealth, rents will
accrue to political and business
elites, entrenching a bargain at
NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 29
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Covid-19 global pandemic: Key
lessons over healthcare systems
STANSLAUS MADENDE “Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be
an extremely valuable savings account.” - Anne Wilson Schaef.
SINCE its emergence, the Covid-19
pandemic spread rapidly across the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.
globe as if the world has one health-
care system. Just like other major spread around the world. Therefore model. The viable option to prevent cost. This explains why health systems ventive health will create a culture in
pandemics, it has shed some light on a paradigm shift of thrust is needed any future pandemics lies in preven- in low-invome and middle-income which preventative healthcare is val-
the shortcomings of health delivery sooner rather than later. The curative tive health and health promotion countries are constantly struggling to ued and the meaning of health can be
systems. health model is not the future. No whose approach is addressing envi- fulfil their mandate. Preventive health redefined.
matter how good it is, it can be over- ronmental factors that increase risk of is cheaper.
The pandemic conquered health whelmed. The Covid-19 pandemic pandemics. Low-income countries must nat-
systems of developed, high-income has proved it. It is time for decisive The available health evidence has urally put more focus on preventive
countries despite their sophisticated action. The answer lies in preventive As defined by the WHO, pre- shown the cost to health benefit fa- health because they lack the financial
functional health systems with state- health and health promotion. ventive health and health promo- vours prevention over cure in the capacity to run curative health sys-
of-the-art hospitals, fully equipped tion could enable people to increase long run of a patient’s life. Rather tems.
and fully staffed with highly compe- In today’s world it has always been control over, and to improve, their than a focus on curing diseases, all
tent healthcare workers. argued that income is the most im- health. It moves beyond a focus on stakeholders in healthcare systems Curative expenditure is concerned
portant determinant of individual individual behaviour towards a wide need to start looking at the bigger with consumption spending. In ad-
The question is: Why have all and family health. The Covid-19 pan- range of social and environmental in- picture: family histories, patient’s dition, as much as one might have
countries struggled to contain the demic has proved that income is just terventions. The world has gathered health behaviours, diet, and every- enough money to access curative
Covid-19 pandemic as if there is one the best bet for individual and family massive evidence on how to prevent thing that may have led to the injury health services, productivity is lost
health delivery system in the world? health. The pandemic has proved that diseases which is just lying idle. or ailment. More importantly, and as up to the time of recovery. Preventive
maintaining a healthy environment the Covid-19 pandemic has shown, healthcare accumulates health stock.
The common denominator of all is central to increasing quality of life The best example of evidence gath- we also need to focus on travelling. Preventing diseases and injuries in-
health systems around the world is and years of healthy life. ered so far is on the history of tuber- It is only possible if we shift our fo- creases the number of days available
the thrust on curative approach. In culosis. Improvements in sanitation, cus from the curative approach to the to participate in productive activities
simple terms, most health systems are Environmentally-linked health vaccination, and other public health preventive. which, in turn, maintain productiv-
designed to cure diseases and nothing factors are diverse and far-reaching. measures significantly reduced the ity.
more. A curative health system nar- The focus of preventive health and incidences of the disease before the Focusing narrowly on curative care
rowly focuses on the goal of cure. health promotion is on the environ- arrival of streptomycin in 1945. Hav- only allows us to put a “crepe ban- A multi-sectoral, adequately fund-
ment. ing the potential to prevent diseases dage” on larger problems. As alluded ed, evidence-based preventive health
In its purest form, the curative yet allowing the evidence to remain to by other advocates of the preven- and health promotion system with
model concentrates solely on the goal Environmental risk factors play untapped creates far-reaching ethi- tive approach, instinct should tell us community participation, targeting
of cure and in the process neglects a role in more than 80% of diseas- cal implications and hinders medical that if we come upon a hive of bees the complex socio-economic and cul-
other health and life goals. The doc- es that are routinely reported to the science from making strides towards and get stung, we should move away tural changes at family and national
tor-patient encounter is treated as an World Health Organisation (WHO). preventing epidemics and pandemics. from the bees in order to prevent fu- levels is the need of the hour to pos-
occasion for scientific inquiry. The environmental risk factors for ture stings while remedying the stings itively modify environmental risks to
pandemics are avoidable, prevent- The body of healthcare research we already received. stop both epidemics and pandemics.
As a result, the cure-oriented ap- able, predictable and modifiable. overwhelmingly supports the need
proach is highly invested in a scien- to redesign healthcare systems so that Unfortunately, our healthcare *About the writer: Stanslaus
tific, biomedical – a “medi-centric” The world is more likely to have they adopt a preventative rather than system, as it stands today, keeps us Madende is a freelance biomedical
approach to healthcare. more pandemics which are linked to curative approach. The most notable amongst the bees trying to keep up pharmacist, health scientist and
environmental risk factors just like differences between preventive and with endless stings. A much-needed health researcher. He writes in his
Another manifestation of the cura- the Covid-19 pandemic if we con- curative health are accessibility and cultural paradigm shift towards pre- personal capacity.
tive model is its tendency to approach tinue to put emphasis on the curative
patients in terms of their component
parts and not as a whole human be-
ing. The curative model’s reverence
for hard science leads to patients be-
ing treated just as repositories for dis-
ease. In addition, the curative model
lacks democracy on its value chain.
It is typified by a hierarchical struc-
turing of relationships among health-
care professionals, in which those
who command the most biomedical
knowledge (typically, doctors) also
command the most authority.
Because the curative model thrust
is on disease and not the patient,
symptoms are treated as clues to diag-
nosis only and nothing more. There-
fore a cure-oriented health system has
no real need to get to know patients,
no need to understand their individ-
ual values, no need to explore how
illness affects their lives and no need
to educate patients on how they can
prevent diseases. The goal is just to
cure.
Curative health systems only ben-
efit those who can access it. They are
resource intensive in all directions;
health infrastructure, health equip-
ment, human resources for health,
pharmaceuticals, diagnostics etc.
The increases in curative health
expenditure have completely crowd-
ed out preventive health and health
promotion. This is evidenced by the
absence of notable preventive health
activities other than commercial ad-
verts.
The Covid-19 pandemic has
proved the dangers of over-relying on
a “very good” curative health system.
Despite a multitude of efforts in re-
cent years to improve health systems
and despite the significant gains that
have been achieved, refractory prob-
lems remain. It is the over-reliance on
the curative model that gave rise to
the Covid-19 pandemic and its rapid
Page 30 Reframing Issues NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
IN 2020, Time Magazine named Orange the world: End
the Mirabal sisters as part of violence against women now!
its “100 Women on the Year”. including the Maputo Proto-
What made the Mirabal sisters’ col and the Convention on the
entry outstanding was that un- Elimination of All Forms of Dis-
like most women on the list, crimination against Women.
these three women had passed
away more than 50 years before! At this juncture, it is also im-
portant to mention that the le-
Patria, Minerva and Maria gal age for marriage under the
Teresa Mirabal’s sisterhood was constitution is 18 and that the
held together by the glue of the Constitutional Court outlawed
love they had for their country, child marriage through a case
the Dominican Republic. One brought to the courts by Veritas
would never have imagined that in the Mudzuru judgment.
such strong political resistance
would emanate from these sim- Leaving no woman behind
ple middle-class farm girls. But There is an obvious disconnect
living under Rafael Trujillo’s dic- between what is on paper as law
tatorship was not for the faint in Zimbabwe and the facts on
hearted. The three sisters soon the ground when it comes to the
became the leaders of an under- rights of women. As a nation, we
ground movement challenging have started the walk to leave no
the regime and were repeatedly woman behind, but the journey
arrested for their activities. ahead is still long. There is a
need to make a concerted effort
On 25 November 1960, the to bridge the gap between what
three were assassinated. They we say we will do and what we
soon became the martyrs of the have actually done. This is to not
revolution which helped solidi- only protect the rights of women
fy resistance to Trujillo both at but also to end violence against
home and abroad. Before their women now!
deaths, Minerva was quoted
as saying, “ If they kill me, I’ll As mentioned above, the sta-
reach my arms from the tomb tistics are alarming. The reality
and I’ll be stronger”. And stron- on the ground is suffocating the
ger she was! average woman. We are not giv-
ing our girls a chance for a bet-
In 1981, women’s organisa- ter future. We are not giving our
tions undertook to commem- women a chance for a brighter
orate the 25th of November as future. We must ask ourselves,
the day against gender-based vi- what sort of Zimbabwe are we
olence. On the 7th of February moulding if we continue to
2000, the United Nations Gen- overload the burden the Zimba-
eral Assembly, through resolu- bwean woman must carry on her
tion 54/134, officially designated back.
25 November as the Internation-
al Day for the Elimination of Vi- As Antonio Gutteres, the sec-
olence Against Women. retary-general of the United Na-
tions, said “ violence in any part
The theme this year is simple of society affects us all. From the
and straight to the point: vio- scars on the next generation to
lence against women must be the weakening of social fabric”.
stopped immediately. It is a mat-
ter we can no longer afford to Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga's estranged wife Marry. Conclusions
procrastinate over. As we commemorate this day, we
abused in their lifetime and only married by the age of 15 and emphasises women having the call upon the ministry of Wom-
Violence against women en- one in 10 of these women report 33.7% by the age of 18. The same rights as men and also out- en’s Affairs, Gender and Com-
compasses many aspects and their cases to the police. The UN highest number of child brides is laws any customs, traditions and munal Development to pledge
is not just limited to physical further records that in about 37 in Mashonaland Central, where cultural practices which infringe itself to fighting for the rights
abuse. Violence includes but is countries worldwide, rape per- 52.1% of the girls in the prov- any constitutional right that a of women. We call upon the
not limited to: intimate partner petrators are exempt from pros- ince are married before the age woman holds. ministry to fight for rights to be
violence, sexual violence and ecution if they are married or of 18. The statistics are nothing practically implemented and to
harassment, human trafficking, show that they will eventually short of alarming. In order to Overall, Zimbabwe has about join the active fight against child
emotional and psychological marry their victim. In 49 coun- ensure that no one is left behind, 17 pieces of legislation which marriage. We also call upon all
abuse, female genital mutilation tries, there is no law protecting we now need to actively pledge give effect to the constitutional Zimbabweans to remember that
and child marriage. women from domestic violence. to correcting these numbers. rights of women, with one of the women’s rights are human rights
Why "Orange"? And the United Nations Popula- The laws protecting women most notable being the Domes- and the time to commit to these
Orange is the colour designated tion Fund (UNFPA) states that The constitution of Zimbabwe tic Violence Act. Under the Do- rights is now.
by the UN Secretary-General's one in three women in Zimba- has numerous rights pertain- mestic Violence Act, women are
UNiTE to End Violence against bwe between the ages 15 and 49 ing to the welfare of women. In protected from, inter alia, phys- At this time, we should also
Women campaign. As a bright have experienced physical vio- section 17 under the "national ical beatings, sexual harassment recognise all the women who
and optimistic colour, orange lence. They go on to say that one objectives", Zimbabwe pledges and even cat-calling. And the have gone before us and those
represents a future free of vio- in f women have experienced to achieve gender balance. In Criminal Law Code's definition that are taking an active role in
lence against women and girls. sexual violence since the age of section 80, the rights of wom- of the crime of rape includes the fight for women’s rights in
15 in the country and accord- en are elaborated. Section 80 rape within marriage. our nation – both individuals
That is why all over the world, ing to Zimstat, 5% of girls are and organisations.
different buildings – including Zimbabwe is also party to sev-
the Parliament of Zimbabwe – eral international agreements, For your work we say #Wo-
were illuminated with orange mandla, aluta continua, thank
lights on the evening of the 24th you.
of November as a pledge to stand
against gender based violence. —Veritas.
The orange light represents a *About the writer: Veritas
brighter future that is free from makes every effort to ensure re-
violence for women and girls. liable information, but cannot
And the lighting-up ceremonies take legal responsibility for in-
marked the beginning the 16 formation supplied.
Days Against Gender Based Vi-
olence.
Women around the world and
in Zimbabwe
According to UNWomen, at
least one in three women are
NewsHawks Africa News Page 31
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
MATHIAS EICK Humanitarian crisis worsens
in Moza as conflict continues
ALMOST 800 000 people have
been displaced by an ongoing WFP food distribution in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Photo: WFP/ Falume Bachir
insurgency in the northern Mo-
zambican province of Cabo Del- is now completely refurbished, viding basic education to over labour, early marriage, or drugs. Tembe, a psychiatrist working
gado, nearly half the population well stocked with medicines, 3 000 children and has had to We can identify signs of social and for the Italian NGO “Doctors
of the province. and has dedicated local staff. make space for an additional mental issues amongst the children with Africa” (CUAMM).
660 from the displaced commu- much earlier and provide assis-
Some 175 000 of them have “This project benefits both the nities. The Italian non-govern- tance.” “I get mothers with girls as
found refuge in and around the displaced and the local commu- mental organisation, GVC-We- Protecting displaced people young as 11 years old pleading for
province’s capital, Pemba. nity as they now have access to World, with support from the Addressing protection issues is help because the father is trying
this improved facility”, he ex- EU, offers remedial and “catch- also one of the main concerns to marry off the girl in return for
With European Union (EU) plains. “The needs are tremendous up” classes for kids from both of the United Nations Refugee food or some basic goods.”
humanitarian funding, aid with the staff dealing, at times, communities. Agency (UNHCR) in the settle-
agencies provide basic humani- with nearly 1 000 consultations ment camps around Pemba and The trauma of the violence and
tarian assistance, including the per day, mainly cases of malaria “Some of the kids were away Metuge. displacement and the difficulties
rehabilitation of health centres and paediatrics.” from school so long they have of living in the resettlement sites
and schools. We have commit- forgotten some of their basic With the help of the com- weighs heavily on the minds of
ted nearly US$19.1 million in Given that more than half the ABCs,” explains Agnacio Vermis, munity and using local materi- the displaced people. Many still
2021 alone to address some of displaced are children, access to one of the informal teachers als, UNHCR has constructed have intermittent contact with
the most basic needs for the dis- health services for their children working for GVC-WeWorld. “protection houses”, allowing friends and relatives still living
placed and local host communi- is only one challenge for parents: their qualified staff and partner near their home villages, mak-
ties. education is another. “After the long closure of schools organisations to provide confi- ing the longing for return even
we discourage absenteeism by of- dential counselling to victims greater.
“First we fled into the bush At the “Natite” primary fering these special classes, assist- of gender-based violence, or ad-
when Al Shabab attacked our vil- school, in a crowded residen- ing children with their basic liter- vocate against child marriages, “I still have contact with my sons
lage”, explains Jifa Nguile who is tial area in downtown Pemba, acy and numeracy.” while also training community who decided to stay near our vil-
over 70 years old. “But my sons a dozen eight-year old boys and volunteers on such issues. lage”, explains Jifa Nguile. “They
then helped me and my grand- girls in their blue and dark blue But school is not only a place have small farms which were our
daughters to flee first to Macomia uniforms are hunched over rick- for learning. “We provide a host “The stressful situation and ba- only livelihood. We long to return
and then to this place near Pemba, ety wooden school desks, slow- of after-school activities such as sic needs that the displaced peo- but we are scared.”
where we feel much more secure.” ly writing down their ABCs in volleyball, board games, danc- ple face often leads to domestic
their notebooks. ing,” explains Mara Unfer, head violence or other issues such as *About the writer: Mathi-
She lives in a hut made from of the GVC-WeWorld Pemba child marriage, as parents hope to as Eick is regional informa-
bamboo and mud with a simple For over a year, their school office. reduce the pressures on the fam- tion officer for the European
plastic sheet as a roof. Although had been closed due to ily,” explains Elisa Fernando Union's civil protection and
this is not much, she can take Covid-19. Now they are eager “This helps reduce tensions be- humanitarian aid operations
care of herself and her grand- to be back and play with their tween local and displaced kids in the Grate Lakes, Eastern
daughters. friends again. but also helps protect them from and southern Africa.
anti-social activities such as child
The insurgency, which started The school was already pro-
some 3 years ago, has killed over
3 000 people and displaced hun-
dreds of thousands, some even
more than once.
As we visited the area, in Oc-
tober 2021, 117 families who
had fled an attack on their vil-
lage just a few days before, were
receiving emergency packages
including food for two weeks,
hygiene products and cooking
utensils.
According to the head of the
World Food Programme oper-
ations in Pemba, Cristina Gra-
ziani, aid agencies have seen a
dramatic rise in the population
in need: “Just over a year ago, we
supported some 30 000 people,"
she explains.
“Now we are dealing with the
needs of over 750 000 displaced
in the province. More have sought
refuge in neighbouring provinces.
The lean season is now approach-
ing. It is a critical time for the ru-
ral communities as they await the
harvest.”
Rehabilitating schools and
health stations
Many of the displaced have also
settled in the city of Pemba it-
self, hoping to find casual work
and access to education and
health. But this has also placed
a tremendous strain on the local
health and education services,
already struggling to provide for
the existing population before
the crisis.
For the International Com-
mittee of the Red Cross’s health
programme manager in Pemba,
Emilio Mashant Tshiteng, one
solution has been the rehabilita-
tion of three community health
stations in Pemba.
With EU humanitarian fund-
ing, the Mahate Health Station
Page 32 Africa News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
AFRICA NEWS BRIEFS
Mozambique appeals extradition
Many Ethiopians still back government forces while neither side of the conflict shows a clear THE Mozambican government said it will appeal a South African court ruling or-
willingness to negotiate. dering the extradition of its former finance minister, Manuel Chang, to the United
States on corruption charges rather than to his home country. Chang was arrested
Kenya and the Africa Union in transit through Johannesburg’s airport on his way to the United Arab Emirates
push for peace in Ethiopia in 2018.
He was indicted alongside other Mozambican officials in the US$2 billion “tuna
bonds” loan scandal; part of the money went through the US and UK finance sys-
tems. The loans—involving Credit Suisse, Russia’s VTB Bank, and French-Leba-
nese shipping firm Privinvest—were said to be for government-sponsored maritime
security, including a state tuna fishery.
However, Mozambican officials were later found to have secretly arranged bribes
and kickbacks worth more than US$200 million, including US$150 million for
government officials and US$50 million for bankers at Credit Suisse to secure fa-
vorable deals on the loans. It is estimated to have cost Mozambique’s economy
around US$11 billion—almost the equivalent of its entire GDP in 2016.
Both the US and Mozambique have requested Chang’s extradition. The South
African court overturned an earlier decision by South Africa’s justice minister to
send Chang to Mozambique and ruled it was unclear whether Chang would receive
immunity from prosecution there.
Libya election commission:
Saif Gaddafi ineligible to run
WHEN fighting between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Lib- LIBYA'S election commission has said
eration Front (TPLF) began just over a year ago, in what the government called a Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of for-
“police action,” few observers would have envisaged it culminating in Ethiopian mer ruler Muammar Gaddafi, was in-
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urging all citizens to arm themselves and defend the eligible to run in the country’s planned
capital, Addis Ababa. presidential election in December.
A state of emergency is now in place, with neither side ready to negotiate. Africa’s Gaddafi was one of 25 candidates
leaders may be the last bulwark preventing an even broader and more brutal civil disqualified by the commission this
war. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Abiy on Sunday to push for an end week, in an initial decision pending an
to the conflict. appeals process that will ultimately be
decided by the judiciary. Some 98 Lib-
In the meantime, the African Union (AU) has intensified its diplomacy. The yans had registered as candidates.
AU’s special envoy for the Horn of Africa, former Nigerian President Olusegun
Obasanjo, has said he was “optimistic” that “a peaceful resolution of the conflict The military prosecutor in Tripoli
can be secured,” but an immediate cease-fire is needed for dialogue to begin. had urged the commission to rule out Gaddafi after his conviction in absentia on
war crimes charges in 2015 for his part in fighting the uprising that removed his
Obasanjo’s words come as the United States imposed sanctions on Eritrea’s mil- late father in 2011. Gaddafi at the time appeared via videolink from Zintan where
itary and its ruling political party on Friday, accusing them of contributing to the he was being held by fighters who captured him as he tried to escape Libya after his
conflict. father’s overthrow. He denied wrongdoing. Two other well-known candidates, Ali
Zeidan and Nouri Abusahmain, were also excluded.
“Eritrea’s destabilising presence in Ethiopia is prolonging the conflict,” US secre-
tary of state Antony Blinken said in a statement. Eritrea sent troops into Tigray to Disputes over the election rules, including the legal basis of the 24 December vote
aid its enemy-turned-ally Ethiopia but also used that opportunity to detain thou- and who should be eligible to stand, threaten to derail an internationally backed
sands of Eritrean refugees and allegedly commit human rights abuses, according to peace process aimed at ending a decade of chaos.—Al Jazeera.
reports by Amnesty International and Reuters.
Morocco-Algeria conflict
Washington has already tried a punitive approach, sanctioning Eritrea’s defense
force and its head of national security while threatening to remove Ethiopia, the MOROCCAN Foreign minister Nasser Bourita said his country was determined
continent’s second most populous nation, from its preferential trade program, the to “turn the page” on the Western Sahara conflict without relinquishing rights over
African Growth and Opportunity Act. the disputed territory. Morocco is committed to finding a solution to the “artificial
regional conflict that stems from the opposition of a neighboring state to its legit-
Yet sanctions and threats have failed to trigger any progress. Despite warnings of imate rights to the consummation of its territorial integrity,” Bourita told senators
harsh economic measures, Ethiopian authorities allegedly rounded up ethnically in Rabat, Morocco, on Nov. 9, referring to ongoing tensions with Algeria. Morocco
Tigrayan residents last week and detained at least 16 Tigrayan United Nations em- “does not negotiate” over Western Sahara or its rights, he said.
ployees and dependents in crackdowns on suspected TPLF supporters.
Tensions have flared between Morocco and Algeria in recent months. Morocco
The Ethiopian government set out terms for negotiating a cease-fire on Thursday, controls 80 percent of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that boasts rich
insisting the TPLF recognize Abiy’s government’s legitimacy and withdraw from Atlantic fishing grounds as well as lucrative mineral deposits. Algeria backs Western
the Amhara and Afar regions bordering Tigray. Yet TPLF spokesperson Getachew Sahara’s Polisario Front, which has sought full independence since the 1970s.
Reda previously said pulling out of Amhara and Afar before talks begin is “an abso-
lute non-starter.” As Addisu Lashitew has argued, both parties could start by recog- In August, Algeria cut diplomatic relations with Morocco—accusing the country
nising the legitimacy of each other’s regional and national elections. of supporting the Islamist Rashad and Amazigh separatist movements in Algeria’s
Kabylia region. Morocco denied the allegations. But Algeria has since accused Mo-
The balance of power on the battlefield has shifted back and forth as the fighting rocco of killing three Algerian civilians in a Nov. 1 bombing in the disputed terri-
has intensified. Once in control of the Tigrayan capital, Mekele, Ethiopian federal tory.
forces were pushed south as the TPLF advanced in recent weeks.
The longstanding conflict heated up in late 2020, when then-U.S. President
Eight anti-federal government resistance groups have now allied themselves with Donald Trump recognized Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara in what many
the TPLF, including the Oromo Liberation Army, a rebel group in the Oromia observers regarded as a quid pro quo for Rabat’s normalization of ties with Israel.
region. Some observers fear that the alliance, including several groups fighting for
secession, could lead to Ethiopia’s breakup. As Adem K. Abebe writes in FP, a na- — Foreign Policy.
tional dialogue on federalism and negotiations over disputed territories could help
the two sides take the first steps toward peace.
NewsHawks Africa News Page 33
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi.
Return to refugee camp: Malawi orders
thousands back to ‘congested’ Dzaleka
PEOPLE who have integrated into some of whom have married into the saying that while Malawi is fully Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera. Another who has returned to Dz-
society are expected to return to the local population, had families, and entitled to make such a request, the triation to decongest the camp,” he aleka, Kenyan Miburo Aajman, says:
country’s oldest refugee camp, as have businesses or jobs, complain order to return people to an over- said. “Bringing those thousands of people
cost of living and anti-refugee sen- they are expected to return to a camp crowded facility has “serious human outside back again will just congest
timent rises. where they have no accommodation rights implications”. Like many asylum seekers, the camp even more.”
or work. Walimu Nduwayezu sees a return to
DZALEKA, Malawi’s first refu- Addressing the media in Lilongwe Dzaleka as a punishment for himself The 27-year-old says there are
gee camp, is about 40 kilometres Tensions have been rising in Ma- on the refugees integrated outside of and his family after their successful already food shortages inside the
north of the capital Lilongwe. Built lawi recently over dramatic price in- the camp in April, Banda said: “We integration into the community. camp.
25 years ago in response to a surge creases for fuel, cooking oil and other are not chasing them, and we just
of people fleeing genocide and wars foodstuffs. Expensive new banking want them to be where they should Nduwayezu, 60, a Rwandan refu- Human rights groups are also ex-
in Burundi, Rwanda and the Dem- charges have been imposed and last be, those who have businesses … gee and a father of four, lost his busi- pressing concern. Speaking at a press
ocratic Republic of the Congo, it week police used teargas to disperse will have to operate from Dzaleka. ness outside the camp when the gov- briefing in Lilongwe, Gift Trapence,
was then home to between 10 000 a crowd of more than 2 000 an- ernment ordered them to relocate. chair of the Human Rights Defend-
and 14 000 refugees. But the camp ti-government demonstrators in the “There is not enough accommoda- He is back in Dzaleka but says life is ers Coalition (HRDC), called on the
now houses more than 48 000 peo- country’s financial centre, Blantyre. tion at the camp, but we are coming very tough and running a business at Malawian government to safeguard
ple from east and southern African up with different resolutions to look a profit is hard. the refugees’ property.
countries – four times more than its The protesters attribute the rising at how best we can settle that, for
initial capacity. cost of living to what they say is the example we are facilitating self-repa- “Take a look at our house, it’s “We don’t want to see scenarios
“bad and incompetent” leadership made of thatching grass and we live where people will take advantage to
Several hundred continue to ar- of President Lazarus Chakwera. The hand to mouth,” he says. grab or ransack the refugees’ assets,”
rive each month, according to the worsening economic situation in one he says.
UN refugee agency (UNHCR), of the world’s poorest nations has
and in August 181 babies were born also led to violence and vandalism Fidel Butoyi (54) a Burundian
there. The deteriorating situation in against refugee businesses seen to be community leader who is also chair-
neighbouring Mozambique is swell- undercutting Malawian traders. man of the peace committee at the
ing the numbers further, as is the camp, has lived at Dzaleka since it
government’s recent decree that an But the return to Dzaleka has opened. His application for asylum
estimated 2 000 refugees who had highlighted concerns about the in Malawi has been under consider-
over the years left Dzaleka to inte- camp’s desperately overstretched ation for 28 years, he says.
grate into wider Malawian society water supplies and healthcare pro-
should go back, citing them as a pos- vision. There is not enough accom- He says life is hard in the camp,
sible danger to national security. modation or school places for the especially for those without accom-
people already there, and minister of modation or shelter, and adds that
In April the ministry of homeland homeland security Richard Chim- hostility from local business people
security gave a 14-day deadline for wendo Banda has conceded that the against refugee traders is increasing.
people to return to Dzaleka or risk camp is overcrowded.
sanctions. The decision was subject Political instability and social un-
to a court injunction which has now The UNHCR has been urging the rest in the Great Lakes and Horn
been lifted. Now many refugees, government to reconsider the direc- of Africa regions have driven a con-
tive to return people to the camp, tinual flow of refugees into Malawi
for more than two decades.
—The Guardian.
Page 34 World News NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
DANIEL FRIED/ ROSE JACKSON How to get Joe Biden’s ers to make human-rights commit-
democracy summit right ments for which they could later be
SUPPORT for democracy is a con- held to account.
ceptual centerpiece of United States versation on democracy itself from integrated into diplomacy, and United States President Joe Biden.
President Joe Biden’s foreign-policy a sometimes boisterous declaration carried forward through the nec- The question of invitations also That is a clever device, because it
strategy, and his administration has of perfection to an honest grappling essary political will. But can the depends on an understanding of is more workable than trying to de-
put this in grand terms. Consider with the process as a mechanism for summit establish a process, or even which activists and civil-society rep- fine which governments do and do
the statement he issued after meet- advancing the general welfare — post-summit structures, without resentatives are invited and elevated not meet some pre-set (and inevi-
ing Ukrainian President Volodymyr as the US Constitution describes overly bureaucratising itself? And on a world stage — considering that tably subjective) democratic norms.
Zelenskyy in September: “Ukraine’s it — through inevitably imperfect who gets to set the agenda, decide only governments have been invited Rather than set itself as judge of
success is central to the global means. what success looks like, and deter- so far. Certainly, the brave activists democratic standards, the Biden
struggle between democracy and mine which ideas are worth invest- pushing for their rights in Russia administration has allowed for a de-
autocracy.” Much is packed into But the Biden team has proba- ing in? Whose lives are different at should be invited, even while Pres- gree of self-selection by interested
that sentence: that US interests can bly already discovered that it’s hard the end of this? ident Putin is left off the list. Like- governments, with recognition that
be defined in terms of democratic to translate even good ideas into wise, platforming Filipino or Brazil- democracies have flaws and face
values, that the struggle between practical policies, and the Summit Based on our conversations with ian democracy activists to speak on challenges. At the same time, ensur-
those values and autocracy is global, for Democracy is no exception. Off summit planners, foreign officials, behalf of their countries could send ing that civil society has meaningful
and that US interests in a particular the bat, there are two foundational and civil-society leaders, the con- a powerful message about what this input into national pledges and is
country can be judged in that broad questions the White House must ceptual planning appears solid, but Summit for Democracy is about. able to push countries to commit to
context. answer: the crunch points for delivery are The United States has cast a new and sometimes difficult things
What does the summit do? fast approaching. Here is how this wide net for official participation. — not just offering up existing pro-
Biden is far from the first US A big declaration of democratic potentially landmark event is shap- Excluding the most clearly author- grams as a path to entry — are im-
leader to feature democracy so principles has merit. But as the only ing up so far — and how we believe itarian countries, it has taken a portant challenges with which the
prominently in their foreign-policy “deliverable,” it might be dismissed it should end up. commitments-based, rather than a administration must contend.
agenda. Since President Franklin as unconnected to the actual chal- Lay of the land conditions-based, approach; it has
Roosevelt and British Prime Min- lenges that democracies face. Are Invitations have gone out to 108 asked interested national govern- Finally, the two-part summit
ister Winston Churchill signed the there also specific issues the summit countries (109 if we include the ments to self-generate pro-democ- structure also finesses the invitation
Atlantic Charter in 1941, support should tackle that might reinvigo- United States), inevitably including racy initiatives or reforms. These issue by allowing time to assess the
for democracy as the foundation rate ownership of basic democracy? some more democratic than others, will be rolled out at the summit and credibility of a country’s pledges,
of a rules-based international order Outside of the broad categories the and some with authoritarian lead- carried through the ensuing “year of and even adjust future invitations
has run through US foreign-policy administration has identified, are ers at their helm. Although their action.” Countries will be expected to include countries in transition.
thinking as the answer to challeng- there core themes and issues at the inclusion may seem awkward, fo- to arrive at the second summit in
es ranging from communism to root of such democratic challenges cusing on leaders such as Brazilian December 2022 with progress up- In the 2020 Foreign Af-
fascism, terrorism, violent extrem- that the summit could address? President Jair Bolsonaro, Filipino dates and new deliverables. The fairs piece in which then presiden-
ism, and ethno-nationalism. Al- What happens after? President Rodrigo Duterte, or even Biden administration’s approach tial candidate Biden announced his
though the United States has been A standalone summit risks be- Indian Prime Minister Narendra contains echoes of the old Helsin- intention to hold the Summit for
inconsistent — and sometimes even ing shelved and forgotten if it is Modi risks narrowing the conversa- ki process (from the Conference Democracy, he said the event must
hypocritical — in its support for not connected to follow-up work, tion to one about individuals rather on Security and Cooperation in “include civil society organizations
democracy globally, presidents of than systems. Europe) of the mid-1970s that in- from around the world that stand
both parties keep coming back to volved getting undemocratic lead- on the frontlines in defense of de-
it. For a time, democracy, and the mocracy.” He also noted the im-
universal rights on which it is built, portance of addressing the private
seemed ascendant. sector’s role (including technology
companies) in “preserving demo-
But we are in a moment of pro- cratic societies.”
found democratic decline around
the world. The first summit’s virtual nature
temporarily defers the difficulty of
Whether in Uganda, Turkey, the choosing from the thousands of
Philippines, Brazil, parts of Europe, brave and important civil-society
and even here in the United States, leaders and organizations worthy
democratic governments struggle to of such a platform. But getting civil
deliver while authoritarian leaders society onstage, setting the agenda,
capitalise on frustrated and polar- and driving action will be essential.
ised populations.
Perhaps even more complicat-
This democratic retreat is not ed will be deciding which private
happening in isolation. Leaders like companies (particularly technology
Chinese President Xi Jinping and firms) will make the cut. Includ-
Russian President Vladimir Putin ing industry in the difficult con-
harbor other visions of the interna- versations required on the impact
tional order: Instead of democracy, of technology on democracy is es-
they seek to make the world safe sential. But ensuring the summit
for autocracy. Putin wants a frac- doesn’t become a mere photo op-
tured world he can manipulate. But portunity without meaningful ac-
while he aims to burn order to the tion will require careful calibration
ground, Xi and his Chinese Com- from the administration and allied
munist Party (CCP) are advancing a nations.
new sort of rules-based internation-
al order in which economic integra- We gather that the administra-
tion and prosperity can coexist with tion is planning to include tracks
centralized political control (and for subnational governments (may-
the brutal repression it requires). ors and governors) that are lead-
Whether it’s Russian-rooted cor- ing local democracy innovations
ruption intertwining itself into the and could drive progress — a wise
US and British financial systems or move given undemocratic trends
the CCP’s techno-authoritarianism at the national level in some coun-
baked into the apps, networks, and tries. The United States also plans
devices used by billions of people to include a track for legislators
around the world, the struggle be- from participating countries. A
tween democracy and dictatorship broad, rather than leader-focused,
is systemic — and it requires collec- approach reflects the pluralistic and
tive action. complex web that makes a demo-
cratic nation and take some pres-
This is why Biden’s emphasis sure off the impossible expectations
on democracy is not merely ritual of a perfect head of state invite list.
incantation, but contested policy
ground both internationally and in For its part as the summit host,
the United States. the United States must also serious-
ly address its own shortcomings to
His administration has chosen provide credibility for the entire en-
the virtual Summit for Democra- terprise. Keeping the vote-counting
cy, set for December 8-10 (with a and certification process free from
planned in-person follow-up one partisan manipulation is a critical
year later), as a symbolic centerpiece and current challenge — as is ad-
for its strategy. It’s a good idea: By dressing the long legacy of voter
rallying democracies against the au- suppression based on race. Failing
tocrats’ conviction that their time to ensure free and fair elections at
has come again, the summit could home is not a good look for a coun-
reaffirm the basics of democracy and try that constantly trumpets their
supplement them with principles importance abroad. But those is-
better suited to twenty-first century sues, in addition to the thorny chal-
challenges, such as emerging tech- lenges of police abuse and access to
nologies. It can also reset the con- justice, aren’t solvable by the execu-
tive branch alone. Congress and the
NewsHawks World News Page 35
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
states have an outsized impact on Biden’s Summit for Democracy should focus on rights, not economics and geopolitics. bureaucratic structures, and even
the viability of such reforms. harder to drive politically.
tions adopting versions of the Unit- autocrats’ hands. What success looks like
Finally, any substantive decla- ed States’ Russia-specific Magnitsky These issues, difficult and com- A serious summit should include That is why setting a substantive
ration or charter should probably Act and the subsequent Global the following: invitations to gov- and meaningful agenda is essential.
await the in-person summit in 2022 Magnitsky Act, or even creating a plicated as they may be, are cen- ernments based on pledges, which In some cases, simply having diffi-
to provide space for a truly consul- broader mechanism for coordinat- tral to defending democracy in can help avoid a food fight about cult conversations about difficult
tative process that reaches beyond ed, multilateral sanctions. With the the twenty-first century. The sum- who merits them; invitations to issues will be enough, while on oth-
governments. It should combine US Commerce Department’s re- mit can help establish or reinforce problematic leaders mitigated by er matters, recommending specific
reaffirmation of democratic basics cent blacklisting of NSO Group democratic norms and standards platforming democratic activists actions will be essential. An Austra-
(such as free elections, free media, — which had provided spyware to by seeking buy-in from companies from both those countries and un- lian diplomat recently told us that
and respect for the rule of law and foreign governments — there is op- and input from democracy activ- invited ones (such as Myanmar); a summit addressing visceral issues
human rights) while addressing portunity for international action ists. Autocracies will loudly dismiss and an agenda that focuses on cut- will have a better chance of generat-
current thinking about democratic to limit the spread of other such them, but such norms may give ting-edge and meaty challenges to ing momentum and global interest
challenges and the responsibilities pernicious and antidemocratic sur- tech companies incentive to resist democracy (such as corruption, at this critical time. As an example,
of democratic states and non-state veillance technologies as well. pressure from autocracies to enable authoritarian tech, and inequality), he pointed to the worldwide pro-
actors. The Atlantic Council at- The trouble with tech repression. And norms adopted by sets clear goals, and demands fol- tests against police brutality in reac-
tempted this in 2019 when it con- One issue that is existential to the democracies, even informally, may low-up work. tion to the murder of George Floyd
vened a high-level global group to trajectory of democracy is the im- also serve as templates for more in the United States: “We should be
produce a Declaration of Principles. pact of technology on societies. formal global standards, isolating The latter need not fall to the asking ourselves what is causing the
It was an effort to bring together While the Biden administration the autocracies and their own tech summit alone. The event could set democratic decline and make those
classical liberal and contemporary and many of its democratic partners firms that seek to capture global parameters and principles, obtain issues our focus.” We agree with his
progressive thinking into a coherent recognise this issue as important, it market share. pledges from companies, and refer assessment. Making summits work
framework and captured signatures seems less clearly fleshed out for action and questions to other enti- is always a challenge for policy prac-
from all continents and both sides collective action at the summit. The moment is right for de- ties, such as the US-EU Trade and titioners. It is especially acute when
of the US partisan divide. mocracies to step into this space. Technology Council, the Group of dealing with a new process.
Particularly tricky is that the in- Awareness of the general challenge Seven (G7), the Financial Action
A similar declaration could re- ternet — along with much of the of communications technology is Task Force, the Freedom Online The experience of the Commu-
flect the hard work of the “year digital technologies that run on it broad, but the work is diffuse. The Coalition, the Organization for nity of Democracies, launched
of action” through which govern- — is systemic, meaning the deci- United States and European Union Economic Cooperation and Devel- in 2000 at a high point of demo-
ments, civil society, and others can sions of one country or company have just begun work on some opment, and regional bodies such cratic self-confidence, represents a
highlight the most important chal- can have an outsize influence on all, of these issues under the recent- as the Organization of American cautionary tale. The brainchild of
lenges requiring collective action, as for good or ill. And as with univer- ly launched Trade and Technology States or the African Union. But of- US Secretary of State Madeleine
well as hard-fought points of agree- sal rights, the power for good is in Council that came out of Biden’s ficials could alternatively decide to Albright and Polish Foreign Min-
ment to drive them forward. the collective approach: The more June trip to Europe. The summit set up post-summit working groups ister Bronislaw Geremek (a leading
Setting a substantive agenda that buy in, the better. But as more can work in this space in parallel, and initiatives to define standards labor activist), this coalition was
The administration has laid out authoritarian countries demand pulling in more nations and stake- or monitor compliance. And it can launched with high-level US sup-
three substantive pillars for the data localisation, the employment holders — with input from civil so- certainly be an opportunity for in- port and features its own structures
summit, including “addressing and of local workers, and criminal lia- ciety and industry. And its inevita- creased funding to civil society and and principles. But today, it punch-
fighting corruption,” “defending bility for companies, firms are be- bly more democratically principled journalists, as well as a doubling es below its weight. Similar things
against authoritarianism,” and “ad- ing increasingly pulled toward the conclusions can help inform work down on commitments for the can be said of the Freedom Online
vancing respect for human rights.” bottom of “democratic” standards. in other regulatory fora. world’s democracies to speak and Coalition or any other number of
While these broad themes appear act collectively. well-intentioned but languishing
intended to leave space for govern- At the same time, while autocrats In that vein, one of the most im- multilateral and multi-stakeholder
ments, activists, and civil-society continue to censor online content, portant contributions governments At the same time, no credible efforts — leading to waning buy-in
actors to drive an agenda, it has led spy on their citizens, and restrict can make is to organize themselves conversation on democracy can from civil society.
to some confusion about which is- the free flow of information, dem- around this work. That’s why the exclude the struggles with which
sues the Biden administration cares ocratic governments also struggle State Department’s recent an- democratic countries are grappling On the other hand, the Helsinki
about and where particular lines with ensuring that offline rights nouncement of a new Cyberspace themselves. Any commitments, Final Act of 1975, and subsequent
of effort should sit. For instance, are extended to the online world, and Digital Policy Bureau is an im- actions, and initiatives must con- Helsinki process, was skeptically
where do issues related to technolo- as well as mitigating the danger of portant one, and may provide the nect domestic and foreign policy greeted at first for including the So-
gy and society belong? What about radicalising content via social-me- necessary capacity to help drive for- — something that is notorious- viet Union, among other criticisms.
police abuse or prison reform? dia companies — which plays into ward a proactive agenda globally, ly difficult for all democracies to But it boosted emerging dissident
and in the years after this summit implement across disconnected movements in the Soviet Union
It’s also clear that the White specifically. and Soviet-dominated Europe that
House believes tackling corruption embraced its declaratory principles,
is an essential element of reinvigo- especially on human rights. Civil
rating democracy, and we expect its society and dissidents carried the
commitments to be more focused Helsinki process forward in power-
there than in other issue areas. ful ways.
Before joining the Biden admin- It is difficult to predict what will
istration, National Security Advisor work at a particular moment in his-
Jake Sullivan and senior National tory. Anyone declaring certainty
Security Council official Rebecca of the inherent wisdom or foolish-
Brocato called on Congress to stem ness of this endeavor is probably
the flow of “dirty money” into the over-stating their case. Still, the
United States. Seeing such issues summit represents an opportunity
under the spotlight now is no sur- at an urgent moment that we would
prise — and this is a good thing. be wise not to squander. It can,
A global push on anti-corruption as Albright has already put it, be
measures, targeting problems such an occasion for the renewal of de-
as beneficial ownership for corpora- mocracies’ vows to one another. But
tions, is logical, but the summit also it should do more: Bring together
provides an opportunity to expand democracies to address, at an opera-
that discussion into additional ar- tional level, the very real and urgent
eas, such as those identified by Josh challenges we must face together.
Rudolph in Foreign Policy or Julia
Friedlander and Anders Åslund Democracies have allowed their
in an Atlantic Council report. autocratic adversaries to gain the
initiative in exploiting the inter-
We also expect the United States national system. It is time to push
to focus its efforts at the summit back.
on free and independent media,
ensuring fair democratic elections, —Atlantic Council.
supporting front-line activists and *About the writers: Daniel Fried
democratic champions, and ad- is the Weiser Family distinguished
dressing technology’s impact on fellow at the Atlantic Council and
and role in democratic societies. former National Security Coun-
While other nations may choose cil senior director, ambassador to
to focus on other issue areas, the Poland, and assistant Secretary of
United States has the unique abil- State for Europe.
ity to drive multilateral initiatives Rose Jackson is the director of
and pooled funding commitments, the Democracy & Tech Initia-
meaning that its chosen initiatives tive at the Atlantic Council’s Dig-
are likely to include and drive ac- ital Forensic Research Lab. She’s
tion from others. also a former chief of staff to the
Bureau of Democracy, Human
Similarly concrete and pointed Rights, and Labor at the State De-
commitments may emerge to en- partment; foreign-policy advisor
hance human-rights standards, with to US Senator Chris Coons; and
economic punishments for viola- co-founder and CEO of civic tech
tions. This could look like other na- company Beacon.
Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model
&Life Style
STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING
Page 36 Issue 58, 26 November 2021
JONATHAN MBIRIAYAMVEKA Revellers throw caution to the
wind as festive season starts
THE festive season is upon us and
what a better way to break a leg than go people are flocking is Mashwede in and Child Care, Zimbabwe’s cumula-
out for a night of fun. Glen View suburb where every week- tive Covid-19 cases this week stood at
end there is entertainment galore. 133 674 with 128 465 recoveries and
This is perhaps what most revellers 4699 deaths.
are doing as Harare regains its glow fol- One of the organisers at Mashwede
lowing months of Covid-19 induced hangout, DJ iroq, confirmed that there The recovery rate was 96%, with
lockdowns. What is worrying, though, have been thousands of music followers 510 active cases being recorded.
is that revellers are throwing caution to attending their weekend gigs.
the wind, defying Covid-19 pandem- Nationally, the overall number of
ic protocols on social distancing, not “We have been getting a lot of sup- new cases decreased slightly during
wearing masks and at times not wash- port from fans across as we bring ce- the week under review, with 209 cases
ing their hands upon entering the vari- lebrities to the venue and also there is a recorded compared 251 the previous
ous watering holes. good ambience and we play good mu- week. This represents a 17% decrease
sic,” he said. in the number of reported cases.
The numbers at most hangouts are
swelling with more than 100 maskless Kush Zvirawa of Khaya Defereo told Regarding case management, infec-
imbibers being allowed in at any given The NewsHawks that the gig featuring tion, prevention and control, the num-
hotspot in town. Even the heavy rains Sha Sha was sold out. She said Zimba- ber of people in need of hospitalisation
cannot deter people from going out. bweans had not had international per- for Covid-19 decreased, with the coun-
formances in a long time. try’s bed occupancy rate decreasing
Last weekend, events proved to from 1.2% the previous week to 0.9%
all and sundry that the entertain- Frankly speaking, the bar owners this week. On the national vaccination
ment-starved fans have let loose al- and show organisers are not only to programme, as of 22 November 2021,
though the pandemic still poses a blame as politicians have also been a total of 3 680 636 first doses had been
threat. One popular event held recently holding rallies and other big gatherings administered, with 2 752 352 people
in Harare hosted by Khaya Defero fea- throughout the country. having received their second dose.
tured South African-based Zimbabwe-
an amapiano star Sha Sha. According to the ministry of Health
The gig saw revellers thronging the
venue in their numbers despite the rain
fears. Another venues where scores of
NewsHawks Life & Style Page 37
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Tanga WekwaSando introduces ZAGGA
JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA ZAGGA. ZAGGA is Afro-contempo- bwe. boy, the artistry is real. He continues suburb.
rary music with a tinge of jiti and jazzy The new 12-track album, which with the same formula using English To add to his already illustrious
BEING unique is a feature that sepa- vibe to it.” lyrics here and there on that mhande
rates great artistes from the rest. brings his total albums to 15, features beat. credentials, he holds an International
But how did he come up with such a some re-done classics such as Wake and Economics and Finance degree from
Musicians who create new sounds, sound which is steeped in mhande tra- Buhera which now have English lyrics. It is the sort of sound that Nigerian Indiana University in the United States.
styles and beats tend to have an edge ditional beat? Afro-beat is made of. There is no sound
over others. If you listen to the two songs, you that is as uniquely Zimbabwean as our Tanga began his music journey way
“I think everything comes from God. definitely fall for the new rhythm be- own indigenous home-grown beat. before Zimbabwe gained Independence
Talk of Tuku Music, Chimurenga, He is the one who created mhande and cause it is like he has changed the pic- around the 1970s when he played the
Zora and even Sober music by the Pop- what I did was to tap into it. And build ture and not the frame. Newe is another track that makes for tambourine and the saxophone for the
star formerly known as Calisto "Bullet" on that as the basis of the music." interesting listening. The mhande beat Salvation Army youth band.
Nyamhute. Listening to the re-done Wake or is dominant and good enough to move
True to his word, Tanga WekwaSan- Buhera, one is left with the impression your head. Another song worth listen- His music is known for its unique
And now emerging from a year- do’s multi-talents are reflected in his that they are hearing these great songs ing to is A E I O U, a love track just the feel that creates harmony in expressing
long hiatus,Tanga WekwaSando has mastery of the sound of Afro-township for the first time. Fresh, raw and unin- way Tanga WekwaSando loves it. an amalgam of emotions. He is now
fathered a genre called ZAGGA. And it jazz and jiti music as a singer, song- hibited. The mhande beat cuts through taking it a step further by developing
is nothing like anything you have heard writer, recording artiste, producer and the lingering melodies and the chorus- It is a feel-good track that makes it ZAGGA, a contemporary Afro-beat
before! guitarist. es. easy to roll back the years and reminisce derived from traditional and cultural
about the good old days or appreciate mhande and jiti rhythms.
Keen to probe what he means by His stellar career in Afro-township He sings: “Who will go to Buhera music which resonates with your soul.
ZAGGA, The NewsHawks spoke to jazz is noted for his wide range of col- kuno tora mainini . . . the number of Tanga wekwaSando is one of the
the Wake hitmaker and he said the new laborations with other young artistes, the phone 99 99 210” of course, it is Tanga WekwaSando needs no intro- few remaining artistes from Zimba-
vibe is premised on the traditional Afri- including ExQ and many others. something the old blokes will quickly duction and his reputation speaks for bwe’s golden generation and has been
can mhande beat. rock to as it is a remake of the popular itself. Born Ernest Tanga Kambadzo recognised as a master of his art as a
While he had taken a back seat from Buhera track. Sando on 1 August 1954, the music NAMA award winner in the year 2004
“Mhande is traditional beat from mainstream music in recent years to legend rose to popularity with Mahob- & All Africa KORA Award nominee
mostly Masvingo province and that concentrate on production, promoting Then on Wake he also brings that ho in 1995 and after releasing his de- for Best Southern African Artiste 2005
is basis of ZAGGA," said Tanga We- young talent and other spectra of the new flair translating Shona lyrics but album Wake in 2000 continued to for his tracks like Wake, Nyenyedzi,
kwaSando. entertainment industry, he remains un- into English and, although the lyrics grow exponentially. Paidamoyo, WeKuMbare and others
doubtedly one of the most recognisable change, the song does not lose its beat. that topped the charts.
"But again the equation is (mhande and loved musical brands in Zimba- Tanga grew up in Harare's Highfield
+ jiti) x Tanga WekwaSando equals On Makandinzwa Nani?, boy oh
Page 38 Life & Style NewsHawks
Digital arts Issue 58, 26 November 2021
can boost
economy
ADDY KUDITA arts and media studies." But what audit, the applied arts and human- al Development Strategy (NDS) 1 tage of. Through our speaking ses-
was the trigger? ities cluster was dominated by skills economic blueprint is to increase in- sion, we plan to share this knowl-
THE inaugural Varsity Film Expo which were less competitive in the novation for industrialisation and to edge. According to Nigeria’s minister
will premiere on the 2nd to the 4th “Unesco reported last month that global market and mostly redundant. "enhance capacity building in critical of Information and Culture, Lai Mo-
of December 2021 and is poised film will generate 20 million jobs This is because the nature of available skills shortage areas across all sectors’ hammed, film is the second biggest
to be an annual event for emerging in Africa and 20 billion in the next skills in concentrated more on ana- such as film, animation, cinema- employer after agriculture in their
content creators which will be held three years if supported. Young peo- logue technologies instead of digital. tography, content production, mass country.
through the partnership of Bula- ple are the drivers of digital content market drone technology, graphic
wayo-based film production out- consumption. Research has proven The report recommends "focused design, sound engineering and the It employs more than a million.
fit Film & TV Resources and local that it's at universities that people prioritised training of creative arts" creative arts". These have been iden- This can be achieved by building eco-
universities. The theme of this year’s start forming brand affinities. Sev- and "world-class exhibitions". The tified as critical Skills and future systems from right from high school
Varsity Film Expo challenges Uni- en universities are participating. We report also highlights the, "need to skills. Another strategy mentioned in and university levels.
versities to create "Vivid" content, looked for universities teaching film develop skills as well as innovative ca- the NDS 1 document is to "set up
highlighting the United Nations Sus- and media and sent a call to them," pacity for enhanced entrepreneurial and operationalise Innovation hubs". Through the Varsity Film Expo,
tainable Development Goals (SDGs) said Chikomo in an interview. and commercial skills to artists and we hope to stimulate sustainable
in the content they create. other service providers in the applied “Film and content creation has po- ecosystems that can provide employ-
“The other goals of the expo are arts and humanities cluster to enable tential to create massive employment ment to thousands of youth in Zim-
The expo will be held at the Na- to promote content development in the artists/creators and other service opportunities for young people if babwe,” notes Chikomo.
tional University of Science and response to a rise in digital content providers in the cluster to add value they are supported with the required
Technology (Nust) and participants consumption in Zimbabwe, sup- to their products". resources. The internet has liberated Zimbabwean universities collec-
pooled from Chinhoyi University, port responsible content production, content monetisation opportunities tively have an enrolment of 120 000
Great Zimbabwe University, Mid- stimulate conversations and dialogue At a national level, one of the that young people can take advan- students. The expo presents a strate-
lands State University, Lupane State about local content production, rep- strategies mentioned in the Nation- gic access point to young people into
University, University of Zimbabwe resentation of indigenous identities the film sector.
and Nust will attend. in film, and promoting local culture.
We need to promote film as an effec-
The event will be punctuated by tive communication tool to address
discussions, presentations, exhibi- critical issues that affect us and also
tions and a showcase of commis- as a means to show the good about
sioned productions by university stu- us and elevate content creation by
dents. Outstanding universities and supporting curriculum development
students will be awarded accolades in film and media studies.”
as per genre. Some events will be
held virtually while others will have The expo programme will feature
a physical experience. exhibitions, student film screenings,
book launches, seminars and awards.
The project is the brainchild of
Kudzai Chikomo, a film maven and “We value fun, creativity, disrup-
Chinhoyi University alumni who tion, trust, diversity, collaboration,
has produced a couple of films for tolerance and artistry. We believe
international distribution. It was that if we give the youth our best
conceived with a view to "enhancing today, they will be able to give their
and promoting film literacy amongst best tomorrow.”
youth, students and teacher trainers
through strategic partnership with According to the organisers, the
institutions of learning, particularly Varsity Film Expo is an intervention
departments of journalism, creative to plug gaps and mitigate challenges
highlighted in the National Critical
Skills Audit Report. According to the
TAKE WHY YOU SHOULD
RESPONSIBILITY STAY 3 FEET AWAY
PREVENT FROM PEOPLE
THE SPREAD
OF COVID-19
Ÿ You can’t immediately identify who has the
virus..
Ÿ To reduce the spread of the virus if you are
already infected.
Ÿ To avoid droplets from an infected person
when they sneeze or cough.
NewsHawks State of the culture Page 39
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
AWA and the evolving face of hip-hop
Addy should be disadvantaged by it. We still doing political hip-hop from people Awakiwe Sibanda. 'loot' or rather what makes the 'loot'
Kudita have a long way to go, but hopefully who also lash out when artistes don’t I start to rap. for you? Some talk about streaming
one day we will get there. post #ZimbabweanLivesMatter. This and online sales.
FROM its genesis, the hip-hop genre AK: When was the moment you re- is why I always do as I please because The way I dress isn’t what people AWA: I haven’t released an album yet,
has been one replete with and largely alised that you were going to make you can never please everyone. I follow picture when they think of hip-hop, so I can’t say much about sales but live
dominated by male rappers. But there a career out of hip-hop, I mean giv- my own moral compass. which is great because I don’t like to shows keep me afloat, I perform at
have been several standout female rap- en the personal journey and the de- AK: Your packaging is interesting. be predictable. festivals and corporate events. It puts
pers in the ilk of Queen Latifah, Salt n tours you have taken? You wear traditional Nguni regalia AK: What is the difference between food on the table and I’m grateful for
Pepa, Lil Kim, Da Brat and Eve along AWA: It was back in 2012 when I re- as opposed to the standard hip-hop European and African audiences in that.
the way from the 1980s through to the corded my first song. I fell deeply in garb popularised by the likes of terms of the manner they react to
2000s. love with rap music, writing songs and Nicky Minaj with their jump suits your sound? I want to learn more about the
listening to the sound of my voice. It etc. What was the reasoning behind AWA: The European countries I have music business because coming from
Recently, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj was risky, many people advised me not the packaging? visited have welcomed my sound with a struggling industry like ours keeps
have taken turns to steal the limelight, to, but I jumped straight into the deep AWA: I started wearing traditional open arms. Unfortunately I haven’t us blinded from how things work in
winning gongs at the Grammys and end and decided to follow my dreams. Ndebele costumes before African fash- travelled in Africa, I performed in Bu- a proper industry. I am learning every
in other contests just to prove their AK: You are adamant and vocal ion was trendy and cool, so it wasn’t lawayo and Harare, the audience was day.
mettle as hip-hop purveyors. Still, about issues and representing the an easy path, especially for hip-hop. amazing. AK: How would you best describe
aside from these "fierce ones", the hip- community from which you come in Many people told me that I shouldn’t AK: Let's talk about your creative your sound?
hop summit remains a brother’s game your songs and your message could dress like that because it would con- process and production team. How AWA: I always try not to. I believe
and time was when even the lyrics of well be described as conscious rap. fuse people, but that’s exactly what I does a song evolve in terms of inspi- that having “my” sound will kill my
some of the songs and videos from the Is this a fair descriptor and what are wanted. I wanted to birth a new dawn, ration and who produces your mu- creative freedom and potential. I just
gangster rap era appeared to promote the issues that animate you the most Ndebele Rap. Fusing hip-hop with my sic? go where inspiration calls and express
misogyny in their characterisation of when it comes to music? culture was perfect because that meant AWA: Ghanaian Stallion has been myself in any way I choose. I usual-
women. AWA: I rap about politics, gen- that I could still do hip-hop and be producing my music for years. He has ly rap in Ndebele and English, but I
der-based violence, child marriages myself. I also chose traditional cos- shaped my sound and watered my po- don’t have a sound. I shape-shift into
Hip-hop is a global phenomenon and many other social issues, so it’s tumes because they are gorgeous and tential. He understands my skills and anything if it’s what I want.
today and has experienced some seis- safe to say I do conscious rap some- they set me apart. Those who forget always pushes me to go beyond limits. AK: The Pogues Hip-hop Awards are
mic shifts and mutations in terms of times. I am a versatile storyteller. my name always remember the cos- next month. How do you feel about
its reward and representation. Few AK: You have your critics who be- tumes. Whenever he sends beats, he always the nomination, especially seeing
perhaps personify the point more than lieve you wade too much into pol- AK: How have audiences received says “I know you will murder this”, as you are battling once again with
one Awakiwe Sibanda (29), a young itics or that you are not staying in you dressed up that way and then which always motivates me and I love mainly male rappers for top hon-
woman rising out of Bulawayo and your lane as an artiste. What in your going on to spit the bars you do and (that) he understands me. I take some ours?
who has been making the rap world view is your role as an artiste in so- in the manner you do it? time to listen to the beats and it liter- AWA: I appreciate the recognition.
look with her stunning traditional ciety ? AWA: Most people say it’s a breath ally flows from there. I allow my imag- AK: You worked with Cal_Vin who
Ndebele regalia and skill at MCing. AWA: I don’t like it when people box of fresh air.What I do isn’t what most ination to take me wherever it wants. was as controversial as he was the
me based on their feelings as if mine people picture when they think of Af- stuff of genius, what are our recol-
She began her journey in 2012, don’t matter. I get a lot of criticism for rican music. Making music is so precious to me lections of working or performing
before going professional in 2014, a They usually expect me to sing or because I create a parallel world I own with him and how do you feel about
year in which she appeared at Shoko dance and they are blown away when and I can be anything or anyone. I en- his tragic passing?
Festival in Harare. She has appeared joy it so much. AWA: His untimely passing was heart-
in a number of festivals along the way, AK: Let's talk about your music breaking. I still can’t believe that he is
including more recently the Reeper- business. How do you make the gone. We had a lot of plans, he fea-
bahn Festival International. She has tured on my album. We were plan-
done collaborations with other female ning to do visuals for it. The hip-hop
MCs such as Voices of the Revolution industry will never be the same with-
in the United Kingdom. In 2016, out him.
NoiseyRaps produced AWA: Ghetto AK: As a Ndebele child, are there
Queen of Zimbabwe, a nine-minute concerns that you have that you feel
documentary based on her sprout- need airing?
ing as a rose growing out of the hard AWA: Making Ndebele music in Zim-
streets of Makokoba township, a place babwe is exhausting and very difficult.
renowned for spawning notable and The tribal divisions, marginalisation
notorious persons alike. The short film and lack of resources make it diffi-
brought her rap career into focus and cult to get the music to the people.
won the inspiration award in Research Most people in Matabeleland listen
in Film Awards (Rifa) in the UK. to South African music because that
is what they watch on TV, the dom-
Using the stage name AWA, she has inance of South African music and
snagged the Outstanding Hip-hop Act culture makes it very difficult to push
accolade at the 2021 Bulawayo Arts anything made locally.
Awards (BAA) edition in a tightly con-
tested race. She is once again a con- It’s tough, but hopefully things will
tender for the Best Female and Best change someday.
Diaspora category in the upcoming
Pogues Zimbabwe Hip-hop Awards. The pundits say AWA is a top con-
The NewsHawks writer Addy Kudita tender in the Zim Hip-hop Best male
(AK) spoke to her about her career: category. But she is up against respect-
AK: You recently won the BAA out- ed MC Kikky Badass who has several
standing hip-hop artiste category nominations, Noluntu J, Skillz Tha
2021 in a tightly contested field Louche and Tashamiswa.
dominated by male rappers. How
did it feel to win the award? Win or lose, AWA is making waves,
AWA: It was such an honour to win recently getting a co-sign from South
the award. I like to be thrown in the African pop star Sjava to work with
same ring with men because hip-hop hip-hop act Big Zulu. To be fair,
isn’t about gender, it’s about skills. I AWA, by her own admission, has yet
believe that putting women in a “Best to release a full album but the Aus-
Female” category perpetuates misogy- trian-based artiste is definitely one of
ny. It’s like a side show and the “Best the most impactful hip-hop acts of her
Male” is always the main event. No generation.
one should be in a better position
because of their gender and no one
Page 40 Life & Style NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Title: The great house of stone Title: AFTER THE RAIN Title: He loved nothing
Poet: Kelvin K Nyakubaya Poet: Aleck Kaposa Poet: Aries Rage
The river sings, the sun dances on her surface After the rain It's the treble in his voice
Envy the drowned soul that dies in her rays After the rain that gave him away,
trying to kiss the moon The earth lets off some steam, after his eyes wandered
"Song bird it's high noon, won't you sing and The noisy rivulets rush to the big river yonder and stared lovingly
steer the still waters," the grand awakening The frogs croak happily in the valley into nothingness.
River god cleansing, soul searching cooling Whilst crickets chirp He didn't share his dreams
burning hearts In the township streets nor did he have nightmares,
Meandering mind, wonderers in the rapids the We play in the puddles his smiles where lifeless
waterfall approaches With kites and paper ships casting shadows that hid the sun.
Spirit mediums at the thundering place, clay Some play with toy cars It's the phlegm in his throat
pots in hand sprinkle ashes into the wind Others play pada that didn't make my heart dance
To appease the deceased, who when they After the rain when he spoke.
lived no one believed The boom, boom of thunder is gone As if something held him back
Demented hands sound the drum and the Gone too is all the fear or he was holding back something,
ground is diseased The sky is clear and each time his eyes strayed away
Crazed witcher leaps off her lip as a living The sun is out fondling emptiness.
sacrifice, All is calm He didn't share his dreams,
Yearning for a glorified death certain of a di- We are happy again he stole mine one by one
vine rebirth Before the rain kept them in a jar,
Undying, forever flowing open channels closed Before the rain said it was for safe-keeping.
circuits The wind blows madly I believed him;
A storm is brewing the raising current feels like Shaking the trees But his eyes gave him away,
home, a memory of a lifelong gone The angry clouds hide the drifting off into a darkness
Life after death only exists to those who have Shining sun he caressed so intimately.
been buried alive, Thunder roars It's his eyes that gave him away,
Who alone in their frantic panic try to claw Like lions in the forest creating a world only he existed.
their way out before they rot to bone Giving us fear
Eyes wide open and yet seized by a dream Lightning strikes ***********************************************
that will not desist... As if to leave us blind Title: Sour grapes
In a barren land stalked by hyenas, the mock- We smell the smell of rain Poet: Homunculus
ing laugh only persists And rush into the house
Cave paintings etched in blood, a stone can- Because soon raindrops will Excited and gleefully ripe
vas foretold of this pestilence Fall from the sky A bachelor back on the map
The great house of stone reduced to rubble by A beauty across the table in lacy black
the problem elephant *********************************************** Exposing her lustful rack,
Her dress teased just below the hips
*********************************************** Title: Jikinya Beat She bit her lip and blew shisha smoke to
Title: a poem away Poet: Sydney Nyagato me in whisps,
Poet: Tanaka Chidora I felt her kiss, tonight was gonna be bliss.
Spins the turntable... "How much do you make in a month?"
her face appears with jagged edges on the Bard's music touches the deep-seated chords; I felt the beer go down the wrong pipe,
phone’s screen, Croons and sets fans in a frenzy, My glottis couldn't help gasp
and her voice sounds as if a thousand waters Keeps Jikinya beat trendy... At her questions full of scornful gripe
are muffling it. Ballad rolls like butter; And my face turned red as I struggled to
heartaches are products of man-made fri- Heart skips in advance; grasp
volities, like electricity’s nostalgias holding a Beat sets audience in trance... The proper words to answer such a for-
whole country at ransom, Croons to the wee hours; ward wench
like tap water receding to the source of mem- Tears apart the velvet night; My face swollen as if bitten by a wasp
ories. Till the crack of dawn, Painful were her questions so I answered
the phone’s speaker crackles, When day breaks with awesome aurora, with my voice tasteless and rasp, "I guess
and her voice becomes a million smithereens Reminiscent of Van Gogh's art; you can pay your own bill then"
of emotion lost in translation. The envy of Caribbean artists... Then I gladly walked away from that
there were days when sanity used to be only a wench's clasps.
poem away,
but there are things that even poetry cowers
from.
NewsHawks People & Places Page 41
Issue 58, 26 November 2021
Intra-African Trade Fair 2021 in Durban
Afreximbank president Benedict Oramah (third from right) and Zimbabwean entrepreneur Adam Molai (third from left) at the Intra-African Trade Fair in Durban.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa arriving at King Shaka International Airport in (Left to right) Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo and
Durban. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Property
NewsHawks
Issue 58, 26 November 2021 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 42
The home of prime property: [email protected]
FBC completes building
150 Kuwadzana houses
ALEX MHANDU housing development, Mashview Gardens, in Fontaine Ridge project in Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb constructed by FBC Building Society.
Harare’s Bluffhill area. — Picture:s Aaron Ufumeli
ONE of the country’s leading mortgage lenders,
FBC Building Society, has completed construct- According to company secretary Egnes Mad-
ing 150 housing units under its Fontaine Ridge haka, the first batch of the houses should be
project in Harare’s Kuwadzana suburb. ready during the first quarter of 2022.
This comes as demand for housing in urban “The development of the Mashview Gardens
centres, particularly Harare, has continued to cluster housing project in Bluff Hill Harare is
skyrocket, prompting property developers and ongoing with construction activity in progress
mortgage lenders to chip in and narrow the de- for delivery of the first batch of houses in Q1
mand. 2022. Project marketing is ongoing, and the
company is in negotiations with a potential
FBC Holdings Limited company secretary buyer for completed units,” she said, adding
Tichaona Mabeza indicated the housing units that the group had completed renovations at the
were developed under Phase 1A, while the next Chiyedza House co-working hub and opened
phase should see 119 housing units being deliv- the facility for leasing with effect from 1 Sep-
ered by the end of the financial year. tember 2021.
“Phased construction activities by FBC The housing developments in the capital
Building Society are in progress at the Fontaine come as demand for residential housing remains
Ridge Kuwadzana project with road formation strong against limited supply, especially for the
works currently underway at phase 1B. low-end market.
“Phase 1A construction works were complet- Harare alone has a housing backlog of an es-
ed for 150 units and 119 units for Phase 1B are timated half a million units and over 1.5 million
planned to be substantially completed by end of for the whole country. While Covid-19 has also
the fourth quarter,” he said in a trading update affected the real estate sector, the residential seg-
for the third quarter to 30 September 2021. ment, retail, warehousing, light industrial prop-
erties and office park properties have remained
Upon completion, the entire project will strong.
comprise a total of 858 housing units ranging
from medium to high density with an average This is in contrast to central business district
stand size measuring 200 square metres. space, which has over the past few years contin-
ued to suffer as businesses downsized operations
According to the banking firm, the whole proj- or eventually closed, while others move to sub-
ect factors in modern trends in housing develop- urban offices or office park.
ment, in line with global standards such as WiFi
connectivity, in addition to the usual required However, as the economic activity continues
infrastructure like surfaced roads, electricity, wa- to improve with the gradual easing of Covid-19
ter and sewer reticulation. Each unit will have a lockdowns, experts in the real estate sector are
5 000-litre water tank and a booster pump. also hopeful the anticipated growth projections
will translate to increased demand in the prop-
Elsewhere, listed property firm Mashonaland erty occupier market.
Holdings Limited is also progressing with its
NewsHawks Sport Page 43
Issue 58, 26 November 2021 Trading boots, tackles
with the medical kit
ENOCK MUCHINJO Son of former Health minister David
mending him for the Sables doctor's post, A team doctor who played at the high- Tapfuma Parirenyatwa. Parirenyatwa, the new Sables doctor is in
THREE years ago, when Zimbabwe at- to surround himself with as much rugby est level on the continent is definitely ex- be imminent (…chuckles)!” every sense a chip off the old block.
tempted to qualify for the 2019 Rugby knowledge as possible. tra technical brains. So is the Sables’ team
World Cup, Tapfuma Parirenyatwa was manager, Jason Maritz, a former Zimba- Parirenyatwa’s first assignment was “He had a huge influence,” remarks
out on the field, dishing out big hits and “The current head coach invited me to bwe youth international who when not in the quadrangular tournament in the Parirenyatwa of his father. “Fathers and
causing opponents a great deal of discom- lunch a few months ago, we shared some booking flights and organising accom- Western Cape last week, where the Sables parents are very influential in shaping
fort. old memories, had a few laughs and the modation for the team, can also have a were outmuscled in the second half by their children’s future. I’m sure its similar
deal was signed with a hug after a meal thing or two to say in the dressing room. old foes Namibia to lose the final 41-10. in most homes.”
The Sables are still seeking the elusive – the rest is history,” Parirenyatwa com-
ticket to their first World Cup since 1991 ments. For Parirenyatwa, this is precisely why Despite this, Parirenyatwa is excited And he is a third-generation doctor
and, as we approach the next edition, in Dawson hired him. about the talent in the side, and the fu- in the family. His grandfather, Samuel
France in 2023, Parirenyatwa finds him- “I always knew I would be involved ture. Parirenyatwa, was also a doctor whose
self part of the dream again, for a second with the Sables for a long time even af- “Dawsie has an open-door policy, so pioneering feat saw his name being giv-
time in a row. ter playing, as the team doctor. It was just he is willing to listen to my suggestions,” “Zim could definitely be playing in the en to Zimbabwe’s biggest health facility,
a matter of time. Even as I played, I was says Parirenyatwa, quipping about a pos- next World Cup,” he says. “We are huge Parirenyatwa Hospital.
This time, though, Parirenyatwa will the team doctor, unofficially. On several sible playing comeback: “Being so close underdogs, but that’s the best place to be
not be inflicting harm on the park as in occasions, players consulted me about with the boys makes me want to dig up before any fight because the pressure isn’t Sporting genes also run in the family,
the previous occasion. He will instead be their health during and after the cam- my rugby boots again! I’ve been running on us. The talent in the team is phenom- including his sister, the renowned broad-
attending to the injuries of Zimbabwean paign. I obviously won’t mention names, with the Sables during this camp (in a enal. (Tapiwa) Mafura the fullback and caster Ruvheneko Parirenyatwa.
players in his new role as the national but many past and current players are my four-nation tournament in South Africa (Brandon) Mudzekenyedzi the wing-cen-
team’s doctor. patients now.” last week). Who knows, a comeback may tre are world-class players, just to men- “We are all passionate about sport,” he
tion a couple of new players that I only says. “My sekuru (grandfather), the late
It has been a quick transition for the met on this tour.” Dr Samuel Tichafa Parirenyatwa, who
35-year-old Cuban-trained doctor who, was the first black doctor in Zimbabwe,
only in 2018, was one of firm favourites was a keen tennis player in his day. My
of former Springbok coach Peter de Vil- sister Ruvheneko and brother Tadiwa
liers in Zimbabwe’s unsuccessful bid to played basketball at national level in their
qualify for Japan 2019. school days.”
A tough competitor on the field and Parirenyatwa is passionate about his
gentle giant off it, the big eighthman fea- job, a young doctor dedicated to making
tured in nearly all five qualifiers for Zim- a difference in society. His healthcare en-
babwe – establishing himself as a strong terprise has deep roots in the community.
ball-carrier with imposing physicality,
great defence, mobility and ability to “I love helping people,” he says. “There
dominate the breakdown contest. is nothing more fulfilling than someone
coming to you for treatment and after
“The best memory from that would you have cured them, they refer their
be having a coach who believed in me friends and family.
100%,” Parirenyatwa told The News-
Hawks this week. “To me, that’s sign that one must be
doing something right. The working con-
“His (De Villiers) strength as a coach ditions will only improve if we all make
was making players believe in themselves a small change in our own ways. But if
before anything else.” we all gave up on the system, then who
would fix it for us? Currently, I run a
After so much was made of Zimba- business called Health At Home, which
bwe’s goal to return to the World Cup is a platform of 45 medical profession-
for the first time in three decades, under als ranging from general practitioners to
a coach in the mould of the world-re- specialist physicians, gynaecologists, di-
nowned De Villiers, Parirenyatwa and eticians etc.
fellow senior players were under no illu-
sion over their future in international rug- This is a facility that allows patients to
by following the great disappointment of be treated in the comfort of their homes.
failing to qualify. My business provides world-class service
to patients in Harare, Marondera, Nor-
For Parirenyatwa, his career path out- ton, Chegutu, Gweru and Bulawayo.
side sport had always been recognised in Soon we will be nationwide. My new role
family circles. He quickly ventured into as the Sables doctor has brought me to
private medical practice, an ambition of Cape Town, and we will be in France next
his since his schooldays at St John’s Col- year (for Africa’s final phase of World Cup
lege in Harare. qualifiers). So I guess I could say Health
At Home is now global!”
“There was now a new coach, new
overall team, new players,” says Pariren-
yatwa. “And age was creeping up on me as
well. Sadly, rugby doesn’t pay the bills, so
I needed to focus on my career.”
Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan
Dawson, who was De Villiers’ assistant
for the first two World Cup qualifiers
in 2018, returned for a second tenure as
head coach following the South African’s
sacking.
Dawson was influential in sealing the
reunion with Parirenyatwa after recom-
A spur for Sables amid brutal reality check
LIKE ill-equipped troops being sent players can leverage his well-known like having a parent or grandparent for Zimbabwe because they had been and for a Zimbabwe team that so
into a combat zone, the Sables stood passion for the game and the country. born in the new nation they intend to around the second-tier representative desperately need to reinforce its for-
in the way of ruthless Namibia before represent if they were not born there sides of those nations. Before the law wards pack, one can only imagine a
the final of the Stellenbosch Chal- Dawson is a loyal coach, there is themselves. was amended, that also disqualified lock pairing of Williams and Eli Sny-
lenge last week, the writing all over a bunch of players he has stuck with This means that, for exam- them from returning home to chal- man, the former Zimbabwe Schools
the wall. throughout his second spell in charge ple, Springbok legend and World lenge for Sables places. star who went to play for South Africa
of the Sables, all good team players Cup-winner Tendai “Beast” Mtawari- Already, the Sables team manage- Under-20 as well as professionally in
Once the Namibians had slaugh- who bring something unique to the ra – or former Aus- ment had Europe.
tered a pretty decent Kenya side 60-24 side. tralia captain David been sweat-
in the other semi-final, Zimbabwe’s Pocock – can make ing over the This is the route Zimbabwe ought
performance in their battling 24-22 But, suffice it to say, common sen- a sensational return HawkZone selection of to take in pursuit of 2023 World Cup
win over Brazil in the other tie was a timent among the Zimbabwean rug- to international highly rated qualification.
sign that a two-decade winless streak by Press corps is that the bulk of the rugby, in the co- loose for-
against their greatest rivals was set to Sables squad is not of the right quality lours of their native ward Mun- But it is not as easy as it looks.
continue at least for another year. to challenge for a place at the 2023 Zimbabwe. Enock go Mason, Because these players are involved
World Cup in France. A rather far- only be- in club or provincial rugby in the
We have come so close in the past fetched dream, Muchinjo cause he different countries they are dotted, if
20 years, at home and in Windhoek, Zimbabwe, however, produces rug- however, in the case once was in they were to play for Zimbabwe, they
and nearly all those Zimbabwean by players of world-class attributes, of these two. But S c o t l a n d ’s could be classified as foreign players
sides — as you can always bet on the born and groomed here, and others these are not the only Sevens side and at worst surrender some of the
Sables — have been a group of play- with kind of Zimbabwean heritage. top-class players with Zimbabwean set-up despite not being capped. privileges that come with being lo-
ers that represent their country with roots who can now be selected for the Same as someone like the Bula- cals. It is not a gamble others might
utmost pride. Thus, news this week that the Sables in the wake of this new eligi- wayo-born Mike Williams, a 30-year- want to take.
World Rugby Council has approved bility law. old lock who was once called up by From my experience of covering
That includes the current side. Pa- a landmark regulatory change for Most did not play Test rugby for Eddie Jones into an England pre-sea- Zimbabwean rugby, though, the con-
triotism runs very deep in the veins of international rugby players to switch their adopted countries, but they son squad in 2016, but again never nection to this country is very strong
these men. national teams from next year, was re- were being prevented from doing so capped. There are so many examples, among those who have links with it.
ceived with excitement. Often, where there is a will, a way is
And in coach Brendan Dawson, a paved.
former Zimbabwe captain, it looks Players can change, provided they
like the right combination because the last featured for another side for 36
months on top of other requirements,
Sports A crippling
poverty of
leadership
at Zifa
‘Humiliated, intimidated,
degraded’ ref reports
Thursday 1 October 2020 sexual advances
Friday 26 November 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com
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Fifa silence keepsNEWS WHAT’S INSIDE escaperadio with
$60 Covid
tariff for regulations
visitors &
narrow winunder review
Story on Page 8
over USA
FRANCISCA Chipare rescued a
Zimbabwe side that was teetering on
Zim in suCshpeanmsies a reactourists
Story on Page 3
the brink of defeat on Thursday, the
Khupenumber 11 cracking three fours in a
out to 15-ball innings to secure a nail-biting
one-wicket victory over the United
States in the Women’s World Cup
qualifiers currently underway in Ha-
rare.
USA could only post a total of 131
at Takashinga Sports Club in High-
Unofficial president calls for emergefield, where their top-scorer was the
extras with 23, but their bowlers ral-
lied hard to make a match of it. The
31-year-old seamer Moksha Chaud-
hary grabbed four wickets for herself
as Zimbabwe slumped from 73 for 2
to 97 for 8.
Zimbabwe star Sharne Mayers cel-
ebrates taking a wicket against the
Americans. PIC: Zimbabwe Cricket
But even as the game seemed lost,
up stepped a most unlikely hero. The
23-year-old Chipare (16*) was one of
only two players in the entire game
with a strike rate better than run-a-
ball.
harassment. development in Zimbabwe and will from the elections that saw him dis- The Lady Chevrons had opened
ENOCK MUCHINJO The silence of Fifa, which normal- issue a statement at an appropriate lodge the seemingly invincible Phillip the campaign with a shock eight-run
ly has a clear zero-tolerance stance time. Interesting times are certain- Chiyangwa at the ballot in December defeat to Thailand and were looking
ZIMBABWE has been kept in sus- against external interference in the ac- ly ahead for football in Zimbabwe, 2018. to atone for that disappointment
pense over the future of football in tivities of its member federations, has given also how the suspended Zifa The SRC, meanwhile, has ap- against the Americans.
the country after world governing added to the anxiety of a cross-section leadership has shown firm defiance peared unfazed over the possible re- Meanwhile, Zimbabwe batsman
body Fifa has taken its time to react of Zimbabwean football fans, who against their ban. percussions of its actions. Nyasha Gwanzura has become the
in the wake of the suspension of the fear that the country could be banned This week, the suspended Zifa Consultation to appoint an inter- second player in the team to receive
country’s football federation by a lo- from international football and, as a president Felton Kamambo – along- im committee to run the affairs of kit sponsorship from the world’s lead-
cal supervisory body. result, risks being thrown out of Jan- ALs–iSdwOehcohIhNieafSs eaIxDpercEiuotrivseusJFpoeisnnepsaihonnMcheaamnMguiitnnsgeistywZwiafyai,panseadisditotihnuectlSu$Rd3Ces.,2FiisBfaai,llrlCeioaadfnyandudneodptehor--sitoainfrtgserbftuahtnemdLaasnduyfCachteuvZrreiorm,nKs'sceaelplaytatCienrsiMctklaeart-n, d
uary’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in c
Last week, the Sports and Rec-
reation Commission (SRC), which Cameroon. over his head before the latest move, er stakeholders. ry-Anne Musonda.
oversees the governance of all sports Apart from the national team’s flew out to Egypt to attend a General In a statement released to the me- London-based agent Winston
in the country, sensationally suspend- isolation in such circumstances, a Assembly meeting of the Confedera- dia, the SRC wrote: “There must be Weekes brokered the deal, as he did
ed the Zimbabwe Football Associ- banned country loses all other priv- tion on African Football (Caf ). integrity in the process. These discus- for Musonda and several other Zim-
ation (Zifa) board over a litany of ileges of Fifa membership across all This could attract further sanctions sions are ongoing, and they are en- babwean cricketers he has represented
charges that range from boardroom levels of the game. Fifa, in brief re- against the pair, particularly Kamam- couraging. There is engagement and over the years.
misdemeanours such as financial mis- sponses to media queries over the bo, who is going through a separate it is positive. We all want to do what Gwanzura will receive bats, pads
management and improper conduct past week, say they are examining the bribery trial in the courts stemming is best for football.” and gloves. – ESPN/STAFF WRITER
to personal ethics issues like sexual
ALSO INSIDE Trading boots and tackles with the medical kit
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