NewsHawks 30 April 2021-min

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 30 April 2021 MBUaSsIsNivEeSjSob Price
cuts rock
VNEPWCShiwenga’s banking sector US$1
ex-wife opens up
on soul-crushing Story on Page 19 PSPakOiRstTan
torment takes control
against dire
Story on Page 7 Zimbabwe

Story on Page 38

Sadc military
deployment
on ice as key
summit is off

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

BERNARD MPOFU Sadc military deployment
on ice as key summit is off
THE Southern African De- to attend.
velopment Community (Sad- Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi. On the same day Sadc
c)’s comprehensive emergen-
cy military intervention plan Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Foreign Affairs ministers
to deploy a standby force to endorsed a report compiled
combat marauding insur- the strategy and tactical plan itime, air and ground strate- technicians, among other ultimately designed to neu- by the technical committee,
gents still occupying strate- to confront and neutralise gic areas.  military personnel. tralise the insurgents whose Bathlalefi David Leagajang,
gic ground in Mozambique’s the terrorists. centres of gravity, including Botswana’s presidential press
natural gas-rich northern The technical assessment There are also helicopters strategic, operational, tac- secretary, announced that
Cabo Delgado province has Angola led the expedition team came up with a detailed as well as transport aircraft, tical, critical capabilities, the regional leaders agreed to
been put on ice. as the Sadc chair of the de- deployment plan and rec- patrol ships, a submarine and needs, strengths and vulnera- postpone the summit. 
fence intelligence standing ommended that Sadc should a maritime aircraft to patrol bilities issues, were identified
This follows an elev- committee. dispatch a force of 2 916 the Cabo Delgado coast- by the Sadc technical team. Despite this temporary
enth-hour postponement of soldiers to Cabo Delgado line to intercept insurgents’ setback, the Sadc technical
a crucial meeting between All these meetings and to “combat and neutralise” movements, supplies and The assessment team said team has warned a new wave
Botswana, South Africa, events came against a back- the insurgents and recap- combat their drug trafficking at least 790 civilians had violent extremism outbursts
Zimbabwe and Mozambique ground of a double troika ture territory they have tak- activities, said to be a source been killed in about 510 in- and attacks could be looming
set for yesterday in Maputo Sadc summit — comprising en, including their capital, of their financing of the in- surgent attacks since 2017, in the province. 
to finalise the urgent inter- the main Sadc heads of state Mocímboa da Praia. surgency.  while more than 800 000
vention road map and action.  meeting chaired by Nyusi people were displaced. “The recent attacks oc-
and organ on politics, de- The jihadists’ capital is still The technical assessment curred shortly before the
The delay of the Sadc troi- fence and security troika the port town in northern team also recommended a Following Wednesday’s holy month of Ramadan and
ka summit of the organ on gathering, on 8 April in Ma- Mozambique, lying on the phased approach implement- ministerial committee meet- since then there has been a
politics, defence and security puto, which authorised the Indian Ocean coast, located ed in four stages: deployment ing, the organ troika heads considerable lull in activities.
cooperation – which includes intervention.  in Cabo Delgado province. It of intelligence assets (land, of state and government were
President Mokgweetsi Masisi is a border post for travel to air and maritime) to under- yesterday expected to adopt The possibilities of re-
of Botswana, the chair, in- The Wednesday ministe- and from Tanzania and is the stand the insurgents’ opera- recommendations made by newed attacks are high after
coming chair President Cyril rial meeting and the organ seat of Mocímboa da Praia tions; special forces and na- the technical committee and Ramadan however, this does
Ramaphosa of South Africa troika summit which was set district. val equipment; pacification swiftly swing into action in not rule out the likelihood
and outgoing chair Zimba- for yesterday were set to give operations and withdrawal.  the explosive conflict. of attacks during the fasting
bwean President Emmerson final approvals to the deploy- The Sadc intervention period,” the Sadc technical
Mnangagwa – followed the ment road map and action. force would comprise three This plan entails deploy- Zimbabwe’s new Foreign team said.
extraordinary foreign affairs light infantry battalions of ment of Sadc troops to sup- minister Frederick Shava at-
ministerial committee meet- A leaked detailed docu- 620 soldiers each, a light in- port the local army, provid- tended Wednesday’s meeting To counter the insurgents,
ing of the same body on ment of the Sadc military fantry battalion headquarters ing the Mozambican military which was chaired by Lem- the technical assessment mis-
Wednesday in the Mozambi- plan drawn by the technical with 90 troops, two special with training and support; ogang Kwape, Botswana’s sion said that standby force
can capital.  team shows that regional forces squadrons of 70 sol- and ensuring logistical sup- International Affairs and should go in to provide im-
leaders, following the techni- diers each, 100 engineers, port.  Cooperation minister. Their mediate support in the fields
Initially it was defence and cal assessment mission, want- 100 logistics coordinators, South African counterpart of air, maritime and ground
security chiefs expected to ed immediate deployment of 120 signals experts and 42 These combined and Naledi Pandor was expected operational capabilities.
meet before the organ troika security forces covering mar- self-reinforcing actions are
summit. The leaked Sadc  report,
signed by Botswana’s Brig-
Officially the organ troika adier Michael Mukokoma-
summit was postponed be- ni, chief-of-staff of the Sadc
cause Masisi is in Covid-19 Standby Force, says Mozam-
quarantine, while Ramapho- bique needs help with logis-
sa is appearing before the tics, humanitarian assistance,
Zondo state capture commis- intelligence as well as boots
sion of inquiry. on the ground, to retake ter-
ritory such as the strategic
It is not clear when the port of Mocimboa da Praia
summit will now take place, under insurgent control since
but sources say probably on last August.
7 May.
The technical assessment
Sadc security sources told team comprised 37 person-
The NewsHawks yesterday the nel from Angola, Botswana,
meeting was delayed because Malawi, South Africa, Tanza-
Mozambican President Filipe nia and Zimbabwe, working
Nyusi, who is also Sadc chair, alongside their counterparts
wants further scrutiny of the from Mozambique, and as-
plan and control of the inter- sisted by the Sadc secretariat.
vention process which he is
not really keen on in its cur- The participants were se-
rent form.  lected from various speciali-
ties and expertise, including
As previously reported by intelligence, operations from
this platform in detail, Nyusi air, maritime, and ground
is reluctant on uncontrolled domains, communications
foreign military intervention and logistics.
as he thinks the situation is
under control, even though The purpose of the mis-
the insurgents still occupy sion was to undertake a tech-
northern strategic towns or nical assessment in order to 
places, does not want for- develop an understanding
eign allies to see from inside on the type of threat which
shortcomings of his poor- Mozambique is facing so as
ly-trained army, wants to to determine rapid regional
conceal the local roots of the reaction; identify immedi-
crisis as he is emphasising ex- ate support for Mozambique
ternal causes, fears regional- with capabilities to enhance
ising the conflict as it might surveillance for maritime,
spin out of control and is air and ground security; pro-
feverishly waving the sover- pose a regional coordination
eignty card to keep outsiders mechanism to facilitate the
at bay. implementation of the sup-
port to be provided by the
The ministerial commit- region; and  present a report
tee meeting, which included to the Wednesday ministerial
Mozambique, was in prepa- meeting and the postponed
ration for the troika organ organ troika summit, which
summit — a culmination of was supposed to action de-
the intervention plan of ac- ployment, before the plan
tion. was subsequently frozen.

Just before that, there had
been a technical assessment
mission from 15 April to 21
April, to ascertain Mozam-
bique’s political and security
situation on the ground and
its military needs, as well as

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Mnangagwa’s mansion construction stalls

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE the United States’ official pres- massive house – that looks where a 2 000-square-metre From the Wheeldon side, Soon after Mnangagwa
idential workplace and resi- nondescript from outside - stand can cost around US$100 where the main entrance is came to power through a coup
CONSTRUCTION work at dence, the White House, at 1 which is later abandoned.  000, according to independent located, the security structure in November 2017, by Janu-
President Emmerson Mnan- 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW realtors. that was being constructed ary 2018, construction had al-
gagwa’s multi-million-dollar, in Washington, DC. After the 2017 military looks derelict with only scaf- ready begun on the expansive
yet unsightly, house at the cor- coup, government bought However, the estate has folds remaining onsite. piece of land and was moving
ner of Crowhill and Wheel- A visit to the property houses for all members of the also been poorly developed in at a terrific pace amid indica-
don roads in Borrowdale showed that construction has presidium with Chiwenga some sections, making it look The gate with the inscrip- tions he was eager to move in.
suburb has stalled, three years virtually stopped. This has settling for a property locat- commonplace. It is not yet as tion “Number 14 in Wheel-
after it commenced, The News- raised questions on whether ed along Manombe Close in classy as Borrowdale Brooke. don” shows that the yard was Security officials felt Mnan-
Hawks can report. the president is happy at Zim- Carrick Creagh Estate, Bor- previously being used as a gagwa’s Helensvale house was
babwe House, abandoned the rowdale. The house, which is Mohadi moved from his lodge.  small, making it difficult for
This means taxpayers’ funds project or has identified a big- now all but complete, has been Greystone Park home to the them to create a significant
have been wasted on a prop- ger piece of land to construct lavishly fitted with imported spacious mansion in the leafy The view from Crowhill buffer and detect threats prop-
erty that Mnangagwa may another home. furnishings.  Carrick Creagh, suburb of Glen Lorne after Road also shows a deserted erly which may be posed to the
no longer be keen on living which overlooks the upmar- government bought and reno- construction site, with no President.
in. The hideous property was The issue has also raised ket Borrowdale Brooke neigh- vated the house for him. activity except for the scaf-
being built as part of his state concerns about the waste of bourhood, is a prime suburb folds that have been there for Soldiers manning the
package. Usually the President taxpayers’ money building a But work has stalled at months. property are using makeshift
and vice-presidents are given Mnangagwa’s property.  amenities and they had also
state properties to live. pitched a tent on a private
citizen’s property. The own-
A big house is being built er of that adjacent property
for Vice-President Constan- had already been approached
tino Chiwenga at Carrick on that. Improving security
Creagh Estate in Borrowdale. features and completing the
Former Vice-President Kembo ongoing renovations were the
Mohadi now lives on Folyjon only way that could improve
Crescent in Glen Lorne sub- the property.
urb, Harare. 
After his inauguration in
Mnangagwa moved out of November 2017, Mnangagwa
his house in Helensvale, Bor- continued to stay in Helens-
rowdale, in Harare after secu- vale for several months before
rity concerns were raised as moving to the guest wing of
it was felt that the residence Zimbabwe House. 
was not well protected. This
prompted government to The explanation by his
speed up renovations at the spokesperson George Charam-
President’s spacious residence. ba then was that the President
had no need for the huge space
However, Mnangagwa later since his children were grown
relocated from 355 El Shaddai up, thus he had settled for the
Road in Helensvale to Zim- smaller guest house.
babwe House, opposite State
House. Meanwhile, renova- At the same time, extensive
tions were being done at his renovations were ongoing at
property opposite to flam- State House as well as Zim-
boyant local tycoon Philip babwe House after Mugabe
Chiyangwa’s sprawling house, moved out, with the whole
dubbed the White House after complex undergoing a major
facelift.

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

BERNARD MPOFU Unearthed: The real reason why
Moza crisis meeting was called off
THE real reason for the post-
ponement of Sadc’s extraordi- Sadc incoming chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.
nary troika meeting on Mozam-
bique’s deteriorating security as an internal matter with limit- Kwape, Botswana’s Interna- said while countries like Zim- to get the AU, the UN and of the political economy aspects
situation has emerged. ed support from the region and tional Affairs and Cooperation babwe and South were willing others to foot the bill. It seems of the conflict point out to the
other bilateral partners. minister and chairperson of the to deploy boots on the ground, as though there is some kind failure of governance, failure of
Sadc claimed the politics, de- ministerial committee of the funding such an operation was of willingness because a lot of democracy, particularly on how
fence and security cooperation Before Sadc ordered its tech- Sadc organ on politics, said a the elephant in the living room.  money is at stake and lives of political elites (Frelimo) have
troika summit meant to finalise nical team to assess the situa- multilateral approach was need- people are also at stake.” been benefiting from this ex-
military deployments to tackle tion in Mozambique, Portugal ed to solve the crisis. “Many countries are willing tractivism without local devel-
insurgents was called off this had sent about 60 special forces to support Mozambique almost Adriano Nuvunga, director opment. I think that this is the
week due to pressing commit- to train the Mozambicans. The “As we deliberate on the re- in kind with equipment and so of Mozambican civil society situation which Mozambique
ments on two regional leaders. US is also providing technical port and course of action, we on.  What we hear here is that organisation the Centre for would not want to be proper-
support to Maputo. As reported should also take into consider- there is a willingness by South Democracy and Development, ly exposed in the region. Also,
Bathlalefi David Leagajang, by The NewsHawks, Zimbabwe ation that our way forward, as Africa and Zimbabwe as well said Nyusi’s reluctance to in- there are issues on who is also
the press secretary to Botswana’s also sent its special forces on a the region, should be guided by to send troops, to get involved vite Sadc’s support for a conflict going to pay for Sadc’s involve-
president, said the regional lead- reconnaissance mission ahead the Sadc Mutual Defence Pact, militarily. The stakes are very which first broke out nearly a ment in Mozambique.”
ers agreed on a postponement of the Sadc extraordinary meet- which entered into force in high — South African invest- decade ago is quite telling.
as a result of the unavailability ing which was scheduled for this August 2008. As we are aware, ment in that area is substantial Sources said Nyusi also feared
of Sadc chairperson Mokgweet- week following a recent military the pact provides for collective in terms of financing this liquid “President Nyusi has been that the deployment of the Sadc
si Masisi who is currently on siege on the northern Mozam- self-defence and collective ac- natural gas. Of course, for Zim- reluctant to have Sadc and that Standby Force as recommended
quarantine and incoming chair- bican town of Palma by Islamist tion. In particular, article 6 of babwe also, for other reasons. has been frustrating not only by the regional bloc’s technical
person Cyril Ramaphosa of insurgents, killing dozens, in- the pact states that ‘an armed The country which is at most for the people of the region. team would also expose the in-
South Africa who is appearing cluding a Zimbabwean, while attack against a state party shall risk in Sadc is Tanzania. Tanza- We would have wanted to see ternal dynamics of his military
before the Zondo Commission leaving a trail of bloodshed and be considered a threat to re- nia is an important player in all Sadc moving robustly in terms establishment.
of Inquiry on allegations of state destruction in its wake. gional peace and security and of this because they have large- of solidarity but, of course that
capture. such an attack shall be met with ly managed to fight terrorism depends on the extent to which Piers Pigou, a southern Af-
“President Nyusi prefers bi- immediate action’,” Kwape said quite successfully in their coun- Maputo is willing to invite rica consultant at the Interna-
But The NewsHawks has lateral support instead of a mul- in his remarks at the opening try,” Louw-Vaudran said. Sadc,” Nuvunga said.  tional Crisis Group, said Nyusi’s
since established that the real tilateral approach due to com- of the extraordinary ministerial remarks at the PALOP meeting
reason is Maputo’s strong reluc- plexities around the geopolitics meeting of the Sadc organ on “So if there is an announce- “But we think that the re- stretched the notion of political
tance towards a multilateral ap- of this conflict. While Sadc politics, defence and security ment today to say we are going luctance might be speaking to stability.
proach on the conflict-stricken wants to stamp its authority and cooperation in Maputo on  28 to deploy as Sadc Standby Force a number of factors including
northern parts of that country show that it has teeth to bite, April. History shows that the to contain this insurgency in the political economy of the “This posture reflects the
owing to complexities around consensus remains a stumbling only places where Sadc has sent Cabo Delgado, that will take conflict in northern Cabo Del- disconnect between the Mo-
the strife. block. Some member states are troops were in Lesotho on two a long time, a couple months. gado. Although it is framed as zambique state and the affected
concerned that once they take a occasions and in the eastern It would need coordination international terrorism, the communities of Cabo Delgado.
The presidents of South multilateral approach, any fu- Democratic Republic of Con- between the two contributing reality is that this conflict was On face value, it is an extraor-
Africa, Botswana and Zimba- ture insurgency may be on their go. countries, it would need fi- driven, initiated and it might dinary statement, but it exposes
bwe were expected to attend doorstep. That is a price many nancing because none of our have been captured or intersect- the illicit economy at play that
Thursday’s meeting following are not willing to pay,” a securi- Liesl Louw-Vaudran, a senior countries can actually afford ed with international dynamics. is tied to this conflict. That will
the conclusion of a technical ty source said. consultant at the Pretoria-based such a military operation. It is But the enablers and the factors have political ramifications and
assessment report by the double Institute for Security Studies, extremely expensive so we have that have ignited it to happen the question is: Is Nyusi his
troika plus Angola of the secu- On Wednesday, Lemogang speak to local dynamics. Some own man?” 
rity situation in Cabo Delgado
province and the required re-
gional support.

Interestingly Sadc, the Afri-
can Union as well as the United
Nations have in the past held
virtual meetings due to Covid-
19-imposed restrictions.

The technical assessment
team was deployed from 15 to
21 April, comprising 37 per-
sonnel from Angola, Botswana,
Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania
and Zimbabwe, working along-
side their counterparts from
Mozambique and assisted by
the regional body’s secretariat.

Informed sources, political
analysts and security experts
told The NewsHawks that the
major reasons why Mozam-
bican President Filipe Nyusi
is not keen on a Sadc military
intervention to repel violent
extremists destabilising the nat-
ural gas-endowed province in-
clude questions of sovereignty,
nature of the conflict, external
influence and the financing of
the operation. 

The Sadc organ on pol-
itics,  defence  and security
cooperation is a regional in-
stitution  whose overall objec-
tive is to promote peace and
security in line with article 2
of the Sadc Protocol on Pol-
itics,  Defence  and Security
Cooperation.  The NewsHawks
also established that ahead of
Thursday’s meeting, Nyusi told
a virtual forum of the Portu-
guese Speaking African Coun-
tries (PALOPs) that despite the
violent extremism in parts of
the northern province of Cabo
Delgado, Mozambique enjoys
political stability and its insti-
tutions are functioning normal-
ly. This meeting, according to
sources, was attended by leaders
from former Portuguese colo-
nies such as Angola, Cape Verde
and Equatorial Guinea. Sourc-
es said this signalled Maputo’s
willingness to treat the conflict

NewsHawks News Page 5
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi.
Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Sadc states scared of terrorist
retaliation over deployment

BERNARD MPOFU been conducting violent from the previous estimate Mozambican military] to
sweeps of the town in an of 37. Vidigal also said that neutralise the terrorists in
THE threat of terrorist re- attempt to root out insur- insurgents kidnapped 150 the area of operation.” The
prisals on Sadc member gents. youth during their raid second is a training and
states has emerged as a ma- on Palma, of whom three logistical support package
jor stumbling block to the “Increased fears of in- were able to escape.  that would keep foreign
regional grouping’s efforts surgent activity in Pemba troops out of the combat
to muster consensus on resulted in tragedy on 22 To address the per- zone in Mozambique.  The
how best to tackle Mozam- April, when government ceived regional threat,  the team recommended pur-
bique’s deadly insurgen- forces killed a young trad- Sadc team presented two suing both plans simulta-
cy. According to a leaked er as he rode on a moto plans. The first is a deploy- neously, bringing in for-
strategy report compiled taxi past a security force ment of Sadc forces (at a eign troops to help with the
by a special Sadc technical checkpoint,” the Cabo level the report describes fighting, while standing up
assessment team, regional Ligado says. as “minimal”) to Cabo the training mission.
heads of state were expect- Delgado to “support [the
ed to consider the imme- “The taxi did not stop at
diate deployment of 2 916 the checkpoint as a result
military personnel, the of a misunderstanding.
bulk of which should be Government troops fired
ground forces, including at it as it passed, killing the
140 special forces troops.  passenger and wounding
the driver.
The special forces were
expected to go in first to “Terrified, the driver
“conduct targeted oper- continued driving all the
ations” in tandem with way to Pemba hospital, but
naval assets to “eliminate the passenger was dead by
maritime crime in the area the time he arrived.”
of operation”. 
It continues: “On the
The deployment has now evening of 23 April, an at-
been put on ice after the tack believed by sources on
regional bloc postponed a the ground to have been
crucial Sadc organ troika perpetrated by insurgents
meeting initially sched- resulted in at least five ci-
uled for yesterday after two vilian deaths and seven
key regional leaders had homes burned in Palma’s
urgent commitments.  Expansão neighborhood.

But an underlying fear “Civilians displaced
of terrorist backlash over at Quitunda who asked
Mozambican intervention government troops about
has emerged as a major is- the attack received no re-
sue for Sadc leaders. sponse, increasing fears
that insurgents will target
“The team also couched Quitunda directly.”
the threat posed by insur-
gents as regional. Evaluat- On 25 April, fighting
ing likely insurgent courses erupted again in Palma
of action, the team predict- town. Civilians in the town
ed that the group would reported hearing heavy
pursue ‘terror activities in gunfire and explosions.
the identified countries
that are seen to be sup- Many people who had
porting Mozambique’. The been staying in the town
insurgency’s goal, the team left, heading north towards
assessed, is to ‘expand the Tanzania in hopes of being
caliphate in Cabo Delgado transported to the Nego-
and to the Sadc region’,” the mano border post in Mue-
report says. da district, from which
they can travel to Mueda
This comes as civilians town or Pemba.
in Palma town remained
under threat last week, Others joined the over
with insurgents returning 20 000 displaced people
to the town and clashes still stranded at Quitunda,
between insurgents and from which there is little
government troops forcing hope of evacuation in the
more people to flee for the near term.
Tanzanian border, accord-
ing to Cabo Ligado weekly The government has
newsletter. increased its estimate of
the number of insurgents
On 19 April, civilians killed in the battle for Pal-
discovered the bodies of ma at the end of March to
three young men who had 41.
been killed in the town.
Military spokesman
Locals said the men Chongo Vidigal told re-
were likely killed by gov- porters that government
ernment forces, who have forces found four insurgent
corpses buried together on
15 April, increasing the
count of insurgents killed

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

BERNARD MPOFU Controversy over deployment of
foreign forces into Mozambique
AS the Southern African
Development Communi- ment was not as concerned war to outsiders, which are deployment which has  been light infantry battalions.  capabilities, largely through
ty (Sadc) struggles to clear about national sovereignty as largely local, when his nar- met with vociferous criticism According to Cabo Ligado added intelligence-gathering
hurdles to deploy its standby it appears to be now as it pre- rative largely locates them from some sections of Mo- platforms,” it says.
force into Mozambique to viously invited foreign troops outside. Nyusi emphasises zambican civil society.  weekly, “the proposed distri-
help fight the deadly Islamist to help fight the rebel move- foreign sponsorship of the bution of forces – over 2 000 CDD said the proposed
insurgency in Cabo Delgado ment during the Mozambi- insurgents and not local con- The Centre for Democra- infantry and special opera- deployment is “almost [the
province, it is becoming in- can civil war.  ditions which have bred the cy and Development (CDD) tions forces all told, support- size of ] a Mozambican
creasingly clear that Maputo uprising.  has criticised the plan, call- ed by seven helicopters – sug- army,” and would likely de-
is only interested in limited Echoing Nyusi’s senti- ing the deployment move gests an operations plan very stabilise combat operations
bilateral military help, not a ment, Frelimo secretary-gen- In his speech, during the “inappropriate”, while also similar to the one currently while providing no solutions
regional intervention. eral Roque Silva, in contrast, recent double Sadc troika slamming the Sadc techni- employed by Mozambican to the social and humanitar-
told reporters that foreign meeting on 8 April in Ma- cal assessment team for not forces, in which ground forc- ian crises at the centre of the
As previously reported troops would not be effec- puto — the meeting of the meeting with civil society es move mostly by road and conflict.  The technical team
by The NewsHawks in de- tive in Cabo Delgado. He main body troika, Mozam- and independent experts.  conduct limited dismounted was led by Botswana Briga-
tail, Mozambican President said Mozambique only need- bique, Tanzania and Malawi, patrols.  dier Michael Mukokomani
Filipe Nyusi said in a speech ed logistical support for its and the troika of the organ The Sadc technical team and also included representa-
two weeks ago that the situ- troops battling insurgents.  on politics, defence and se- visited Mozambique from 15 “The maritime aspect of tives from Angola, South Af-
ation was under control. He curity which comprises Bo- April to 21 April.  It drew a the proposed deployment, rica, Malawi, Tanzania, and
categorically opposed the Security sources have told tswana, South Africa and plan for the deployment of however, would offer a sig- Zimbabwe. There was no
plan of foreign troops getting The NewsHawks that Nyusi Zimbabwe — he highlighted 2 916 personnel, including nificant augmentation of Mozambican representative.
involved in combat in the thinks inviting foreign troops external factors more than 140 special forces, as well as the Mozambican military’s
conflict. into Mozambique would domestic issues. seven helicopters, five fixed- current capacity at sea, po- To address the perceived
undermine its sovereignty, wing manned aircraft, four tentially improving Mozam- regional threat, the team
This came as Mozambican regionalise the conflict and Despite do Rosário’s at- drones, two surface patrol bique’s ability to counter presented two plans. The
Prime Minister Carlos Agost- invite more terrorists into it, tempts to downplay military ships, and a submarine.  insurgent littoral operations. first is a deployment of Sadc
inho do Rosário, speaking to expose shortcomings of his matters, the foreign interven- The proposal would also in- forces (at a level the report
parliament on 21 April, tried poorly-trained army and lay tion debate came against the The bulk of the forces – crease Mozambique’s intel- describes as “minimal”) to
to sidestep the debate and bare the root causes of the backdrop of a leaked Sadc 1 860 troops in all – would ligence and reconnaissance Cabo Delgado to “support
downplay the issue of foreign come in the form of three [the Mozambican military]
military deployment, while to neutralise the terrorists in
confirming bilateral regional the Area of Operation.” The
arrangements.  second is a training and lo-
gistical support package that
Rosario acknowledged would keep foreign troops
that Mozambique is al- out of the combat zone in
ready receiving some forms Mozambique. The team rec-
of military support from its ommended pursuing both
Sadc neighbours, although plans simultaneously, bring-
he declined to elaborate on ing in foreign troops to help
the details and nature of the with the fighting while stand-
support.  Instead, he seemed ing up the training mission.
intent on making the argu-
ment that the nature of for- The technical report was
eign military support is not supposed to be presented
a suitable topic for public to the troika of the Sadc
debate because it involves organ on politics, defence
disclosing details of military and security cooperation in
matters. Maputo yesterday. The Sadc
ministerial committee of the
As reported by The News- organ troika met in Maputo
Hawks recently amid feeble on Wednesday to discuss the
official denials, Zimbabwe technical report.
has already deployed special
forces into Mozambique to However, the Sadc organ
help fight the jihadists call- troika meeting expected to
ing themselves Al-Shabaab, approve the report and de-
an insurgent group that has ployment was postponed,
an unclear affiliation with further showing that Nyusi
the Islamic State, although and his government are stall-
not related to Al-Shabab in ing the foreign intervention
Somalia. process.

While Nyusi is subtly op-
posed to foreign interven-
tion, Renamo leader Ossufo
Momade last week called for
direct intervention in Cabo
Delgado by Sadc countries,
saying the Frelimo govern-

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NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 Marry Chiwenga opens up to talk to him, his doctor
on soul-crushing torment Mangwiro would answer
BRIDGET MANANAVIRE the call and say he is sleep-
ing or that I was stressing
MARRY Chiwenga has him. I guess whatever had
opened up on how her re- been planned had started
lationship with Vice-Presi- working.”
dent Constantino Chiwen- Marry, who is on remand
ga collapsed during the time for attempted murder and
he was seeking treatment money laundering charges,
in China between July and has been trying to get her
November 2019.  passport so that she can get
the medical attention she
An ailing Chiwen- desperately needs in South
ga was airlifted to China Africa.  Zimbabweans
from South Africa on 21 gasped in shock this week
July where he underwent when pictures circulated on
life-saving treatment at a social media showing a visi-
top Beijing hospital amid bly ailing Marry with swol-
revelations by his close as- len and misshapen legs.
sociates that he could have However, her applica-
been poisoned. tions keep getting rejected,
and she suspects it is be-
Marry, who was with cause her husband is influ-
Chiwenga while he was encing the rejections as he
hospitalised in South Af- thinks she might spill some
rica, received a phone call secrets if she goes outside
from President Emmerson the country.
Mnangagwa informing her Chiwenga has also been
that she could not travel denying her access to their
with the vice-president to children whom she has not
China as there was room seen since she was arrested
for only six people, namely in December 2019. 
Chiwenga, his doctor John “I have been bidding and
Mangwiro, a nurse assistant pleading so that I can get
and his aides. my passport so that I can go
and seek international med-
Marry said her relation- ical attention. I have been
ship with Chiwenga was denied my passport, many
good at the time. The two times. I did not give up, I
had been married for 10 gave in,” Marry said. 
years and have three chil- “I think maybe there is
dren.  Zimbabweans gasped in shock this week when pictures circulated on social media showing a visibly ailing Marry with swollen and misshap- worry that if I go outside
en legs. However, her applications keep getting rejected, and she suspects it is because her husband is influencing the rejections as he thinks the country, I might be in-
Marry said Chiwenga cut she might spill some secrets if she goes outside the country. fluenced by people that are
communication with her in
August, without giving an ery single day, feeding him, ident had been treated for Jinping) had suggested that plane was already waiting outside to speak against my
explanation. On his return bathing him and dressing about five weeks and things my husband gets medical and those that required vi- husband or government,
from China, he got her ar- him. I prayed for him and seemed to have improved. attention in China and that sas had them already. So I that is the only reason-
rested for attempted mur- prayed with him.  I stopped 12 professors were waiting guess it had been planned able explanation why they
der. feeding him when his oe- She said before China, to attend to him. He how- for some time, but I had would deny me my pass-
sophagus closed and he Chiwenga had been moved ever said only six people just not been told. I how- port.
“It shocks me how this could not eat,” she said.  to the intensive care unit af- should come, including ever did not require a visa “Obviously it is not the
situation came about. Ob- ter he had experienced a fit him, his doctor, the assis- because I had a diplomatic magistrate or judge that is
viously someone thought “There were trying times, and his blood pressure shot tant nurse and the security passport. denying me my passport.
about it and fabricated this but I looked after him as up.  team. I even asked why I They are simply following
thing to get me out of the best as I could and the way was not included, and the “When my husband left instructions that they are
way and they obviously God wanted me to, with President Mnangagwa President said I would go for China, I came back the getting from their superior
managed to do it.  So here absolutely no reservations then called to tell her Chi- at a later time as President next day on 22 July, on my to say do not give my wife
I am, my husband had me at all; with no complaints wenga was being moved Xi had suggested that my birthday. The President sent her passport. My lawyer
arrested for things that I whatsoever. I was just a to China but there was no husband should come and a jet to get me from South (Beatrice Mtetwa) has made
obviously did not do, but good wife to my husband.”  room for her on the trip. get attended to before I can Africa. When my husband about five applications, and
I was arrested anyway,” she join him,” Marry said. was in China, we were they were all turned down,
told The NewsHawks.  Marry said they had “The President called me talking but things suddenly with no reasonable explana-
gone to South Africa a few a few hours before my hus- “I insisted that I needed changed in August. How? I tion.”
“We went to South Af- days after returning from band was set to leave for to go, but I was told the do not know. When I tried
rica at the end of June and India where the vice-pres- China and said President
were there for four weeks. Xi (Chinese President Xi
My husband then left for
China on the 21st of July.
From June, right through to
21 July I was with him ev-

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Page 8 News NewsHawks

Bogus farmers Issue 28, 30 April 2021
loot CBZ
Agro-Yield
inputs

NHAU MANGIRAZI only releasing his stock in bulk. portion to justify getting the in- scrupulous dealer was selling that farmers got officially at affidavits to some farmers who
“I don’t sell a few bags of puts,” he said. agro-chemicals at ridiculous- US$70 per kilogramme, is now were leasing pieces of land. 
BOGUS farmers in Masho- ly low prices. He was selling being sold at US$10.
naland West looted subsidised fertilizer. I take big orders and “It does not make econom- post-emergence accent herbi- “We had Haydon Park plot
inputs from Grain Marketing sell in bulk from five tonnes up ic sense for our nation to give cide at US$5 compared to the In Banket, some of the bogus holders who submitted affida-
Board (GMB) depots around to 25 tonnes of fertilizer and inputs to those who imported usual price of US$135 per sa- farmers got affidavits from plot vits to some farmers who got
the country before diverting pre-emergency atrazine (herbi- cars instead of farming equip- chet. holders to enable them to access inputs at GMB depot. Affida-
them onto the black market cide) just for US$2 per litre,” ment. I have evidence of people the inputs. vits were supporting documents
and using the money to buy he said. in Hurungwe and Makonde Servian herbicide, whose from plot holders and we be-
cars and funding their day-to- districts where the abuse was market price is US$260, was Some corrupt farmers took lieve it was done above board,”
day needs, investigations by The Officially, the pre-emer- rampant. I am ready to give going for US$20, while nato, advantage of affidavits given by she said.
NewsHawks reveal. gence atrazine herbicide is sold evidence so that the cars are re- another weed-control chemical, farm and plot owners who were
for US$7.20. He was also sell- covered and sold for both CBZ was being sold for US$2 instead letting their properties. “As Arex, we only approved
An investigation covering ing dual magnum herbicide at and government to recover the of its usuall price of US$39 per inputs as required by applicants.
Banket (Zvimba district), Lion’s US$5, compared to the usual abused facility. We cannot allow litre. Broom, another herbicide, Zvimba district agriculture We did our part and if there is
Den (Makonde district) and US$17.50 retail price per litre. this to go on unchecked if we was being sold for US$3 instead extension officer Fortunate something amiss, we can verify
Karoi (Hurungwe district) re- want to progress as a nation.” of US$39. Marara confirmed that some with CBZ and GMB depot. We
vealed that some of the looters Mashonaland West Zanu farmers at Haydon Park plots did our part, but if the hectares
are selling the inputs, includ- PF deputy political commissar In Lion’s Den, another un- Emanectin, an insecticide in Banket, that is under the A1 were inflated, it is not our fault.”
ing fertilizer and chemicals, at Godknows Murambwi con- farming category, issued out
prices far less than the amounts firmed that some beneficiaries
they will be required to pay un- of the input scheme bought
der the CBZ Agro-Yeild Input luxury cars instead of using the
Scheme. resources to boost agricultural
production.
Some of the diverted inputs
are stashed in hardware stores Murambwi called on the
while a number of houses are government to use its state secu-
being used as makeshift ware- rity apparatus to bring to book
houses. The investigation also the suspects in the farming in-
revealed that some farmers in- puts scandal. So brazen have the
flated their hectarage before di- culprits become in Banket that
verting the inputs to the parallel they now sarcastically refer to
market.  Top dressing fertilizer, the plundered inputs as “cake
usually pegged at US$30 a bag, renyika” (the nation’s cake),
is now being sold below US$12, boasting that they are grabbing
with some of the fly-by-night their own share of national loot.
dealers asking for as little as
US$10 per bag. “The government must in-
vestigate the looting of inputs
In Banket, one of the sellers under CBZ Agro-Yield pro-
told this reporter, who was pos- gramme where undeserving
ing as a customer, that he was people got the inputs at the ex-
pense of genuine farmers? Some
of them did not till even a small

NHAU MANGIRAZI Zinwa cuts off government police stations, central gov-
departments over unpaid bills ernment offices and magis-
THE Zimbabwe National trate courts had their water
Water Authority (Zinwa) The NewsHawks, Munyon- Zinwa corporate communications and marketing manager some parastatals owe Zinwa supplies cut off last week.
has disconnected water sup- ga said: “Among the clients Marjorie Munyonga ZW$53 684 445.
plies to several government with outstanding bills are These include the Zimba-
departments, local author- some government depart- “This operation covered bwe Republic Police officer
ities and growth points as ments across the country. areas like Makuti, Magun- commanding district offices
it seeks to recover ZW$2.1 Various clients owe Zinwa je, Karoi, Mhangura among in Karoi as well as Magunje
billion in unpaid bills. a cumulative amount of others in Mashonaland Police Station.
ZW$2.1 billion in a devel- West. We have done so
Some of the amounts opment that has seriously in other areas like Mount Water supplies were also
date back to the dollarisa- affected the authority’s op- Darwin, Murehwa, Muto- cut off at the district devel-
tion era and were converted erations and ability to sus- ko, Maphisa and areas near opment coordinator’s office
at US$1:ZW$1. The dis- tainably deliver services. Of Gwanda, Juru, Rishinga, which houses the registrar’s
connections have resulted these amounts owed, do- Hwange, Wedza and Sadza office, labour, and District
in several police stations, mestic clients account for among others nationally. We Development Fund, among
government offices, courts, ZW$234 663 126, schools did this in all small towns others. The water cuts are
District Development Fund ZW$36 473 529, local au- and growth points that we occurring at a time Zimba-
and district adminstrators’ thorities ZW$426 813 080, supply water around the bwe, like other countries,
offices, among others, go- government departments country. Any organisation is battling to contain the
ing without water supplies. ZW$938 184 692, irri- or individual that owes Zin- Covid-19 pandemic.
Zinwa corporate commu- gators ZW$256 472 553, wa some money had the ser-
nications and marketing while agricultural estates vices cut off.” Most parastatals are strug-
manager Marjorie Munyon- owe ZW$18 888 953, and gling and are on the verge of
ga confirmed that the water In Karoi, some govern- collapse because of a failure
authority is implementing a ment departments including to collect revenue, particu-
massive revenue collection larly from government de-
blitz over unpaid bills, which partments, local authorities
are crippling its operations. as well as politicians and po-
litically connected persons.
In a written response to
Inter-parastatal debt is
also high.

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

OWEN GAGARE Noise in the cockpit as Mwonzora
counters President Mnangagwa
MDC-T leader Douglas
Mwonzora, accused of aiding MDC-T leader Douglas Mwonzora. we are protecting the current ciate that they are being led
and abetting President Em- judges and these judges are by intelligent people and that
merson Mnangagwa’s pow- of the Supreme Court; all the that he left that question open amend it in the manner that going to benefit from exten- is what interviews bring. We
er consolidation scheme, his judges of the High Court are and, with due respect, he was you amend other ordinary sion of the time limit. To that want our people to see that
one-party state project and the illegal. So, we want to make correct. What the Minister clauses. It goes for a referen- end, this is a dangerous thing,” these people are knowledge-
controversial plan to extend sure that the judges are not il- subsequently did now was to dum. That has not been done Mwonzora said. able and we are being tried by
Chief Justice Luke Malaba’s legal. The amendment that has introduce another sub-clause in respect of this clause. That knowledgeable people. That is
term, has surprisingly come been introduced has a clause 4, which says notwithstanding is why you hear people say the “Lastly on that issue, Parlia- the purpose of the interview,”
out guns blazing against the that makes the judges illegal,” section 238 (7), the provision amendment is unconstitution- ment is there to make laws for Mwonzora said.
Zimbabwe Constitutional Mwonzora said. of sub-sections 1,2,3 of this al,” Mwonzora argued. the just governance of Zimba-
Amendment (No.2) Bill, ar- section shall apply to the con- bwe. We have a responsibility “Now if you think that the
guing it may set a precedent “First of all, section 328 of tinuation in office of the Chief “A constitutional amend- to keep within our own con- Judicial Service Commission is
for the President to amend our constitution says, if there Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, ment where the Constitution stitution. We have a respon- not good enough, we can have
the constitution to extend his is a term limit but there is need judges of the Constitutional says I am amended this way; sibility of stopping potential a compromise, if I may suggest
term limit, among other ills. to extend that term limit, that Court and judges of the Su- when it is a clause like this, danger.” that the interviews be done by
extension shall not benefit the preme Court. I am amended via a referen- the committee on standing
He said the bill has the po- person holding that office. dum, we must follow that. I He argued this could set a rules and orders.
tential of making Supreme The logic of that section was “What you are doing, hon- agree with you, honourable dangerous precedent, which
Court and Constitutional to dis-incentivise leaders who ourable minister, is: you are minister, the constitution can can be abused even by the “In the United States, may-
Court judges illegal, making wanted to extend their terms. extending a term limit and our be amended but it says how it President and other incum- be slightly different, but they
the country a laughing stock. So, if you are a President who law says when we are extend- shall be amended. Each clause bents. are still subjected to debate by
then uses his popularity to ing a term limit, the incum- is amended in a particular the Congress. I think, in some
Mwonzora and parliamen- extend the term of office, the bent shall not benefit. So, this way.” “Now what we have just instances and by the Senate in
tarians linked to him, save clause says you shall not bene- extension is unconstitutional. done with this new introduc- others. We can still also copy
for Morgan Komichi, voted fit from that extension.  This extension is illegal.” Mwonzora also said the tion, I think I saw it on the that, but for judges to be tak-
with Zanu PF to ensure that constitution makes it clear order paper, that introduction en to the Supreme Court on
the Zimbabwe Constitutional “If you have commission- He said in essence the min- that when an amendment is is now introducing an exten- the whims of the President is
Amendment (No.1) Bill sails ers, for example, who have a ister is amending clause 328 made, a 90-day notice must be sion of term limits that ben- over- concentration of power
through Senate. limited term of office and you so that it does not apply to given to the people of Zimba- efits the incumbent. So today in the President. Do not think
introduce an extension during judges.  bwe informing them what is it is judges. How do we know about the President that you
Constitutional Amend- their term, that extension does being amended. that tomorrow it is not about have now. The constitutions
ment (No.2) Bill, among oth- not benefit them. If you have “Our constitution is very commissions whose terms are are not made for the angels of
er things, seeks to allow the judges now who have term clear. When you are amend- He however said the notice limited? How do we know the today but for the devils of to-
President to appoint the Chief limits and you introduce an ing a clause which deals with was just to the effect that there day after it is not the President morrow.”
Justice, Deputy Chief Justice extension during their tenure, human rights; when you are would be a new method of ap- whose term of office is limited
and Judge President without that extension does not benefit amending a clause which pointment of judges.  by the constitution now that He also slammed the pro-
subjecting them to the open them. What the Minister had deals with land; when you are you have introduced in the posal to scrap the running
selection process and public done in the original Bill, is amending a clause which deals “As time went on, the min- constitution that you can sus- mate clause.
interviews. with term limits, you do not ister then introduced with- pend the operation of section
out notifying the public, that 328 which says you shall not “The first thing was that we
This will allow Mnangagwa benefit from the extension?” wanted to vaccinate the nation
to retain Malaba at the helm of he asked. against presidents who have a
the judiciary after the approval tendency of appointing useless
of Constitutional Amendment “When we did it, we were vice-presidents because they
(No.2) Bill, which is being de- aware that those who run us, do not want to be challenged.
bated in Senate.  who govern us, interact. I am So, you have situations where
sure the President interacts a vice-president is just put
The Bill allows Malaba, with the Chief Justice during there to fill a post. We wanted
whose term by operation of the course of their work, inter- to make the vice-president an
law ends at midnight on 15 acts with the Speaker, the Pres- election issue. Here, it is not
May when he turns 70, to ident of the Senate and so on. correct that the President does
serve beyond the age limit. So, what we wanted to avoid not choose his vice-president.
Other judges can also benefit. was you to use your interac- This clause says the President
tion to extend each other’s chooses his vice and, if more
It also aides Mnangagwa’s terms and benefiting from that than one, chooses two but he
power consolidation bid by extension. chooses not after elections but
allowing him to concentrate before the elections so that the
power in his hands while un- “…Our law says if we ex- nation knows that in his ab-
dermining other arms of the tend your term of office while sence who takes over and he
state, such as the judiciary and you are in office, you do not designates them first and sec-
the legislature. benefit. What this new law is ond so that you do not have a
saying is that you in fact can problem when it comes to suc-
The Bill allows him to benefit. Maybe the minister cession,” Mwonzora said.
remove the running mate may not have seen it that way
close, helping him contain but it is a dangerous prece- “The other thing we wanted
Vice-President Constantino dence…”.  to get rid of, which the min-
Chiwenga. It also seeks to per- ister regrettably has reintro-
mit the President to promote He said if the Bill is passed duced, is the lottery clause.
judges of the High Court and because of the ruling party’s When we have two vice-pres-
the Supreme Court to a higher majority in parliament allow- idents, the vice-president who
court on the recommendation ing judges continuing in the takes over in the event of the
of the Judicial Service Com- Supreme Court and Con- President leaving office is the
mission, without the need Court, they will be illegal vice-president who last acted.
for public interviews, thereby judges.  It is not known who it is, but it
opening the door to promo- is also open to manipulation. 
tions on the basis of political “That makes Zimbabwe a I know that I want to resign
suitability and cronyism. laughing stock,” he said. and so on. I appoint the other
vice-president whom I want to
Mwonzora however said Mwonzora said interviews take over to act, well knowing
Constitutional Amendment were important as it made that I am about to leave office.
(No.2) Bill may set a wrong judges accountable for past The introduction of the lottery
precedent, to that extent of actions while allowing them clause introduces doubt in the
encouraging incumbents to to publicly show that they de- country. There is uncertainty
extend their terms.   serve promotions. on who will take over. So that
was the logic of the running
He said unconstitutional “We want our people to mate.”
amendments such as the one have trust in our systems, we
proposed in the Bill, to allow want our people to have con-
the President to chose judges, fidence in the judicial systems,
was one of the reasons why we want our people to appre-
Zimbabwe was under interna-
tional isolation.

“I am sure the (Justice)
minister (Ziyambi Ziyambi)
agrees with me that it will be
a sad day when all the judges

Page 10 News NewsHawks

No sorrow Issue 28, 30 April 2021
in Zaka as
2008 terror June 2008 run-off elec- trict. He said Zanu PF is
leader dies tion. callous as it is unthink-
able that an army officer
MORRIS BISHI colonel, Christopher The late ZNA colonel, Christopher Rufu Mayoyo. The military officer’s can be deployed to mur-
Rufu Mayoyo, who led brutality left more than der citizens in his own
ZAKA residents say they a murderous terror cam- 10 people dead and doz- home area. He said the
are not sorry about the paign against opposition ens others injured, some people of Zaka will not
recent death of a Zim- supporters in the district of them maimed for life. forgive the perpetrators
babwe National Army during the run up to the of the 2008 atrocities.
Mayoyo, who came
from Mayoyo village near “I first won elections
Jerera Growth Point in as a councillor in 2008
Zaka, died last Friday and MDC had an office
and was declared a liber- in Jerera which we used
ation  war hero. He was as a planning centre for 
buried at his Jatala Farm our election campaign-
on Tuesday this week. He ing but the office was
was in charge of a mili- petrol bombed by peo-
tary death squad in Zaka ple we know. “Two peo-
which led a bloody ram- ple, Krison Mbano and
page after Robert Mug- Washington Nyangwa,
abe and Zanu PF lost the died during the arson at-
2008 general election to tack and a few guys sur-
the opposition MDC in vived the attack. I still
the first round of polling experience nightmares
in March that year. from that incident and
it becomes worse when I
In 2012, Mayoyo sued meet those who survived
the late MDC leader during the attack. Several
Morgan Tsvangirai and families were left without
Alpha Media Holdings breadwinners and dai-
(AMH) for $500 000, ly we are seeing children
saying he had been de- who are suffering because
famed by the late oppo- of the 2008 violence,” he
sition leader who had said.
claimed during a rally in
Zaka that Mayoyo was Imbayarwo added:
walking scot free after “Mayoyo was the lead-
leading a reign of terror er of terror here in the
which claimed the lives district. The guys were
of opposition supporters. driving Mitsubishi, Ma-
hindra or Cam vehicles
Tsvangirai and the me- without number plates
dia house dismissed the and they addressed sev-
claim, saying it lacked eral meetings threatening
merit. Former Zaka West people with death. All
legislator Festus Dumbu Zanu PF bases report-
told The NewsHawks that ed to Mayoyo. Go and
it is tragic that Mayoyo ask people from Zaka,
died a free man after they will tell you that all
masterminding a terror those who lost their lives
campaign which claimed were taken from bases by
innocent lives. He said the vehicles which l told
locals have no kind words you.”
for the unrepentant mur-
derer. A victim of the 2008
atrocities told The News-
“As the people of Zaka Hawks that it was painful
we are not sorry about to hear that Mayoyo had
the death of Mayoyo who died without facing jus-
caused terror in our area tice. He said the late col-
in 2008. We lost many onel stopped visiting his
people and it is not a se- rural home at some point
cret that Mayoyo was the as it was now difficult for
leader of army officers him to face innocent peo-
who were operating here ple he had terrorised. 
and you even know that
these guys were based “l am now disabled af-
at Ferry Training Cen- ter surviving the 2008
tre and their operations violence. I can still re-
led to the death of many member this guy collect-
people as well as the dis- ing one of these guys who
placement of tens of peo- went to school together
ple. Seeing this man dy- with Elias Mudzuri from
ing before facing justice Gwangwava Zanu PF
is unfair to us. We have base. The guy, who was
no kind words for his fate a former military officer,
and it will take more than was accused of being a
three generations of peo- friend to Mudzuri, but by
ple in our area to forgive then he had left the army
even the family which on medical grounds.
he left behind,” fumed
Dumbu. “The decomposing
body of the guy was later
The MDC Alliance recovered after one week.
councillor for Ward 19 This is what happened in
in Zaka, Peter Imbayar- our area and feeling sor-
wo, told The NewsHawks ry for Mayoyo’s death is
that it is difficult for the mockery to humanity,”
people of Zaka to mourn said the victim of politi-
someone who caused un- cal brutality.
told suffering in the dis-

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Failing sugarcane farmers
contract Tongaat Hulett

MORRIS BISHI having challenges in manag- ing. Remember, in 2016 the sHawks that sugarcane is a
ing their plots which led to company retrenched 2 000 complicated crop which is
MORE than 100 outgrower poor yields. Those were indi- employees for the benefit of different from the likes of
farmers who were contro- vidual agreements and l am only 133 people. maize.
versially allocated  sugarcane not aware of the details con-
plots in Triangle and Hippo tained in those agreements The same people are now The latest failure by indig-
Valley in Chiredzi in 2016 but the farmers were facing unable to produce sugarcane, enous people is not the first
have entered into a man- a lot of challenges. I am one which is affecting sugar out- time this has happened, since
agement contract with Ton- of the few who are not part put in the industry. It is a outgrower farmers who were
gaat Hulett after getting low of the agreement since we co-management deal where resettled in Mkwasine also
yields due to poor farming are still able to manage our the sugar producer is man- struggled.
methods. plots,” said Baloyi. aging these plots including
supplying inputs and at the He said farmers should
The farmers, most of them Tongaat Hulett communi- end of the deal the farmers plough back into the fields by
Zanu PF activists linked to cations and corporate affairs will take over,” said the se- buying fertilisers and chemi-
the late minister of State for executive Adelaide Chikun- nior employee. cals after selling sugarcane,
Masvingo Shuvai Mahofa, guru refused to comment, but most farmers are concen-
were given a combined 4 000 saying it is a contractual mat- A sugarcane expert based trating on shopping sprees,
hectares of standing sugar- ter between the sugar giant in the lowveld told The New- resulting in poor harvests.
cane in a move which led to and individual farmers.
the retrencement of 2 000 SUPERLIFE
employees by the sugar pro- “The matter is contractual, STC30
ducer. therefore prohibitive for us to
make comments on. Can you As we age our stemcells (basic building blocks in our body for
The programme, which re- talk to the farmers since they repair processes), like other cells, they age, get weakened, die
sulted in Tongaat Hulett los- are the ones who can give you and get depleted in process (owing to the heavy toll our lifestyle
ing 14% of its 29 000-hectare details contained in the con-
farmland, saw the govern- tract,” said Chikunguru. has on them)
ment taking 2 000 hectares
in Triangle and other 2 000 A senior THZ employee
hectares in Hippo Valley Es- told The NewsHawks that the
tates. development has exposed the
government’s chaotic land
Ailes Baloyi, leader of the reform programme which
Lowveld Sugarcane Growers’ the authorities are claiming
Association (LSGA)  which to be successful. He said the
represents the farmers, con- contract with the farmers
firmed the development to is a co-management agree-
The NewsHawks and said the ment under which the sug-
move came after poor yields ar producer has already set
which were caused by inade- aside 600 employees who are
quate farming knowledge as working on farmers’ fields.
well as poor concentration. He also said farmers’ employ-
He said although he is not ees will be working under
among those who entered THZ so that they can learn
into the deal, more than 100 how to manage sugarcane.
of them approached Tongaat
Hulett and the parties struck “The actual details of the
a deal which was signed indi- deal are still secret to the
vidually. public, but l can tell you that
we have 600 company em-
“Most of the farmers who ployees who are now work-
were allocated sugarcane ing on those farmers’ plots.
plots in 2016 have entered It exposes the land reform by
into a management contract government which took plots
with THZ (Tongaat Hulett with standing cane from
Zimbabwe). It’s true that Tongaat Hulett, giving them
most of the farmers were to people who are now fail-

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The late Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Shuvai Mahofa.

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Our Harare land deals are legit: Ken Sharpe

KEN Sharpe’s Augur In- businessman. And my in- then. statutory requirements for Investor Ken Sharpe. and distracted by the people
vestments and its associat- terests are connected to the On top of that, you had changing the use, for zoning not putting money in. That that are out there to stop us.
ed companies have been in businesses that I am in- for issuing development per- question has not been dealt We are committed to seeing
countless court battles over volved in. When we went an MDC-controlled coun- mits and building plans and with in terms of the audits our vision through and our
their vast land acquisitions into the transaction, some cil, but the ministry, the so on. And we won’t touch of the companies, the joint project through.
around Harare.  Part of 14 years ago, with the City parent ministry, was a Zanu the ground until all the per- venture companies. And it BM: So, is this why you
the land was acquired of Harare, as our partner, PF-controlled ministry. So manent permits are in place. is transparent that we put all then entered a deed of set-
through the controversial we went in with faith into right away, you’re caught in Because as a developer, that the money in that we need- tlement (signed between
Airport Road construction a public-private partnership between, you know, two big is a risk, and I’m not a dealer. ed to put in. The question is Local Government minis-
deal.  In an Interview with into a triple P arrangement lions. And as I said, I’m not now the permits, the permits ter July Moyo and Augur
The NewsHawks reporter where we as the as the pri- a politician, we’re not in- And we rely on the papers have to come out because Investment representa-
Bridget Mananavire (BM), vate investor would invest volved in politics, we are just that we’ve signed, on agree- we can’t develop without the tive Tatiana Aleshina in
Sharpe (KS) and West capital, resources, skills, and there for the business. So it ments. And if I had anything permits. So I think that’s the May 2019 with President
Property chief marketing the city would provide land took an abnormally long to hide, I certainly would first, you know, issue of why Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
officer Marilyn Mosha, for us to enhance value on time to have anything done. not be going to the courts. things went wrong.  blessings) , which is also
said despite the court bat- that land. So to give you an An example is, our projects So for us, the legal recourse the subject of dispute at
tles, their projects are still example of the relationship with the City of Harare are is through the courts, and The other issue of some the courts. You got immu-
ongoing. it is complicated. When you really in three areas. it’s a public fact that we sued of the other cases relates to, nity over the (273.29 hect-
enter into agreements with both previous ministers of let me put it this way, that ares) Pomona stand? 
BM: There has been a lot government, because they The first location that we environment both minister the parties involved have al- KS: My comments there
of controversy around the are governments and they built on is Mbudzi market, Nhema (Francis) and min- ternative agendas, whether is, firstly, there was no il-
Airport Road construction take time, they have more which is Tariro Park in the ister Kasukuwere (Saviour) it’s an overzealous competi- legal immunity. We don’t
deal that has resulted in sev- of a character of service de- south of Harare. We invest- because the land we were tor who’s tried to prevent us have any immunity over the
eral legal contests around the livery to the citizens, than ed US$5 million into con- given by government, other from developing our proj- land. What happened was
land that Augur Investments of maximising profits for structing that market, it’s a than that piece of land that ects in the past, whether it’s the transaction that we were
got. How did you get here? the stakeholders. So there’s thriving centre of commer- I’ve mentioned (the Mbudzi a politician who is too hot involved in became conten-
a difference of philosophy cial activity, thousands of market), all had issues on headed and has some polit- tious and ended up in the
KS: There are things that to start with, and that takes jobs that have been provid- them of environmental con- ical agenda, whether it’s a courts. And both parties
we can discuss, but there time to marry or to align. ed to the people there. And cerns. businessmen who did wrong were dissatisfied with each
are certain things that re- the city is now delivering a and doesn’t really want to other for various reasons.
late specifically to the court However, in this case, service that they were not Some of them were wet- face the consequences of
cases that are out there that there was a further compli- delivering before, in a clean lands, and these pieces of their wrongdoing. We had pending litigation
we cannot comment on. For cation, and that’s one of the environment that has a roof land, we had to fight hard both on the civil and the
the record, I detest corrup- dynamics of the politics in cover for people to be able to through the courts to get Ultimately, things do go criminal courts, from both
tion, it’s one of the causes of Zimbabwe. You know, when go and do their shopping. So relief, that we could devel- wrong. And when they do sides. And we agreed that
poverty in our country and we entered into the agree- that project was successful. op them and it took years, go wrong, you seek recourse at the end of the settlement
mismanagement of resourc- ment, the MDC council you know, and hundreds of in the courts. So that’s why agreement that the parties
es. In terms of our dealings, had just been put together in And the reason why it was thousands of dollars of legal we have several cases. And would withdraw from those
I am a serious businessman terms of the recent election. easier to complete that proj- fees and lost energy. So, you I’m sure it’s definitely not the cases, which is normal in
and only get involved in And the councillors were ect was that the zoning and know, to be fair to ourselves, first cases we have been you any settlement.
transactions that are legiti- new people on the block, the EIA (environmental im- the question that must be know. I’ve been several times
mate to the letter of the law the council that was there pact assessment) were easier asked is why we were not through the Supreme Court. When you’re going
and stand by the agreements prior to them coming in, to obtain, because the City given the right land to start It’s not easy to fight any gov- through a divorce, and it’s
that have been signed, the that was actually dissolved of Harare had already done with. ernment in the world, and ugly, the parties agree to set-
agreements that drive the and they were new manage- the change of use. And the we had to fight government tle, you become amicable,
transaction. At times, un- ment as well. So, there was other two areas where we If this was not the right to get what is rightfully ours and you get on with life. So
fortunately, in life, you have a whole mix of new people have a joint venture, this is land for us to develop, why and government eventually we agreed that we would set-
to resort to agreements, rela- in the council and we start- Warren Hills and Mukuvisi, was our partner not giving awarded us. We have been to tle our differences in court
tionships are not necessarily ed our relationship way back the City of Harare up to this us the land they wanted us the Supreme Court three or and move on. And that’s
based on agreements, they’re day, which is 14 years later, to genuinely develop?  four times over matters like exactly what happened. So
based on, you know, the I’ve still not finished all the this. So we are not set back to me, there’s no immuni-
relations between the two We have been accused of ty, this subject of immunity
parties, or sometimes many keeps coming up.
parties, and we tried to have
cordial relations with every- And no one is immune
one we work with. But at from the law or above the
times, it does get to a point, law. But the parties are free
you know, when there’s a to agree on whatever param-
disagreement, and you need eters they want. Prior to the
to rely on the contents of settlement at the Supreme
what was signed. And we Court, we were in lengthy
have continuously been to negotiations for many years,
the courts to seek recourse we had a contract, we spent
for many of the transactions US$20 million on that road.
we’re involved in. And we were paid land for
US$20 million.
I’ve never taken a cent
from anyone that I have not The contract was termi-
worked hard for, you know, nated, there were damages
everything that I own is and penalties for the termi-
through hard work. So my nation. And the city paid,
transactions and the deal- eventually, that money that
ings of our companies are they owed. So as painful as
bonafide, legitimate, legal, it is, we move on, and we’re
and to the letter of the law. moving on to develop the
land, we can never remove
BM: Why do you feel the land from Zimbabwe.
like there has just been this
controversy around the It’s a permanent asset that
Airport Road deal with the belongs to the country. We
Harare City Council? Did can only improve the land if
something go wrong some- we are responsible develop-
where? ers or we can make a mess
of it. And so far, I think we
KS: You know, I’m not did a good job of improving
a politician. I don’t get in- people’s lives, of developing
volved in politics, I’m a this land that has been lying
idle for decades, you know,
no one did anything on this

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

land for the last 50 years. the mall will be built, it will I have wealth outside of BM: With all the invest- the lockdown this year. And knocking at their doors ev-
We are the first people be the biggest mall in Zim- Zimbabwe and I have decid- ments, and what you were when the lockdown mea- ery morning and every eve-
babwe. ed to invest in many places saying about Zimbabwe sures were lifted, they are ning before we knock off.
that have the courage and including my wife’s country, not being an easy environ- moving offices.
boldness to come and take And it is the flagship of Ukraine, where I was wel- ment to operate in, would So no favours, we are
on such an extraordinary our city, in Millennium comed as an investor. you say you are getting any We are still trying to very prayerful, and we work
project to develop US$500 Park, where we are build- favours from the govern- find a way for those who hard, we knock on their
million worth of properties. ing houses at the moment You know, of course, my ment and the local author- are working to assist us to doors every day. If I may just
There’s no other company and office blocks, the mall heart is in Zimbabwe, I ity on these projects? push our paperwork and add that the name is the E
in Zimbabwe that’s even at- is going to be the big ship prefer to invest back home, KS: Maybe one day, you will our project but we still have team. I call them the E team
tempted this. I’m a commit- that drives and the mall is the circumstances of that meet our project manager, to work at their place. If we because they achieve the un-
ted Zimbabwean. I love my coming. The question is investment is determined he almost sleeps at these gov- didn’t have the challenges of achievable and we are proud
country. I’m patriotic. And timing, we wanted to see the by the larger environment, ernment facilities. He wakes the government institutions, to say that our gender equal-
I’m there to see this through economic recovery of Zim- the macro environment, the up there when he is on his pace of work,  Pomona City ity is 50% in the manage-
and I will work with any babwe, it started to happen, socio-political environment way home, he goes there. right now would have been ment team, 50% a woman.
Zimbabweans in any foreign but it’s been a bit slow. and how well the economy So, we always try to engage sold out,  our developments So we really believe in em-
investors who are willing to is doing. So those are factors them to push our papers in Millennium Heights, we powering women and giving
work with us. You know, the dollari- that drive me and where I through, because we don’t would probably be building them the opportunity.
BM: You say there’s no im- sation of the economy was make the most money that’s want to have any shortcuts. the third block because we’re
munity, but in the agree- good. where I spend my most currently just in the process Even in the field you’ll
ment, it says cannot be time, so I have no reason And we have to bear in of finishing the first block, so find engineers that are wom-
sued by any other parties, And then when local cur- not to be in Zimbabwe but I mind that we have to go at our main challenges are the en, project managers that
including third parties, on rency was introduced, it did don’t have a big enough rea- their pace. Currently, for delays in terms of approv- are women. We don’t have a
that land. Does that not affect our confidence and son yet to base myself back example, the Surveyor-Gen- al, and there’s nothing we problem even giving a wom-
make you immune to any the confidence of the foreign there permanently. eral has not opened since can do but to sort of work an the job as a machine op-
legal contestation? investors that would come with them and just keep on erator, women are equal, so
KS: No, I think when par- in with us. we treat them like that.
ties settle with each other,
they withdraw all claims, For such a project we’re INTERNATIONAL WOR
current and past, they can- talking about US$100 mil- KERS’ DAY
not withdraw claims that are lion price tag, we need to 01
not yet there. So, if there’s have long term security and
some wrongdoing, or if long-term confidence that MAY
something was to go wrong takes time to develop. So
in the future, the parties are with the last year during the hard work
still free to approach the pandemic, COVID, things better returns
courts and the enforcement came standstill, but we’re
agencies for any remedies taking it up. So we should TAKE A BREATHER
that are required. But as at have good news to announce YOU’VE MADE IT POSSIBLE
that point in time, when next year.
we settled, we agreed to BM: There has been word You make the nation what it is today and together,
withdraw the various cases that you are fugitive and we can make Zimbabwe exceptional.
against each other, which is you’re not in Zimbabwe
the normal situation. because you are hiding HAPPY WORKER’S DAY!
BM: People call you a land from prosecution.
baron and so how much Where are you? And why Shining Light In The Dark Corners
land do you have in Hara- are you not in Zimbabwe? 
re? KS: So let me explain to
KS: Again, unfortunate- first, we’ve all faced Covid,
ly, this is a question that is various countries were
before the court, it is sub locked down, the island I
judice. We have had an ap- have been on, the airport
plication recently launched was closed for six months,
by a member of parliament, so it was impossible to travel
Rusty Markham, and there’s anywhere. But prior to that,
been some very untruthful and generally speaking, one
allegations raised in those is not restricted to their cit-
papers we have for the re- izenship by where they base
cord responded and your themselves or where they de-
question can be answered cide to travel to.
from our papers, because
we’ve answered that exact You know, I’m a Zim-
question. So I would refer babwean, but that doesn’t
you to the papers.  mean I need to be based in
BM: Moving on to the Zimbabwe to do business in
Mall of Zimbabwe, is the Zimbabwe.
project ongoing, what has
stalled that project?  In fact, I’ve been work-
KS: I think our partner ing remotely for the last
McCormick’s track record five years. So let’s go back
speaks for itself. They now to that point. As much as
are a publicly listed entity it’s personal, my wife had a
in South Africa. And they’ve health issue and we had to
developed close to 100 travel. One of the disadvan-
shopping malls in the South tages with Zimbabwe is our
African region. They are just healthcare system.
as committed as we are.
And this is one of the
We have all the approvals things we have to rectify in
in place for that develop- the future. Why should we
ment, including the EIA, have to travel to solve issues
and the development per- that could be solved local-
mit. We did the servicing of ly, but it was a complicated
the roads. And we’re now at issue and we went to sever-
the stage of timing, every- al countries for advice and
thing in life is about timing, treatment. And that got us
into the travel mode.

So in the last four years
prior to Covid, we had been
in 70 countries, 200 cities. I
invest in a lot of places, my
investments are not limited
to Zimbabwe, my wealth
was created not from Zim-
babwe alone.

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Bulawayo ceived fuel and was expecting
council loses 10,000L.”
fuel to scam
An internal audit was car-
LIZWE SEBATHA Makhosi Tshalebwa, the BCC the heavy rains.  due to critical shortages of fuel. fuel challenges.  ried out leading to Sibanda
human capital director on Before the rains, Bula- The local authority routinely Council needs at least being asked to explain the dis-
BULAWAYO City Council April 12. crepancy.  He failed to give an
(BCC) allegedly lost nearly wayo’s  roads  were already o at blames failure to collect waste 80  000 litres of diesel and explanatory answer, resulting
10 000 litres of diesel in a fuel A recent council audit un- a time when the local authorit in most suburbs in the city on 50 000 litres of petrol to oper- in his suspension pending dis-
scam involving senior manage- earthed the shady dealings in- ate per month. ciplinary hearing.
ment meant for road construc- volving senior management,
tion and other service delivery resulting in Sibanda being It is understood that be- “In the hearing, Sibanda
projects. dragged to a disciplinary hear- tween  December, 2020 and apologised and explained that
ing. Sibanda escaped with a February this year, council re- when he did this he was under
The fuel scam resulted in written warning. ceived 20 000 litres of diesel for the direct instruction board,”
council’s acting director of service delivery and road reha- sources said.
roads Dalithemba Sibanda be- The fuel was meant for road bilitation projects. 
ing dragged to an internal dis- construction at a time Bula- Bulawayo town clerk Chris-
ciplinary board instituted by wayo motorists complain of “Between January 11 and topher Dube confirmed the
gaping potholes resulting from February 26 this year, the internal audit and disciplinary
accused person, issued sev- hearing in an interview al-
eral requisitions instructing though he refused to comment
the Stores Controller to issue much, saying it is still under
stores to fuel tankers that were investigation.
purportedly said to belong to
Asphalt Products (Pvt) Ltd, a “The matter is still under
contractor that had won the investigation and I cannot be
contract, to undertake road seen pre-emptying the inves-
works in the city,” sources said. tigations. I cannot comment
before the matter is finalised,”
The fuel was delivered and Dube said.
stored at the Khami Road main
stores. However, the Affirmative
Action Group (AAG) hit out
“In February this year, the at council for not reporting the
contractor ran out of fuel be- matter to the police as the black
fore completion of the project empowerment lobby group ac-
and was asked why he could cused city fathers of abetting
not complete the works as corruption.
per the contract after having
been paid in advance and he “What is surprising in this
explained that he had not re- case is that no police report was
made and Sibanda, despite be-
ing found guilty, got away with
a written warning,” AAG chief
executive officer Denzel Sita
questioned.

The fuel scam comes at a
time the Zimbabwe Anti-Cor-
ruption Commission (Zacc)
has launched a probe into alle-
gations of corruption involving
city fathers and senior manage-
ment. 

BCC housing director Dic-
tor Khumalo became the first
casualty of the Zacc prove fol-
lowing his arrest on 10 October
on charges of flouting tender
and procurement processes as
stipulated by the Public Pro-
curement and Disposal of As-
sets Act.

Victoria Falls elderly,
youths shun vaccination

NOKUTHABA DLAMINI “We however have a challenge
with the young ones between 18
SENIOR citizens and young to 24 years who are shunning to
people below the age of 25 are get vaccinated compared to the
dragging their feet in going for 25 to 49 year-olds. 
Covid-19 vaccination in Vic-
toria Falls, the Matabeleland “Before the vaccination, we
North provincial health officer, got a lot of information that was
Munekayi Padingani, has said.  against the vaccine, so for us to
convince young persons to jab
So far, 19 640 residents in the surely takes time compared to
tourist city have received their a mature person because even if
first vaccination dose, with 12 you try to reinforce this against
689 of them receiving the sec- their beliefs it won’t work.”
ond jab as well, against a target
of 25 000. The town has an es- Padingani said the other age
timated population of 40 000. group hesitant about taking the
vaccine was the 50 to 65 age
President Mnangagwa this group although he could not
week said the city had attained give exact figures.  The govern-
77% herd immunity. He ap- ment in March allocated vac-
plauded health officials for cines to the city dwellers with
working round the clock to the aim of achieving head im-
achieve the feat. munity to aid the re-opening of
Zimbabwe’s premier tourist at-
Padingani said vaccination traction. Victoria Falls is home
figures in Victoria Falls could to one of the seven natural won-
have been higher had senior cit- ders of the world, the planet’s
izens and youths gone for vacci- largest curtain of falling water. 
nation. However, he said vacci-
nation uptake in the tourist city As of 28 April, Zimbabwe
was better compared to other had recorded a total of 38 191
towns in the province. Covid-19 cases and 1 565
deaths. As of 27 April, the coun-
“People are really responding try had 39 hospitalised cases, 11
to our call and they are coming asymptomatic cases, 20 mild to
in numbers even though it’s not moderate cases, seven severe cas-
100%, but we have seen some es while one patient was in the
people even up to now still com- intensive care unit.
ing for the first dose,” he said. 

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Special Covid-19

PANDEMIC coverage

Zim media left to die under Covid-19

NHAU MANGIRAZI Misa-Zimbabwe director Tabani Moyo. tion through social media
that affected the mainstream
MEDIA players have called journalists should not be al- highest professional standards al and social chores. but freelance journalists have media battling to adopt to
on the government to create lowed to continue. as its payoff line is offering “The Covid-19 lockdown difficulties in accessing these. fast-changing times,” Mukun-
an enabling environment to credible, fair and truthful du said.
sustain the industry which “We are positioning the news.” proved difficult to operate Media rights activist Rash-
has been hit hard by the ef- issues of violations to be part from home as children and weat Mukundu said social “Journalists lost jobs and
fects of the Covid-19 pan- of engagements with the gov- Moyo also called on media partners demanded attention media misinformation had freelancers are worst hit. Poor
demic. ernment. Since January, we outlets to desist from compet- of the poor woman and not affected journalism while the remunerations have fueled
have recorded 52 cases of ing with social media, which understanding that she is economic problems, wors- corruption among the media.
Speaking ahead of this harassment and it’s a cause is churning out a lot of disin- working and needs the space ened by the Covid-19 pan- We need to move on sustain-
year’s World Press Freedom of concern as they were re- formation. to do so just like she would demic, have negatively affect- able journalism and reach
Day commemorated annually corded during the outbreak do if she were at the office,’’ ed the industry.  out to readers and listeners.
on 3 May, some media advo- of the pandemic. Dwindling Lucy Yasini, a veteran Yasini said. Women are marginalised in
cates said the fourth estate has revenue has seen media hous- broadcaster and freelancer, Mukundu said the tough the media industry,” Mukun-
been left to die. es failing to pay competitive said Covid-19 brought huge She said the new normal economic climate was facili- du said.
rates. We need to engage to changes which affected free- entails working from home. tating media capture.
Media Institute of South- keep media viable through a lance journalists, socially and However, one must have the “Media capture is a surviv-
ern Africa Zimbabwe (Mi- robust re-modelling process. professionally as they battled necessary tools like laptops, “Media models have been al tactic for journalists who
sa-Zimbabwe) director Ta- Media must maintain its to deal with the ‘double-edged smartphones, data and air- affected by Covid-19 due to need to survive. More jour-
bani Moyo said Covid-19 sword’ of juggling profession- time in order to do business, low economic activities as nalists are aligning themselves
has worsened challenges that well as growing misinforma- with those with political and
affected local media, saying economic interests to be paid
there is a need for bailouts to money to survive. This cor-
keep media houses afloat. ruption entrenched in our
society is due to poverty. You
“Misa-Zimbabwe proposed hardly get any journalist who
to the government to merge is independent and this affects
various funds under Access the flow of information.”
to Information and Protec-
tion of Privacy Act (Aippa), He said this year’s theme,
development fund under “Information as a Public
Broadcasting and Services Good”, has come at an op-
Act, Broadcasting Develop- portune time as it helps the
ment Fund under Univer- government to see far ahead
sal Services Fund from Post and support the media as a
and Telecommunication Act. willing partner for develop-
These can create a pool of re- ment.
sources to help out the media
through a revolving fund to Zimbabwe Union of Jour-
keep them viable. Media is nalists president Michael
multiple-taxed and they must Chideme called on journalists
review the taxation regime.” to venture into business like
mining and farming so that
Moyo said the audience is they remain independent.
no longer keen on reading
printed newspapers but pre- “The issues of corruption
fers digital publications, fur- among media is equally an
ther complicating the revenue embarrassment to the profes-
streams of the struggling in- sion. Journalists must strive
dustry.  to get respect from politicians
who boast of paying bribes
Moyo also decried the ha- for better coverage. Let us
rassment of journalists and be financially independent
poor renumeration among through farming, mining and
media players.  any other ventures so that the
profession remains noble.’’
He said the harassment of

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

CHIPA GONDITII US$145 million needed for
Covid-19 response till August
ZIMBABWE currently
needs US$145 million ratories needing US$18 babwe Medical Associ- because it is an infectious and second wave were a parency International
to procure equipment 151 781,33, while med- ation secretary-general disease, so in order for bit difficult, but we did Zimbabwe’s latest report
crucial for combating the ical equipment and med- Bismarck  Mateveke said you to fight it you need manage to get into the titled Illicit Financing in
coronavirus, a national icine require US$5 373 adequate resources are PPEs to be protected so groove,” he said. the Public Health Sector
Covid-19 inter-sectoral 178,30 and US$8 587 needed for Covid-19 re- it’s quite relevant that in Zimbabwe, many of
plan for the period from 581,79 respectively. sponse. enough resources are The document says al- the challenges facing the
March to August 2021 gathered for acquiring though strides have been health sector are wors-
has revealed. In an interview with “Without PPEs it is these things. The first in improving the health ened by the misappropri-
The NewsHawks, Zim- difficult to fight Covid delivery system, medi- ation of public funds for
The pandemic is hav- cal institutions still fall private gain in the form
ing a significant impact short. of illicit finance. 
on all aspects of society,
with the country’s poorly “Health system capac- The chief coordinator
equipped medical facili- ities have been signifi- of the national response
ties struggling to cope. cantly strengthened but to the Covid-19 pan-
there were still major demic, Agnes Mahomva,
It has emerged that the vulnerabilities, ICU (in- said the government has
country currently has a tensive care unit) capac- adopted various measures
procurement budget of ity (specialised health aimed at tackling the
around US$17 million workers, equipment) still pandemic.
for the disease. very limited.
“From day one, we
This comes after the “Capacity of health have put in a very de-
government announced system to deliver essen- tailed strategic plan
in January that it had set tial health services at the which was launched by
aside US$100 million same time as responding the President, the plan
for the procurement of to Covid-19 is still a ma- has eight clear strategies
Covid-19 vaccines. jor challenge,” the docu- guided by WHO (World
ment read. Health Organisation)
This week, cabinet an- guidelines and it includes
nounced that the Global Despite near-universal surveillance, laboratory,
Fund has given Zimba- recognition of the critical case management, infec-
bwe US$75 million to importance of an effec- tion prevention control,
complement the gov- tive and equitable health- and logistics which in-
ernment’s Covid-19 re- care system, the sector clude the procurement of
sponse. faces both longstanding equipment,” she said. 
and new challenges that
In terms of the nation- affect the quality of and 40% of health spend-
al plan, the equipment access to healthcare ser- ing comes from external
and services that need vices and programmes.  funding from donors.
procuring include per-
sonal protective equip- According to Trans-
ment (PPE), medicines,
medical equipment and
laboratories.

PPEs will cost US$112
950 150.78, with labo-

Covid-19 hampers Zimbabwe’s malaria fight

NHAU MANGIRAZI tween 13 and 29 years.  Global Fund coordinating committee member Tariro Kutadza. time to involve all stakehold-
“It was resolved that health ers including public and pri-
THE global Covid-19 crisis in education, prevention, ment, robust partnerships normalcy, and all our atten- vate partners so that they too
has affected Zimbabwe’s bid promotion messages should diagnosis and treatment, in- with private sector, founda- tion is directed to interven- can contribute to the malaria
to eradicate malaria by fur- emphasise the importance of cluding research and develop- tions, academia, the govern- tions that are aimed at reduc- fight. Communities need ca-
ther straining the country’s closing the entry points of the ment,’’ said Rusike. ment, civil society organisa- ing its negative impacts. There pacity strengthening so that
ill-equipped health facilities malaria vector, and the con- tions, for mutual planning, is need to remember the need they can also contribute. Ma-
while policymakers’ attention struction of better houses in He added that fighting ma- execution and accountabili- to always strike a balance by laria eradication is doable if
has firmly been fixed on the the future. Residents had to laria depends on the building ty,’’ said Rusike. continuing all efforts to erad- we all take part in the fight,’’
virus, to the neglect of other be educated in the importance of stronger health systems icate malaria in Zimbabwe. he said.
diseases. of consistent use of mosquito that have been weakened by Young Women Christian We need to take stock and
nets. The district had to im- the onset of Covid-19.  Association executive director celebrate our achievements Rusike explained that
World Malaria Day was prove malaria prevention8 Muchanyara Mukamuri said in the fight on malaria, but there is also a need for criti-
marked on Sunday but the measures like distribution of ‘‘To achieve this, there is Covid-19 had shifted atten- focus as well on how we can cal malaria programmes that
commemorations were low mosquito nets and lobby for need for stronger political tion from malaria and other achieve total malaria eradica- must be complemented with
key because of the Covid-19 more human resources to as- leadership, more funding and diseases. tion in Zimbabwe. It is the broader efforts to build stron-
pandemic. sist with malaria surveillance increased innovation. There is ger community systems for
thus, curbing the recurrence a call for community engage- “Covid-19 disrupted our health. 
Tariro Kutadza, a Global of malaria outbreaks.”
Fund coordinating commit- ‘‘Further, ending endem-
tee member, said although Community on Health ic diseases such as malaria
the country has made signifi- Working Group executive will contribute to strength-
cant progress towards malaria director Itai Rusike said the ening fragile health systems
elimination, isolated seasonal fight on malaria must remain and beating pandemics like
outbreaks persistently resur- a priority to pro the progress Covid-19 because ending ma-
face. Kutadza said Zimbabwe made to defeat the disease.  laria will ease the burden on
is among several countries health systems and increase
where the fight on malaria has He said half of the world capacity to detect, prevent,
been drawn back because of still lives at the risk of malaria and respond to pandem-
Covid-19. as 409 000 people died from ics,’’ he said.
the disease in 2019. 
“Covid-19 struck, compli- Ninety percent of the glob-
cating the efforts to end ma- Rusike explained that an al annual malaria mortality
laria as the restrictions related estimated two thirds of these cases emanate from the Af-
to the response-caused dis- deaths are children under the rican region.  About 80% to
ruptions to essential malaria age of five.  90% of malaria transmissions
services,” Kutadza said. are in sub-Saharan Africa
‘‘Every two minutes, a and occur indoors during the
She said in 2017, there was child dies from malaria. night. 
a recurrence of malaria in Be- These statistics should make
itbridge dlistrict with 52% of us restless, especially because In Zimbabwe, 79% of the
the affected being females and malaria is a preventable and population is at risk of con-
the mean age of cases was be- treatable disease. This calls tracting the disease.
for high-impact investments

NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 17

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 CARTOON

A sad day
for justice

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s one-party state proj- Sadc Moza troop deployment:
ect suffered an embarrassing setback this week when the High Maputo stalling rapid reaction
Court empatically quashed charges levelled against journalist
Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition MDC Alliance leaders AT the beginning, the  Southern African by  The NewsHawks  in detail, Mozambican el movement during the Mozambican civil
Fadzayi Mahere and Job Sikhala. Development Community (Sadc) got a lot President Filipe Nyusi further confirmed in war.  Echoing Nyusi’s sentiment, Frelimo
of flak for failure to react rapidly and swift- a speech two weeks ago that the situation secretary-general Roque Silva, in contrast,
Justice Jester Charewa threw out the criminal proceedings. ly move into Mozambique’s gas-rich Cabo was under control and sounded categorically told reporters that foreign troops would not
More importantly, the judge declared that section 31 of the Delgado region which is under siege from opposed to the plan of foreign troops getting be effective in Cabo Delgado. He said  Mo-
Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (publishing or Islamic extremism-driven insurgents. involved in combat in the conflict. zambique only needed logistical support for
communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the state) is no lon- its troops battling insurgents. 
ger part of Zimbabwean law. The jihadists are fighting to seize control This came as Mozambican Prime Minis-
of the region now buzzing with economic ter Carlos Agostinho do Rosário, speaking Security sources have told  The News-
They were represented by Harrison Nkomo from the Zim- activity dominated by international lique- to parliament on 21 April, tried to side step Hawks  that Nyusi thinks inviting foreign
babwe Lawyers for Human Rights. fied natural gas companies. Since 2017, the the debate and downplay the issue of foreign troops in Mozambique would undermine
insurgents have been violently pushing to military deployment, while confirming bi- its sovereignty, regionalise the conflict and
Where in the world have you ever seen people being arrest- grab that territory. lateral regional arrangements.  invite more terrorists into it, expose short-
ed under a non-existent law? comings of his poorly-trained army and the
In the process, terrorists have seized a lot Rosario confirmed Mozambique is al- root causes of the war to outsiders, which
Mahere says when she was locked up at Chikurubi Maxi- of strategic ground, including Mocímboa da ready receiving some forms of military sup- are largely local when his narrative largely
mum Security Prison she contracted Covid-19 and tickbite Praia, their capital, a port town in the north port from its Sadc neighbours, although he locates them outside. 
fever. She could have died. which  lies on the Indian Ocean coastline. declined to elaborate on the details and na-
ture of the support. Instead, he insisted that Nyusi emphasises foreign sponsorship
In a civilised country that upholds the rule of law, the chief Sadc was expected to quickly come up he couldn’t disclose military details as that of the insurgents and not local conditions,
of police, Prosecutor-General and the magistrate who mali- with an intervention plan which entailed was a sensitive matter, hence not for public including marginalisation, dislocation, ex-
ciously averred that the trio had a case to answer would all military deployment.  consumption. clusion, unemployment and poverty, which
resign in shame. Not in Zimbabwe. Impunity rules the roost. have bred the uprising. 
But this has proved to be very difficult. So Hawk Eye
But there must be severe consequences for the rogue con- people are asking why. Is it because Sadc is In his speech, during the recent double
duct of public officers who should know better. It is unaccept- bureaucratic, tardy, lethargic, dysfunctional Dumisani Sadc troika meeting on 8 April in Maputo
able that whenever the victims of gross injustice sue the state or simply lacks leadership? Muleya – the meeting of the main body troika, Mo-
for damages, the long-suffering taxpayer is forced to shoul- zambique, Tanzania and Malawi, and the
der the financial burden. Impoverished taxpayers are paying Some are wondering, is it that Sadc is just As reported by  The NewHawks  recently troika of the organ on politics, defence and
through the nose for the criminal behaviour of officials who a toothless bulldog? amid feeble official denials, Zimbabwe has security which comprises Botswana, South
are dabbling in shameful politics instead of doing their job. already deployed special forces into Mo- Africa and Zimbabwe, he highlighted exter-
Most of these insinuations are true. Yes, zambique to help fight the jihadists calling nal factors more than domestic issues.
This must stop. There has to be personal liability for inflict- indeed, there is bureaucracy in Sadc; the themselves Al-Shabaab, an insurgent group
ing constitutional injury on law-abiding citizens. regional bloc is rather lethargic in taking that has an unclear affiliation with the Islam- Despite do Rosário’s attempts to down-
action and doesn’t have strong leadership ic State, although not related to Al-Shabaab play military matters, the foreign interven-
In the ongoing abuse of power, institutional morality is when it comes to dealing with regional and in Somalia. tion debate came against the backdrop of
important but so, too, is individual morality. Partisan police geopolitical issues. Sadc has always shown a leaked Sadc deployment which has  been
officers, prosecutors and magistrates who aid and abet human over the years that it finds it difficult to in- While Nyusi is subtly opposed to foreign met with vociferous criticism from some sec-
rights crimes will have no one to blame when their day of tervene whenever there are problems in the intervention,  Renamo leader Ossufo Mo- tions of Mozambican civil society. 
reckoning arrives. region. Zimbabwe is a case in point. Sadc made explicitly last week called for direct in-
procrastinated, and failed to resolve the tervention in Cabo Delgado by Sadc coun- The Sadc technical team visited Mozam-
Officials in the justice system have important constitutional country’s protracted and intractable prob- tries, saying the Frelimo government was not bique from 15 April to 21 April. It drew a
responsibilities. They must be diligent and disciplined in the lems destabilising the region. as concerned about national sovereignty as plan for the deployment of 2 916 personnel,
pursuit of justice. Any conduct which runs counter to these it appears to be now because it previously including 140 special forces, as well as seven
expectations impinges the integrity, credibility and dignity of However, it has now come to light that invited foreign troops to help fight the reb- helicopters, five fixed-wing manned aircraft,
the justice delivery system--a crucial pillar of the state. Sadc is actually struggling to clear hurdles to four drones, two surface patrol ships, and a
deploy its standby force into Mozambique submarine. The bulk of the forces – 1 860
When the rule of law and due process are flouted in the to help fight the deadly insurgency. It wants troops in all – would come in the form of
alarming manner we are witnessing in this country, nobody to intervene, but it is being stymied. three light infantry  battalions.
should be surprised to wake up to a Hobbesian nightmare.
Life becomes short, nasty and brutish -- not only for the vic- In fact, it is becoming increasingly clear But the biggest stumbling block to Sadc
tims but also the perpetrators. that Maputo is resisting foreign military deployment to rescue Mozambicans from
intervention. It is only interested in limit- the conflict is now clearer: it’s Mozambique.
United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean law lecturer Alex ed bilateral military help not a full-scale re-
Magaisa said it is “diabolical” to arrest people under a law that gional intervention. As previously reported
does not exist. He rightly asserted that a regime that relies on
arbitrary power cannot make a legitimate claim to be applying
the rule of law.

The rot in the justice system, across the board, is unsettling.
The partisan police have been reduced to a pawn and a cat’s
paw by Zanu PF elites. This has eroded public confidence in
the rule of law.
The Prosecutor-General has a duty to enforce and defend
the laws and constitution of this country. The practice of per-
secution by prosecution is despicable.
Magistrates and judges who think they can hide behind ju-
dicial robes to facilitate political oppression are giving justice
a bad name.
The sacrosanct doctrine of the separation of powers is torn
to shreds when the justice system lends itself to sinister polit-
ical lawfare.
The time has come for Zimbabweans to resolutely oppose
those intent on reducing this country into a tragic society
where the accused are considered guilty unless proven inno-
cent.

Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
tance of freedom of expression and me- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
dia freedom as the cornerstone of de- Media which is owned by Centre for Public Cell: +263 735666122
mocracy and as a means of upholding Interest Journalism Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba [email protected] The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the
human rights and liberties in the con- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue [email protected] Code of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate,
stitution; our mission is to hold power Beverly Court, 6th floor News Editor: Owen Gagare
in its various forms and manifestations Harare, Zimbabwe Subscriptions & Distribution: fair and balanced news reporting. If we do not
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corruption to ensure good governance Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Reporters: at No.: 34, Colenbrander Rd, Milton Park, Harare.
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Email: [email protected] 24Hr Complaints Line: 0772 125 659

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Page 18 New Perspective NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Zim and the investment case for Zimplats

SHARE prices in Zimbabwe The new system was ini- these assets at the quoted pric- der smuggling, where people tion profile and has sufficient mained in place for platinum
doubled in the first three tially met with scepticism and es, the net asset value of the bought fuel cheaply in Zimba- reserves to last for almost 40 and diamond companies. In
months of 2021. Historically, criticism when the auctions Coronation Africa Frontiers bwe and sold it at higher prices years. In addition, the com- late 2020, this requirement for
strong share price performanc- coincided with the suspens­ion Fund would have been almost in neigh­bouring countries. pany operates in an industry platinum and diamonds was
es in Zimbabwe have been a of dual-listed shares. Business- 7% higher at the end of March with supportive fundamentals. also removed. Another signif-
negative sign, usually driven es were allowed the freedom 2021. We strongly believe that Even some factors outside Demand is well supported as icant milestone for Zimplats
by investors buying equities to trade in US dollars, but a our current approach protects of Zimbabwe’s control turned more stringent emissions regu­ was when its special mining
as a store of value when there portion of these dollars had the interests of both new and from headwinds into tail- lations force vehicle manufac- lease was converted to a nor-
were serious currency con- to be converted to local cur- existing clients, and, should winds. Prices of key exports turers to increase PGM load- mal mining lease in 2018.
cerns. For the first time in rency. However, investor con- the liquidity situation contin- such as gold and platinum ings, while years of low capex This now gives it the right to
years, we believe that this per- fidence in the currency prior ue to improve, we will recon- group metals (PGMs) declined across the industry means that mine for the full life of the
formance is, instead, largely to the auctions was very low, sider this discount and realise between 2012 and 2018, but there is not a lot of new supply mine, and also simplifies and
driven by fundamentals. and a concerted effort was re- some of this latent value for have seen a strong recovery re- coming online over the next reduces its tax burden. These
quired. Thus far, this has been investors in the Fund. cently. The severe drought in few years. developments are consistent
The country, once known more successful than what we 2018/2019 not only impacted with the message from other
as the Breadbasket of Africa, could have hoped for. Figure The stability of the curren- agriculture, but the low water The company has a fortress Zimbabwean miners, who re-
became the textbook example 2 shows that volumes contin- cy has brought stability to the levels of the Kariba Dam also balance sheet, with a net cash port that the government has
of how economic and political ued to improve over the past economy. Month-on-month had a big impact on electricity balance of $226 million as at become much more pragmat-
policies can ruin an economy. nine months, with over $1 inflation has dropped to low generation. The drought has December 2020. This is more ic, resulting in a more predict-
The general perception is that billion traded since the auc- single digits and it has sud- ended and it looks like Zim- than 10% of the company’s able policy environment that
of a country where money tions began – a quantum that denly become much easier for babwe will produce enough current market capitalisation enables mining companies to
printing and hyperinflat­ion is was unimaginable a year ago. businesses to plan. For the first maize to meet the country’s and, given where PGM pric- invest in the country.
the norm, where indigenisa- Transparency has improved, time in years, companies in demand this year – a spectac- es are currently, we believe
tion destroyed property rights with the Reserve Bank dis- Zimbabwe are telling us that ular turnaround from the past this cash balance has grown A big concern for foreign in-
and where foreign investors closing the highest and lowest they are confident enough to decade where production only substantially in the first few vestors looking at Zimbabwe is
never get their money back. accepted bids and, more re- start investing and expand ca- met about half of the demand. months of 2021. Importantly, the value of the currency and
In summary, the perception cently, even publishing a list of pacity. most of the cash is held out- currency repatriation. In this
is that Zimbabwe is uninvest- 788 entities that were allocat- What is particularly posi- side Zimbabwe. regard, Zimplats is completely
able. ed more than $100 000 since Our recent meeting with tive is that agricultural output different from other local busi-
the auctions started. Zimbabwe’s Minister of Fi- is not only improving as a re- Our investment in Zim- nesses. It is an exporter that
Over the past few months, A supportive environment nance highlighted that the sult of better rainfall, but also plats has done incredibly well generates real US dollars.
we have spent a lot of time Liquidity is the best we have country has become much because of better planning. for our clients, with the share
talking to businesses in Zim- seen in years. We regularly re- more investor friendly. It was Similarly, the increase in pre- price tripling over the past two This puts the business in a
babwe. These conversations ceive US dollars from the auc- also clear that the positive cious metal exports is not just years. However, we don’t be- strong position in a country
highlighted the gap between tions and have received even developments we are seeing because of higher prices, but is lieve the company is expensive where hard currency is in high
perception and reality. Firstly, larger amounts from the in- today are the result of a plan also due to policy changes that simply because the share price demand. The government
they emphasised how Zim- terbank market. Over the past that was started three years encourage investments in the has increased. The company simply cannot afford for pro-
babwe has completely dis- year, foreign investors found it ago. Zimbabwe is on track to mining sector. still trades on a very attractive duction to halt at a mine like
appeared off the radar of in- much easier to repatriate funds run a current account surplus multiple – Zimplats trades on Zimplats and has therefore
ternational investors. Many from Zimbabwe than to repa- for the third year in a row We are really excited about a forward price-to-earnings been supportive in ensuring
companies mentioned that no triate money from Nigeria. and they have started to repay the investment opportunities ratio of just three times and that mines can continue with
other investors had spoken to However, liquidity is still low, small amounts to internation- that arise when share prices has a double-digit dividend their operations.
them recently – some had not and this is still far from being al lenders – the first step in re- reflect overly pessimistic per- yield. Even more appealing is
spoken to investors in almost a free-floating currency. There- storing Zimbabwe’s ability to ceptions. Zimplats, which is the fact that these multiples Another important point
two years. fore, we continue to apply a access international funding. currently the largest holding in do not capture the expansion for equity investors is that
liquidity discount in our funds our Africa Frontiers strategy, is plans announced by the com- Zimplats is listed on the Aus-
Secondly, there have been – valuing the shares listed in The government is showing a case in point. pany recently. tralian Stock Exchange (ASX).
dramatic changes in the coun- Zimbabwe at levels well below a lot of discipline in resisting A real gem In contrast to shares listed
try over the past year. While the official prices. If we valued the temptation to print large Zimplats is a Zimbabwean What we like about the ex- within Zimbabwe, which has
we are not saying that the is- amounts of money and in PGM mine and is a subsidiary pansion is that this is a low- historically exposed investors
sues in Zimbabwe have been addressing the fuel and maize of Impala Platinum, one of the cost, low-risk investment, to repatriation issues, shares
resolved, we think that people subsidies. The benefit of re- largest PGM producers in the which will have a meaningful on the ASX do not have this
underestimate the significance moving the fuel subsidy was world. Zimplats is a world- positive impact on earnings problem.
of these developments and not just the saving on each li- class mine: it is a shallow, over time. We estimate that
we suspect that the interna- tre of fuel consumed, but also mechanised mine that is low this investment will increase We know that Zimbabwe
tional investment community a large reduction in the total on the cost curve (see Figure annual production by approx- has seen several false dawns.
is completely unaware that fuel consumed as market-re- 3), has a predictable produc- imately 30% from 2023, and Many difficult hurdles still
managem­ ent teams in Zim- lated prices stopped cross-bor- at current commodity prices, need to be overcome before
babwe are the most upbeat we estimate that the payback funding from organisations
they’ve been in years. period on this investment will like the IMF becomes a pos-
be less than two years. sibility. We also know that
The currency situation saw Fundamentals trump senti- it is not impossible that the
the biggest improve­ment. In ment government will try to access
June 2020, a weekly foreign In our view, the main reason a larger portion of the hard
exchange auction was intro- why Zimplats trades on much currency generated by this
duced, and the difficult de- lower multiples compared to business. However, one of the
cision was taken to allow the its peers(see Figure 4) is the most important things we try
currency to devalue to a level fact that this is a Zimbabwean to do as stewards of our clients’
that more closely (although business. capital, is to try and price risk
not completely) reflects de- appropriately. When we look
mand and supply dynamics. We think there is a general at Zimplats, we believe that
Figure 1 shows that the official lack of understanding on how investors are blinded by their
and parallel rates stabilised, much property rights have im- negative perceptions of Zim-
the gap between the two rates proved over the past few years. babwe, and, as a result, the
narrowed and it is our under- In 2018, the government company trades on a valuation
standing that transaction vol- started to address indigenisa- that offers a very compelling
umes in the parallel market tion laws, but the 51% local risk-reward profile to the long-
had declined meaningfully. ownership requirement re- term investor.

— Coronation

Business

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE
USD/JPY
GBP/USD 109.29 +0.38 +0.35 *OIL 63.47 -1.54 -2.37
USD/CAD
USD/CHF 1.38 -0.014 -0.997 *GOLD 1,769.5 +1.2 +0.068
AUD/USD
1.229 +0.001 +0.07 *SILVER 25.94 -0.145 -0.56

0.913 +0.005 +0.53 *PLATINUM 1,201.6 +4 +0.33

0.771 -0.006 -0.76 *COPPER 4.458 -0.029 -0.65

Massive job Stanbic Bank has entered
cuts rock into an agreement with repre-
banking sector sentatives of nearly 160 em-
ployees who were retrenched
BERNARD MPOFU due to rising inflation had income component of bank- in the Corporate landscape tunity to pursue other inter- as the financial institution
forced most banks to rely on ing sector had reached ma- and the way we do business,” ests. We are therefore pleased remodels its business follow-
ZIMBABWE’S financial non-funded income. turity where banks can no reads the circular in part. to announce the offer of a ing the outbreak of Covid-19
services sector has been hit longer continue at that level Voluntary Severance Package pandemic and an aggressive
by massive job cuts due to The landscape of Zimba- and the only way out is to “As we venture into a new for any employees who will- digitisation drive.
a floundering economy and bwe’s banking sector is shift- close some of the branches in and changing business mod- ingly, freely, and voluntarily
the outbreak of the Covid-19 ing significantly with the order to sustain their opera- el and new ways of work, we wish to consider pursuing A copy of the settlement
pandemic as the future of the brick-and-mortar model be- tions.” will inevitably need to review opportunities outside of the agreement seen by The News-
traditional brick-and-mortar ing increasingly replaced by our current structures and Organisation.” Hawks shows that retrenched
banking comes under threat, the digital banking model. A CBZ, in a circular to em- operations. We acknowledge workers will, among other
a business executive has said. number of factors could be ployees, said Covid-19 had that there are some colleagues Before CBZ announced perks, receive service pay,
contributing to this, Mugaga disrupted the business envi- amongst us who may not be its plans to retrench, Stanbic gratuity, notice pay and ben-
Unlike at the turn of the said. ronment. willing or able to undertake Bank,  the local unit of South efit from a comprehensive
millennium where banks this journey of change, and Africa’s Standard Bank, had programme to empower the
would trumpet the opening “Firstly it’s the econom- “The Covid-19 pandemic will want to take the oppor- also cut jobs. retrenched workers, among
of new branches with their ic environment. When the has resulted in many changes others.
marketing teams often using environment is harsh, one
the then buzzwords, “spread- of the major cost drivers for Zimbabwe’s financial ser-
ing tentacles” as they grew organisations, which is wages vices sector has been hugely
their footprints, new digital and salaries, becomes unsus- transformed over the past de-
banking platforms have made tainable and the only way to cade, with modern technolo-
operations much leaner and handle it is to replace labour gy giving traditional banking
effective while sending many with machinery or technolo- an innovative, seamless and
employees to the streets. gy and that is what most of controlled structure never
the banks are doing. experienced before.
Just recently, CBZ Bank,
Zimbabwe’s largest bank by “Secondly for the past 10 Mobile and internet bank-
deposits, announced that it years, if you look at banks ing has become the primary
was carrying out a voluntary in Zimbabwe, they had point of contact for banks as
retrenchment exercise, a de- been over-depending on seen in 2018, with more than
velopment signalling a spate non-funded income as op- one million users in Zimba-
of more job cuts in the econ- posed to interest income bwe having increasingly be-
omy. or funded income which is come reliant on quick digital
generated through interest solutions, like online wallets,
Chris Mugaga, Zimbabwe charges. That model alone for banking.
National Chamber of Com- where banks would thrive on
merce chief executive, told non-funded income was not This move towards mobile
The NewsHawks that a con- sustainable. So what could be and internet-based banking
servative lending approach happening is the non-funded has come at a cost. Risks
associated with fraudulent
activities by support staff in
the information technology
departments of banks and
the absence of a human face
who can fully interact with
customers are some of the
downsides of this new trend
in banking.

ADVERT SPACE

The NewsHawks TheNewsHawksLive www.thenewshawks.com [email protected]

Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Independent Issue 28, 30 April 2021
tobacco farmers
left in the cold Muraya (53) said she will
have to make new plans and
NHAU MANGIRAZI farmer from Chief Kazang- nothing is working out for auction floors opened early /File Picture. another journey to the cap-
arare’s area. us. We are facing challenges this month. ital city.
SOME independent tobac- of transportation, accom- to sell my 10 bales of prime Lack of clarity
co growers in Hurungwe, The rural area is situated modation and other chal- Another communal tobacco at TSF, but they Tobacco Farmers’ Union of
one of the country’s prime about 60 kilometres north lenges in Harare.” farmer, Ratidzai Muraya told me that there is no auc- Zimbabwe (TFUZ) presi-
farming districts, have been of Karoi. from Zvimonja under tion floor for us to sell our dent Believe Tevera blamed
left in the cold by merchants Goredema is among sev- Chief Dandawa’s area, said tobacco. They are serving the chaos on the lack of
who have flooded Karoi Several farmers came into eral uncontracted farmers her tobacco was rejected at contract farmers. We were clarity on the decentralisa-
town but are refusing to ac- the town a few days before who have been battling to Tobacco Sales Floor. told to go to Harare and it tion of tobacco floors.
cept their crop, The News- the auction floors opened, sell their tobacco since the is not worth it for us,” she
Hawks has established. only to be told that these “I was looking forward said. ‘‘The issue of auction
platforms are buying to- floors needs a fair approach
This has forced some bacco only from contracted for farmers. There must be
farmers to sell the golden farmers. clarification from all play-
leaf in Harare, thereby in- ers, including merchants.
curring additional and un- “De-contracted farmers We only have three auc-
budgeted costs. who are now free to sell tion floors in Zimbabwe,
at auction floors of their which are TSF, Boka and
‘‘We are facing a real choice are paying the price Premier. These were not
challenge as free farmers as they have to go to Hara- decentralised. Only con-
who are not contracted by re,’’ Goredema said.   tracting floors decentralised
any merchant. I came here to other provinces and, for
with confidence that Boka The farmer was frustrated one to make a sale, he or
Tobacco Company and To- that efforts by the Tobacco she should use his grower
bacco Sales Floors (TSF) Industry and Marketing number for contract selling.
were auction floors but, to Board (TIMB) to decen- So I think it’s important to
our surprise, they have re- tralise auction floors from clarify that to farmers. This
jected our tobacco, saying Harare to outlying areas confusion has affected some
they are not auction floors. such as Karoi have hit a farmers in Mvurwi who
We are left in the cold over snag. have to travel to Harare to
this confusion,’’ said David sell their tobacco at the auc-
Goredema, a communal “We anticipated that tion floors as before,’’    he
things would change for the said.
better after TIMB decen-
tralised auction floors, but Zimbabwe’s golden leaf
remains the single largest
foreign currency earner af-
ter gold, with exports rak-
ing in US$736 million in
2020. However, farmers are
crying foul over what they
see as low prices.

There is a future.

ZIMBABWE
CHILDREN’S CANCER RELIEF

EARLY
DETECTION

IS THE BEST PROTECTION!

STAY IF YOU SUSPECT EYE CANCER
ALERT! VISIT YOUR CLINIC TODAY

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 21
however, still does not di-
Issue 28, 30 April 2021 Euro bank breaks 22-year rectly fund the Zimbabwe
lending drought to Zimbabwe government.
THE European Investment
Bank (EIB) has agreed about Grants US$21m CABS credit line for private firms EU ambassador Timo
US$21 million fund to sup- Olkkonen, said of the new
port Zimbabwean business- of Zimbabwe,” said Thomas loan: “The European Union
es hit by Covid-19, the first Östros, EIB Vice President. is committed to supporting
such financing to the coun- the private sector in Zim-
try by the bank in over two across Africa.” help speed up recovery, the geted financing to Cabs to Rare credit babwe. The new EIB coop-
decades. The money would help EIB said. unlock new private sector fi- The European money is eration with Cabs will boost
nancing essential to strength- rare for Zimbabwe, which investment as it will increase
The fund, to be chan- Zimbabwean companies “As part of Team Europe, en private sector investment, has had hostile relations with access to targeted business
nelled via Cabs, is part of the overcome the uncertainties the European Investment create jobs and accelerate Europe for close to 20 years. finance by companies across
EIB’s programme to support that have been worsened by Bank is pleased to provide the post-pandemic recovery Such facilities have be- Zimbabwe. By helping pri-
the resilience of African busi- the Covid-19 outbreak and US$21 million of new tar- come scarce. In 2018, the vate sector resilience to the
nesses during the pandemic. UK’s development finance new US$21 million financ-
EIB is owned directly by the arm, the CDC Group, part- ing scheme will create jobs,
27 European Union member nered with Standard Char- unlock business growth and
states. tered Bank to lend US$100 contribute to alleviating
million to Zimbabwean poverty in the years ahead.”
The fund will grant local companies, in what was Brit-
firms access to longer terms ain’s first direct commercial The facility is a seven-year
in US dollars, according to loan into Zimbabwe in two facility that will be extended
Mehluli Mpofu, Managing decades. However, a year to local businesses, includ-
Director of Cabs. after that signing, only one ing SMEs. Under the plan,
company had qualified to Cabs will provide financing
“The new US$21 million access that fund and no dis- in USD to eligible private
Investment Bank backing bursements had been made. sector clients across.
for Cabs will unlock new EU imposed sanctions on
private sector financing to Zimbabwe after Zimbabwe The EIB last did business
be provided by our branches deported its chief election in Zimbabwe in 1999, after
across the country to private observer in 2002, but mea- almost twenty years in the
businesses,” Mpofu said on sures have been rolled back country. Through the 1980s
Wednesday. over the years to leave only and 90s, previous EIB clients
an arms embargo. The EU, included Zesa, Art Corpora-
“The close cooperation tion, the CSC and Harare’s
between Cabs and EIB fi- sewerage system. EIB then
nancial experts over recent cut off Zimbabwe over un-
months will transform ac- paid loans; Zimbabwe owes
cess to longer-term loans in the bank a total of US$345
foreign currency essential million, according to Trea-
for Zimbabwean businesses sury data.
to grow during challenging
times and ensure that Zimba- — newZWire
bwe benefits from the EIB’s
rapid response to strengthen
economic resilience to Covid

Page 22 Executive Chat NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Workers bemoan worsening
poverty on Mnangagwa’s watch

AHEAD of the 2021 Workers’ sirimunhu to 16 months in Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Peter Mutasa. poor working class to few elites
Day commemorations tomor- prison for demanding a wage and their cronies. 
row, The NewsHawks (NH) rise. Trade unions were desig- tionalism and other progres- the government, through pro- a number of economic re-
caught up with the Zimba- nated terrorist organisations sive moral values. Zimbabwe paganda and coercive divide- forms. Have these paid off to Our hospitals without
bwe Congress of Trade Unions by the government and many is now clearly a failed state. It and-rule strategies, has been workers? equipment, drugs and manned
president, Peter Mutasa (PM), trade unionists were threat- is a state failing to guarantee disenfranchising workers. It PM: These were not reforms in by demotivated staff show the
for an interview to mark the ened or attacked in one way or security of persons, failing to sought to divide workers based the positive sense. These were failures of the reforms. Our
2021 International Workers’ another.  provide decent public services on political affiliation and means of entrenching a dicta- education sector is far worse
Day commemorations. Muta- and it’s also facing serious so- sectors. However, workers are torship. Most of the so-called than it was during Mugabe.
sa said life has been extremely In short, this past year has cial and economic implosion. now united in common misery reforms hurt the majority poor Everything shows that there is
tough for employees, given been hell. and nothing should divide us workers and citizens while need for genuine reforms and
the ailing economy, which has NH: As you head for the This has been caused by a anymore.  benefiting the ruling elites and that the economic genocide
been worsened by Covid-19 2021 Workers’ Day, what host of factors including cor- their cronies.  currently regarded as reforms
and associated restrictions. have been the milestones for ruption, dictatorship, poor We know the one-party is dismal.
He bemoaned the weaponisa- employees in the past year? governance, state capture and state agenda being pursued There is no benefit in mak- NH: There have been ef-
tion of the pandemic by the PM: We are in a situation the militariation of the state.  by the ruling party is real. We ing 83% of all urban dwellers forts by President Emmerson
government as well a vicious where just surviving is a huge have witnessed how the ruling fail to buy bread, mealie-meal Mnangagwa to revive rela-
crackdown on dissent, includ- milestone. In that regard, the Workers have been pauper- elites have been attempting to and cooking oil. It is a bad tions between social partners
ing trade unions, as well as the fact that some workers sur- ised and are living in misery. As infiltrate unions and interfere reform agenda that increases at the Tripartite Negotiating
authorities’ failure to cushion vived the double tragedy of a result, we will focus on look- with union processes. We also extreme poverty to 40% and Forum (TNF). Has this effort
vulnerable communities. Be- Covid-19 and state attacks on ing at how we can address the know the neoliberal ideology poverty to above 72%.  paid off?
low are excerpts: workers is in itself a milestone. political, social and economic the government is pursuing PM: Social dialogue is based
NH - How has been the situa- We also managed to ensure factors that have led us into requires weak and divided What reform causes work- on mutual respect, fairness and
tion within the labour move- that despite these problems, this undesirable situation. We unions as once stated by (gov- ers to walk to work and to use good faith. Where these are
ment in the past year?    the trade unions remain in ex- will draw from our past expe- ernment spokesperson) Nick old ramshackle buses and open missing, any meetings will be
PM: For the labour move- istence.  riences to rally and mobilise Mangwana.  trucks in the rain and cold?  a waste of time. We have had
ment, the situation in the past workers to peacefully resist the many meetings since Febru-
year has been terrible. We had One of the main milestones policies that are hurting us.  Thus government will con- There has not been any ary last year, talking about the
the disruptive Covid-19 pan- in the past year was our push tinue to seek to destroy, weak- meaningful reform. It is all need to urgently address the
demic and the related lock- for the re-introduction of the Thus, the main focus will en or capture unions, especially about creating opportunities erosion of wages. The govern-
downs. This challenged all our minimum wage. lt is now use- be on how to successfully re- the ZCTU, through coercion, through patronage for enrich- ment made many promises,
routines and none of us was less and we need to fight for its sist the twin evils of repression cooptation or cooperation. ing the few connected at the but always reneges from its
prepared for it. A lot of sectors continued existence. However, and neoliberalism-induced We will therefore look at how, expense of the poor majori- commitments. Employers are
were affected and many work- at its inception last year, it was poverty. We are running out of learning from our well-docu- ty. They buy foreign currency fully protected by their share-
ers lost employment. A lot something we looked at as an time as workers and we need mented history, we can reject at US$1:RTGS84 and sell at holders who are also members
more workers lost incomes and achievement.  to quickly find solutions to the and resist this. The struggle US$1:120, making almost of Parliament and the execu-
some especially in the informal political and economic fascism requires a united and indepen- 40% gain without production. tive. Only workers are suffer-
economy lost their livelihoods.  Since the late 1990s, the exercised by both government dent labour movement. This is paid for by the workers ing and crying for help to peo-
government and employers and  employers.  We will also NH: Since 2018, the gov- and peasant subsistence farm- ple who do not care. 
The government turned a have been rejecting the re-in- focus on how to build endur- ernment has embarked on ers. There has been massive un-
bad situation worse. Instead troduction of the minimum ing unity amongst workers and fair transfer of wealth from the There is no reason for faking
of progressive interventions, it wage. It was only through our trade unions. Over the years progress where there is none.
weaponised Covid-19 regula- collective push that we got it There is no political will and
tions for political expediency. back. Our task now is to en- the government doesn’t believe
Again, it rejected our propos- sure that it is reviewed to rea- in social dialogue. It is a reality
als that would have mitigated sonable levels.  we have accepted, hence our
against the effects of the pan- pulling out (of TNF discus-
demic and the concomitant We also witnessed increased sions). It is the government
lockdowns. unity amongst unions, espe- that has never wanted dialogue
cially the federations. Unions except only for propaganda.
We expected the govern- and workers were united by NH: What is your last word
ment to protect jobs and in- their collective misery and to workers out there?
comes through provision of moved closer to each other on PM: Workers of Zimbabwe,
incomes support and morato- matters of common interest. you are on your own. The for-
rium on layoffs. We also hoped In the Tripartite Negotiating mer liberators and revolution-
the government would render Forum, we all worked together aries are now the oppressors.
meaningful support to the vul- and agreed on major issues. The government is no longer
nerable groups. However, most promoting the common good
of what we had suggested was Furthermore, there has been but advancing wealth accumu-
not taken on board. increased activism and con- lation by a few. 
sciousness across all sectors.
The past year has also been Teachers, nurses, doctors and We therefore have only one
terrible in terms of working some private sector workers option, which is to unite and
conditions, especially wages. and unions have been de- collectively demand justice,
Workers’ salaries that were uni- manding justice and fairness. fairness, dignity and equality. 
laterally varied from US dollars
to RTGS by government were We still have a lot to do in No one else but ourselves
seriously eroded. Both infla- order to push government can free ourselves from this
tion, which peaked at 837% and employers, but we see modern-day slavery. Let us
last year and exchange rate some promising energy with- learn from our rich history
losses, wiped out the purchas- in unions for fighting for the and follow what Benjamin
ing power of wages.  rights of workers. Burombo, Joshua Nkomo and
NH: What is your theme this Morgan Tsvangirai did facing
Now domestic workers earn year? What are you focusing similar situations. Only peace-
only sufficient to buy nine on? ful, persistent and collective re-
loaves of bread. The minimum PM: Our theme is sistance using the lawful means
wage is only able to buy 25 “ZCTU@40: Fighting For provided in the constitution
loaves of bread. This is some- Political, Economic and Social and Labour Act will liberate us
thing that has no parallels even Justice in Zimbabwe”. We are from the jaws of poverty and
during the colonial era. looking back at how we have repression. — STAFF WRITER
stood up for justice, fairness,
The most vicious attack was democracy, equality, constitu-
the sentencing of Sheila Chi-

NewsHawks Stock Taking Page 23

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Price Sheet A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Friday, 30 April 2021

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
(cents) Traded Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
AFDIS: ZH (%)
ASUN: ZH 5000.00 Price -
ARTD: ZH 168.82 1,900
AFDIS Consumer Goods ARISTON: ZH 626.77 - 5000.00 1,000 - - - 108.33 5,865.30
African Sun Consumer Services 191.58 202.50 202.50 111,100 3,847.50 33.68 19.95 19.12 1,745.09
ART AXIA: ZH 1591.31 625.00 625.00 354,300 6,250.00 -1.77 -0.28 30.94 2,731.11
Ariston Industrials BIND: ZH 496.63 190.00 187.30 208,090.00 -4.28 -2.23 39.78 3,048.11
Axia Consumer Services BAT: ZH 80000.00 1595.00 1594.63 700 5,649,760.00 3.32 0.21 74.09 8,689.05
BNC CAFCA: ZH 12000.00 400.00 440.00 - 3,080.00 -56.63 -11.40 15.79 5,499.37
BAT Consumer Goods CSZL: ZH 1244.98 80000.00 - 45.45 16,506.81
CAFCA Basic Materials CBZ: ZH 9047.22 - 12000.00 - - - 33.48 1,048.21
Cassava DZL: ZH 1595.00 - 1245.28 104,900 - - - 91.58 32,259.94
CBZ Consumer Goods DLTA: ZH 5099.48 1300.00 9000.00 700 1,306,300.00 0.30 0.02 5.31 61,850.85
Dairibord Industrials ECO: ZH 1966.14 9000.00 1550.44 63,000.00 -47.22 -0.52 18.35 5,550.59
Delta EDGR: ZH 319.00 1550.00 5103.75 10,200 158,145.00 -44.56 -2.79 124.33 65,555.69
Econet Technology FBC: ZH 2660.31 5100.00 2000.02 127,200 6,491,970.00 4.27 0.08 111.64 51,812.05
Edgars Banking FIDL: ZH 599.96 2000.00 320.00 1,236,000 24,720,200.00 33.88 1.72 166.67 1,046.37
FBC FCA: ZH 230.01 320.00 2660.17 4,800.00 1.00 0.31 77.19 17,875.01
Fidelity Consumer Goods FMHL: ZH 2202.01 2660.00 600.00 1,500 5,323,000.00 -0.14 -0.01 214.63
First Capital Consumer Goods FMP: ZH 545.46 600.00 230.24 200,100 600.00 0.04 0.01 109.31 653.54
FML Telecommunications GBH: ZH 70.00 230.00 2200.23 1,727,045.00 0.23 0.10 109.55 4,965.63
FMP Consumer Services GBFS: ZH 48.00 2200.00 545.46 100 318,027,500.00 -1.78 -0.08 68.35 15,184.73
GBH HIPO: ZH 12525.00 - 69.98 750,100 - - - 191.58 6,753.65
Getbucks Banking 7093.99 70.00 48.00 14,012,200 8,678.00 -0.02 -0.03 284.00
Hippo Financial Services INN: ZH 6000.00 - 12500.00 - - 0.00 38.89 375.50
Innscor LACZ: ZH 190.00 12500.00 7190.31 - 87,500.00 -25.00 -0.20 94.18 558.30
Lafarge Banking MASH: ZH 2100.00 7000.00 6000.00 12,400 6,492,850.00 96.32 1.36 525.00 24,127.57
Mash Financial Services MSHL: ZH 12.99 - 190.00 - - - 104.30 40,609.18
Masimba MMDZ: ZH 6000.00 190.00 2100.00 - 6,270.00 - - 87.50 4,800.00
Medtech Real Estate MEIK: ZH 1900.00 - 12.04 700 - - - 52.41 3,532.24
Meikles Industrials NPKZ: ZH 31700.00 12.00 5996.24 90,300 36,235.00 -0.95 -7.31 172.50 5,074.73
Nampak NTFD: ZH 800.00 6000.00 1822.95 10,343,520.00 -3.76 -0.06 698.66 365.99
NatFoods Financial Services 1090.00 2000.00 31700.00 - 111,200.00 -77.05 -4.06 427.45 15,149.27
NTS Consumer Goods NTS: ZH 1544.56 - 800.00 3,300 - - - 2814.39 13,775.09
NMBZ NMB: ZH 2992.81 800.00 1130.00 28,800.00 - - 182.46 21,682.83
OK Zim Industrials OKZ: ZH 2116.30 1130.00 1529.49 - 16,950.00 40.00 3.67 69.94 2,030.98
Padenga Industrials PHL: ZH 200.00 1500.00 3000.00 301,000 1,404,070.00 -15.07 -0.98 42.76 4,567.14
Proplastics Real Estate PROL: ZH 2040.00 3000.00 2100.00 172,500 5,955,000.00 7.19 0.24 143.91 19,069.88
RTG Industrials RTG: ZH 3000.11 2100.00 200.00 14,700.00 -16.30 -0.77 4.30 16,247.80
RioZim Healthcare RIOZ: ZH 50.16 200.00 2040.00 6,100 3,400.00 - - 36.44 5,290.65
Simbisa Industrials SIM: ZH 100.00 - 3142.42 - - - - 161.48 4,990.99
Star Africa Industrials SACL: ZH 4200.00 3200.00 50.01 2,674,200.00 142.31 4.74 85.22 2,489.40
Truworths Consumer Goods TRUW: ZH 302.00 52.00 99.00 3,600 784,718.00 -0.15 -0.30 235.59 17,666.21
TSL Industrials TSL: ZH 1100.00 99.00 4200.00 1,500 5,148.00 -1.00 -1.00 143.48 2,358.01
Turnall TURN: ZH 94.63 4200.00 302.00 91,800 172,200.00 - - 224.73 380.23
Unifreight Banking UNIF: ZH 4500.00 302.00 1120.88 198,500 1,812.00 - - 5926.24 14,998.30
Willdale Consumer Services WILD: ZH 1200.00 95.60 510,000.00 20.88 1.90 198.75 1,488.98
ZB ZBFH: ZH 0.03 100.00 4500.00 700 138,722.00 0.97 1.03 87.50 1,193.45
Zeco Consumer Goods ZECO: ZH 175.00 - 1,700 - - - 50.00 1,699.77
Zimpapers Industrials ZIMP: ZH 601.91 - 0.03 - - - 77.55 7,883.58
Zimplow ZIMPLOW: ZH 192.59 174.00 174.00 - 522.00 -1.00 -0.57 30.00
ZHL Consumer Services ZHL: ZH 650.00 650.00 85,100 19,500.00 48.09 7.99 -33.71 0.14
TOTAL Basic Materials 213.00 207.80 1,569,000 126,345.00 15.21 7.90 1,002.24
1,549.48
Consumer Goods 5,200 392,635,927.50 3,186.28
Consumer Goods 4,100
Consumer Services 546,785.31
Consumer Goods 600
45,500
Industrials 145,100
Industrials
Industrials -
-
Banking 300
Industrials 3,000
Consumer Services 60,800
Industrials 19,714,800
Financial Services

ETFs OMTT.zw 176.42 175.00 175.04 247,907 433,944.77 -1.38 -0.78 74.66 140.03
Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

FINSEC Financial Services OMZIL 2800.00 - 2800.00 - -- - 5.66 2,324.33
Old Mutual Zimbabwe

VFEX (US cents) Consumer Goods SCIL:VX 18.00 US$m

SeedCo International - 18.00 - -- -- 43.40

Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
ZSE All Share African Sun
Top 10 4,641.11 +0.19 4,632.50 +76.51 Zimplow 202.50c +33.68c +19.95 +19.12
Top 15 2,660.37 +0.23 2,654.38 +60.80 ZHL 650.00c +48.09c +7.99 +30.00
Small Cap 3,023.66 +0.37 3,012.37 +55.21 Simbisa 207.80c +15.21c +7.90 -33.71
Medium Cap 43,054.55 -0.25 43,160.67 +262.53 NMBZ 3142.42c +142.31c +4.74 +161.48
11,330.52 +0.14 11,314.28 +103.63 1130.00c +40.00c +3.67 +182.46

Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %
BNC
Medtech 440.00c -56.63c -11.40 +15.79
Nampak 12.04c -0.95c -7.31 +52.41
Dairibord -4.06 +698.66
Ariston 1822.95c -77.05c -2.79 +18.35
1550.44c -44.56c -2.23 +39.78

187.30c -4.28c

SALES & TRADING: Davide Muchengi: [email protected] | Lungani Nyamazana: [email protected] | Tatenda Jasi: [email protected]
RESEARCH: Batanai Matsika: [email protected] | Precious Chagwedera: [email protected] | Tafara Mtutu: [email protected]

Tel: (+263) 08677008101-2 | Email: [email protected] | Address: 1st Floor, Block D, Smatsatsa Office Park, Borrowdale, Harare

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construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe to any investment. MORGAN & COMPANY has based this document on information obtained from sources it believes to be
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content.

Page 24 News Analysis NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

PALESA MUWANI Zim workers commemorate memorations also come at a
time when there is a bloodbath
AS Zimbabwe commemorates on the formal job market.
Workers’ Day tomorrow, em- painful struggle on May Day Late last year, First Capi-
ployees across the length and tal Bank (FCB) announced
breadth of the country have it will retrench workers as the
had very little to celebrate business restructures in the
amid the impact of Covid-19, face of the hyperinflationary
retrenchments and the con- environment and the need to
tinued increase in the cost of digitalise. Last week, financial
living. services giant CBZ  revealed it
has resolved to lay off workers
International Workers’ Day, in response to the Covid-19-
also known as Workers’ Day or induced changes as well as the
Labour Day in some countries digitalisation  process it em-
and often referred to as May barked on. State telecommu-
Day, is a celebration of the nications company TelOne has
working class by the global la- retrenched 184 workers as part
bour movement every year on of its digitisation programme.
May 1. Stanbic Bank and Turnall have
also slashed jobs.
The day however is a timely The job losses are a contin-
reminder of the failure by Pres- uation from the era of the late
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa former president Robert Mug-
to create the “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs” abe when unemployment be-
he promised on the eve of his came rife as a result of massive
initial inauguration in 2017. economic decline. More than
The country’s economic crisis 2 800 workers were retrenched
has worsened under his lead- by 73 companies in 2017 for
ership with job losses, poor various reasons ranging from
working conditions and low restructuring to viability chal-
salaries being the order of the lenges. 
day. A total of 8 843 work-
ers were laid off in 2015 and
Although annual inflation 2016. In 2015, a total of 5
has come down from a high 333 workers were retrenched
of more than 800% in August and this does not include those
last year to 194.07% in April, who were affected by the July
the cost of living continues to 17 Supreme Court ruling that
skyrocket.  The monthly cost year which allowed employers
of living for a family of five family, the ZW$5 672 adds laughed off the government’s stability as a result of the good high despite it going down to to dismiss workers on three
has shot to ZW$28 362 from up to ZW$28 362. However, offer of a 25% increment this rains as well as improved sta- 194%. Even if inflation goes months’ notice. In 2016, there
ZW$26 560 in March, accord- most workers earn far below month with a further 50% bility. However, the worker has above 10%, you are already were 3 510 workers who were
ing to data from the Zimba- this amount as their salaries are increment in June. The gov- shouldered a disproportionate complaining. Development is retrenched, worsening the un-
bwe National Statistics Agency way below the cost of living. ernment has now resorted to portion of this stability. The about people’s well-being. The employment crisis.
(ZimStat). putting in place a policy of “no majority of workers are yet to current talk of stability and sur-
Workers’ Day this year will work, no pay” as it desperately feel the benefits of this stabil- pluses is not in sync with the At least 210 333 jobs were
ZimStat revealed that a be commemorated with the seeks to contain the damaging ity,” Kanyenze said. “Develop- experience of the worker,” he made redundant, according to
Zimbabwean consumer now country’s education sector in strike. The stand-off will wors- ment is not about economic said. a 2019 ZimStat labour survey.
requires ZW$5 672.47 to stay a parlous state as teachers have en the plight of students whose aggregates. It is about the im-
above the poverty datum line downed tools over poor work- syllabus has been disrupted by provement in the welfare of the The coronavirus pandemic, In terms of distribution, Ha-
(PDL), also known as the To- ing conditions. the Covid-19 pandemic. worker.” which has claimed more than rare province had the highest
tal Consumption Poverty Line three million lives globally, has proportion of the retrenched
(TCPL). This was up from Teachers, who represent the Although the government Kanyenze said although plunged the country’s battered population at 40.5% followed
ZW$5 312.19 in March. bulk of the civil service, earn has given a positive economic there has been a significant economy into further turmoil. by Mashonaland West (12.6%)
between ZW$17 000 and outlook, it is not resonating drop in the level of year-on- and Mashonaland East (9.6%).
In December last year, Zim- ZW$22 000 per month, but with the struggling workers, year inflation, it was still too According to the Employers’ Manicaland and Mashonaland
Stat stopped reporting on the they have been demanding be- according to economist God- high as it remains at three dig- Confederation of Zimbabwe, Central had 8.7% and 6.5%
PDL for a family of five to fo- tween US$520 and US$550 frey Kanyenze. its. at least 30% of the country’s respectively while Matabele-
cus on individual data, claim- per month, or the equivalent formal jobs were lost last year.   land North (2.7%) had the
ing that it  was in line with in- in local currency. They have “Government has spoken of “Inflation is still quite This year’s Workers’ Day com- lowest.
ternational standards.

But translated to an average

The spate of the retrench-
ments is of great concern to the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
Unions as its membership is
drastically reduced as a result
of the layoffs.
SUBSCRIBING “We are very concerned

about these retrenchments,”
ZCTU secretary-general
MEANS MORE Japhet Moyo said. 
“How does the government
say the economy is doing well
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Moyo added that this year’s
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of the worker in Zimbabwe.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 25

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 Here is what MDC-T president
Douglas Mwonzora said in senate
THANK you very much Mr
President Sir, I will just make TOPIC: Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2
brief comments before I go to
the very new thing. Of course, MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora. the President interacts with the can do well in the High Court
in the absence of a clear 50-50 Chief Justice during the course or you can make mistakes in the
provision, an extension of the Mr. President, on the kind of Supreme Court. What you are for 90 days on exactly what you of their work, interacts with the High Court and the purpose of
women’s quota is the next pro- judges, I am sure the Minister doing Hon. Minister, through want to amend and call upon Speaker, the President of the the interview is to make you
gressive thing. In the absence of agrees with me that it will be you Mr. President is; you are Zimbabwean people to put Senate and so on. So, what we account for yourselves. Why
anything else, a quota for the a sad day when all the judges extending a term limit and our their input in the amendment. wanted to avoid was you to use do you think you deserve pro-
youth is of course welcome. of the Supreme Court; all the law says when we are extending When the notice was given, your interaction to extend each motion when you did this and
judges of the High Court are a term limit, the incumbent the Bill was as it was saying we other’s terms and benefiting that wrong? Let us not confuse
We have started a new phi- illegal. So we want to make sure shall not benefit. So, this exten- are giving notice that there is a from that extension. rude interviewers who are there
losophy that the youths are not that the judges are not illegal. sion is unconstitutional. This new method of appointment of just to humiliate the interview-
leaders of tomorrow, they are The amendment that has been extension is illegal. judges. Our thinking is that the I have practiced law in Zim- ee. You can still deal with that
leaders of today and introduc- introduced has a clause that new law operates from the time babwe for almost 30 years and by putting rules on how people
ing them into the legislature makes the judges illegal. Now, through this new ex- that it is promulgated. As time I have knowledge of the men can be interviewed.
is a right step in bringing that tension, the new clause – I do went on, the Minister then in- and women who are populating
leadership. Of course, we have First of all, Section 328 of not know at what stage it came troduced without notifying the our Supreme Court and Con- Yes, I saw I think one of the
debated devolution time with- our Constitution says, if there into being. The Minister is ba- public, that we are protecting stitutional Court. I like most Judges was humiliated by the
out number and this is a very is a term limit but there is need sically amending Clause 328 so the current judges and these of them. They are nice people, late Chief Justice Chidyausiku.
old story. We support devolu- to extend that term limit, that that the Clause 328 does not judges are going to benefit from they are fun and intelligent but She was asked ‘but you are al-
tion. I feel that the people who extension shall not benefit the apply to judges. This is amend- extension of the time limit. To their term of office, if it has ex- leged to have taken a bribe’.
have debated the running mate person holding that office. ing. Our Constitution is very that end, this is a dangerous pired, it has expired. There is no That was wrong interviewing.
clause, especially those who The logic of that section was clear. When you are amending a thing. need to create special favours The fact that someone was in-
want it to go did not do justice to dis-incentivise leaders who clause which deals with human for people. That is the basis of terviewed in a wrong manner
to the logic of the running mate wanted to extend their terms. rights; when you are amend- Lastly on that issue Mr. Pres- our argument Mr. President Sir, does not mean interviews are
clause. Why did we put it there? So, if you are a President who ing a clause which deals with ident Sir, Parliament is there to that it is not necessary to go that wrong. We want our people to
then uses his popularity to ex- land; when you are amending make laws for the just gover- route. Our law says if we extend have trust in our systems, we
I happen to have been in the tend the term of office, the a clause which deals with term nance of Zimbabwe. We have your term of office while you want our people to have con-
Constitution making process it- clause says you shall not bene- limits, you do not amend it in a responsibility to keep within are in office, you do not bene- fidence in the judicial systems,
self and this was one of the con- fit from that extension. If you the manner that you amend our own Constitution. We have fit. What this new law is saying we want our people to appreci-
tentious clauses. The first thing have commissioners for exam- other ordinary clauses. It goes a responsibility of stopping po- is that you in fact can benefit. ate that they are being led by in-
was that we wanted to vaccinate ple, who have a limited term for a referendum. That has not tential danger. Now what we Maybe the Minister may not telligent people and that is what
the nation against Presidents of office and you introduce an been done in respect of this have just done with this new have seen it that way but it is a interviews bring. We want our
who have a tendency of ap- extension during their term, clause. That is why you hear introduction, Hon. Minister, dangerous precedence and also people to see that these people
pointing useless Vice Presidents that extension does not benefit people say the amendment is I think I saw it on the Order now because you are introduc- are knowledgeable and we are
because they do not want to be them. If you have judges now unconstitutional. A constitu- Paper, that introduction is now ing an amendment to Section being tried by knowledgeable
challenged. So, you have situa- who have term limits and you tional amendment where the introducing an extension of 328 in so far as it applies to people. That is the purpose of
tions where a Vice-President is introduce an extension during Constitution says I am amend- term limits that benefits the in- Judges basically what you are the interview. Now if you think
just put there to fill a post. We their tenure, that extension ed this way; when it is a clause cumbent. saying is Section 328 does not that the Judicial Services Com-
wanted to make the Vice-Presi- does not benefit them. What like this, I am amended via a apply to Judges, therefore you mission is not good enough, we
dent an election issue. Here Mr. the Minister had done in the referendum, we must follow So today it is Judges. How are amending Section 328. can have a compromise. Hon.
President, it is not correct that original Bill, is that he left that that. I agree with you Hon. do we know that tomorrow it is Minister, if I may suggest that
the President does not choose question open and with due Minister, the Constitution can not about commissions whose Having amended Section the interviews be done by the
his Vice President. This clause respect, he was correct. What be amended but it says how it terms are limited? How do we 328, it means you must follow Committee on Standing Rules
says the President chooses his the Minister subsequently did shall be amended. Each clause know the day after it is not the the procedure because it says and Orders. We interviewed
Vice and if more than one, now, was to introduce another is amended in a particular way. President whose term of office when you are amending Sec- some people for the National
chooses two but he chooses sub-clause 4, which says not- is limited by the Constitution tion 328, you amend it as if Peace and Reconciliation Com-
not after elections but before withstanding Section 238 (7), Here comes another issue, now that you have introduced you are amending Chapter 4. mission. We did not humiliate
the elections so that the nation the provision of sub-sections in the Constitution we made in the Constitution that you Chapter 4 deals with human them. We treated them with re-
knows that in his absence who 1,2,3 of this section shall apply it clear that when you seek to can suspend the operation of rights and in the Constitution, spect and the same can happen
takes over and he designates to the continuation in office of amend the Constitution, you section 328 which says you shall we said that the Executive does with senior Judges.
them first and second so that the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief must give notice to the people not benefit from the extension. not touch the human rights
you do not have a problem Justice, Judges of the Constitu- of Zimbabwe of what you want When we did it, we were aware of the people of Zimbabwe. In the United States, may-
when it comes to succession. tional Court and Judges of the to amend. The Speaker must that those who run us, who When you want to change the be slightly different but they
give notice to the public, I think govern us interact. I am sure human rights, when you want are still subjected to debate by
The other thing we wanted to amend that section, it goes to the Congress. I think, in some
to get rid of, which the Minis- referendum, ipso facto. By the instances and by the Senate in
ter regrettably has reintroduced same fact, when you want to others. We can still also copy
is the lottery clause. When we amend term limits you follow that, but for Judges to be taken
have two Vice Presidents, the the same procedure. The danger to the Supreme Court on the
Vice President who takes over is to have our Judges maybe on whims of the President is over-
in the event of the President the basis of the majority here, concentration of power in the
leaving office is the Vice Pres- continuing in the Supreme President. Do not think about
ident who last acted. It is not Court, in the Constitutional the President that you have
known who it is, but it is also Court but being illegal Judges. now. The Constitutions are not
open to manipulation. I know That makes Zimbabwe a laugh- made for the angels of today
that I want to resign and so on. ing stock. but for the devils of tomorrow-
I appoint the other Vice-Presi- [HON. SENATORS: Hear,
dent whom I want to take over Mr. President, I just also hear.]- Let me give an example
to act, well knowing that I am want to say the Minister may of the person you do not want
about to leave office. The in- say this amendment was sug- to be president and that person
troduction of the lottery clause gested by someone maybe in happens to be president, let us
introduces doubt in the coun- Parliament. Parliament has no say it is Mr. Mwonzora and he
try. There is uncertainty on who right to do that. It has no right has powers to appoint judges
will take over. So that was the to amend Section 328 without of the Supreme Court without
logic of the running mate. The the procedures being followed. being taken to account. It hap-
fact that Malawi had a problem pened in the United States of
does not mean that the running Those, Mr. President Sir, America. I think the President
mate has a problem. are my submissions. I strongly was Marshal or somebody. They
feel that when it comes to the packed the Supreme Court
What I notice the Hon. Min- Judiciary, when it comes to the with their friends. How you
ister doing is that he avoided Judges, we have introduced vaccinate against that is you in-
those countries where the run- something completely illegal. terview them.
ning mate clause has worked
for centuries and one of those The Hon. Minister has said So, let us not open up for po-
countries is the United States of that he does not think that it is tential abuse by the Executive
America; they have a running a good idea that the Chief Jus- in that regard. With that Mr
mate system. It does not mean tice be subjected to interviews President Sir, I wish to end my
that they are on the ballot to- when going to the Supreme submissions.
gether it means the electorate is Court. Here was the logic. A
told beforehand who the Vice Judge who is suitable for the *We have to act legally in this
President is going to be. High Court is not necessarily Parliament.*
suitable for the Supreme Court,
I now want to go to a point is not necessarily suitable for the Thank you.
which I think is really very se- Constitutional Court. So, you
rious. Everyone wants Zimba-
bwe to be reintegrated into the
international community – not
any Zimbabwean; not anyone
who has Zimbabwe at heart
enjoys the international isola-
tion of Zimbabwe. We need to
do those things that make the
international isolation go away.
One of the things that make it
remain is the way we do our in-
ternal processes.

Page 26 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

TERERAI MAFUKIDZE Issue 28, 30 April 2021

FROM 1890 to 1894 there Creation of Zim’s first High Court
was no High Court as such and appointment of the first judge
in Southern Rhodesia. Brit-
ish colonial architect Lean- Chief Justice position always contested served only four months of
der Starr Jameson, as the From Bisset in 1927 to Malaba in 2021 a 15-month sentence. The
administrator and also chief British South Africa Compa-
magistrate, possessed the ju- Rhodesian colonial administrator Leander Starr Jameson. ny was required to pay nearly
risdiction of a superior court £1 million in compensation
of record with full power in contracting fever. About the had been imprisoned in the arrived in southern Africa in parted from Pitsani, on the to the Transvaal government.
all cases, both civil and crim- incoming judge it was said: Transvaal after the disastrous 1878, lured by the discovery Bechuanaland (now Botswa-
inal, and was also empowered “Everyone was now assured Jameson Raid. of diamonds near Kimber- na) border on 29 December. President Kruger gained
to hear appeals from magis- that justice would be fairly ley. Jameson was a qualified 400 Men came from the much international sympathy
trates’ courts and to review administered”. The Jameson Raid, from medical doctor, known to Matabeleland Mounted Po- (the Transvaal’s David versus
their proceedings. 29 December  1895–2  Janu- his friends (including Cecil lice, the rest were volunteers. Goliath of the British Em-
On 5 November 1894, ary 1896, a was botched raid Rhodes, one of the founders They had six Maxim guns and pire) and bolstered his politi-
He was effectively the Vintcent took oath of office against the South African of the De Beers Mining Com- three light artillery pieces. cal standing at home (he won
highest local court, although at the official opening of Republic (commonly known pany who became premier of the 1896 presidential election
not a lawyer but a physician. the High Court. As the first as the Transvaal) carried out Cape Colony in 1890) as Dr The uitlander uprising against a strong rival Piet
judge in Southern Rhodesia, by Jameson and his company Jim. failed to materialise. James- Joubert) because of the raid.
The British South Africa Vintcent found himself re- troops (some “police” in the on’s force made the first con- Cecil Rhodes was forced to
Company (BSAC)’s adminis- quired to perform duties that employ of Alfred Beit’s and In 1889, Cecil Rhodes tact with a small contingent retire as prime minister of the
tration after the Anglo-Nde- went beyond ordinary judi- Cecil Rhodes’ BSAC). formed the BSAC, which was of Transvaal soldiers on 1 Cape Colony, and never truly
bele 1893 war subsequently cial work. Jameson as the ad- given a Royal Charter and, January, who had blocked the regained his prominence, al-
extended to Matabeleland. ministrator was in charge of In essence, it the Jameson with Jameson acting as emis- road to Johannesburg. With- though he negotiated a peace
On 18 July 1894, a Mata- governing the country with Raid was an ineffective at- sary, sent a ‘Pioneer Column’ drawing during the night, with various Matabele ind-
beleland Order-in-Council the help of a council of four. tempt to overthrow President across the Limpopo River Jameson’s men tried to out- unas in his fiefdom of Rho-
was formally issued. This ap- Vintcent was appointed to Paul Kruger of the Transvaal into Mashonaland (what is flank the Boers but were fi- desia.
plied to all territories which be one of the four members. Republic in December 1895. now the northern part of nally forced to surrender on
were later to comprise South- He was therefore deeply im- Zimbabwe) and then into 2 January 1896 at Doornkop, Leander Starr Jameson
ern Rhodesia, namely Mata- mersed in political and exec- Leander Starr Jameson, Matabeleland (now south- approximately 20km west of returned to South Africa in
beleland, Mashonaland, and utive matters as a judge. who lead the raid, had first west Zimbabwe and parts of Johannesburg. 1900, and after the death of
Manicaland. arrived in Southern Africa in Botswana). Jameson was giv- Cecil Rhodes in 1902 took
In November 1895, when 1878, lured by the discovery en the post of administrator Jameson and various uit- over leadership of the Pro-
Under the Order-in-Coun- Jameson was absent in the of diamonds near Kimber- for both regions. lander leaders were handed gressive Party. He was elected
cil, a High Court manned by territory preparing for the ley. Jameson was a qualified over to the British authorities prime minister of the Cape
one judge was created. It had Jameson Raid , Vintcent was medical doctor, known to In 1895 Jameson was com- in the Cape and sent back to Colony in 1904 and lead
civil and criminal original appointed the acting admin- his friends (including Cecil missioned by Rhodes (now the UK for trial in London. the Unionist Party after the
and appellate jurisdiction. It istrator. This meant he was Rhodes, one of the founders prime minister of Cape Col- Initially, they were convict- Union of South Africa in
was to apply Cape Colony the highest administrative of the De Beers Mining Com- ony) to lead a small mounted ed of treason and sentenced 1910. Jameson retired from
substantive and procedural authority in the country – pany who became premier of force (around 600 men) into to death for their part in the politics in 1914 and died in
law as at the commencement top executive and top judge Cape Colony in 1890) as Dr the Transvaal to support an plan, but the sentences were 1917.
of the order, except in native simultaneously. He held this Jim. expected uitlander uprising commuted to heavy fines and
civil cases (customary law). post for a year as Jameson in Johannesburg. They de- token prison stays - Jameson When the first Chimuren-
Leander Starr Jameson, ga broke out, Vintcent de-
An appeal from the High who led the raid, had first clared martial law on 20 June
Court was to lie in the Cape 1896. He also assumed the
Supreme Court in South Af- role of head of the military
rica in civil cases where the organisation. He therefore
disputed amount was in ex- became judge, administrator
cess of 100 pounds. The Rho- and commander-in-chief of
desian judiciary was small, the defence forces —whatev-
conservative and heavily al- er their rudimentary form.
lied with the BSAC.
Justice Joseph Vintcent Vintcent became one of
Like Southern Rhodesia’s the most vicious people in
first Chief Justice Sir Murray suppressing the Ndebele and
Bisset, the first High Court Shona uprising. Shona ser-
judge, Joseph Vintcent, was vants and labourers were be-
born in South Africa. His ing rounded and when any
father was a member of the tried to escape they would be
Cape legislature. He went court-marshalled and shot.
to Cambridge and studied As acting administrator and
law. He was called to the En- judge, he is recorded by TO
glish Bar in early 1885 and, Ranger (Revolt in Southern
a month later, was admitted Rhodesia  1896-7)  as having
as an advocate in the Cape. said that: “This is a time for
He immediately started prac- arbitrary power in the interests
tising. of the general public.”

A year later, in 1886, he After the rebellion, Vint-
accepted appointment as a cent became a member of the
prosecutor in present-day first Legislative Council of
Botswana. On 10 Septem- Southern Rhodesia — a kind
ber 1894 after eight years as of parliament. So the first
Crown Prosecutor in Brit- High Court judge was in-
ish Bechuanaland (Botswa- volved in executive, military,
na), Vintcent was appointed judicial and parliamentary
by the BSAC the first High matters.
Court judge in present-day
Zimbabwe. Vintcent was In 1898, the Southern
now an experienced colonial Rhodesia Order-in-Coun-
employee of the Crown. cil was passed. It provided
for, among other things, a
Tanser states that the ap- High Court with appeals to
pointment of Vintcent was and reservation of points of
very popular. He was the law for the Cape Supreme
brother of Louis Vintcent, Court in South Africa, and
a trooper in the BSAC’s Pi- ultimately an appeal to the
oneer Corps. He had jour- Judicial Committee of the
neyed to Mashonaland with Privy Council in the United
the Pioneer Column. He Kingdom.
was subsequently appoint-
ed mining commissioner at
Lomagundi, but died after

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 27
and the body is buried in un-
Issue 28, 30 April 2021 marked graves.
Early judicial work
All the courts were re- The early work of the two
quired, so far as not inappli- judges was not without con-
cable to apply the law of the troversy. Much of the con-
Cape Colony as at 10 June troversy involved the unjust
1890, with a special provision manner in which Africans
providing for the application were tried and punished,
of native customary law. No while whites virtually went
subsequent statute of the scot-free for crimes commit-
Cape Colony was to be of ef- ted against natives.
fect unless specifically applied
to Southern Rhodesia. Their decisions reflected
the interests of the Pioneer
When the Southern Rho- community. One of the ear-
desia Order-in-Council of ly legal complications arose
1898 was issued, Vintcent from cases that involved na-
was appointed senior judge. tives. The British colonial
Senior judge meant he was policy on paper required that
the senior of the two. It could justice be dispensed accord-
be taken to be some form of ing to law.
“chief justice”.
Until 1899, Rhodesian
John Philip Watermeyer Mbuya Nehanda and others were hanged by the first Rhodesian High Court judge. High Court trials were heard
Like the other judges, he was by one of the two judges and
born in Cape Town, South While in the early years, Portrait of first Rhodesian High Court Justice Joseph Vintcent. three assessors. However, the
Africa. His father was a judge the Cape administration European public pushed for
on the Cape bench for many wanted to slow down rushed Mission tried to convert both Nehanda was defiant to screaming and resistance trial by jury which they said
years. Watermeyer, like Vint- justice, their minds changed Nehanda and Kaguvi to the the end. It is recorded that Fr of Nehanda as she was be- they were accustomed to.
cent, studied law at Cam- when a rebellion threatened Catholic faith on death row. Richartz was given the task of ing taken up the scaffold to
bridge and was called to the their political interest —the Kaguvi’s daughter who lived informing the prisoners that be hanged deeply disturbed As a result, trial by jury was
English Bar in 1885. He then colony itself. at the mission and was at- they would be hanged on Kaguvi who was going to be introduced for both black
went to Cape Town, got ad- tending the mission school the next day, that is 27 April next. He was being held near- and white. For one to serve
mitted and commenced prac- From the Cape, Milner pressured her father to con- 1898. Kaguvi showed fear by and heard even the noisy as a juror, one had to have,
tice as an advocate. wanted the local administra- vert. and began to cry. opening of the trap-door and among other things, a certain
tor Grey to expedite the trials the heavy thud with which level of education, be a vot-
On 30 July 1896, Water- so that Nehanda and Kaguvi Just before his execution, Kaguvi’s father-in-law she fell to die. It must have er, and private ownership of
meyer was appointed by the could served as examples. He Kaguvi converted to the Chief Mashonganyika and been very traumatic. property. This obviously ex-
BSAC to be the second high wrote to Grey: “Get the mur- Catholic faith. Mzampi took the news quiet- cluded all natives from con-
court judge. He was a close derers tried as soon as you can. ly. Nehanda began to dance, After the execution of sideration.
friend of the administrator It would be better to deal with Fr Richartz then baptised to laugh and talk so much Nehanda and Kaguvi, their
William Milton. fifty percent promptly than to him and gave him the name that warders were obliged to bodies were buried in a se- In those early years, there
wait a year longer to bag the of the good thief named Dis- tie her hands and watch her cret place lest the natives was a fear of what was called
Under the Southern Rho- whole lot. It is the deterrent mas and says: “with whom he continually as she threatened could take away the bodies Black Peril. According to
desia Order-in-Council of effect of strong punishment was to share the great blessing to kill herself. and claim that their spirits Jock McCullogh (Black Peril,
1898 the judicial system was which I look to. And try first of forgiveness in the hour of had descended on any other White Virtue: Sexual Crime
reorganised and the High the ones in whose cases you death…” On the day of execution, prophetess. in Southern Rhodesia  1902-
Court of Matabeleland was have the surest evidence.” Fr Richartz tried again to talk 35), Black Peril was rape or
reconstituted as the High Dismas is the name of the to Nehanda about religion, To this day we maintain assault, act, or overtures, and
Court of Southern Rhodesia It was very important for thief who is said to have said but she refused, called for her this practice of hiding bod- the molesting of women for
with full jurisdiction, civil the British Crown to show to Jesus on the cross after re- people and wanted to go back ies of executed prisoners. The the purpose of exciting or sat-
and criminal, over all persons that it would not tolerate re- buking the other thief who to her Mazowe and die there. relatives of the condemned isfying “bestial desires”.
and over all matters within bellion that threatened a hold mocked Jesus: “Remember prisoners are denied the body,
Southern Rhodesia, subject on its colonies. me in Paradise.” We are also told how the It theoretically embraced
to special provisions regard- indiscreet gestures, famil-
ing native law and custom. But Grey refused to be iarity or even friendship. In
hurried and allowed the po- essence, it was the fear that
By High Commissioner’s lice and the courts to proceed black men were after white
Notice No. 20 of 29 Decem- at their own rate. females.
ber 1898, the High Court of
Southern Rhodesia was de- At trial, their counsel, cor- There was large imbalance
clared “open from and after rectly, argued in their defence within the settler community
the first day of January 1899.” that the country was in a with regards to availability of
state of war. Of course, this females. White females were
Through the High Com- defence was conveniently dis- outnumbered by white males
missioner’s Notice No. 24 missed by the court because it five times. This meant that
of 29 December 1898, Vint- had serious legal and political many white males ended up
cent was appointed senior repercussions for the colonial harassing and raping black
judge and Watermeyer was administration and conquest. women.
appointed a puisne judge of Several witnesses testified
the High Court of Southern against them and others tes- Sexual relationship across
Rhodesia. tified for them. Both were races became the subject
convicted and sentenced to of criminal legislation. The
So Vintcent was based in death. Immorality Suppression Or-
Bulawayo, while Watermeyer dinance of 1903, for exam-
was based in Harare. Historian David N Beach ple, made sexual relations
raises serious doubts about between a black man and
Watermeyer’ trial of Nehanda the fairness of Nehanda’s tri- a white woman unlawful.
Nehanda, Kaguvi, Mashon- al. There was no corresponding
ganyika and others were prohibition of a sexual re-
brought to trial on 2 March He believes that she may lationship between a white
1898. Kaguvi and Nehanda have been wrongly convicted. man and a black woman.
were tried by Watermeyer and It is evident that the colonial There was a follow-up law
three assessors. History books administration was desperate that imposed a death penalty
indicate that they were in fact to suppress this uprising and for attempted rape. This law,
represented by a counsel. would pervert justice if neces- though silent on racial appli-
Kaguvi was charged with sary to achieve their ends. cation, was used to punish
the murder of an African black men on the thinnest of
policeman on 20 June 1896. Fr Richartz of Chishawasha evidence, causing untold suf-
Nehanda and three others fering of the innocent.
were charged with the mur-
der of native commissioner In enforcing these laws
Pollard. which were meant to protect
Nehanda, Kaguvi, the settler community from
Mashonganyika and others the ravages of native men’s
were sentenced to death for libido, the judges and juries
their role in the  1896-7  re- played a crucial role.
bellion. They were executed
on 27 April 1898.

Page 28 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Recipe for conflict: Northern Mozambique’s
tinder-dry fields of straw are ripe for burning

DAVID MATSINHE

TO understand the roots of Mozambique army soldiers patrol the streets of Palma, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, on 12 April 2021.
the insurgency in Mozam-
bique’s Cabo Delgado prov- regional economic, social and sation activities); they can be Such an economic and social mining aggravated impover- into signing the forfeiture of
ince, one has to look at how political (im)balance favours relatively intact (for example, vacuum ensured that com- ishment in the province. Tete their home ecosystem, only
Maputo, in pursuit of coal the southern region at the ex- untouched natural forests or munities relied on their home is a mind-boggling irony — it to learn much later what they
and gas wealth, has dispos- pense of central and northern wetlands). Ecosystems give ecosystems for their economic, is the energy capital of south- had signed.
sessed communities, banished regions; and the extraction and preserve life through (a) social, cultural and environ- ern Africa as it supplies power
them from their home eco- of resources from central and food, water, timber, medicinal mental necessities. to Mozambique, South Afri- Working with and on be-
systems and stripped them of northern ecosystems benefits plants, and fibre supply; (b) ca and Zimbabwe, and coal half of gas companies, govern-
their economic, social, cultur- a small political elite tucked floods, disease, waste, water The discovery of miner- to the international markets. ment officials corner a village
al and environmental rights, away 2,500km down south. and air quality regulation; (c) al resources changed this Yet, of Tete’s nearly 500,000 leader and ask him, isn’t it a
as well as human dignity. recreational, aesthetic, identi- time-honoured dynamic — households, only 11% are good idea that the government
From Frelimo’s standpoint, ty, and spiritual benefits; and the central and northern eco- connected to the national bring economic development
Tomás Vieira Mário, a well- governance entails balancing (d) soil formation, photosyn- systems rapidly attracted both power grid for lighting — the such as foreign investments,
known veteran Mozambican these centrifugal forces on a thesis and nutrient cycling the government and mining, majority live in darkness and jobs, roads, hospitals, and
journalist and civil society tightrope. In Maputo, gov- support. oil and gas companies. Com- shocking poverty. schools to Palma? When the
leader, likens the root causes ernance is understood as en- munities became a nuisance village leader agreed it was a
of the brutal conflict in Cabo suring the economic, social, Self-preservation depends that stood in the way of eco- In Palma, the northern- good idea, the officials would
Delgado province to fields of cultural, and political docility on the flows of ecosystem ser- nomic progress. They had to most district of Cabo Delgado order him on the spot to sign
straw. His point is that abys- of the central and northern vices. be evicted from their home province, lies the Afungi eco- a document he could not read.
mal governance had drained populations while amassing ecosystems through misinfor- system, home to farming and With such contempt for core
Mozambique’s central and personal wealth and practising Due to economic and so- mation, manipulation, decep- fishing communities for cen- human decency, Palma com-
northern regions dry as hay, grotesque conspicuous con- cial exclusion, communities tion, intimidation and threats. turies. Here, Anadarko (now munities lost their most valu-
making them prone to fires sumption enabled through the in the central and northern Total) has been building in- able economic, social, cultur-
(conflict). Mário’s allegory exploitation of resources from ecosystems are barely buffered Tete and Cabo Delgado frastructure for the logistics of al and environmental assets
begs the questions: how were the central and northern eco- against environmental chang- To illustrate these regions’ gas, people and machines. The (their ecosystems) to foreign
these regions transformed into systems. es through technology and transformation into fields of offshore gas pumping would investors.
fields of straw? What are the public services. During the straw, let us consider the ex- require a network of underwa-
material conditions that con- Ecosystems governance four decades of independence, pulsion of communities from ter pipelines to transport the On 24 March, the armed
stitute the straw? And how did To better appreciate the the central and northern re- their home ecosystems in Tete gas into the liquefaction plant group locally known as “al-
they come into being? central and northern regions’ gions experienced weak and and Cabo Delgado provinces. on land. Shabaab” attacked the town
transformation into fields of ineffective governance, little Tete province has a little of Palma, and for the first
The Mapungubwe Insti- straw, which are prone to ten- investment in public services over 2.6-million people, most Such an undertaking would time, killed white expatriates,
tute for Strategic Reflection sions, conflict and violence, let and infrastructure including of whom depend on their also entail traffic of ships trav- sending shockwaves across the
(Mistra) has published Land us substitute ecosystems gov- education, health, housing, home ecosystems services for elling between the offshore globe. What is conveniently
in South Africa: Contested ernance for land governance. water and sanitation systems, survival. Yet, as the map of gas wells and the liquefaction forgotten is that years before
Meanings and Nation Forma- The UN Millennium Ecosys- roads and bridges, and inter- coal mining projects shows, plant on land. Afungi and the alleged foreign radical
tion, a book about connections tem Assessment describes eco- net and telecommunications the government licenced 61% Mocimboa da Praia’s coast- preacher came to town with his
between land governance and systems as dynamic complexes networks. of Tete to mining companies. al ecosystems, vital for local matchbox, the Maputo-based
economic, social, and political of plants, animals, microor- To do this, the government communities’ survival for cen- political elite had completed
conditions in southern Africa. ganisms and inanimate mate- The effects of this neglect dispossessed communities, turies, would now be off-lim- all the necessary groundwork
In the book, 13 authors sound rial and elements interacting include poor performance in banishing them from their its. for the preacher’s convenience:
the alarm about how various with one another, forming a all the three-dimensional hu- home ecosystems, stripping the transformation of Cabo
aspects of land governance functional unit. man development indicators: them of their economic, so- Palma residents tell the Delgado into fields of straw.
transform southern Africa into Ecosystems can be com- health (child mortality, nu- cial, cultural, and environ- tale of how eviction from the
dangerous fields of straw. prehensively transformed and trition), education (years of mental rights, as well as their Afungi ecosystem took place All it would take was a few
systematically managed land- schooling, enrolment), and human dignity. through misinformation, de- sparks of the preacher’s deviant
My chapter, titled “Land, scapes (for example, through living standards (water, san- Contrary to the grandiose ception, intimidation, threats religious ideology to ignite the
Rights and Dignity”, doc- agricultural land and urbani- itation, electricity, cooking promises, dispossession and and aggression. Without free, fire in a grotesque distortion of
uments this process in Mo- fuel, floor, assets), and unem- prior, and informed consent, Islam.
zambique, where the current ployment (notably of youth). illiterate peasants were conned
regime of land governance — DAILY MAVERICK
encourages the scramble for
resources in the name of eco-
nomic development — often
without human rights due
diligence, just compensation,
and free, prior and informed
consent — a prolific produc-
tion of fields of straw.

Structural conditions
The transformation of large
parts of Mozambique into
fields of straw occurs within
structural conditions of possi-
bility, which negate the Freli-
mo-led government’s legitima-
cy. These structural conditions
operate as centrifugal forces
with the real possibility of
throwing the parasitic Mapu-
to-based political class off-bal-
ance.
Part of the colonial legacy,
the referred structural condi-
tions, include: the vast major-
ity of the population (78.4%)
is concentrated in the central
and northern regions; poverty
is overwhelmingly concentrat-
ed in rural areas; the central
and northern regions are over-
whelmingly rural; mineral re-
sources are by far concentrated
in the central and northern
regions; two thirds (66.6%)
of the population lives in rural
areas; the central and northern
regions are strongholds of the
opposition; the asymmetric

NewsHawks Cabo Africa News Page 29

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 increased its estimate of Delgado situation to 2,916 personnel, as
the number of insurgents well as seven helicopters,
Situation Summary killed in the battle for Pal- killing many of the in- The technical team The team also couched five fixed-wing manned
Civilians in Palma town ma at the end of March surgents and wounding was led by Botswanan the threat posed by insur- aircraft, four drones, two
remained under threat to 41. Military spokes- some of the displaced Brigadier Michael Muko- gents as regional. Evaluat- surface patrol ships, and
last week, with insurgents man Chongo Vidigal told civilians. The civilians komani and also includ- ing likely insurgent cours- a submarine. The bulk of
returning to the town reporters that govern- escaped, walking only at ed representatives from es of action, the team the forces -- 1,860 troops
and clashes between in- ment forces found four night until they reached Angola, South Africa, predicted that the group in all -- would come in
surgents and government insurgent corpses buried Nangade, roughly 100 Malawi, Tanzania, and would pursue “terror ac- the form of three light
troops forcing more peo- together on 15 April, in- kilometers west of where Zimbabwe. There was no tivities in the identified infantry battalions. The
ple to flee for the Tan- creasing the count of in- they started. Mozambican represen- countries that are seen to proposed distribution of
zanian border. On 19 surgents killed from the tative. The team worked be supporting Mozam- forces -- over 2,000 infan-
April, civilians discov- previous estimate of 37. The Southern African quickly, meeting with bique.” The insurgency’s try and special operations
ered the bodies of three Vidigal also said that in- Development Commu- Mozambican military goal, the team assessed, is forces all told, support-
young men who had surgents kidnapped 150 nity (SADC) technical leaders in Maputo on 15 to “expand the caliphate ed by seven helicopters
been killed in the town. youth during their raid team report, discussed in April and then touring in Cabo Delgado and to -- suggests an operations
Locals said that the men on Palma, of whom three depth below, reported an Cabo Delgado on 17 the SADC region.” plan very similar to the
were likely killed by gov- were able to escape. earlier insurgent attack. April. Based on its meet- one currently employed
ernment forces, who have According to the report, ings, the team conclud- To address the per- by Mozambican forces,
been conducting violent A woman who was insurgents killed one ed that the Mozambican ceived regional threat, the in which ground forc-
sweeps of the town in an among those kidnapped woman on 16 April in military “requires imme- team presented two plans. es move mostly by road
attempt to root out insur- during the Palma attack an attack on “Nagunde,” diate support in the fields The first is a deployment and conduct limited dis-
gents. was among a group of 48 Muidumbe district -- pre- of Air, Maritime and of SADC forces (at a lev- mounted patrols. The
displaced civilians who sumably Nangunde, a vil- ground operational capa- el the report describes maritime aspect of the
Increased fears of in- arrived in Nangade town lage north of the district bilities [sic].” The report as “minimal”) to Cabo proposed deployment,
surgent activity in Pemba early last week, having capital of Namacande. states that Mocimboa da Delgado to “support [the however, would offer a
resulted in tragedy on 22 escaped insurgent custo- Incident Focus: SADC Praia town and port have Mozambican military] to significant augmentation
April, when government dy. She reported that in- Recommendation “been under the control neutralize the terrorists in of the Mozambican mil-
forces killed a young surgents had attempted The SADC technical of terrorist [sic] since Au- the Area of Operation.” itary’s current capacity at
trader as he rode on a to march her and a large team charged with deliv- gust 2020,” contradict- The second is a training sea, potentially improving
moto taxi past a securi- group of other civilians ering recommendations ing periodic government and logistical support Mozambique’s ability to
ty force checkpoint. The toward Pundanhar, in for a potential SADC in- claims to the contrary. package that would keep counter insurgent littoral
taxi did not stop at the western Palma district. tervention in Cabo Del- It also says that insur- foreign troops out of the operations. The proposal
checkpoint as a result of a The convoy, which also gado has turned in their gents remain at two bases combat zone in Mozam- would also increase Mo-
misunderstanding. Gov- included food and other report, and Cabo Ligado known as “Siria” and an- bique. The team recom- zambique’s intelligence
ernment troops fired at goods looted from Palma, has seen a copy of its main other known as “Mbau,” mended pursuing both and reconnaissance capa-
it as it passed, killing the was eventually intercept- text. The report, which presumably in the Mbau plans simultaneously, bilities, largely through
passenger and wounding ed by helicopters asso- the technical team will administrative post in bringing in foreign troops added intelligence-gath-
the driver. Terrified, the ciated with government present at a SADC Dou- southern Mocimboa da to help with the fighting ering platforms.
driver continued driving forces on 27 March. It ble Troika meeting on 29 Praia district. Mozambi- while standing up the
all the way to Pemba hos- is unclear if the helicop- April, paints a damning can forces have claimed training mission. The recommendation
pital, but the passenger ters were from Dyck Ad- picture of the Mozambi- operations against all of comes at a time when
was dead by the time he visory Group or if they can government’s coun- these bases in the past. Despite the report’s debate on the presence
arrived. were associated with the terinsurgency effort thus The team assessed that the characterization of the of foreign troops in Mo-
Mozambican military. far and recommends a pace of insurgent attacks planned deployment as zambique is heating up
On the evening of 23 The helicopters attacked, significant regional mili- would likely increase after “minimal,” it would ac- domestically. Renamo
April, an attack believed tary intervention. Ramadan. tually be quite substan- leader Ossufo Momade
by sources on the ground tial. The proposed de- explicitly called for di-
to have been perpetrated ployment would come rect intervention in Cabo
by insurgents resulted in Delgado by SADC coun-
at least five civilian deaths tries last week, saying
and seven homes burned that Frelimo was not as
in Palma’s Expansão concerned about national
neighborhood. Civilians sovereignty as it appears
displaced at Quitunda to be today when it invit-
who asked government ed foreign troops to help
troops about the attack fight Renamo during the
received no response, in- Mozambican civil war.
creasing fears that insur- Frelimo secretary-general
gents will target Quitun- Roque Silva, in contrast,
da directly. told reporters that foreign
troops would not be effec-
On 25 April, fighting tive in Cabo Delgado and
erupted again in Palma said that only logistical
town. Civilians in the support for Mozambican
town reported hearing troops was necessary. Sil-
heavy gunfire and ex- va’s statement seemed to
plosions. Many people echo Mozambican presi-
who had been staying in dent Filipe Nyusi’s speech
the town left, heading two weeks ago, in which
north towards Tanzania he seemed to categorical-
in hopes of being trans- ly oppose the prospect of
ported to the Negomano foreign troops involved in
border post in Mueda combat in Cabo Delgado.
district, from which they
can travel to Mueda town Mozambican Prime
or Pemba. Others joined Minister Carlos Agost-
the over 20,000 displaced inho do Rosário, speak-
people still stranded at ing to parliament on 21
Quitunda, from which April, attempted to side
there is little hope of evac-
uation in the near term.

The government has

Page 30 Africa News NewsHawks

step the debate. He ac- society. The Center for ations. the one doing the distri- the trucks back on the Issue 28, 30 April 2021
knowledged that Mozam- Democracy and Devel- Government Response bution, while the World barge without unloading
bique is already receiving opment (CDD) slammed Tropical Cyclone Jobo Food Programme wants the food because the driv- Ligado will cover in depth
some forms of military the proposal, calling the ensured that rain con- to handle distribution ers could not find anyone next week — told report-
support from its SADC deployment plan “inap- tinued to pelt the Cabo independently. Until the from the government’s ers last week that insur-
neighbors, but declined propriate” and criticizing Delgado coast last week, deadlock can be resolved, humanitarian office (the gents have destroyed 313
to elaborate on the nature the SADC team for not further immiserating the no international food aid INGD) to handle the kilometers of electric lines
of the support. Instead, meeting with indepen- over 20,000 people still can travel to Quitunda. distribution. Hanlon’s in the province, which
he seemed intent on mak- dent experts. The pro- displaced at Quitunda. sources also said that pri- will cost about $5.1 mil-
ing the argument that the posed deployment, CDD Those people are still not As it currently stands, vate citizens put together lion to fix.
nature of foreign military said, is “almost [the size being reached by interna- the government is not a 100 ton food shipment,
support is not a suitable of ] a Mozambican army,” tional food aid, largely as making a compelling case and were angered when Mozambique’s Cham-
topic for public debate and would likely desta- a result of a standoff be- for itself as an effective Frelimo seemed to ap- ber of Commerce also
because it involves dis- bilize combat operations tween international aid food distributor in Palma propriate 20 tons of it for reported that local busi-
closing details of military while providing no solu- groups and the Mozambi- district. distribution at a party ral- nesses have lost $90
matters. tions to the social and can government over who ly in Palma and then the million as a result of the
humanitarian crises at the will distribute the food. Things on the ground other 80 tons went miss- Palma attack. Cham-
Despite do Rosário’s center of the conflict. The According to Joseph Han- around Palma are so dis- ing altogether. ber president Agostinho
attempts to quiet debate, report included no clear lon’s Mozambique news- organized that, accord- Vuma called the situation
response to the leaked proposals for deployment letter, the government ing to Hanlon, the gov- This account tracks a “nightmare for the pri-
SADC proposal has been of civilian assets to con- insists that it should be ernment sent six trucks with another, reported by vate sector,” as there is no
vociferous from some cor- duct humanitarian oper- loaded with food to Pal- Zitamar News, in which clarity over when subcon-
ners of Mozambican civil ma via barge about two a 90 ton food shipment tractors involved in the
weeks ago and then put from Pemba was simply Afungi natural gas project
deposited on the beach at will be paid or when work
REF: PRESIDING OFFICERS’ GOWNS Afungi with no one avail- will resume.
able to distribute it.
Date: April, 26, 2021 The plight of those
In the meantime, dis- businesses will not be
Dear Valued Service Provider placed people are attempt- helped by Total’s decision
ing to leave Quitunda to declare force majeure
RE: INVITATION TO TENDER: DESIGNERS & SAMPLES FOR THE FOLLOWING any way they can. About in response to the Palma
GOWNS 210 people arrived by attacks, suspending all
boat in Pemba last week onshore contracts with
Parliament of Zimbabwe is asking for quotations for the designing and provision of samples of from Quitunda, having the French energy major.
the above mentioned. apparently traveled in An industry expert called
The quotations should be submitted in sealed envelopes clearly marked “DESIGNERS & contravention of a strict the declaration “the nu-
SAMPLES” not later than 7 May 2021 to: government order against clear option,” indicating
unauthorized coastal sea Total’s complete lack of
Mr. A Malunga travel north of Pemba. In faith that the security sit-
Chairperson of the Procurement Committee total, the United Nations uation in Cabo Delgado
Fourth Floor, Parliament Building International Organiza- will improve soon. It puts
Kwame Nkrumah Ave/Third Street tion for Migration counts the possibility of Total
Harare 27,913 people having pulling out entirely on
fled Palma district since the table, a scenario that
Yours Sincerely the 24 March attack, not would radically reshape
K.M. Chokuda counting those still stuck the political and econom-
CLERK OF PARLIAMENT in Quitunda. ic environment in Mo-
zambique as a whole and
Of those, 5,749 of would be catastrophic for
those have made it all the the Nyusi government.
way to Pemba, and many
of them have spent time In addition to a possi-
in the Centro Desporti- ble SADC deployment to
vo, a sports complex that help forestall Total’s com-
was converted into a tran- plete withdrawal, Frelimo
sit center for displaced figures are increasingly
civilians. According to making the case for spe-
the most recent available cial tribunals to handle
report, the population prosecutions of insur-
at Centro Desportivo gents.
is down to 124 people
from a height of 315 on Justice minister Hele-
14 April, indicating that na Kida argued last week
people are being moved that special courts to ad-
on to host communities dress crimes committed
and relocation sites in during the Cabo Delgado
southern Cabo Delgado, conflict are necessary to
but there is still work to efficiently prosecute the
be done to find hous- “particular type of crime”
ing for people displaced committed by insurgents.
from Palma. Elsewhere The current difficulties
in the province, the cost the government is hav-
of the conflict continues ing securing convictions
to mount. Cabo Delgado against alleged insurgents
provincial secretary Ar- in existing courts, howev-
mindo Ngunga — who er, have more to do with
has been appointed head the lack of evidence avail-
of the Northern Integrat- able against defendants
ed Development Agen- and prosecutors’ lack of
cy, a development Cabo resources than the legal
structure of the Mozam-
bican court system.

— Cabo Ligado Weekly

NewsHawks Opinion Page 31

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 Why renewable energy won’t partnerships are likely to rep-
end energy poverty in Zim licate the energy inequalities
ELLEN FUNGISAI CHIPANGO that served the powerful and
The Kariba Dam, a hydroelectric dam in the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi river basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe. ignored the economically
ZIMBABWE is one of the weak.
African countries which is like pouring new wine This is true for both  coal- For China, energy poverty in This makes Zimbabwe more
hope to address their energy into old wine skins. based  and  renewable  energy Zimbabwe is an opportuni- technologically dependent. Renewable energy tech-
problems throught renew- The research generation. ty for its economic growth. nologies would work if,
able energy technologies. I analysed how policymakers The unequal distribution It is a vicious cycle where somehow, they did more for
and implementers have high- What is seldom acknowl- of economic power keeps the powerful country invests the poor than for the power-
About 42% of Zimbabwe’s lighted some aspects of ener- edged is the skewed nature Zimbabwe energy poor. Ac- in these technologies, sells ful. But in reality, the oppo-
households are connected to gy poverty rather than oth- of this relationship. China cumulation is happening at the product in the name of site is true.
the electricity grid. ers. This has led to renewable has  global dominance  in re- one pole and energy poverty addressing energy poverty,
energy being touted as an an- newable energy technologies. at another. To illustrate this, ploughs the profit back in as First, the private partners
The country has huge and tidote to energy poverty. For example, the Chinese so- consider a poor rural house- new investment, and begins (independent power produc-
diverse renewable energy po- lar PV cell and module mak- hold: would it risk investing accumulation once more. ers) aren’t ordinary citizens,
tential. Its sustainable energy From the data, the follow- ers quickly dominated global in a solar panel and a battery but the economically power-
portfolio could include solar, ing political and economic sales. And the country’s wind knowing that the equipment This is made possible by ful and politically connected.
hydro, biomass and, to a lim- factors emerged. They ex- turbine producers are poised might be of poor quality? accumulation’s close rela-
ited extent, wind and geo- plain why renewable energy for significant exports. tive: public-private part- Second, the flawed na-
thermal. Zimbabwe put for- is not a magic bullet for en- This is not only true for nerships. For example, the ture of the  tendering sys-
ward a  National Renewable ergy poverty: The influx of cheap and households, but also coun- National Renewable Energy tem  cannot be overstated.
Energy Policy  in 2019. The Politics of energy and tech- poor quality Chinese goods tries. Because most renewable Policy promotes public-pri- It is normally associated
policy  aims  to have 16.5% nological dependency to Zimbabwe hasn’t helped. energy technological resourc- vate partnership and private with  corruption  and  politi-
of the total generation ca- China has become a source These include electrical es and expertise are  concen- participation through ten- cal interference.
pacity (excluding large hy- of finance for large-scale en- equipment such as solar pan- trated  in China, they would dering for off-grid technol-
dro) from renewable sources ergy projects in Zimbabwe. els. need to be transferred from ogies. When the interests of What is more, this elite
by 2025. This increases to Energy as a tool of accumu- this region of technological the private sector are put at group tends to benefit from
26.5% by 2030. These are lation dominance to  Zimbabwe. the heart of infrastructure the state’s intervention.
among the  goals  it has pre- planning, public-private
sented to the United Nations In a bid to address the
Framework Convention on concerns of investors and
Climate Change and they developers, renewable energy
are promoted in its  climate projects are exempted from
policy. customs and general excise
regulations. This is guided
For  policymak- by  legislation  such as the
ers,  non-governmental or- Value Added Tax Act and its
ganisations, the  private sec- regulations. For the investors
tor and some researchers, it is and developers, the goal is
a given that renewable energy to increase supply – and for
technologies are the answer. them to benefit in the process
They could meet Zimbabwe’s – despite the socio-economic
growing energy demand and problems and inequalities
achieve universal access sus- this generates.
tainably. At face value this is Going forward
appealing – but the devil is Renewable energy technol-
in the detail. ogies are politics by other
means. The way forward lies
My  research  looked into in challenging the political
how renewable energy tech- and economic fundamentals
nologies are understood and of this technology.
how they could alleviate en-
ergy poverty in Zimbabwe. Renewable energy tech-
nologies are not a wholly
I found that they are only independent variable in the
one piece of the puzzle and development process – they
other pieces are habitually depend on socio-econom-
missing. No matter how well ic and political relations. If
designed and efficient tech- those aren’t addressed, uni-
nologies are, their effective- versal energy access through
ness is linked to the country’s renewable energy technolo-
political economy. gies will remain a dream.

Socio-economic and polit- —The Conversation.
ical factors keep convention- *About the writer: El-
al energy out of reach of the len Fungisai Chipango. Is
poor. My study shows that a post-doctoral research
they can do the same with re- fellow at the University of
newable energy. These factors Johannesburg in South Af-
may even worsen inequality. rica.
Adding renewable energy
technologies into the existing
energy sector structures

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Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 32 Issue 28, 30 April 2021

HERMAN:
Child star
with bright
future!

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA since it dropped on 13 October 2020.
The track has an easy-to-follow tune.
AT 13, Herman’s music career is off to a
good start and he has already endeared Herman, whose voice sounds boyish, sings
himself well with young and old music lov- about love, something his critics wor-
ers alike. ry about, considering his age. And now
Chokoloko has so far streamed 63 000
Possessing a soothing voice and soulful views since its release. Another single, Fan-
melodies, Herman proved his mettle after tastico, followed and also enjoyed massive
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and First airplay. Recently, he dropped Shaina, a col-
Lady Auxillia took to the dance floor at a laboration with gospel hitmaker Sebastian
recent pre-Independence children’s party Magacha which put Herman on the spot-
held at State House. light.

That performance, which had every- However, critics fear that by the time he
one up on their feet, was enough to earn turns 16 he will probably be singing about
the child star a presidential scholarship. If sex, a subject that most teen stars rarely
his music career does not do well Herman shy away from. So far, he has restricted his
might as well pursue his education through subject to love, joy and happiness. But his
the Presidential Scholarship which will take greatest gift has been singing positive mes-
him through to university. sages that communicate hope and love to
his fans. Herman says he got interested in
While that is a story for another day, music at a very young age singing in Sun-
Herman is poised for greater success in mu- day school.  He then told his father about
sic, considering his positive messages. his passion for music and, fortunately for
him, from the word go his parents were
Born Mukombe Mupelo Herman on supportive of his new career path.
3 August 2008 to Mugeni Mukunda and
Ebondo Kitunda, the singer lists King 98, “My parents had no problem with it, but
Gemma Griffiths, and Holy Ten as some of they told me to wait a bit for I was still a
the musicians he wants to collaborate with kid. Then someday my dad heard me play-
in the not so distant future. ing drums and singing, that’s when he en-
couraged me to do my thing,” he once said.
In an interview with Jireh Productions,
Herman whose latest hit Chokoloko is Although he writes some of his songs, he
doing the rounds on the airwaves, said he gets help from his coach William Aberioh,
wants to take his music career to a whole who is a gospel artiste in his own right, as
new level. The much-anticipated video will well as Novi Keys, who collaborated with
drop soon but fans are already warming up ExQ on Tekenyedza.
to Chokoloko which is riding the wave of
the success of his debut — Zvandofarira Seeing that his music is getting airplay
— a Levels-produced hit. Previously, Her- and great reception, Herman wants to give
man worked with Blaqs on Zvandofari- more by way of collaborating with the
ra, a low-budget video but which served heavies, among them Holy Ten, Gemma,
the purpose, considering that it has so far King 98, Burna Boy, Davido and Diamond
garnered two million streams on YouTube Platnumz. 

NewsHawks Life & Style Page 33

Issue 28, 30 April 2021 Tich Mataz (left) being prayed for by Pastor Paul Sanyangore everything begins and ends with
God. God has a plan for you. If
Tich Mataz is arguably one I am just aggressive, says Tich Mataz you have a plan for yourself and
of the finest broadcasters to on his spirituality and hustler lifestyle if the two don’t correlate, you are
emerge in independent Zim- in trouble. If there is something
babwe with his swag, charisma of a nation, so when we were licences have been issued. vision. What sort of content how far true is the saying that I’d like to say to each and every
and commanding voice. The coming out of colonialism Would you also go for televi- should TV stations look at?  all deejays are failed musi- living human being it is: fulfil
television and radio personali- we inherited RBC (Rhodesia sion? TM: Wonderful question, there cians? your destiny. One of the things
ty is a role model to many de- Broadcasting Corporation) and TM: I am so excited about what is no African content, ladies and TM:  It’s a gift, the industries when I was growing up is I was
spite his chequered past. Mataz, boyz dzanga dziri Mozambique is happening in the word today, gentlemen. There is almost a are very similar, if you are gonna very anti-religion, anti-church
born Tichafa Matambanadzo (the guys who were in Mozam- the digitalisation. I did say we negligible amount of African be DJ you gotta love, you gotta because I didn’t understand.
in 1969, has had an illustrious bique) Charles Ndlovu (Web- are now part of a global com- content. Africans have by their have passion for music. I would
career and is still pushing the ster Shamu), they were the big munity and borders have been very nature been greatest sto- say without a shadow of doubt People hadn’t brought the
envelope. Mataz (TM) speaks presenters representing the new circumvented. Borders are no rytellers, but we have not been that we were pioneers of urban God that I know, the Jesus that
to The NewsHawks’ Jonathan nation, they had an understand- longer prohibitive, they cannot able to create systems that allow grooves. My friends, my buddie I know in the way gospel is be-
Mbiriyamveka (JM) about his ing and appreciation of what it stop the flow of information. I for us to document, to create Alex Goho, Bob, he is in the ing preached today so a lot of
religious beliefs and his survival is that they needed to do for the will go back and tell you that in libraries and to capture great States, Tsitsi I think is in Cana- people have no relationship  or 
skill he calls “Ngwavhenja”, a people since they were the voice the last five to 10 years YouTube amazing stories about Africa, if da, some of our band members understanding of God because
street name for a hustler. Read of the people. Now for obvious is now the biggest television sta- you look at National Geograph- as Pyramid way back in the day, they haven’t been told the truth
the excerpt:   reasons, a lot of people who tion. It has the biggest digital ic you will be surprised from they’ve left the country. But it about it so by my very nature I
JM: It is been long since we understood radio and the pow- content the world over. The in- the cameraman and producers was exciting then it was some- wanted to know what this was
last spoke. What have you er of radio and generate value formation industry is explosive to the voiceovers will be done thing new, we were pioneers. I about so there was migration
been up to lately?  from radio they left pakatanga and it’s gonna change the way by Caucasians. What does that wouldn’t say I failed really, but from things that I used to want
kungoshata zvinhu (due to eco- people do business for the next tell you? Africa has got to wake the industry is still underdevel- to do, to love to do and to un-
TM: Well, I’m doing all kinds nomic collapse) and those who 50 years. That is where televi- up. The African story needs to oped, it hasn’t been monetised, derstand and started moving to-
of things. You know, the world remained behind didn’t under- sion is. Television used to be be told. As long as the story of it should be, there are enough wards Christians so that I could
is fast becoming a global com- stand radio saka vanombo pot- centralised, it used to represent the lion is told by the hunter, it cents to go around in the indus- learn. And in so doing, I created
munity, so I’m trying to posi- sa potsa (so they mess up). We the colour and texture, sound will always be distorted. So Afri- try to ensure that those who are some wonderful relationships
tion myself to be able to provide now have radio which is not and culture of a people; now if ca let’s get into content creation, practitioners can get some kind with  anointed great men of
a product that can go beyond offering anything fresh and new. you are not careful, if you can’t content farming, let’s produce, of income, it’s something that God, you know I’ve worked
our borders. If you look at Chi- I’d like to implore fellow broad- create quality, the quantum, the let’s sell content and go out and we have to look at as Zimba- with Prophet Makandiwa, I’ve
na, if you look at India, if you casters to really look at what this style and the excitement that a do what we should.  bweans and as Africans. worked with Prophet Uebert
look at all the progressive con- nation needs at a time such as nation requires, you can have JM: We understand you have JM: You have been working Angel and I’ve worked with
tinents, what they’ve done is this. We need people who think as many television stations as switched to banking, are you with several men of God and Prophet Sanyangore and many
they have been able to address differently. We need quality pre- you want but people will not still in show business?  now with Prophet Sanyango- others.
global demand and in Africa senters, people who understand be interested. The onslaught TM: Yes, I’m into banking now, re and Prophet Angel. Tell us
we seem to be lacking in that anything good in anything you of digital media is pretty much real estate as well and also into how you relate with them. I congratulate Ambassador
department almost entirely. gotta be able to pray, to be or- an avalanche. So, I’ve thought trading, because it’s natural, TM: Well, everything in life be- Angel for his appointment. I do
Africans are merely becoming ganised, to do a lot of research, about it. I’m working on some- there is a lot of exchange of gins and ends with God, period! not apologise, I do not regret. 
consumers. All we do is import to be able to create value in thing with a couple of locals and money. I think that’s what we Never fool yourself that you’re It has been a great exchange of
products made by other peo- broadcasting. We don’t just international people. And we need to do as Africans. invincible; it is God who is in ideas and a learning process for
ple and, in return, we take our want people who want to sound should be going live soon. Let’s JM: You were once a musician, control.  I’ve been around for a me, but I think we haven’t even
money out to buy fancy clothes, like others on one station to the see what happens. long time now I’ve realised that started the industry, the God
fancy cars, jewelry, perfumes all other — that needs to be sorted. JM: Content is key in tele- industry has not even begun.
kinds of crazy things when we JM: A number of TV station Let me repeat, the God indus-
should actually be exporting be- try has not even begun because
cause everything that the world everything begins and ends with
needs in terms of raw material God.
comes from Africa. So it’s an JM: Are these men of God
absolute abnormality. Africa re- real?
ally should be the centre of the TM: Yeah! Everybody is a man
world economy. It’s just that of God, it’s just you decide how
Africans have not been taught you wanna operate, you wanna
or exposed. And the foundation operate independent  of him or
from which we can begin to set you wanna operate with him as
up some of these enterprises the centre of your life. I like the
has not been set, this is why we fact that you mentioned that
are lagging behind, so you find men of God, these men are not
Africans are consumers and we God, but they are men of God.
are manpower. So, I am trying And each man must carry his
to do things quite differently in own cross, really, isn’t it?
order to make a difference. JM: You often describe your-
JM: You have been on and off self as a “Tsvagist” what do
radio. Why did you leave ra- you mean?
dio?  TM: Ini ndinotsvaga, my guy,
TM: Well, I had a great oppor- handitomboregere,  kwazvino-
tunity to establish one of the putika ndokwandino mhanyira
first private stations outside of (I will never stop hustling and I
ZBC, Star FM. I think we were go where it happens). I wanna
a winning team and even the learn, I wanna go to my grave
composition and the direction empty having investigated,
we wanted to take was really dif- having participated, having ex-
ferent from what ZBC was of- perienced as much as I can and
fering, so at Star FM I had a fan- I hope I can, you know, turn
tastic opportunity to do what I down the light and say yeah
do and love the most, which is I’ve had a fantastic life on earth
radio, but I think that in terms saka ndiri mutsvagist ndikuda
of progression and in terms of kutsvaga kuti zviri papi (I’m
extrapolating value from radio, keen to find out what is hap-
Zimbabwe has not even started pening). Heh kuti zviri kufam-
yet. So I will be back on radio. I ba sei saka argh tsvagist for life
am working on something and ndizvozvo (I’m a hustler for life).
I hope to be back in the driv- There is a new saying tsvagist
er’s seat in the next two to three kana kuti ngwavhenja (runner
months.  I look forward to that. or hustler), (laughs) that’s the
JM: We seem to have dupli- new one I’m a ngwavhenja.
cation across all the radio Unenge uchingwavha ngwavha,
stations in the country which tsvagist for life.
are sounding the same. Why is JM: Would say you are a mer-
this so?  cenary? 
TM: Indeed, so quick listen on TM: No man! I’m aggressive
radio. Radio is the mouthpiece when I need to be, I’m not a bad
of the nation, of the commu- guy, I’m not out to cause prob-
nity of the people. It’s the voice lems or kushaisa vamwe (to be
of the people and what is the a stumbling block to others). I
voice? Voice represents ideas, just see myself as somebody who
inspirations, hopes, dreams rises to the occasion. 

Page 34 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

TITLE: A Lone Black Stray Cat TITLE: Broke TITLE: Little Clot On The Wall
POET: Obey Chiyangwa POET: Andy Kahari POET: Ngugi waMkirii

Who has made the lone black - stray cat preg- Bird perched on broken ledge. The white wall,
nant? the whole night is rife with frightened Sing somber Sunday mourning song. Stark in resilience,
speculation, the cat’s ungainly bearing Melodies pitched to mend Stuck in age,
is wobbling and wandering about, a broken wing in song. Stained!
a whole animal full of unwanted life and un- Careful not to raise a pitch. It is no question,
warranted shame, the light that shepherds High pitches turn Whether it is an outer wall,
her aimless wandering seems to accuse her scales off balance. Or an inner whore,
of infidelity, the night’s blaring car horns keep To see the bird fall It is plain for all,
startling her sorry soul out of reverie, the dogs in lightning thud. To see that there is war
that bark at her receding form seem to detest Broken wings can not
the smell of her abused sex, the bird drop- sustain a flight. POET: Aries Rage
pings that fall on her back seem to confirm her They only fight POEM: Sparrow
intricate relationship with misfortune, the lonely for survival.
looking prostitute who glares at her seems to The Sparrow in my bathroom
envy her pregnant gait, the street urchins who TITLE: Sparrow stares at me as I wallow in my stresses
aim for her head with crumbs of rotten bread POET: Aries Rage trying to drown my sorrows
seem to playfully sympathize with her unfortu- in a water-filled basin.
nate state, the tired policemen who glower at The Sparrow in my bathroom He chirps and I sniffle
her seems to resent her affinity for freedom, stares at me as i wallow in my stresses tears race down my cheeks,
the night watchmen who follow her little prog- trying to drown my sorrows I’m sure he knows I’m not okay.
ress with their closed eyes seem to pity her in a water-filled basin. He flaps around, does some tricks.
shuffling stance, the rainfall that pounds on her He chirps and I sniffle I look at him and smile,
endowed being seem to cleanse her of any tears race down my cheeks, maybe it’s not that bad.
wrong-doing, yet still there are these echoes I’m sure he knows I’m not okay.
in the frightened night, who has made the lone He flaps around, does some tricks. The Sparrow in my bathroom
black - stray cat pregnant? I look at him and smile, stares at me as I wipe my tears
_maybe it’s not that bad_. he chirps and I giggle,
TITLE: Parliament of doom he sounds like a Shrink pleased
POET: Sydney Nyagato The Sparrow in my bathroom with the session.
stares at me as i wipe my tears He flaps his wings, I feel relieved_
Like a parliament of owls, we sit; As if we had he chirps and i giggle, so little said, so much weight
gone owling, Like cockerels, we roost; he sounds like a Shrink pleased lifted.
On the moonlit night, we ogle. with the session.
Gone hiking, had we? On the dewy grass, we He flaps his wings, I feel relieved_ The Sparrow in my bathroom
sit; Cherishing the hooting, we listen, so little said, so much weight is like the sun, whose rays are
Quizzically, we smile; Showing inverted cones lifted. warm kisses canvassing the
of teeth, we grin. Lopsidedly, we regard one walls that embody the fragile heart
another, At the hooting of one more parliamen- The Sparrow in my bathroom and the bruised soul,
tarian; Superintending over the legislation, is like the sun, whose rays are creating a shadow_ a complete one.
One more pair of robin-shaped orbs ogle. warm kisses canvassing the
An African house of assembly? walls that embody the fragile heart
Some regional fauna, In admiration of the Oc- and the bruised soul,
cidental perspective of the avenues of life. creating a shadow_ a complete one.
A league of witches communing with Lucifer?
Some incarnations living in the dark communi-
ties. Paving ways of initiation?
The underworld no African ever envies;
The hooting communities in concert.
For no African ever appreciates, The trumpet-
ing and the hooting that spews, Like the horn
sound that destroyed the walls of Jericho; The
ugly symphony that destroys your inner walls,
The inner-city of yourself.
For you must never ever entertain the destruc-
tion of self, At the hooting of one more owl, A
parliamentarian that lost war to infamy.

NewsHawks People & Places Page 35

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

TODAY, the Skukuza main Unique hotel on a train ga.
camp is the nerve centre across a bridge in SA The standard cat’s paw
of what is virtually a state
within a state: an area the we decided against the was hyena, and those very
size of Israel with its own game drive and stayed human hands were chacma
enforcement agencies and on the pool deck instead, baboons and vervet mon-
highly militarised borders. looking down at the riv- keys. The vervets had been
erbed through binoculars. chasing each other along
Concealed in the low Njajula helped me to read the train roof the night be-
scrub are caches of au- the archive of animal tracks fore, a bit like
tomatic weapons for an- in the sand below.
ti-poaching operations, a The Jungle Book crossed
rhino orphanage, walk-in The double kidney bean with a Bond film (which is
safes full of elephant ivory of a buffalo hoof. Splodgy, a pretty good summation
— not to mention a steak- nondescript blobs from of the Kruger Shalati expe-
house franchise and a nail elephants and hippos, but rience).
bar. All the more reason to such delicate spoor from
understand the game park zebras, almost like an ome- The lounge bar guests
as an all-too-human cre- moved from one side of the
ation, rather than pining bridge to the other, trans-
for some remote and un- fixed by the progress of a
spoilt wilderness. crocodile floating lazily
downstream. The pint glass
On our final afternoon, was gone.

- FINANCIAL TIMES.

Property
NewsHawks

Page 36 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Issue 28, 30 April 2021

The home of prime property: [email protected]

HOMEOWNERS in Zimba- Airbnb catches on in Harare They also have the power to
bwe, particularly in Harare, are approve a potential booking. 
listing their spaces for Airbnb site shows that homeowners have for people who are travelling in Hosts can also include service
services, with over 300 places to been really sprucing up their groups. and cleaning charges, which will Reviews are also a major part
stay available in the capital.  homes so that they can be com- Listing homes on Airbnb has  be separate from the booking of Airbnbs as good reviews will
petitive and attractive enough.  also become an easy way of mak- charge. attract more bookings and hosts
Airbnb is an app-based hospi- ing money and there is no hustle Listing on Airbnb is free and really go out of their way to make
tality booking service for short They are also being creative of chasing up tenants who fail to hosts have control of the times their guests comfortable and en-
rental periods. with picture angles for a  good pay rentals. they want their spaces to be joy the time at their homes.  
picture that catches the eye. The payments are done online available through a public di-
The bookings range from a and bookings are confirmed after ary which shows the free and Airbnb does not own any
room, apartment, to a full house While decent hotels offer the payment has gone through. blocked times. lodgings, but the platform
and from around US$15 to high rates, Airbnb has become makes verification of a host and
around US$150 per night.  a favourable option, especially potential easier.

A scroll on the Airbnb web- — STAFF WRITER

NewsHawks Sport Page 37

Issue 28, 30 April 2021

Zim to reject proposed Test cricket model

ENOCK MUCHINJO Under the proposed model, the likes of Zimbabwe and Ireland will play Test cricket often against themselves in a second-tier league.

PROPOSED major reforms global governing body of the a few occasions at least, to im- Zimbabwe because there is buy content for Scotland and (ICC) rushed Ireland and
in world cricket, to create a sport should instead help the prove the quality of our crick- no commercial value in it. So, Netherlands? We would rather Afghanistan to full-member-
second-tier Test league for the country’s resuscitation efforts et.” we would rather they give us play the second teams of the ship without proper financial
three lowest-ranked teams, by organising matches be- their A-sides, which are good big nations and improve our consideration,” remarked the
including Zimbabwe, will be tween the best nations on the The administrator cited enough to play against any standards in the process. So, Zimbabwean official.
resisted by the African coun- planet against the African side Zimbabwe’s two-match Test of the stronger nations. It’s for me, this Test Second Divi-
try, The NewsHawks has es- at different levels of the game.  series with Pakistan, which also cheaper for us because sion is not the solution.” “If you give someone Test
tablished. began on Thursday – as well no broadcasting is required so status, they need to see the
“Teams in the WTC, from as Bangladesh’s upcoming full there are no costs.” Whilst Zimbabwe have benefits. When Ireland and
Once a reasonably compet- number one to last, must be al- tour here in June-July – as an struggled to regularly tie down Afghanistan were made Full
itive outfit in the revered five- located time to play the other example of that desire by some While hosting a team like quality opposition in Test Members, the (ICC) financial
day format of the game, Zim- three (Zimbabwe, Ireland and WTC-playing Full Members India will be a big coup for the cricket since their return to the cycle was already running; it
babwe reckons that apart from Afghanistan),” suggested the to engage the African side. Zimbabwean board in terms format in 2011, the situation didn’t include two extra mem-
further alienating the country official. of boosting its coffers, matches has been worse for Ireland and bers. They should have been
from the illustrious list of the Explaining the exclusion of against the lower sides are not Afghanistan, who have sporad- given Test-playing rights with-
world’s leading Test-playing “Let’s say England, Austra- the “Big Three” of England, profitable, said the official. ically tasted action in the pre- out Full Member status, until a
nations, the mooted plan also lia and India: they must have Australia and India from the mier format of the game since new financial model. What is a
lacks financial value for the pe- a programme to make their country’s wish-list of Test op- “Whether you play India or being awarded Test status in Full Member with no money?
rennially financially-troubled A-sides play games against ponents, the official admitted Scotland, you are going to do 2017. It was a rushed political deci-
board. Zimbabwe, Ireland and Af- that Zimbabwe lacked the production anyway, whether sion.”
ghanistan. The rest of the Full “commercial value” to attract TV or livestream. What’s the In addition, the two new-
Zimbabwe, alongside the Members must then have time these sides’ attention. point of running into produc- comers are yet to realise the Backers of the proposed
newest Test-nations Ireland where they play Tests against tion costs over five days against full financial benefits of being model had earmarked the on-
and Afghanistan, are the only the other three (Zimbabwe, “We understand the com- Scotland, when the matches Test-playing nations. going 2021-23 playing calen-
Full Members of the Interna- Ireland and Afghanistan), on mercial issue for them, so have no value? Who is going to dar as a test-run.
tional Cricket Council (ICC) they wouldn’t want to play “Truth of the matter is they
that do not participate in the
format’s flagship competition,
the World Test Championship
(WTC).

Reports this week revealed
that an ICC meeting had in-
formally discussed the possi-
bility of a Test Second Division
League to be launched in the
“next cricket calendar”, be-
tween 2023-31.

Zimbabwe, Ireland and Af-
ghanistan will likely be joined
in the Second Division by the
leading Associate nations –
Scotland and Netherlands with
the possibility of others – in a
deliberate effort to avail more
game time for these sides in
the longer version of the game.
Encompassed in the proposal
is that the countries will also
meet often in four-day match-
es outside Tests. 

However, an impeccable
source within Zimbabwean
cricket has told this publica-
tion that the board will not
support the proposal once it is
officially tabled. 

“It doesn’t benefit us at all,”
said the source. “For us to be
playing Tests against these
sides is a waste of time. it’s a
disaster, to be quite honest, it’s
a waste.”

The leading official believes
that instead of further posi-
tioning Zimbabwe with Test
newcomers and Associates, the

IT SEEMS the winter has A winter of hope and expectation when tougher opponents
set upon us a little bit ear- like Namibia and Kenya
ly this year, sending those bours who will no doubt like South Africa conspic- favourites for me to join, Cup qualifiers should not confront them in 2022 for
unable to ward off the cold target to revive their falter- uously missing out – being with the top two sides pro- be too much trouble for the solitary World Cup
of the season scurrying for ing fortunes against their in the running for a World gressing to the final phase of Zimbabwe, in all honesty. qualification slot from this
cover.  great rivals Zimbabwe. Cup place, from the same The Zimbabwe continent.
pool, will be a cross-border Rugby Union
As the days progress and By no means, I do not battle like never seen before has pulled out all As I was getting excited
the winter becomes more subtract Ghana and Ethi- between these two great na- the stops to steer about two of our country’s
punishing, Zimbabwean opia from the equation – tions. HawkZone the Sables to the foremost codes launching
sport will move into a pe- these are formidable oppo- their World Cup bids in
riod of expectation, begin- nents in Africa on any day. All this begins deep in the game’s greatest the winter, news filtered in
ning early June when our But pardon my excitement Zimbabwean winter, as our stage for the first that the third – cricket –
football team launches its at the prospects of this national rugby team unveils Enock time since 1991. will host Bangladesh in two
quest to qualify for its first great trans-Limpopo derby, its own World Cup quest But, still, how Tests, three ODIs and three
World Cup in history. which comes in a contest of at the beginning of July in Muchinjo the Sables begin T20s in June and July. 
such high stakes.  the picturesque settings of
Such a mission by the North Africa, in Tunisia. the campaign It is a rare bilateral full se-
Warriors – who are burst- With Zimbabwe having this year in Tuni- ries for Zimbabwe – across
ing at the seams with red- recently qualified for their Zimbabwe’s Sables will sia will be hugely all three formats of the game
hot talent at the moment third straight Africa Cup travel there to take on the 2023 World Cup qualifiers important because it will – and we will all be looking
– could not have started in of Nations – and then the hosts and a yet-to-be-deter- next year. provide insight into their forward to this feast. What
greater fanfare than a match factor of neighbourly rivals mined team, Cameroon the The Tunisia leg of World depth, and seriousness, for a bumper winter for Zim-
with South Africa, our fan- babwe’s best sports stars!
cied but struggling neigh- Hopefully, a good omen.

Sports A winter of
Zim to reject hope and
expectation
Test cricket

model

Thursday 1 October 2020

Friday 30 April 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE
Pakistan takes control$60Covid
tariff for
visitors &
Community
radio
regulations

tourists under review

Story on Page 8
against dCirhe aZmimibsaabrweeacStoryonPage 3
out to Khupe
ENOCK MUCHINJO After the break, debutant Roy Kaia
at Harare Sports Club fell two runs short of a half-century
when Ali trapped him leg before with
FAWAD Alam cracked an undefeated
century, his fourth in Tests, as Pakistan Unofficial president calls for emergea perfect yorker, having bombarded the
ended day two of the first contest with 29-year-old newcomer with an assort-
a commanding lead of 198 against bat- ment of short-pitched balls. 
tling Zimbabwe, who were bundled out Chakabva (19) then edged a full Ali
for a measly 176 in their first innings. delivery to third slip, where Butt took a
comfortable catch.
35-year-old left-hander Alam (108 Afridi, had earlier on in the day re-
not out) dominated the Zimbabwean moved the other Zimbabwe opener,
bowlers, who toiled hard on a wicket Prince Masvaure, who was caught in the
that has been good for batting so for in slips by Butt. 
the Test.  The much quicker Afridi wiped out
Zimbabwe’s tail by clean-bowling the
The Asian giants finished the day on last three – Tendai Chisoro (9), Blessing
374-6, losing all six wickets on Friday, Muzarabani (14), and Richard Ngarava
having continued on 103 for no loss (1).
from day one. Left-arm spinner Nauman Ali
bowled Tarisai Musakanda for 14 while
Zimbabwe seamer Donald Tiripa- debutant Milton Shumba (27) was run
no took 3-89 for the hosts, with fellow out by a combination of Butt and Sajid
pacers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Khan for Pakistan’s other wicket.
Ngarava as well as left-arm spinner Ten- Zimbabwe, missing three experienced
dai Chisoro claiming a single scalp each. players for the two-match series, had its
woes compounded further when captain
Pakistan openers Imran Butt (91) and Sean Williams failed to recover from a
Abid Ali (60) had set the foundation for soft-tissue injury on the eve of the Test.
their side at the top of the order, allow- Batsmen Shumba and Kaia are mak-
ing centurion Alam, Azhar Ali (36) and ing their Test debuts alongside seam
Mohammad Rizwan (45) to put the bowler Ngarava.
tourists in firm control of the match. Pakistan itself has handed a debut to
bowling all-rounder Sajid Khan.
On Thursday, Pakistan seamers The Asian side comes into the Tests
Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi on the back of a strong run of form in
took four wickets apiece, bowling with white-ball cricket. Pakistan won a one-
discipline to rattle the hosts, who didn’t day international and Twenty20 series
apply themselves well enough on a good in South Africa and then a T20 series
batting wicket and were guilty of soft in Zimbabwe on their tour of southern
dismissals. Africa.
Zimbabwe is desperate to prove its
26-year-old Ali, who varied his de- longer-format pedigree, having drawn
liveries admirably throughout, set the igthsalnasisttaTnesitnstehreieUs nagitaeidnsAt rmabAinEnLmoSwirOasteAIsf.N- SIDE Finance Ministy wipes out $3.2 Billion depositors funds Zim's latest land c
tone for Pakistan before lunch with two
scalps, making Zimbabwe opener Kev-
in Kasuza play onto his stumps for 14.
He then had the host’s stand-in skipper
Brendan Taylor (5) caught in the slips by
Faheem Ashraful while chasing a wide
delivery. 

Pakistan batsman Fawad Azam celebrates his century as Pakistan set a commanding
lead on Friday in the first Test match against Zimbabwe. /Pic: ZimCricket

ALSO INSIDE Zim to reject proposed Test cricket model