NewsHawks 20 August 2021-min

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WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 20 August 2021 NCEhWiriS’s exclusion SNPoOhRaTrm in
from procurement being optimistic,
RNoElWls-SRoyce committee cripples once again 
belongs to me, accountability
not Sean Story on Page 48
Mnangagwa Story on Page 17

Story on Page 4

US$2 million
payment for
Mnangagwa
family friend
still stuck in
Hungary bank

ALSO INSIDE Zimbabweans scramble out of Afghanistan chaos

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Treasury stalls US$2m red-flagged
payment to Mnangagwa family pal

OWEN GAGARE

ZIMBABWE’S Finance ministry and police are Drax Consult SAGL local representative Delish Nguwaya (left) with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Finance minister Mthuli Ncube.
stalling unblocking of the red-flagged and frozen
US$2 million paid for medical supplies by Drax 6900, Lugano, Switzerland, as its address, while UNDER TENDER WITH REFERENCE ment on 2nd of March in respect of the contract
Consult SAGL, associated with President Em- Natpharm put its 14 Lobengula Road, Souther- NUMBER: INTERNATIONAL NAT DP under NAT DP 19/2019 and 20/2019. Our in-
merson Mnangagwa’s controversial family friend ton, Harare — headquarters — as its location. 19/2019 AND 20/2019,” Dedja’s letter says. structions are to request that the response to the
local business dealer Delish Nguwaya, The New- request be processed as the money paid to our
sHawks has established. The deal, which sailed through the Health “Reference is made to the current situation clients remains frozen for the last 15 months.”
ministry, Treasury and the Procurement Regu- of products to be supplied under contract with
A stash of previously unpublished documents latory Authority of Zimbabwe with ease due to Reference Number: International NAT DP On 17 June 2021, the police’s Criminal In-
with fresh details obtained this week shows political pressure despite lingering questions and 19/2019 and 20/2019 which we are summaris- vestigation Department (CID) in Harare re-
Nguwaya and his associates at Drax, also some- suspicions, was structured as a loan facility. ing as follows: sponded to Drax’s letter, saying “be advised that
times known as Drax International following l Total balance of the goods delivered to Nat- Interpol (NCB) Harare responded to all mes-
its Dubai registration, including its founder Ilir Suspicions were raised due to Nguwaya’s pharm until now is: USD$2 733480.00; sages from Interpol (NCB) Budapest, Hungary,
Dedja, have been frantically demanding that close association with the Mnangagwa family l According to our delivery schedule we pre- through the available Interpol communication
Treasury and police answer questions posed by and his numerous public appearances with the pared goods worth USD$4 000 000.00 which channel”.
the International Criminal Police Organisation President, his wife Auxillia and their twin sons, are ready for shipment from the manufacturers;
(Interpol), which is investigating the issue, to Colin and Sean. Nguwaya is particularly close to l We have goods worth USD$210 000.00 CID said Interpol is prohibited from shar-
unblock the transaction. Sean, a Captain in the Zimbabwe National Na- shipped since March 19th that are currently in ing information with third parties as it is a po-
tional Army, who is attached to the Presidential Dubai due to flights cancellation for Harare. lice-to-police working arrangement. Prior to
Zimbabwe’s Finance ministry and police have Guards, and works with him. Their ETA to Harare is May 1st 2020; and that, Drax had also written to Interpol Harare.
kept Drax at bay over the issue. l Considering the pandemic situation due to In a letter, dated 6 October 2020, addressed to
The deal followed an expression of interest by Covid-19, we are requesting to extend the de- Commissioner Grace Ndou, Hungwe made
Drax, through its lawyers Samukange Hun- Drax to government through Natpharm, which livery time of medicines with an additional similar demands in a bid to clear the US$2 mil-
gwe Attorneys, has since early last year been is a state-owned enterprise, in 2019. Through three-month period. We will restart the regular lion blocked funds.
writing a flurry of letters to police, Interpol the loan facility, Drax supplied goods in advance schedule as soon as the airlines will restart their
Zimbabwe, Treasury, Ministry of Health, Na- and was paid later at agreed prices and margins. normally operation.” Drax also wrote to Finance permanent secre-
tional Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe tary George Guvamatanga on 28 August 2020,
(Natpharm) and the Office of the President and Documents obtained by The NewsHawks Ever since the US$2 million was paid inves- demanding the money. Guvamatanga paid the
Cabinet demanding the US$2 million — but show new details of the money trail. The funds tigations had been going on. However, progress US$2 million upon a request for the payment
to no avail. were paid by the Finance ministry located at has been stalled by authorities. In a letter, dated from the Health ministry, then under the subse-
the New Government Complex (now officially 2 June 2021, to police commissioner-general quently dismissed minister Obadiah Moyo.
The NewsHawks followed the money trail in known as Mgandane Dlodlo Building) at Cen- Godwin Matanga, Drax lawyers demanded that
a new investigation of the widely covered saga, tral Avenue or Samora Machel and 4th Street local cops answer questions posed by Interpol In response to Drax, Guvamatanga said Hun-
initially mainly reported by top local journalists (Simon Muzenda) in Harare through the RBZ, in April last year so that the funds can be un- gwe should go and get information about the
Mduduzi Mathuthu and Hopewell Chin’ono. into BancABC. blocked. Natpharm registration from the Registrar of
Companies, not him. On whether Drax had ac-
Latest information indicates the funds — The transaction was initiated in Harare on “We refer to the matter above and the meet- tually delivered the medicines and medical sun-
specifically stated in the transaction record as 2 March 2020 at 16:43pm. The money would ing of 2nd of June 2021 held at your esteemed dries it promised, he said only Natpharm would
payment for “medicines and medical supplies”, go through Germany bank Deutsche Bank offices. We act for and on behalf of Drax Con- have the proof of delivery documents.
Invoice N0. 26 — are still frozen at Drax’s Mag- Trust Company Americas’ New York subsid- sult SAGL,” Tafadzwa Charles Hungwe, Samu-
Net Bank account in Budapest, Hungry. iary, a leading provider of financial services in kange Hungwe managing partner, writes. Guvamatanga only answered one question.
the Americas. It then went to Erste Group Bank He said Treasury paid the US$2 million upon
The financial trail shows the money went AG, before landing into Drax’s MagNet Bank “The purpose of the meeting was to follow a request to do so by the Health ministry. He
from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), account, where it was frozen. up on the request made by Interpol on 29 April refused to play ball on the other issues.
government’s banker, to a local commercial 2020 with regards to the contract signed by our
bank BancABC, Deutsche Bank Trust Compa- Documents show Nguwaya and his business client and the National Pharmaceutical compa- Prior to this, Interpol had written a letter to
ny Americas in New York, United States, and partners have been piling pressure on govern- ny of Zimbabwe (Natpharm). The request has local police on 29 April 2020, as it initiated the
Erste Group Bank AG in Vienna, Austria, be- ment and police to complete the transaction, been availed to us and seeks clarification on the investigation.
fore landing into Drax’s Hungary account. and get the money. After the contract between following issues; —
Natpharm and Drax was signed on 11 Decem- 1. Whether Natpharm is a registered company. “These companies (Natpharm and Drax) may
But the funds will not be released until the ber 2019, the latter quickly moved to bring in 2. What it deals with (scope of activities). be linked to other companies that have been
Interpol investigation is finalised. supplies. In the first two months of last year, 3. Whether it has been investigated. subjects of a criminal investigation,” Interpol’s
Drax had delivered goods worth US$2 733 480. 4. What connection it has with Drax Consult Budapest office wrote in a letter to local police,
The money was paid by Zimbabwe’s Finance SAGL, especially between 2019 and 2020. beginning the probe into the US$2 million saga.
ministry on 2 March 2020 and it got into Drax’s This is contained in a letter dated 10 April
new account three days later — on 5 March. 2020, written by Dedja to Natpharm. The let- “The information referred to above is required Nguwaya refused to comment.
Drax had an office in Budapest before it hastily ter says Drax had prepared goods worth US$4 by Interpol in order to clarify the payment made “Talk to my lawyers about that,” he said. “I’m
retreated amid a subsequent Interpol investiga- million, which were ready for delivery and more by the Government of Zimbabwe through the not in a position to talk to the media as this is
tion. Drax, which also had offices in Switzer- payment. Ministry of Finance and Economic Develop- now being handled by my attorneys.”
land, opened the Hungary account to receive Efforts to get comment from the police, In-
the money to avoid scrutiny, particularly the “RE: UPDATE ON THE CURRENT SIT- terpol and government officials were unsuccess-
spectre of United States targeted sanctions on UATION OF PRODUCTS PURCHASED ful at the time of writing.
Zimbabwe.

Dedja is the only shareholder in the Swiss-reg-
istered Drax and another company called 3-DD
Swiss Trading. He registered Drax in the Ital-
ian-speaking town of Lugano on March 2017,
but the company has done little trading in Swit-
zerland. Documents show Dedja opened two
bank accounts for Drax with MagNet Bank in
Budapest on 6 December 2019. He registered
the Drax Hungary branch on 20 February 2020.

This was five days after Drax had signed
a deal. International NAT DP 19/2019 and
20/2019 — with Natpharm for the supply of
medicines and medical sundries worth US$20
million.

Drax later signed a US$40 million deal with
Natpharm, bringing the total to US$60 million.

Within 10 days of registering its Hungary
branch, Drax was paid US$2 million by govern-
ment. However, the funds were red-flagged by
banks involved in the relevant financial integra-
tion system chain for suspected money launder-
ing. Then Interpol moved in.

In its contract with Natpharm, Drax gave N0.

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Controversial
pipeline deal
to balloon to
US$4 billion

NYASHA CHINGONO lines to the Congo, South The cost of Zimbabwe’s second pipeline will shoot up to US$4 billion.
Africa and Malawi.
FRESH details on the controver- Information obtained shows the deal. Mangoma wanted to as building and operating storage project when he disinvested from
sial US$1.3 billion new pipeline that once the preliminary work is build a regional fuel hub in Zim- and pipelines for fuel and gas.” the fuel business and sold his eq-
project, whose implementation is done, there would be official re- babwe. uity to multinational commodities
being spearheaded by President leases and possibly a press confer- Mangoma and Cross tabled the company Trafigura.
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s polit- ence sometime soon by the princi- A UK source said given his ex- project at a cost of US$850 mil-
ical and business cronies, have pals, including Mnangagwa, Noic perience as a business executive, lion. However, when Zanu PF Trafigura said in February last
emerged showing that upon com- management, Coven executives first as Dairy Marketing Board won the election in 2013 it stalled year it would take control of its
pletion the deal’s cost would have and regional leaders. boss, then head of the Cold Stor- movement on the proposed proj- Zimbabwe business after buy-
escalated to US$4 billion. Investigations by  The News- age Commission and later as chief ect. ing out local partner Sakunda
Hawks have unearthed revealing executive of the Beira Corridor Holdings, owned by Tagwirei. It
The cost of the project, being details about the project that was Group, which rehabilitated the The Noic pipeline remained the increased its stake in Trafigura
driven by Mnangagwa’s new asso- facilitated by Cross and chairper- Beira pipeline in the late 1980s, main petroleum products trans- Zimbabwe to 100%, from 49%.
ciate Eddie Cross and others, has son Daniel McKenzie Ncube, an Cross was given the task to push portation infrastructure, largely The 51% was owned by Tagwirei’s
quickened from US$850 million engineer who is a long-time Mnan- the project. used by several fuel companies. Sakunda, which also operated Tra-
to US$1.3 billion, and will ulti- gagwa ally. Ncube is also Zanu PF It was later mainly controlled in figura’s Puma Energy fuel outlets.
mately surge to US$4 billion.  Midlands provincial chair. “His task was to look for a com- terms of capacity utilisation by
Cross, previously a top business pany that could design and fund a Trafigura, an international com- The global commodities trader
It is fronted by South African executive and former main op- new Beira-Harare pipeline. He did modities giant, and its local part- said at the time it had signed an
businessman Errol Gregor, chair- position MDC senior leader and so and found the Mining, Oil and ner Sakunda Holdings owned by agreement with Sakunda in De-
person of Coven Energy Ltd, the MP, is now an informal adviser to Gas Supply Company (Mogs) in business tycoon Kudakwashe Tag- cember 2019 to take full control
company given the deal. Mnangagwa and Finance minister Johannesburg, South Africa,” the wirei. of the Zimbabwean business after
Mthuli Ncube. source said. buying Sakunda’s shares.
The project is a 50-50 joint ven- He is more listened to by Mnan- The new pipeline was seen as
ture between Coven and the Na- gagwa than the redundant and “The company had been found- a commercial threat to their Bei- Part of the problem became that
tional Oil Infrastructure Company dysfunctional Presidential Advi- ed by Gregor, a South African ra-Harare oil infrastructure stran- Gregor later sold his 51% to Roy-
of Zimbabwe (Noic). sory Council, hence he enabled chemical engineer who refused to glehold. Noic controls the existing al Bafokeng Holdings. Mogs was
the deal. A fortnight ago, Cross serve in the apartheid army and pipeline despite reports that Tag- already controlled 49% by South
Documents show that after launched Mnangagwa’s biography, left South Africa to start a new life wirei does. Africa’s state-owned Public Invest-
cabinet approved the project last opening a new chapter in their in Texas, the United States. ment Corporation.
week, the feasibility study will now cosy relations. In the past, Noic had a partner-
follow. It will take three months. The President’s men want to “While there, Gregor estab- ship with Lonmin, formerly the Various engagements sub-
Once that is completed, the proj- build Zimbabwe’s second fuel lished Mogs as a service company mining division of Lonrho plc, sequently followed behind the
ect will go back to the government pipeline from Beira in Mozam- for the oil and gas business in the now acquired by Sibanye-Stillwa- scenes and after Tagwirei sold his
for approval and then the design bique to Harare, which they say southern states of America. This ter, a South Africa mining giant, fuel business to Trafigura to con-
phase will follow before it goes to will service the whole of southern became a major operation and but the shares were acquired by the centrate on building a new busi-
tender for construction.  Africa. spread wings into the Middle East government after the 2017 coup. ness empire – one of the biggest
Documents obtained from the region.” companies in southern Africa as
The projects will include the fol- United Kingdom show the  proj- When Mnangagwa seized power he said in recent leaked documents
lowing: ect is a 50-50 joint venture be- Another source in Johannesburg in November 2017, the new pipe- – a new window of opportunity
tween British-registered Coven, added: “When Nelson Mandela line project was revived, with Cross opened.
• Strengthening the infra- fronted by Gregor, and Noic, was released from jail in February – who had crossed sides from the
structure at Mozambican which imports, transports, stores 1990, Gregor returned home to opposition to government – play- But Gregor had moved on. He
ports to establish the capac- and handles petroleum products South Africa and moved his head- ing a major role. had gone to establish Coven in the
ity to handle regional petro- locally. quarters to Johannesburg. UK. So when he was given a sec-
leum needs; The state enterprise has depots However, Tagwirei and business ond bite of the cherry he agreed.
at strategic sites around the coun- After some time, he sold 51% to partners resisted it and Mnangag-
• Establishing a floating sin- try, including Harare (Mabvuku Royal Bafokeng Holdings (RBH) wa’s government shelved it again. In 2019, Mnangagwa then
gle point mooring (SPM) and Msasa), Bulawayo, Mutare and they built up the company Mutsvangwa was livid about it at moved to appoint Ncube Noic
off the coast of Beira capa- and Beitbridge that have capacity to the point where they were op- the time, and had public outbursts chairperson to further facilitate
ble of handling large tank- to store 400 000 tonnes of prod- erating drilling machines for the over it. the project which is opaque and
ers (Beira can only handle uct. mining oil and gas industry as well controversial.
small tankers because of The project resembles one which Tagwirei eventually let go of the
draft). A SPM is a float- Gregor tried to implement in 2018
ing buoy/jetty anchored working with Cross and Christo-
offshore to allow handling pher Mutsvangwa, a former min-
of liquid cargo such as pe- ister and Mnangagwa’s ex-adviser.
troleum products for tank- Investigations show that the
er ships. It serves as a link project was actually mulled in
between the shore facilities 2010 during the Government of
and the tankers for loading National Unity between the late
or off-loading liquid and former president Robert Mugabe
gas cargo; and founding main opposition
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai,
• Building a new pipeline for who has also died.
refined fuels from Beira to Cross was the deal-maker. He
Harare terminating at Mab- initially worked with former Ener-
vuku storage facilities where gy minister Elton Mangoma over
Noic has underground
tanks for 400 000 tonnes of
petroleum products;

• Constructing the capaci-
ty to distribute fuel by rail
from the Harare hub to re-
gional states; and

• Eventually building pipe-

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

The controversial Rolls Royce (left) and Sean Mnangagwa sitting in it. Who owns the car?

OWEN GAGARE Rolls-Royce belongs to me, not
Sean Mnangagwa — Boka’s son
THE son of the late Zimbabwean business warehouse,” he said.
tycoon Roger Boka, Mathew, says the Rolls- es say the pictures had compromised Sean’s in- Mathew Boka Asked where he had bought the car from, he
Royce which went viral on social media over the terest in the car after a public outcry. Mathew said he owns it.
weekend after President Emmerson Mnangag- said: “Certainly not South Africa.”
wa’s son Sean was photographed in it, belongs However, quizzed about the car on Friday, “I can categorically state that it’s my car. It’s Pressed further and asked to confirm if it was
to him and is not for sale. my vehicle, I imported it, but it’s in a bonded
indeed bought in UK, he said: “Well, if your
This adds to the controversy around the lux- sources tell you that, then that’s correct.”
ury vehicle rather than clarify who really owns
it at a time people around the First Family insist On whether he sold the car to Sean, he said:
the car was bought by gold dealer Pedzai Sakup- “It’s my car. It’s not on sale. Sean came the oth-
wanya, commonly known as Scott Sakupwan- er day to the auction floors on other business
ya. Sakupwanya is close to the First Family. which had nothing to do with the car, but he
saw the car and liked it. He asked if he could
When the pictures initially emerged, word view it and take pictures, just like any person
was that Sean, a captain in the Zimbabwe Na- who would have seen something nice,” Mathew
tional Army attached to the yellow-bereted said.
Presidential Guards, had bought the vehicle
which is in a bonded warehouse at the Boka “It’s not his and I don’t want to talk too much
Auction Floors. about this issue because I am a private person.
I don’t talk much to the media and this is not
Sean and those around him however quickly even a big issue.”
denied he had bought the car, at a time there
was hectic communication through phone calls Told that our interest was about public ac-
and WhatsApp among the First Family and its countability in relation to the President’s son,
associates. since his father is the leader of the country and
not about him and that The NewsHawks has no
It then emerged that Sakupwanya had bought problem with people driving expensive cars,
the car, paying an initial deposit of US$140 000 Mathew said he understood the interest, but
and pledging to pay an additional US$135 000 did not want to discuss the matter in detail.
to fully own the car.
Since Mnangagwa ascended to power on the
The NewsHawks was told Mathew, the exec- back of a military coup in November 2017, his
utive chairperson of Boka Tobacco Floors, im- sons’ fortunes have risen sharply. They are now
ported the car for personal use from the United in business on various fronts and also working
Kingdom. on projects with many politically connected
persons, including business tycoon Kuda Tag-
Sources however say he later entered into an wirei, who doubles as the President’s adviser.
arrangement with Sakupwanya who was eager
to buy the car, showing his commitment by
paying US$140 000.

The sources say Sean also expressed his in-
terest in buying the car, went on to view it and
then took pictures which went viral. The sourc-

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE Zimbabweans scramble
out of Afghanistan chaos
ZIMBABWEANS in Afghanistan are anxious
over their safety, while others, including Clever Saungweme said.
Sithole, an engineer heading a gemstones centre, “Every Zimbabwean who has worked in that
have fled, fearing for their lives after the Taliban
took over control of the country. country speaks of the great hospitality from Af-
ghans. They are a beautiful and peace-loving
Just a fortnight ago, Sithole spoke to The New- people suffering from consequences of geopoliti-
sHawks on his journey and how he ended up as cal turf wars and proxy actor interference in that
the head gemologist at a United States Agency country’s affairs. Like Zimbabwe, the country is
for International Development (USAID)-funded endowed with vast mineral wealth and great her-
gemstone processing project in Afghanistan. itage sites, which naturally attract proxy and geo-
political actors.”
He has now fled the country via Dubai to Lon-
don, with only a laptop and a satchel on his back. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Con-
stance Chemwayi said, “The ministry of Foreign
The Taliban this week seized power two weeks Affairs and International Trade does not have the
before the United States was set to complete its exact numbers of our nationals in Afghanistan
troop withdrawal after a costly two-decade war. at the moment, but we are aware that there were
some Zimbabweans working there. We take this
Some Zimbabweans in Afghanistan told The opportunity to encourage all Zimbabweans in
NewsHawks that they were not ready and not in Afghanistan to get in touch with our embassy in
the right space to talk about what they were go- Tehran, Iran or any of our embassies worldwide
ing through. Those who once lived in Afghanistan that are easily reachable to them.”
and are still in touch with some nationals still in
the country said Zimbabweans may have to wait “Yes, we have assisted a few nationals that
for the resumption of commercial flights to “flee” reached out to our embassy in New Dehli, India.
the South Asian country as they might not receive We are happy to report that they were safely evac-
assistance from their government. uated from Kabul.”

“I left Afghanistan two days before the Taliban “The ministry is ready to extend consular ser-
takeover on 12 August, but so many of my col- vices to our nationals in distress in Afghanistan.”
leagues are still there. Most Zimbabweans are in
humanitarian work, and there are also a number Meanwhile, a man who claimed to be Zim-
of nurses, teachers and doctors,” a person who pre- babwe’s former defence attaché to Afghanistan,
ferred to be identified as The Economic Refugee, James Mudzivare, threatened to “come after” this
said. reporter for reaching out to Zimbabweans in Af-
ghanistan. Mudzivare, who is in Zimbabwe, called
“We have a WhatsApp group with some people the reporter on Wednesday night shouting at her
in Kabul and some are anxious on how this will and asking why she was interested in the story and
pan out. Some are waiting for commercial flights contacting people in bunkers.
to resume so that they can make their way out and
maybe work from home, for those who can, while “I am coming after you! Why are you contact-
contemplating the next move. For Zimbabweans, ing them? Are you human? Do you know the Tal-
however, there is no embassy in Afghanistan, the iban? I was a defence attaché there. I am coming
nearest would be in Dubai or New Delhi. after you!” he said before hanging up.

“Some are in highly safe locations. Those who Zimbabwe Defence Forces public relations di-
work for agencies are being protected by their rector Colonel Teddy Ndlovu said a report should
organisations in safe spaces like bunkers. But the be made to the police.
ones who work for private companies are looking
for alternatives. The humanitarian workers will “Report the person to the police and investi-
also have to provide assistance to a lot of displaced gations can start from there. If a person threatens
citizens.” anyone, it would be best to report the matter to
the police,” Ndlovu said.
He said although the Taliban has given assur-
ances that it would let humanitarian work contin- Engineer heading a gemstones centre, Clever Sithole (top), fled Afghanistan after the Taliban took over control of the country this week.
ue and not harm anyone, most people were unsure
what would happen when it has entrenched itself
in power. According to another former resident,
Maxwell Saungweme, Afghanistan is home to
thousands of Zimbabweans who are working in
various fields that include international develop-
ment work, humanitarian work, peace building,
as well as private security services.

“Zimbabweans in Afghanistan have to depend
on their organisations to be evacuated. The Zim-
babwe government is not known for its capacity to
evacuate citizens from places that are so far afield,”
he said.

“For Zimbabweans, the option is to get out of
Afghanistan, travel to Dubai or New Delhi and
try to connect with Zimbabwe’s consulates there.
Their organisations can’t take them back to Zim-
babwe.”

He said most Zimbabweans found themselves
there in pursuit of their professions and are mostly
staying alone, with their families back in Zimba-
bwe or other countries they call home.

“Being blacks in Afghanistan makes it easy for
black Zimbabweans to be misconstrued as Amer-
icans at first sight, but as locals speak to you and
understand that you are Zimbabwean, the atti-
tude changes. Afghans have no ill-feelings about
Zimbabweans at all and Zimbabweans are highly
respected as very professional there. But being a
very insecure country and now with the Taliban
takeover, stress and hardship are compounded,”

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Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Lessons for Zim from Zambia’s elections

The recently held Zambian election provides an important benchmark, particularly for the young people of Africa.

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE test the lack of economic opportunities. the incumbent is blamed and will lose the elec- with the leadership of the main opposition
As in Zimbabwe, Zambia is also experiencing tion. Research has proved that fact.” MDC lacking unity, bereft of resources and
THE outcome of the 12 August Zambian elec- weakened by successive bouts of infighting.
tion, which saw the opposition ousting a ruling high levels of poverty, poor social service deliv- He said the opposition must also form strong
party, is relevant to Zimbabwe, as the two coun- ery. The election also came at a time when the and functional alliances and work with the elec- Douglas Mwonzora’s outfit seized the party’s
tries share a lot of similarities, with analysts say- economy had been battered by the Covid-19 toral commission. finances and offices.
ing the opposition in Zimbabwe can take some pandemic, which in a way gave the opposition
notes. an advantage. “The opposition must learn to form elector- In the 12 August election, the Zambian op-
al alliances — functional ones, based on trust position not only had a solid candidate who had
The two countries share geographical, cultur- For these reasons and more, the Zambian and selflessness. It is usually difficult for a sin- experience as it was his sixth attempt, but he
al and demographic resemblances. election carries an important lesion for Zim- gle party to unseat an incumbent government,” also has a good record himself, being an econo-
babwe. There are a few opposition leaders who Ng’oma said. mist and a multi-millionaire.
First, they are neighbours separated by the have won elections in the Sadc region apart
Zambezi River and the two capitals Harare from Zambia, Malawi, Democratic Republic of A political science lecturer with the Universi- In addition, the Zambian army is neither
and Lusaka are only 471km apart by road and Congo and Seychelles in the past two years. ty of Zambia, Lee Habasonda, said it was neces- highly politicised nor dangerously invested in
399km apart by air. sary for the opposition to build strong structures politics. That country’s electoral body is not as
With 155 of 156 constituencies counted, of- to the lowest levels as these will be instrumental militarised as in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe and Zambia together with Ma- ficial results on Monday showed Hakainde Hi- in safeguarding the vote.
lawi were once under one administration, the chilema had secured 2.8 million votes against In comparison, Zimbabweans must con-
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. The fed- Edgar Lungu’s 1.8 million. “One of the lessons is that the opposition has tend with a former liberation movement which
eration, which officially ended on 31 December to bring itself up to the lowest of the structures came to power through the barrel of the gun
1963, was established on 1 August 1953 with a It is the third time that power has shifted so that people feel a sense of ownership and and has used violence, brutality and intimida-
governor-general as the Queen’s representative peacefully from a ruling party to the opposition safeguard the vote. They must organise them- tion to cling on to office. This was not the case
at the centre. since Zambia’s independence from Britain in selves to the lowest structure,” Habasonda said. in Zambia as the outgoing ruling party had no
1964. Among the lessons analysts said the Zim- such history.
As a result of the geographical proximity and babwe opposition should learn is how to cap- “The other lesson that can be learnt is that of
having been part of one country, there was a lot ture the youth vote, which was a critical element perseverance. Hichilema was thrown in prison There was willingness by the officials in the
of movement between the two countries. in elections. about 15 times, he was assaulted but continued electoral commission to thwart rigging.
with the ordinary people. The people were ready
Zimbabwe is generally known to have about Alex Mwamba Ng’oma, a lecturer, research- to safeguard the vote. The opposition was not There was also a clear willingness by the los-
five million people of Zambian, Malawian and er and political analyst with the University of allowed to campaign freely and were not given ing political leaders to hand over power when
Mozambican origin, at least according to a for- Zambia said ignoring the needs of young peo- time on the national broadcaster, but they were the writing was on the wall, a complete differ-
mer Malawian minister, Patricia Kaliati. ple results in the youths ignoring politicians in only doing drive-by campaigns.” ence with Zimbabwe where losers have refused
elections. to leave office.
This means there are a lot of shared cultural Habasonda said the people should be aware
values between Zimbabwe and Zambia. “The youths are the majority in many coun- that the election was not about the opposi- President Emmerson Mnangagwa, speaking
tries. They are also the majority voters. The tion but about them standing up to arrogance, in Manicaland on Thursday this week, mocked
The populations are almost the same, at Zambian youths need educational and employ- wrongdoing and corruption in government. the idea the idea that Zimbabwe’s opposition
around 15 million for Zimbabwe and 17 mil- ment opportunities. That is the turf where you could do a Zambia on him.
lion for Zambia. In addition, the demograph- can meet them. The fallen government large- According to a youth representative of Hich-
ics in both countries are similar, with the youth ly ignored them and paid the ultimate price,” ilema’s United Party for National Development, “There are those who think that because it
constituting the majority of voters. Ng’oma said. Joseph Kalimbwe, four million young people has happened in Zambia, it will also happen
between the ages of 18 to 24 registered to vote in Zimbabwe. Let me tell you: stop dreaming
The size of the economy is another similar- “The outgoing government was a runaway and turned out in large numbers in a bid to en- about what happened in Zambia,” said Mnan-
ity. Although Zimbabwe used to have a bigger government; that is why it has lost the election. sure the mistakes of their parents were correct- gagwa to rapturous applause from his largely
economy, it has shrunk. It had run away with unprecedented infrastruc- ed. Zanu PF crowd.
ture development, but neglected the social needs
There is also a lot of unemployment in Zam- of the people. The Zambian economy was/is in While Zimbabwe and Zambia have simi- Main opposition MDC Alliance leader Cha-
bia, with the youth, who were a key population a bad state; food has become expensive, and larities, there are also issues that stand out in misa told a Twitter Spaces meeting this week
in the election, facing immense hardships in families are struggling to have three meals a day. Zambia, including how the opposition was that the Zambian election provides an import-
finding employment after graduation and being Economic performance is a sure predictor of organised in terms of resources, structures and ant benchmark, particularly for the young peo-
forced into the informal sector. electoral outcomes. When the economy is bad, campaign messaging. ple of Africa, who are determined to break the
shackles of oppression, corruption and econom-
Some of them even turned to the polling sta- In Zimbabwe, the opposition is in disarray, ic suffering.
tions to vote in their graduation gowns to pro-

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 44, 20 August 2021 MARKETERS GOLF SOCIETY

Zanu PF
orders govt
to support
conference

ZANU PF on Monday summoned government officials
in Mashonaland East province and ordered them to as-
sist in preparations for the Zanu PF annual conference
scheduled for October

The NewsHawks understands that government officials
in other provinces have also received a similar directive,
betraying the lack of separation between the ruling Zanu
PF and government, as well as the abuse of state resources
to advance a partisan cause.

The party’s annual conference will be held virtually, as
delegates are expected to follow proceedings in their re-
spective provinces.

Speaking at a Zanu PF provincial coordinating com-
mittee meeting held in Marondera, the party’s director
for administration, Dickson Dzora, revealed the confer-
ence coordinating technical committee is moving around
across all province to asses the state of preparedness.

Dzora said he was expecting the province, including
all government departments, to contribute in preparation
for and during the annual conference.

“We are happy that all government departments are
well represented and we are expecting everyone to play
his or her part in the preparation of this conference and
as a province you have to come up with issues to be dis-
cussed at the conference and presentations on progress of
devolution,” Dzora said.

“This presentation should be drawn from the success-
ful projects of devolution and you have to showcase what
you have as a province to promote marketing of resources
in the province.

“Serious restructuring is happening in the party and
we will deliberate on these issues. Resolutions by prov-
inces should have been forwarded to the party for assess-
ment. The leadership will make a decision on the number
of delegates and who will attend the conference.

“Preferred venues must have security, adequate water,
electricity supply and catering facilities and be accessible.”

Speaking at the same occasion, secretary for security
in the sub-committee of the technical team preparing for
the conference Solomon Magondo said the party is supe-
rior to government, emphasising the need for people to
work together.

He said expensive equipment would be brought into
the province and other provinces to ensure the confer-
ence is held successfully but called on delegates to ensure
the property is well-protected.

“We are bringing expensive equipment for this event
and I urge all security members to be wide awake. The
party is on top (sic) of the government so if any of the
equipment is being stolen or damaged it’s a dismissable
offence,” he said.

The meeting was attended by politburo member Syd-
ney Sekeremayi (pictured below), minister of state for
Provincial Affairs and Devolution Aplonia Munzvereng-
wi, provincial acting chair Michael Madhanha, political
commissar Herbert Shumbamhini and government pro-
vincial heads.

—STAFF WRITER.

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Ruling party rolls out voter mobilisation

NYASHA CHINGONO

ZANU PF has gone for broke to attract the elu- Zanu PF is believed to have bankrolled a collaboration between musician Roki (right) and Congolese rhumba star Koffi Olomide.
sive youth vote ahead of the crunch 2023 elec-
tion, including recruiting pastors, socialites and raise awareness on the situation. Our approach is The MDC Alliance initiative dubbed #Regis- ber of initiatives to encourage the youth to reg-
artists in a desperate bid to garner 2.5 million pro-empowerment,” Chirau said. terToVoteZW has been trending online, as the ister to vote. But beyond registering, we are also
ballots for President Emmerson Mnangagwa. opposition urges the youth to register ahead of encouraging them to present themselves on the
Zanu PF has also been using economic em- the 2023 polls. The mobilisation campaign is day of the election, to vote for change,” MDC
Zanu PF acting secretary for youth Tendai powerment projects in incubation centres dotted also meant to convince first-time voters to reg-
Chirau Youth confirmed to The NewsHawks that across the country. “The youth vote is very cru- ister. Alliance youth leader Obey Sithole told The
a recruiting spree was in motion ahead of the cial in every election, and we are looking towards NewsHawks.
polls to boost Mnangagwa’s popularity, which 2.5 million youths,” he said. Youthful Chamisa also sees the youth vote as
has continued to wane since the military coup one of his trump cards after garnering more than “We are running a social media campaign un-
that toppled the late former President Robert The youth vote remains critical for the main two million ballots in 2018. der #RegisterToVoteZW. The whole idea is that
Mugabe in 2017. political parties, with a bruising battle playing more young people get their names on the vot-
out on social media. “The MDC Alliance has embarked on a num- ers’ roll. There is power in numbers.”
Mnangagwa, who narrowly won the 2018
disputed election against MDC-Alliance leader
Nelson Chamisa, has over the years struggled
to charm the youth. Young people are bearing
the brunt of massive unemployment, with the
future looking bleak as Zanu PF has not fulfilled
its economic promises.

Garnering the youth vote has been a toll order
for Zanu PF as most young people are disgrun-
tled over economic hardships.

As part of its voter mobilisation strategy, the
ruling party has enlisted the services of social
media luminaries like Madam Boss, Mai TT and
controversial clergyman Passion Java.

The party is also believed to have bankrolled
a collaboration between musician Roki, Congo-
lese rhumba star Koffi Olomide and Tanzanian
singer Rayvanny on the song Patati Patata.

In the song, the Congolese musician chants
Mnangagwa’s name. This sparked outrage on
social media from opposition supporters while
Mnangagwa loyalists lapped it all up, joining a
dance trend on Tik Tok.

The Roki-Olomide collaboration was a Zanu
PF project, commentators say.

“It was clear when Koffi arrived that Zanu
PF was running the show. Deputy minister of
Youth, Tinomudaishe Machakaire, was at the
forefront of logistics, Passion was just part of the
welcome party. If it was his project, he would
have been in the forefront,” a source said.

The song, which garnered five million of
views within days of release, has divided opinion
in the political arena, with opposition supporters
condemning Roki’s participation in the collabo-
ration.

Recruiting comediennes Mai TT and Madam
Boss, who have a large following on social me-
dia, is seen as an attempt to influence the youth,
hence a critical tool ahead of 2023.

Chirau said: “We are a mass party and can
recruit anyone. We are recruiting anyone from
pastors to artistes. There has been a Damascene
moment for some who have seen that Zanu PF is
an able party under ED Mnangagwa.”

Without stating names, Chirau said the party
was working with well-known clergy and artists,
adding that social media would be the party’s
new hunting ground.

“In politics when people see something good,
they want to follow. We have a recruitment exer-
cise on social media. It is meant to promote and

ADVERT SPACE

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

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

BERNARD MPOFU Mnangagwa, Ramaphosa discuss
Hichilema’s shock election victory
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa and his
South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa President Emmerson Mnangagwa Zambia s President-elect Hakainde Hichilema South African President Cyril Ramaphosa
on Tuesday held a private meeting in which the deployed ahead of the regional bloc. In light of Hichilema, who won a landslide over incum- maximum-security jail before the charges were
election of Zambia’s opposition leader Hakainde this, charting the way forward thus became par- bent Lungu, has close links to Mmusi Maimane, dropped.
Hichilema as the country’s new leader among amount for the two leaders.” the leader of the opposition One South Africa
other issues became topical, The NewsHawks has Movement. The President-elect is also an asso- “Don’t worry, you’ll be OK, you won’t face
learnt. In July, Rwanda announced that it would ciate of MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa. retribution or get teargassed,” Hichilema, who
put boots on the ground to help stem a conflict Mnangagwa, who had a wafer-thin lead on Cha- was often attacked in what he said were attempts
The two presidents, who both lead revolu- which has claimed thousands of lives following misa in the controversial 2018 general elections, to silence and intimidate him as an opposition
tionary parties, held a meeting on the sidelines weeks of dithering by the regional bloc. is expected to face his nemesis in the 2023 polls. leader, said.
of the Southern In his acceptance speech, President-elect Hi-
The conflict has also resulted in Total, a chilema extended an olive branch to his prede- He pledged to be the president of all Zambi-
African Development Community 41st sum- French-headquartered energy group, suspending cessor who in the past had tormented him. After ans, whether they voted for him or not.
mit of heads of state and government in Lilon- its multi-billion-dollar energy project in the re- the 2016 election, he was charged with treason
gwe, Malawi. gion. for allegedly failing to give way to the presi- In its final tally, the elector-
dential motorcade. He spent four months in a al commission said Hichilema had won
The meeting, sources said, was attended by Zimbabwe’s presidential spokesperson George 2 810 777 votes to Lungu’s 1 814 201 in last
Zimbabwe’s Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Charamba could not be reached for comment at Thursday’s election. There were seven million
Shava, Defence minister Oppah Muchingu- the time of going to press. registered voters.
ri-Kashiri and officials from the South African
government.

The election of Hichilema, according to dip-
lomatic sources who spoke to The NewsHawks,
surprised Mnangagwa and Ramaphosa who
both had cordial relations with Zambia’s outgo-
ing president Edgar Lungu. Last week’s election
was Hichilema’s sixth attempt at winning the
presidency.

“The President-elect has strong connections
with both Zimbabwe’s and South Africa’s main
opposition parties and discussions on how revo-
lutionary parties like the ANC and Zanu PF can
consolidate their positions were discussed. This
election showed that political winds of change
were ushered in by young people who are often
accused of being reluctant to vote,” a source fa-
miliar with the discussions said.

“The leaders also discussed Sadc’s role in the
Mozambican conflict. If you may recall last
month, South Africa’s then Defence minis-
ter, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, expressed her
displeasure on why Rwandan troops had been

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Fresh storm in Hwange
as Chinese kickstart
another mining project

LIZWE SEBATHA them of causing environmental degradation, pol-
luting Deka River, among other water bodies, and
There has been a flood of Chinese coal-mining companies in Hwange, risking the environment. ANOTHER storm is brewing in the Lukosi area destroying roads.
of Hwange district in Matabeleland North prov-
ince, where a Chinese mining firm has been grant- Reports said Zanu PF’s district coordinating
ed a special coal mining grant, sparking an outcry committee (DCC) during the meeting threatened
from locals. to mobilise youths to block the mining operations
if the accused companies fail to address the con-
The project has drawn criticism from locals cerns of villagers.
who now fear the coal-mining activities will harm
the environment, pollute their water bodies and In the latest incident, Mutagech Logistics (Pvt)
also cause displacement of the community. Ltd has been granted a special concession special
coal-mining grant in Lukosi’s ward 20, drawing
This comes hardly a fortnight after Zanu PF’s criticism from locals who argue they were never
Matabeleland province summoned a number of consulted. A special grant is a type of mining title
Chinese coal-mining companies after accusing that gives the user rights to extract resources in an
area previously earmarked for other land use (re-
Men of quality are not afraid of equality. served area).

Jus ce for Anna Machaya; Jus ce for girls and children in Zimbabwe. “The Trust is vehemently opposed to the proj-
ect as it is situated close to Kalope Dam and Diki
Padare/Enkundleni/Men's Forum on Gender (Padare) learnt with shock and disgust the news of the Irrigation. It’s so sad that every inch in Hwange is
circumstances surrounding the death of 14-year-old Anna Machaya in Bocha, Marange due to being dug in search of fossil fuel when the coun-
try should adopt clean energy such as solar and
pregnancy related complica�ons. The organiza�on strongly condemns the arrangement where Anna hydropower,” Hwange Residents Trust (RST)
who herself was a child, stayed with a man as a wife, and got pregnant and died while at an apostolic chairperson Fidelis Chuma said in an interview on
church shrine. Anna's journey is a classic case of how many girls in Zimbabwe suffer abuse, disguised Wednesday.

as marriages. As a men's organiza�on, we unequivocally say that it is not a marriage if one of the There are claims that Lukosi’s 11 village heads
par�es involved is a child below the age of 18 years. The fact of the ma er is Anna was not in a and headmen of the area were gifted with bicycles
to okay the planned coal-mining operation.
marriage, she suffered abuse every day and those around her just watched and did nothing.
As men we are horrified and devastated by the fact that the impact of child marriages con�nues to be “These investors have devised ways of consult-
largely ignored in some communi�es in Zimbabwe. Nothing or very li le is done to those involved in ing only government departments, village heads
and chiefs without consulting the affected villag-
marrying and marrying off children. Padare would like to take this opportunity to challenge all men, ers. They know that government departments,
especially those in posi�ons of power and those with the responsibility to look a�er children to do village heads and chiefs will never oppose such
more to protect them and to also speak out whenever abuses occur. Marrying off children deny them projects no matter how harmful they are,” Chuma
access to educa�on, health and economic opportuni�es, therefore condemning them to poverty. This added.
is despite the existence of a robust legal framework that can be used to stop this horrendous prac�ce.
The Cons�tu�on of Zimbabwe, the Domes�c Violence Act and other numerous local and internal laws Ward 20 councillor Bakani Kwidini noted:
“Locals are apprehensive. The mine is likely to
should be fully used to protect child from abuse, especially child abuse. threaten their livelihood, particularly their irriga-
Therefore, Padare calls on the government of Zimbabwe to urgently adopt the marriage bill which tion activities and also pollute Kalope Dam. Graz-
criminalizes the marriage of children and make available resources and pla�orms for the crea�on of ing and farmland are also likely to be affected.”
the na�onal plan of ac�on to end child marriage with clear �melines as to when this will be done.
Mugatech projects manager Donald Nkosa-
Added to that Padare also calls for the following ac�ons: na clamed the company conducted “extensive
· The Zimbabwe Republic Police to ins�tute an inves�ga�on and prosecu�on of the perpetrators consultations” with the community, with locals
asked to sign “consultation forms” to air their
and all the accomplices involved in the case of Anna Machaya. views on the project.
· The Zimbabwe Gender Commission to ins�tute an inquest on the state of child marriages
“Furthermore, the traditional leaders of the
influenced by religious and cultural beliefs in Zimbabwe to inform the country's Policy on area had to introduce Mutagech to the ancestors
ending child marriages. by an appeasement ceremony and welcoming
traditional ceremony... However some stake-
· Faith ins�tu�on to cra� and adopt safeguarding policies which clearly state the commitment holders who are not pro-development refused
to preven�on of sexual abuse and all forms of gender based violence. to complete the documentation (consultation
forms) and it is on record,” Nkosana said.
· All men to speak out against all forms of gender based violence including child marriages
Padare is an organiza�on that work with men and boys for the advancement of gender equality and On environmental concerns, he said “an acid
drainage mine plan and ambient air plan have
jus�ce. been put in place including other mitigation
For more informa�on contact Walter Vengesai: Na�onal Director on [email protected] plans as guided by the relevant regulations and
laws of Zimbabwe.”

“No bribes were given to the community
but indeed bicycles were bought for the village
heads as a gesture of development and to use for
transportation when attending ward meetings,”
Nkosana claimed, adding that as many as 600
locals will be employed by the company.

There has been a flood of Chinese coal-min-
ing companies in Hwange, risking the environ-
ment and wildlife and endangering the Hwange
National Park, the country’s biggest game reserve
home to a wide range of “Big five” wildlife, re-
nowned as the world’s most diverse sanctuary for
mammals.

Environmentalists have argued the govern-
ment should prioritise sustainable environmental
programmes such as tourism and wildlife conser-
vation in the Hwange National Park rather than
potentially destructive mining activities for coal
which Zimbabwe still relies on heavily for electric-
ity generation.

In September, 2020, the government an-
nounced a ban on mining activities at all national
parks. This was after environmentalists took the
government to court for licensing Chinese firms
to explore for coal in the game park.

Under pressure, the government relented, re-
versed the licence and purportedly banned min-
ing inside parks. But environmental activists say
mining inside national parks has continued.

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

THe bilateral arrangement between Rwanda and Mozambique led to faster deployment, turning the tide against the violent extremists.

Moza war needs more than military solution

BERNARD MPOFU violent extremism, possibly with not only helped to push back the help with air support, including while for
greater intensity and external sup- militants, but also exposed the four air intelligence personnel. South Africa, Botswana and
THE Southern African Develop- port. While the scale and context lethargy and ineptitude of region- It called on the Sadc to deploy Zimbabwe to send troops to Mo-
ment Community (Sadc) should of the situation in Afghanistan is al leaders and their security sys- six helicopters, four transport air- zambique.
immediately push for dialogue in- vastly different, it demonstrates tems. craft, two maritime surveillance Yet the bilateral arrangement
stead of becoming complacent af- that 20 years of multinational Sadc leaders held meetings in aircraft and two “unmanned aerial between Rwanda and Mozam-
ter Rwandan soldiers repelled vi- military operations, in the ab- Harare, Gaborone and Maputo vehicles”, or drones. bique led to faster deployment,
olent extremists in Mozambique’s sence of timely negotiations, has — a number of meetings, both However, Sadc stalled on the turning the tide against the vio-
resource-rich northern province, only resulted in further empower- physically and virtually — since swift deployment. It took a long lent extremists.
a Maputo-based think-tank has ing the Taliban.” May last year to work out
said. an intervention strategy, but
Sadc, the research noted, needs internal divisions, suspicions Don’t Speak loudly,
Last week, Rwandan and Mo- more financial support for its and lethargy stalled the ef-
zambican security forces fighting military operations in the con- fort. After endless meetings,
insurgents took control of port flict-ridden region. Sadc agreed to deploy in Speak Effectively
city of Mocímboa da Praia, which April.
had been a major stronghold of “Any further funding however Regional leaders said the
the insurgency for more than two should be predicated on defining Sadc Standby Force should
years. The town is near the site of success for the Sadc deployment deploy to help Mozambique,
natural gas projects worth US$60 to prevent self-perpetuating in- which needed help with lo-
billion which had to be stopped tervention in Mozambique. This gistics and intelligence, as
after the conflict escalated. is important to prevent the inter- well as boots on the ground,
ests of troop-contributing coun- Register with your
The Centre for Democracy and tries going beyond stabilisation to retake territory, partic- Executive Speech Coach & become
Development (CDD) in its latest of Cabo Delgado and expanding ularly the strategic port of
research note warned of more in- to financial gain and projection of Mocimboa da Praia. It rec-
surgency if the violent extremists influence,” the CDD said. ommended that 2 916 per-
regroup while Mozambique’s al- sonnel be deployed, the bulk
lies plan to withdraw troops. “However, without wholesale of which should be ground
transformation of the FADM forces, including 140 special
“This is certainly not the time (Mozambique Defence Forces) force troops.
for complacency or premature to dramatically improve their ca- The special forces would
victory celebrations, as the violent pabilities (which is likely to take go in first to “conduct tar-
extremist organisation in Cabo years) Mozambican forces cannot, geted operations”, in parallel
on their own, provide the security with naval assets to “elimi-
Delgado is far from defeated,” and protection required in Cabo nate maritime crime in the
Adriano Nuvunga of the CDD Delgado. Therefore, dialogue and area of operation”.
said in the research note. negotiations — at the earliest op- It also recommended that
portunity — must be the priori- 100 members of a logistics 226 Sherwood Road
“While it is possible to suppress ty.”
violent extremism in the short- company go in to support Avondale West Harare - Enhance your language
term, resolution is unrealistic While the Southern African the operations, by setting
through military means alone, as Development Community (Sadc) up a field hospital and field - Overcome your stage fright
there is a need to address under- has now deployed some military recovery, and another 100
lying drivers. This can only be contingent on the ground, it has members be deployed to 00 77 77 58 07 31 06 94 80 51 - Set yourself up for success
achieved through dialogue, nego- been Rwanda that has stolen the
tiations, and compromise, other- show with a performance that has
wise there will be a resurgence of

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

NHAU MANGIRAZI Karoi council demands US$128 000
from car supplier over refuse truck
KAROI Town Council is demanding US$218
200 in damages from Solution Motors for fail- Karoi Town Council (top) and Solution Motors are embroiled in legal battle over undelivered refuse trucks.
ing to honour a tender agreement to supply a
refuse truck in 2017, in a botched deal that has went to arbitration in 2019 after a “breach of an thority of Zimbabwe (Praz) for duping councils Solution Motors’ shenanigans came under
spilled into the courts. agreement of sale”. and government after failing to deliver equip- the spotlight after the company prejudiced
ment and vehicles. the Zimbabwean government of US$207 540
The NewsHawks understands that after fail- Council’s legal team approached the High worth of vehicles not delivered by December
ing to deliver the truck, Solution Motors paid a Court to execute the arbitration award last Praz acting chief executive officer Clever 2018.
meagre ZW$78 338.75, a far cry from the full month after Solution Ruswa confirmed that
amount, US$109 000, paid by the town coun- It came to light in the 2018 Auditor-Gener-
cil. Motors failed to comply with the award. Solution Motors had been blacklisted. al’s report, after Solution Motors failed to de-
The town council proceeded to register the ‘‘Praz blacklisted some of the suppliers that liver 10 vehicles to the department of irrigation
A bruising court battle has seen council drag- arbitration award registered as an order of the put public tenders and bidding into disrepute. in the ministry of Agriculture. The department
ging the vehicle supplier to the High Court, to High Court of Zimbabwe on 20 May. Among the top three that Praz blacklisted are had bought 10 vehicles from Solutions Motors
enforce a 2019 arbitration award. Solution Motors is among three companies Solution Motors, Tokologo and RMCDIA- worth US$518 850.
blacklisted by the Procurement Regulatory Au- MONG and Company,” he said.
Council lawyers Mangwana and Partners
Legal Practitioners are pushing arbitrator Su-
san Mutangadura to quantify the damage after
Solution Motors reneged on the 12 July 2019
judgement.

The supplier was found guilty of failing to
deliver the refuse truck and ordered to pay dam-
ages.

Mutangadura ruled that Solution Motors
should deliver the truck within 8-12 weeks of
the arbitral award or pay back the money.

“In the event that the respondent fails to
provide the said truck as said in this order it is
hereby ordered the agreement of sale between
the two parties is cancelled and respondent shall
pay damages to the claimant being equivalent
to 70 percent of the value of the value of the
same or similar refuse truck as provided in the
agreement entered into on 20 July 2017,” read
part of the award.

Solution Motors was in breach of contract,
meaning Karoi Town Council is entitled to
damages.

Documents show that the council legal team
has approached the arbitrator to quantify the
amount due to Karoi Council.

“Despite protestations from the applicant
(Karoi Town Council) that the sum paid was
insufficient as it did not represent the true ex-
tent of the damages, respondent (Solution Mo-
tors) remained unmoved. It is against this back-
ground that applicant approaches this tribunal
seeking quantification of the arbitral award to
enable it to establish the exact amount owed
by the respondent and for purposes of enforce-
ment,’’ reads part of the letter copied to the ar-
bitrator Mutangadura.

The arbitration award is similar to a High
Court order that gave council right to get a
truck in 8-12 weeks from the day the judgment.

“In the present proceedings, applicant seeks
quantification of the damages awarded to it so
that it retains value of the money expended to-
wards fulfilment of the contractual obligations
and that it be placed in the same position it was
had the breach not materialised. In terms of the
arbitral award as read with the court order, ap-
plicant is entitled to damages,” the lawyers say.

Mutangadura had ruled that in the event that
Solution Motors fails to deliver the said truck
as provided in this order “the agreement of sale
between the parties be cancelled and respondent
shall pay damages to the claimant equivalent to
70% of the value of the same or similar refuse
truck as provided for in the agreement of sale
entered into by the parties on 20 July 2017,
where a deposit was paid in US dollars.’’

Solution Motors must pay 70%
(US$109 200) of US$156 000.

This brings total damages to US $218 200.
“In terms of the above computation, the
applicant is entitled to a sum of US$218 200
as damages for breach of contract made up
and comprising the deposit paid by applicant
(US$109 000). The total sum is payable at the
prevailing interbank or auction rate as at the
date of payment,” the lawyers say.
“Suffice to mention that the sum of ZW$78
338.75 already paid by respondent will be tak-
en into account and deducted from payments
made.”
Solutions Motors is represented by lawyer
Tawanda Chitapi of T.H Chitapi and Associ-
ates.
Solution Motors and Karoi Town Council

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

ZCTU says blocking unvaccinated employees from reporting for work is an infringement of fundamental civil liberties and labour rights.

ZCTU challenges compulsory vaccination

BRIDGET MANANAVIRE “Each person, having fully considered the im- ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo
plications and effects of vaccination, is expected
THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions to make a personal decision whether to or not to
(ZCTU) has filed an urgent application at the get vaccinated and where a person decides to get
High Court to stop employers from blocking un- vaccinated, he or she is expected to make a person-
vaccinated employees from reporting for work. al decision relating to the timing of that vaccina-
tion,” Moyo said.
Through its secretary-general Japhet Moyo, the
ZCTU, which has a membership of 35 affiliate “The aforesaid employers are taking the law into
trade unions with a total individual membership their own hands as there is no law providing for
of 189 000 employees in Zimbabwe, argued that compulsory vaccination in respect of Covid-19. In
the actions of employers are an infringement on the process, the aforesaid employees are infringing
fundamental civil liberties and labour rights of the fundamental rights of the affected employees
employees. protected by sections 51,52, and 65 of the Consti-
tution of Zimbabwe.
The respondents in the matter are Public Ser-
vice minister Paul Mavima, Attorney-General “As evident from the conduct of the 3rd, 4th,
Prince Machaya, Zimnat Insurance Company, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th Respondents as examples,
Zinara, TelOne (Private) Limited, Windmill Lim- thousands of workers in Zimbabwe have been af-
ited, Seed Co Zimbabwe and the Manicaland fected and thousands more are likely to be affected
State University of Applied Sciences. if this court application is not heard and deter-
mined urgently.”
The union is seeking an order declaring the
practice by employers of prohibiting unvaccinated “Filed as an urgent matter because the applica-
employees from reporting for work and from con- tion cannot wait for the relaxation of the measures
tinuing to perform their obligations under subsist- under level four lockdown as the conduct being
ing contracts of employment as an infringement complained of is aimed at accomplishing its un-
of the fundamental right to human dignity and lawful objectives before the end of level four lock-
labour rights of the employees protected by sec- down.”
tions 51, 52 and 65 of the constitution.
In a letter to its lawyers, TelOne’s company sec-
“That as appropriate relief in terms of section retary and legal adviser L Dziripi wrote to Dube,
85 (1), as read with section 175 (6) of the Consti- Manikai and Hwacha Legal Practitioners asking
tution of Zimbabwe, 2013, the 1st and 2nd (Ma- for advice on the matter.
vima and Machaya) be and are hereby directed to
cause the enactment of a statutory instrument un- “Please assume agency on TelOne’s behalf and
der section 17 of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) do the necessary.
that prohibits the aforesaid conduct and/or prac-
tices of employers in Zimbabwe and such a stat- On 21st July, 2021, TelOne issued a staff notice
utory instrument to be enacted within fourteen directing unvaccinated employees to go on im-
days from the date of this order,” the application mediate leave. The company also informed such
reads. employees of the withdrawal of the Covid-19 risk
allowance,” the letter, dated 13 August, reads.
The labour movement, being represented by
Lovemore Madhuku, is arguing that there is no “There is no decision on dismissal of such em-
law making vaccination mandatory in Zimbabwe. ployees and they are getting all their normal em-
ployment benefits. For further information or
clarification.”

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Probe exposes child marriages horrors

THE arrest of a 26-year-old man Court banned marriage for both increase community coping mech- and labour, exposed to serious re- although she was lucky to survive
from the Johane Marange apostolic boys and girls under the age of 18. anism and resilience. This will, in productive health risk including risk unlike many other child brides.
sect in Marange over the death of The age of sexual consent is 16. turn, decrease the marrying off of of death, and denied an education,”
a 15-year-old girl during labour at girls for economic resources and Mavhinga said. The NewsHawks also visited a Jo-
the church’s shrine has exposed the Everjoice Win, a Zimbabwean in- also decrease eloping among girls hanne Marange Apostolic church’s
horrors of child marriage and the ternational social justice and wom- as there would be participants and Calling on the government to healing shrine in Nyamana village
barbaric practices that have been al- en’s rights leader, strategist, policy beneficiaries in these projects.   take action, Mavhinga said millions in Chitora, 45 kilometres south
lowed to go on for far too long. advocate and development practi- of Zimbabwean girls were suffering of the city of Mutare, where some
tioner who is also the executive di- “The government should offer abuse because of the authorities’ in- pregnant teens were waiting to go
Police said they have arrested rector at The Shine Campaign, said education incentives in ‘hotspot’ action.  into labour.
26-year-old Hatirarami Mombe- the death highlighted the problem areas such as free exam fees for all
rume alias Evans Momberume who women face. girls to encourage girls from poor- “The future of millions of girls de- Mbuya Chigaro, a midwife and
has now been charged with murder er backgrounds to pursue education pends on Zimbabwe’s government prophetess at the shrine, said life
over  the death of Anna Machaya, “What you see today, that is, a rather than marriage. There should ensuring the ban on child marriage and death was in God’s hands, jus-
not Memory Machaya, as initial- young girl forced to marry, get preg- be improved access to education and is fully enforced. All Zimbabweans, tifying deaths that occur during la-
ly reported. Anna, born on 5 July nant and dies, is not an aberration! survival skills such as sewing, mar- and the world, should stand in sol- bour.
2006, died on 15 July while giving It is part of the same continuum. ket-gardening and poultry among idarity with Anna and her family,
birth. Female persons are not seen as ful- girls in rural areas so that they can and all the girls whose lives are ru- “If God wills something, no one
ly human, with individual rights, manage to be financially indepen- ined daily through child marriage,” can prevent it. People are healed or
Momberume had illegally mar- choice, rights to control our own dent in the event that they drop out he said.   die according to his will,” Mbuya
ried her even though she is a mi- bodies,” she said. of school.”   Chigaro said, shrugging her shoul-
nor, a common practice within the A 2014 study by Zimbabwe’s Na- ders, betraying an insidious embrace
church. Writing a blog published on the Munemo called for the enforce- tional Statistics Agency showed that of death.
World Bank’s Youth Transforming ment of all legal frameworks that one in three women aged between
Police spokesman Paul Nyathi re- Africa, Progress Munemo, a social safeguard children, emphasising the ages of 20 and 49 who were An evangelist who was moni-
vealed police had also arrested An- worker, said there was a need for that the teaching of sex education surveyed reported that they married toring the interview, who said he
na’s parents, Edmore Machaya (45) structural, institutional, community should be taken seriously. before 18 while an estimated 4% would only agree to give his name
and Shy Mabika (36), for allegedly and individual strategies to tackle married before 15. if somehow our reporter’s beard mi-
trying to obstruct the course of jus- factors fueling child marriage.  Dewa Mavhinga, the southern raculously outgrew his before the in-
tice. Africa director of Human Rights The Zimbabwe Multiple Indica- terview was over, argued that since
“There should be a combination Watch, said child marriage remains tor Cluster Survey found that a total there was no modern injection that
Anna’s parents had claimed she of strategies that target socio-cul- rampant in Zimbabwe, especially of 32.9% of women between 20 and could guarantee life, there ought not
was born on 2 January 1999, using tural and economic lives of people among indigenous apostolic church- 49 married before the age 18. be any noise in the event of death
an identity card of her cousin who and should include poverty reduc- es, despite the 2016 ConCourt rul- among their members.
is the daughter of her uncle, Er- tion, improved access to education ing declaring child marriage uncon- Last week, The NewsHawks inter-
nest Machaya. Edward and Ernest and life skills, enforcement of legal stitutional. viewed Norest Kubaya (not her real “Death occurs everywhere. Do
are brothers with daughters named frameworks, registration of mar- name, she requested to use another you have any injection that you
Anna Machaya. Memory Machaya riages, awareness creation through He said a member of an apostolic name because her husband did not can say can guarantee that someone
(22) is alive and married to 54-year- sex education, accessible adolescent church told Human Rights Watch, grant her permission to speak), who would not die?” he asked.
old Lameck Makonye in Mhondoro. friendly health services, investigative “As soon as a girl reaches puberty, was married at the age of 12. She
journalism, safe space - role models any man in the church can claim her lost 10 children out of 14 births. “If not, then you should not
The attempted cover-up of the concept, effective monitoring and for his wife.” pontificate over our own healthcare
scandal shows how parents and evaluation of programmes,” he said. Kubaya said many other girl system because you even have mor-
church leaders are collaborating “Forcing any girl into marriage brides had suffered the same sad tuaries because you accept that life
in perpetuating child marriage in “Safety nets that safeguard peo- causes her untold suffering and fate, such that in her Johane Ma- is for God to decide and not man,”
violation of the law, morality and ple from the harsh economic fac- long-lasting harm. Girls are often range apostolic sect community it is the evangelist said, contemptuously
norms of common decency. tors, especially in societies where sexually abused, beaten by their not something out of the ordinary. dismissing the criticism that some
people depend on farming, should husbands and in-laws, confined in of their patients do not make it out
In a landmark judgement in be strengthened regularly. This will their homes, forced into pregnancy She believes her children died at alive.
2016, Zimbabwe’s Constitutional a tender age because they did not
get adequate healthcare as infants, —STAFF WRITER.

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Press Statement
6 August 2021

A CALL TO AN END TO CHILD, FORCED AND EARLY MARRIAGES IN ZIMBABWE

ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is alarmed by media reports that a 14-year old girl, Memory Machaya, passed away recently while giving
birth at an apostolic sect church shrine in Marange in Manicaland province, and reports that child, forced and early marriages are increasing in
Zimbabwe.

The culture of child, forced and early marriages in Zimbabwe perpetuates gender-based violence and undermines the health, growth, dignity, security
and development of the girl child in Zimbabwe.

Child, forced and early marriages are also linked to higher rates of school dropouts, unintended pregnancies due to sexual abuse and also increased
risks of miscarriage, unsafe abortions, stillbirth, intrauterine haemorrhage and increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted
infections among young girls.

Zimbabwe has a clear obligation under international and regional treaties and conventions and national legislation to take measures to prevent child
marriages and address all forms of violence against women and girls.

Sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution provide that anyone below the age of 18 years is a child, and the Constitutional Court has confirmed that marriage
with children under 18 years is prohibited. Section 78(2) of the Constitution provides that no person can be compelled to enter into a marriage against
their will.

Section 70 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) provides that any person who has sexual intercourse with a person below the
age of 16 years, with or without their consent, shall be guilty of rape or aggravated indecent assault or indecent assault. The Domestic Violence Act
(Chapter 5:16) criminalises abuse derived from any cultural or customary rites or practices, including child and forced marriages that discriminate against
or degrade girls and women.

Sadly, in spite of these legal protections, there is an on-going and unabated practice in religious and cultural sects of rape, child abuse, and marrying-off
young girls, exposing them to child pregnancies and worse.

It is against this background that ZLHR calls on:

· Members of the apostolic sect to desist from practising these harmful practices as they expose young girls to sexual predators and is tantamount
to rape and child abuse.

· The Zimbabwe Republic Police and human rights institutions such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) and the Zimbabwe
Gender Commission (ZGC) to investigate this issue and bring the perpetrators to account according to section 245 of the Constitution. Law
enforcement agencies should enforce the law without fear, favour or prejudice.

· The Parliament of Zimbabwe to pass the Marriages Bill 2019 into law as a matter of urgency, during its current sitting, to align the legislation with
sections 78 and 81 of the Constitution by repealing outdated provisions allowing young girls to get married at 16 years, or younger with the
consent of the minister.

· All stakeholders such as the civil society, ZHRC, ZGC, traditional and church leaders to coordinate themselves and engage on child, early and
forced marriages.

· All stakeholders to conduct awareness programmes to inform rural and urban dwellers about the dangers of child, early and forced marriages
and the laws that are being violated. It is also important to educate society as a whole about gender-based violence and the laws and policies that
exist in the country.

· Communities to report child, early and forced marriages to the police and other stakeholders working in this area. Most cases remain
underreported due to fear of retribution.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
Kodzero/Amalungelo House
No. 103 Sam Nujoma Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 242 764085/705370/708118
Email: [email protected]
www.zlhr.org.zw
FOLLOW US:@ZLHRLAWYERS ON TWITTER | ZIMBABWE LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
ON FACEBOOK

#ZLHRat25

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Special Covid-19
PANDEMIC coverage

Masvingo intensifies Covid-19 awareness

MORRIS BISHI

AUTHORITIES in Masvingo have part- The province recorded 54 new Covid-19 Covid-19 awareness campaigns encourage people to for go for vaccination.
nered various non-governmental organisa- cases on Wednesday, bringing the total
tions in an effort to take Covid-19 awareness number of infected people since the begin- ince is left with 1 668 active cases after 7
campaigns to all corners of the province. ning of the pandemic to 9 164. The prov- 335 recoveries.

The idea to escalate the campaigns came
after realising that despite the reduction in
new infections, most people are no longer
adhering to Covid-19 regulations. The cam-
paigns are also encouraging people to visit
vaccination centres.

Masvingo provincial Covid-19 taskforce
spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi told The
NewsHawks that his committee in part-
nership with several partners is engaged in
awareness campaigns that will see teams vis-
iting all areas, including rural communities.

He said the campaigns are bearing posi-
tive results as more people are now going for
vaccination.

“We are intensifying our campaigns,
spreading them to rural areas in an effort to
give all the people the important message re-
garding coronavirus. I am currently speaking
to you from Muchakata in Masvingo rural
where we are having a programme in part-
nership with Care International and Hevoi
FM. We have other partners like Christian
Care and Community Working Group on
Health (CWGH) who are undertaking sim-
ilar campaigns in Masvingo urban,” Irimayi
said.

CWGH Masvingo urban chairperson
Entrance Takaedza said it is worrying to
note that crews manning Zupco buses are
no longer observing gazzeted guidelines.
She also said infected people who are being
isolated at home are endangering the lives of
others by visiting shops and friends.

“Our campaigns are targeting Masvingo
urban and we have noted several worrying
issues, among them the disregarding of
Covid-19 regulations by Zupco bus crews.
They are overloading and passengers are
no longer being sanitised. People are mov-
ing around despite being recommended for
self-isolation at home,” Takaedza said.

ZCTU slams companies for eroding workers’ benefits

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions benefits. Many employees have to date lost Covid-19 pandemic but such efforts must be are protected by law in the form of the La-
(ZCTU) has slammed employers for tak- school fees, medical allowances and have had undertaken based on relevance and context bour Act and Public Service Act and many
ing advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic to to endure unilaterally unjustified salary cuts as opposed to the umbrella onslaught we are collective bargaining agreements, therefore
erode workers’ long-standing benefits amid as companies claim to be in a bid to save jobs. witnessing. “What worsens the situation is any violation can find remedy in legislation
calls for the government to block the ongo- the closure of public courts which then dis- or a court of law,” he said.
ing onslaught. “Within the matrix, thousands have been ables workers’ only avenue to pursue legal
offloaded without due process as companies recourse,” he said. Murefu underscored that employers want
Speaking to The NewsHawks this week, find a flexible avenue to avoid payment of health and safety to be guaranteed in the
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions retrenchment packages. At various National Moyo blamed the government for failing workplace hence all the measures put in
(ZCTU) secretary-general Japhet Moyo Employment Councils, negotiations have to balance priorities and paying too much place are aimed at balancing workers’ rights
said recent assessments show the country’s been stalled and delayed,” Moyo said. attention to the Covid-19 pandemic while with the urgent need around protecting lives
employers are abusing labour rights while neglecting pertinent issues. from the Covid-19 pandemic.
hiding behind the facade of saving jobs and He said protected rights like entitlement
containing the spread of the Covid-19 pan- to leave days have been forfeited as workers Contacted for comment on the allegations “So these are extraordinary times and
demic. are forced into a choice between staying at from labour, Employers’ Confederation of sometimes you also have to deploy extraor-
home or at least getting something while Zimbabwe (Emcoz) president Israel Murefu dinary measures to deal with such situations
“Recent job market analysis concluded many women are being sexually abused to dismissed the claims, maintaining that em- but labour rights remain enshrined in local
by my office shows a sustained trend of tak- keep their jobs. ployees are still protected by the law and can legislation and anyone can seek enforcement
ing advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic seek legal recourse. of their rights by courts or NECs” he added.
to erode workers’ long-standing rights and “Yes. We are aware of the global need — STAFF WRITER.
to save lives during the war against the “This is far from the truth. Labour rights

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

PALESA MUWANI Chiri’s exclusion from procurement
committee cripples accountability
THE move by Vice-President and Health
minister Constantino Chiwenga to exclude (Robert Mugabe), we should have been on Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga pany, Transfrontier Mining, later acquired
Auditor-General (AG) Mildred Chiri from the sixth year of the programme, but because 49.99% of Grandwell.
the Special Procurement Oversight Commit- of bureaucracy and other unnamed vested in- Auditor-General Mildred Chiri
tee after she exposed the looting of Covid-19 terests which are corrupt, this could not hap- The beneficial owners of Transfrontier re-
funds by the ministry speaks volumes of the pen,” he revealed. erated in Chiadzwa had controversial and mained unknown.
government’s discomfort with transparency murky structures, including the largest one,
and accountability. Ironically, Mnangagwa was presiding over Mbada Diamonds. MDC- Alliance vice-president Tendai Biti,
a deal which is equally shady and vague. before he was removed as chairperson of
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s admin- Mbada Diamonds was a joint operation be- the Parliamentary Portfolio Committeeeon
istration last week approved the principles The full beneficial owners of the deal were tween the Zimbabwe Mining Development Public Accounts, was in the forefront of in-
for the Amendment of the Public Procure- not declared beyond half-disclosures. There Corporation (ZMDC), through its subsidi- vestigating allegations that Sakunda Hold-
ment and Disposal of Assets Act, which were was no explanation and detail of how the in- ary Marange Resources and Grandwell Hold- ings received over US$1 billion from the
presented by Chiwenga and are now set to be vestment added up to US$4.2 billion. ings, partly owned by South African compa- government for the ambitious agricultural
drafted at the Attorney-General’s office. ny New Reclamation Group (Pty) (Reclam) programme, Command Agriculture, without
The dodgy diamond deals in Chiadzwa Ltd. Grandwell is a limited liability company parliamentary approval.
Chiri’s report on the utilisation of public and the opaque nature of Zimbabwe’s min- incorporated under the laws of Mauritius
resources in curbing the Covid-19 pandemic ing sector are testimony that the executive in July 2009. Grandwell was owned 50.1% However, his efforts to get transparency
by ministries and government departments loathes transparency. Companies which op- by Reclam, while a consortium of investors and accountability over the murky deal hit
reveals the misappropriation of more than owned 49.99% of the company. a brick wall with Sakunda chief and Mnan-
ZW$890 million. gagwa adviser Kudakwashe Tagwirei failing
A mysterious Hong Kong-registered com- to show up for a parliamentary hearing over
The report revealed incidents of gross mal- the issue. Biti was eventually removed from
feasance with figures manipulated to facili- Parliament as a result of being recalled at the
tate theft of donations meant for Covid-19 behest of the purported People’s Democratic
allowances, allowing looting by undeserving Party (PDP) secretary-general Benjamin Ru-
politically connected officials. kanda in March this year.

This is a continuation of the government’s Biti said the recall was done at a time when
penchant to operate under a veil of secre- the committee was on the verge of releasing
cy, raising suspicion of underhand dealings damning reports of corruption in state enti-
which include mortgaging the country’s min- ties concretising the government’s discomfort
erals, which has a detrimental impact on the with transparency and accountability. The
country. court later reversed Biti’s recall.

In the 2021 mid-term fiscal budget Fi- The move by the authorities to amend a
nance minister Mthuli Ncube said that 10 clause in the constitution which subjects the
mining firms had bought 60% shareholding government’s agreement with non-state enti-
in the country’s gold refinery Fidelity Print- ties to parliamentary scrutiny provides fur-
ers & Refiners for US$49 million. Ncube ther evidence of its aversion to the virtues of
neither gave a breakdown of the sharehold- transparency and accountability.
ing nor stated the identity of the 10 firms.
The failure to publicise this raises eyebrows Clause 23 of the proposed Constitution
and does nothing to ease concerns over the Amendment Bill (No 2), seeks to amend Sec-
government’s lack of transparency. tion 327(3) of the constitution, to give the
executive exclusive powers to approve loan
The move by the government to elbow out agreements with foreign non-state institu-
the Auditor-General, though not surprising tions or entities without being subjected to
given that it has become a culture within gov- parliamentary and public scrutiny.
ernment, is a worrying development, accord-
ing to political analyst Eldred Masunungure. Currently, Section 327(3)(b) of the consti-
tution prohibits the state from entering into
“This is deeply concerning, but not sur- an agreement which is not an international
prising let alone shocking because it is part treaty without the approval of Parliament.
of a chronic problem that is also part of the
misgoverning in the country,” Masunungure The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Asso-
said. ciation (Zela) has raised concern over plans
by the state to dodge scrutiny over its agree-
“The issue of the removal of the Audi- ment with non-state enterprises.
tor-General will affect the transparency of
not just the committee but also the procure- The proposed constitutional amendments,
ment of the resources that are related to the according to Zela, violate section 119 of the
health delivery sector. This will directly im- constitution, which provides for Parliament
pact on the public, particularly on the avail- to play its role of promoting democratic gov-
ability of the services and resources required ernance.
for the efficient and effective delivery of a
public service.” Zela said the proposed Constitution
Amendment Bill (No 2) would have adverse
Masunungure said the planned removal of effects on the mining industry since Zim-
the Auditor-General by the government is a babwe used its minerals as collateral in ex-
“further blow for a health sector which is on change for lines of credit.
its knees” adding the amendments “must not
see the light of day”. “Without any parliamentary oversight and
approval of agreements that impose fiscal ob-
He called on Zimbabweans and organisa- ligations on the country,
tions such as Transparency International to
demand accountability and transparency by Zimbabwe might further fall into a debt
the government. trap drawn from secretive projects that may
include punitive repayment terms, certain
“It is up to the public and organisations, immunities, or exemptions to foreign compa-
particularly those who deal with policy ad- nies,” the environmental watchdog warned.
vocacy in various sectors, to stand up and be
accountable and resist in various ways, in- The efforts to evade transparency and
cluding in public hearings in Parliament, to accountability fly in the face of the govern-
ensure that attempts to avoid transparency ment’s mantra that Zimbabwe is open for
and accountability are thwarted,” he said. business, says economic analyst Prosper Chi-
tambara.
Deals such as the US$4.2 billion platinum
investment deal between the government and “The reluctance by the government to be
Cyprus-based company Karo Resources, is transparent and accountable really puts the
testament to the government’s opaque nature country in negative light, given our open for
when it comes to its dealings. business mantra,” Chitambara said.

Mnangagwa’s remarks at the signing cere- “For you to be open for business, you must
mony for the platinum deal in 2018 indicat- be transparent. It puts the country in an in-
ed as much. vidious position. We need to transcend rhet-
oric and implement the letter and spirit of
“I am happy that this day has come. being open for business.”
This has taken more than six years to reach
this day. Had we embraced their intention to
invest in this country in platinum the year
they came and I took them to then President

Page 18 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 44, 20 August 2021

African youths
won’t be ignored

THE world is changing and Zimbabweans must change with it. Ev- The country will never die,
erywhere you look, the demographics are shifting. Young people are young people will save it
in the majority.
IT was the late Zimbabwean national- tions in Zimbabwe and across the con- Riding on the wave of their discon-
No force on earth can ever silence youths whose time has arrived. ist pioneer and former vice-president tinent, only if they can register to vote tent and demands, Hichilema, a busi-
Ask Edgar Lungu. He thought deploying soldiers, cutting off social Joshua Nkomo, a leader with a solid na- and actually do so, which they did in nessman who had lost five previous
media and monopolising state media would win him Zambia’s 12 tion-building philosophy and common Zambia. presidential bids, stormed to a landslide
August election — only to be defeated in spectacular fashion. The vision for the country founded on unity after sweeping through with more than
opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) had in diversity and inclusivity, who once Elections in Zambia were largely in- 2.8 million votes in the election last
two secret weapons: energised youths and a united alliance. said that: “The country will never die; fluenced by young people, including Thursday, sending incumbent Lungu
young people will save it.” first-time voters. reeling and packing, with 1.8 million
Addressing a Press conference, President-elect Hakainde Hichile- votes.
ma wore a sly expression on his face as he revealed how he had relied Nkomo’s ideas of the 1980s, includ- More than half of the seven million
on multitudes of underground volunteers to pull off the shock win. ing building an inclusive, pluralistic, registered voters were under the age of Lungu had been in power since 2015.
diverse and democratic, as well as pros- 35. In the past, along with urban vot- While Hichilema’s leadership qual-
One of these foot soldiers is Joseph Kalimbwe (28), the informa- perous society, at a time when the late ers, they had been the bedrock of the ities, organisational capacity and re-
tion and publicity secretary of the victorious UNPD. former president Robert Mugabe and PF support. sources were key to his victory, it was
Zanu PF were relentlessly pushing for the youths who were decisive and car-
This week, the former student leader captured the imagination of a one-party state, resonate even more But amid economic turmoil, unem- ried him to the top.
Zimbabweans with a simple tweet: “Register for 2023!!!” with the current political zeitgeist. ployment and poverty, former Zambian The youths, who in history always de-
president Edgar Lungu and his party fined turning points and change, were
Kalimbwe, who claims to have been threatened on social media While Mugabe was obsessed with made a huge mistake by taking their the catalysts for change in Zambia.
by suspected Zanu PF supporters, says the Zambian opposition won power consolidation and retention, Out of the seven million electorate
because young people were determined to correct the mistakes of Nkomo appealed for unity and na- Hawk Eye who voted, over one million of them
their parents who voted the ruinous Patriotic Front into power. tion-building. Among many other were new voters and mostly youths.
things, he warned that the abuse of Dumisani There had been high voter registration
In 2019, about 60% of Africa’s population was under the age of state security apparatus and the atten- Muleya and subsequently a high voter turnout.
25, making it the world’s youngest continent. dant culture of political violence un- The youth factor thus loomed large; it
leashed in the 1980s would engulf the votes for granted. threw Lungu’s designs and calculations
Young people are Africa’s greatest resource, the African Youth nation and be difficult to uproot. Before the Zambians cast their bal- into disarray. The youth and high voter
Charter correctly proclaims. But for far too long, they never really turnout made it impossible for Lungu
get to realise their full potential. One of the reasons for this is that the The late nationalist leader also said lots, one comment about the youth to rig.
youth often allow geriatric politicians to sell them a dummy. one of the most difficult lessons he caught my attention. It was in the BBC. That is why it is naïve for President
learnt late in his political life was that a Emmerson Mnangagwa to say what
They are told that they are “leaders of tomorrow”. This convenient country could be independent without “I am not voting for anyone in this happened in Zambia will not happen in
cliché — peddled by insecure, corrupt, incompetent and power-hun- being free, a comment on the democrat- election — I am voting for a job. I can’t Zimbabwe. It is not up to him, but to
gry political overlords — is meant to hoodwink young people. ic credentials of Zimbabwe and other go four years without a job,” Silvia Mu- the youths.
post-colonial African states. tila, a 25-year-old unemployed nurse Youths could be decisive in Zimba-
In much of Africa today, the biggest headache faced by the youth who graduated in 2017, told the BBC. bwe’s 2023 elections.
is lack of income. Unemployment had already reached crisis levels Yet one of Nkomo’s most interest- In the 2018 polls, over two million —
before the Covid-19 pandemic plunged countries deeper into pover- ing and enduring observations was that That was profound. 43.5% — of the registered voters were
ty. The situation is now catastrophic. Zimbabwe will never die, youths will For her it was not about Lungu and youths, that is between 18-35 years.
save — indeed serve — it. his ruling PF or main opposition lead- If there is a serious voter registration
When political leaders fail to deliver an economic environment er Hakainde Hichilema and his party, exercise, youth voters will dramatically
that enables job creation, investment, innovation and better quality His words still ring true. United Party for National Develop- increase due to demographics. That is
of life, young people have every right to question the prevailing gov- In the aftermath of the recent Zam- ment. It was about her interests, specifi- where the election will be won or lost,
ernance ethos. bian elections — whose reverberations cally having a job in this case. not Mnangagwa’s delusional and enti-
have shaken to the core the regional po- Come election day, the youth spoke tlement remarks.
A tragic consequence of Zanu PF’s economic failure is the damage litical landscape, including in Zimba- loud and clear in Zambia.
inflicted on the psychology of young people in this country. Most bwe — Nkomo’s words are even more
citizens below the age of 40 have no confidence in the future of the poignant and relevant.
republic. Youths hold the card on future elec-

All they aspire to is acquiring a passport, getting a decent edu-
cation and leaving Zimbabwe. They want to leave, in droves. If the
crème de la crème of this nation’s human capital is fixated with seeking
economic refuge abroad, who exactly is going to build Zimbabwe’s
economy?

It is a tragic failure of leadership that a country that prides itself as
Africa’s most literate society is also the biggest producer of economic
refugees in the sub-region. Zimbabwean leaders have failed to create
fair opportunities for young people.

Five decades ago, the youth of the day rejected colonial politics. In
the 21st century, young people must reject the purveyors of corrup-
tion-induced poverty.

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

MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE

EUR/USD 1.168 +0.001 +0.05 *OIL 62.61 -0.89 -1.402

USD/JPY 109.75 +0.03 +0.03 *GOLD 1,785.3 +2.2 +0.123

GBP/USD 1.362 -0.002 -0.154 *SILVER 23.14 -0.09 -0.39

USD/CAD 1.29 +0.007 +0.55 *PLATINUM 975.5 +4.3 +0.44

AUD/USD 0.713 -0.001 -0.098 *COPPER 4.087 +0.046 +1.14

DUMISANI NYONI US$60m tobacco facility
requires close monitoring
GOVERNMENT should monitor the disburse-
ment of the US$60 million facility meant to resus- Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe’s largest foreign currency earners, having generated US$565 million on the 86th day of marketing.
citate the tobacco auction system, so that the banks
will not give the money to the surrogate contractors on contractual basis and if you want to divert it in wise, generally, if this thing can come into fruition and also the retention of the foreign currency which
blamed for derailing the sector, farmers have said. any whatsoever, you would be found wanting and and if it goes as per arrangement, all farmers and the was supposed to be exported.
end up losing quite a lot, including whatever you industry as a whole will also tick because we would
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John had in your position before you got the contract,” be having players who have the money to plough Of the US$550 million worth of tobacco which
Mangudya this week revealed that the central bank Makombe said. back and also to continue investing in other areas,” was exported, Seremwe said about US$435 million
was working on modalities to disburse a US$60 mil- he said. “was exported as USD dollars, paying back foreign
lion tobacco facility this year after the government “So farmers are limited in terms of manoeuvrabil- currency loans abroad.”
decided to start funding the production of the gold- ity. They cannot do anything because they have got Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president
en leaf using local money. no power, they can’t choose. But whereas if that fa- George Seremwe also applauded the government for “So it’s a good development and we are happy as
cility comes in, in the form of that loan, we want to the initiative, saying it brings sanity in the tobacco farmers’ organisations and unions, but we need to
The Tobacco Production Localisation Revolving believe even the interests would be low. It means you industry. make sure that its disbursement is done transparent-
Fund is meant to support growers during the forth- can now produce at a higher level and you remain ly and well-monitored. We don’t want to have the
coming season, with a yield potential of 60 million with something and you can also improve yourself “It will earn the country and the farmer the banks that are going to give that funding to surrogate
kilogrammes expected from the initial investment. because when you say farming is a business, we are much-needed foreign currency in an organised way. contractors and then end up contracting and yet it is
also talking of farmers being developed.” It’s one of the things which we are appreciating and funds which are coming from the country and our
This will help sustain the auction system, which advocating for. That tobacco facility will improve on central bank has a stimulus plan,” he said.
has almost collapsed as the majority of farmers are “But as it stands with contractual obligations — the pricing model where the prices could be more
now being funded by private contractors. contract farming — you can’t do much. It’s a matter from the auction than contracted tobacco,” he said. Tobacco output has so far reached 202.8 million
of more or less like subsistence that you just wait for kilogrammes, surging past official predictions, which
Tobacco is one of the country’s largest foreign the table and a few things which you may do,” he “Contracted tobacco might be a connivance had projected volumes to close to 195 million kg this
currency earners, alongside gold, having generat- said. among the contractors and you see there are only season. The marketing season kicked off in April,
ed US$565 million on the 86th day of marketing, four major buyers and the rest are surrogate contrac- and most of the tobacco has so far been delivered,
ahead of US$448.4 million that had exchanged Given the situation, Makombe said contractors tors. That compromises the prices, but once it’s local- although mop-up sales are continuing.
hands during the same period in 2020. were not happy about it because they stand to lose. ised, there is going to be a fair play.”
A few weeks ago, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube
Farmers who spoke to The NewsHawks this week “That’s why you would find there is some negativ- Seremwe said US$60 million worth of the tobac- had projected that tobacco output would reach 195
said the government’s decision to start funding to- ity in terms of comments from some corners. They co would be put on the market on the auction and million kg this year, while other estimates had placed
bacco was welcome, but the authorities should be don’t have the interests of farmers at heart. Other- that would definitely improve price competitiveness the figure at 200 million kg.
transparent on the facility disbursement.

“The US$60 million facility is quite a good first
step in the right direction. As they say, ‘a journey
starts with one step’, but, of course, it’s far from farm-
ers’ expectations when you consider that over 90% is
in the hands of contractors,” Zimbabwe Commercial
Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) president Shadreck Ma-
kombe said.

“However, while farmers are happy about that,
it empowers and gives them control over their pro-
duce. Because as it stands, it’s difficult for farmers to
go back by themselves or even retool because most of
the money is taken by contractors.”

According to the Tobacco Industry and Market-
ing Board (TIMB), the planted hectarage increased
by 6.84% from 117 000 hectares in the 2019/20 sea-
son to 125 000ha this year.

About 96% of it was grown under contract farm-
ing, an arrangement in which a farmer enters into a
formal agreement with a buying company, who pro-
vides inputs upfront, with the costs then deducted
from the farmer’s earnings at the end of the season.

This has seen some surrogate merchant buyers
wreaking havoc by swindling growers their crop and
smuggling the golden leaf to South Africa, at the
expense of the national interest’s stipulation on val-
ue-addition.

Once smuggled to South Africa, the cartels re-
move the stem and process it into cigarettes and cos-
metics, earning themselves millions of rand, at the
expense of the nation.

This fuelled concerns that the auction system,
which buys locally-funded tobacco, was on its way
out, marking the end of transparency in tobacco
marketing.

The TIMB said the 2020/21 season was dominat-
ed by 30 contractors, most of whom were fronting
merchants that dominated 96% of the market, amid
indiscipline, which saw some allegedly involved in
smuggling and side-marketing of the golden leaf.

Some of the contractors have not paid for tobacco
delivered to them in May, putting farmers in a quan-
dary and throwing their preparations for the next
farming season into disarray.

The dual marketing system of tobacco was in-
troduced in 2004, with tobacco that is free-funded
being sold to the traditional auction system, while
the crop financed through contract farming is sold
through the contract system.

“So you would find you are there only as service
providers, not as producers because you are there to
service the money which you would have been given

Page 20 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Tackle gold smuggling: Old Mutual

ZIMBABWE needs to address the root In its economic brief Old Mutual said key hurdles in gold production include the market and pricing structure.
causes of gold smuggling and challeng-
es that are disincentivising production The highest output was recorded in There is a need to address the root night and medium-term lending rates
while also continuing to address for- 2018 when 32 tonnes were produced, causes of gold smuggling and challeng- at 40% and 30% respectively while the
eign currency supply bottlenecks to en- while 25 and 19 tonnes were produced es that are disincentivising production,” quarterly reserve money supply growth
sure monetary policy efficacy and tame in 2019 and 2020 respectively, making OM said. target was kept at 20%.
the parallel market forex rates, market the 100-tonne target quite ambitious.
watchers have said. OM further stated that while in the “The authorities noted some poten-
However, OM said actual annual latest Mid-term Monetary Policy State- tial risks in the outlook emanating from
This comes as improved access to production is likely to be more than ment review released on 5 August 2021, the foreign currency auction allotment
funding from both the private and pub- 40 tonnes after accounting for smug- the authorities largely maintained the backlog and potential depreciation of
lic sectors is anticipated to play a cen- gled mineral, reportedly worth about status quo in view of the relatively sta- the unofficial exchange rate. Overall,
tral role in the attainment of an annual US$1.5 billion annually (around 24 ble macro-economic environment, the the authorities need to continue ad-
gold production target of 100 tonnes by tonnes at current prices). central bank will continue to pursue dressing the foreign currency supply
2023 growth. a tight monetary policy through high challenges in the economy to ensure
“In view of this base and the expect- policy rates and limited money supply monetary policy efficacy and tame par-
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube in ed new investments, growing to 100 growth. allel market exchange rate pass-through
his mid-term budget last month sig- tonnes is unlikely to be demanding all effects to inflation,” OM said. — STAFF
naled stronger than initially projected things being equal. The central bank maintained the over-
economic growth in 2021, upgrading
the year’s growth forecast from 7.4% to
7.8%.

Old Mutual (OM) investment group,
in its July monthly economic brief pub-
lished last week, said key hurdles in
gold production include the market and
pricing structure of the bullion sub-sec-
tor and inefficiencies by Fidelity Print-
ers and Refiners (FPR).

“However, foreign currency reten-
tion ratios need to remain sensitive to
market developments as the widening
parallel market rate premium is likely
to negate the envisaged benefits of the
scheme. The move by the central bank
to partially privatise FPR and parcel out
majority shareholding of its refinery
arm to the private sector is commend-
able and is expected to address some of
the entity’s shortcomings,” OM said.

On a year-to-date basis to June 2021,
gold deliveries to FPR rose to 12.78
tonnes from 12.017 tonnes for the same
period in 2020.

DUMISANI NYONI Caledonia mulls trading on VFEX

CALEDONIA Mining Corporation, Falls Stock “Accordingly, Caledonia intends to ob- anisms have been implemented so that
which owns Blanket Mine in Gwanda, Exchange will receive 100% of the rev- tain a VFEX listing, which is expected Caledonia could realise the benefits aris-
expects to start trading on the Victoria to be achieved in September and would ing from the VFEX listing.
Falls Stock Exchange (VFEX) in Septem- enue arising from incremental produc- be effected by a placing in Zimbabwe of
ber next month, The NewsHawks has es- tion in US dollars,” Caledonia said in its approximately US$3 million (to satisfy “Throughout these developments and
tablished. latest management’s discussion and anal- the requirements for local shareholder to the date of issue of the unaudited in-
ysis report. spread) and a subsequent introduction,” terim financial statements the US dollar
The company announced last month the report reads in part. has remained the primary currency in
that it has begun the process of listing on “As Blanket intends to increase its which the group’s Zimbabwean entities
the VFEX, a subsidiary of the Zimbabwe production from approximately 58 000 Caledonia said the proceeds of the operate and the functional currency of
Stock Exchange established last year with ounces of gold in 2020 to 80 000 ounces placing would be used for general corpo- these entities,” it said.
the objective of kick-starting an offshore of gold from 2022 onwards, a listing on rate purposes.
financial services centre earmarked for the VFEX should mean that Blanket will Caledonia has engaged IH Advisory, a
the special economic zone established in receive approximately 70% of its total It said the VFEX listing will be con- Harare-based financial services group, to
Victoria Falls. revenues in US dollars and the balance in ditional on general market appetite and advise and assist on its listing matter.
local currency.” confirmation that the necessary mech-
The VFEX is for both foreign and do- A number of mining companies have
mestic investors in Zimbabwe, and all expressed interest in listing on the US
transactions are denominated in US dol- dollar-denominated bourse.
lars.
Australia Stock Exchange-listed In-
Currently, two counters — hybrid seed victus Energy, which is undertaking the
conglomerate Seed Co International and highly prospective Muzarabani oil and
crocodile breeder Padenga Holdings — gas project, has expressed interest in the
are listed on the bourse. VFEX, adding to the list of other compa-
nies that are warming up to the idea, such
“In early June 2021, the RBZ (Reserve as PPC and Old Mutual.
Bank of Zimbabwe) announced that
companies that are listed on the Victoria

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 21

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Sadc customs
union plan
in disarray

BERNARD MPOFU Central Bank and Monetary Union, ing sector in Sadc. But the issue of Union, which is a grouping of non- Zimbabwe, which has been bat-
as a long-term objective to be pre- multiple customs union membership Sadc members. This again adds to the tling to defend the value of its local
PLANS by the Southern African mised on fulfilling pre-conditions has been the overarching challenge. complexities. currency, has over the years been re-
Development Community (Sadc) to that include, the harmonisation of luctant to join Sacu and the Rand
establish a single currency union con- the fiscal and monetary policies of In the region already, the South A customs union is a grouping of Monetary Union, citing sovereignty
tinue to hang in the balance due to Sadc countries, and greater conver- African Customs Union, which is countries that have established a free issues. 
complexities surrounding countries gence of banking systems. In this re- made of Botswana, Lesotho, Namib- trade area and has common external
with membership of more than one gard, the African Monetary Institute ia, South Africa, Namibia and Swazi- tariffs as well as a common external Business groups such as the Zim-
customs union and funding con- and the African Central Bank should land, increases economic cooperation trade policy. babwe National Chamber of Com-
straints for the ambitious project, The be long-term objectives,” reads part among members of the union. Some merce have over the years been lob-
NewsHawks has established. of the 41st Sadc communique. of the members of this union are also Driven by the need to increase bying for Zimbabwe to join the Rand
part of the Rand Monetary Union, a trade and economic development in Monetary Union, which Sadc insists
Nearly 10 years ago, Sadc mem- Research by The NewsHawks shows grouping of countries that can exclu- the region, this milestone is focused would be used as a model for the re-
ber states agreed to push for regional that while the monetary union is ex- sively use South Africa’s currency as a on  trade and financial liberalisa- gional one.
integration by setting up a monetary pected to enhance regional monetary medium of exchange. tion,  competiti eness and diversified
union by 2016.  cooperation by reforming payment, industrial development and increased Official statistics show that South
clearing and settlement systems as On the other hand, Tanzania, a investment  in the region. Sadc had Africa is Zimbabwe’s major trading
A monetary union is where two or well as harmonising the legal opera- key member of Sadc, is also a mem- plans to establish a single customs partner, accounting for over 60% of
more countries achieve macro-eco- tional frameworks for central banks ber of the Eastern African Customs union by 2013. exports.
nomic convergence, stable and har- and implementation of best banking
monise exchange rates systems, lib- practices, the fragmentation of the
eralise capital and current accounts regional bloc in addition to other
transactions and adopt market-ori- geo-political factors continued to be
ented approaches to the conduct of a major obstacle in achieving this
monetary policy. milestone.

Leaders of the regional bloc, in- According to Sadc, despite the pos-
cluding President Emmerson Mnan- itive progress in this area, the Com-
gagwa, this week met in Malawi and mittee of Central Bank Governors has
resolved to shelve the plans until the experienced human resource capacity
teething issues on the formation of constraints and funding challenges,
the single currency system are re- resulting in the delay of some of the
solved. projects intended to facilitate cooper-
ation and harmonisation in the bank-
“Summit reaffirmed Sadc’s po-
sition that the creation of the Sadc

EXPERTS have attributed Zimba- ‘US$65m trade deficit decline due
bwe’s US$65.4 million trade deficit to good agric season, Covid-19’
decline to a good agricultural sea- also attributed the decline to the op-
son, Covid-19 pandemic-induced Experts say trade deficit figures indicate a recovering economy on the back of a bumper harvest. portunities created by the Covid-19
supply chain disruptions, amid calls pandemic on the back of a bumper
to revamp the country’s irrigation manufacturers ramping up produc- tural productivity is very fragile and experiences another drought we are harvest.
systems if the trend is to be sus- tivity. can be shortlived unless the govern- likely to witness a leap in the defi-
tained. ment expeditiously invests in irriga- cit,” he said. “Curtailment of global value
“However, this kind of recovery tion infrastructure. So if the country chains and improved availability
The calls come against a backdrop which hinges on rain-fed agricul- Economist Godfrey Kanyenze of electricity have seen the coun-
of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s try losing less foreign currency to
latest monthly economic review for consumptive imports. Good rains
the period ended 31 March 2021, have played a double advantage in
which reported that the country’s the process as they have availed raw
trade balance significantly improved materials for industry and improved
from a deficit of US$111.1 million electricity generation,” he said.
in February 2020, to a deficit of
US$65.4 million in March 2021. He said last year alone the gov-
ernment spent about US$500 mil-
“This was on account of higher lion on maize imports, which can
export earnings relative to imports. be avoided going forward due to a
On a year-on-year basis, the coun- bumper harvest.
try’s trade balance narrowed from
a deficit of US$177.8 million in “Going forward, policymakers
March 2020 to US$65.4 million in must appreciate the strong linkages
March 2021,” the report said. between agricultural productivity
and the manufacturing sector.
Speaking to The NewHawks,
economist Prosper Chitambara at- “This means we need to heav-
tributed the decline to a good agri- ily rely on our abundant dam wa-
cultural season. ter sources for sustained irrigation
coupled with improved electricity
“The decline was expected given supplies and rigorous parastatal re-
the Covid-19-related restrictions forms, bearing in mind that these are
which disrupted supply chains on a the institutions which are charged
global scale. with the responsibility to run key
national resources,” Kanyenze add-
“As a result, this has created an ed. — STAFF WRITER.
opportunity for locals to boost ca-
pacity and take advantage of the
huge import gap,” he said.

Chitambara said the figures are
also indicative of a relatively re-
covering economy on the back of a
bumper harvest which has seen local

Page 22 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Soaring wage bill burdens retailers Issue 44, 20 August 2021

DUMISANI NYONI Zim closer to
energy boom
ZIMBABWE’S retail players have seen their The increase in wages and salaries has seen retail players terminating contracts of some employees.
wages and salaries shooting beyond the rec- RONALD MUCHENJE
ommended maximum ratio of 3% of total “Because of that, most of our members have It said landlords have also followed suit de-
revenue to the current 7% to 10% due to a reported that their overheads have increased. spite Covid-19 lockdown-induced restrictions ZIMBABWE is on the cusp of a hydrocarbon
shrinking topline against a constant wage bill, Further, the requirement to re-test all employ- which affected optimum trading. boom, which can be unlocked through foreign
prompting the sector to appeal to the govern- ees in the event of one contracting Covid-19 capital, technology and expertise, the African En-
ment to consider providing a subsidy to cover compounds the situation. “These increases defeat President Mnangag- ergy Chamber (AEC) has said.
part of employee pay. wa’s ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ mantra
“The retail sector employs a lot of people per and should be revised downwards as they only In a statement on the upcoming African Ener-
In its first-half report on the state of the store and it becomes expensive to test all em- increase the cost of doing business and affect gy Week in Cape Town, the AEC said Zimbabwe
retail sector, the Confederation of Zimbabwe ployees. And in the unfortunate event where competitiveness of brick-and-mortar retail es- represents an exciting new frontier, with recent
Retailers (CZR) said the increase in wages and an employee contracts Covid-19, more trading tablishments. The decision to increase fees was exploration activities leading to strong indica-
salaries has seen players terminating contracts hours are lost due to forced closure to allow for taken when businesses were already reeling un- tions of significant oil and gas prospects.
of some employees. disinfecting, which can last up to three days of der the effects of the lockdown and pandem-
closure while adhering to the standard operat- ic,” it said. “With the promise of potential prospects in
“During the first half of the year, most re- ing procedures,” the report said. the Muzarabani Basin — which borders Zimba-
tail players have seen their wages and salaries In view of the declining cases of new infec- bwe and Mozambique — the country is sitting
jumping out of the recommended below 3% However, the report notes that some infor- tions and massive inoculation drive, the CZR on the verge of a hydrocarbon boom, set to be
of total revenue to the current seven to 10% mal and unregistered players simply send an proposed that the government review trading unlocked through foreign capital, technology
of total revenue, largely due to the shrinking employee home and continue trading. hours to 7am to 6pm, compared to the current and expertise,” AEC said.
topline against a constant wage bill,” the report 8am to 3.30pm.
reads in part. “This is why we urge the government to In a bid to establish a domestic hydrocarbon
strictly monitor the activities of informal trad- “CZR continues to urge all its members to industry and achieve energy independence, Zim-
“The trend has seen some players reducing ers, as they pose a serious risk of spreading implement all necessary mitigatory measures babwe recently focused efforts on exploration,
their staff complement by terminating con- Covid-19 by not adhering to the health proto- in line with ministry of Health and with Australian-based Invictus Energy Limited
tracts while others have adopted a rotation sys- cols of the World Health Organisation as well leading the way.
tem of two weeks on and two weeks off. This as the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare,” WHO (World Health Organisation) proto-
has been largely caused by the reduced operat- it said. cols to ensure the safety of all retail stakehold- In 2018, Invictus signed a petroleum explo-
ing hours. ers, and our teams are always on the ground to ration development and production agreement
The CZR also said it has observed that local monitor and assess that,” it said. with the government of Zimbabwe to explore for
“In light of the above, we appeal to the gov- authorities have increased fees by an average of commercial deposits in the Muzarabani prospect.
ernment to consider providing a subsidy to 5 000%, cumulatively, since the last quarter of When the country was hit by the third
cover part of employee wages. This subsidy can 2020 to date. wave, with cases rising alarmingly, the retail The company has since revealed significant hy-
also enable players to re-hire employees, help sector was not spared, it said. drocarbon potential located in the prospect, lead-
prevent further job losses, and ease their busi- ing to a planned seismic survey campaign and the
nesses back into normal operations,” it said. drilling of the first oil/gas test well in October/
November 2021.
As part of measures to contain the spread of
Covid-19, the government restricted trading If successful, the AEC said, hydrocarbon de-
hours to 8am to 3:30pm. posits could not only lead to enhanced energy in-
dependence by reducing petroleum imports, but
The lockdown measures have also negatively also drive gas-to-power projects that could give
impacted real disposable incomes, mainly due impetus to the country’s mining sector and in-
to constrained economic activity. dustrialisation.

The report said CZR members have been In that connection, the Muzarabani Basin has
implementing measures to fight the spread of the potential to catapult Zimbabwe into both an
the coronavirus to ensure the safety of various energy and industrial hub.
stakeholders who include customers, employ-
ees and suppliers. “Additionally, the potentially hydrocarbon-rich
Muzarabani Basin could justify other commer-
“The implementation of these measures, cially viable deposits in other basins across the
however, comes at a higher cost, in the form of country.
things like Covid tests, purchase of face masks,
thermometers, hand sanitisers, staff passage In total, Zimbabwe has six sedimentary basins
costs and increases in security and cleaning ex- — Kariba Basin, Tuli Basin, Mozambique Basin,
penses,” it said. Okavango Basin, Zambezi Basin and Nama Ka-
lahari Basin — which hold the right geological
Rising pork imports threaten pig industry address for hydrocarbons, thereby warranting
further exploration. This has created attractive
CHIPA GONDITII productivity (the number of pigs sold per sow wholesale price increased by 14.2-16.9%.” opportunities for global explorers and upstream
per year) will contribute more to increasing na- The PIB cited the high cost of production, stakeholders looking to cash in on one of Africa’s
THE quantity of imported pork in the first half tional pork production than increases in sow final frontiers,” noted AEC.
of 2021 was 500% higher than imported during herd size,” the report said. shortages of high-quality breeding stock and the
the corresponding period in 2020, a report has unavailability of appropriate loans as reasons for In addition to oil and gas opportunities, Zim-
revealed. The PIB also highlighted that prices for stock- the poor output in the industry. babwe is seen as the solution and a key driver of
feeds had risen sharply in 2021, whilst producer Africa’s energy transition, boasting significant
Zimbabwe remains a net importer of pork as and wholesale prices for pork also increased. The national commercial sow herd is current- mineral deposits that serve as key inputs into
imports consistently exceed exports within the ly estimated at 16 500 and the non-commercial clean energy technologies.
sector. “The US dollar prices of ready-to-feed pig herd at 40 000. Commercial producers are the
feeds and concentrates increased by 62-98% major economic players in the pig industry as The country’s mining industry, which focuses
The Pig Industry Board (PIB) report for the and 54-67% respectively, the pig industry was they contribute to employment creation on the on gold, asbestos, chromite, coal, platinum and
first half of 2021, reveals that imports have risen operating under thin margins and this negative- farms and in downstream industries. diamonds, is made up of a diverse range of small-
exponentially, threatening the viability of locally ly affects industry growth,” the PIB said. to medium-sized operations and contributes 8%
produced pork. The subsistence producers do not produce towards the country’s gross domestic product.
“The operating environment for the first half pigs for a particular market, but the pigs play
“The statistics show that 411.842 tonnes of of 2021 was characterised by small increases an important socio-economic role as a form of a “However, it is the country’s lithium potential
pork valued at US$1 458 697.00 was imported in producer and wholesale prices of pork. The bank, and pigs are sold in times of cash shortages that could drive international investors into the
during the first five months of 2021. The quan- ZW$ producer price increased by 20% and the or unexpected needs in the family. country and propel Africa’s energy transition.
tity imported was 497.6% higher than that im- According to the International Trade Administra-
ported during the same period in 2020. tion, Zimbabwe has the largest lithium deposits
in Africa and one of the top 10 reserves globally,
“The local pig industry is not failing to sup- with the country’s largest mine — in Bikita —
ply the market. The increased imports have the holding approximately 12.8 million tonnes of
net effect of dampening the demand of locally ore with a lithium content of 1.4%, or 150 000
produced pork. tonnes.

“The local pig industry has the capacity to With the recent rebound in the lithium mar-
supply the pork needs of the country. The in- ket, in part attributed to increasing demand for
creased pork imports when the nation is trying lithium-ion batteries associated with green power
to grow the local industry as envisaged in the for utilities and car production – Zimbabwe is
National Development Strategy are counterpro- on the precipice of a mining sector revolution,”
ductive,” reads the report. AEC noted.

The report also noted that national pork out-
put has been slowly declining since 2019 as the
country produced only 14 502, 14 025 and 6
483 tonnes of pork through registered abattoirs
in 2019, 2020 and the first half of 2021 respec-
tively

“The gap between what has been produced
and what is potentially capable of being achieved
can be attributed to low productivity. Increasing

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 23

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Softex acquisition gathers momentum

ART Holdings Limited has begun payments to- In the past five years, ART has enjoyed a turn- Meanwhile, during the third quarter to 30 The group’s overall volumes for the quarter
wards the acquisition of Softex Tissue Products around in fortunes and has entered its second June 2021, ART’s paper segment, namely Kado- jumped 52% compared to the same period last
Limited from Nampak Zimbabwe Limited, in a growth phase underpinned by a consolidation ma Paper Mills, National Waste Collections and year as volumes across the divisions recovered
transaction expected to strengthen the former’s of immediate past gains and the capitalisation Softex, registered a moderate volume increase of in line with improved economic activity. Export
paper business silo. of the paper business in particular. 11% compared to the prior year. earnings were marginally ahead of the prior
year, with paper export volumes into the region
In May this year, ART announced its acqui- Softex falls under the paper business of ART The delay in payments from the foreign cur- showing signs of recovery.
sition of Nampak’s 50% stake in Softex for a which enjoys management control over the rency auction coupled with logistical and raw
total consideration of US$800 000, effectively business and therefore sought to streamline the material supply constraints necessitated com- Year to date sales volumes were 15% ahead
making ART the sole shareholder. The payment decision-making process at the tissue-manufac- mercial downtime with major repercussions on of prior year. The group is upbeat of sustaining
was scheduled to be made in six equal monthly turing firm as well as to simplify capitalisation operating efficiencies, fixed cost absorption and its resilient performance despite the prevailing
instalments. Nampak group managing director processes. profitability.
John van Gend told shareholders that payments economic uncertainties. — STAFF WRITER.
for the transaction had already begun while oth-
er regulatory requirements were in progress. Food sector salary increments lag behind

“An agreement was reached with ART Hold- Despite increasing prices, many companies in the food sector are reluctant to correspondingly increase salaries.
ings Limited for purchase of the entire share-
holding of our 50% share in Softex Tissue Prod- wage bills. lecting foreign currency revenue. strong growth over the comparative quarter with
ucts (Private) Limited. The investment, which “Our hope is to keep negotiating for the better One of the companies which employs many firm volume demand in all major flour product
was marked as a ‘for sale’ asset at the interim categories.
reporting, was not material to our business op- and such successes are hinged on a number of workers in the food sector, Innscor Africa Limit-
erations. factors, which include continuous stabilisation ed, reported that during the third quarter ended Colcom continued to recover into the third
of the economy and easing of the Covid-19 pan- 31 March 2021, significant growth was recorded quarter and, from a nine-month cumulative per-
“Payments for the sale have commenced and demic,” Dzimiri said. across the group’s segments. spective, is 19% ahead of the comparative period.
various regulatory aspects concerning the sale
are in progress,” he said in a trading update for However, investigations by The NewsHawks National Foods’ cumulative nine-month ag- From a cumulative nine-month perspective,
the quarter and nine months to 30 June 2021. showed that many companies in the sector have gregate volume growth remained steady at 14% Irvine’s table egg volumes increased by 12% over
been increasing prices of their products in line over the comparative period. the comparative period, with a similar growth be-
The transaction was a culmination of a 27 with the parallel market rates, but many are still ing achieved in the day-old chick.
August 2020 resolution by the ART board to reluctant to correspondingly increase salaries. The flour division experienced strong consum-
make an offer to Nampak in respect of their er demand, delivering cumulative nine-month Natpak also delivered a pleasing 21% increase
shareholding in Softex, which they jointly Apart from this, the companies have been re- volume growth of 46% over the comparative in aggregate cumulative nine-month volumes
owned. The offer was accepted. porting huge profits, and, in some instances, col- period whilst third-quarter volumes also showed
against the comparative period. — STAFF WRITER.
Softex specialises in the manufacture of hy-
giene solution products such as toilet paper and
distributes a wide range of hygiene care prod-
ucts for the industrial and consumer markets in
Zimbabwe.

According to an ART circular, the company
commenced operations in 1983 specialising in
tissue converting and has since diversified into
feminine and baby care products as well as
washroom hygiene products.
FOOD sector salary increments approved across
the board during the third quarter of 2021 con-
tinue to lag far behind the Total Consumption
Poverty Lines (TCPL) despite the fact that sever-
al companies in the segment are reporting huge
profits.

Details on the increments obtained by The
NewsHawks from the Food Federation and Allied
Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (FFAWUZ) this
week show that the meat and fish sector approved
a minimum wage of ZW$17 257 plus a housing
allowance of ZW$1 924 and transport allowance
of ZW$2 300.

The baking sector approved a minimum wage
of ZW$19 000, on top of housing and transport
allowances of ZW$2 000 and ZW$1 750 respec-
tively.

Food processing sector employers agreed to
pay a minimum wage of ZW$17 150 and trans-
port plus housing allowances of ZW$3 045 and
ZW$2 100 respectively.

A similar trend was manifest in the de-
tergents manufacturing sector, where a total
ZW$17 100 was set as the minimum wage on
top of a housing allowance worth ZW$3 800
and transport allowance of ZW$3 600.

The brewing industry set a minimum wage of
ZW$19 091, plus a housing and transport allow-
ance of ZW$1 950 and ZW$1 750 respectively.

The figures fall far below the TCPL, which had
hit a high of ZW$28 300 as early as April 2021
and had risen to ZW$30 630 by July 2021.

“The current salary structure simply exposes
the sector’s workers to extreme hardships, consid-
ering that many are required to exchange their
earnings into United States dollars at higher par-
allel market rates, which are largely required for
rental payments and other necessities.

“In the just-ended quarter, the challenges we
experienced during wage negotiations include
an outcry by the sector’s employers over the ad-
verse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which
curtailed business operating hours, leading to a
cutback in salary increases,” FFAWUZ secre-
tary-general Runesu Dzimiri said.

He underscored that the sector’s employers
were also frustrated by the policy inconsistencies
in the economy, which precluded them from
reasonable salary increments, amid fears that the
economy may deteriorate as has been the case in
the past and leave employers with unsustainable

Page 24 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

RBZ maintains hawkish stance on 
exchange rate stability and inflation

THE Reserve Bank of Zimba- Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Building, Harare. maintained at 40% and 30% re-
bwe (RBZ) issued the mid-term spectively pending any changes
monetary policy statement as a incentive scheme potentially al- However, end-of-year infla- A key challenge being the within the monetary space. 
follow-up to the first monetary tering export surrender ratios, tion estimates have been revised ZW$25 billion injection that the
policy statement and to set the pressure remains on the central upwards from ending the year Grain Marketing Board (GMB) The banking sector has re-
tone for the remaining two quar- bank to smoothen out the me- around 10% annual inflation to has released thus far for grain de- mained steady to the half year
ters of 2021.  chanics in the system.  an estimated 25-35% range due liveries, with the parallel market despite corrections being dis-
to global inflation factors such creeping up in tandem from a played in key metrics post a hy-
The tone was relatively one of While the banking sector has as the firming of international premium of 59% at mid-year to perinflationary period. Return
a sense of indicative progress and extended about 80% of its loan food prices and correction in oil 70% in August.  on equity redacted year-on-year
optimism with the RBZ confi- book to the productive sector, prices.  The RBZ is targeting a from 27.38% to 18.71% y/y,
dent that the forecast econom- the Reserve Bank has been on month-on-month inflation rate Despite reserve money regis- whilst return on assets changed
ic growth rate of 7.8% will be record as saying that the US$1.7 of below 2%. We believe that in tering below quarterly targets from 10.53% to 4.78%. 
achievable buttressed by a strong billion held by the sector in for- line with the central bank’s sen- throughout 2021, the central
agricultural season, a markedly eign currency deposits might timents and continued fiscal dis- bank revised the quarterly re- Between June 2020 to June
less volatile monetary and fiscal be key as a potential avenue for cipline, inflation will continue to serve money growth target from 2021, total deposits grew 213%
space and expected trickle-down buoying the auction.  decelerate.  22.5% to 20% while also under- to ZW$304.95 billion, while to-
effect from the US$1 billion Spe- taking aggressive mopping up tal loans and advances leapt 278%
cial Drawing Rights allocations Despite the trade balance fore- However, domestic inflation- excess liquidity through open in the period to ZW$142.79 bil-
due to be injected in the world cast to swing into negative terri- ary pressures will remain under market operations.  lion. Consequently, the indus-
economy; despite the downside tory, protections in the current the surface amidst pegged civil try’s loan-to-deposit ratio im-
risk posed naturally by repercus- account balance to CY21 are in- servants’ salary increases, pay- Of note, the zero percent proved from 37.71% to 45.84%.
sions of the extended Covid-19 dicating a sustained net positive ments to farmers for the bumper non-negotiable certificate of de- Non-performing loans on the
pandemic.  balance – which points to poten- agricultural season and planned posit was introduced at the be- other hand remained on the in-
tially less turbulence in the short expenditure to meet National ginning of June 2021 with this crease from a low of 0.31% in
As has been the theme through term for the foreign exchange Development Strategy 1 targets. instrument replacing the 5% December 2020 to 0.55% as at
2021, the RBZ has indicated that auction. Weekly allocations have United States inflation remains open market operations savings June 2021. 
it will continue with its hawkish been edging up to the US$50 at a 13 year high, and risk re- bond as a response to increasing Maintaining fragile stability 
stance on maintaining exchange million mark.  mains of a continued spillover market liquidity.  Despite some marketwide initial
rate stability and aggressive infla- Inflation development and into all the other economies.  hesitations around the foreign
tion targeting, with annual infla- outlook As at 30 June 2021, re- exchange auction system and
tion expected to close the year in The central bank has indicat- Tightening of the monetary serve money stock stood at the evident growing pains, our view
the double digits, after moderat- ed satisfaction in the noticeable space. Money supply remained ZW$24.7 billion, while the cen- is that the auction has alleviated
ing to double digits in July for change in the trajectory of the under tight rein in the first half tral bank’s average monthly li- a lot of critical forex gaps that
the first time in almost two years.  country’s inflation figures decel- of the year, with additional mea- quidity position has moved from existed in the economy stifling
erating from a high of 837.5% sures being put in place to curb ZW$17.5 billion at the start of growth prospects and has dually
There will be a continued fo- in July 2020 to 56.4% in July speculative practices on the par- the year to ZW$12.6 billion.  taken considerable pressure off
cus on sustaining the foreign ex- 2021.  allel market and neutralise excess the parallel market, reducing the
change auction and maximising liquidity.  The policy rate and the me- premium between formal rate
its allocative efficiency to sup- dium-term lending rate for the and parallel rate. 
port projected economic growth. productive sector have been
We are cautiously optimistic
Supporting the longevity that inflation will remain on a
of the forex auction system is downward trajectory, provided
meant to improve on operational that the discipline displayed in
efficiencies.  the first half of the year is main-
tained. However, key risks that
At a total allotment figure of could potentially see the country
US$1.72 billion since inception, overshoot the set inflation tar-
the foreign currency auction gets include unpredictable im-
system has arguably created a ported inflationary pressures on
functional exchange rate for the domestic pricing and financing
country evidenced by the muting of the remaining harvest, with
of violent movements of prices of only 733 000 tonnes of grain de-
goods and services in the market.  livered to the Grain Marketing
Board against an expected 1.8
A year on, parallel exchange million tonnes. 
rate premiums have eased from
as high as 280% in the first half Amid stellar performance
of 2020 to currently around from the Zimbabwe Stock Ex-
70% from our estimates. Settle- change, with the the bourse out-
ment backlogs from the auction performing most of its African
remain despite the RBZ having peers in the past three halves, we
indicated resolve to ensure that are of the view that the market
foreign currency allotments are has reached fair value at current
concluded within 14 days from levels and is faced with a likely
the date of auction.  profit-taking period as other as-
set classes become more attrac-
In a recent interview, the min- tive post the hyperinflationary
istry of Finance and Economic period. 
Development committed itself
to clearing the ballooning back- However, despite moderating
log within the next six weeks. We earnings and margins reverting
curiously wait to see the develop- to historical averages across the
ments within that space.  board, we do believe that corners
of opportunity still remain in the
Surrender requirements on ex- equities market. – IH Securities.
ports have been largely driving
inflows for the auction, but with
migrations to the Victoria Falls
Stock Exchange and the export

NewsHawks Stock Taking Page 25

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Price Sheet A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Friday, 20 August 2021

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Ticker Price Traded (cents) Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
AFDIS Consumer Goods (cents) Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
African Sun Consumer Services AFDIS: ZH Price 7500.00 (%)
ART ASUN: ZH 7550.00 700.00 400
Ariston Industrials ARTD: ZH 722.05 7500.00 799.00 1,800 30,000.00 -50.00 -0.66 212.50 8,797.95
Axia Consumer Services ARISTON: ZH 798.79 700.00 340.49 847,300 12,600.00 -22.05 -3.05 311.76 6,032.40
BNC AXIA: ZH 346.20 799.00 2445.55 29,300 6,769,955.00 0.21 0.03 67.40 3,491.45
BAT Consumer Goods BIND: ZH 2454.55 320.00 479.75 543,400 99,764.00 -5.71 -1.65 154.10 5,541.12
CAFCA Basic Materials 491.21 2445.00 115080.00 73,700 13,289,140.00 -9.00 -0.37 166.98 13,325.66
Cassava BAT: ZH 115095.00 480.00 17000.00 1,700 353,574.50 -11.46 -2.33 26.25 5,996.19
CBZ Consumer Goods CAFCA: ZH 17000.00 115080.00 1600.00 1,956,360.00 -15.00 -0.01 109.24 23,745.05
Dairibord Industrials 1599.95 8645.03 - 89.10 1,484.97
Delta CSZL: ZH 8700.00 - 3602.17 451,900 - - - 146.15 41,449.24
Econet Technology CBZ: ZH 3976.67 1600.00 8631.49 167,800 7,230,400.00 0.05 0.00 1.16 59,411.39
Edgars Banking DZL: ZH 8632.87 8650.00 3769.81 14,506,360.00 -54.97 -0.63 174.97 12,895.80
FBC DLTA: ZH 3635.17 3600.00 337.34 2,300 -374.50 -9.42 279.39 110,868.14
Fidelity Consumer Goods ECO: ZH 344.44 8610.00 2994.71 452,000 82,850.00 -1.38 -0.02 298.92 97,659.82
First Capital Consumer Goods EDGR: ZH 2904.92 3750.00 1000.00 1,604,400 39,014,340.00 134.64 3.70 181.12 1,103.07
FML Telecommunications FBC: ZH 1150.00 350.00 349.71 60,482,830.00 -7.10 -2.06 99.47 20,122.95
FMP Consumer Services FIDL: ZH 355.56 2895.00 2516.67 800 89.79 3.09 424.38 1,089.23
GBH FCA: ZH 2516.67 1000.00 1400.00 356,400 2,698.75 -150.00 -13.04 217.92 7,542.27
Getbucks Banking FMHL: ZH 1400.00 349.50 198.85 10,673,150.00 -5.85 -1.65 139.68 17,368.62
Hippo Financial Services FMP: ZH 199.17 855.00 2,000 332.10 17,334.20
Innscor GBH: ZH 853.08 - 18995.00 11,000 20,000.00 - - 728.54 1,067.01
Lafarge Banking GBFS: ZH 19000.00 1400.00 9995.57 38,468.00 - - 6740.00 9,944.66
Mash Financial Services HIPO: ZH 10462.57 199.00 9400.00 - -0.32 -0.16 111.06 36,664.26
Masimba INN: ZH 9400.00 855.00 320.00 100 - 1.92 0.23 169.94 56,452.63
Medtech Real Estate LACZ: ZH 321.34 18995.00 3966.67 13,200 1,400.00 -5.00 -0.03 879.17 7,520.00
Meikles Industrials MASH: ZH 4000.00 9990.00 27.75 400 26,248.00 -467.00 -4.46 244.09 5,949.04
Nampak MSHL: ZH 27.30 9400.00 9195.00 92,900 3,420.00 - - 254.17 9,585.61
NatFoods Financial Services MMDZ: ZH 9273.65 320.00 1302.86 106,900 17,646,360.00 -1.34 -0.42 251.27
NTS Consumer Goods MEIK: ZH 1300.00 4100.00 52000.00 700 10,685,270.00 -33.33 -0.83 317.87 843.53
NMBZ NPKZ: ZH 52000.00 28.00 1080.00 300 65,800.00 0.45 1.65 470.80 23,230.81
OK Zim Industrials NTFD: ZH 1080.00 9195.00 1600.00 300 -78.65 -0.85 765.22 9,845.04
Proplastics Industrials NTS: ZH 1600.00 1300.00 1649.42 360,600 960.00 2.86 0.22 3834.43 35,568.06
RTG Real Estate NMB: ZH 1650.00 3300.00 109,700 11,900.00 - - 299.95 2,741.82
RioZim Industrials OKZ: ZH 3360.00 - 515.00 700 100,078.10 - - 83.27 6,466.75
SeedCo Healthcare PROL: ZH 515.00 1080.00 2800.00 10,086,920.00 - - 283.28 20,565.18
Simbisa Industrials RTG: ZH 2800.00 1600.00 7790.05 - 9,120.00 -0.58 -0.04 168.58 8,313.88
Star Africa Industrials RIOZ: ZH 7895.83 1650.00 4000.00 1,200 -60.00 -1.79 87.27 12,851.80
Truworths Consumer Goods SEED: ZH 4000.00 3300.00 199.52 1,300 - - - 238.70 3,416.83
TSL Industrials SIM: ZH 194.73 515.00 220.00 325,500 12,960.00 - - 232.84 19,126.76
Turnall SACL: ZH 220.00 4955.00 20,800.00 -105.78 -1.34 638.96 22,487.39
Unifreight Banking TRUW: ZH 4955.00 - 389.00 100 5,368,850.00 - - 645.76 9,407.54
Willdale Consumer Services TSL: ZH 389.00 7800.00 2992.00 400 3,300.00 4.79 2.46 187.25
ZB TURN: ZH 2992.00 4000.00 312.73 2,060.00 - - 318.28 844.95
Zeco Industrials UNIF: ZH 312.09 200.00 8000.00 - - - 15986.02 17,694.43
Zimpapers Consumer Services WILD: ZH 8000.00 220.00 0.03 19,400 - - - 877.28 1,917.93
Zimplow ZBFH: ZH 0.03 300.00 71,800 1,511,270.00 - - 233.33 3,185.71
ZHL Basic Materials ZECO: ZH 309.75 - 1590.00 479,600 2,872,000.00 0.64 0.21 50.00 5,560.34
TOTAL Consumer Goods ZIMP: ZH 1600.00 - 400.03 22,800 - - 206.12 14,015.25
Consumer Goods ZIMPLOW: ZH 409.51 - 956,877.00 - - 218.00
Consumer Goods ZHL: ZH 310.00 - 50,160.00 -9.75 -3.15 27.61 0.14
Consumer Services 8000.00 - - -10.00 -0.63 1,728.00
Consumer Goods - - - -9.48 -2.31 3,790.25
300.00 1,100 - 7,275.17
Industrials 1590.00 58,900 3,440.00 813,320.26
Industrials 400.00 -
Industrials 5,000 4,712,000.00
600 -
Banking 30,400
Industrials 6,250,100 15,000.00
Consumer Services 9,540.00
Industrials 121,610.00
Financial Services 208,859,833.35

ETFs OMTT.zw 227.02 225.00 225.06 260,800 586,965.00 -1.96 -0.86 124.57 180.05

Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF

FINSEC Financial Services OMZIL 6000.00 6000.00 -- - 126.42 4,980.70

Old Mutual Zimbabwe

VFEX (US cents) US$m

Padenga Consumer Goods PHL:VX 18.00 18.00 18.00 - -- - -50.00 97.49
SeedCo International Consumer Goods SCIL:VX 25.20
- 25.20 - -- - 40.00 60.76

Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
ZSE All Share 6,820.36 -0.41 6,848.48 +159.39 Econet 3769.81c +134.64c +3.70 +298.92
Top 10 3,635.74 -0.05 3,637.59 +119.75 FBC 2994.71c +89.79c +3.09 +99.47
Top 15 4,188.07 -0.08 4,191.35 +114.99 Star Africa +4.79c +2.46 +638.96
Small Cap -1.42 234,172.94 +1843.76 Medtech 199.52c +0.45c +1.65 +251.27
Medium Cap 230,844.49 -0.87 17,962.90 +220.02 Getbucks 27.75c +1.92c +0.23 +6740.00
17,807.22 855.00c

Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %
Fidelity 1000.00c -150.00c -13.04 +424.38
Dairibord 3602.17c -374.50c -9.42 +174.97
Innscor 9995.57c -467.00c -4.46 +169.94
Zimpapers -9.75c -3.15 +206.12
African Sun 300.00c -22.05c -3.05 +311.76
700.00c

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

MORGAN & COMPANY has issued this document for distribution to its clients. It may not be reproduced or further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose. This document is not and should not be construed as
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Page 26 News Analysis NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

NYASHA CHINGONO Zambian democracy gives President Yoweri Museveni won a
Africans hope for change largely violent election early this year
THE just-ended elections in Zambia which (Ugandan opposition leader)
and subsequent acceptance of de- President-elect Hikainde Hichilema Wine disputed but could not chal-
feat by the incumbent Edgar Lungu, lenge in court. 
paving way for long-time opposition mocracy on the continent.  Former Zambian president Edgar Lungu with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
leader Hikainde Hichilema to ascend While democracy is elusive in this A number of Wine’s supporters
to the presidency, is set to embolden in other parts of Africa, there is hope mane said.  were abducted and tortured while
opposition politics reeling under dic- part of the world, youthful leaders are that a new breed of African leaders is Incumbents across Africa have sub- some were killed. Wine was also arrest-
tatorship across Africa.  hopeful that change is on the horizon.  rising, hence change beckons for the ed and brutalised several times.
continent. verted institutions like the police and
Hichilema’s win provides the right Hichilema’s massive win by over a the army to crush dissent, with the The unholy alliance between the
tonic for much-needed change across million votes proves that Zambians “We must celebrate the victory, but Ugandan elections proving that Africa army and incumbents in Africa has
the continent, where “big men” drunk were ready for change and other op- also, we must make sure that the dem- is lagging behind in upholding demo- negated the will of the people, to the
on power are riding roughshod over position leaders can capitalise on the ocratic practices are sustained,” Mai- cratic principles.  detriment of future generations who
democratic stipulations. They have youthful vote. Former Democratic Al- are born into bleakness. 
a penchant for overstaying in office liance leader Mmusi Maimane, a crit-
— to the detriment of Africa’s young ic of repressive African governments Uganda and Zimbabwe have suc-
population.  like Zimbabwe, believes the winds of cessfully used the army to dictate the
change are blowing.  politics of the day, particularly since
While Africa is forever indebted to 2000 when the MDC started contest-
liberation movements for unseating “Zambia has had elections and they ing elections. The Zimbabwean army
colonial rule, the majority of the old have shifted. We can look at it as a new was also deployed in the early 1980s to
generation of leaders have however era of transition. Democracy is fragile crush PF Zapu, resulting in the Guku-
failed to ensure institutional transfor- and should be protected,” Maimane rahundi genocide in Matabeleland
mation that sets the continent on a told listeners on Twitter Spaces on and Midlands regions which claimed
path to growth.  Monday during a debate he hosted fo- an estimated 20 000 lives, mostly PF
cussing on democracy in Africa. MDC Zapu supporters. 
Obsessed with the need to cling on Alliance leader Chamisa also took part
to power, at all costs, dragging state in the debate, presenting his overarch- Maimane urged opposition leaders
institutions like the army and the ju- ing vision for African democracy.   to leverage on the youth vote. 
diciary into treacherous arrangements
for the incumbent, the older genera- While there is little to guarantee a Chamisa, who narrowly lost to
tion of leaders in countries like Zim- repeat of what happened in Zambia President Emmerson Mnangagwa in
babwe, among others, have succeeded 2018, in an election later controver-
in smothering opposition politics.  sially decided by the Constitutional
Court, said the African promise is alive
Often labelled as merchants of the because of the youth. 
West, sellouts, saboteurs and some-
times charged with treason, many op- “The Zambian election is an im-
position leaders in Africa have strug- portant benchmark for Africa. We
gled to get their voices heard, thanks are happy that the young people have
to state-sponsored brutality.  shown the way. They have rejected in-
competence. The days of the big men
In the run up to most elections, op- is gone, it is time for big ideas. The
position leaders have been brutalised, politics of repression must be swept
arrested, and tortured by heavyhanded away. The African promise is very
African leaders whose obsession with much alive,” he said. 
power makes accepting defeat a bitter
pill.  It may be that the youthful opposi-
tion leaders are realising that tapping
But Zambia has for the third time into the fodder of the youth vote is the
unseated an incumbent and it is good hope for change. 
for democracy, as fresh blood is in-
fused into the politics.  Although Lungu had made it dif-
ficult for Hichilema to campaign, he
Zambia is a special case in many used social media to his advantage. 
ways — comparable only to Ghana --
with changes in government and the His messaging towards the youth
ruling party happening regularly.  was also clear, with well-thought-out
deliverables. 
The late former President Kenneth
Kaunda gracefully stepped down af- This struck the right chord with
ter electoral defeat in 1991, and this the youth, who have endured years of
established a Zambian tradition of ac- unemployment. Interesting to see on
cepting what an election means. voting day were pictures of a graduate,
donning their graduation gown. 
Despite concerted efforts to make
campaigning hard for Hichilema, This was sending loud messages
Lungu lost by almost 60% of the vote, that the youths were ready for change. 
making it difficult to challenge.
“Hichilema was both a cattle herder
Gracefully stepping down and and a well-educated technocrat who
promising a smooth transition, became a highly successful business-
showed that Lungu respects the will of man. He is very adept at social media
the people.  and knows how to speak the language
of the young,” political analyst Ste-
Photos showing the two having a phen Chan said. 
light-hearted moment is further testi-
mony of political maturity that should “This victory gives people hope ev-
be emulated elsewhere in Africa. erywhere, but there is very little guar-
antee it can be replicated very easily
However, opposition politics has of- elsewhere in Africa.” 
ten suffered under repressive regimes.
Hichilema himself, accused of treason While the whole of Africa applauds
on flimsy grounds, has endured im- the swift transition in Zambia, Hichi-
prisonment at the hands of Lungu’s lema is flying into a storm. 
repressive regime. 
Zambia is saddled with a huge debt
But for young politicians like the overhang, and it would be interesting
MDC Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa, how he deals with the Chinese, whose
Uganda’s Bobi Wine and South Af- business interests were entrenched
rica’s Julius Malema, among other during Lungu’s tenure in office. 
vibrant youthful opposition leaders,
Hichilema’s win is a triumph for de- But whichever way Zambia goes,
this election has proven that there is
hope for opposition movements across
Africa. 

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

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 27

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

We all lost Afghanistan: Two decades of mistakes, 
misjudgements, missteps and our collective failure

P. MICHAEL MCKINLEY

AS Afghanistan tumbles into Taliban People scrambling to get out of Afghanistan after the shock fall of Kabul to the Taliban this week.
hands, the avalanche of recrimination
and outright condemnation of the cent days, perhaps the most striking larly underscored the growing profes- ground deteriorated, a 2017 report form the Afghan military further
Biden administration’s withdrawal of American misjudgement is our ongo- sionalisation and fighting capability described the ANDSF as “generally undermined the fighting capability
United States troops in Afghanistan ing overestimation of the capabilities of the Afghan military.  capable of protecting major popula- of the ANDSF. The measure of waste
has become unrelenting.  of the Afghan National Defence and tion centres . . . and responding to and fraud runs into the billions of
Security Forces (ANDSF).  The December 2012 “Report on Taliban attacks.” dollars with corruption often involv-
Former national security adviser Progress Toward Security and Sta- ing senior Afghan government offi-
General Herbert Raymond McMas- Even without tactical American bility in Afghanistan” was typical, Only in the last few years did re- cials. SIGAR did manage to expose
ter echoed the sentiments of many military support, the ANDSF should highlighting that Afghan forces were ports begin to reflect a more con- much of this, but more should have
when he declared that Afghanistan have been in a position to defend ma- carrying out 80% of operations and cerning reality. In  2017  and again been done to stop it.
is a “humanity problem on a mod- jor cities and critical military instal- had successfully recruited enough Af- in 2019, there were reports that tens The eroding stalemate 
ern-day frontier between barbarism lations. As numerous observers have ghans to meet the authorised ceiling of thousands of “ghost” soldiers were On the battlefield from 2013 on-
and civilisation” and that the US pointed out, the ANDSF on paper of 352 000 troops and police.  being removed from the rolls — sug- ward, the Taliban seemed to gain
lacks the will “to continue the effort was significantly larger and far bet- gesting that there were never close to ground every year in what came to
in the interest of all humanity.”   ter equipped and organised than the The November 2013 “Report on 330 000 troops available to fight the be called an “eroding stalemate” in
Taliban.  Progress Toward Security and Sta- Taliban, let alone 352 000.  Washington parlance —even with
What is happening is a terrible bility in Afghanistan” went further: The Defence the 2013 death of Taliban founder
tragedy, but the blame cannot be laid The Afghan Special Forces were “Afghan security forces are now suc- Department’s December 2020 report Mullah Omar, his successor’s assassi-
at any one door. The Biden admin- compared with the best in the region. cessfully providing security for their to congress noted that only “approx- nation in 2016, and the heaviest co-
istration’s short timetable for with- As late as March 2021, US intelli- own people, fighting their own bat- imately 298 000 ANDSF personnel alition bombardments of the war in
drawal, tied to the 20th anniversary gence briefings for Biden administra- tles,” and could hold the gains “made were eligible for pay,” hinting at the 2018-19.
of 9/11, and in the middle of the tion officials were reportedly warning by a coalition of 50 nations with the recurring problem with “ghost” sol-
fighting season, was a mistake.  that the Taliban could take over most best trained and equipped forces in diers and desertions. The seeds for that eroding stale-
of the country in two to three years the world.”  mate were sown early on. The failure
But the situation on the ground is — not in a few weeks. The Special Inspector Gener- to invest in Afghanistan’s police and
the result of two decades of miscalcu- By 2014, Afghan forces  reported- al for Afghanistan Reconstruction military in the first years after 2001
lations and failed policies pursued by This overestimation of ANDSF ly  “led 99% of conventional opera- (SIGAR) also regularly highlighted meant a loss of valuable time to build
three prior US administrations and capabilities was a constant after tions and 99% of special operations” problems tracking equipment and a capable fighting force when the Tal-
of the failure of Afghanistan’s leaders the end of the “surge” of American and remained “at just under the full salaries. Waste, fraud and misman- iban were on the defensive. 
to govern for the good of their peo- forces between 2009 and 2011. The authorised level of 352 000 person- agement of resources meant to trans-
ple. Many of the critics speaking out semi-annual US Defence Depart- nel.” 
now were architects of those policies. ment presentations to congress regu-
Even as the situation on the
The broader questions about why
Afghanistan finds itself at this junc-
ture undermine attempts to justify
the “war on terror” as it was waged in
the country over two decades. 

During my more than three years
in Kabul, between 2013 and 2016
(including as US ambassador from
2014 to 2016), it became evident to
me just how steep the challenges to
US strategy were. 

Although we were largely suc-
cessful in eliminating al Qaeda
in the country and reducing the
threat of terrorist attacks in the US,
we failed in our approach to counter-
insurgency, to Afghan politics, and to
“nation building.” 

We underestimated the resilience
of the Taliban. And we misread the
geopolitical realities of the region.

It is time to face the facts: a deci-
sion to delay the withdrawal of US
forces for another year or two would
ultimately have made no difference
to the unbearably sad consequences
on the ground in Afghanistan. 

The US would have had to commit
to Afghanistan indefinitely, at a cost
of tens of billions a year, with little
hope of building on fragile gains in-
side a country with weak governance,
with battlefield conditions eroding,
and with the certainty that many
more American lives would be lost as
the Taliban again targeted US forces
and diplomats.

As the blame games and les-
sons-learned exercises begin, there-
fore, it is also time for critics of the
withdrawal to address squarely the
misjudgements and shortcomings of
the Afghanistan intervention that led
us to this point — and for them to
recognise that responsibility for what
went wrong should be widely shared.
The military collapse 
In light of the Taliban’s rapid takeover
of Afghan city after Afghan city in re-

Page 28 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

The building of an air force was over 20 years have failed abysmal- Karzai complained often about over- Doha agreement of February 2020, Afghanistan in the 1950s.
not prioritised for more than a de- ly to earn national allegiance. It is bearing US political influence. reflected that reality.
cade; the training of a new genera- striking how incapable Afghanistan’s No one to blame for tragedy Who lost Afghanistan?
tion of Afghan pilots began only in government was of issuing any rally- Such “interference” often seemed We misread the Taliban when we In February 2021, the congressionally
2009 and was slower than necessary ing cry for the nation as its defences to keep Afghan politics on track — were fighting them; we also misread mandated Afghanistan Study Group
because of a decision to transition the collapsed.  but with unexpected consequences.  their more recent pledge to negotiate came out with its recommendations
Afghan fleet from Russian craft to peace as they shadow-boxed in Doha for the way forward. It highlighted
Black Hawks.  This context helps explain why the When Richard Holbrooke, then with the Ghani government after the importance of continued support
ANDSF did not fight in recent days. the US special representative for Af- reaching agreement with the US on for the Afghan state and people; of
And while the Afghan air force had ghanistan and Pakistan, sought to the withdrawal timetable. They never continued diplomacy in support of
more recently come to be seen as rel- Another misjudgement relates to influence the 2009 election, he suc- had any intention of reaching a set- a peace process; of working with re-
atively effective, any success was un- the weakness of regional warlords. ceeded not in stopping a Karzai vic- tlement. (The notion that the Taliban gional allies; and of extending the US
dermined by the decision this year to Since 2001, there has been a broad tory, but only in turning the Afghan have changed seems even more naïve troop presence to allow for the Doha
withdraw the thousands of contrac- assumption that these warlords com- president into an enemy.  now, given the disturbing images peace negotiations to conclude. 
tors who provided maintenance and manded thousands of armed follow- emerging from the current takeover.) 
support for operations as US advisers ers who could be mobilised quickly In 2014, when US Secretary of All but one of these policies were
began to leave in 2019. against the Taliban. Both the United State John Kerry brokered a govern- Yet that intention was in some in effect before and after the report
States and the national Afghan gov- ment of national unity as the threat ways mirrored by the US: the ulti- was issued, but they did nothing to
Indeed, the failure to transfer the ernment believed this to be the case of civil conflict loomed, the result mate goal of American negotiators stem the collapse we are witness-
services of the 18 000 contractors and accommodated often brutal local was an uneasy political compromise, was to create the conditions for an ing now. The survival of the Afghan
who worked with the Afghan mil- leaders as a result.  between Ghani and challenger Ab- orderly US withdrawal. The Taliban state should not have been solely de-
itary — or to provide the financial dullah Abdullah, that never settled.  always knew that. pendent on the continuation of an
guarantees to cover the costs — The fall of Sheberghan, strong- American troop presence.
proved damaging to the government hold of former Vice-President (and In the next presidential election, Now, threats to withhold interna-
in Kabul, although it is now unclear human rights violator) Abdul Rashid in 2019, fewer than two million Af- tional recognition as the Taliban cap- There is one seductive argument
whether the ANDSF would have Dostum; of Herat, previously under ghans voted, down from eight million ture Kabul by force mean little. Tali- made by critics of the withdrawal:
fought even with that support.  the sway of former mujahideen leader just five years before. The contested ban leaders are not concerned about that a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan will
Ismail Khan; and of Mazar-e Sharif, result hardly suggested Afghanistan’s whether the US recognises them as again become a haven for terrorist
These services may have sustained formerly run by Atta Nur, reveal how democracy was consolidating at a a government; other international groups threatening the security of the
the logistics flow to the ANDSF in the deeply flawed that assumption was.  time when the Taliban threat was in- actors probably will no matter what US. This argument is a backhanded
field and the maintenance of the Af- creasing.   Washington does.  Another series of acknowledgment that we succeeded
ghan air force despite the withdrawal Afghan President Ashraf Ghani ap- misjudgements and mistakes related in reducing the threat from Afghani-
of US forces. Instead, July night-time pealed for assistance from these war- By the time the unity government to American ambitions when it came stan to minimal levels — the original
US departure from Bagram Air Base, lords, only to find they had no forces leaders visited Washington to meet to “nation-building.” To American rationale for US intervention. 
a key logistics fulcrum, will become to rally — a sorry commentary on President Joe Biden in June 2021, officials, much of what was being
an enduring symbol of our military the state of the national government, unity was non-existent except in done seemed to work.  The sacrifice, however, was signif-
failure in Afghanistan. (The failure the army, and the US reading of a name, and Ghani’s presidential pal- icant: more than US$$1 trillion, the
to maintain a logistics capability had fragmented Afghan political reality. ace was increasingly isolated.  The US worked to support a rep- deaths of 2 400 US service members
another consequence: hampering the resentative government, strengthen (and thousands of contractors), more
evacuation of embassy personnel and The US also overestimated its Yet many in Washington contin- the legislature, and provide for both a than 20 000 wounded Americans.
tens of thousands of Afghans, beyond ability to address another factor that ued to  assume  a semblance of com- degree of security and the delivery of
just interpreters, who worked with fundamentally undermined the war mon purpose regarding the looming social services. Its efforts transformed Perhaps the resurgence of a terror-
the US military, diplomatic mission, effort: Taliban sanctuaries in Paki- Taliban threat. Afghan education, with an exponen- ist threat will develop more quickly
and assistance programmes.) stan. For years, US leaders sought the tial growth in the number of girls in under a future Taliban government
support of Islamabad for a peaceful Afghanistan’s national political school and of women at university than it would have otherwise. But
Meanwhile, the counterinsurgen- resolution of the war in Afghanistan. leadership never fully cohered on and in the workplace. Civil rights to conclude that this outcome de-
cy strategy embraced by the United They failed; Islamabad was more in- how best to fight the Taliban. There were codified, and a free press and ju- mands an indefinite US troop pres-
States never demonstrated an ability terested in keeping its options open were tensions between regional pow- diciary came into being. Millions of ence would imply that US troops
to bring sustained gains. As former on Afghanistan.  Yet even after 9/11 er brokers and Kabul, and between refugees returned to Afghanistan in should also be deployed indefinitely
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff mastermind al Qaeda leader Osama Pashtuns and the minority Tajiks, the years after 2001. in the many other parts of the world
Mike Mullen told an interviewer this bin Laden was found hiding in Ab- Hazaras, and Uzbeks. Both Karzai where Islamic State (also known as
week, he opposed the extension of bottabad, the US retained close ties and Ghani managed ethnic represen- Yet even with these successes, we Isis) and al Qaeda offshoots are active
the US surge past 2011 because “if to Pakistan given the country’s broad- tation through a spoils system rather oversold the gains. And we did less in greater numbers than they are in
we did not have significant progress er regional importance. than the promotion of a common na- than we could have about corrup- Afghanistan and pose a greater threat
or show significant progress over the tional vision. And US efforts to iden- tion, knowingly working with senior to the US. 
course of 18 months or so, then we It is extraordinarily difficult tify, even select, leaders in ministries government and military figures that
had the wrong strategy and we really to defeat an insurgency that has succeeded only in undermining the ordinary Afghans saw as responsible Moreover, US capabilities to mon-
needed to recalibrate.”  a cross-border sanctuary. The Taliban independence and legitimacy of the for graft and political and human itor and strike at terrorist groups have
leadership in Quetta and Peshawar Afghan government. rights abuses.  grown exponentially since 2001.
Yet until the decision to withdraw, raised funds, planned attacks, and
such a recalibration never came. recruited without hindrance. The The Taliban, by contrast, proved Our counter-narcotics programme Ultimately, Washington’s decision
Misreading Afghan political reality Afghan government asked repeated- resilient not just as a military and ter- was an abject failure: poppy produc- to withdraw US troops is not the sole
Year after year, Afghan soldiers went ly for Pakistan’s assistance in closing rorist organisation, but as a political tion continued to increase for most or even most important explanation
months without pay and without the Taliban bases. Yet Pakistan’s minister movement as well. After 2001, the of the past decade, with the United for what is unfolding in Afghanistan
necessary supplies to defend them- of the interior admitted in July 2021 Taliban continued to enjoy popu- Nations Office on Drugs and Crime today. The explanation lies in 20
selves. More recently, provincial that Taliban families lived in Islam- lar support in parts of Afghanistan estimating a 37% increase  in acres years of failed policies and the short-
capitals do not appear to have been abad suburbs. and retained the ability to field tens under cultivation in 2020. The hope comings of Afghanistan’s political
adequately reinforced, even though it Misreading Afghan realities  of thousands of new generations of that Afghanistan’s economic growth leadership. We can still hope that we
was clear 18 months ago that the US Why did an effective Afghan govern- young Afghan adherents.  would eventually allow the govern- in the US do not end up in a poison-
intended to withdraw troops within a ment fail to emerge over 20 years? The ment to cover its own expenditures ous debate about “who lost Afghani-
year of the Doha agreement that the US certainly tried to help produce Even during the “surge” of US was advanced year after year at do- stan.” But if we do, let’s acknowledge
Trump administration struck with one. Our efforts to impose a Western troops in 2009–2011, the Taliban nors’ conferences, even though that that it was all of us.
the Taliban in February 2020.  democratic model on Afghanistan, proved able to evolve. The Afghan clearly would not be the case for the
first at the Bonn conference in 2001 government’s efforts to reconcile with foreseeable future. Grandiose proj- *About the writer: P. Michael
As the Taliban advance intensified and through the writing of the na- the Taliban from 2010 onward repre- ects languished: it took 15 years to McKinley was U.S. Ambassador to
in the past weeks, Afghan soldiers tional constitution, continued over sented an implicit acceptance of their install a new turbine on Kajaki Dam, Afghanistan in 2014–2016. He has
were also let down by their com- two decades. political and military salience inside a symbol of American largess toward also served as US Ambassador to
manders and political leaders, who Afghanistan.  Brazil, Colombia, and Peru and as
Former Afghan President Hamid Senior Adviser to Secretary of State
The decision by the US to nego- Mike Pompeo.
tiate formally with the Taliban in
2018, and of foreign governments to
welcome Taliban emissaries after the

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NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 29

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Goodread Afghanistan: The end of US
global power and hegemony
NANCY LINDISFARNE/
JONATHAN NEALE

A LOT of nonsense about Afghani-
stan is being written in Britain and
the United States. Most of this non-
sense hides a number of important
truths.

First, the Taliban have defeated
the United States.

Second, the Taliban have won be-
cause they have more popular sup-
port.

Third, this is not because most Af-
ghans love the Taliban. It is because
the American occupation has been
unbearably cruel and corrupt.

Fourth, the War on Terror has also
been politically defeated in the Unit-
ed States. The majority of Americans
are now in favour of withdrawal from
Afghanistan and against any more
foreign wars.

Fifth, this is a turning point in
world history. The greatest military
power in the world has been defeated
by the people of a small, desperately
poor country. This will weaken the
power of the American empire all
over the world.

Sixth, the rhetoric of saving Af-
ghan women has been widely used
to justify the occupation, and many
feminists in Afghanistan have chosen
the side of the occupation. The result
is a tragedy for feminism.

This article explains these points.
Because this a short piece, we assert
more than we prove. But we have
written a great deal about gender,
politics and war in Afghanistan since
we did fieldwork there as anthropol-
ogists almost fifty years ago. We give
links to much of this work at the end
of this article, so you can explore our
arguments in more detail. 

A military victory Taliban fighters of many ethnicities sen the Taliban does not mean that ligence services negotiated an end Taliban fighters.
This is a military and political victory have taken power in Uzbek and Tajik most Afghans necessarily support to the stalemate. The United States
for the Taliban. It is a military victo- dominated areas. the Taliban. It means that given the would be allowed to take power in the economy to end the terrible pov-
ry because the Taliban have won the limited choices available, that is the Kabul and install a president of their erty.
war. For at least two years the Afghan The important exception is the choice they have made. Why? choice. In return, the Taliban leaders
government forces – the national Hazara dominated areas in the cen- and rank and file would be allowed Peace was crucial. By 2001 Af-
army and the police – have been los- tral mountains. We come back to this The short answer is that the Tali- to go home to their villages or into ghans had been trapped in war for
ing more people dead and wounded exception. ban are the only important political exile across the border in Pakistan. twenty-three years, first a civil war
each month than they are recruiting. organisation fighting the American between communists and Islamists,
So those forces are shrinking. Of course, not all Afghans have occupation, and most Afghans have This settlement was not widely then a war between Islamists and
chosen to side with the Taliban. This come to hate that occupation. publicised in the US and Europe at Soviet invaders, then a war between
Over the last 10 years the Taliban is a war against foreign invaders, the time, for obvious reasons, but we Islamist warlords, and then a war in
have been taking control of more and but it is also a civil war. Many have It was not always thus. The US first reported on it, and it was widely un- the north of the country between Is-
more villages and some towns. In the fought for the Americans, the gov- sent bomber planes and a few troops derstood in Afghanistan. lamist warlords and the Taliban.
last twelve days they have taken all ernment or the warlords. Many more to Afghanistan a month after 9/11.
the cities. have made compromises with both The US was supported by the forc- For best evidence for this negotiat- Twenty-three years of war meant
sides to survive. And many others es of the Northern Alliance, a coali- ed settlement is what happened next. death, maiming, exile and refugee
This was not a lightning advance were not sure which side to take and tion of non-Pushtun warlords in the For two years there was no resistance camps, poverty, so many kinds of
through the cities and then on to Ka- are waiting with different mixtures of north of the country. But the soldiers to the American occupation. None, grief, and endless fear and anxiety.
bul. The people who took each city fear and hope to see what will hap- and leaders of the alliance were not in any village. Many thousands of
had long been in the vicinity, in the pen. actually prepared to fight alongside former Taliban remained in those Perhaps the best book about what
villages, waiting for the moment.  the Americans. Given the long histo- villages. that felt like is Klaits and Gulmana-
Because this is a military defeat for ry of Afghan resistance to foreign in- dova Klaits, Love and War in Afghan-
Crucially, across the north the American power, calls for (United vasion, most recently to the Russian This is an extraordinary fact. Think istan  (2005). People were desperate
Taliban had been steadily recruiting States President Joe) Biden to do this occupation from 1980 to 1987, that of the contrast with Iraq, where resis- for peace. 
Tajiks, Uzbeks and Arabs. or that are simply silly. If American would just be too shameful. tance was widespread from Day One
troops had remained in Afghanistan, of the occupation in 2003. Or think By 2001 even Taliban supporters
This is also a political victory for they would have had to surrender On the other side, though, almost of the Russian invasion of Afghani- felt a bad peace was better than a
the Taliban. No guerrilla insurgency or die. This would be an even worse no one was prepared to fight to de- stan in 1979, met with the same wall good war.
on earth can win such victories with- humiliation for American power fend the Taliban government then in of anger.
out popular support. than the current debacle. Biden, like power. The troops of the Northern Also, the United States was fabu-
Trump before him, was out of op- Alliance and the Taliban faced each The reason was not simply that the lously rich. Afghans believed the oc-
But perhaps support is not the tions. other in a phony war. Then the US, Taliban were not fighting. It was that cupation could lead to development
right word. It is more that Afghans Why Afghans chose the Taliban the British and their foreign allies be- ordinary people, even in the Taliban that would rescue them from poverty.
have had to choose sides. And more The fact that more people have cho- gan to bomb. heartland in the south, dared to hope Afghans waited. US delivered war,
of the Afghan people have chosen to that the American occupation would not peace
side with the Taliban than have cho- The Pakistani military and intel- bring Afghanistan peace and develop The US and United Kingdom mili-
sen the American occupiers. Not all tary occupied bases throughout vil-
of them, just more of them. lages and small towns of the Taliban

More Afghans have also chosen
to side with the Taliban than with
the Afghan government of President
Ashraf Ghani (who fled before the
takeover). Again, not all of them, but
more than support Ghani. And more
Afghans have chosen to side with the
Taliban than with the old warlords.
The defeat of Dostum in Sheberghan
and Ismail Khan in Herat is stunning
evidence of that.

The Taliban of 2001 were over-
whelmingly Pushtuns, and their pol-
itics was Pushtun chauvinist. In 2021

Page 30 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

heartland, mainly Pushtun areas of Taliban militants marching through Kabul. between twelve million and twen-
the south and east. These units were ty-four million Americans, tortured
never told of the informal settlement tion against inequality. When the ed the fiercest and most puritanical in 1978. Then civil war began be- people in every town, and drove 100
negotiated between the Americans rich can bribe the judges, they can do sides of their former rule. And they tween the communist government million Americans into exile. Imag-
and the Taliban. They could not be anything they want to the poor. Land are now saying over and over again and the Islamist mujahedin resis- ine also that almost all feminists in
told, because that would shame the was the crucial thing. Rich and pow- that they want to rule in peace, with- tance. The Islamists were winning, the US supported the invaders. After
government of President George erful men, warlords and government out revenge on the people of the old so the Soviet Union invaded late in that experience, how do you think
Bush. So the US units saw it as their officials could seize or steal or cheat order. 1979 to back up the Communist most Americans would feel about a
mission to root out the remaining their way into control of the land of government. Seven years of brutal second invasion by another foreign
“bad guys”, who were obviously still small farmers, and oppress the even How much of this is propaganda, war between the Soviets and the mu- power, or about feminism?
there. poorer sharecroppers. But Taliban and how much is truth, is hard to jahedin followed. In 1987 the Soviet
judges, everyone understood, were tell. Moreover, what happens next is troops left, defeated. How do you think most Afghan
Night raids crashed through doors, willing to rule for the poor. deeply dependent on what happens women feel about another invasion,
humiliating and terrifying families, to the economy, and on the actions When we lived in Afghanistan, this time by the Americans, justified
taking men away to be tortured for Hatred of corruption, of inequal- of foreign powers. Of that, more lat- in the early 1970s, the communists by the need to rescue Afghan wom-
info about the other bad guys. It was ity, and of the occupation merged er. Our point here is that Afghans were among the best people. They en? Remember, those statistics about
here, and in black sites all over the together. have reasons for choosing the Taliban were driven by three passions. They the dead, the maimed and the refu-
world, that the American military 20 years on over the Americans, the warlords and wanted to develop the country. They gees under Soviet occupation were
and intelligence developed the new The year 2001, when the Taliban Ghani’s government. wanted to break the power of the big not abstract numbers. They were
styles of torture that the world would fell to the Americans after 9/11, is Rescuing Afghan women? landowners and share out the land. living women, and their sons and
briefly glimpse from Abu Ghraib, the 20 years ago now. Enormous chang- Many readers will now be feeling, And they wanted equality for wom- daughters, husbands, brothers and
American prison in Iraq. es happen to political mass move- insistently, but what about Afghan en. sisters, mothers and fathers.
ments over twenty years of war and women? The answer is not simple.
Some of the men detained were crisis. The Taliban have learned and But in 1978 the communists had So when the Soviet Union left, de-
Taliban who had not been fighting. changed. How could it be otherwise. We have to start by going back to taken power in a military coup, led feated, most people breathed a sigh
Some were just people betrayed to Many Afghans, and many foreign the 1970s. Around the world, partic- by progressive officers. They had not of relief. But then the local leaders of
the Americans by local enemies who experts, have commented on this. ular systems of gendered inequality won the political support of the ma- the mujahedin resistance to the com-
coveted their land or held a grudge. Giustozzi has used the useful phrase are entangled with a particular sys- jority of villagers, in an overwhelm- munists and the invaders became
neo-Taliban.  tem of class inequality. Afghanistan ing rural country. The result was that local warlords and fought each other
The American soldier Johnny Ri- was no different. the only ways they could deal with for the spoils of victory. The majority
co’s memoir  Blood Makes the Grass This change, as publicly presented, the rural Islamist resistance were ar- of Afghans had supported the muja-
Grow Green  provides a useful ac- has several aspects. The Taliban have Nancy did anthropological field- rest, torture and bombing. The more hedin, but now they were disgusted
count of what then happened next. realised that Pushtun chauvinism was work with Pushtun women and men the communist led army did such by the greed, the corruption and the
Outraged relatives and villagers took a great weakness. They now empha- in the north of the country in the ear- cruelties, the more the revolt grew. endless useless war.
a few pot-shots at the Americans sise that they are Muslims, brothers ly 1970s. They lived by farming and Taliban class and background 
in the dark. The American military to all other Muslims, and that they herding animals. Nancy’s subsequent Then the Soviet Union invaded to In the autumn of 1994, the Taliban
kicked in more doors and tortured want and have the support of Mus- book,  Bartered Brides: Politics and prop up the communists. Their main had arrived in Kandahar, a mostly
more men. The villagers took more lims of many ethnic groups. Marriage in a Tribal Society, explains weapon was bombing from the air, Pashtun city and the largest in south-
pot-shots. The Americans called in the connections between class, gen- and large parts of the country be- ern Afghanistan. The Taliban were
airstrikes and their bombs killed But there has been a bitter split in der and ethnic divisions at that time. came free fire zones. Between half a like nothing before in Afghan histo-
family after family. Taliban forces over the last few years. And if you want to know what those million and a million Afghans were ry. They were products of two quint-
A minority of Taliban fighters and women themselves thought about killed. At least another million were essentially twentieth century innova-
War returned across the south and supporters have allied themselves their lives, troubles and joys, Nancy maimed for life. Between six and tions, aerial bombing and the refugee
east of the country.   with Islamic State. The difference is and her former partner Richard Tap- eight million were driven into exile camps in Pakistan. They belonged to
Inequality and corruption spi- that Islamic State launch terror at- per have recently published  Afghan in Iran and Pakistan, and millions a different social class from the elites
ralled tacks on Shias, Sikhs and Christians. Village Voices, a translation of many more became internal refugees. All who had governed Afghanistan.
Afghans had hoped for development The Taliban in Pakistan do the same, of the tapes that women and men this in a country of only twenty-five
that could lift both the rich and the and so do the small Haqqani net- made for them in the field. million people. The communists had been the sons
poor. It seemed like such an obvious, work sponsored by Pakistani intelli- and daughters of the urban middle
and such an easy thing to do. But gence. But the Taliban majority have That reality was complex, bitter, When they came to power, the classes and the middle level farmers
they did not understand American been reliable in condemning all such oppressive and full of love. In that first thing the communists tried to in the countryside with enough land
policy abroad. And they did not un- attacks. deep sense, it was no different from do were land reform and legislation to call their own. They had been led
derstand the deep dedication of the the complexities of sexism and class for the rights of women. When the by people who attended the country’s
1% in the US to spiralling inequality We return to this division later, as in the US. But the tragedy of the next Russians invaded, the majority of sole university in Kabul. They want-
in their own country. it has implications for what will hap- half century would change much of communists sided with them. Many ed to break the power of the big land-
pen next. that. That long suffering produced of those communists were women. owners and modernise the country.
So American money poured into the particular sexism of the Taliban, The result was to smear the name of
Afghanistan. But it went to the peo- The new Taliban have also empha- which is not an automatic product of feminism with support for torture The Islamists who fought the
ple in the new government headed by sised their concerns for the rights of Afghan tradition. and massacre. communists had been men of sim-
Hamid Karzai. It went to the people women. They say they welcome mu- ilar class backgrounds, and mostly
working with the Americans and the sic, and videos, and have moderat- The history of this new turn starts Imagine that the US was invad- former students at the same univer-
occupying troops of other nations. ed by a foreign power who killed sity. They too wanted to modernise
And it went to the warlords and their the country, but in a different way.
entourages who were deeply involved And they looked to the ideas of the
in the international opium and her- Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Alzhar
oin trade facilitated by the CIA and University in Cairo.
the Pakistani military. It went to the
people lucky enough to own luxury, The word Taliban means students
well-defended homes in Kabul they in an Islamic school, not a state
could rent out to expatriate staff. It school or a university. The fighters of
went to the men and women who the Taliban who entered Kandahar in
worked in foreign-funded NGOs. 1994 were young men who had stud-
ied in the free Islamic schools in the
Of course people in these groups refugee camps in Pakistan. They had
all overlapped. been children with nothing.

Afghans had long been used to The leaders of the Taliban were vil-
corruption. They both expected it lage mullahs from Afghanistan. They
and hated it. But this time the scale did not have the elite connections of
was unprecedented. And in the eyes many of the imams of city mosques.
of the poor and middle income peo- Village mullahs could read, and they
ple, all the obscene new wealth, no were held in some respect by other
matter how garnered, seemed to be villagers. But their social status was
corruption. well below that of a landlord, or a
high school graduate in a govern-
Over the last decade the Taliban ment office.
have offered two things across the
country. The first is that they are not The Taliban were led by a com-
corrupt, as they were also not cor- mittee of twelve men. All twelve had
rupt in office before 2001. They are lost a hand, a foot or an eye to Soviet
the only political force in the country bombs in the war. The Taliban were,
this has ever been true of. among other things, the party of
poor and middling Pushtun village
Critically, the Taliban have run an men. 
honest judicial system in the rural
areas they have controlled. Their rep- Twenty years of war had left Kan-
utation is so high that many people dahar lawless and at the mercy of
involved in civil lawsuits in the cities warring militias. The turning point
have agreed that both parties will go came when the Taliban went after a
to Taliban judges in the countryside. local commander who had raped a
This allows them swift, cheap and boy and two (possibly three) women.
fair justice without massive bribes. The Taliban caught and hung him.
Because the justice was fair, both par- What made their intervention strik-
ties can live with it. ing was not just their determination
to put an end to the murderous in-
For people in Taliban-controlled
areas, fair justice was also a protec-

NewsHawks The Big Debate Page 31

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

fighting and restore people’s dignity lamophobia became hegemonic had discredited feminism in Af- Taliban positioned on mountains. None of this means that the Tali-
and safety, but their disgust at the among American liberals. That year ghanistan for at least a generation. has never been simply a matter of ban will necessarily rule in the inter-
hypocrisy of the other Islamists. the American anti-war alliance effec- But then the US invaded, and a new competing ethnic groups, but rather ests of the poor. We have seen enough
tively dissolved itself to aid Obama’s generation of Afghan women profes- of complex alliances across groups peasant revolts come to power in the
From the first the Taliban were campaign.  sionals sided with the new invaders and divisions within groups.  last century and more, only to be-
funded by the Saudis, the Americans to try to win rights for women. Their come governments by urban elites.
and the Pakistani military. Washing- Democrats and those feminists dream too has ended in collabora- There is a set of prejudices on the And none of this should distract
ton wanted a peaceful country that who supported Obama’s war hawk tion, shame and blood. Some were left which incline some people to from the truth that the Taliban in-
could house oil and gas pipelines Secretary of State Hillary Clinton careerists, of course, mouthing plat- ask how the Taliban could be on the tend to be dictators, not democrats.
from Central Asia. The Taliban stood could not accept the truth that Af- itudes in exchange for funding. But side of the poor and anti-imperialist A historic change in US
out because they brooked no excep- ghanistan and Iraq were both wars many others were motivated by an if they are not “progressive”. Leave The fall of Kabul marks a decisive de-
tions to the injunctions they sought for oil.  honest and selfless dream. Their fail- aside for the moment that the word feat for American power around the
to impose, and the severity with ure is tragic. progressive means little. Of course world. But it also marks, or makes
which they enforced the rules. They had only one justification for Stereotypes and confusions the Taliban are hostile to socialism clear, a deep turning away from the
the endless wars of oil – the suffer- Outside Afghanistan, there is a great and communism. They themselves, American empire among Americans.
Many Afghans were grateful for ings of Afghan women. The feminist deal of confusion about stereotypes or their parents or grandparents,
the return of order and a modicum of spin was a clever ploy. It precluded of the Taliban elaborated over the were killed and tortured by socialists One piece of evidence is the opin-
security, but the Taliban were sectari- comparisons between the undoubted last twenty-five years. But think care- and communists.  ion polls. In 2001, right after 9/11,
an and unable to control the country, sexist rule of the Taliban and sexisms fully when you hear the stereotypes between 85% and 90% of Americans
and, in 1996, the Americans with- in the US.  that they are feudal, brutal and prim- Moreover, any movement that approved of the invasion of Afghan-
drew their support. When they did itive. These are people with laptops, has fought a twenty-year guerrilla istan. The numbers have been drop-
so, they unleashed a new, and deadly, Far more shocking, the feminist who have been negotiating with the war and defeated a great empire is ping steadily. Last month, 62% of
version of Islamophobia against the spin domesticated and effectively dis- Americans in Qatar for the last four- anti-imperialist, or words have no Americans approved of Biden’s plan
Taliban. placed the ugly truths about a grossly teen years. meaning. for total withdrawal, and 29% were
unequal war. And it separated those opposed.
Almost overnight, Afghan women notional “women to be saved” from The Taliban are not the product of Reality is what it is. The Taliban
were deemed helpless and oppressed, the tens of thousands of actual Af- medieval times. They are the product are a movement of poor peasants, This rejection of the war is com-
while Afghan men – aka the Taliban ghan women, and men and children of some of the worst times of the late against an imperial occupation, mon on both the right and the left.
– were execrated as fanatical savages, killed, wounded, orphaned or made twentieth century and early twen- deeply misogynist, supported by The working class base of the Re-
paedophiles and sadistic patriarchs, homeless and hungry by the Amer- ty-first century. If they look back- many women, sometimes racist and publican Party and former US pres-
hardly people at all. ican bombs. ward in some ways to an imagined sectarian, and sometimes not. That’s ident Trump are against foreign wars.
better time, that is not surprising. a bundle of contradictions produced Many soldiers and military fami-
For four years before 9/11 the Tal- Many of our friends and family But they have been moulded by life by history. lies come from the rural areas and
iban had been targeted by the Amer- members in America are feminists under aerial bombardment, refugee the south where Trump is strong.
icans, while feminists and others who believed with decent hearts camps, communism, the War on Ter- Another source of confusion is the They are against any more wars, for
clamoured for the protection of Af- much of this propaganda. But they ror, enhanced interrogation, climate class politics of the Taliban. How can it is they and those they loved who
ghan women. By the time the Amer- were being asked to support was a change, internet politics and the spi- they be on the side of the poor, as served, died and were wounded.
ican bombing started, everyone was web of lies, a perversion of feminism. ralling inequality of neoliberalism. they obviously are, and yet so bitter-
meant to understand that the Afghan It was the feminism of the invader They live, like everyone else, now. ly opposed to socialism? The answer Right wing patriotism in America
women needed help. What could and the corrupt governing elite. It is that the experience of the Russian now is pro-military, but that means
possibly go wrong? was the feminism of the torturers and Their roots in a tribal society can occupation stripped away the possi- pro-soldier, not pro-war. When they
9/11 and the US War the drones. also be confusing. But as Richard bility of socialist formulations about say “Make America Great Again”,
The bombing began on 7 Octo- Tapper has argued, tribes are not at- class. But it did not change the reality they mean that America is not great
ber 2021. Within days, the Taliban We believe another feminism is avistic institutions. They are the way of class. No one has ever built a mass now for Americans, not that the
had been forced into hiding – or possible. that peasants in this part of the world movement among poor peasants that US should be more engaged in the
were literally castrated – as a photo- organise their entanglement with the took power without being seen as on world.
graph on the front page of the Daily But it remains true that the Tali- state. And the history of Afghanistan the side of the poor.
Mail  crowed. The published images ban are deeply sexist. Misogyny has Among Democrats, too, the work-
of the war were truly shocking in the won a victory in Afghanistan. But it The Taliban talk not in the lan- ing class base is against the wars.
violence and sadism they portrayed. did not have to be that way. guage of class, but in the language of
Many people in Europe were ap- justice and corruption. Those words There are people who support fur-
palled by the scale of the bombing The communists who sided with describe the same side. ther military intervention. They are
and the utter carelessness of Afghan the cruelties of the Soviet invaders the Obama democrats, the Romney
lives.  republicans, the generals, many lib-
eral and conservative professionals,
Yet in the US that autumn, the and almost everyone in the Washing-
mixture of vengeance and patriotism ton elite. 
meant dissenting voices were rare
and mostly inaudible. Ask yourself, But the American people as a
as Saba Mahmood did at the time, whole, and especially the working
“Why were conditions of war, (mi- class, black, brown and white, have
gration, militarisation) and starva- turned against the American Empire.
tion (under the mujahideen) consid-
ered to be less injurious to women After the fall of Saigon, the Amer-
than the lack of education, employ- ican government was unable to
ment and most notably, in the media launch major military interventions
campaign, western dress styles (un- for the next fifteen years. It may well
der the Taliban)?’   be longer after the fall of Kabul.
International consequences
Then ask again even more fierce- Since 1918, 103 years ago, the US
ly – how could you possibly “save has been the most powerful nation
Afghan women” by bombing a civil- in the world. There have been com-
ian population that included, along peting powers – first Germany, then
with the women themselves, their the Soviet Union and now China.
children, their husbands, fathers and But the US has been dominant. That
brothers? It should have been the “American Century” is now coming
question that ended the argument, to an end.
but it was not.
The long-term reason is the eco-
The most egregious expression of nomic rise of China and the relative
feminist Islamophobia came little economic decline of the US. But the
over a month into the war. A vastly Covid-19 pandemic and the Afghan
unequal war of revenge doesn’t look defeat make the last two years a turn-
very good in the eyes of the world, ing point.
so better to be doing something that
looks virtuous.  The Covid pandemic has revealed
the institutional incompetence of
In anticipation of the American the ruling class, and the government
Thanksgiving holiday, on the 17 of the US. The system has failed to
November 2001, Laura Bush, the protect the people. This chaotic and
President’s wife, loudly lamented the shameful failure is obvious to people
plight of the veiled Afghan women.  around the world.

Cherie Blair, British prime minis- Then there’s Afghanistan. If you
ter Tony Blair’s wife echoed her senti- judge by expenditure and hardware
ments a few days later. These wealthy the US is overwhelmingly the dom-
war-mongers’ wives were using the inant military power globally. That
full weight of the Orientalist para- power has been defeated by poor
digm to blame the victims and justi- people in sandals in a small country
fy a war against some of the poorest who have nothing, but endurance
people on earth. And “Saving Afghan and courage.
Women” became the persistent cry of
many liberal feminists to justify the The Taliban victory will also give
American war.  heart to Islamists of many different
sorts in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Paki-
With the election of Barack stan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Ta-
Obama in 2008, the chorus of Is- jikistan and Mali. But it will be true

Page 32 The Big Debate NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

more widely than that. Taliban after storming Kabul; seizing power. In Afghanistan the Taliban have
Both the Covid failure and the Af- also argued strongly for Islamic unity.
For the moment, though, the gov- But there is a narrower question strong moral argument will come up The sexual exploitation of women by
ghan defeat will reduce the soft pow- ernments of Iran, Russia and Paki- here. Specifically, how can they help against racism and Islamophobia at Islamic State is also deeply repugnant
er of the US. But Afghanistan is also stan clearly want peace in Afghani- Afghan feminists? every turn. But in the last week the to Taliban values, which are deeply
a defeat for hard power. The strength stan. governments of Germany and Neth- sexist, but puritanical and modest.
of the informal empire of the US has This is a valid and decent question. erlands have both suspended any de- For many years the Afghan Taliban
relied for a century on three different The Taliban have also promised The answer is to organise to buy them portations of Afghans. have been consistent in their public
pillars. One is being the largest econ- not to rule with cruelty. That is eas- airplane tickets and give them refuge condemnation of all terror attacks on
omy in the world, and domination of ier said than done. Confronted with in Europe and North America. Every politician, anywhere, who Shias, Christians and Sikhs.
the global financial system. The sec- families who have amassed great for- speaks in support of Afghan women
ond is a reputation in many quarters tunes through corruption and crime, But it is not just feminists who must be asked, again and again, to Yet those attacks happen. The
for democracy, competence and cul- what do you think the poor soldiers will need asylum. Tens of thousands open the borders to all Afghans. ideas of Islamic State have had a
tural leadership. The third was that from the villages will want to do? of people who worked for the occu- particular influence on the Pakistani
if soft power failed, the US would pation are desperate for asylum, with And then there is what might hap- Taliban. The Afghan Taliban are an
invade to support dictatorships and And then there is climate. In 1971 their families. So are larger numbers pen to the Hazaras. As we have said, organisation. The Pakistani Taliban
punish its enemies. a drought and famine across the of people who worked for the Afghan the Taliban have stopped being sim- are a looser network, not controlled
north and centre devastated flocks, government. ply a Pushtun movement and have by the Afghans. They have carried
That military power is gone now. crops and lives. It was the first sign gone national, recruiting many Ta- out repeated bombings against Shias
No government will believe that the of the effects of climate change on Some of these people are admira- jiks and Uzbeks. And also, they say, and Christians in Pakistan.
US can rescue them from a foreign the region, which has brought fur- ble, some are corrupt monsters, many some Hazaras. But not many.
invader, or from their own people. ther droughts over the last fifty years. lie in between, and many are just It is Islamic State and the Haqqa-
Drone killings will continue and Over the medium and long term, children. But there is a moral imper- The Hazaras are the people who ni network who have carried out the
cause great suffering. But nowhere farming and herding will become ative here. The US and Nato coun- traditionally lived in the central recent racist terror bombings of Haz-
will drones on their own be militarily more precarious.  tries have created immense suffering mountains. Many also migrated to aras and Sikhs in Kabul. The Taliban
decisive. for 20 years. The least, the very least, cities like Mazar and Kabul, where leadership have condemned all those
All these dangers are real. But the they should do it rescue the people they worked as porters and in other attacks.
This is the beginning of the end of often insightful security expert An- whose lives they have wrecked. low paid jobs.
the American century. tonio Giustozzi is in touch with the But the situation is in flux. Is-
What happens now? thinking among both the Taliban There is another moral issue They are about 15% of the Afghan lamic State in Afghanistan is a mi-
No one knows what will happen in and foreign governments and the here too. What many Afghans have population. The roots of enmity be- nority breakaway from the Taliban,
Afghanistan in the next few years. Taliban.  learned in the last 40 years has also tween Pushtuns and Hazaras lie part- largely based in Ningrahar province
But we can identify some of the pres- been clear in the last decade of the ly in long standing disputes over land in the east. They are bitterly an-
sures. His article in The Guardian on Au- torment of Syria. It is all too easy to and rights to grazing. ti-Shia. So are the Haqqani network,
gust 16 was hopeful. He ended it: understand the accidents of back- a long-standing mujahedin group
First, and most hopeful, is the deep ground and personal history which But more recently it also matters a largely controlled by Pakistani mil-
longing for peace in the hearts of Af- “Since most of the neighbouring lead people to do the things they do.  good deal that Hazaras are Shias, and itary intelligence. Yet in the present
ghans. They have now lived through countries want stability in Afghani- almost all other Afghans are Sunnis. mix, the Haqqani network have been
43 years of war. Think how only five stan, at least for the time being, any fis- Humility compels us to look at the integrated into the Taliban organi-
or 10 years of civil war and invasion sures in the new coalition government young communist woman, the edu- The bitter conflicts between Sun- sation, and their leader is one of the
have scarred so many countries. Now are unlikely to be exploited by exter- cated feminist working for an NGO, nis and Shias in Iraq have led to a leaders of the Taliban.
think of 43 years. nal actors to create rifts. Similarly, the the suicide bomber, the American split in the militant Islamist tradi-
2021 losers will struggle to find any- marine, the village mullah, the Tali- tion. This split is complicated, but But no one can be sure what the
Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar, the body willing or able to support them ban fighter, the bereaved mother of a important, and needs a bit of expla- future holds. In 1995 an uprising of
three most important cities, have in starting some kind of resistance. As child killed by American bombs, the nation. Hazara workers in Mazar prevented
all fallen without any violence. This long as the new coalition government Sikh money changer, the policeman, the Taliban gaining control of the
is because the Taliban, as they keep includes key allies of its neighbours, this the poor farmer growing opium, and In both Iraq and in Syria the Is- north. But Hazara traditions of re-
saying, want a country at peace, and is the beginning of a new phase in the to say, there but for the grace of God lamic State have committed massa- sistance go much deeper and further
they do not want revenge. But it is history of Afghanistan.  go I. cres against Shias, just as Shia mili- back than that.
also because the people who do not What can you do? tias have massacred Sunnis in both
support, indeed those who hate the Many people in the West now are The failure of the American and countries. Hazara refugees in neighbouring
Taliban, also chose not to fight. asking, “What can we do to help Af- British governments to rescue the countries may also be in danger now.
ghan women?”. Sometimes this ques- people who worked for them has The more traditional Al Qaeda The government of Iran are allying
The Taliban leaders are clearly tion assumes that most Afghan wom- been both shameful and revealing. It networks have remained staunchly with the Taliban, and begging them
aware they must deliver peace. en oppose the Taliban, and most is not really a failure, but a choice. opposed to attacking Shias and ar- to be peaceful. They are doing this
Afghan men support them. This is Racism against immigration has gued for solidarity between Muslims. because there are about three mil-
For that it is also essential that the nonsense. It is almost impossible to weighed more strongly with British People often point out that Osama lion Afghan refugees already in Iran.
Taliban continue to deliver fair jus- imagine the kind of society in which Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Bin Laden’s mother was herself a Shia Most of them have been there for
tice. Their record is good. But the that would be true. Biden than the debts of humanity. – actually an Alawite from Syria. But years, most are poor urban workers
temptations and pressures of gov- the necessity of unity has been more and their families, and the majority
ernment have corrupted many social Campaigns to welcome Afghans important. This was the main issue in are Hazaras. 
movements in many countries before are still possible. Of course such a the split between Al Qaeda and the
them. Islamic State. Recently the Iranian government,
in desperate economic straights
Economic collapse is also quite themselves, have begun deporting
possible. Afghanistan is a poor and Afghans back to Afghanistan.
arid country, where less than 5% of
the land can be farmed. In the last There are about a million Hazara
20 years the cities have swelled im- refugees in Pakistan too. In the re-
mensely. That growth has been de- gion around Quetta more than 5 000
pendent on money flowing from the of them have been killed in sectarian
occupation, and to a lesser extent assassinations and massacres in the
money from growing opium. With- last few years. The Pakistani police
out very substantial foreign aid from and army do nothing. 
somewhere, economic collapse will
threaten. Given the long support of the Pa-
kistani army and intelligence for the
Because the Taliban know this, Afghan Taliban, those people will be
they have been explicitly offering the at greater risk right now.
US a deal. The Americans will give
aid, and in return the Taliban will What should you do, outside Af-
not provide a home for terrorists ghanistan? Like most Afghans, pray
who could launch attacks like 9/11. for peace. And join protests for open
Both the Trump and Biden adminis- borders.
trations have accepted this deal. But
it is not at all clear that the US will We will leave the last word to
keep that promise. Graham Knight. His son, Sergeant
Ben Knight of the British Royal Air
Indeed, something worse is entire- Force, was killed in Afghanistan in
ly possible. Previous US administra- 2006. This week Graham Knight told
tions have punished Iraq, Iran, Cuba the Press Association the UK govern-
and Vietnam for their defiance with ment should have moved quickly to
long running and destructive eco- rescue civilians:
nomic sanctions. There will be many
voices raised in the US for such sanc- “We’re not surprised that the Taliban
tions, to starve Afghan children in have taken over because as soon as the
the name of human rights. Americans and the British said they
were going to leave, we knew this was
Then there is the threat of inter- going to happen. The Taliban made
national meddling, of different pow- their intent very clear that, as soon as
ers supporting different political or we went out, they would move in.
ethnic forces inside Afghanistan. The
US, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, “As for whether people’s lives were
Iran, China, Russia and Uzbekistan lost through a war that wasn’t winna-
will all be tempted. It has happened ble, I think they were. I think the prob-
before, and in a situation of econom- lem was we were fighting people that
ic collapse it could provoke proxy were native to the country. We weren’t
wars. fighting terrorists, we were fighting peo-
ple who actually lived there and didn’t
like us being there.” 

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 33

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

PEGGY MCINERNY Professor Ndlovu-Gatsheni speaks
on decolonising the African mind
IN a masterful lecture, Sabelo J Ndl-
ovu-Gatsheni, professor and chair of the work of Steve Biko, when he [said of the continent. Professor Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni. Mazuri to famously pose the ques-
epistemologies of the global south at that] the most important weapon in Ndlovu-Gatsheni traced an arc of will call a European game, rather than tion: “Who killed the African intel-
Bayreuth University in Germany, laid the hands of the oppressor is the con- literally dismantling it and creating lectual?”
out the intellectual history of decolo- trol of the minds of the oppressed,” intellectual thought in which schol- something new.”
nisation in Africa and African studies he said. ars in Africa intellectually responded Ndlovu-Gatsheni concurred with
and the many “turns” within it. to decolonisation by attempting first A Marxist turn followed, which sociologist Julian Go’s conceptualisa-
The historian described the cog- to define Africa and its history from he perceived as essentially intercon- tion of the current postcolonial turn
“The cognitive empire is that form of nitive empire as “very chameleon- a nationalist perspective, then used a nected with the nationalist turn. This as two or three waves of scholarly ideas
imperialism which invades the mental ic — perhaps behaving more or less critical Marxist economic approach critical economic approach flowered (or perhaps two waves and a “tail”).
universe of its victims, in the process like the current coronavirus: always and — following the interruption of in the Dar es Salaam school (Tanza- This turn has had a problematic en-
imposing particular knowledge systems, mutating, trying to invisibilise itself a neoliberal period — moved on to nia) and attempted to Africanise the counter with African studies because
displacing others and consequently and trying to take various guises. … a postcolonial approach that borrows educational curriculum and even the it originated in European theories of
shaping the intellectual consciousness [I]f we don’t understand the cognitive from European theories of post-mod- disciplinary base of knowledge by es- post-modernism and post-structural-
of its victims.” — UCLA International empire, it will be strange for us to be ernism and post-structuralism. tablishing new fields, such as devel- ism and was thus critiqued as a “Eu-
Institute, August 16, 2021.  talking about decolonisation almost opment studies, he said. rocentric tale,” he remarked.
60 years after the political decoloni- “The colonial turn actually pro-
“I want to look at the ‘decolonial sation of the 20th century. voked the nationalistic turn,” he said. “It is within that context that you Yet, he said, these theories intro-
turn’ as a long intellectual movement Although he found the nationalist also see the formation of the Council duced useful concepts for drilling
seeking to free African studies from “We are living now in a moment of turn problematic, the historian said for the Development of Social Sci- deeper into decolonisation. He point-
colonialism and global imperial de- resurgent and insurgent the decoloni- it had advanced decolonial thought. ence Research in Africa (CODESRIA ed to such ideas as the invention of
signs, as well as trying to free [it] from sation of the 21st century,” he said. “[Malawian historian and writer] ) in 1973 — again, populated more Africa and social construction, to-
the straitjacket of area studies and the “[T]here is a return to the question Paul Tiyambe Zeleza … enables us to by leftist thinkers who are working gether with analyses of power that
current global economy of knowledge of the incomplete and the unfinished understand the nationalist turn as the within the political economy perspec- reach beyond a binary of domination
within which there is always the un- project of decolonisation. And there site for a new narrative liberated from tive,” he continued. and resistance, a “complexification”
even intellectual division of labour,” are also stronger voices about the con- the epistemic colonisation of Europe, of relations between the metropole
said  Ndlovu-Gatsheni at the 2021 tinuation of the cognitive empire — a turn of nationalist struggle to re- “CODESRIA … becomes the and the colonies, and notions of en-
James S. Coleman Memorial Lec- that it needs to be confronted now.” make history, not within the terms premier institution which produces tanglements, hybridity and mimicry.
ture of the  University of California Four turns: colonial, nationalist, of their own choosing or from the some of the most influential books in
Los Angeles (UCLA) African Studies Marxist and postcolonial pristine past, but out of the very and thinking about African studies from In Ndlovu-Gatsheni’s view, the
Centre (ASC)  in early June. The study of Africa began as a colo- continuing violent encounter with Africa. I’m thinking here about books epistemic task before African studies
nial enterprise written by European Europe,” he said. by Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, such as today involves rethinking how Afri-
That division of labour continues scholars that made Africa the “other” ‘Manufacturing African Studies and can universities are conceptualised,
to see African scholars more focused in relation to Europe, rather than a This first turn presented a chal- Crises’ in 1997, and his two edited the curricula they offer, the languages
on empirical research than theorisa- subject in its own right, explained the lenge to colonial historiography and volumes [‘The Study of Africa,’ vol- in which they teach, the publishing
tion in an international academic sys- historian.  sought to spark what Ghanaian Pres- umes 1 and 2].” requirements of faculty (for example,
tem that privileges European thought, ident Kwame Nkrumah called an articles in peer-reviewed internation-
theories, languages and publications Post-independence “African stud- African Renaissance that would forge Although he identified the next al journals published in European
as the “standard” for international ies” was created in the geopolitical ri- new national histories and national phase of the decolonial turn as the languages) and even methodological
scholarly work, he specified. valry of the Cold War and continued identities that centred Africans, ideas period of the neoliberal “Washington standards.
to be dominated by white American that came to be associated with the consensus” and structural adjustment
Ndlovu-Gatsheni laid out the in- and European scholars — perpetuat- Ibadan school (Nigeria). of the late 1970s and 1980s, Ndl- “Instead of just relying on theories
tellectual history of decolonisation ing a tradition that marginalised Afri- ovu-Gatsheni mentioned the period from somewhere, we need to make
in Africa and African studies and the can voices and priorities in the study Yet Ndlovu-Gatsheni observed: only in passing. Most African schol- sure that we generate the concepts
many “turns” within it. He focused “The tendency was actually to want ars view this period as a moment of and the theories from Africa,” he said.
specifically on four such component to be included in what [Frantz] Fanon crisis in African studies, he explained,
turns — colonial, nationalist, Marxist leading Kenyan political scientist Ali Ndlovu-Gatsheni observed that
and postcolonial — to trace the con- African scholars were returning to the
tinuing effort by Africans to redefine ideas of [Kenyan writer] Ngugi wa
scholarship about Africa. Thiong’o. “He was saying [that] we
need to calmly and consciously look
“Professor Ndlovu is at the leading at what imperialism has been doing
edge of a growing number of African to us, to our view of ourselves in the
scholars who are currently building universe.
on Black Marxist thought, studies of
racial capitalism, subaltern studies, And he went on to say, when we
African literary criticism, critical so- talk about decolonisation, we’re
cial theory [and] postcolonial theory talking about the search for a liber-
to deconstruct the historic legacies ating perspective within which to see
of colonial knowledge in the global ourselves clearly in relationship to
south and to de-provincialise the crit- ourselves and the other selves in the
ical power of its indigenous episte- universe.
mologies,” said ASC director Andrew
Apter. “[A]ll that we’re trying to do is ac-
tually to make sure that we produce
The scholar’s most recent books relevant knowledge. And also [that]
include “Decolonisation, Develop- we see ourselves clearly in the uni-
ment and Knowledge in Africa: Turn- verse. And the only way you can see
ing Over A New Leaf ” (Routledge, yourself clearly in any space where
2020); “Rethinking and Unthinking you are standing, [is to] know where
Development: Perspectives on In- you are standing,” he said.
equality and Poverty in South Africa
and Zimbabwe” (Berghahn Books, When asked if the decolonial turn
2019; co-edited with Busani Mpofu); necessarily involved issues of gender
and “Epistemic Freedom in Africa: and the work of women scholars, Nd-
Deprovincialisation and Decolonisa- lovu-Gatsheni responded: “The short
tion” (Routledge, 2018). answer is that there is no decolonisa-
Overcoming the cognitive empire tion without de-patronisation. Patri-
Throughout his remarks, Ndl- archy was part and parcel of coloniali-
ovu-Gatsheni cited the work of three ty… there is no way you can turn that
generations of African and diaspora upside down without doing deeper,
African scholars and thinkers — and serious work of de-patronising.”
of decolonisation theorists worldwide
— who have addressed the political, Ndlovu-Gatsheni drew explicit
economic, cultural and epistemic is- links between his concept of “cog-
sues of decolonisation. nitive empire” and similar ideas ex-
pressed by other African scholars and
Most importantly, he insisted that writers such Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s
decolonisation means coming to “metaphysical empire” and “decolo-
grips with issues related to the theory nisation of the mind,” Valentin-Yves
of knowledge (epistemology). Mudimbe’s “colonial library,” Robert
Gildea’s “empire of the mind,” Ashis
Using the idea of “cognitive em- Nandy’s “intimate empire/intimate
pire” to highlight the issues at stake, enemy” and Aníbal Quijano’s “co-
Ndlovu-Gatsheni cited different loniality of power” and the work of
scholars. other Latin American scholars on the
coloniality of knowledge.
Citing philosopher Veli Mitova
of the University of Johannesburg – www.international.ucla.edu
he said: “We live in an epistemically
colonial world and that is no secret.”
He argued that the cognitive empire
invented the modern world as we
know it. “One can even hark back to

Page 34 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Veritas economic governance watch

State enterprises mismanaged for
decades 
ON 16 June in the National As-
sembly, Finance and Economic De-
velopment minister Mthuli Ncube
presented Auditor-General Mikdred
Chiri’s report on the financial state-
ments of 30 state enterprises and
parastatals for the year 2019.    The
report can be accessed on the Veritas
website.

In this and subsequent bulletins we
shall outline some of the governance
issues the Auditor-General raised in
her report, but before doing so we
should note two preliminary points.

Preliminary points

Scope of the Auditor-General’s au-
dits
At the beginning of the report the
Auditor-General cautions that the
principal objective of her audits is
to enable her to express an opin-
ion on the truth and fairness of the
entities’ financial statements as a
whole.  Hence, she says, she may not
have examined all aspects of the en-
tities’ activities and procedures.  She
further cautions that an audit opin-
ion is based on the concept of reason-
able assurance.  It is not a guarantee
that the financial statements are free
of mis-statements.

Adverse opinions dance with international standards. cil  (2016 and 2017 accounts (MPC), Petrotrade, Zina- Finance minister Mthuli Ncube.
The Auditor-General conducts her This consequence of SI 33 of 2019 audited) ra, Zimra, Zimsec, ZCDC, mittee (Pac) analysed the Audi-
audits in accordance with interna- SMEDCO and Zimbabwe tor-General’s special report on Zinara
tional auditing standards, and public was probably unforeseen but it illus- General governance issues Women’s Microfinance Bank); and a forensic audit report on the
entities are also bound to comply with trates how foolish it is to try to regu- Out of 69 issues the Auditor-General • ineffective internal control organisation, and we analysed these
international standards when prepar- late the country’s economy by decree reported on, 53 related to the area of systems (this was almost uni- devastating reports in our Economic
ing their financial statements.  This is without regard to market forces. governance, principally: versal). Governance Watch 2/2021 of the 2
mandated by section 37 of the Public Late financial statements presenta- • the payment of fees and allow- Findings on individual entities May 2021.  It is hard to imagine that
Finance Management Act.   tion ances to board members with- The National Social Security Au- there could be any more faults to find
Although the report was for the fi- out ministerial approval (this thority (Nssa) with Zinara, but the Auditor-General
One of these standards – In- nancial year ended 31 December applied to Nssa, ZimParks, Nssa failed to monitor performance found a few:
ternational Accounting Standard 2019, just over half (55%) of the Tobacco Industry Marketing on its housing offtake agreements,
(IAS) 21 – specifies how to account financial statements covered in the Board, Minerals Marketing that is, agreements under which • Zinara was technically insol-
for transactions in foreign curren- report were for earlier years – which Corporation of Zimbabwe, Nssa paid developers to build hous- vent in the years 2017 (when
cies:    amounts in a foreign currency means the entities concerned were National Oil Infrastruc- ing units which would be transferred its liabilities exceeded its assets
(such as the US dollar) must be con- behindhand in preparing their finan- ture Company, Zimbabwe to Nssa.  In Harare a developer had by US$37 914 239) and 2018
verted into the accounting currency cial statements.  Particularly bad ex- Electricity Transmission been paid to construct 1 000 houses (when its liabilities exceeded
(in this country, the Zimbabwean or amples of this are: and Distribution Company but had done nothing;  in Chinhoyi its assets by US$52 798 724);
RTGS dollar), according to the spot (ZETDC), National Rail- a developer had been paid nearly Z$8
conversion rate (that is, current mar- • Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) ways of Zimbabwe and); million to build and transfer 809 • Zinara used 10% of the Road
ket exchange rate) applicable at the Ltd (2015-2017 accounts au- • board members failing to de- houses but had built only 202.  Nssa Fund to pay staff wages and
time of the transactions.   dited) clare their personal or finan- had taken no steps to recover contrac- salaries, in breach of section
cial interests (this applied to tual penalties or damages from the 15(d) of the Roads Act which
Government action however made • National Museums & Monu- ZimParks and ZETDC); defaulting developers. says that no more than 2.5%
it impossible for public entities to ments  (2017 accounts audit- • vacancies on boards and un- Zimbabwe National Roads Admin- of the fund may be used for
comply with this.  In February 2019 ed) equal representation of gen- istration (Zinara) that purpose;
President Emmerson Mnangagwa ders and regions on boards, Parliament’s Public Accounts Com-
issued Statutory Instrument (SI) 33 • Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cor- also failure to fill senior man- • Zinara’s board operated with
of 2019 which directed that for ac- poration  (2017 accounts au- agerial posts (this applied to two vacancies throughout
counting and other purposes all as- dited) the Mining Promotion Corp 2018 and did not meet the re-
sets and liabilities had to be valued in quirements for gender equali-
RTGS dollars at a conversion rate of • Zimbabwe Post  (2016 ac- ty prescribed in the Public En-
1:1 with the US dollar.   counts audited) tities Corporate Governance
Act.
Hence public entities had to con- • Zimbabwe Youth Coun-
vert all the US dollar amounts in
their financial statements into RTGS
equivalents at an arbitrary rate which
did not reflect the rates applicable at
the time of the transactions giving
rise to the amounts concerned.  

This was particularly problematic
for entities such as the Zimbabwe
Consolidated Diamond Company
(ZCDC) which conduct a substantial
part of its business in foreign curren-
cies.

As a result of their non-compliance
with IAS 21, the Auditor-General
could not certify that the financial
statements of 25 out of the 30 entities
covered in her report were in accor-

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 35

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife ZW$1 080 million; monds within three days were that the Ministry and ZESA had inadequate equipment and re-
Management Authority • it was unable to repay its ignored; entered into such vague trans- sources and lacked beds to accommo-
ZimParks had outstanding debts • The company paid more than actions. date patients in its intensive care unit
amounting to nearly ZW$8.4 mil- loans, which by the end of US$352  000 for equipment • Due to “cashflow challenges”, and higher dependence unit.
lion, some of which dated back to 2019 amounted to nearly and fuel that was never deliv- ZETDC failed to remit rural
2010.  Some operators running facil- ZW$294 million – though ered. electrification levy payments This, it should be noted, was be-
ities leased from the authority were the precise amount could not Zesa (Zesa Holdings and the Zim- amounting to over ZW$224 fore the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
operating on expired leases, some be verified because of lack of babwe Electricity Transmission and million to the Rural Electrifi- Conclusion
without a lease. documentation Distribution Company - ZETDC) cation Authority. The Auditor-General summed up her
Grain Marketing Board (GMB) • it even lacked the funds to in- The audit showed up serious manage- • ZETDC received advance findings as follows:
The GMB contracted with “a local sure its locomotives. ment problems with both entities and payments amounting to near- “The audit revealed that most of the
company” to import 10 000 tonnes of National Oil Infrastructure Com- cast doubt on their ability to continue ly ZW$4.138 million from weaknesses emanated from governance
maize and made an advance payment pany of Zimbabwe (NOIC) as going concerns.  ZETDC recorded customers for electricity con- issues.    It is therefore imperative that
of US$3,9 million.  The company de- The company had to rely on Zesa to operating losses of nearly ZW$3.5 nections, but failed to connect state enterprises and parastatals em-
livered maize worth only US$1 482 supply power to pump fuel along the billion in 2018 and ZW$925 million them. brace provisions of the new Public En-
million and agreed to import the bal- Beira pipeline, so fuel could not be in 2019. • ZETDC allowed electricity tities Corporate Governance Act and
ance in soya beans, but delivered only pumped to Msasa during power cuts. The following issues were high- consumers to run up debts incorporate these into their existing
US$1 418 million worth of beans, Petrotrade (Pvt) Ltd lighted: amounting to ZW$2.2 billion structures and processes.”
leaving US$1 million worth of deliv- This company had no board from • ZESA Holdings received at the end of 2019.
eries outstanding. 2015 until June this year.  As a result, loans from the Ministry of Fi- • Having paid a supplier Perhaps that might work, but state
it was unable to carry on any activi- nance without any agreement US$1  293  654 for cables in enterprises and parastatals have been
The Auditor-General did not name ties legally, and could not even recov- as to their amount, repayment 2015, ZETDC had not re- mismanaged for decades and their
the company involved in these trans- er company vehicles from dismissed or other terms.    According ceived delivery of them five problems seem too deep-seated to be
actions, presumably because – as she managers. to the Auditor-General the years later, nor a refund. cured simply by a piece of legislation.  
told the Pac later – she feared lawsuits Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond total amount outstanding Parirenyatwa Hospital
if she did.  In a later bulletin we shall Company (ZCDC) as at the end of 2019 was In 2018, 1  688 theatre opera- Perhaps Parliament’s Public Ac-
comment on whether this fear is jus- The Auditor-General did not give ZW$1 179 454, though how tions were cancelled mainly due to counts Committee should initiate a
tified. this company a clean bill of health: she could arrive at that figure non-availability of equipment to car- wide-ranging debate in the National
Forestry Commission • She was unable to ascertain is not clear.    It is incredible ry them out.  Generally, the hospital Assembly to come up with real and
The Auditor-General noted that the whether amounts alleged- long-lasting solutions to their prob-
commission incurred deficits in the ly owed to the company by lems.
2017 and 2018 financial years, and creditors could be recov-
its net liability position in both years ered;    the amounts totalled —VERITAS.
was about US$5.5 million.  She said over US$24 million in 2018
this cast doubt on the commission’s and over US$304 million in SUPERLIFE
ability to continue as a going con- 2019.  She was also unable to
cern.    Owing to its financial dire verify whether the company’s STC30
straits, the commission was unable to investments in subsidiaries of
provide employees with medical aid over US$20 million in 2018 As we age our stemcells (basic building blocks in our body for repair
cover and failed to pay their pension and over US$178 million in processes), like other cells, they age, get weakened, die and get depleted in
contributions to the Pensions Office. 2019 were fairly valued.  Her
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission failure to obtain certainty in process (owing to the heavy toll our lifestyle has on them)
(Zec) these matters, she said, cast
Zec failed to recover US$$105  000 doubt on the company’s abil- STC30 stemcell supplement, made to allow your body to regenerate, heal
paid for computers it had returned as ity to continue operating as a itself and deal effectively with:
unsatisfactory.  To the Auditor-Gen- going concern;
eral’s recommendation that the mat- • The company’s board did not Ÿ Arthritis Ÿ Cysts
ter be followed up, Zec responded: have independent directors, Ÿ Diabetes
since all the directors had Ÿ Acids Ÿ Skin Disease
“The issue is before legal recourse interests in other organisa- Ÿ Allergies
hence we may still need to stand guided tions (such as the Zimbabwe Ÿ Eyesight Problems, Prostrate Disorder Ÿ ETC
so that any positive outcome will put Mining Development Cor-
the matter to rest.” poration and the Minerals WhatsAPP +263 71 379 6159
Marketing Corporation of
This cryptic response is hardly an Zimbabwe) intimately related
example of the transparency which to the company;
Zec is enjoined to show by section 7 • Members of staff holding act-
of the Electoral Act! ing positions were paid more
National Aids Council than they would have received
The Council failed to pay suppliers had they been appointed sub-
US$7  054  631 for anti-retroviral stantively to those positions;
(ARV) drugs because it was unable • The company complied with
to get foreign currency from the Re- a government directive to sell
serve Bank.    [Comment:    One would diamonds to local customers
have thought that the purchase of ARVs in Zimbabwe currency at the
would be an absolute priority for the official rate of 1:1.  This led to
government and the Reserve Bank] loss of revenue;
Mining Promotion Corporation • The company seemed unable
Since 2016, the corporation has op- to keep proper track of its
erated without a substantive chief ex- stock, that is, diamonds.    It
ecutive officer and without a human did not check that its physi-
resources and administration man- cal stock matched the stock
ager, an internal auditor and a chief its books indicated it ought to
accountant.  The corporation’s rather hold.  Particular examples:
lame explanation was that it was go- • In 2018 nearly 41 700 carats
ing through its formative stage.  of diamonds were excluded
National Railways of Zimbabwe from the stock count, and it
(NRZ) was assumed they had been
The Auditor-General doubted the sold to customers.    An ad-
ability of the NRZ to continue as a ditional 13  223 carats were
going concern, in view of the follow- excluded from the count in
ing: error;
• In 2019, 297  660 carats of
• its liabilities exceeded its assets diamonds were not counted
by nearly ZW$875 million; and were excluded from the
closing inventories.
• it had been incurring substan- • Tender rules requiring cus-
tial losses for 10 years;    the tomers to pay for their dia-
loss in 2019 was nearly

Page 36 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

#ZambiaDecides2021
Ibbo What about #ZimDecides2023?
Mandaza

ZIMBABWEANS’ reaction to the Zimbabwe’s main opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa with former Zambian opposition leader Hakainde that is evident when an opposition
hashtags #ZambiaDecides2021 and Hichilema, who is now President. movement is organised ahead of and
#ZambiaHASdecided has been so during the election, on the back of a
poignant as if to reflect the impression On the other hand, the main op- and lessons for Sadc and beyond.” It is interesting to note that #Zam- massive voter registration exercise, a
that the elections north of the Zam- position MDC Alliance, particular- Therefore, the first observation to biaDecides2021 took place against the mobilised high voter turnout, espe-
bezi had taken place in the country to ly its leader Nelson Chamisa, was so backdrop of allegations of systematic cially on the part of the youth most
the south of the mighty river. elated at Hichilema’s victory that the make in this regard is confirmation of vote-rigging in 2016, not to mention of whom were first-time voters, and a
state-controlled daily Herald quipped the pattern, not only in Africa, but al- the attempt by the incumbent regime systematic defence of the vote right up
For the powers-that-be in Harare, in a tweet, “The day MDC-A’s Cha- most universally, that a massive voter to adopt Zimbabwe-type militarisa- to the end of the counting and colla-
the anxiety and fear was as palpable misa ‘won’ Zambian Zimbabwean turnout -- usually on the back of mass tion of politics, intimidation of and tion process.
as largely shown by deafening silence elections”. voter registration, particularly of new violence against the opposition. 
of the Zimbabwean state media (in- and young voters -- is almost always a In the final analysis, #ZambiaDe-
cluding the various television and ra- During the same period, Chami- protest action against the incumbent.  And even though the Electoral cides2021 was definitive in its out-
dio stations mostly aligned directly or sa told The NewsHawks: “We have Commission of Zambia (ECZ) will in come, especially on the presidential
indirectly with the government) and spoken to Zambian president-elect #ZambiaDecides2021 is almost a retrospect have acquitted itself admi- front where Hichilema beat the in-
noisy official publicists on social me- Hakainde Hichilema to congratulate perfect fit to the pattern: more than rably in #ZambiaDecides2021, there cumbent by more than a million votes. 
dia during the five days (Thursday to him on his victory. We are brothers;  70% turnout of a total of about sev- was the lingering suspicion that it
Monday) that were the electoral pro- comrades-in-arms. We are very happy en million voters registered to vote could be manipulated by the powers- It was an outcome against which
cess in Zambia. he has won. It’s a victory for democ- for president, legislators and local that-be, as alleged in 2016. Hence, the even the most reluctant of incumbents
racy not just for Zambians alone, but government representatives, with over reports that Hichilema and his Unit- would have been an obvious rogue not
This was also shown by the strident also the whole region.” one million first-time voters, mostly ed Party for National Development to concede. All the same, the role of
tweets on the part of President Emmer- youth; and, equally telling, an organ- (UPND) invested as much as US$5 the former presidents, particularly Ru-
son Mnangagwa’s spokesman George The parallels between Zambia and isational framework, on the part of the million in a Parallel Voting Tabulation piah Banda, the diplomatic nudges by
Charamba, with the pre-election cari- Zimbabwe are too close to call, espe- opposition, that translated the massive (PVT); and, happily, it is also report- the various ambassadors (for example
cature of the eventual presidential race cially on the electoral front in recent voter registration exercise into a high ed, there was a close tally in the num- the British and the United Nations),
winner Hakainde Hichilema as a “sell- years.  This was reflected also in the turnout at the polls across the country, bers of the ECZ and those of the PVT.  and even, according to some reports,
out”, and post-election declaration discussion of the Sapes Trust Policy thereby defying whatever rigging had such heads of state such as Cyril Ra-
that “ED (Emmerson Mnangagwa) Dialogue Forum as the election results been planned, and defending the vote As academic and researcher Phill- maphosa of South Africa -- all helped
won’t leave office after losing election” were being announced in Zambia on through a systematic deployment of an Zamchiya stated during the Sapes Lungu to gracefully concede, thereby
(because the men in uniform will be 17 August: “#ZambiaDecides2021: both polling agents and volunteers at Trust Policy Dialogue last Tuesday, ensuring a democratic and peaceful
there to ensure he stays put). Observations on the national situation every polling station. “election-rigging has a ceiling”, and transition for #ZambiaDecides2021. 

Yesterday Mnangagwa told a gath- (Reports are that only Ugandan
ering in Mutare during the commis- President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda
sioning of a Verify Engineering oxygen was the odd one out who tried to urge
plant that what happened in Zambia Lungu to dig in and refuse to concede!
will not happen in Zimbabwe, as the No surprise, if true!)
reverberations of events north of the
Zambezi continue to shake the local In conclusion, one has to echo the
political landscape.  point made by Zamchiya last Tuesday:
Democracy needs strong institutions
“Kana warota zvakaitika kuZambia and not strong men; therefore invest
zvayambuka kuuya kuno, muka ubike in the reform of institutions, including
doro (There are those who think that the re-organisation and revitalisation
because it has happened in Zambia, it of the opposition movement. 
will also happen in Zimbabwe. Let
me tell you: stop dreaming about what An obvious message to Zimbabwe
happened in Zambia),” he said. where institutions such as the Zimba-
bwe Electoral Commission’s reputa-
On 16 August, Mnangagwa wrote tion is in tatters, where militarisation
a letter of congratulations to the of politics is now almost entrenched,
newly-elected Zambian President and where the November 2017 coup
Hakainde Hichilema after he defeated still needs to be cured through the res-
incumbent Edgar Lungu in the hot- toration of constitutionalism, the rule
ly-contested election that has serious of law and the return of the military
ramifications for Zimbabwe, which to the barracks.  But is this possible
goes to the polls in 2023. before 2023, or are we here to witness
a repeat of the same, when the oppo-
Mnangagwa said he urged Lungu to sition forces are not organised and vi-
accept defeat and peacefully hand over tal enough to overcome and overtake
power to Hichilema, in remarks rid- the securocrats through a resounding
dled with irony as his own party Zanu electoral victory? Can Zimbabwe learn
PF and its leaders always vow to refuse something from Zambia – there two
to concede losing even at the risk of countries have a lot of similarities – or
plunging the country into political the political and electoral differences
turmoil.  between them are stark and compel-
ling enough to prevent a repeat of
Mnangagwa spearheaded the late #ZambiaDecides2021 south of the
former president Robert Mugabe’s vi- Zambezi come 2023?
olent and bloody fightback campaign
using the military after his defeat *About the writer: Mandaza is a
by the late main opposition MDC Zimbabwean academic and pub-
founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai in lisher. He convenes the Sapes Trust
the first round of polling during the dialogue series.
2008 presidential election. 

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NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 37

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

PHILLAN ZAMCHIYA Zambia elections: Six lessons
for African electoral democracy
IN 2021, Africa witnessed some
elections characterised by procedur-
al uncertainty and outcome certain-
ty. Fortunately, Zambia bucked the
trend. There were important reasons
why.

Opposition leader Hakainde Hi-
chilema defeated incumbent Edgar
Lungu in Zambia’s presidential elec-
tion on 12 August. Hichilema se-
cured 2,810,757 votes while Lungu
had 1,814,201. The Electoral Com-
mission of Zambia (ECZ) declared
Hichilema president-elect on 16
August as Lungu conceded defeat.
What are the lessons for Africa?

First, general elections must not President-elect of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema. (Photo: Salim Dawood / AFP / Getty Images)
be political theatre meant to legit-
imise the incumbent. ic reforms as the country heads for Outgoing President of Zambia Edgar Lungu. (Photo: EPA-EFE / Harish Tyagi) Africa is an electoral time bomb.
In 2021, Africa witnessed some another political ritual in 2023 dis- Sixth, Africa needs transformative
elections characterised by procedur- guised as a general election. A prac- Lungu’s party was the main perpe- The relationship between youth, pro-poor policies. 
al uncertainty and outcome certain- tical take from Zambia is to invest trator of political violence, the gov- politics and elections was stark. Lungu’s development policies were
ty. For example, in Djibouti Ismail in reforms of institutions that will ernment restricted use of the inter- detached from the quotidian con-
Guelleh “won” a fifth term with an outlast reformers. net and the incumbent partly used About 54% of the 7,023,499 reg- cerns of the peasantry and the work-
extravagant display of  97.44%. The Third, swift diplomatic interven- state resources for party campaigns.  istered voters were under the age of ing class. The government borrowed
late president of Chad, Idriss Déby, tions are important in enabling 35. They voted in large numbers. up to  $12.74-billion  to partly fi-
“won” a sixth term with  79.32%. state power transfer. To mitigate against rigging, The youth were responding to in- nance utopian white elephant urban
Yoweri Museveni, the president of Behind the scenes, Zambia’s fourth a whopping  83.5%  of eligible creasing socioeconomic hardships. projects while people were hungry.
Uganda, in power since 1986, re- president, Rupiah Banda, former voters registered. Voter turn- In 2020, the estimated youth
tained power and in the Republic Sierra Leone president Ernest Bai out rose to  70.8%.  compared unemployment rate in Zambia In the countryside, big mines
of Congo, Denis Sassou Nguesso Koroma and former Tanzanian with  56.45%  in 2016 which made was 22.63%. like First Quantum Minerals in
“won” a fifth term with 88.57%.  president Jakaya Kikwete engaged it difficult to reverse the outcome. Solwezi destroyed the peasantry’s
Lungu and Hichilema to facilitate a A robust Parallel Voter Tabulation However, most of the employed livelihoods through the acquisition
Elections were held to portray at peaceful democratic transition. They system was in place. Alongside was are in precarious informal jobs that of  60,000  hectares of farmland. It
least a semblance of legitimacy, but did not wait for a formal Southern an active citizenry committed to lack social security. was not surprising when Lungu re-
at the same time to allow authori- African Development Communi- defending the vote. This reduced ceived a paltry number of votes in
tarian controls for the incumbent to ty (SADC) team once there was rigging related to inflation and de- This is a lesson to Africa, where such areas.
continue. Elections should allow for a Donald Trump-like signal from flation of numbers. almost 60% of the population is un-
procedural certainty and outcome Lungu and his team. Autocrats like Fifth, the youth are not clueless der the age of 25. Even in Africa’s The mining policies favoured
uncertainty. This allows any con- Museveni, who tried to block the about politics.  most industrialised country, South the elite and were characterised by
testant to win and take over state transition by urging Lungu to stay Africa, the official youth unemploy- patronage and corruption. Across
power. on, became isolated. ment rate was  46.3%  in the first Africa, foreign investors are target-
Second, democracy needs strong quarter of 2021. The youth bulge in ing more than  10 million  hectares
institutions and not strong men.  Crisis-torn countries like Eswati- of land. In the absence of transfor-
What enabled the smooth transfer ni do not need to wait for the formal mative pro-poor policies, one lesson
of power was not just the goodwill mediation processes from moribund from Zambia is that citizens can re-
of Lungu, but also independent in- institutions like the SADC. There is claim their power.
stitutions. The professional conduct room for critical actors — visible or
of the Zambian military institution invisible — to unlock, shape and *About the writer: Dr Phill-
and its non-involvement in civilian catalyse electoral democratisation an Zamchiya holds a Doctor of
political processes has been a criti- processes.  Philosophy (D. Phil) degree in
cal factor in ensuring peaceful tran- Fourth, election rigging has a ceil- international development from
sitions from one leadership to the ing.  the University of Oxford in the
other. This is contrary to Zimba- This was not an ideal free and fair United Kingdom. He is a senior
bwe, where there is a symbiotic rela- election. Police selectively stopped researcher and the southern Af-
tionship between the army and the opposition parties’ campaign meet- rica coordinator at the  Institute
ruling Zimbabwe African National ings, citing Covid-19 regulations; for Poverty, Land and Agrarian
Union-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF).  public media favoured Lungu, some Studies (PLAAS) at the University
traditional leaders were partisan, of the Western Cape in South Afri-
Militarised politics, which is ca. His latest publication is: Inside
anathema to electoral democracy, is Competitive Electoral Authoritar-
prevalent in Uganda, Togo, Sudan, ianism in Zimbabwe, 2008–2018.
Mali and Egypt. Other institutions
that fought back authoritarian re-
surgence were the ECZ, civil soci-
ety, the judiciary and independent
media. As went the institutions, so
went the transition in Zambia. 

Governance by strong men has
failed to deliver electoral democra-
cy in Africa. Nguema Mbasogo of
Equatorial Guinea, in power for 41
years,  produced another sham elec-
tion in 2016 where he got 93.7% of
the vote. El-Sisi of Egypt held a
farcical election in 2018 with a dra-
matic  97 %  win. Cameroon’s Paul
Biya, in power for 38 years and 88
years old, had a phoney election
in 2018. Paul Kagame of Rwanda
seems allergic to electoral democ-
racy. Zimbabwe’s new strongman,
Emmerson Mnangagwa, has shown
no penchant for genuine democrat-

Page 38 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

President-elect Hakainde Hichilema
calls on Zambians to repair the country

OPPOSITION leader Hakainde man-cum-politician, has vied for ty that he was cruising for a win, President-elect Hakainde Hichilema. hold rallies under the excuse of
Hichilema was declared winner by the top office in the country five Lungu had claimed the vote was Covid-19 restrictions.
a large margin in Zambia’s presi- times. His United Party for Na- not free nor fair. statement on the election was
dential election, according to re- tional Development (UPND) from those “trying to throw out UPND officials dismissed Lun-
sults that were posted on Monday, party supporters celebrated the He maintained there were in- the entire election just to cling on gu’s statement as emanating from
and he spoke to all Zambians on victory openly after years of “wa- cidents of violence in three prov- to their jobs.” people “trying to throw out the
Monday afternoon. termelon tactics”—wearing the inces, and that PF representatives entire election just to cling on to
ruling party green shirt, with their were kept out of polling stations. Opposition parties, especially their jobs.”
“It is with great honour, hu- red UPND party support colors Hichilema’s UPND, were often
mility and gratitude that I stand underneath. UPND officials said Lungu’s arrested, prevented from cam- Lungu had intimated that he
before you today to say change is paigning, and were unable to may challenge the result, but the
here. We have prevailed. Zambia This is the third time power has one million vote difference be-
has prevailed,” said Hichilema. changed hands peacefully since tween him and Hichilema will
Zambia’s independence from Brit- make the dispute difficult to pur-
“This victory does not belong to ain in 1964. sue, but he conceded on Monday
me, but to the men and women afternoon.
of Zambia,” he said, extending a Hichilema may be at the helm,
hand to those who did not vote but his work is cut out for him: In its statement on the elec-
for him “in friendship and re- Zambia was the first country to tions, the European Union called
spect” in order to work together. default on their sovereign fund the running of the polls “a techni-
loan in November after falling be- cally well-managed electoral pro-
The Zambia Electoral Commis- hind in payments. The economic cess marred by unequal campaign
sion announced that Hichilema crisis was a big driving force be- conditions, restrictions on free-
received 2.8 million votes, or 58 hind voters coming out to vote for doms of assembly and movement,
percent, over incumbent Edgar Hichilema. and abuse of incumbency.”
Lungu’s 1.8 million votes, as all
but one of the 156 constituencies In his speech on Monday, Hi- Despite the challenges and an-
were counted. chilema acknowledged that it will imosity, he continued to invite
be an “enormous task” to get the those who did not vote for him to
“I therefore declare that the economy back on track. participate in rebuilding Zambia.
said Hichilema to be president of
Zambia,” said electoral commis- Zambia is the world’s sec- “To you we pledge to foster
sion chairman, Esau Chulu, said ond-largest copper producer, and a better democracy where your
at the results centre in Lusaka, the copper prices have risen slightly, voices and your democratic rights
capital. which is one of the few positives are freely exercised,” he said.
Huge win for opposition in Zambia’s current economy.
Hichilema, a business- “We invite you to work togeth-
After early post-vote statements er with us, as we build a better
from his Patriotic Front (PF) par- Zambia, together,” he added.

—rfi

NewsHawks World News Page 39

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Pakistani Ambassador: ‘Terrorism Is Our
Concern as Much as It Is Your Concern’
Envoy says Washington and Islamabad now have a common interest in stopping the Taliban from exporting violence.

PAKISTAN’S ambassador to the United Pakistan’s ambassador to Washington Asad Majeed Khan. we are religious, but at the same time, we
States, Asad Majeed Khan (AK), says now believe in embracing a pluralistic Islam.
that the Taliban have seized control of Af- are your concerns going forward? payrolls. mostly conducting themselves responsibly.
ghanistan, there is, at last, an opportunity AK: It’s very important to basically go FP: Is all the Taliban leadership out of Despite some incidents a few weeks back, FP: But will there be more attacks
for the United States and Pakistan to work it’s been very smooth. … They are basically from the extremists?
in concert rather than in an atmosphere of back because what we have seen or what we Pakistan? talking to everybody. Our embassy is open
suspicion over Islamabad’s alleged support are seeing in Afghanistan is an eye-opener. It AK: I only know the leadership has and working around the clock. We are do- AK: It’s not about the Taliban. And
for the Islamist militants. In an interview clearly brings out the fact that unfortunate- ing what we can to facilitate the repatriation that’s why we’ve been investing so much in
with Foreign Policy (FP) on Tuesday, the ly, Pakistan has long been for the Afghan moved from Doha to Afghanistan. of nongovernmental organizations, journal- the peace process. Our view is that even for
career diplomat said he believes there is now government an afterthought and excuse and FP: So what are Pakistan’s main sourc- ists, and others. Many evacuations are tak- the United States, the best counterterrorism
a “convergence” of interests among Paki- a diversion to cover up for their deficiencies. ing place through Pakistan. investment is to invest in peace. If you don’t
stan, the United States, China, and Russia Unfortunately, it suited the political conve- es of concern right now? have peace, you have ungoverned spaces.
in preventing the export of terrorism. Khan nience of the United States also. … We have AK: We would like to see an inclusive FP: Does this takeover clear the air in Then you have militias and countries hedg-
also contended that, contrary to reports of supported the peace process completely, some ways between Islamabad and Wash- ing their bets. We’ve seen that play out in
Taliban brutality and atrocities, the Taliban and we will continue to do that. government, and that was something we ington? Obviously this issue of covert the past, and we don’t want that repeated.
“seem to be listening to the counsel of the hoped would come out of an inclusive peace Pakistani support of the Taliban has been So the best way to counter extremism is to
international community.” FP: Do you deny that, at least in the process. These developments have clearly hanging over the relationship for a long have a government that is under control …
past, there has been support by the Pa- been a setback. So we are doing whatever we time. Is there a way forward now? ready to work with the international com-
At a news conference in Kabul later kistani ISI and military for the Taliban can, and the extended “troika” [the United munity.
Tuesday, a Taliban spokesperson said the movement? States, Pakistan, China, and Russia] had a AK: That’s the question we are grappling
militant group would pardon anyone who good meeting in Doha on Aug. 10 and Aug. with because, frankly, our relationship with FP: Have there been conversations be-
had resisted it, and “the future government AK: It depends on what you mean by 11. We are engaged with these key players to the United States has been defined and tween Islamabad and Washington in the
will be inclusive.” support, and does it imply— have all the ethnicities of Afghanistan rep- deeply influenced by Afghanistan. It’s been last few days?
resented. The diversity of Afghanistan also seen through the Afghan prism all these
“We do not want to have any problem FP: Everything from providing safe needs to be reflected in the composition of years. … So we are working toward moving AK: Secretary [of State Antony] Blinken
with the international community,” said the harbor to their leaders and their families the government. onto another relationship. Despite all the spoke to the [Pakistani] foreign minister,
spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid. Despite to supplying logistical support to their challenges today, the United States is still and this was quite lengthy. Really I think
intelligence reports that the Taliban con- military and hospitalization for wounded FP: What hopes do you have for the largest export destination for Pakistan. the good thing today is that regarding Af-
tinue to harbor al Qaeda, he added “we are Taliban militants. achieving that? What kind of influence It is the third largest remittance sender to ghanistan, there is a complete convergence
not going to allow our territory to be used does Pakistan have now? This seems an Pakistan. The United States has also been between the United States and Pakistan.
against anybody, any country in the world.” AK: Pakistan has been a safe harbor, but even more extensive Taliban takeover one of the top five investor countries in Pa- You want the parties to get to a common
He also said women would be allowed to is there a distinction between Afghans and than in the 1990s, since the anti-Taliban kistan. understanding. We want that. You want the
work and study and will be “very active in the Taliban? We have been a safe harbor and militias just folded. The Taliban are in to- violence reduced. We want that. You want
the society but within the frameworks of safe haven for all Afghans. And today also, tal control. FP: What are the concerns of your the gains of the past preserved. We want
Islam.” if anything goes wrong, Pakistan will be the government now about extremist Isla- that. … China and Russia are concerned
destination of choice again. So what can we AK: What we are hearing from the mist ideology spreading back across the too [about terrorism]. We are all worried.
This interview with the Pakistani ambas- do about that? And they don’t necessarily ground and what we are seeing in terms border? After all, attacks by the TTP
sador has been edited for length and clarity. carry signs of who they are. So far as the Tal- of developments is the Taliban seem to be [Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan] have report- FP: Are there any initiatives coming?
iban’s military successes are concerned, what listening to the counsel of the international edly increased in recent months within For example, we know Pakistan wants no
FP: Pakistani Prime Minister Imran they have done in the field is something we community. There haven’t been very many Pakistan. U.S. military presence within its borders,
Khan said on Monday the Taliban take- have nothing to do with. We have basically violent incidents. Some schools have been but will Islamabad help on intelligence
over meant Afghans had broken “the stood by our commitment not to let our opened. One of their leaders was inter- AK: There are two levels the TTP has and other things to support the U.S. pos-
shackles of slavery.” What did he mean territory be used. There are these tribal areas viewed by a female anchor. been a concern and still is because when ture of maintaining over-the-horizon vig-
by that? that have been presented as safe havens, and we cleared our areas, they found safe havens ilance against al Qaeda, the Islamic State,
for the past four years at least, we have com- FP: But there are many reports of bru- on the other side. And that’s a concern, and and other terrorists?
AK: There is a lot of that appearing in pletely cleansed them, integrated those areas tality on the ground, women and girls that is our expectation also: Afghan territory
the social media space, and sometimes, into mainstream Pakistan. We have built a taken from schools, mass killings, and will not be used against us. Whoever will be AK: It’s developed so fast. It’s been hap-
these things are quoted out of context, so fence, you know. then the heart-wrenching scenes of Af- in control must not let it be used. Having pening on an hourly basis. The bottom line
I have not really seen the context in which ghan evacuees crowding into the airport. said that, I think the fear of extremism and is terrorism is our concern as much as it is
what has been attributed to the prime min- FP: So there is currently no Pakistani There seems to be quite a difference be- sometimes the way it is going to impact Pa- your concern. And there are ways in which
ister have been said. I would recommend support whatsoever for the Taliban take- tween what the Taliban leaders in Doha kistan is exaggerated in the think tank space we can and will cooperate with the interna-
to you the statement that the [Pakistan] over? were saying and what’s happening in Af- inside the Beltway. Because if you look at tional community and the United States.
National Security Committee issued after ghanistan. Pakistan, frankly all the mainstream politi- We have cooperated in the past.
it met Monday. That fairly and comprehen- AK: Absolutely not. cal parties are more to the center or slightly
sively articulates Pakistan’s position. [The FP: Obviously some U.S. officials be- AK: I think they should be concerned to the right of center. And so-called fringe FP: You’re facing a sometimes aggres-
statement said Pakistan is “committed to an lieve there is. because the international community is religious parties do not have that huge a fol- sive India under Indian Prime Minister
inclusive political settlement” and “the prin- AK: The point is their assessments have watching and they will be judging them lowing given the character of our society— Narendra Modi. Do you see the new Tal-
ciple of non-interference in Afghanistan largely been proven wrong, and I think that based on what happens on the ground. … iban-run Afghanistan as an ally against
must be adhered to.”] right now, this is not the time to point fin- They have been in control of large parts of India?
gers. … It’s not that the Taliban were on our Afghanistan already for quite some time,
FP: Did the prime minister not make and the reports we are getting is they are AK: Unfortunately, Afghan territory has
that comment about slavery? been used against us. Even this so-called
Sanction Pakistan campaign—basically, a
AK: It’s really hard to keep track. There’s lot of it originated from India. It’s sad. …
so much out there in the social media space. So therefore, Afghanistan will have to sort
this one out. India has closed its embassy
FP: Let me put it more broadly. There there. … We have made overtures for en-
was some cheering at high levels in Paki- gagement, but Prime Minister Modi, the
stan over the Taliban victory. On Sunday, problem really is that his politics somehow
the minister for climate, Zartaj Gul Wa- puts Pakistan in the domestic political scene
zir, tweeted that the collapse of the civil- and context and … it suits him to maintain
ian government in Kabul was “an appro- a hard line on Pakistan, and that’s what he’s
priate gift for India on its Independence continuing to do. And Kashmir is another
Day.” It’s clear that positing the Taliban place where he has taken a unilateral action.
as a hedge against Indian influence in Af- … So Modi is not conceding anything, and
ghanistan has long been part of Pakistan’s the stalemate continues.
strategic policy.
FP: What do you think China’s rela-
AK: Really, if you were to put aside tionship will be with Afghanistan? Here
whatever these isolated statements are, ob- we are in another version of the so-called
viously people … may have different takes Great Game, where the great powers vie
as individuals. We are a free and democrat- for influence on the world stage using
ic country, and there are a whole range of Afghanistan as a platform. In Southeast
views for and against the policies of the Asia, we are dealing with an aggressive
government. But I think what is really im- Chinese presence against Taiwan—and
portant is to see where we have consistent- more broadly, a test of the overarching ri-
ly stood over the past few years. I’ve been valry between the United States and Chi-
part of these conversations almost directly na. Will China see the U.S. abandonment
for more than 12 years, and I can say that of Afghanistan as a signal that Taiwan is
we have covered a lot of ground in terms vulnerable too?
of addressing U.S. concerns on safe havens
in Pakistan, and we are going all the way to AK: Honestly, I think happily, Afghani-
cleanse those, addressing concerns on cross stan is a convergence [of interests], and the
border movement and then doing whatever extended troika … indicates the concerns
we could to bring the Taliban to the negoti- are common.
ating table. And we did it simply because we
see that a continuing conflict in Afghanistan FP: Shouldn’t these concerns be com-
works to our utter detriment. It is against mon? China has its concerns about Isla-
our interests completely. mist insurgents, and Russia has its own
worries about the Islamist Chechens. All
FP: OK. Whatever the past issues of the big powers fear Islamist extremists.
support by the ISI [Pakistan’s intelligence
service] and Pakistani military—all that AK: Everybody. That’s the huge base to
may not be as necessary now that the Tali- work from for peace in Afghanistan. We
ban have taken control of Kabul. So what have always maintained that Afghanistan
should be an arena for cooperation rather
than a place for confrontation.

— Foreign Policy

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 40 Issue 44, 20 August 2021

The late Shona Ferguson. Thomas Mwasangwale (left) holding Shona Ferguson’s potrait with the late’s wife Connie.

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA Zimbabwe artist charms “I didn’t think it would
grieving Connie Ferguson reach out to that extent. The
THEY say big girls don’t cry. responses were uplifting and
Well, not quite. on canvas – measuring 70cm huge fan of the Fergusons and the things that will forever re- doing the rounds on social encouraging, I feel good about
For Connie Ferguson, by 90cm – depicts a smiling secondly, it was never about main etched on her mind were media platforms and that is myself,” he said.
and happy Shona as known money that is why I made the sweet memories including the encouraging for me to contin-
though, you are more likely to to his multitudes of fans in his painting to show my grati- painting which she got from ue doing the same thing for Mwasangwale is currently
see her shed tears on-set, ac- lifetime.  tude and console the family,” Mwasangwale.   others.” working on a piece on Thomas
cording to a script.  Mwasangwale said.  Mapfumo, which will also be
The painting was done over The 40-year-old Mwasang- This is not the first painted live on Facebook.
However, in real life, the two days, including framing, “The best moment was that wale was happy that Connie Mwasangwale’s paintings
famed South African actress before Mwasangwale delivered Connie accepted the painting promised to commission a have reached viral status on “I noticed that people ap-
is also not shy to show her it to Connie, through her asso- and although it brought some family painting which again social media. On 23 January preciate art more when they
emotions. Such was the case ciate, free of charge. tears, I also felt her pain and will be hung on the walls at 2019 when superstar Oliver see the artist at work rather
when Zimbabwean visual art- I almost cried too. The one the Ferguson’s family house. Mtukudzi died, Mwasang- than the finished work itself.
ist Thomas Mwasangwale gift- Born Aaron Arthur Fergu- good thing is after those tears, wale’s Tuku painting took so- Other legends will be painted
ed the grieving television star son in Botswana and profes- which were unscripted, then “So, I was delighted that cial media by storm. as we go,” he said. 
with a painting of her late hus- sionally known as Shona, the came the smile. It was the after I presented the painting
band, Shona Ferguson. gifted actor died at Milpark most touching moment which for free she hugged me and I The tribute painting to the Mwasangwale says he does
Hospital in Johannesburg. I achieved through a painting.” told her that I was a huge fan late national hero Tuku was commissioned work for people
Connie – whose actor and of both Connie and Shona,” originally captured by photog- who want special paintings.
producer husband died last The late South African actor Connie remarked in her he said. rapher Steven Chikosi.
month at the age of 47 – wept was also an executive producer tribute speech that in her 20 Born in Zimbabwe on 9
when the South Africa-based and co-founder of Ferguson years of marriage to Shona, “I then explained to her that Mwasangwale painted the September 1980, Mwasang-
Mwasangwale presented her Films, alongside his wife. she learnt to “to live, to love it was a consolation painting picture live on Facebook, be- wale studied Fine Arts at Gal-
with the portrait in honour of and to leave a legacy” through and that is when she said she coming an instant hit with lery Delta, National Art Gal-
the popular late film star. The couple commands a her husband. And some of will commission a family por- social media users who praised lery BAT, Visual Art Studio
huge following in Zimbabwe.  trait. The painting has been the work. and ZIVA Zimbabwe institute
“It captures the essence and of Vigital Arts.
spirit,” Connie said as tears “First and foremost, I am a
trickled down her cheeks. He has exhibited both na-
tionally and internationally as
As for Mwasangwale, being well as having some paintings
entrusted with producing this for permanent collections in
piece of art was itself an hon- the National Art Gallery of
our. The mixed media painting Zimbabwe and the Norwegian
comprising charcoal, oil paints embassy.

NewsHawks State of the Culture Page 41

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Nexus of politics, music and snoozing masses

Addy
Kudita

1 A FEW weeks ago, the
country’s social media
streets were abuzz with
what I call the “res-
urrection act” of one
self-styled prophet and,
to some folks, a sacrile-
gious poseur.
This act was the act
of reviving the career
of one of Zimbabwe’s
more gifted artistes of
that generation of mu-
sicians for whom some
of my colleagues coined
the misnomer “urban
grooves” tag in the at-
tempt to define the
musical output thereof.
But the real thrust of
the column this week
is based on what I have
suggested before in my
writing that Zimbabwe
is a society that is dazed
or transfixed by a left-
right combination of
cudgels from prophets
and politicians.
Apparently, the dom-
inant figures in our
popular culture are ei-
ther so-called prophets
or politicians and that
is perhaps a sad indict-
ment of our society. The
artistes seem to be mere
props on the makeshift
stage of our politicians
d and celebrity clergy. seph Goebbels’ stature.  to have been engineered controversy but the un- Passion Java with President Mnangagwa Mnangagwa.
e Thus it was in the past His coming to office was or paid for, approaching derpinning discourse
d few weeks that the real marked by a policy pro- the two million views around the nexus of pol- singers featured. Roki, criticised him for the
t star of the hoopla sur- Sandra, Sku, Pax Afro song Patati Patata. There
(Moyo’s very own band) is a sense in which Roki
rounding the musical nouncement regarding mark a couple of days itics, religion and art in and others who have is a creature of Moyo’s
y exploits of one very the 75% local content after the song’s release. our society. since faded into oblivi- imagination because
s talented artiste was the requirement on radio Still, the ones not From days of old, mu- on provided the lulling he, along with others,
e money bags pulling the stations which set the paid for were large sic has always played soundtrack for that gen- flourished and benefit-
strings. Stay with me. stage for what became enough to still elicit the an inspirational role in eration…It caused them ted from the inordinate
- Backdrop an avalanche of mostly buzz around the song political mobilisation to fall into a deep politi- amount of exposure on
y As the 2000s dawned, copycat and sometimes across the board. Zim- and perhaps no one cal slumber. I mean they ZTV   and Moyo’s po-
r they coincided with surprisingly quality pop babweans were divided understood the theory were singing to each litically charged music
. the arrival of a political ditties from the so-called amongst those who felt and practice more than other and for each other galas.
d urban groovers amongst that Roki deserved the Moyo as he utilised the those love songs which
Like Sandra Nde-
maverick in the guise of which was one Rockford attention because of his government coffers to I knew would not really bele doing her splits to
s the controversial Pro- Josphats. Rockford, or obvious talent. fund the jingles that amount to export qual- stunned audiences, Roki
e fessor Jonathan Moyo Roki as he is currently Some felt that his as- helped galvanise Zanu ity material. But it was captured the popular

9 in his first incarnation known, has in recent sociation with Java was PF supporters to sup- effective in giving the imagination with songs
- as minister of Informa- weeks been the subject suspect if only because port the land reform generation a toy to mess such as Seiko, Chidzoka
- tion. As he dazzled and of much chatter because Java is on record as en- programme. with whilst the nation and Aiyaho. His talent
- mesmerised Zimbabwe- of the meteoric surge dorsing the regime. It is But that “Hondo convulsed in political was indisputable and
o ans with his acerbic wit in viewership numbers his right as much as it is Yeminda” project was turmoil. That is my take with Delani Makhalima
e and verbosity in front- for his latest musical the right of his critics to predated by the works on that period.  A whole prodigiously releasing

- ing the ruling party’s release which featured slam him. It is fair game of guerillas during the swathe of our society them from his Galaxy
s programmes, he evoked Congolese legend Koffi in politics for people to liberation struggle such was lulled into slumber. Entertainment stable,
s admiration and hate in Olomide and Ray Van- attack those they deem as Light Machine Gun Defending a dubious for a season it seemed
n equal measure. Soon, ny from Tanzania.The to be representing what Choir and the likes of legacy these musicians could
f the country was about numbers were stagger- they are dead set against. Dickson “Cde Chinx” do no wrong. They
n to see the unraveling of ing to most because they The column is not go- Chingaira. Moyo intro- So it was no surprise to thrived and I imagine
his full skill set as a po- did not appear organic ing to delve much into duced galas where sev- me when Moyo came to even the music royal-
litical spindoctor of Jo- enough. They appeared the nitty gritties of the eral of these youthful Roki’s defence as people ty-collecting society Zi-

Page 42 Life & Style NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

mura had a torrid time arise. But why the fixa- the shiny and frivolous course with minors for Where are the entre- Parting shot
signing checks for them. tion with these types? things. that matter. preneurs and the inno- Up till we learn to seek
I do not doubt Moyo’s vations that produced the practical and excel-
genius at spindoctoring. There is credit that How else should one But how have these life-altering products lent in our midst, we
Few do. But the biggest Zimbabweans must explain the phenomen churches carried on with and services? Where is may always be chasing
criticism for him was take for the rise of these or tendency? Consid- impunity? Some say it is our fixation with them? mirages. But there is no
how he used the musi- people. I mean what is er the popularity, in because of political pro- Why do we seem enam- water in a mirage. Our
cians as fodder for his a church without con- the past there was the tection. It is a plausible oured with politicians artistes can continue
political project of mass gregants? Is it the su- late Boniface Muponda explanation for a coun- and prophets? The oth- with their antics which
mobilisation, helped perstitious bent of our and Robert Gumbura try in which the law en- er day, I saw Emmanuel mimic Animal Farm’s
in no small part by the people or the political- with their miracle ba- forcement always “gets Makandiwa canvassing Minimus who was used
fact that Moyo himself ly-induced poverty or by-making and wom- its man” if it so wishes. his followers for US$1 by the pig government
is a musician with one what? Somehow, over anising ways hogging 000 each. to hypnotise the animals
or two decent composi- time, different religious the limelight whilst the After much noise from He was targeting 5 000 on the farm with music.
tions to his name. I will types have preened and late Robert Mugabe and activists and members followers. I wonder if Our prophets and shy-
argue that Roki owes a pranced upon our so- Morgan Tsvangirayi of society alike, police he has reached his tar- sters may always be tak-
lot to Makhalima and cio-cultural stage and did their bit in politics finally released a state- get. He called the offer- ing the money off the
Moyo’s creative and po- for a season seized our to provide the nation ment to the effect that ing “seed of honour”. I gullible and supersti-
litical handling. attention. with drama.  Recently, a the predator had been found myself chuckling tious through sleight of
Religion, opium still? 14-year-old girl died at arrested. as I watched the video hand shenanigans. Our
In principle, religion In the past we have a Johane Marange apos- clip which was circu- politicians may always
should make people had Uebert Angel, tolic sect shrine. But there it is: the lating on social media. be on the campaign
more humane. It should Magaya, Makandiwa dirty open secret of our I mention this not be- trail, living for the next
refine their basest in- and now Java with his At 14 she was still society all in the name cause I do not believe in plebiscite, because their
stincts. So when we social media-hogging a child, but someone of religion. I dare not God. I just marvel that power and the largesse
begin to see a preacher ways…Of these proph- made her his wife and even use the name of it is possible to do that of it depend on remain-
or a so-called prophet ets, Angel is perhaps the she died from pregnan- God in this example. and actually rake in the ing in office for as long
behaving like a charla- first to actively package cy-related complica- Simply religion, which desired loot. I mean, as Mugabe did and for
tan or money-grabbing himself in as glamor- tions and presumably in my definition is man’s this is our society with as long as Uganda’s Mu-
grifter then questions ous a fashion as has Java was buried at the shrine! way of accessing the di- all its idiosyncrasies. seveni is still doing. 
has, thereby feeding the This despite the coun- vine and not necessarily Heaven help us.
apparent curiosity and try’s laws proscribing what God mandated.
hunger of our people for child marriage or inter- What of the others?

NewsHawks Life & Style Page 43

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Title: Dialogue with a Tree Without knowing why. Is the front door to my home town?
Poet: Sheikh Al Dirani Getting tired for no gain.
Oh Chameleon! Some day I will actually be larger,
Boy: Tree, I can see your boughs, big and Don’t take my color Maybe larger than the largest?
bountiful Of these clothes. Perhaps I will even grow into a desolate
Up-raised to wave at heaven My mother will beat me at home. mountain.
With dendritic fingers, You are not like silly mouse,
Tree, you are the hospice of the foot-sore Who is always shocked, ***********************************************
traveller, Ready to flee,
The warbling bulbuls love to club among your Even from the breathing grass. Title: Apocalypse
branches. You are not like a snake. Poet: Farai Mlambo
When others hang low with fatigue in dusky Your poisonous master.
hours Who attacks and kills something that he won’t When death
You are not weary to host the visiting nicode- eat. is the elephant in the room
mus of a bat. Your wardrobe if full of worthy clothes, Darkness pastes a sweet kiss
And do I see anything more gorgeous than But your plate, lacks delicious food. on your forehead
you, green parable of the Savannah? Why mastering on what to wear, And you see your umbilical cord
Trees, fig tree, tell me the secret of your great- Not caring about good food? uncoiling before you like the longest
ness. I can count countless colors, thread
Tree: Boy, little boy, I will not tell of anything But why are you hesitating, before you go? With a whirring swish
you do not know: Or it is your smartness kicking up your ego That’s like a faint rumble in a pregnant
Each time morning caresses your cheek with and bragging rights. lioness’ womb,
fingers of light Then you know the end is nigh;
Wave your alms in the air in prayer and praise *********************************************** Your fist fizzles in the air
Do the same, at even time when the sun fades Like a lump of earth doomed to pulverise
And cold winds and darkly night are come to Title: The Dreams of a Stone
your door. Poet: Obert Chabata Cherished are moments
In all your days and ways never seek to find a When you were a mere foetal organism
miracle Here l stand in solitude, And through your x-ray vision
That which you are As oval as an egg, You saw your life dancing away
Is the greatest that will ever be. Waiting for my solid body to explode: Into the red jaws of another flailing melan-
To Father Sun parade your flowers and your Every day a boring nothing. choly;
fruits Labour with teeth big like the tusks of a
His mercy to thank and your days to justify, My shadow forms from nothing jungle elephant
But remember to hug Mother Earth with your Till the long, black streak appears: Chewed at your tired toes
roots And dissolves again to nothing. And dragged you by the neck
That way, only that way, will you be fulfilled as unaided by a hunched midwife
a living soul. The night shrouds in, Down you sailed; dreamily, dreadfully,
Till the moon and stars along a nameless waterlogged street
*********************************************** Give a boring change from nothing: With sign posts like vaginal ears at both
A silvery change, not what I want and need. sides;
Title: Chameleon A fortified catharsis!
Poet: Kwanele Mntungwa. But there is hope. Your first natal cry was a song of sorrow!
In a thousand, maybe a million years of noth-
Chameleon! Chameleon! ing, The deafening clangour at the nearest
King of the kingdom of colors. It will happen. whitewashed cathedral
Some steps don’t need decisions comrade. I will change at last from nothing to the crown And the sweet smelling Bible in the hands
Why arming yourself, bearer; of a bearded clergyman is your best foot
With thinking To some part of something sinister, forward
To take a step? An outrageous marvel As two winged eternity descends to deal
When are you going to reach your intended A positive volcano. you a double kick
destination? You land with your mouth on a bed of ros-
Or you will end Why a volcano, with its fiery funnel? es or bend forward for one bite of a sug-
On any destiny. Why not a mountain ar-coated tsangamidzi you can’t chew;
Yet I do admire your alertness. With its shadows cast by small The bitter root freezes at your lips
You are not like the Insignificant flowers on the bleak graveyard Until your tongue breaks into a fiery tune;
Blue head big headed lizard. sides? “Tumai Razaro”
He runs all day. The hollow funnel of the volcano

Page 44 NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

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NewsHawks People & Places Page 45

Issue 44, 20 August 2021 Lion trophy hunting fight erupts
after Mopane killing in Hwange
THE controversial animal
trophy hunting debate has taken out in 2015 in the Mopane the Lion. of thousands of dollars on
erupted yet again in Zim- same area. American trophy hunter Phillip Smith. a globe-trotting thrill-to-kill
babwe following the recent escapade shows humanity at
killing of Mopane the Lion With his impressive its worst. It is shameful that
by an American hunter just mane, Mopane was well- the U.S. has the distinction
outside Hwange National known to local tour guides of being the world’s biggest
Park. and international tourists importer of hunting tro-
visiting the area to catch a phies. Enough is enough.”  
There are contending glimpse of him.  
views on this debate – dia- President of Humane
metrically opposed. Just like 13-year-old Ce- Society Legislative Fund
cil who was lured with an Sara Amundson said: “The
The state-run Zimbabwe elephant carcass as bait, the individual depravity that
Parks and Wildlife Manage- 12-year-old Mopane was underlies trophy hunting is
ment Authority (Zimparks) drawn out of the park and self-evident. But the terri-
says it is doing well in man- shot with a bow and arrow. ble truth is that our federal
aging animals in the coun- government systematical-
try and has met internation- This triggered an outcry ly enables trophy hunting
al benchmarks for it to be among wildlife activists. of threatened and endan-
allowed to permit activities gered species by Americans
like trophy hunting, includ- Kitty Block, president and through its failure to revise
ing on lions. chief executive of the Hu- import policies that permit
mane Society of the United the bloodshed to continue.
“Zimbabwe is one of the States and CEO of Humane On the campaign trail Pres-
few lion range countries in Society International said: ident Biden expressed his
the world that has a robust “Mopane was a father and concern for this issue and he
and current African Lion played a significant role in can and should now direct
Management Plan,” Zim- his pride. Without him, his the relevant federal agencies
parks spokesman Tinashe pride is now vulnerable to to halt the import of trophy
Farawo said. takeover by another male parts from species listed un-
or group of males, which der the Endangered Species
“This has resulted in its may lead to the killing of Act. Until we have a proper-
lion population being listed the cubs and females in his ly implemented regulatory
on Appendix II of the Con- pride. Yet, as with Cecil framework that upholds the
vention on International six years ago, the perverse conservation mandate in
Trade in Endangered Spe- pleasure some people derive federal law, this is little more
cies of wild Fauna and Flora from killing iconic animals than lawless carnage.”
(Cites), and it can be traded brought this noble lion’s life
internationally on a com- to a tragic end. Another tro- Wildlife conservationists
mercial basis using a permit phy hunter spending tens say Smith killed Mopane
system to make sure that after paying US$30 000.
the trade is not detrimental The professional hunter ac-
to the species survival in the companying the hunt was
world. Dennis Nyakane, working
for Chattaronga Safaris – a
“One of the lion strong- South African hunting op-
holds is Hwange National erator. Nyakane is listed as
Park and adjacent areas, “hunting staff” on the Chat-
northwest Zimbabwe which taronga website.
has a healthy and stable lion
population estimated to The Zimbabwean hunt-
be around 500 established ing operator involved was
through robust spoor and Dinguzulu Safaris ZTA
camera trap surveys.  Zim- HOP 0257 – the same op-
babwe subscribes to the erator responsible for the
principle of sustainable util- death of Cecil the lion.
isation of wildlife.”
Mopane was feeding on
While many trophy a bait, that is a dead animal
hunters descend on Zimba- used to lure the trophy lion
bwe from all over the world, into a position where the
American trophy hunters hunter could shoot him.
pay big money to kill ani-
mals overseas, including in The killing took place on
this country,  and import the border of Hwange, in a
over 126 000 wildlife tro- hunting concession called
phies per year  on average. Antoinette. There are no
They also do their sport-kill- fences between Hwange and
ing domestically: Bears, Antoinette. The Antoinette
bobcats, mountain lions, concession is co-owned by
wolves  and other domestic Honest Ndlovu and is the
wildlife also fall victim to same concession where Ce-
trophy hunting, damaging cil was killed.
natural ecosystems, accord-
ing to conservationists. Mopane did not die im-
mediately. Instead, he ap-
The majestic Zimbabwe- parently spent the next 24
an lion Mopane was report- hours wounded, after which
edly killed by an American time he was finally killed.
hunter, Phillip Smith of
Columbia, Missouri, out-
side Hwange National Park
recently.

Mopane’s death has
sparked an international
outcry with details sur-
rounding his killing similar
to those of Cecil the lion,

Property
NewsHawks

Issue 44, 20 August 2021 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 46

The home of prime property: [email protected]

Aspire Heights block of flats being built at
Aspindale Park near Kambuzuma. The first
block is almost complete and it will consist of
two bedrooms, an open lounge and kitchen.
— Pictures: Aaron Ufumeli

Aspire Heights flats
under construction

NewsHawks Sport Page 47

Issue 44, 20 August 2021

Guest Columnist

Ireland v Zim: ‘A fight of two baby elephants’

PATRICK GADA Patrick Gada (second from left, back row) with Irish club Clontarf in the 2002-03 season. Ex-Ireland internationals Alex pathway to qualification for the
Cusack, Greg Molins and Marthinus Fourie are also in the picture. World Cup next year. But the five-
ZIMBABWE and Ireland have match T20 contest between these
many similarities and the major toured Ireland before, and they will self not playing a lot of cricket, the need to avoid such nursery school two teams, which will come first,
one is that they both lack a large need to pass the knowledge to the players have been deprived of the mistakes against the Irish team. On will be no less gripping.  
pool of high-quality players, or inexperienced players in the Zim- opportunity to reach full potential. a positive side, spinner Wellington
players of the highest calibre. babwe side.  Some of the emerging Zimbabwe Masakadza did bowl well against There is a great African proverb
players are having to learn new, or Bangladesh and hopefully he will that goes: “When elephants fight,
This results in them relying on a For Zimbabwe to post good to- basic skills, at international level. carry on against Ireland and Scot- it is the grass that suffers.” Another
small group of players to form their tals, these four players will be re- These must be learnt and mastered land (Zimbabwe heads to Scotland way to put it is that the powerless
core across all three cricketing for- sponsible to bat well between overs at club or first-class level.  from Ireland).  suffer the most when the powerful
mats.  number seven to 15 in the T20s, as fight. Well, the fight between Ire-
they are all good timers of a crick- For Zimbabwe, the pace bowling Bowling will be the most critical land and Zimbabwe is that of “two
For Ireland, one could say it is et call, all with ability to push the attack will be led by the world-class in both the ODI and T20 series in baby elephants” so the green grass
so because they are still develop- ball around and put the bad deliv- talents of Blessing Muzarabani. Ireland. Compared to Zimbabwe, of Ireland will certainly not suffer
ing as a top-cricketing nation. For ery away. Burl will then hopefully Blessing, who I spent a lot of time Ireland have more depth in both the most in this particular battle.
Zimbabwe, it can be argued that come in to muscle the ball away in with during his County Cham- their pace and spin-bowling attack, The cricketing world will be wait-
the standards of cricket have fall- the last five to seven overs. But he pionship stint with Northamp- as well as combinations to choose ing to see which baby elephant has
en drastically since the early 2000s cannot do it alone. He will need tonshire here in the UK, has been from. Joshua Little has been bowl- some potential to cause the most
due to various political reasons. assistance from someone, but we bowling well since his return to in- ing with good pace and accuracy. grass damage in future, and more
know that Zimbabwe lack pow- ternational cricket. He has shown Craig Young has also been swing- potential for growth.
Looking at the most recent er-hitters in their squad.  good variations and made use of ing the ball at good pace. Mark
white-ball cricket performances slower balls, as well as hitting good Adair and Barry McCarthy have Zimbabwe should be happy to
and statistics, Zimbabwe showed Taylor and Williams will be key, lengths and lines. His battle with done well in the past and against tour Ireland in August and Sep-
glimpses of improvement especial- as they can play spin bowling as the attacking world-class Irish bat- Zimbabwe. Shane Getkate is an- tember, which are the summer and
ly with the bat when they played well.  ter Paul Stirling will be critical. other bowler they can call upon. autumn months in those parts. The
Bangladesh at home.  There is also the hard-hitting Kev- George Dockrell is still a good, ex- weather should be warm on many
But they will need to do it against in O’Brien, who will most likely perienced spinner and his batting days. However, and as always, rain
In three T20I matches, they an ever-improving Irish spin-attack open the batting for Ireland in the has shown some improvement in and cold temperatures should be
managed scores of 150-plus runs led by the dangerous Simi Singh (an T20 series. Zimbabwe will need recent months. Ireland may need expected from time to time in Ire-
against a decent Bangladesh attack. all-rounder who recently scored an to bowl tight to him early on and to use him more against Zimba- land. More so in September when
This was mainly led by the good ODI century against South Africa), hope that O’Brien and Sterling do bwe.  the tour moves to Scotland. In
performances of Wessly Madhe- and Andrew McBrine. The latter not get the Irish off to flying starts. September, as Zimbabweans will
vere opening the batting, and Regis did not feature in the T20 matches The hosts will also be hoping that The Irish batting revolves around be coming from a warmer climate,
Chakabva batting at number three. that Ireland played against South their experienced former captain a few individuals – mainly Stirling one can start to feel or get little
They both made great use of the Africa, but he is a gusty cricketer William Porterfield can get some and captain Andy Balbirnie. If they signals of the cold English winter
first power-fielding restrictions by and a good fielder. The Irish may much-needed runs. fire, a big total could be posted. which starts towards the end of
playing good, sensible, attacking consider playing him in most, if They will need Curtis Campher to November moving into December. 
cricket.  not all of the white-ball match- Zimbabwe will also look up to be fit, and for Harry Tucker to start
es against Zimbabwe, especially if seamer Tendai Chatara, who has showing more potential by putting With this in mind, Zimbabwe
Chakabva has been around in- they intend not to utilise George not done badly since his return more runs on the board. However, should expect the ball to swing
ternational cricket for a long time, Dockrell in the T20 format. from injury. The major weakness comparing the two inexperienced and seam. Also, playing the first
and it was good to see him being for Zimbabwe, though, is the and fragile batting line-ups, Ireland two T20s at Clontarf CC – my old
given more responsibility up the The other batters Zimbabwe will back-up bowling. The other pace do have more depth compared to home ground in the Republic of
order as Zimbabwe has struggled look to rely on – or give a chance – bowlers – Luke Jongwe, Donald Zimbabwe especially if Singh and Ireland in 2002-03 – the Zimba-
to find good consistent openers in include Tarisai Musakanda, Milton Tiripano, Richard Nagarava and Adair are batting at number eight bweans will be received by a wicket
limited-overs cricket in the last 15 Shumba, Tadiwanashe Marumani Dion Myers – have been expensive. and nine respectively. A long bat- with a small boundary on one end.
to 20 years. I have always felt that and Dion Myers. They are all still They have lacked control and have ting order can instil confidence and They will need to master how they
Chakabva is one of the best and very inexperienced, and still learn- not bowled accurately and skilfully allow top or middle-order batters can use the angles and best place
most talented batsmen in Zimba- ing how to score runs at interna- enough. Zimbabwe have also been to be a bit more aggressive in their their fielders.
bwe. He is someone I also know tional level. They individually still bowling too many extras including play.
well since he was very young and have some technical flaws that need wides and no-balls. In one T20 I hope to visit Ireland or Scot-
upcoming around 2000-01.  to be ironed out.  With the Zimba- match against Bangladesh, they The three ODIs in Ireland will be land to watch Zimbabwe in action.
bwean domestic cricket set-up not bowled up to 18 extras! They will hugely important as they form part However, the need for bio-secure
As for Madhevere, having failed as organised and competitive as it of the World Cup Super League, bubbles that have emerged during
dismally against Afghanistan and should be, and the national side it- the Covid-19 pandemic may de-
Pakistan in previous series, Zim- ter me from travelling, as I would
babwe’s exciting prodigy played have loved to meet some of my
with good confidence and timing long-time friends within the Zim-
against Bangladesh, for someone babwe team – both coaching staff
who is not a powerful hitter of the and players. I have not met many
ball. of them since 2007 when I last left
Zimbabwe. Either way, rest assured
The major weakness for Zim- I will be following play on all avail-
babwe was in the middle to lower able media platforms.
order. After positive starts, they
were consistently pegged back by I also have some good friends
the Bangladesh bowlers, with most in Ireland who I would have loved
work left to Ryan Burl in trying to meet. I played Premier League
to put up imposing totals for the cricket there and did a lot of coach-
hosts.  ing in clubs and schools between
2002 and 2004. I have a couple
Ireland do have a similar prob- of great Irish pals, including the
lem, and I will cover some of that current head groundsman at the
in this article. famous Lords in London, Karl
McDermott, who held a similar
But back to Burl for now. The position when I played at Clontarf
left-hander has done very well in Dublin in 2002-03. Another
and he needs to be given a longer great mate, former first-class player
run by Zimbabwe in white-ball Deryck Vincent, has been involved
cricket. He can be a powerful and in Irish domestic cricket for many
clean striker of the ball, although years. I will be thinking of these
he tends to sometimes play across gentlemen, and I hope to be chat-
the line of the ball, using a bot- ting with them during the course of
tom-hand heavy-grip and swing, the Ireland-Zimbabwe contest. 
whilst aiming to hit power shots
between mid-on and the square *About the writer: Patrick
boundary.  Gada is a former first-class crick-
eter from Zimbabwe who played
To strengthen their batting, Premier League cricket in Ireland
Zimbabwe welcome the return of between 2002 and 2004 when the
Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams and game was still developing in that
Craig Ervine – with Sikandar Raza country. He has closely followed
having returned against Bangla- the progress of Irish cricket over
desh following his own lengthy lay- the years. Gada lives in Notting-
off. These Zimbabwe “Big Four” ham, England, coaching at youth
batters have missed out on matches level and running a successful
in recent times due to illness and youth cricket hub for boys and
injury. These guys are the key men girls. He writes this preview for
for the Zimbabweans: they will be The NewsHawks. 
required to bring their ‘A’ game
if the African tourists are to win
any matches, or series, in Ireland.
They all have experience of having

Sports Loga back
It has been a in Zim ‘soon’:
season of grief Zifa
Thursday 1aOnctodbesro20r2r0ow

Friday 20 August 2021 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

CULTURE

Community
radio
regulations
No harm in beingNEWS WHAT’S INSIDE
$60 Covid
tariff for
visitors &
tourists under review

optimistiCc,hoanmceisaagareina cFINNISH rock band Poets Story on Page 3
Story on Page 8
ity in the current Warriors
Of The Fall once sang: “May- side. It is an opportunity that
be tomorrow is a better day.” Khupemay never present itself again
A personal favourite of mine, out to in the next few tournaments.  
this hit contains a strong I meant this to be a feel-
message of hope – a song ap- good piece, so I am not going
propriately composed in the to be bogged down by the
uncertain times of the early perceived tactical illiteracy of
2000s when little, but hope, the under-fire Warriors coach,
was pretty much all humanity Unofficial president calls for emergeZdravko Logarušić.
needed.  In spite of the coach, this is
a team that on its day can play
The words of this clas-
sic give encouragement and a modern brand of attacking
strength to many across all football and pose a genuine
walks of life, sportsmen in- threat to anybody on this con-
cluded.  tinent. 
Things do not remain the Of course, you will always
same.  worry about the coaching
This new season, two of factor, but I’m rather more
Zimbabwe’s best football excited about the balance and
players – Tino Kadewere and depth of the squad at our dis-
Marshall Munetsi – will play posal. 
in the same domestic com- This, to me, is a side laden
petition with arguably the with talented attacking play-
world’s greatest footballer of ers: Khama Billiat, Knowl-
all time, Lionel Messi. edge Musona, Tino Kadew-
In a bygone era – before ere, Kuda Mahachi, Prince
qualification to the Africa Dube. 
Cup of Nations became rou- The pace and flair of these
tine as it is now for Zimbabwe players are complemented by
– our better players plied their the steel and grit of such men
trade in some of Europe’s mi- as Marvelous Nakamba and
nor leagues, at most in neigh- Munetsi.
bouring South Africa. And then, at the back,
Things have since changed, blokes like Teenage Hadebe
more than decades later. To- and Tendayi Darikwa will al-
day, the average Warriors fan is ways be at hand to put bodies
slightly spoilt, having the lux- on the line in defensive play.
ury of finding fault in a team This is a crop of Zimbabwe
that has easily qualified for players that play with heart,
the next Afcon tournament. commitment, drive and hun-
You cannot blame them. Ev- ger. I will be among the first
erything around us undergoes to vent frustration if this War-
change, and so does sport. riors squad let us down. But
We have seen the fall of sion of next year’s Africa Cup are simply tired of being un- en generation”, there is no harm in showing a
mighty teams in world sport, of Nations draw when the derachievers in this game and only to emerge bit of faith sometimes. 
Warriors were pooled with teharelytounrenxatmAyeLenaSrt OipnroCINvaimdSeeIsDrotoEhne Finance Ministy wipes out $3.2 Billiofwanictehsd. eegBpguotosniintooaurlsrl fuWndoOrslfd cCouuprZseqi,muanl'isefxiletarstmeasgoatnitnlhas’stnd c
Senegal, Guinea and Malawi.
one-time greats hitting rock honesty, we have South Africa and Ethiopia

HawkZonebottom, sportsmen rising like
a phoenix from the ashes, and What an opportunity this perfect opportunity for the
others coming from nothing is for the Warriors, for the first Warriors to introduce them- never received a will provide some indication
to something.  time since maiden appearance selves as a real force on this Enock draw as favour- where the near future lies.
Ever the optimist when it in 2004, to progress through continent.  Muchinjo able as this one But, regardless, beyond these
to the knockout phase of the before. This is matches I will remain firm in
comes to our national football I know, we have been here
team, I had goosebumps on tournament. before, hyping recent previ- the time to make belief that tomorrow will be a
Tuesday night at the conclu- Zimbabwean football fans ous Warriors sides as a “gold- good on the qual- better day for the Warriors.

ALSO INSIDE Ireland v Zimbabwe: ‘A fight of two baby elephants’