WEEKLY DIGEST April 13, 2022

 African farmers need help in the form of  The weight and want of Noviolet Bulawayo’s
subsidies . . . Page 19 ‘Glory’ . . . Page 22

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Wednesday April

. Cottco’s

future
hangs in
the balance

. “New

flights a
sign of
tourism
recovery”

WHY ZIM’S GROWING DEBT

IS A CAUSE FOR ALARM

AFRICA IN BRIEF April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 2

Jacob Zuma corruption trial South African ex-convict
postponed pending latest appeal gives up his mayor salary

1 The corruption trial in 4 A former convict who cal media outlets report.
South Africa of former was recently appoint- Mr McKenzie confirmed his
President Jacob Zuma ed as mayor of a South
has been postponed African municipality has pledge with a tweet on Tuesday,
again pending the outcome pledged to give up his salary and that added that "taxpayers looked
of the ex-leader’s appeal to have other trappings of the o ce. after me in jail, I'm free now".
the state prosecutor removed In his inauguration speech, Gay-
from the case. ton McKenzie of the Patriotic Alli- Social embed from twitter
Zuma was not present in the Pi- ance (PA) party said nothing from Mr McKenzie promised to inten-
etermaritzburg High Court due to Central Karoo district will be spent sify the fight against illegal immi-
a “medical emergency”, his law- on him during his tenure. gration.
yer Dali Mpofu told the court on This includes not having a may- He served seven years of a 15-
Monday. Zuma accuses Downer of oral vehicle and bodyguards. year sentence for armed robbery
bias against the former leader, and He used his funds to pay for the after being arrested in 1996. He was
has pleaded not guilty to charges food eaten at his inauguration, lo- released from prison in 2003.
of corruption, money laundering
and racketeering over a $2bn arms — BBC
deal in the 1990s. The case is set to
resume on May 17. While Zuma has publicly said he wants his day in court, he has over the
The delay is the latest of many years launched numerous legal actions that have delayed the start of the
– it has been nearly 17 years since trial
Zuma was first charged in the con-
troversial 1999 arms deal. He is could lead to frustrations, the cur- last year, which set o days of ri-
charged alongside French arms rent delay was unavoidable as the oting in the KwaZulu-Natal and
manufacturer Thales, which is ac- court had to await the Supreme Gauteng provinces in which shops,
cused of paying bribes to Zuma Court of Appeal’s decision. Zuma, warehouses and factories were
through his former financial advis- 79, is currently on medical parole looted and many burned. More
er Schabir Shaik, who was convict- from a 15-month prison sentence than 300 people died in the un-
ed on related charges in 2005. following his conviction last year rest. About three months later
South Africa’s National Prose- of contempt of court for defying a Zuma was released on medical pa-
cuting Authority opposed the ap- Constitutional Court order to ap- role, for an undisclosed health con-
plication for the postponement, pear before a judicial commission dition. A subsequent court judge-
accusing Zuma of delaying tactics investigating corruption during ment ruled the medical parole was
to prevent the start of the trial. his presidential term from 2009 to invalid, but his lawyers are appeal-
While Zuma has publicly said 2018. ing that judgement.
he wants his day in court, he has
over the years launched numer- Zuma was imprisoned in July of — Aljazeera
ous legal actions that have de-
layed the start of the trial. Deliv-
ering his judgement on Monday,
High Court Judge Piet Koen said
that while the delay of the trial

Afghan refugees languish in Madagascar

2 Bibi Maria fled Af- Madagascar, an island nation o to the United States under the US Gayton McKenzie's Patriotic Alliance (PA) entered into a coalition with the
ghanistan shortly af- the coast of southeast Africa that Refugee Admissions Program, she ruling ANC party
ter the Taliban killed her she had never visited and where wondered if she made the right
husband, a supplier for she knew no one, but where she choice. “Here we have become SA storms fuelled by
US and NATO troops. and her four children could get a beggars,” Maria told Al Jazeera, climate change - study
That was in 2018, and the mother visa on arrival. But four years lat- wearing a black niqab and hold-
of four said she felt it was a mat- er, with her adult children unable ing in her arms the infant daugh- 5 People in Madagascar the bodies to burials.
ter of time before threats against to continue school, receive prop- ter of another Afghan family, in an on a boat after floodin- This was followed in quick suc-
the rest of her family were realised. er healthcare, or make money in apartment in a central neighbour- gImage source, AFP
With few countries open to Af- the country, and no updates on hood of the capital Antananarivo. cession by Batsirai, Dumako, Em-
ghans, she decided to travel to her 2019 application to relocate nati and Gombe.
— Aljazeera
In the study the scientists ana-
Nigeria: VP Yemi Osinbajo to Image caption, lysed weather patterns today com-
run for president in 2023 Storm Ana made tens of pared to the past, however they say
thousands homeless across south- "the precise contribution of climate
ern Africa change to the event could not be
Climate change fuelled heavi- quantified, due to the absence of
er rainfall during a series of storms comprehensive historical records
that battered southern Africa earli- of rainfall in the region".
er this year, scientists say.
Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osin- Analysis from the World Weather They say that just four of the 23
Attribution group also showed that weather stations in a ected are-
3 bajo has declared he will run such extreme rainfall was more as of Mozambique had data going
for the country’s top job common now. back to 1981, while neither Mada-
next year, when incum- The results of this study show gascar no Malawi had any weath-
bent President Muham- that the damage inflicted by er stations with suitable data for
madu Buhari is scheduled storms in the region was exac- the study. One of the scientists in-
to step down. erbated by global warming, re- volved in the study confirmed to
Osinbajo becomes the latest fig- searchers said. the BBC that climate change was
ure from the two main parties to join The region was hit by three cy- making the storms worse.
the race to lead Africa’s most popu- clones and two tropical storms in
lous country and biggest economy. six weeks. "The rainfall associated with such
First elected as Buhari’s deputy in In total more than one million storms has become more likely and
2015, Osinbajo made the announce- people were a ected by extreme more intense," Dr Friederike Otto
ment on Monday after months of rainfall and floods in the region, from Imperial College London said.
speculation on whether he planned with 230 reported deaths, World
to succeed his boss. Weather Attribution (WWA) said. “What we can say for sure is, the
In a statement, the senior lawyer However, the scientists say they damages of such storms have be-
and former university teacher said cannot directly link the frequen- come worse,” Dr Otto continued.
his years of stewardship under Bu- cy of the storms to climate change
hari had made him the best man for due to a lack of long-term data. The scientists behind the study
the job. Osinbajo has promised to continue with Buhari's policies and pro- The devastating storms began had strong words for global lead-
“Which is why I am today, with ut- grammes, including huge projects of new roads and railways in January when storm Ana caused ers, urging them to act to curb cli-
most humility, formally declaring my mate change.
intention to run for the o ce of the tice commissioner in Lagos for eight widespread damage in Madagas-
President … on the platform of our campaign in the northeast, violent years. Osinbajo lacks a political base car, Mozambique and Malawi. “Again we are seeing how the
great party, the All Progressives Con- criminal gangs in the northwest and of his own and would need to build Dozens were killed with tens of people with the least responsibility
gress,” Osinbajo said. separatist tensions in the southeast. a strong coalition of supporters with thousands cut o from assistance for climate change are bearing the
He promised to continue with Bu- deep pockets to take on the politi- as roads and bridges had been brunt of the impacts. Rich coun-
hari’s policies and programmes, in- Osinbajo joins an array of aspir- cal machinery of Tinubu, who helped washed away. tries should honour their commit-
cluding huge projects of new roads ants from the ruling APC to vie for the campaign and deliver victory to Bu- In Malawi the president declared ments and increase much-need-
and railways. party’s ticket. APC leader and former hari during elections in 2015 and 2019. a state of emergency and the roads ed funding for adaptation, and for
A key issue ahead of the February Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu has al- were so severely a ected that rela- compensating the victims of ex-
2023 election is security, with Nige- ready announced he would run. Os- — Aljazeera tives of the deceased had to carry treme events driven by climate
ria’s armed forces battling an armed inbajo served under Tinubu as jus- change,” Dr Otto said.

— BBC

THE DIGEST VIEW April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 3

Register WD
to vote

early

something else. The bottom line is SA Afrophobia: Mnangagwa
every Zimbabwean above 18 years
residing in this country must go and
register to vote. should speak out
It is unfortunate that given Zim-
babwe’s tortuous past journey
when it comes to elections, which THE image of Elvis Nyathi,
many believe have been conduct- a Zimbabwean immi- migrants out of South Africa.
ed unfairly, some people may have grant's burning body on a Operation Dudula is populist and
since been disillusioned and now Johannesburg street jolt-
reluctant to register, let alone cast ed the collective minds has a fertile ground for recruits be-
their votes. of Zimbabweans to the dark age of cause of the poor employment sta-
But past is past and everyone 2008 Afrophobia attacks in South tistics that have been compounded
should look into the future with dif- Africa. by the two-year-old COVID-19 pan-
ferent lenses. It still remains every- demic.
one’s right to have their say as far This was when South Africans
as who they want to lead this coun- necklaced Mozambican nation- According to the South African
try is concerned and Zimbabweans al Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave (35) statistical agency, the country's un- Paidamoyo Muzulu
Alfonce Mbizwo can only exercise that right once af- in Johannesburg. Necklacing or employment in the fourth quarter
ter every five years. burning of people by mobs is not of 2021 rose from 34,9% to 35,3%. The COVID-19 pandemic has
Editor This means that once the 2023 new to South Africa. It is some- However, unemployment among worsened the situation. The econ-
chance to have your say passes, you thing that was common especially the youths is now at a record 65,5%. omy has contracted and many are
ZIMBABWE Electoral Com- will have to wait until 2028 to have against sellouts during their libera- actively seeking an opportunity to
mission’s countrywide a say and that is a long, long way to tion struggle. The statistics are potent for social leave the country and yet South Af-
voter registration exer- come. cohesion in a country that has the rica has its own challenges.
cise is greatly appreci- This was the same period that widest divide between the rich and
Five years is a lifetime and it is another Mozambican, Emmanuel poor. Things are made worse by the It should be remembered that in
now five years since the last gen- Sithole, was attacked and stabbed environment like Alexandra informal 2020, South Africa erected a fence
ated and Zimbabweans eral election, so people should not in broad daylight by three South Af- settlement just being adjacent to on the Beitbridge border and along
should welcome this move by be- deny themselves their right to vote ricans for vending. Sandton, the most expensive piece the Limpopo River to keep Zimba-
sieging voter registration centres in by failing to simply register to vote. of estate per square metre in Africa. bweans and other migrants from
their millions to book their participa- No one has a crystal ball to zoom This fresh emergence of Afropho- the north from illegally crossing
tion in next year’s general elections. into the future to see what it holds. bia has been long in coming. Last Things could get worse as South into their territory.
Many people have a general ten- Therefore, all citizens eligible to vote year in July, South Africa faced po- Africa moves closer to the 2024
dency to wait to do things in the must take this chance to exercise litical unrest related to the collaps- elections where many analysts think Zimbabwe should speak out. It
very last minute, which can their constitutional right to ing economy and the jailing of for- the ANC support would dip below has a duty to protect its citizens
decide who they want mer President Jacob Zuma on con- 50% and force it to form a coalition within and without its borders. This
be stressful and incon- Natu- to lead them into tempt of court charges. government. This is a prospect too is an obligation placed on govern-
veniencing. that future, what- ghastly to contemplate for many in ment by the Constitution.
So the earlier ever it beholds. The groups started ransacking the ANC who have practically lived-
the people go rally, elections No one shops and looting. They said some- o the State since independence in As citizens, we need to know
out in droves needs to be thing about foreigners taking their 1994. what our government is doing to
to register are electric and once reminded jobs. It took over a week before a protect its citizens. Silence does
to vote, the that many semblance of normalcy was put in Coming back home, Zimbabwe not do the trick. Every single life is
better it the plebiscite dates are an- Zimba- place. has not spoken loudly against the important. Nyathi was a son, broth-
will be for bweans Afrophobia attacks in South Africa. er, friend, husband and parent to
everyone, nounced — which is usually died fight- A commission set up by Presi- It has kept largely silent on the mat- his four children. Their lives will be
includ- ing for the dent Cyril Ramaphosa revealed that ter, be it at Sadc or African Union hollow without him.
ing those late towards voting, people start right to the chaos was a result of the fail- gatherings.
planning vote after ure of central government and in- Zimbabwe should engage South
to conduct to suddenly want to take part in being de- telligence services to anticipate vi- The silence has been driven by a Africa and get assurances about
this elec- nied that olence. It also said that factionalism number of things. These range from the safety of its citizens.
tion. the polls and ultimately, the right for gen- in ANC was also to blame. South Africa’s economic position
Natural- erations before and Zimbabwe’s deteriorating so- The Afrophobia in South Africa
ly, elections last minute rush to reg- the 1980 inde- South Africa last November held cial and economic conditions. is now worth a summit. It is dan-
are electric and pendence. local government elections. The gerous for other Sadc countries to
once the plebi- ister ensues. The independ- political temperatures were high Zimbabwe, since the turn of the engage in “quiet diplomacy” on
scite dates are an- and the question of migrants be- century in 2000, has been closing the matter. Signs are that things
nounced — which is ence we are all going to came an electoral issue. down the political space. There has will get worse as we move towards
celebrate on April 18 should been cases of politically-motivated 2024.
usually late towards voting, Herman Mashaba’s One South violence accompanying elections.
people start to suddenly want to be a reminder that it is a celebration Africa movement is against illegal Opposition activists have been at It is also a proven fact that fac-
take part in the polls and ultimately, for finally having the chance to free- migrants and promised to deal with the wrong end of the stick. Many tionalism in the ANC is a ecting
the last minute rush to register en- ly cast a ballot. them if elected. EFF’s Julius Male- fled the country for safety or eco- service delivery, particularly safety
sues. Casting a ballot in this country ma went for the populist move tar- nomic reasons. for all who live in South Africa. This
This creates unnecessary pressure did not come on a silver platter, so geting shopping malls and asking is a matter that will cause regional
on personnel conducting the reg- people should not take it for grant- the nationalities of people working South Africa was and still remains instability if not nipped in the bud.
istration exercise. Machine break- ed by squandering the opportunity. there. a destination of choice for many
downs and long winding queues Everyone worth their salt should not because of its proximity and sophis- Can President Mnangagwa
become commonplace, yet all this even think twice about registering The ruling party ANC did not have ticated economy not only in Sadc, stand up and be counted or he
can be avoided if people register to vote. It must just come natural. a solid position on migrants. Its po- but across the continent. will choose to look away and ask
early. Therefore, Zimbabweans let us all sition was based on which faction of Zimbabweans to make money by
Whether those who register ex- register to vote now and avoid the the ANC did the leader come from. Zimbabwe’s economy has con- whichever means as he said during
tinued its nosedive since 2000 and campaigns.
This created room for radical el- its still far from getting to pre-2000 Paidamoyo Muzulu is a journalist
ements like Nhlanhla “Lux” Dlamini indexes. This has had an impact based in Zimbabwe. He writes in
to form Operation Dudula, a move- on the economy as many qualified his personal capacity.
ment that seeks to drive all illegal personnel migrate to South Africa in
search of greener pastures.

ercise their right to vote or not is last minute rush.

Weekly Digest is published daily by Alpha Media Holdings EDITOR Tel: 883184-8/887057/58/69/70/71 Tel. 883184/5/6/7/8,887069/70/1,887058/885280/1/2. AMH subscribes to truthful,
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ANALYSIS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 4

Cottco’s future hangs in the balance

GBY TAURAI MANGUDHLA However, the recent turn of event indi- of them in intensive care and bleeding the phoned hundreds of thousands of dol-
OVERNMENT’S decision to cate otherwise. fiscus due to massive graft, the govern- lars from the Zimbabwe Manpower De-
take full control of the coun- ment has demonstrated lack of capacity velopment Fund and donated some of
try’s largest cotton buyer and “We have already identified advisors for to run these institutions efficiently. Taking the money to Zanu PF.
processor Cottco could place this and it will be done by 1 July (this year),” over Cottco will unlikely produce different
the company on long list of Masuka told Weekly Digest in a brief in- results. The party’s 2016 conference pro-
Zimbabwe’s many ailing parastatals. terview on the sidelines of Cottco nation- posed that late former President Robert
al prize giving ceremony in Chinhoyi last By its own admission, the ruling Zanu PF Mugabe’s office, in consultation with
The Standard newspaper reported this week. party in 2016 demanded sweeping para- the Ministry of Finance, should expedite
week Anxious Masuka revealing that the statal reforms. the finalisation and the effective imple-
government will take full control of Cottco “We had wanted to get it done by the mentation of new remuneration frame-
by July this year. Currently, the govern- end of March, but we faced some delays.” Concerned that the enterprises had work for State entities and local author-
ment has a 37% stake in the cotton firm. become feeding troughs of rogue and ities to reduce expenditure and unjus-
Masuka could not be drawn to shed corrupt public officials and politicians, tified salaries and allowances/benefits
Government has a keen interest in cot- more light into the ongoing transaction, through corruption and other malpractic- for boards and executive management
ton production and has heavily subsidised but Weekly Digest has it on good author- es, Zanu PF’s various organs put pressure of some parastatals.
the crop, pumping millions every season. ity that the State wants a 51% stake in on government to cut salaries of execu-
Cottco and has engaged a reputable ac- tives and boards of struggling parastatals While it is not the mandate of a gov-
Last year, government pumped in ex- counting and auditing firm for the trans- as well as expedite implementation of the ernment to be active in business, but to
cess of $3 billion subsidizing cotton pro- action. Public Entities Corporate Governance Bill. create an enabling environment for in-
duction. vestors who have special skills in vari-
The government is currently strug- This was after the economy had suffered ous sectors to create and run business-
And Cottco management had previous- gling to privatise its non-performing par- losses of more than US$500 million owing es profitably, creating employment and
ly indicated plans to re-list the company astatals. to inflated energy tenders that were allo- paying taxes, the Zimbabwe govern-
on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and di- cated to unqualified contractors. The call ment has been actively involved in busi-
versify operations with the introduction of On the list of State-owned enterprises for reform also came following allegations ness since independence in 1980. Gov-
oil processing and garment manufactur- up for privatisation are NetOne, Telone, that then Higher and Tertiary Education ernments are not producers of goods
ing units to the group. POSB, Fidelity Printers and Refiners and Minister Jonathan Moyo could have si- and services and when businessmen
Air Zimbabwe. are running key institutions in govern-
ment they have a political agenda.
With dozens of ailing parastatals, most
Flag carrier Air Zimbabwe has been
grounded by gross mismanagement
and corruption while the National Rail-
ways of Zimbabwe is a pale shadow of
its former vibrancy moving millions of
tonnes of goods every year.

AirZim creditors approved a May 2021
reconstruction scheme which involved
debt assumption by the government
owed about US$379 million by the flag
carrier. NRZ is now retrenching workers
after being hit by locomotive shortag-
es and a ballooning debt which closed
2018 at a staggering US$575million.

This culture of mismanagement and
politicisation of issues will dent Cottco’s
image and probably even affect com-
pany exports given that some State-
owned enterprises are on the sanctions
list. This will also most likely drive out
competent professionals who can turn
around the company. Investors also
generally don’t trust governments and
this spells doom for the envisaged re-
structuring which - whether it is for
small ginneries and garment manufac-
turing - needs capital.

Cottco recently announced it is mull-
ing introducing micro-ginneries as part
of its strategic remodelling expected to
see the company investing in oil pro-
duction and fabric weaving technol-
ogy. This was after agriculture econo-
mist Mandivamba Rukuni pointed out
that Cottco’s current model needed a
re-look, including setting up micro-gin-
neries and toll processing cotton to give
farmers more value.

Corporate governance expert Brad-
well Mhonderwa noted that poor cor-
porate governance results in corruption
and corruption in Zimbabwe is causing
capital flight.

“Surely, no serious investor, whether
foreign or domestic, wants to invest in
a corrupt environment because corrup-
tion increases the cost of doing busi-
ness and paralyses value chains. Cor-
ruption is an albatross to serious invest-
ment because it undermines property
rights, weakens the rule of law, and it
signals doom and gloom. Investment is
a risky undertaking in such nations,” he
said in an interview.

Taking over a struggling company
when the economy has, until recent-
ly when cosmetic surpluses have been
reported, suffered successive budget
deficits is suicidal and amounts to fur-
ther draining already empty coffers.

With most parastatals running on
derelict equipment, there is a massive
need for investment which will certain-
ly come out of taxpayers’ pockets and
crowd out social spending and infra-
structure projects that are key to the
economy.

Efficiency of running Cottco will al-
most certainly be sacrificed at the al-
tar of nepotism, graft and all-manner of
malpractices that characterise State run
institutions. This takeover could spell
doom for Cottco and the cotton indus-
try and puts the sincerity of government
to privatise State entities in doubt .

ANALYSIS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 5

New flights a sign of tourism recovery

TBY FIDELITY MHLANGA more airlines means more tourist arrivals. the increase promotes tourist arrivals The four-star facility, on the shores of
HE scrapping of PCR COVID-19 require- There is a huge pent-up demand for lo- and foreign currency receipts in the hos- the Zambezi River, is a partnership be-
ments on flights has breathed a new cal travel/tourism which is steering tour- pitality sector. tween Old Mutual and Spencer Creek, an
lease of life to the tourism sector which ism recovery,” Chitambara said. established tourism firm with significant
has been teetering on the brink of col- Various towns locally rely on tourism interests in the industry.
lapse. Economist Victor Bhoroma said the re- for employment creation and revenues,
In January this year, the Tourism Business vival was long overdue as communities hence a resurgence in international trav- Other projects that were unveiled re-
Council of Zimbabwe (TBCZ) pressed the panic that survive on tourism were now under el is long overdue,” Bhoroma said. cently include Zambezi Boutique’s US$1
button, warning of damaging upheavals unless siege. million investment and Nkosi Guest
government shifted policy and relaxed the tough The tourism sector last year received Lodge — a multi-million-dollar facility.
conditions imposed on hotels. “This is very positive for brand Zimba- a major boost after financial services
bwe and tourism sector business. The group Old Mutual Zimbabwe opened It would appear Zimbabwe could be
The TBCZ brings together several organisations tourism sector is undergoing a slow re- the US$24,6 million Palm River Hotel in on course to achieve the US$5 billion
that represent the industry’s interests. covery from COVID-19 pandemic, hence Victoria Falls. tourism industry economy by 2025.

These include the Association of Zimbabwe
Travel Agents, the Board of Airline Representa-
tives, the Zimbabwe Vehicle Rental Association,
the Zimbabwe-Tour Operators Association, the
Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, the
Catering Employers Association of Zimbabwe
and the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe.

The sector’s predicament was compounded
last year by the emergence of the COVID-19 Omi-
cron variant, which forced government to apply
tougher measures to fight the contagion, includ-
ing shutting down public spaces in hotels, the lo-
comotives that drive leisure and travel worldwide.

Government later scaled up restrictions when
it directed restaurants attached to hotels, back-
packers, lodges and guest houses to serve food
and drinks only in rooms.

The multibillion-dollar industry, which makes
up about 4,1% of Zimbabwe’s gross domestic
product and generates about US$3 billion annu-
ally, has been pushed to the brink by Covid-19 in-
duced hard lockdowns since March 2020.

But the arrival of Eurowings flights to Victoria
Falls a fortnight ago marked the first European
long-haul airline into Victoria Falls in a long-time
breathing life into a sector battered by COVID-19
induced lockdowns.

Qatar Airways also made its maiden direct
flight to Zimbabwe in the last quarter of last year.

This adds to other airlines that resumed flights
into the country following the relaxation of COV-
ID- 19 restrictions.

Government also scrapped the PCR require-
ments for travellers into the country making it
easy for tourists to visit Zimbabwe.

Former Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe
president, Clive Chinwada believes destination
access is a key enabler to travel and tourism.

“A number of international airlines are now fly-
ing into Zimbabwe the latest one being Eurow-
ings, which introduced flights into the Vic Falls.
The increase in flights into the country means
that access and convenience from feeder mar-
kets continues to improve making it a lot easi-
er for travellers from these feeder markets to add
Zimbabwe onto their travel bucket lists.

For instance, Namibia is predominantly a Ger-
man and Central Europe travel destination with
Eurowings being the main carrier from that
source market. Vic Falls, therefore, is going to be-
come more interconnected with Namibia and
central Europe which will in the long run boast
tourist numbers from this market,” he said.

“PCR screening costs and restrictions have
been a huge bottleneck to travel since COVID-19
broke out. As the world continues to adapt to
life with the virus, governments across the world
have begun dispensing with COVID-19 related
travel restrictions.”

He said this was a positive development for
travel and tourism given that free movement was
vital to travel.

“Positive spin offs from this policy shift should
soon be felt in some market segments such as
business and corporate related travel.

Leisure will also benefit significantly as the cost
of travel improves,” Chinwada said.

The Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe
(SOAZ) last year said tourism required at least
US$100 million in fresh grants to stay afloat.

SOAZ chairman, Emmanuel Fundira said under
the circumstances, extending loans to the sector
would worsen an already bad situation.

It was the latest of a series of pleas by sector
players for any form of intervention to avert a ca-
tastrophe after hotel occupancy levels plummet-
ed from a near 50% in 2019 to about 13% cur-
rently.

The Labour and Economic Development Re-
search Institute of Zimbabwe economist Prosper
Chitambara said the scrapping of travel restric-
tions will definitely trigger tourism recovery.

“I think this is a very positive development,

COVER April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 6

Why
Zim's
growing
debt is a
cause for
alarm

DMELODY CHIKONO wheel – negotiate contract terms directly back period. Stop borrowing! Instead cre- quasi fiscal activities, loans and guaran-
EBT and development experts with contractors for projects to avoid inter- ate a better investment environment.” tees by government, as well as interest and
have asked government to cre- est accruals decades before project pay- penalties on debts, have also been seen as
ate a more friendly investment The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)
environment and stop borrow-
ing to help reduce the debt POWERIDE ELEPHANT HILLS
burden on Zimbabwean.

In its latest report the International Mon-
etary Fund (IMF) said the county’s consoli-
dated public sector debt had ballooned to
US$19,03 billion representing a 68,1% ratio
to the Gross Domestic, as arrears continue
to weigh on the principal debt.

The threshold is way above the accept-
able ratio, with public and publicly guar-
anteed external debt standing at US$17, 59
billion, of which arrears are at US$13,1 bil-
lion.

Zimbabwe has been in debt distress
since 2000, when it first defaulted on its
external obligations to the International Fi-
nancial Institutions (IFS). The defaults re-
sulted in the country being denied access
to external financing by IFIs and other mul-
tilateral and bilateral creditors.

Heavy indebtedness is at the core of
many African countries’ socio-economic
development challenges and Zimbabwe
has been no exception where public ex-
penditure financing has been diverted to
debt servicing, resulting in citizens failing
to access to basic services such as health,
education, water, and sanitation.

Discussions at the just ended Zimbabwe
Debt Indaba organised by Zimbabwe Co-
alition for Debt and Development (Zim-
codd) last week show that these were not
just numbers but drivers of poverty and in-
equality in Zimbabwe and the reason why
women in Binga, for instance, struggle to
access maternal health care.

Key drivers of the debt o cially record-
ed as US$13,7 billion in December 2021, are
embedded in governance challenges post
the 2000 land reform programme and the
country’s involvement in the 1998 Demo-
cratic Republic of Congo war which pre-
cipitated extrajudicial fiscal processes cov-
ered by an overdraft from the central bank.

A 1997 3% compensation awarded to
more than 60 000 liberation war heroes
also exacerbated the country’s econom-
ic problems after the payout inflated the
budget by 55% and a currency meltdown.

A Zimbabwean developmental econo-
mist based in the United Kingdom, Che-
nai Mutambasere said absence of a pub-
lic debt audit left many things unclear. He
pointed out that there was no clarity on the
total percentage of private lending terms
of current borrowing while any concession-
ary arrangements, where the country was
highly indebted, were also unknown.

“There is ambiguity of public debt state-
ments - too many smokes and mirrors con-
cerning private debt. There is no indica-
tion of total outstanding amount, but only
disbursements made. Are we confusing
debt relationship terms for example exter-
nal – On lent loans? What does this relate
to; what is the downstream relationship in
terms of on lent loans; does government
apply any interest on on-lent loans? There
is also an unclear relationship with State
Owned Enterprises whom the government
borrows on behalf of, what is the extent of
autonomy, if revenue generating, why are
their loans serviced by tax payer and not
directly?” she said.

“Avoid putting the horse before the cart-

COVER April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 7

l FROM PAGE 6
exacerbating the debt crisis as these are
allegedly stamped without parliamentary
oversight.

Zimcodd believes: “Debt is ballooning
amid the spiraling illicit financial flows and
failure to widen government revenue from
the country’s vast mineral wealth. Govern-
ment has a US$12 billion mineral export
earnings target by 2023, yet the mining
tax revenue targets to finance basic ser-
vice provision are barely mentioned. From
US$50 billion lost annually as revealed by
the African Union or Economic Commis-
sion from Africa’s High-Level Panel Report
on Illicit Financial Flows, Africa now los-
es more than US$88.6 billion annually ac-
cording to United Nations Trade and De-
velopment’ s Economic Development in
Africa Report, 2020.”

Current efforts to engage multilateral
creditors are bearing little fruit as the coun-
try is managing token payments to credi-
tors at a time effort to re-engage the in-
ternational community are also faltering.

Debt distress has had yet another debil-
itating impact on people and communi-
ties, compounded by government auster-
ity measures introduced in 2021 under Na-
tional Development Strategy 1.

“Recommendations tendered by the
civic society beyond the taxation of the
public, call for focus on domestic resource
mobilization, restructuring of current
debt and renegotiation of loans contract-
ed with bilateral agreements. Adoption
of policy mix to manage risks of contrac-
tion of public debt is key to a wide range
of options including the reform of cur-
rent weak legislative frameworks as well
strengthening parliamentary oversight.
While the Ministry of Finance has now in-
troduced an Annual Debt bulletin there is
need for comprehensive debt audits, pub-
lic debt registers as well as legal reforms
to limit debt contraction without parlia-
mentary oversight.” Zimcodd.

BUSINESS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 8

Balancing economic demands

TTAFARA MTUTU c.ZW$$300/USD in the past the bank and in terms of which quarterly reserve money growth We also observe that the par-
HE monetary policy week. individuals with free funds and will limit the Zimbabwean dol- allel market is strongly driven by
committee (MPC) of the entities/corporates holding for- lar (ZW$) balances available after transactional activity that does
Reserve Bank of Zim- The resolutions from the eign exchange in their foreign willing-buyer-willing-seller cur- not include nostro balances, and
babwe met on April 1, meetingincluded: rency transactions that can be is- these often take place outside
2022 to discuss meas- Reviewing upwards the Bank currency accounts (after meeting sued as loans while the increase the formal system to a larger
ures to contain the impact of Policy Rate from 60% to 80% per the statutory surrender require- in the bank policy rates will con- extent. Hence, these resolu-
events unfolding in both the local annum; ments) shall be free to sell foreign trol the availability of any “cheap tions could be limited in their
and international macroeconom- Reviewing upwards the Medi- currency to banks on a willing- money” in the economy, which e ectiveness.
ic environment. um-Term Bank Accommodation buyer willing-seller basis. could be used for speculative
The global economic environ- Facility Interest Rate from 40% to We opine that these measures borrowing. However, the resolutions could
ment has been rocked by have the goal of adversely impact the productive
the Russia-Ukraine con- leveraging o The theoretical impact of these sector,which currently bemoans
flict, which has driven pric- The conflict has been key in the growing measures will be to contain the the short-term nature of loans
es of soft and hard com- the recent surge in global in- nostro balanc- depreciation of the ZW$ while from banks at current lending
modities upwards on the es in the coun- easing the pressure on the auc- rates. The increase in the policy
back of a myriad of factors flation data, which has be- try — currently tion system as well as demand for rate will likely increase the bur-
such as: accounting for the SDR allocation from the IMF. den of debt financing for bor-
Oil supply and demand gun filtering into Zimbabwe’s c.50% of the rowers through higher interest
disequilibrium, total value of However, the question remains, rates in the short to medium
An investor flight-to- economy. deposits held “Are these measures su cient term. We note that companies
safety in real inflation- by banks - to to contain inflation and currency that extensively rely on debt for
hedging assets such as ease the cur- depreciation in Zimbabwe?” and working capital needs will be
gold and silver, and rency volatility. the answer points to these meas- exposed. For example, SeedCo
Exports supply con- The likely role ures being somewhat e ective Limited is one such company
cerns for softs like corn and of Resolution in the short-term but still inad- that could be a ected by the
wheat. (5) is to carefully equate over a longer term. increase in interest rates in the
The conflict has been key in the 50% per annum; incentivise holders of nostro bal- medium term.
recent surge in global inflation Reviewing upwards the mini- ances to dispose their currency Zimbabwe is chronically de-
data, which has begun filtering mum deposit rates for ZW$ sav- at rates that are better than the pendent on imports of raw ma- The seasonal business typi-
into Zimbabwe’s economy. Zim- ings and time deposits from 10% o cial rate but below the parallel terials whose costs have been cally requires debt capital to
babwe’s Year-on-Year inflation and 20% per annum to 12,5% and market rates. The figure of US$1 steadily increasing in response to maintain production before the
has taken on a renewed upswing, 25%, respectively; 000 is also likely to be increased global developments. selling season for seed takes o .
moving from 50,3% in August Further tightening monetary over time as the Central Bank as- On the other hand, financial ser-
2021 to 72,7% in March 2022 on policy by reducing the quarterly sesses any loopholes that could Hence, global inflationary pres- vices businesses look to pin the
the back of a combination of lo- reserve money growth target dull the intended e ects of the sures will continue to ripple into resilience of their lending opera-
cal and global developments. from 7,5% to 5% for the quarter resolution. Resolutions (1) to (4) local inflation in the absence tions on the frequent revisions of
Furtherto the ripple e ects ending June 2022; and will likely support the intended of su cient local supply of raw interest rates in line with inflation
of global inflation on Zimba- Further liberalising the foreign impact of Resolution (5) by en- materials. Persistent ine cien- figures.
bwe’s economy, local currency exchange market by allowing suring that liquidity received from cies in the auction system and
rates on the parallel market have banks to conduct foreign ex- these currency transactions will anticipated additional currency Tafara Mtutu is a research an-
strongly depreciated in the past change transactions of up US$1 not be channelled to the parallel demands on the back of lower- alyst at Morgan & Co Research.
three months, moving from c. 000 under an arrangement market. than-expected nationwide grain- — [email protected] or
ZW$$195/USD in January to agreed upon between banks and The resolution to tighten the deliveries in 2022 also pose as +263 774 795 854.
strong headwinds for the latest
MPC resolutions’ measures with
regards to currency volatility.

OPINION April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 9

ZSE cess demand for the greenback in the
to gain economy. On the parallel market, the
momentum exchange rate has started to escalate
despite slow as demand surges.
start
Zimbabwe’s headline inflation stood
EBEN MABUNDA at 72,70% as at March 2022, a 6,59%
increase from the prior month’s 66,11%
T HE Zimbabwe Stock Ex- and an indication of an accelerated
change opened the month of rate of price increases.
April, and a new quarter, on
a positive note after gaining Notably, both headline and monthly
1,51% to close at a new record outturns fall outside national target
high of 16098.23 points. ranges of 25%-35% and below 3% (de-
spite decreases in month on month
This followed an unstable first inflation) respectively.
quarter, which was characterised by
intense uncertainty as market funda- As such, despite a relatively slow
mentals remained shaky. start, the market will likely move north
of 250% for 2022, having registered a
Aggregate turnover rose by 3% in 311% increase in the ZSE ASI in 2021.
the March to ZW$8,188,877,299 (US$57
million), which is therefore the highest This is premised on the likelihood of
record in the quarter. a sustained growth in money supply, a
continued weakening of the Zimdollar
Total turnover rose by 99% in Feb- and a slowdown in GDP growth, trig-
ruary due to a sharp growth in overall gering hedge seeking on the ZSE.
stock prices. Year-to-date (as at April
4) gains scaled up to 49,55%, while efforts by the Central Bank to tame money supply, an indication of ex- Eben Mabunda is an analyst and
on a month-to-date basis the bourse TV anchor at Equity Axis, a leading
closed at 2,06%. According to Tinashe financial research firm in Zimbabwe.
W Dumah, an Equities Analyst for Eq- — [email protected]
uity Axis:“The growth in turnover in
the month was highly skewed towards RESERVE BANKOFZI KNOW YOUR NEW BANKNOTEMBABWE
market heavies as seen by a -23% de-
cline in volumes, which translates to FEATURES OF YOUR NEW BANKNOTE
fewer shares trading at a higher price
as opposed to penny stocks which are FEATURE FOR THE SEE THROUGH
usually low-priced”. PARTIALLY SIGHTED WATERMARK
HIDDEN IMAGE
In the first quarter of the year, for- COLOUR CHANGING
eigners emerged net sellers with net SEE THROUGH HOLOGRAPHIC
sales coming in at ZW$322 million WATERMARK
(US$2,3 million) over the period. SECURITY STRIP
FEATURE FOR THE
The recent sell-offs by foreign inves- PARTIALLY SIGHTED
tors have been a factor of uncertainty
ahead of the 2023 elections. GOLD COLOURED
IRIDESCENT BAND
The bourse opened the year on a
continued upsurge that was stimulated FEEL: LOOK: GET TO KNOW YOUR NEW BANKNOTE
by rampant inflation from 2020-2021.
However, with the slow-down in in- TILT:
flation, stocks growth simultaneously
slowed down. Banknotes have a Watermark: See-through: Feature for the Windowed Iridescent Band: The value numeral can
unique rough feel partially sighted: Security Strip: be seen in the feature
The current see-saw movement on which is different from When held against the Locate the shape Moving the note on the bottom left
the bourse is therefore largely a price- other printed materials light the Zimbabwe above the watermark. Seven horizontal bars The strip changes around shows a shiny when the note is tilted.
correction trend. such as magazines or bird and ‘RBZ’ can be Hold the note up to appear in the bottom from red to green with gold pattern on the
computer print outs. seen. In reverse this the light. The shape right and left hand holographic element back of the note.
On the other hand, an upside is still will appear backwards. completes with corners. These have when tilted. When The stripe shows
imminent following a rapid deprecia- the image on the a raised effect to help held up to the light it the denomination
tion of the local currency on both the back of the note to the partially sighted reads as a continuous of the banknote.
formal and informal currency markets. form the Zimbabwe recognise this banknote. line reading ‘100’ on
bird in a star. the front and ‘RBZ
With a market cap of ZW$2 trillion 100’ on the back.
(US$14 billion) on Tuesday the 5th of
April, the market is expected to have a For more information, please see www.rbz.co.zw | © Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe 2021
run for the rest of the year on the back
of weakening economic fundamentals.

The central bank took a dovish stance
on Monday April 4 raising interest rates
to 80% from the previous 60% to regis-
ter one of the highest interest rates in
the world, among other measures.

While this is meant to curb specu-
lative activities in the economy, this
impinges on the productive sectors,
threatening the country’s economic
growth prospects.

The RBZalso moved to further liber-
alisethe foreign exchange market by
allowing banks to make forex transac-
tions of up to US$1000 with entities.

The recent monetary policy pro-
nouncements will likely slow down the
depreciation of the local currency in
the interim. However, the local black
market is largely steered by transac-
tional movements that do not include
nostro balances, often occurring be-
yond the formal system.

On the formal currency market,
the ZWL sustained its trajectory and
magnitude at the close of the auction
trading for last week, on depreciating
by -3,06%, from -3,07% in the prior
week, to close at ZW$142,4237 per
US$1.

The exchange rate has been grow-
ing at an increasing pace despite the

FEATURE April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 10

Why limits on elephant culling
are bad for conservation

EIAN SCOONES mates don’t work well, but you in certain parts of the park to see Take a look at the three photo- taken on our recent trip to the
lephants are some of only have to look at the damage that there is a problem. graphs below of mopane trees, area, and guess where the veg-
the most majestic an-
imals in African savan-
nahs, but they can also
be the most destruc-
tive. This is witnessed dramati-
cally if you travel to Gonarezhou
National Park (appropriately, the
‘place of the elephants’) in the far
southeast of Zimbabwe, as we
did recently at the kind invitation
of Hugo van der Westhuizen, Di-
rector of the Gonarezhou Con-
servation Trust. As we saw, the
areas around water sources are
completely hammered, with mo-
pane woodlands destroyed. It is
a sorry sight, and the elephants
must wander further, including
outside the park, to find food.

Too many elephants
Elephant populations have
increased dramatically in
Gonarezhou (as has indeed been
the case across Zimbabwe), with
the park populations increasing
to around 10 000 animals (some
say more). This is around three
times the maximum number the
park can hold sustainably; al-
though as park ecologists argue
they spread over much wider ar-
eas, including across large are-
as of Mozambique to the east.
Simple ‘carrying capacity’ esti-

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Land :054 2233981
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CONGRATULATIONS

The Management and staff of Steak n' Chips congratulates Tawedzerwa Mudzvoka and
Remedy Chivorese for scooping the CEO of the year and young executive of the year

respectively at the Megafest 2021 Business Awards (Midlands region).

Your determination is inspirational.

FEATURE April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 11

etation is. One is a protected area, part of a paigns exist. But this is far from the ex- Poorly conceived bans on trophy im- ly 1970s when around 5,000 elephants
massive conservation effort supported by in- perience of those living on the edge of ports and hunting therefore are having died of starvation over several years. It
ternational money; one is a communal (small- Gonarezhou national park, as we dis- major negative consequences on con- took decades for the ecosystem to re-
scale) African farming area; and one is a reset- covered. servation in Zimbabwe. The result in cover. Without management, this may
tlement area, settled by small scale farmers fol- Gonarezhou is widespread deforesta- well happen in Zimbabwe too.
lowing land reform. The full answers are below, The result of such lobbying has been tion and loss of biodiversity. This in turn
but you probably will have guessed already that a dramatic decline in the ability of ecol- has dire consequences for poor peo- The mass starvation of large, intelli-
the most deforested landscape is in the national ogists in parks to manage elephants, ple’s livelihoods, increasing poverty and gent animals is not a pleasant sight, and
park. And the reason is elephants. with devastating consequences as we hunger in highly marginal places, as el- not a good look for the outcome of ill-
saw. Currently CITES – the internation- ephants continue to ravage their limit- thought out global conservation strate-
Overpopulation of elephants can cause mul- al body that regulates trade in endan- ed subsistence crops. This is not what gies. This is why new thinking about pro-
tiple problems. Not only is tree cover destroyed gered species – only allows for the cull- CITES planned for, nor I am sure what tected areas – and the role of elephants
but the whole ecosystem is changed, with ing of 500 elephants per year in the those who spend their hard-earned within and beyond them – is urgently
knock-on effects for other species, from bee- whole of Zimbabwe. For Gonarezhou, cash on conservation organisations needed, a theme picked up in the next
tles to birds. Blind ‘protection’ of what is sup- the quota is only 25. With trophy hunt- would want either. But somehow these blog in this short series. The answer to
posed to be an endangered species makes little ing imports now banned from the UK perspectives – and the real, tragic sit- the mopane tree quiz (from right to left):
conservation sense. In these areas, elephants are and elsewhere, the demand for hunting uation of the likes of Mrs KP – are not A: Communal area near Chikombedzi,
more of a pest than a protected species. (made worse by the pandemic) has tak- heard in the air-brushed, positive spin with distinct browse line; B: Gonarezhou
en a hit too. In the past, southern Africa of conservation lobbying. National Park near Chipinda Pools; C:
There are so many of them and they are not was a major hotspot for hunting. How- Edenvale A1 resettlement area. And
happy animals – as we found out close-up when ever distasteful the practice, the eco- New thinking needed apologies to regular readers of this blog
they charged our vehicle (twice). They reputed- logical and economic benefits were sig- What then is the likely consequence for the gap in posts. There are quite a
ly become more agitated as they return to the nificant when attention was paid to the of this strategy of protection at all costs, few lined up for the next weeks, based
safety of the park in Zimbabwe from Mozam- distribution of benefits. Hunting reve- banning hunting and trophies and re- on recent fieldwork in Zimbabwe, in-
bique where poaching is intense. Mines from nues – especially from the trophy fee – stricting culling? It is not pretty. We have cluding two more in this series on di-
the liberation war existed along the border for were large and were (in theory at least) seen what can happen before when el- lemmas for conservation policy.
a long time, although most have been cleared, shared with local communities. With ephant populations get out of control:
but these also caused elephant rage (and death) quotas carefully designed, the offtake when their food runs out, populations This blog was written by Ian Scoones
when stepped on. And the new electric fence was sustainable and geared to manage- crash, with major consequences for the and originally appeared on Zimba-
that borders the park within Zimbabwe ap- ment of the wider ecosystem for conser- wider ecology. This is what happened in bweland
parently also gets them jumpy, as they break vation and biodiversity benefits. Tsavo National Park in Kenya in the ear-
through to find food in the farms beyond.
CONGRATULATIONS
Elephants destroy crops and livelihoods
As villagers told us in our study areas near The management and staff of Gray Group of Companies congratulates
Chikombedzi, just a few kilometres from the Annavestah Mudiwa for scooping the Director of the year award at the
park, elephants regularly break through the
fence (notionally a foot-and-mouth veterinary Megafest Business awards (Midlands region)
fence) or come up the dry riverbeds as the fence
does not cross or through the small-scale farms Your noteworthy accomplishment is a culmination of your efforts and wisdom
nearby where there is no boundary fence with which will propel you to even more triumphs.
the park. Elephants love crop fields and will de-
stroy a whole area in hours. The area along the GRAY MOBILE BRANCHES GRAY HOMES VESTAL PERFUMES VESTAL PHARMACY
river is where farmers must eke out a living on Shurugwi Filabusi 44 Longden Easgate Market BRANCHES
small fields, farming sorghum and maize or ir- Harare Gwanda Belvedere Shop A14 Shurugwi
rigating vegetables. In this extremely dry area, Zvishavane Beightbridge Gwanda
this is the only place where agriculture is fea- Mberengwa Contact us 0784614434
sible, especially when the rains fail as this year.
But this is also where elephants (and buffaloes,
hippos, crocodiles and other animals) assemble
and cause havoc.
Villagers complain that there is no ‘problem
animal control’ efforts by the parks authorities
these days, and there is no compensation paid
in Zimbabwe, as animals in communal areas are
the responsibility of the locals, not the parks, as
they can be harvested in line with a quota sys-
tem as part of the now largely defunct CAMP-
FIRE scheme (as discussed in a forthcoming
blog).
We met Mrs KP, who had moved to her fields
in this area to protect her crops. Her young chil-
dren were staying in the village with relatives,
but she was alone defending the last of her sor-
ghum from the nightly raids by elephants. After
yet another incursion into her field the previous
night, there was little left.
She stays in a makeshift shelter and builds
fires at night to ward off elephants. She also has
a large torch, which she says sometimes worked
to frighten them off. It is a lonely and dangerous
life, and she was losing the battle. She told us
that there were others nearby doing the same,
while others had given up, resigning themselves
to hunger or hand-outs instead of getting any-
thing from the fields.
Historical estimates of elephant populations in
these areas are a bit shaky, but everyone agrees
that today’s numbers are the highest ever, at
least since records began in 1975 when the park
was established. In the past years populations
have been growing at 6% per year, although this
may be plateauing.
In the past, elephants could move more easily
when fences didn’t exist and population densi-
ties were lower. The advent of the ‘transfrontier’
conservation ‘peace park’ area between South
Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique was sup-
posed to encourage ‘connectivity’, and so larg-
er ranges for migratory and larger animals, but
there have been limits to this ambition due to
poaching, settlement barriers and geopolitics.
Restrictions on culling are causing major eco-
logical damage
So why have elephant populations got so out
of control? The major reason is that they are no
longer managed as they once were through cull-
ing or relocation programmes that helped bal-
ance populations with resources. Although Mrs
KP is not one of them, there is a clamouring
global advocacy on behalf of elephants.
Organisations such as ‘Save the Elephants’ –
along with all the major conservation outfits –
raise very large amounts of money on the back
of the argument that African elephants are en-
dangered and must be protected and that cull-
ing – and worse, hunting for trophies – is inhu-
mane. If your experience of elephants is most-
ly derived from wildlife TV programmes watched
from the comfort of your living room in London
or New York, then you can see why such cam-

ECONOMY April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 12

African farmers need help
in the form of subsidies
TTALENT N NDLOVU
here has been an increased at- farmers experience low productivity, low mate change – such as erratic rainfall, through water harvesting and small irrigation pro-
tention towards improving ag- incomes, and high levels of poverty and increased temperatures, increased fre- jects, and others have focused on research and
ricultural production in Africa food insecurity. quencies of droughts and floods, are biotechnology in the development of improved
and other developing coun- making smallholder agricultural produc- seed, herbicides, and fertilizers, and others have
tries and this is likely to con- The challenges are ongoing and get- tion increasingly challenging, unpredict- focused on assisting farmers to create market
tinue. Agriculture in developing coun- ting worse! able, and unbeneficial. It goes without linkages and also, technological innovations that
tries, and Africa, is unique in that, while saying, that this sector of African agricul- improve access to market information and access
farming remains the predominant source For decades, African smallholder farm- ture needs help. to finances. However, the smallholder farmer does
of food and livelihood for most rural ers face daunting challenges, and these not appear to be improving and moving from the
households through smallholder farm- have not changed, and may in fact be What has been done so far? status quo, with low productivity, incomes, and
ing, these farmers are the poorest, of- becoming more severe. These farmers To date, various interventions have poverty still prevailing. Given the limited impact of
ten lacking the necessary resources that lack access to inputs, modern technol- been implemented to improve the per- these initiatives, the search for alternative and or
are required for them to produce be- ogy, transport infrastructure, market in- formance and profitability of African additional, complementary ways to uplift small-
yond subsistence level and practice rain- formation, credit, insurance, and mar- smallholder farmers in di erent ways. holder agriculture leads to the current controver-
fed farming, which leaves them vulnera- kets; constraints which lead to poor lev- Some interventions have focused on im- sial question, “Could agricultural subsidies be the
ble to the detrimental impacts of climate els of production, incomes, and devel- proving the soil fertility , for example us- missing link for smallholder farmers?”
change. Consequently, these smallholder opment, and consequently; high levels ing conservation farming, others have
of food insecurity and poverty. To make focused on improving water availability For agricultural subsidies!
things worse, the adverse impacts of cli- It is widely accepted that because agriculture,
arguably the most important part of any economy
as food producers, is also one of the most fragile
industries that is vulnerable to weather and price
fluctuations, hence, farmers need support or in-
centives to remain in and or stimulate increased
production.
In many countries, especially in developed
economies and in the world’s large agricultur-
al producers, governments provide support to
farmers in the form of agricultural subsidies, de-
spite the criticism that subsidies come at a cost to
these economies. Notwithstanding this cost criti-
cism, these countries’ experiences show that agri-
cultural subsidies have a positive impact on agri-
cultural production and food security of a nation.
For example, in the USA, which is amongst the
largest global producers and exporters of corn,
soybeans, sugarcane and potatoes, the govern-
ment uses subsidies such as price supports to
producers and landowners, and insurance pro-
grams to support its farmers. In the European Un-
ion, the government supports farmer incomes
through direct payments, and uses market meas-
ures and rural development measures to support
farmers.
In China, which is among the largest produc-
ers of rice, soyabeans, sorghum and wheat, the
government uses market price support to incen-
tivize production and support farmer incomes. In
India, which is amongst the largest producers of
wheat, pulses, milk, fruit, spices and rice the gov-
ernment uses input subsidies and direct pay-
ments to farmers. From these nations’ experienc-
es, it seems that, indeed agricultural subsidies can
play a significant role in raising agricultural output
and protecting farmers against price fluctuations,
hence keeping them in production for longer.
On the African continent, subsidies have previ-
ously been less popular but have started resur-
facing in recent years. In countries such as Mala-
wi, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Nigeria, govern-
ments are using subsidies to support their farm-
ers. The agricultural subsidies, mainly in the form
of input subsidies are often targeted at small-
holder farmers, the main food producers in these
economies.
The main justification for the input subsidies,
encompassing mainly seed and fertilizer subsi-
dies, is that, subsidies provide the resource-poor
smallholder farmers with some of the most im-
portant missing pieces that these farmers need
to produce optimally, hence, ensuring increased
agricultural production, and, household and na-
tional food security. It has been cited that these
subsidies produced positive results, though lim-
ited and of lower magnitude compared to devel-
oped countries, by improving fertilizer use, pro-
duction levels and household food security. The
next question would then be, how can African
countries ensure that subsidies yield greater re-
turns from smallholder farmers?
Given that the challenges facing small-holder
farmers are many and crosscutting, focusing only
on input subsidies is not enough. Increasing bene-
fits from agricultural subsidies in African countries
will require that agricultural subsidy programs be
adjusted more to suit the needs of the farmer, les-
sons which can be learnt from countries with suc-
cessful subsidy programs. If the subsidy program
could go beyond providing seed and fertilizer in-
puts and assist with modern mechanization, pow-
er, and irrigation water supply like the Indian sub-
sidy program, this would greatly increase the per-
formance of the farmers.
Mechanization is a key input in developed
countries” agriculture, making agriculture more
e cient and productive. Secondly, to ensure sus-
tainability, the program could also include a rural

ECONOMY April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 13

development component like the EU Common Ag-
ricultural Policy (CAP) program and a component of
conservation and environmental management. Af-
rican environments are already vulnerable, and de-
graded with poor soil health, high rates of deforesta-
tion, poor watershed management amongst others,
therefore, halting environmental degradation is also
critical in the success of agricultural production. The
rural development component would help to address
other challenges such as market and infrastructural
development such as roads, and storage facilities.

A compelling case
The continuous failure of African smallholder farm-
ers to increase productivity to meet their own and
the region’s food demands, even with all the inter-
ventions that continue to be implemented across the
region, suggest that more assistance is needed.
If any improvements are to be made, it may be time
for governments and policy makers to consider the
introduction and or re-introduction of agricultural
subsidies in this region, borrowing valuable lessons
from other countries such as the EU, USA, China and
India, that have successful subsidy programs in place.
The new subsidy programs could incorporate not just
inputs, but mechanization, irrigation, and rural devel-
opment, all of which are lacking in the African small-
holder sector. Hence, there is a compelling case for
agricultural subsidies, as these subsidies could be the
bridging gap that take smallholder farming to more
profitable, and viable levels of production required to
meet the regions food needs and their own.

— Africanthinker

Talent Ndabenhle Ndlovu is a qualified Agricultur-
al Economist. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agri-
cultural Economics from the University of Zimbabwe
(2005) and Master’s degree in Agricultural Science
specializing in Agricultural Economics from the Uni-
versity of Pretoria (2016). Her main work experience
is in research analysis. Her work has covered a wide
variety of agricultural issues including land reform,
agricultural development, climate change, agricul-
tural marketing, and natural resources management.
She has contributed to national review reports, arti-
cles, conference presentations, and book chapters.
Beyond research, Ms. Ndlovu’s work has also covered
banking, microfinance, business analysis, and man-
agement.

POLITICS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 14

Dealing in numbers – A critique of voting figures in Manicaland Province

IALEX MAGAISA ZANU PF candidate narrowly won date got 6511 votes in the parliamentary race, while ly voted in the parliamentary and presidential rac-
n the last installment of the the parliamentary race with 11913 Mnangagwa is credited with 18999 votes in the es. While there are bound to be some differences,
BSR, we looked at the elec- votes against the MDC Alliance’s presidential race. Parallel to this, while the MDC Al- they must be within reasonable limits. The differ-
tion results from Mashona- candidate who got 11635 votes. liance candidate got 3962 votes in the parliamen- ences in Mutare North fall outside the boundary of
land West province and the This happened because some of tary race, Chamisa is credited with 12014 votes in what might reasonably be expected. The big ques-
lessons that could be drawn the opposition votes went to an the presidential race. The difference in both cases is tion is how many more Mutare North scenarios are
from them. This installment fo- MDC-T candidate who took 1060 both extraordinary and exceptional. there across the country?
cuses on Manicaland province. votes. A combined effort by the
We will observe that there are opposition (12,695) would have In total, according to ZEC’s official figures, the Mind the Gap
similar themes. At the end of this beaten ZANU PF. number of people who voted in the parliamenta- Although both Mnangagwa and ZANU PF won
exercise, after examining all 10 ry race in Mutare North is 14063 whereas the to- most of the constituencies in Manicaland in both
electoral provinces we shall iden- Musikavanhu in Chipinge Dis- tal number of voters in the presidential race in the the presidential and parliamentary races, Chami-
tify common themes and some trict is another seat that was lost same constituency is 32880. According to these fig- sa won the majority vote in the presidential race
that are unique to each province. by the opposition due to split ures, 18817 people in Mutare North chose to vote Chamisa got 296249 votes while Mnangagwa got
All these are relevant to political voting. Chamisa beat Mnangag- in the presidential race but not in the parliamen- 292938 votes. However, although Chamisa won the
strategists as the country heads wa in the presidential race with tary race. province, the majority of just 3311 votes was very
towards the next general elec- a 2433 majority. However, the small. Therefore, questions regarding the voting fig-
tions in 2023. ZANU PF candidate won the seat Table A: Mutare North Constituency – Presidential ures in Mutare North deserve serious attention. One
with 6599 votes in the parliamen- and Parliamentary Election Results hypothesis is that figures in the presidential race
A tale of two races tary race narrowly beating the can be deliberately fudged to minimize or enhance
Manicaland has 26 constituen- MDC Alliance’s candidate that Number of voters in the Presidential Election the gap between the candidates.
cies consisting of urban, peri-ur- had 6162 votes. But 2 other op- Number of voters in the Parliamentary Election The size of the gap matters because if you are go-
ban, and rural constituencies. At position candidates got 1855 and Difference between voters in presidential and par- ing to rig an election in a way that does not raise
the parliamentary level, ZANU PF 1029 votes respectively. A com- liamentary races too many questions, you will let your opponent
won 19 seats while the MDC Alli- bined effort by opposition can- win some provinces but reduce the gap by which
ance won the remaining 7. How- didates would have defeated the Mnangagwa: 18999 they are winning. And where you win, you win big
ever, although none of the oth- ZANU PF candidate with a major- Chamisa: 12014 so that you maintain an unassailable advantage.
er parties and independents won ity of 2447, very similar to the ma- Other candidates: 1217 This means as a player in the electoral process, you
any seat in parliament, as we jority that Chamisa had ahead of Total: 32880 must pay special attention to the numbers and not
shall see, in some cases they had Mnangagwa. ZANU PF: 6511 just be drawn to the broad narrative of winning
an influential role in the outcome MDC Alliance: 3962 or losing a province. In this election, while Chami-
of the constituency race. In the Mutare North could have been NPF: 3229 sa won Manicaland with a narrow majority of just
presidential race, ZANU PF’s can- won by the opposition if the op- ZIPP: 154 3331 votes, in Mashonaland West which we exam-
didate, Emmerson Mnangagwa position parties had agreed to PRC:137 ined last week, Mnangagwa won with a majority of
won 17 constituencies, two less field a single candidate against Total: 14063 Presidential race: 32880 94430 votes. Therefore, although they each won a
than his party’s tally, while the ZANU PF. Candidates of the MDC Parliamentary race: 14063 province, Mnangagwa’s lead would be 91009 votes.
MDC Alliance’s Nelson Chamisa Alliance and the NPF had 3962 Difference: 18817 This underlines once again why every vote matters
won 9, 2 more than his party’s to- and 3922 respectively, a total Source: Zimbabwe Electoral Commission website in the presidential race.
tal. of 7261 votes between them. By In other words, the ZEC would have us believe Rural-Urban Divide
The MDC Alliance did not do contrast, the ZANU PF candidate that most voters in Mutare North did not bother to One of the reasons why Chamisa won the popular
as well as its presidential candi- who won had 6511 votes. vote in the parliamentary race but chose to focus vote in Manicaland is that the province has impor-
date because it lost seats to split only on the presidential race. This figure is far more tant urban areas that have large population densi-
voting in the parliamentary race. Red Flag in Mutare North than the total number of people who voted in the ties, and the opposition traditionally performs bet-
Some voters were prepared to However, Mutare North pro- parliamentary election. Analysis of the polling sta- ter in urban zones. Chamisa drew his biggest vote
vote for Chamisa in the presiden- vides the first sign of chron- tion registration data shows that 36806 voters are in Dangamvura/Chikanga, the sprawling high-den-
tial race but they preferred oth- ic problems that affect Zimba- registered to vote in Mutare North. This would mean sity zone of Mutare where he got 37370 votes com-
er opposition candidates in the bwe’s electoral system. There is the voter turnout in the presidential race was 89% pared to Mnangagwa’s 11750 giving him a majori-
parliamentary race. For example, a glaring divergence in the num- while in the parliamentary race it was just 38.2%. ty of 25650.
Chamisa won Mutasa North with ber of voters who participated in This is hard to believe. But ZEC registration figures show thlatTOthPisAGcEon15-
a 1380 majority. However, the the presidential and parliamen- Something truly smells fishy in the Mutare North
tary races. The ZANU PF candi- election numbers. Therefore, it is important to carry
out a more systematic analysis of the voting figures,
comparing the number of voters that supposed-

POLITICS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 15

l FROM PAGE 14 area that is dominated by resettled farmers race. massively following the land reform pro-
stituency has more than 60000 whose insecurity of title makes a captive mar- Although Mnangagwa won 3 of the gramme and increased activity in artisa-
registered voters, which means ket for ZANU PF. nal mining. While there are good chances of
there is plenty of room for im- Chipinge seats 2 of them (Chipinge South snatching Chimanimani West, the strategic
provement in what is an opposi- Peri-urban swing constituency and Chipinge East) were very close with only hope in Chimanimani East must be to reduce
tion stronghold. Mutasa South, which was recently lost by Chipinge Central giving him a bigger mar- the margin of loss. This is critical for the presi-
the opposition in the by-elections had swung gin of just over 5000 votes. In Chipinge East dential race where every vote matters.
In Mutare Central, another op- to the opposition in the 2018 elections. It is his majority was just 175 votes. At the par-
position stronghold, the gap be- always a closely contested seat in the parlia- liamentary level, Chipinge South is anoth- Manicaland also hosts 3 Mutasa seats all
tween Chamisa and Mnangagwa mentary race which makes it a swing constit- er seat that was lost by the opposition be- of which were won by Chamisa in the presi-
was 9618 votes. The total number uency. In 2018, the MDC Alliance candidate cause of a split vote. The ZANU PF candi- dential race. We have already examined Mu-
of voters was just over 18000 in a got 14783 votes while the ZANU PF candidate date won the seat with 9382 votes, but the tasa South above. The MDC Alliance lost one
constituency of more than 22000 had 12736 votes. However, in the presidential MDC Alliance candidate had 7870 while the of the seats (Mutasa North) because of split
registered voters, which also race, Chamisa was well ahead of Mnangag- MDC-T candidate got 2366 votes. The two voting between opposition candidates. The
means there is room to do bet- wa with 17615 votes to 10257 votes. It was one opposition candidates had a combined to- presidential race in Mutasa North was al-
ter in a stronghold. Better perfor- of Chamisa’s largest majorities in the province tal of 10236, higher than the ZANU PF candi- ready finely balanced with Chamisa winning
mance in Mutare South and Mu- making it one of his strongholds, although it date’s votes. We have already observed that by a thin margin of 1380, so the moment there
tare West would also have en- is clearly a marginal seat at the parliamenta- Musikavanhu is another seat that the opposi- was split voting at the parliamentary level, the
hanced the gap. However, as al- ry level as the by-election outcome revealed tion lost because of a split vote. Nyanga has seat was at a higher risk of being lost which is
ready highlighted, the anomalies with the seat narrowly swinging to ZANU PF two constituencies that were evenly split be- what happened.
in Mutare North raise questions by a tiny majority of just 495 votes. tween Mnangagwa and Chamisa at the presi-
about the authenticity of these There is no reason why the parliamenta- dential level but both went to ZANU PF at the Overall, the following points are worth not-
figures which helped Mnangag- ry candidate cannot match the presidential parliamentary level. Mnangagwa won Nyan- ing in respect of Manicaland:
wa to close the gap significantly. candidate’s performance. With over 33000 ga North with a majority of 4561 votes while
registered voters, Mutare South Chamisa has Chamisa’s victory in Nyanga South was nar- · The divergence in voting figures in Mutare
Although Mnangagwa and room for improvement. We saw in the recent row at 2581 votes. It is notable that the ZANU North raises a significant red flag over the au-
ZANU PF won most of the ru- by-elections that most registered voters are PF candidate for Nyanga South, Supa Mandi- thenticity of ZEC’s election results. While vot-
ral seats, their advantage was in the urban wards, but they did not turn up wanzira (12322), did considerably better than ers do not have to vote in both races, a dif-
weakened by the fact that both in large numbers, which disadvantaged and Mnangagwa (10298) whereas Chamisa (12879 ference of more than 18800 people voting in
Chamisa and the MDC Alli- cost the CCC parliamentary candidate. By votes) did significantly better than his parlia- the presidential and the parliamentary elec-
ance put up some commenda- contrast, the rural wards, which voted for the mentary candidate (7464). This suggests that tions raises serious questions. A further study
ble performances. In the presi- ZANU PF candidate, had a better turnout. voters who chose Mandiwanzira in the parlia- of polling station and ward voting figures is
dential race, Chamisa managed In short, the opposition has a chance to win mentary race also preferred Chamisa in the recommended as is a more systematic study
to snatch Buhera West albeit by back Mutare South come 2023, and Chami- presidential race, ahead of Mnangagwa. that compares voting figures in all two races
a narrow majority of 264 votes, sa has room to increase his voting numbers. across all constituencies.
but the MDC Alliance candidate Chipinge – a swing district The Chimanimani Seats both went to ZANU
lost the seat. Mnangagwa won Chipinge and Chimanimani districts pre- PF and Mnangagwa in the two races although · A party can lose an election, but for its
the other 3 Buhera constituen- sent an interesting set of results. In the case one was closer. Mnangagwa’s majority in Chi- candidate to win the popular vote in the pres-
cies but with an average majority of Chipinge, the figures suggest that it is a manimani West was only 1376 and ZANU PF’s idential race as Chamisa did in Manicaland.
of around 3 000 votes. swing political zone. In the 7 constituencies, majority at the parliamentary level was also This is because voters’ choices in harmonized
73132 voters chose Mnangagwa while 62121 a slim 1558. However, ZANU PF’s majority in elections are complex and nuanced. There is
Chamisa also won Mako- voted for Chamisa. The figures were lower Chimanimani East was bigger with the parlia- no necessary correlation between voting for
ni West with a small majority of in the parliamentary races where 69999 vot- mentary candidate getting 13458 more votes a political party and voting for its presiden-
227 votes but lost Makoni South ed for ZANU PF candidates while 57879 vot- than the MDC Alliance’s candidate. The ma- tial candidate.
with a small deficit of 668 votes. ed for MDC Alliance candidates. The reduced jority at the presidential level was reduced
The gaps in the other 2 Mako- number of voters for MDC Alliance candidates with Chamisa increasing the opposition to  Alex T Magaisa is a prominent Zimbabwe-
ni seats were wider in favour of is partly because of more competition from more than 8000 votes. However, still, the gap an lawyer and constitutional expert current-
Mnangagwa at more than 5000 other opposition candidates who took some was high at just over 8000 votes. ly teaching law at the University of Kent Law
on average. Mnangagwa post- of the opposition votes. Although they voted School in England. He once served as advisor
ed a large majority in Headlands, for non-MDC Alliance candidates, they seem This is a seat that was formerly in the hands of the then Prime Minister of Zimbabwe Mor-
probably another reflection of to have chosen Chamisa in the presidential of the MDC during the time of Roy Bennett gan Tsvangirai from 2012-2013. He writes here
the political economy factor in an who was massively popular with locals. The in his personal capacity.
political economy of the area has changed

INTERVIEW April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 16

Livingstone Gwata: as where I came from, I registered with
Why I retired early what was called Rapid Results College,
F ormer top banker Livingstone for Geography, English Literature and
Gwata has spoken of why he It was very easy then to decide that en of us. History.
retired early, saying he need- this was the time to retire because then I So we took the train and went down to
ed to give young managers could realise all the terminal benefits and I took those three subjects over a pe-
he was a grooming a chance. so on in real money. Bulawayo and that was our first exposure riod of seven months. I wrote all my ex-
Gwata (LG), who retired at 60 while to factory working life. ams. The grades were not fantastic but
he was group chief executive officer of With a bit of hindsight it was a fortu- I passed.
FBC Holdings limited, was speaking to itous decision because things did not TN: How was it like?
Alpha Media Holdings chairman Trevor work very well in the environment after LG: It was a shock! It was a bit of a TN: You passed them, that is what
Ncube (TN) on the platform In Conver- that. shock. matters. I am always interested in
sation with Trevor. We were staying in a men’s hostel. knowing where the inspiration came
TN: Could the financial consideration Men’s hostel like they are these days, very from?
He spoke about how he started off as have been the biggest? Or you were feel- crowded, very rowdy, not safe.
a factory worker in Bulawayo to lead ing you had had your time? Even a piece of soap could be stolen Where did the motivation come
one of Zimbabwe’s top banks. Below while you were taking a shower! from? I must do my ‘A’ Levels, by dis-
are excerpts from the interview. LG: I really felt I had had my time, close TN: Hahahahaha! tance education?
to 38 years in banking. I felt like I need- LG: We found a room and we thought
TN: Livingstone Gwata, welcome to In ed a change. we were very lucky, eight of us with bunk Had you seen an example? Where did
Conversation With Trevor. beds on the sides. the motivation come from?
The children or offspring had grown We thought wow we were very lucky,
LG: Thank you Trevor. I am happy to be up, they had finished whatever they were here was a room that was empty. We put LG: Well a lot of it came from my par-
here. How time flies, I can see you refer to doing so the motivation to go on with an our blankets and whatever... ents.
me as former chief executive... 8am-5pm kind of job was not there. TN: On the floor?
LG: On the bunk beds. My father was an agricultural exten-
TN: Hahahahaha. They were also a lot of young people TN: On the bunk beds sorry. sion officer. What they call Madumane.
LG: ...of FBC Holdings Limited. It is now that needed to get into that space. LG: We went to work, Monday. Come
more than 10 years since I retired. That is Friday, we went to the local pubs, had a My mother was a nurse. As a couple
how time flies. TN: It is fascinating for me Livingstone, drink or two, came back. they were the leading lights in their own
TN: That is how time flies. because it is not all of us who find it easy We did not realise that this particular communities.
LG: But it still feels like yesterday. to let go? Am I right? room was the gambling centre for the
TN: You know you have just taken me men’s hostel! My father always had this dream, I
back. You are retired.And you retired at LG: Yes, it is a big problem, in the cor- TN: Hahahahaha. let him down I guess because he want-
60 years old. What does retirement feel porate world, on the political world, in LG: So, people started trooping in with ed me to take education seriously up to
like? public service. buckets of local brew, in readiness for the doctorate level.
I ask this because as I was trying to gambling all night. It was a bit of a shock.
get you on this show, I think your dia- You know change sounds threatening TN: Wow. Real world isn’t it? He was always speaking about Dr.
ry sounded busier than mine. Talk to me to a lot of people. LG: Yes, so we had to join the gambling Kwame Nkrumah, he was always speak-
about what retirement feels like? at the beginning, but felt sleepy. ing about Booker T...
LG: Well, retirement is a totally differ- When people are holding the reins and TN: You cannot sleep because these
ent space. they are driving they really do not want guys want to go on? TN: He did ‘O’ Level? Or he did JC?
I grew up in the corporate world where to realise they have reached their desti- LG: They were just going on. And of LG: He did JC. He was always talk-
you get all the support systems. nation and it is time to get off. course, productivity in the factory, the ing about Booker T Washington. He was
You have got a human resources man- manufacturing and repairing of radiators talking about these things.
ager, you have got an accountant, you TN: They do not want to be passen- for the mines, for big trucks and so on. To him, it was as if achieving a cer-
have got a driver, you have a cook, a gers? We were young people, hands would tain level of education would bring in-
sweeper, you have got a gardener and get cut. stant success.
you have a caddie on the golf course. LG: No! Hahahaha. TN: Radiator & Tinning, I remember it. I doubted that because after Bula-
You have got all these things that are TN: Hahahahaha. Livingstone, I find The good old days. wayo I came back to Marondera and I
surrounding you. In retirement, you are your career path for me, unusual and in- You raise a number of very important was an unqualified teacher.
on your own. spirational in many respects. issues that we now forget Livingstone. I was beginning to enjoy myself as a
So now I am all those things together, Let us start with your first job, 1968 That is your generation made it in a teacher, but my father would come all
I am my own investment manager, I am at 18 years old in a factory in Bulawayo country where there were three high the time and say you are going to uni-
everything so that really keeps me busy. ending up staying at a men’s hostel. schools that took ‘A’ Levels for black versity, you are the first child.
TN: What does it feel like? Are you en- You do not have kind words for stay- people. You are that product. Look at TN: You are the first child? Out of
joying it? ing at the men’s hostel! you now. four, hey?
LG: It is fantastic. I wish it would have I tell you what, my first job was as a LG: Well, certainly it is always some- LG: Out of six of us. You are the first
come earlier. gardener. I think I was doing Form 4. thing to be sucrose about, but what child he would say, you have to lead by
Obviously, it was exciting in the cor- My father said his boss wanted help taught us was to persevere. example.
porate world, but in retirement you do and so come in to be a gardener and So I did not go to Form 5 and Form 6, So, there was a lot of pressure. I was
things at your own pace. that was fascinating. but the experience at Radiator & Tinning enjoying myself teaching. It was a bit
The rewards are almost instant be- Talk to us about you, 1968, you find Works was so tough. frustrating.
cause there is immediate feedback. yourself in a factory in Bulawayo? TN: What did it teach you? TN: 1969-1970?
TN: Talk to me about the decision to LG: Yes. Very interesting. I was coming LG: That I needed to do something dif- LG: Being a teacher. I then eventually
retire. out of Goromonzi High School. ferent. went to the university and it was a total-
I found that fascinating, that when We had done our ‘O’ Levels. TN: Really hahaha, like this is not for ly different ball game.
you turned 60 you deliberately and in- During that time, they were only three me? TN: Talk to me about the pressure
tentionally said to yourself I am going schools that were accessible to black LG: I needed to do something different. coming from your father? What about
to do this and retire. people who wanted to do Form 5 and This was not going to be rewarding. your mother, where was she in terms of
There are a lot of people watching us Form 6. What we call healthy and safety the- the pressure? Was there pressure com-
out there right now trying to figure out, That was Goromonzi, Fletcher and St. ses days, it was not observed a lot dur- ing from your mother? Or is your moth-
I am 50 years, I am 60 years , I am 70 Ignatius. ing that time. er where you ran to hide?
years, when do I retire? So, there was a bottleneck. There were injuries and so on. So after LG: My mother was always supportive
Talk to us about your decision-mak- A lot of us that wanted to go to high three months I saved a bit of money, sur- of our father.
ing process. What were the things that school could not do it. prisingly, to buy a train ticket to go back TN: Right.
you were looking at as you were retir- Goromonzi was the school where I was home. LG: But she was easier going you
ing? at, but they had to cater for the whole But more importantly to buy a set of know. She was quite happy for her off-
LG: Well, a lot of things went through country, it was a government school. lecture notes to do my ‘A’ Levels through spring to find their level.
my mind. Out of two classes (streams) for ‘O’ Lev- distance education.  “In Conversation With Trevor” is
I had been with a multinational bank el they were going to take just a handful, On my way back from Bulawayo going a weekly show broadcast on YouTube.
before, 24 years up to executive director probably 10 or 15 and then take the rest back to Marondera, the communal are- com//InConversationWithTrevor. Please
level. from the rest of the country. get your free YouTube subscription to this
When I went into FBC, which was then Some of us were having fun, Form 1 to channel. The conversations are sponsored
called First Banking Corporation, it was a Form 4, others were pretty serious about by Nyaradzo Group.
new bank and I was chief executive for 14 what they were doing...
years on the trot. TN: Hahahaha I like that!
Now, there is succession planning that LG: I had pretty good grades, but with
takes place, so theoretically for 14 years I only three high schools in the country
had some young turks that were wanting the choice was we had to go work some-
to come into this position. where.
We were going through strategy pro- The principal at Goromonzi at that
cesses every year, year in and year out time had a friend whose name was Tre-
and sometimes after 10 years you would vor Hawkskin in Bulawayo that was run-
have done it all so you need a new pair of ning Radiator & Tinning Works.
hands to come with new ideas. So the principal who was Peter Darwin,
I was so happy that I had a team of probably got on the phone and said well
young managers that had been prepared I have got a bunch of young pupils that
for a long time, but also, I was thinking are pretty good but could not go into
about retirement. high school, could he take them on?
2011 was the year that we had a more He (Trevor Hawkskin) took about a doz-
stable currency, it was a foreign currency
but it was more stable.

April 13-18 2021 Weekly Digest 17

COLUMN April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 18

Yellow: Let’s just ban this
gross colour altogether!

THIS week, Zimbabweans woke up to Yellow fever
shocking news on the front page of the Her- Back in Harare, it was heartwarming to see
ald, the newspaper many generations have our parliament tackling the most pertinent
relied on for accurate, balanced news. issues, led by the Speaker of Parliament, Ja-
“Our people come first,” screamed the cob Mudenda.
headline, quoting the country’s current In a time of rising prices, a war in Eu-
owner. The man was in Mozambique this rope that is making it worse, corruption, the
week, taking a deserved break from the tir- drought and Covid-19, the Speaker made a
ing exertions of cutting ribbons and collect- ruling on the most critical issue of the day:
ing rubbish on random Fridays. the colour of the clothes worn by those trea-
Across the nation, people asked each oth- sonous opposition MPs coming back into
er what this headline was all about. Which the House.
people were these that suddenly come first? Joseph Chinotimba, a Zanu PF MP known
Surely, President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his respect for his fashion taste, com-
could not have been talking about the or- plained that some MPs had come into
dinary people of Zimbabwe. Those have al- parliament in yellow. First, Mudenda said
ways been at the bottom of his list of pri- there would be no problem with yellow if
orities. there was no “CCC” on them. He then later
He has more important issues on top of his changed his mind, and then ruled that no-
list, such as the hard work of making his op- body should come into parliament dressed
ponents in yellow.
The ultimate betrayal more Tidbits At this
of Gushungo popular by
banning rate, the
their rallies colour yel-
and mak- low will
soon be
ing activ- banned.
ists more We will
prominent Twitter: @MuckrakerZim remove
by arrest- it from
ing them our flag,
for no reason. where it supposedly stands for the yel-
MMy Dear People Zimbabweans do love distractions and It was later clarified that by “our peo- low minerals. It would be fitting to drop it,
y apologies for going petty arguments.  ple”, the President was merely referring to since all the gold is disappearing to Dubai
AWOL last week, I’m still his sons and his cronies. Everyone else was in handbags.
shocked by Robert Jun- In the past few days the debate has urged to go about their daily business as Traitorous drivel
ior’s behaviour.  been whether CCC is a new party or not. usual. Many in the party will have been dis-
I really don’t under- Let’s just donate him mayed to read an article in the Sunday Mail
stand why Junior would want to be cozy CCC say they are a new party formed It was a successful visit to Mozambique, saying people who work for government
with his father’s tormentors. The very before the by-elections. They lost their the President’s minions announced. must perform.
people that Baba rejected on his dying name, money and parliamentary seats to “His Excellency, the President has been According to the paper, “over a third of our
bed.  Dougie.  granted the Freedom of the City of Mapu- taxes go towards civil service staff costs”, a
to. The fraternal relationship between our reminder that we, taxpayers, are the bosses
I was tempted to think that he wants While this may seem unimportant, it two nations cannot be overemphasized,” of everyone who works in the government.
to destroy the party from inside, but then gives them bragging rights that a one- said Nick Mangwana, a likeable man who “So we all want to see these large num-
that’s an awful strategy.  month old party achieved as much as just happens to have one bers of people earning
they did in the by-elections.  of the world’s most unfor- their money, and giv-
Jonso with all his political acumen and “So we all wanttunate jobs. ing us value for what
big education tried that, but where is he On the other hand, Zanu PF argues that It means that our own- we pay them. There
today? CCC is nothing but old wine in a new cask. er has distinguished him- was a time when all a
The faces are the same, the strategy the self not only locally, but on to see these civil servant really had
So destroying from inside is naive and same, they argue.  large numbers ofthe global stage. According to do was turn up for
I don’t think Junior has got what it takes.  work on time each
I won’t get involved in the argument, to the Herald of absolute day and breathe.
That boy has Baba’s name, but he goes but just to say if the CCC isn’t new, what facts, the award was befit- people earning Those days are long
on to betray Gushungo in such fashion.  is new about the so-called new dispensa- ting, as the President “has gone,” the newspa-
tion? been leading the renewal per’s editorial said.
I need to have a word with him or I am of towns and cities in Zim- their money, and
disinheriting him for betraying Baba.  Launchmore has been part of the gov- babwe”. giving us value All patriots around
ernment for 42 years. for what we pay the country must de-
To be clear, these people tormented We thank the people of them” mand the immedi-
Baba when he was alive and now they are Oppah, Kembo, Mudenda etc have all Maputo for this accolade. ate arrest of whoever
tormenting him in death. been in the echelons of power for don- Since they like our leader wrote this traitorous
key years and today you want to tell me so much, we pray that they drivel. Who exactly
That whole exhumation ruse is the con- there’s anything new about them.  can go even further and are they targeting? It
tinuation of Baba’s tormentation.  grant the man permanent may look today like
What a joke, kkk.  residency and a quiet spot
Why Junior would want to even associ- I hope you now realise why this is a sil- on the beach in Vilanculos. they are talking about
ate with these people beats me.  ly debate.  We are willing to donate him. low-level civil serv-
My sincerest condolences to the family History lecture ants, like the ever-angry bunch at Makombe
And that profit that he spends his time of Elvis Nyathi. Still in Mozambique, we once again doff Building.
with really gets on my nerves. Nyathi died in the most gruesome man- our hats to Rueben Barwe, a promising But we know where such mischief will
ner possible, first being pelted with rocks young journalist with the ZBC, one of the end. Soon, detractors will use these things
I did well with Bona, but I feel with the before being burned.  finest television stations in the Southern to ask if our owners are “giving us value for
boys I have been a terrible parent.  Nobody deserves to die in such a cru- Hemisphere. His coverage of the state visit what we pay them”. Those questions lead to
el manner.  was, yet again, of the highest quality, which chaos.
Baba is surely turning in his grave.  One thing though that we have to dis- is delightful to see from such a greenhorn in New MPs for what?
Speaking of children, whatever hap- cuss is that if Zimbabwe had employment the media field. Muckraker is unhappy to hear all this talk in
pened to Bertha, Dougie’s daughter, opportunities, people like Elvis would not Barwe made sure that we were all well in- the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change
she’s gone silent. I’m beginning to worry have found reason to go to South Africa.  formed about the success of the visit, but (CCC) calling for younger candidates to re-
about her well-being.  Everyday we are bombarded with sta- delving into a customary lengthy lecture on place old timers in the next elections.
You see, Bertha was very vocal about tistics of how well the economy is doing how Mozambique and Zimbabwe enjoy re- Some people say opposition MPs who
her father’s supposed political support. and how low our unemployment rate is.  lations “that date back to the days of the lib- have been in parliament for too long must
In fact, she thought he was going to be If these stats were any true, then there eration struggle”. now let go.
the next president.  would be more jobs created and there We were also told that “the President lived “It is time we change our MPs. Some of
But the March by-elections have put would be no reason for people to go to for several years in Mozambique”, a piece of them have stayed too long,” one supporter
Dougie in his place and effectively si- South Africa for jobs.  breaking news that we were all not aware of said. But were we not told this is a new par-
lenced his loudmouth daughter.  The death of Elvis is regrettable and before this week. ty? Even journalists are saying so, and we all
Just like her father, her silence on Twit- would have been avoided if this country He then also mentioned how his boss know journalists never lie to readers. How is
ter has been deafening since that epic provided economic opportunities for its spent the rest of the day touring a gas plant a new party complaining about “our” MPs
harvest of zeros. citizens.  in Maputo and the Beluluane Industrial Park. staying too long? People are being bought
To be fair, I’m not attacking Dougie’s That Elvis died in South Africa is a stain However, unpatriotic malcontents hop- by Zanu PF to demand change.
family and I’m not being personal, but on the conscience of all Zimbabweans ing that this will inspire our leaders to build The likes of Willias Madzimure, Innocent
Bertha is fair game because of the way and is an illustration of this government’s similar infrastructure at home are advised Gonese, Murisi Zwizwai and others may
she was toxic on social media where she endemic failures.  to stop dreaming. Government officials have been in parliament for two decades
hallucinated about her father’s supposed Don’t get me wrong, migration to South wish to remind the nation that our lead- now. But if an MP first came to parliament
support.  Africa is as old as colonialism, but what’s ers only go on such tours for entertainment under the MDC in 2000, should they stand
The by-elections were a rude awaken- worrying is the sheer volumes of people and per diems. Anyway, what is so special again in 2023 under CCC, they must be ac-
ing and I don’t think we will be hearing that are leaving Zimbabwe for neighbour- about Maputo’s magnificent US$275 mil- cepted as a new candidate. It is a new party
from Madam Bertha for a while.  ing countries.  lion Catembe bridge, suspended 60 metres after all, is it not? Besides, why should peo-
Did she really think her father would Instead of posturing and issuing point- above the water, when we have the mighty ple expect African politicians to retire? What
win elections or was she doing it for less statements, there is need for soul Karanda bridge? would they do with themselves?
“likes” on social media, kkk? searching from the government. 
Maybe I’m being hard on her, let’s wait As long as the economy isn’t conducive,
for 2023, maybe their fortunes will im- more Zimbabweans will trek to South Af-
prove.  rica and this will give rise to xenophobia. 
A key question though is what’s next Munopenga!!
for Dougie. The posturing is over and his Dr Amai Stop it! PhD (Fake)
support or lack thereof is now clear. 
In fact, he is now literally a footnote in
Zimbabwe’s political history. 

AFRICA April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 19

Black Coffee - the South African DJ
who made history at the Grammys

South African DJ Black Co ee has always de- musicians get recognition on a global stage. Success did 'I wasn't feeling the mu
cried the pigeon-holing of African music on to not come overnight for Black Co ee, who describes his It wasn't until 1994 that his music career began in ear-
the side-stage as opposed to what he called the music as an acquired taste. nest, and it would be another 10 years before his big break.
"main stage" of music events and festivals. "I knew him in the early 2000s and like lots of other kids
Now, the musician, whose real name is Nkosi- The 46-year-old was born in the port city of Durban, but he would give me his demo tapes and I wasn't feeling the
nathi Maphumulo, is celebrating a long-held ambition af- at the age of eight, he moved to a house in the town of music," DJ Oscar Mdlongwa, known as Oskido, told the
ter winning a Grammy award for Best Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, where there was no running BBC.
Dance/Electronic Album for his sev- water or outside toilets and he had to carry out daily chores Mdlongwa is considered one of the pioneers of kwaito, a
enth studio record, Subconsciously - gritty fusion of low-tempo house music and urban African
the first African to win this category. such as milking his grandmother's cows. vibes, which preceded the now globally recognised Afro-
Most previous African Grammy win- He was desperate to
ners have achieved their awards in house and amapiano genres.
the World Music category. get out and do some- A few years later, Black Cof-
thing greater with his life.
"My phone went absolutely cra- fee found out where Mdlongwa
zy the second the award was an- Being part of his cousin's sound system crew for parties lived, went there and made him
nounced," Black Co ee told the o eared him the first glimpse into his future. sit down to listen to his new pro-
BBC. "Hearing that I had won, and ject - a retake of old classics by
then going up on stage to accept But at the age of 14 tragedy struck. On the eve of Nel- legendary South African artist
the award, still feels incredibly son Mandela's release from prison, Black Co ee was out Mdlongwa was impressed and
surreal and probably will for a lit- celebrating with friends. Suddenly a car ploughed into the gave the young musician an op-
tle while." crowd and inflicted permanent injury, causing him to lose portunity, helping him to create his
the use of his hand. record label Soulstic, from which
The superstar DJ - who has his award-winning debut album
performed to hundreds of thou- But this did not stop him from pursuing his music dream. Black Co ee, was released in 2005.
sands of people at America's He was driven and continued to practise. The album featured a remix of Hugh
prestigious Coachella music fes- Masekela 1970s' classic, Stimela.
tival, in Ibiza and clubs around "When I met him, he was a guy who
the world - had wanted his lat- was looking to be heard, for the world
est record to gain international to hear him and some people didn't
recognition. believe in what he was doing," Md-
longwa recalls, highlighting Maphu-
Wearing an all-white suit mulo's willingness to "sacrifice".
and accompanied by his son After huge success in South Africa,
to collect his first Grammy, Black Co ee start marketing himself
the DJ, producer and song- overseas, sometimes playing for free,
writer was for once lost for even in Europe, not knowing anyone
words and simply started his and willing to starve, until he made it.
acceptance speech with the He is now one of the most famous DJs
word "wow". in the world.
'African musicians are unmatched'
On his way up to get the award he em- Black Co ee hopes his win will help
braced French DJ David Guetta, who featured on the al- shine a light on African musical talent.
bum: "I saw David on my way up to the stage to accept the "More and more artists from the conti-
award and we shared a brief, special moment." nent are starting to break through to a more mainstream
audience, and I'm hoping this will just continue to increase
He gave special thanks to all those who featured on Sub- over time," he said, highlighting the what he calls the un-
consciously, including another global star, Pharrell Wil- matched talent coming out of Africa.
liams. His success has inspired other South African musicians.
"We were due for a Grammy win of this magnitude and it
"The main reason I do what I do is to carry the flag of my will open new markets for South African artists."
country. To be recognised in this way outside of a 'World
Music' category makes all of the hard work worth it," said — BBC
Black Co ee.

Now, he wants to use his music, which he describes as
"home-brewed but future focused", to help more African

AFRICA April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 20

Gatekeeping
is out of

touch with
the modern

music
marketplace

Lately, Afrobeats, Nigeria’s biggest music highly of the cross-cultural nature of mu- o mutual exchanges since D’banj frol- live with two distinctive realities – that
export, has been taking up a lot of space sic, and they are acutely aware of the im- icked with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. music, they must fight the cultural appropriation
abroad. portance of international collaborations in what would be the reason for giving up on of Afrobeats while also exporting it to the
In March 2021, Burna Boy won the Gram- terms of building and growing the base of a strategy that has worked until now? world.
my for Best Global Music Album. A few Afrobeats. If Afrobeats has always thrived
days ago, Wizkid’s album Made in Lagos almost did Perhaps Nigerians will have to learn to — AfricanArguements
the same. And Wizkid and Tems’ song “Essence” has
been dubbed last year’s “song of the summer” and Press Statement
was certified platinum in the US after selling a mil- 7 APRIL 2022
lion copies. Burna Boy is slated to hold a concert at
the iconic 20,000 capacity Madison Square Garden ZLHR STATEMENT ON WORLD HEALTH DAY
in April 2022. And last month, Billboard launched
the Afrobeats US chart, which was topped for the ON this World Health Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) calls upon the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has claimed millions of lives globally
first time by the platinum-selling song “Love Nwan- public to demand a world that is conducive to good health and salutes healthcare and disrupted the lives of many more people. The pandemic and its after effects continue
titi” by CKay. This success has delighted many. professionals who have truly been selfless warriors. to plague the whole world today. It is therefore important for members of the public to
However, with great power also comes great dis- remain vigilant and ensure that they adhere to all COVID-19 protocols and regulations.
trust. Now that Afrobeats is taking up the centre In Zimbabwe and across the world, healthcare workers have since the outbreak of
stage globally, some Nigerian fans are becoming coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic assumed the role of a heroic medical army working In Zimbabwe, there is an urgent need for authorities to address the health challenges that
concerned of cultural appropriation and that for- to curb the spread of the highly contagious disease. have been presented by the threats of climate change, environmental degradation and
eign enthusiasts will plagiarise the genre. COVID-19. Government should accelerate its plans to transition from the use of coal for
Marked annually on 7 April, World Health Day is commemorated in order to highlight electricity production to the use of solar and wind energy, as a response to the threat of
Lady Donli, a Nigerian singer, captured this un- pressing global health issues. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the establishment of climate change on human health. The switch to cleaner energy sources will also reduce
ease when she replied to news of a Korean Afrobe- the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was founded on 7 April 1948 and every air pollution and the prevalence of airborne diseases. Government should also invest in
ats song, tweeting: “I am afraid it is time to gate- year on World Health Day, WHO chooses a theme which speaks to a global health issue sanitation systems across the country, as a means of preventing the outbreak of
keep.” that needs to be addressed by all nations. waterborne diseases. The authorities are also urged to invest in projects that are aimed at
the delivery of safe, clean and potable water across the country. Authorities should also
Why gatekeep? In 2022, the theme for World Health Day is “Our Planet, Our Health.'' The theme urges implement programmes that are aimed at addressing the food shortages across the
The song “Monsters You Made” by Burna Boy governments across the world to prioritise the health and well-being of their citizens and country. The availability of adequate food is an essential requirement for a healthy life.
ends with the voice of Ghanaian poet and academ- residents. It also emphasises the need for nations to protect and preserve the
ic, Ama Ata Aidoo, talking about how for centuries, environment, as a means to promoting good health. Human beings rely on the ZLHR also urges Zimbabwean authorities to protect and promote the health of all
all Western colonialists have done is to take from Af- environment for their well-being and health. The environment provides vital drinking Zimbabweans by implementing policies that are aimed at protecting and preserving the
ricans until they have nothing left. For some Nige- water, food and shelter for people across the globe. It is therefore important for all nations environment, the quality of drinking water and the availability of adequate food in our
rians, Afrobeats is the latest artefact vulnerable to to preserve the environment so that it remains habitable and conducive to good health. communities.
this same fate.
This sentiment manifested recently when Bill- Our planet is facing immense challenges today due to climate change. The United Government has a legal duty to address the health challenges which threaten the well-
board credited Beyoncé and Drake for the rise of Nations has described climate change as the single biggest threat that is facing our being of Zimbabweans and to ensure the availability of healthcare services. In particular,
Afrobeats in the US. Many Nigerian observers hit planet and humanity today. Climate change threatens to disrupt many communities by Section 29(1) of the Constitution obliges the State to ensure the availability of basic,
back that the credit should go to Afrobeats artists making some environments uninhabitable. Some regions have become uninhabitable accessible and adequate health services across the country. Section 73(1)(a) of the
themselves, like 2baba, D’banj, and Fuse ODG. due to extreme heatwaves and higher temperatures, which have been caused by climate Constitution also obliges the State to protect and promote everyone's right to an
Similar frustration followed Fireboy DML’s an- change. Other regions are no longer habitable because climate change has adversely environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being. Importantly, section 76 (4)
nouncement last year that he would be releasing a affected agriculture in those regions, leading to severe food shortages. Climate change of the Constitution obliges the authorities to take reasonable and other legislative
remixed version of his smash-hit song “Peru” with has also led to the displacement of many communities, following extreme weather measures that are aimed at the progressive realisation of the right to health care of all
English singer Ed Sheeran. “The white man is real- events such as floods and cyclones. Therefore, the adverse impact of climate change on Zimbabweans.
ly gentrifying all our hits damn,” @nicolezani22 re- the environment has led to a deterioration in the well-being and health of many people
plied on Twitter. “Why do y’all think you need white who depend on the environment for their well-being. On this World Health Day, ZLHR calls upon:
people to boost a fire song,” added @AkuaSaysRe- Ÿ The public to demand a world that is conducive to good health;
lax. The remix reached number 1 on the Billboard It is imperative for all nations to collaborate in the fight against climate change, so that Ÿ All nations to collaborate in the fight against climate change and its harmful
World Digital Song Sales Chart and number 2 on the earth remains conducive to the health and well-being of everyone. Governments
the UK O cial Singles Chart. across the world should switch from using fossil fuels, which cause global warming and effects on the health and well-being of people across the globe;
Can it work? climate change, and adopt renewable energy. The use of renewable energy, such as solar Ÿ The Zimbabwean authorities to protect and promote the health of all
While the history of exploitation is true, con- energy, wind energy and hydroelectric energy, will arrest the rising global temperatures
cerns around Afrobeats have to be understood in and the harmful effects of climate change on human health. The transition to renewable Zimbabweans by implementing policies that are aimed at improving the air
the context of the modern music marketplace. And energy requires governments to commit to investing in clean energy. The investment in quality of the environment, the quality of drinking water and the availability of
the reality is that Afrobeats itself is an extrapolation clean energy is necessary for the survival of humanity and the stability of our planet. adequate food in our communities.
of various international sounds like hip hop, dance- Ÿ The authorities to comply with their constitutional obligation of implementing
hall, house, R&B and many others including, more The health and well-being of people around the world has also been threatened by the legislative and other measures that are aimed at the progressive realisation of
recently, South Africa’s Amapiano. Furthermore, the the right to health care of all Zimbabweans.
nature of music does not lend itself to being limited
to a particular community or country. Music has al- Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
ways been shared, borrowed and adapted, and so- Kodzero/Amalungelo House
cial media has contributed immensely to the rap-
id exportation of Afrobeats far beyond West African No. 103 Sam Nujoma Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
shores. It is only natural that people from other cul- Phone: (+263 8677005347, +263 242 764085/705370/708118
tures will fall in love with the genre, be inspired by it,
and seek to experiment with it. Email: [email protected]
“I feel gatekeeping is ridiculous, and it’s people www.zlhr.org.zw
outside the game that usually make statements like
that because, at the end of the day, music is a busi- FOLLOW US:@ZLHRLAWYERS ON TWITTER |
ness”, says Ini Baderinwa, an entertainment consult- ZIMBABWE LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON FACEBOOK
ant and co-founder of TXT Mag.
“[Afrobeats] is something people earn a living
from. The more everybody does things with Afro-
beats, the more our music gets more streams, more
listeners, more money and more attention. As Afro-
beats goes global, it also allows the major music
players to invest in the Nigerian music industry, and
we need a lot of investment in the industry”.
Indeed, the attention that Afrobeats generates
has often followed expansionist drives further west-
wards. Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” broke into the
top 10 of the Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Chart following its remix with Justin Bieber, a col-
laboration many critics claimed was unnecessary.
After doing a version with Ed Sheeran, Fireboy
DML’s “Peru” went gold in the UK and was acknowl-
edged by the Peruvian government.
Nigerian music executives themselves speak

April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 21

ARTS April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 22

The weight and want of
Noviolet Bulawayo’s ‘Glory’
After a profoundly successful debut, Noviolet Bula-
wayo’s second novel – which began as non-fiction tion is that, Your Excellency?!” mouth of just about every Zimbabwean at one point or the
– leaves realism for allegory to confront the Zimba- Also present at the rally are recognisable characters and other – crosses Destiny’s mind at some point too. It is a plaint
bwean present. bodies from that period, including the vice-president Tuvius that, on some occasions, also passed through the mouth of
Delight Shasha, based on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the Old Horse. One day, after his removal from power, the Old
and the Jidada army – “dogs, dogs, dogs, dogs” – used by the Horse takes a “legacy tour” of the country he used to rule, and
Noviolet Bulawayo’s debut novel, We Need New Old Horse and later Shasha to maintain a grip on the levers of he can’t quite believe the extent of the ruins over which he
Names, gave her a dream entry into the world of letters. It won presided. The schools are in a frightful state and the cities are
several major prizes on both sides of the Atlantic, including the power. Not long afterward, Shasha, with the help of a general, overrun by vendors and black-market money changers with
topples the Old Horse. university degrees. “But when did things get like this?” the Old
PEN/Hemingway Award, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, ‘This country!’ Horse asks in shock.
and was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize. So important
was the novel, published in 2013, that its title was adopted into Even though the action of the novel revolves around this, at The southwestern provinces of Matabeleland in Zimba-
the centre of the book is Destiny, a goat who has come back bwe are an active crime scene and, to Bulawayo’s credit, Glo-
popular slang even by those who had not read it. When inti- after a decade in exile in the US. The impetus of her return ry heaves with the trauma that took place in that part of the
mating the necessity of resisting tired mantras and old ways of country. The killings from 1983 until 1987, in which tens of thou-
thinking, for example, one might say: “We need new names.” home is the promise of the “new dispensation” mantra of the sands of Ndebeles were murdered by Mugabe’s shock troops,
new ruler, Shasha. are central to the plot of the book. “Bulawayo [Zimbabwe’s
For a writer of so much promise and whose footfall re- When she gets home, the gate to her mother’s house is second city]… what a dark, dark, name. Meaning, where one
sounded in Zimbabwe, where she was born, and in the United gets killed, where there is killing,” reads a line from the book.
States, her new home, her follow-up novel was always bound locked, but a neighbour is at hand to welcome her. She learns
that her mother – her brain torn apart by multiple griefs, in- And in Glory, the blood of those killed during that time re-
to be a literary event. It is a measure of her political engage- cluding Destiny’s disappearance – wandered o into the maze fuses to clot until justice is done.
ment in the a airs of her homeland that her second novel,
Glory, was both inspired by, and pivots on, the November 2017 of the township and has not been seen since. As Destiny’s gets An insu cient allegory
used to the strange rhythms of life in her native land, she re- Yet the novel does not quite work as an allegory. The crux
palace coup in Zimbabwe that toppled veteran despot Rob- alises the hollowness of “the new dispensation”. Destiny soon of its problems is suggested in its preface anyway. Glory be-
ert Mugabe. gan as a work of non-fiction before it morphed into its cur-
Bulawayo notes in the preface that as she wrote Glory, she finds out that this supposedly new era is not even new wine in rent form. “Animals helped me move beyond the specific, al-
old wineskins. It is just foetid old wine in frayed old wineskins. lowing me to do what non-fiction wouldn’t,” Bulawayo writes.
found herself “constantly coming back to George Orwell’s An- “This country! This country!” – an iteration of a plaint that has Non-fiction can present practical problems, especially around
imal Farm for its satire of a revolution that ends in betrayal and research issues, rebu ed interview requests and information
tyranny”. passed from the gaps. But could it be that Bulawayo ran into a cul-de-sac and
then sought refuge in allegory?
Although it was to Animal Farm she kept going back, the The novel’s two-headed nature is in its fictionalised place
form of the allegory Orwell used for his classic novel was one names and characters that exist alongside the real (like the
with which Bulawayo was already familiar. Her introduction 19th-century medium and nationalist icon Mbuya Nehanda, a
to stories was at the feet of her grandmother who used to hospital named after Mugabe’s first wife, Sally Mugabe, Chi-
recount “beguiling tales of talking animals and alternate na, the US, Berlin, Bulawayo and many more).
worlds”. In the preface, signalling a departure from the re-
alist novel form she used in her debut, Bulawayo notes: “It Animals in Glory are given arbitrary categories that do not
was a delight and a privilege to channel that oral tradition conform with our everyday perceptions or how we have
in Glory.” received them from oral traditions. The world of Animal
Glory begins at a rally set to be addressed by the “Father Farm, for instance, is clearly delineated: the pigs are the
of the Nation” of a fictional country called Jidada. It is clear-
ly some kind of animal farm, for everyone in this dictatorship rulers, the horses are the workers, the donkey Benjamin
is from the animal kingdom: horses, donkeys, cats, dogs and is a thinker, the raven Moses is a telltale, and the dogs are
other animals. The father of the nation, a horse, is clearly based the enforcers. In Glory, apart from the dogs, most of the
on a late-era Mugabe in his ancient, decrepit state, “older now animals’ roles and characterisation appear whimsical. For
than the last time they’d seen him, where he’d in fact been example, why is Marvellous, the Old Horse’s wife, a donkey?
older than the last time they’d seen him prior to that”. Bulawayo could have made use of the existing categories
The tottering Old Horse is clearly out of it. He asks his wife: in Ndebele, Shona and even Akan (Ghana) traditions in which
“What is this place? Who are all these animals?” At hand to ex- the alternate world of allegory and fable operates according
plain is the Old Horse’s wife, Marvellous, a character to a recognisable logic: the hare is the clever trickster (in Akan
based on Mugabe’s once power- traditions, this role is played by the spider), the baboon is stu-
ful wife Grace: “Ah- pid, the tortoise is wise and forbearing, and the lion is king of
ah, but what the jungle.
kind of Part of the unwieldiness of Glory stems from Bulawayo foist-
ques- ing human concepts, mannerisms and tropes on the animal
world. For instance, we read that the reason why Destiny’s
mother did not get along with her own mother had to do
with her getting pregnant at an early age. This, then, showed
to the world that Destiny’s grandmother was a “failure of a
mother”. Yet we know animals don’t get pregnant “at an ear-
ly age”; they get pregnant when they are ready to carry o -
spring.
The concept of race – white and black animals – does
not apply in the animal kingdom. The novel’s lack of clarity,
even confusion, on that score is evident in that it has “black Ji-
dadans”, Ndebelemals (abridgement of Ndebele animals)

and Shonamals (Shona animals) – a problematic tax-
onomy on a continent in which racist white people
called Africans animals. Even the “late Ndebele
leader, Father Jidada”, is mentioned in pass-
ing. (This sobriquet clearly applies to found-
ing nationalist Joshua Nkomo, who came to
be known as Father Zimbabwe because of
his pioneering role in Zimbabwean national-
ism.) When we have been working with re-
alistic domestic animals, suddenly we have
to contend with invented species such as
Shonamals and Ndebelemals.
At the heart of the problems of Glo-
ry is that Bulawayo’s characters and
story were conceived in one form
and then clumsily transferred to
another. The result is that Glo-
ry’s parts – allegory, polem-
ic and history – are not ad-
equately resolved. But
even in that case, the
story is still at times
a moving, often
vivid, account
of the trou-
bles of the
nation of Ji-
dada.
— Thisi-
sAfrica

SPORT April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 23

What can
Man Utd
expect if
they appoint
Ajax boss as
their new
manager?

Erik ten Hag was never really one of those
people who made it clear he had mas-
sive ambitions to be one of the world's
top coaches. He is a very humble man
and a modest coach.
That has a lot to do with his background. He
comes from the east of the Netherlands where
there's a very down-to-earth mentality and where
people speak with a very strong accent. They are a
bit less flash there and they look up to those from
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, the plac-
es where the big o ces, industry and the country's
parliament are.

But despite that background - and he does have
a strong accent - Ten Hag's situation is di erent. Fi-
nancially there is no motivation and no need to go
for the big jobs at any stage in his career because
he comes from a very rich family, and his father and
brothers are multi-millionaires. They own a real es-
tate company and other financial firms.

His father wanted him to go into that company
but from a young age Erik was such a brilliant foot-
baller - he was a star for FC Twente as a defender -
that he made it clear he had no interest in pursuing
that line of work.

However, that family wealth means he doesn't
need the big jobs. He knows he doesn't need foot-
ball to survive so he can follow his own principles,
where other managers might compromise to stay
in their jobs.

His football philosophy has always been like Pep
Guardiola's and Johan Cruy 's. He likes to attack, to
create things on the pitch.

I followed PSV Eindhoven for some time when
he was the assistant manager there, just as he was
Steve McClaren's assistant at FC Twente. He was in-
strumental at those clubs. He never tried to push in
but the managers were so reliant on him because
he was tactically so strong. It was a joy for them to
have him and that says a lot about him.

When he was at Bayern Munich as their reserve-
team boss he loved it. It was almost like a dream
come true for him to have a manager in Guardiola
who was working the same way he wanted to work.
He said to me once that he loved spending time
with Guardiola, loved talking to him. He had to pro-
duce players ready for the first team as the reserve
manager so that's why the whole set-up worked for
him. Players can find it hard with him because, like
Guardiola, he comes across as a bit obsessive. To
get a style like you do at Ajax - Dutch Total Football,
basically - it needs lots of work and lots of attack-
ing players. It leaves a lot of space and you want
your defenders playing really high up. It entails a lot
of risk and you have to be a bit of a maniac to instil
in your players that every pass has to be just right,
that there can be no mistakes.

But his man management is excellent and all his
players say they have learnt so much from him.

Whereas many coaches focus on the first XI, Ten
Hag will spend an incredible amount of time on the
training pitch. At Manchester United he won't just
pay attention to the star players like Cristiano Ron-
aldo or Harry Maguire, he'll also go to the 19th or
20th most important player. He's taken on players
with di erent characters and he doesn't mind how
many hours he has to spend with them, he will give
all his time to them.

That's where he gets the respect from the play-
ers because they see the e ort he puts in to im-
prove them individually. Even with those who have
the most di cult background - some kind of bag-
gage, maybe - if he thinks the talent is there he'll
make sure they fit in.

He is not scared to take on the Manchester Unit-
ed job. But he will want to be in a tracksuit many
hours a day. He doesn't consider himself an o ce
man - if he did he'd have gone in to his dad's com-
pany.

— BBC

April 13-18 2022 Weekly Digest 24

Zimbabwe Rugby 7s committee chairman John Ewing (in the background) watches as Lady Cheetahs players celebrate after winning the Zambezi Sevens Challenge women’s title at
Harare Sports Club on Sunday

Sevens tourney success a
sign of good times ahead

ZBY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE al match against Zambia’s second-string thought it was a good game. The Spartans “Yes, as the national team we do want to
imbabwe Rugby 7s committee side which they won 17-10 to salvage some were a good team and were deserved win- win everything but looking at the positive
chairman John Ewing has ex- lost pride. However, the women's nation- ners,” added the former Cheetahs coach. side, we have learnt a lot ahead of our do
pressed delight at the success al team, The Lady Cheetahs were crowned Interestingly, the Gaborone-based Zam- or die coming Africa Cup. It’s really good to
of the inaugural Zambezi Sev- Zambezi Sevens Challenge winners after bezi Sevens Challenge who feature a num- have these preparation tournaments. We
ens Challenge tournament held beating their rivals Zambia 12- 5 in the la- ber of Zimbabwean players in their team are disappointed with the end result but
at Harare Sports Club Rugby Stadium last dies final. went on to be crowned the winners of the confident with the process that we have
weekend. regional two-day competition after beat- used,” he said.
“I think the weekend was a great success ing Zambia 26-14 in a rain drenched final.
Botswana club Spartans claimed the and Zimbabwe Sevens Rugby as a whole The Lady Cheetahs who are sponsored
Zambezi Sevens Challenge as hosts Zim- can take a lot out of this weekend. Our Mbare Rugby Academy product Pride by Minerva Risk Advisors were also using
babwe’s national team, the Cheetahs had clubs performed really nicely, the Under-21 Nyameni was named the Player of the the home tournament to prepare for the
to settle for bronze after a pulsating day of teams as well, all the teams showed good Tournament after illuminating the compe- Africa Women’s Sevens to be held in Tu-
action at Harare Sports Club on Sunday. skill, good fitness and a good understand- tition for Spartans. nisia. Robyn Mhembere was named the
ing of the game of Sevens,” Ewing said. Zambezi Sevens Challenge Female Play-
The Cheetahs were using the competi- Cheetahs head coach Graham Kaulback er of the Tournament after impressing
tion to prepare for the Africa Cup Sevens “The national team (men) although they said although he was disappointed by his throughout the two-day rugby sevens ex-
Cup scheduled for Uganda in two weeks’ bowed out as third placed winners they team’s failure to win the title on home soil, travaganza. The Zambezi challenge cup
time and were given something to ponder could have done better but I thought they the competition had given his players the was organized by Zimbabwe Rugby Union
about after they lost 17 - 15 to eventual win- showed a lot of techniques and the things ideal preparations ahead of the Africa Cup to give Cheetahs more game time ahead
ners Spartans in the last four of the Zam- that we have been working hard on, came Sevens. of the Africa Cup Sevens in Uganda, where
bezi Challenge. out to the fore. they will be aiming to qualify for the Sevens
“Obviously disappointed with the end re- Rugby World Cup to be held in Cape Town
Zimbabwe’s semi-final defeat meant “Sevens is a brutal game and you have sult, but we are in a process,” Kaulback told in September.
they had to settle for the bronze med- got to make sure that you cross the line first. journalists after the conclusion of the tour-
The final though it was affected by rain I nament.