NewsHawks 25 November 2022

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WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 25 November 2022 MNEinWisSter Mthuli ZSPimORtTakes on
Ncube unveils Safa for ‘stolen
KNaEzWemS be’s visit to ZW$4,5 trillion intellectual
UAE surveillance budget property’
indaba ahead of
2023 raises eyebrows Story on Page 8 Story on Page 52

Story on Page 7

Why the army
was deployed
in oil-drilling
precincts of the
Zambezi Valley

ALSO INSIDE Zimbabwe foreign debt now US$14.4bn

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

OWEN GAGARE Why army was deployed
in oil-drilling precincts
FEARS of a Mozambican Cabo Delgado-style Is- of the Zambezi Valley
lamic insurgency in the northern Zambezi Valley
where the Zimbabwean government and an Aus- Invictus Energy is opening one of the last untested large frontier
tralian Securities Exchange-listed Invictus Energy rift basins in onshore Africa — the Cabora Bassa Basin.
are engaged in oil and gas exploration as well as
drilling prompted the recent deployment of the the Zambezi Valley, which mainly comprise Mbi- ga, Shamva and Mt Darwin districts of Masho- this year after it had put it on hold due to insur-
military after security agencies detected insurgents' re, Muzarabani and Mt Darwin districts in Mash- naland Central province, from 22 September to gent attacks.
movements in the area. onaland Central province. 21 October 2022. This year’s training exercise is a
follow-up to a similar exercise conducted in Masv- Anticipated markets for the LNG are countries
Invictus, which expects to invest up US$100 Invictus, an independent oil and gas exploration ingo province in 2021. in the Atlantic and Asia-Pacific region, the Mid-
million if there is oil and gas, is opening one of the company focused on high-impact energy resources dle East, the  Indian subcontinent, and Europe.
last untested large frontier rift basins in onshore in sub-Saharan Africa, has an asset portfolio con- “The training exercise is meant to sharpen and Besides LNG exports, Mozambique also plans to
Africa — the Cabora Bassa Basin — in northern sisting of highly prospective 250 000 acres within perfect operational skills so as to enhance the supply gas to South Africa.
Zimbabwe through a high-impact exploration the Cabora Bassa Basin in Zimbabwe across the Zimbabwe Defence Forces capability to fulfil its
programme. border with Mozambique. mandate. The exercise involves the movement of a Since 2017, Cabo Delgado, Mozambique’s
large number of troops and vehicles from Harare northernmost province, has been the scene of a
The area margins Mozambique, which shares It was given special grant 4 571 which contains into Mashonaland Central province. Therefore the deadly insurrection.
the longest border with Zimbabwe. the world-class multi-TCF Mukuyu (Muzarabani) general populace should not be surprised by these
and Msasa conventional gas-condensate. movements.” While foreigners have joined in the name of ji-
Although the military explained its movements had, most of the Mozambican militants are moti-
as part of routine training exercises, army sources Previously explored by Mobil Oil, which is Sources said the main motivation for the mil- vated by their perceived socio-economic exclusion
say there were underlying security reasons behind owned and operated by American oil and gas cor- itary deployment is that Zimbabwean authorities amid major mineral and hydrocarbon discoveries
the deployment: protecting the area and ring-fenc- poration ExxonMobil, the project contains the feared Cabo Delgado-style insurgency by jihadists in the region.
ing the oil and gas precincts from feared infiltra- largest undrilled structure in onshore Africa. in Muzarabani.
tion by Islamist militants who may radicalise the Zimbabwe fears such infiltration by militants
local population and ignite conflict centred on The Muzarabani anticline feature has more Multi-billion-dollar natural gas reserves in Cabo from the neighbouring country.
their dire social material conditions and resources. than 200 km2 under closure and up to 1 500m Delgado were discovered by United States-based
vertical relief at favourable depths for conventional Anadarko, which sold its operation stake to Total Although oil and gas are usually intertwined
“What the army said is partially true. They are oil and gas. in 2019, and Italian Eni between 2010 and 2013. with some conflicts in Africa, exclusively ex-
there for training exercises, but what they did not plaining such fights on the basis of ways natural
say though – which is more important – is that Invictus completed the acquisition of 840km Licences were awarded to the three consor- resources either act as an incentive or motive for
there have been recent official security reports de- of high-resolution infill 2D seismic data ahead of tia-operated projects led by TotalEnergies, Eni, and insurgents, or erode and weaken states, does not
tecting movements of militants from neighbour- spudding the well — initial drilling — using Exalo US-based ExxonMobil to conduct offshore natu- adequately capture the complex histories, dimen-
ing Mozambique in that region,” a source said. Rig 202. ral gas extraction with onshore supporting facilities sions and transnational linkages to civil instability
for LNG production. in Africa.
“So this has raised security concerns and alarm. The Perth and Harare-based company, whose
The worry is that if militants from Mozambique chairperson Stuart Lake is stepping down this Before the Covid-19 pandemic and the armed Yet there is a running thread of natural resourc-
and elsewhere infiltrate the country into the Zam- coming Monday, says it has found promising signs insurgency, the projects planned to produce LNG es — oil and gas, as well as minerals such as di-
bezi Valley where oil and gas exploration and of oil and gas, although the process is still a work in the early 2020s. amonds and gold — through most conflicts in
drilling are going on, they may start to radicalise in progress. Africa.
locals through indoctrination, by drawing their at- However, the ExxonMobil-led project has post-
tention to their poverty situation and rich natural The Zimbabwe Defence Forces announced in poned its final investment decision indefinitely due The role of foreign oil and mineral extraction
resources in the area. This has happened across Af- September it was moving a large number of troops to the economic downturn caused by Covid-19. companies in fuelling conflict in Africa is well-
rica and it may happen in Zimbabwe. That is why and equipment to six districts of Mashonaland Eni seems to be continuing its project despite the known, although that is not the only cause of con-
the security system has been monitoring the area Central province for a training exercise. uncertainty, and Total initially suspended its activ- flicts – usually it is a combination of factors.
and moved in to provide protection.” ities due to the Cabo Delgado security situation.
In a statement, the ZDF said: “The Zimbabwe Rwandan and southern African troops have
The discovery of alluvial diamonds in Chiadz- Defence Forces (ZDF) would like to inform the Total, the French energy giant, resumed its helped the Mozambican authorities fight the Isla-
wa, Marange, in Zimbabwe caused conflict. general public that it will be conducting a training US$20 billion Mozambique LNG project earlier mist insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The threat has
exercise in Bindura, Mbire Muzarabani, Rushin- been greatly degraded, but not yet snuffed out.
Government unleashed state violence on min-
ing gangs that invaded the area in 2008, steal-
ing and looting diamonds. Police and the army
launched “Operation Dzokera Kumusha” (Go
Back Home), violently expelling the majority of
artisanal miners from Chiadzwa in January 2009.

The brutal operation was an attempt by the
state to regain control of and regulate the diamond
mining and trading process to allow registered
mining companies it handpicked to move in and
conduct mining operations.

Although oil and gas are a different ball game,
the Chiadzwa diamond rush and the attendant
conflict — including massive human rights abuses
and killings — were instructive for the authorities.

Oil and gas discoveries and production have ig-
nited deadly conflicts across Africa.

Invictus recently said it has started drilling
one of two exploration wells — not production
wells — for oil and gas on a site near Mahuwe.
The 3.5km deep well, situated in the Muzaraba-
ni-Mbire area, is part of the Cabora Bassa Basin
project in Zimbabwe, 80% owned and operated
by Invictus through its interest in Geo Associates.

Mangwana Capital, a pan-African fund, has
shareholding in the project. It represents 35 local
pension funds.

The process, which started in September, is ex-
pected to last between 50 and 60 days.

Mukuyu, which will cost US$16 million, is one
of the largest oil and gas exploration prospects to
be drilled globally in 2022. It is estimated at 20
trillion cubic feet and 845 million barrels of con-
ventional gas condensate, or about 4.3 billion bar-
rels of oil equivalent.

Mukuyu-1 would be followed by the 1.5km
deep well Baobab-1, which would be completed
in 30-40 days. In August, the company raised an
additional US$17 million to fund the drilling of
the exploration wells through private placement.

If Invictus finds the resource, the project would
cost up to US$100 million.

To date, in the last four years, it has spent
US$16 million. The cost of drilling Mukuyu 1 will
be another US$16  million. The second upcoming
well, Baobab, is a shallower well and will be about
1.5km at a cost of US$10 million.

This, coupled with a continent-wide resource
curse largely blamed for the nexus between miner-
al endowment and violent conflicts in Africa, ne-
cessitated the need to provide security in the area.

The exploration and drilling processes led to the
army deployments in the areas that form part of

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Zim mulls law for oil, gas extraction

GOVERNMENT is planning to draft a new
law to regulate the oil and gas sector, amid high
expectations of commercial-grade reserves in
the Muzarabani area, Finance minister Mthuli
Ncube has said.

The announcement came on the same day
as Invictus Energy board chairperson, Stuart
Lake, announced that he would step down as
non-executive director and director next week.
Lake, who is set to resign on November 28 cit-
ed “personal reasons for this decision.

Presenting the 2023 National Budget in
Parliament this week, Ncube said government
will soon work on a new law for the industry.

“Invictus Energy was awarded a Special
Grant in 2017 to explore for oil and gas in the
Muzarabani and Mbire Districts. To date, they
have been able to mobilise the drilling equip-
ment to undertake the exploration to ascertain
commercial viability of the project,” Ncube
said.

“Going forward, Government will develop
the necessary legislation and regulatory frame-
works for the oil and gas sub-sector.”

In September, Australian-listed Invictus
Energy started drilling one of two exploration
wells for oil and gas in the northern part of
Zimbabwe. The company recently announced
that it is inching closer to concluding its explo-
ration works amid high optimism.

The 3.5km deep well, situated in the Mu-
zarabani-Mbire district area, is part of the
Cabora Bassa project which is 80% owned and
operated by Invictus through its interest in
Geo Associates.

During the seismic survey, the company
used machinery from Canadian company Po-
laris, which uses sound vibrations to locate
potential locations for the wells that would
confirm the existence of gas or oil. During the
campaign, Invictus acquired 840 kilometres of
high-resolution 2D seismic data.

Invictus says the amount of data it collect-
ed “significantly exceeds” obligations under its
current licence period, which demands that
the company collect 300km of 2D seismic data
before the licence period elapses in June 2024.

After the study, Invictus managing director
Scott Macmillan said completion of the survey
was a “significant milestone” for the company.

“The quality of the high-resolution seismic
data we have acquired is excellent and provid-
ing great insights into the petroleum potential
of the basin,” Macmillan said. — STAFF WRITER.

Invictus Energy board chairperson Stuart Lake Invictus Energy was awarded a Special Grant in 2017 to explore for oil and gas in the Muzarabani and Mbire Districts.

Page 4 News NewsHawks

July Moyo pressures Issue 109, 25 November 2022
Victoria Falls City
Council to give prime
land to gold baron

BRENNA MATENDERE ellery, but has a diversified portfolio tivities regarding allocation of land and the town clerk, including a demonstra- Local Government minister July Moyo
which includes transport, energy, secu- a deal with council for him to buy a tion by war veterans in Matabeleland ery stands to Jackleberry Investment
LOCAL Government minister July rity services and real estate. car. North and members of the Victoria without council authority; allocation
Moyo, who is entangled in Victoria Falls Combined Residents' Association of land in the dumpsite/landfill site and
Falls land scandals — with his ally What makes the situation more “The same letter was used to illegally against Dube for alleged corruption in sewage pond area without council reso-
mayor Somveli Dlamini currently out complicated is that the land is cur- suspend Dube for a short while before the sale of land. lution; withdrawal of US$84 000 from
of jail on bail after he was arrested rently occupied by tourism operator he was reinstated by councillors.” a council account; misleading council
for a fraudulent land deal — is pres- Wild Horizon, which owns and oper- Dlamini, Dube’s opponent, had in awarding the tender for sale of stand
suring Zimbabwe’s tourism mecca to ates whitewater rafting, Zambezi boat In an unexpected turn of events, met war veterans ahead of the demon- number 8300 to Zambezi Properties;
give prime land next to the luxurious cruises, Chobe day trips, helicopter when Zacc went on to investigate stration. The war veterans then locked and incompetence, dereliction of duty
A’Zambezi River Lodge to a company flights and other adventure activities. Dube — who was reported by the Dube out of his office, demanding an and failure to supervise staff.
owned by gold baron Pedzisayi “Scott” mayor — they actually found it was investigation.
Sakupwanya, BetterBrands Invest- It provides tours, transfers and ac- Dlamini instead with a case to answer, The minister’s investigation team
ments. tivities in Victoria Falls, Livingstone not the town clerk. The demonstration resulted in the produced a preliminary report which
and Chobe. Its properties include The police and Zacc descending on council did not find Dube guilty, although it
This comes as Moyo, together with Elephant Camp, one of the most luxu- On 27 September, Moyo moved to while Moyo assembled a probe team highlighted administrative lapses. The
Arosume Property Development, have rious lodges in Victoria Falls, Old Drift quickly appoint a team from his minis- to investigate allegations against the report was submitted to the minister,
been reported to the Zimbabwe An- Lodge, a new luxury tented lodge on try to investigate Dube who has been a town clerk. In a spectacular boomer- but he was unhappy as it did not nail
ti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for the banks of the Zambezi River not stumbling block to his land deals with ang, Zacc officials, however, arrested Dube.
allegedly corruptly cancelling a title far from the waterfall and Imbabala Dlamini. Moyo appointed the team to Dlamini for corruption after the inves-
deed belonging to Borrowdale resident Zambezi Safari Lodge on the border to probe Dube on various charges ranging tigation, while Dube was set free. As a result, the minister ordered his
Taruvinga Hamura. Chobe. from unprocedural allocation of land, investigation team to doctor the report
withdrawing council money without The ministry of Local Government to suit his design — finding Dube
The dossier on Moyo’s land activi- “BetterBrands wants that land, so authority, misleading council and in- however continued its probe, looking guilty — to remove him and pave way
ties was also sent to the Office of the Moyo has been pressuring Victoria competence, but a preliminary report into five allegations: allocation of brew- for his land deals.
President and Cabinet for President Falls city council to give the company did not find the town clerk guilty of
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s attention, his the property. Moyo came to town on any criminal offence. Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya
deputy Constantino Chiwenga, po- 20 September to push for the deal,”
lice Commissioner-General Godwin a Local Government ministry official The probe team was chaired by the
Matanga, the National Prosecuting said. director of local authorities Mike Mazai
Authority and Judicial Service Com- and included director of local gover-
mission. “He slept at The Palm River Hotel nance Tapera Mugoriya, chief financial
and the following day he had meetings officer Alpha Nhamo, a legal adviser
Moyo is pressing Victoria Falls city with Dlamini and Dube. After that, only identified as C. Tshuma and Land
council to give the 7 000-square metres Moyo and Dlamini left, claiming to Siansole Kabome, the district develop-
land to Sakupwanya’s company using be going for a funeral without Dube. ment coordinator of Binga.
political pressure and in violation to It later transpired that they had gone
good governance tenets. The pressure to mobilise war veterans and thugs to Officials in the ministry said Moyo
borders on corruption as the minister hound Dube out of office. Subsequent- was so unhappy with the findings to
should not be lobbying for land for ly, the war veterans came to lock Dube an extent that he summoned the team
private companies and individuals for out of his office. They even defied po- for a meeting on 14 November and
personal gain. lice who had told them that what they ordered them to rewrite the report, im-
were doing was illegal. plicating Dube as he desperately wants
The piece of land at stake borders him removed from his position.
A’Zambezi River Lodge, the Zambezi “Three days before that, Dlamini
River and Victoria Falls Boat Club. had reported Dube to Zacc, accusing Moyo appointed the team follow-
him of a number of alleged corrupt ac- ing a chain of controversial activities
A’Zambezi River Lodge is nestled on and clashes between the mayor and
the banks of Africa's 4th longest river
on the periphery of the Zambezi Na-
tional Park. It occupies the finest loca-
tion that gives its guests an ambiance of
pristine wildlife, nature, riverine front-
age and jetty site.

However, Moyo’s wish has not been
granted. Council has told BetterBrands
that it is unable to avail the land be-
cause it was being leased by another
company, Wild Horizons, which has
paid its rentals in advance.

Investigations show that Moyo trav-
elled to Victoria Falls on 20 September
in a bid to bring political pressure to
bear on the city council, currently led
by town clerk Ronny Dube in Dlami-
ni’s absence, to give the land to Sakup-
wanya’s company for private develop-
ment.

Dlamini is out on bail on corrup-
tion charges relating to a residential
stand which he allegedly bought fraud-
ulently.

Sources said Moyo slept at The Palm
River Hotel, formerly known as Palm
River Lodge, a four-star luxury facility
located on the banks of the Zambezi
River, when he visited the resort city
to make a case for BetterBrands before
Dlamini was arrested. Dlamini, who is
close to the minister, was arrested on 6
October.

BetterBrands deals in gold and jew-

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Another probe into AK-47 arms saga

OWEN GAGARE Defence Forces commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda
T-56 assault rifles
GOVERNMENT has launched yet another in-
vestigation — the third one so far in as many assessment. Mabhena. Guard, an elite unit responsible for protecting
weeks — into the controversial AK-47s arms im- However, the real problem for the AK-47s Mabhena then went to Spartan Arms Inter- the President.
port saga through Beitbridge Border Post which
is now entangled in state and Zanu PF power coming into the country is that the goods had no national, which sells arms in Edenvale, Johan- The brigade is organised into two units located
struggles. consignee. “That’s where the problem started at nesburg, South Africa, to buy the guns, sources in Harare: 1 Presidential Guard Battalion based
customs,” a customs source said. added. at State House and 2 Presidential Guard Battal-
Security sources told The NewsHawks another ion at Dzivaresekwa Barracks.
investigation team, this time from the Central As a result, military sources say Mnangagwa However, Mabhena bought a wrong consign-
Intelligence Organisation (CIO), was recently ordered a thorough investigation into the inci- ment which was later rejected. He bought T-56 The Presidential Guard headquarters is in Dz-
dispatched to Beitbridge to probe the role of dif- dent, suspecting the weapons were targeted at assault rifles — a Chinese 7.62×39mm rifle — ivaresekwa and is under the command of Briga-
ferent state institutions into the issue, including overthrowing or harming him. instead of the original Soviet-designed AK47. dier-General Fidelis Mhonda.
the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and other rel-
evant agencies. The guns order had initially come from the He carried the weapons in his vehicle from Mabhena — a gun-runner with years of ex-
Zimbabwe National Army — through the Johannesburg to Beitbridge without any security perience in the murky trade — smuggled the
This means three teams have so far been down G-Branch — and was first given to Ukubam- procedures and papers, waltzed his way through wrong guns via Beitbridge but, instead of tak-
to Beitbridge to probe the issue: First, the army bana Commodities (Pvt) Ltd managing director the border from the South African side before he ing back the unwanted consignment, he sought
one led by Brigadier-General Steven Gwekwere- Gladman Chipidza who then contracted former was caught at customs on the Zimbabwean side. to construct an elaborate cover-up for the costly
re; second, another military one headed by Zim- army doctor and now arms dealer, Gugulethu mistake, leading to his arrest.
babwe Defence Forces commander General Phil- The guns were ordered for the Presidential
ip Valerio Sibanda and the third by a CIO officer.

These investigations were about getting to the
bottom of the issue to find out what actually
happened, how and why, the sources say.

This came as fears mounted within President
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s inner security circle
that the arms smuggled into the country through
Beitbridge by a seasoned arrested gun-runner
were meant to attack the President ahead of the
recent Zanu PF congress, military sources say.

Zanu PF recently held its elective congress
from 26 to 29 October at the Harare Interna-
tional Conference Centre. The guns controver-
sy came against a backdrop of a power schism,
infighting and internal strife pitting Mnangagwa
against his deputy Constantino Chiwenga, in-
cluding their factions.

Mnangagwa emerged victorious at the con-
gress after outmanoeuvring Chiwenga, although
the Vice-President and his allies say their defeat
amounted to a strategic retreat — calm before a
storm.

Top military sources say Mnangagwa firmly
believes there was a plot to attack him for po-
litical and power-seeking reasons, just like what
happened at White City Stadium in Bulawayo in
June just before the July 2018 general elections.

The say Mnangagwa thinks the guns initial-
ly ordered for the Presidential Guard were not
meant to protect him as expected, but to kill him
or oust him from power.

“It has now become a big and sensitive po-
litical issue,” a military source said. “The Presi-
dent and his security team think that there was a
sinister agenda behind the guns smuggling saga.
There are too many things raising the eyebrows.
To begin with, there was no proper documenta-
tion for those guns, including the purchase order,
import permit and consignee,” a military source
said.

“Even the way the weapons had been trans-
ported from Johannesburg (South Africa) to
Beitbridge (Zimbabwe) was suspicious. There
were no security arrangements, including an es-
cort car as should be the case. When the clearing
documents were examined they had no name of
the consignee. The clearing agent rejected them.
Something unusual and fishy was happening.”

The sources said Mnangagwa and his securi-
ty are questioning the coincidence between the
arms smuggling incident and his presence two
days apart in Beitbridge to officially commission
the upgraded and modernised border post on 31
August.

Mnangagwa arrived in Beitbridge two days af-
ter the guns had been smuggled into the country.

Indeed, two days after the arms dealer was
arrested in a case which now involves Zimba-
bwe Defence Industries (ZDI) general manag-
er Hope Goliath Mutize and its project officer,
Group Captain Leonard Matambo, an Air Force
of Zimbabwe senior commissioned officer.

Some of the documents required for clearing
purposes include: a bill of entry, which consti-
tutes part of the key paperwork for import cus-
toms clearance; invoice, the prime document
in any business transaction; import licence; in-
surance certificate for import customs clearance
procedures; and purchase order, which reflects al-
most all terms and conditions of the sale contract
that enables customs officers to confirm on value

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

PUBLIC NOTICE ON RE-OPENING

1. Date of Re-Opening

Time Bank of Zimbabwe Limited (Time Bank) re-opened on the 27th October 2022 following
authorisation by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

2. Business Model

Time Bank will be re-opened in phases and in the early phases Time Bank will lend money without
taking deposits from the public. Thus, after re-opening Time Bank will not take deposits from the public
until further notice.

3. Banking Activities

Time Bank will provide the following loans and services;
a) Mortgage Loans with effect from 27 October 2022.
b) Other Loans, with effect from 1 December 2022, including the loans listed below;

i) Exporters’ loans including first time exporters.
ii) Corporate Loans
iii) Factoring of book debts
iv) Discounting of Medium-Term Bills and Promissory Notes
v) Discounting of Exporters’ receivables
vi) Consumer Loans
c) Services, listed below, with effect from 1 December 2022;
i) Portfolio Management Services
ii) Advisory Services
iii) Financial Agency Services
iv) Consultancy Services

4. Further Updates

Time Bank will provide more information to the public on the above mentioned products and services
in due course as part of further updates.

5. Appreciation

Time Bank wishes to thank all the people who stood by the bank and supported it during the difficult
times. We appreciate your support.

6. Contact Details

Our Contact Details are as follows:

Time Bank of Zimbabwe Limited
Head Office,

12th Floor, Social Security Centre,
58 Julius Nyerere Way/ Sam Nujoma Street, Harare

Telephone: + 263(24)2 708755/6, Email address: [email protected]

Website: www.timebank.co.zw

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Kazembe’s visit to UAE surveillance
expo ahead of 2023 raises eyebrows

BRENNA MATENDERE

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa recent- Emirates” provides insight into the use of ad- Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister Hon. Kazembe Kazembe
ly dispatched Home Affairs minister Kazembe vanced technology by the country's govern- The UAE’s Major-General Ahmad Naser al Raisi
Kazembe to attend a digital surveillance event ment to consolidate power through thr repres-
in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) amid in- sion of citizens.
dications that the Zimbabwean government,
which has been spending big on security and “The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has
the acquisition of weapons, is planning to made headlines for its use of mass surveillance
tighten monitoring of communications and technologies against UAE residents, as well
internet spaces ahead of the 2023 elections. as opponents externally. Under the guise of
protecting national security, there has been a
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa proliferation of state-led initiatives to moni-
in her post-cabinet briefing confirmed that tor public spaces and online activity across the
Kazembe travelled to Abu Dhabi for the 7th UAE, making the country an important labo-
edition of the International Exhibition for Na- ratory for advanced surveillance tools, includ-
tional Security and Resilience. ing the introduction of a biometric population
registry, digital fingerprinting, facial, and reti-
She said Kazembe’s visit was for the country na recognition at border crossings and within
to learn how it can use technology to improve cities,” the journal reads.
national security.
“Utilising a discourse of modernisation
“The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultur- and e-governance, resident biometric data are
al Heritage, Hon Kazembe Kazembe briefed shared across ministries, as well as major tele-
Cabinet on the 7th Edition of the Interna- communications corporations like Etisalat and
tional Exhibition for National Security and Du.”
Resilience, which he attended in Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates from 10 to 12 October, In January 2019, Zimbabwe imposed a “to-
2022,” Mutsvangwa said. tal internet shutdown” in what critics called an
attempt to hide growing reports of a violent
“The nation is being informed that the crackdown on protests against a dramatic fuel
Minister had the opportunity to visit various price increases. In the past, the government has
institutions under the United Arab Emirates’ also stifled opposition party activities like ral-
Ministry of Interior, where he gained valuable lies by tampering with connectivity to disturb
insights into how technology can be deployed live streaming.
and utilised to enhance policing, security and
safety of communities.”

According to Emirates News Agency, Kazem-
be was accompanied by officials from his min-
istry and was welcomed by Major-Genral Dr.
Adel Al Suwaidi, director of Jebel Ali Police
Station, chairperson of the board of directors
of police stations and a number of senior secu-
rity officers from the UAE.

Kazembe and his team, according to the
UAE media, was accompanied to the com-
mand-and-control centre, where they were
briefed about the latest services and initiatives
that enhance security and safety in the emir-
ates.

"They also learned about the centre’s equip-
ment and latest additions such as the 3D map
that covers Dubai and the patrols dispatching
system that ensures swift and efficient response
to reports and emergency calls," reported the
news agency.

The Kazembe delegation also toured both
the director of the General Directorate of Traf-
fic and the General Department of Criminal
Investigation before taking notes from securi-
ty-related presentations by UAE's Major-Gen-
eral Saif Muhair Al Mazroui and Major-Gen-
eral Jamal Salem Al Jalaf.

According to information posted by the or-
ganisers of the exhibition, Abu Dhabi National
Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), the event which
Kazembe attended focused on three main ar-
eas: the future of police, artificial intelligence,
and cybersecurity.

ADNEC said the event was designed for
“conversations on a number of important is-
sues and various topics, such as security bor-
ders, cyber security, and combating unmanned
aircraft systems, intelligence sharing, infra-
structure protection identity technology, co-
operation between stakeholders, and more.”

“The event will attract a prominent group of
decision-makers, experts and specialists in the
fields of national security and law enforcement
from different countries of the world,” added
ADNEC on its website ahead of the event.

The UAE’s Major-General Ahmad Naser al
Raisi, the chairperson of the higher committee
which organised the international security and
risk mitigation exhibition, was quoted as say-
ing the event would be organised to enhance
“wellbeing in the UAE community and par-
ticularly in terms of security, protection and
prevention.”

A SAGE journal article titled “Surveillance,
race and social sorting in the United Arab

News
SPECIAL BUDGET COVERAGEPage8 NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Ncube unveils US$5.6bn budget

BERNARD MPOFU Finance minister Mthuli Ncube presents the 2023 budget in Parliament on Thursday. — Picture: Aaron Ufumeli

FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube on Thurs- Significant highlights from presentation
day announced a ZW$4.5 trillion national bud-
get to be mainly funded by new belt-tightening l ZW$4.5 trillion budget against ministry bids been set aside for retooling for new equipment ment governance reforms in 2023;
tax measures and potentially inflation-stoking of over ZW$8.7 trillion; and replacement to support companies with the l The 2023 National Budget is setting aside
interventions such as raising the value-added l GDP growth cut to 4% from 4.6%; foreign currency requirements; resources to cover voter registration ZW$12 bil-
tax threshold and re-introducing import duty l Treasury to reinstate VAT rate to the previous l AfDB to disburse US$1.4 million towards lion, voter inspection ZW$11 billion and actual
on basic commodities. rate of 15%, with effect from 1 January 2023 projects aimed at reducing youth unemployment election conduct ZW$53 billion, among others;
from the current 14.5%; and gender inequality; l Zim plans to convene a a High-Level Debt
The current budget translates to US$7 bil- l Government has issued a US$154.6 million l The mining sector is expected to grow by 10% Resolution Forum with all creditors in early
lion using the official foreign exchange rate as equivalent local currency guarantee to AFC in 2022, from the mid-year projection of 9.5%; 2023;
of this week and US$5.6 billion using the paral- Holdings to raise resources from the market in l 11% of budget allocated to health below Abuja l Duty on basic commodities re-introduced; and
lel rate. Treasury has also cut the GDP growth support of the agricultural sector in 2022/23 Declaration threshold of 15%; l The IMTT on foreign currency transactions to
to 4% from 4.6% this year, a figure above the cropping season; l Development Partners have also committed local currency transactions reduced from 4% to
regional average of 2.5%. l US$22.5 million from the country’s SDRs has US$44.2 million to assist the country to imple- 2%.

After implementing a cocktail of stringent Rise in value-added tax to 15% from 14.5%, is likely going to increase prices of goods and services.
measures to tame inflation, the country’s fiscal
and monetary authorities have over the past few
months been hyping the slowing down of price
levels, which however continue to be one the
highest on the planet. With the manufacturing
sector still recovering from economic contrac-
tion, imports will continue to be on the shelves
of most supermarkets albeit at higher prices.

Following these measures, month-on-month
inflation which in July stood at 30.7% eased
to 3.2% in October as the authorities target
single!digit figures going forward. In 2023,
officials are expecting annual inflation to drop
to double digit figures underpinned by a tight
monetary policy, stable foreign exchange mar-
ket, strengthened government procurement
processes and fairly stable global commodity
prices.

Ncube told Parliament this week that in
the absence of budgetary support from inter-
national financial institutions, Treasury would
rely on domestic resources to finance the elec-
tion budget. He said total ministry bids more
than doubled to ZW$8,7 trillion highlighting
growing appetite by Ministries, Departments
and Agencies (MDA) on government coffers.

“Mr. Speaker Sir, you will recall that Gov-
ernment suspended customs duty on basic
commodities, in order to cushion consumers
from unjustified prices increases,” Ncube said.

“This measure has contributed to stability in
the prices of basic commodities, hence, the sus-
pension of duty, which expired on 16 Novem-
ber 2022, will not be extended. Government
will, however, continue to monitor the prices
of basic commodities, with a view to ensure
responsible pricing and affordability, failure of
which the suspension of duty will be reinstat-
ed.”

The Finance minister also increased value
added tax to 15% from 14.5%, a development
which is likely going to push prices of goods
and services.

He however said the impact on low-income
households will be “mitigated by existing ex-
emptions and zero-rating on basic goods and
services.”

“Mr Speaker sir, whereas the Sadc regional
standard Value Added Tax (VAT) rate averages
16%, Zimbabwe charges a comparatively lower
rate of 14.5%. The VAT rate was reduced from
15% with effect from 1 January 2020, in order
to support households during the peak period
of the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

“Implementation of strict measures to fight
the pandemic, complemented by the country-
wide vaccine roll-out programme, has enabled
Government to open up the economy to vari-
ous activities. I, therefore, propose to reinstate
the VAT rate to the previous rate of 15%, with
effect from 1 January 2023.”

Official figures show that global inflation has
quickened at a faster pace and more persistent-
ly than originally expected, rising from 4.7%
in 2021 to 8.8% in 2022, the highest rate in
advanced economies since 1982.

Experts say it is, however, expected to de-
celerate in 2023 and 2024 to 6.5% and 4.1%,
respectively. The outlook points to faster disin-
flation in advanced economies than in emerg-
ing markets and developing economies.

Persistent and increasing inflationary pres-
sures in 2022 have resulted in tighter monetary
and fiscal policies for most countries, against
the expansionary policies during the pandemic.

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Discredited PVO Bill spooks donors

OWEN GAGARE civil society ahead of elections next year. November 2021 and seeks to amend the PVO number of channels which include: employ-
The health sector was the biggest beneficiary Act to impose new restrictions, but civil so- ment creation, contribution to tax revenues,
THE Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) ciety organisations have warned the proposed foreign currency receipts, provision of so-
Bill has had an immediate and dramatic ef- in grant disbursements done between January amendments will constrain their work and vi- cial protection and humanitarian assistance,
fect on government projections, with Finance and September after receiving US$408.3 mil- olate human rights, while negatively affecting growth in the local tourism sector and overall
minister Mthuli Ncube estimating that grants lion followed by agriculture at US$100.1 mil- communities who depend on their activities. economic growth and development,” it says.
will decrease from US$776 million this year lion and governance at US$42.6 million.
to US$352.8 million next year, a variance of They also said the measures will hit the al- “Owing to the huge financing gap in pro-
US$423.2 million, although these are conser- A report titled Punching Holes To A Fragile ready struggling economy which relies on de- ductivity-enhancing and poverty-reducing
vative figures. Economy?, compiled by Prosper Chitamba- velopment partners to bridge yawning funding sectors of the economy such as health, educa-
ra, Clinton Musonza and Phillan Zamchiya, gaps due to the country’s inadequate budget tion, social protection, water and sanitation,
Researchers believe Zimbabwe will lose a lot which was released in March, says the pro- and resources. the country has had to rely on donor financing
more than what was projected by Ncube in his posed law will have a far-reaching negative from international NGOs and development
2023 National Budget statement presented on impact and implications not just for civil so- The report says NGOs are playing an in- partners. Sustained and strong partnerships
Thursday. ciety organisations, but also for government creasingly important role as agents of devel- with NGOs and other not-for-profit organisa-
development programmes and the poor who opment. The growth and expansion of NGOs tions such as trade unions will strengthen the
Between January and September this year, rely on aid for survival and access to critical across the globe is testament to their increas- implementation of the National Development
Zimbabwe received US$683.3 million, which social services. ingly important role in the development pro- Strategy 1 as well as the attainment of the
is way more than what the country is projected cess. It notes effective partnerships between country’s Vision 2030: Towards a Prosperous
to receive the whole of next year. “NGOs have also played a critical role in governments and NGOs are recognised as be- & Empowered Upper Middle-Income Society
bridging the huge financing gap in the critical ing crucial in accelerating sustainable develop- by 2030.”
“Development partners play an important sectors of the economy such as social protec- ment. The role of NGOs is even more import-
role in the implementation of national pro- tion, education, health, water and sanitation ant in low-income countries where the fiscal However, the government gazetted the Bill
grammes and projects through financial and among others,” the report says. space is limited. which it says seeks to comply with recommen-
technical assistance support. During the first dations made by the Financial Action Task
nine months of 2022, the country received “For instance, according to the 2022 nation- Humanitarian organisations offer a broad Force; streamline administrative procedures
official development assistance amounting to al budget statement, during the period January range of services that include: health, edu- and allow for the efficient regulation and ad-
US$638.3 million, of which US$402 million to September 2021, the country received de- cation, social protection, humanitarian as- ministration of PVOs; and to prevent PVOs
was from bilateral partners and US$236.3 mil- velopment assistance amounting to US$647.8 sistance, livelihood interventions, emergen- from undertaking political lobbying.
lion from multilateral partners,” said Ncube. million, of which US$401.9 million was from cy response, conflict resolution, democracy
bilateral partners and US$245.9 million from building, environmental management, and The Bill also prohibits trusts that are reg-
“The support was channeled towards fund- multilateral partners. policy analysis and advocacy. istered with the High Court, but are not reg-
ing programmes and projects in various sectors istered PVOs, from collecting contributions
of the economy which include health, agricul- “A further US$202.4 million in develop- NGOs across the world help to amplify the from the public or from outside Zimbabwe
ture, education, humanitarian and governance ment assistance is projected during the fourth voice as well enable inclusion of marginalised for any of the purposes specified in the defini-
sectors. An additional US$124.2 million is ex- quarter of 2021, giving cumulative receipts of groups, including women, persons with dis- tion of “private voluntary organisation”, that
pected to be disbursed during the fourth quar- US$850.2 million for the year. abilities and minority ethnic groups so that no is charitable purposes, social welfare assistance,
ter, bringing the total support for the year to one is left behind. legal aid and animal welfare.
US$776 million. In 2023, such support is pro- “In 2022, support from the development
jected at US$352.8 million mainly targeting partners is projected at US$761.5 million, bro- Creating an enabling environment for The 2022 monetary policy statement says
social sectors and governance programmes.” ken down as US$274.3 million and US$487.2 NGOs to operate is recognised as being crit- NGOs are the third-biggest earners of foreign
million from multilateral and bilateral part- ical for the attainment of the Agenda 2030 on currency in the country after export proceeds
The decline in development funding is likely ners, respectively. Importantly, a lot of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and and diaspora remittances. Total foreign cur-
to have devastating social and economic con- gains that have been registered in key health the African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa rency receipts from NGOs rose by 50.5% from
sequences for the country next year amid indi- and social indicators have been on account of We Want. US$647.78 million in 2020 to US$975.16
cations the government is persisting with the the partnership between the government and million in 2021.
repressive legislative agenda, aimed at stifling NGOs.” “In Zimbabwe, NGOs have been important
drivers of sustainable development through a
The PVO Amendment Bill was gazetted in

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

BERNARD MPOFU Govt hard-pressed to appease
restless public sector workers
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube has proposed
to increase the proportion of employment costs Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube presenting the 2023 budget on Thursday. — Picture: Aaron Ufumeli
on state expenditure to 52.4% from 42.3% as the
desperate government makes frantic efforts to ap- 2019 to 30 September 2022. “The fund has shareholding in major finan- “Government is committed to supporting the
pease the 300 000-strong civil service ahead of the “This represents a growth rate of 60% month cial institutions namely; 10% in CBZH, 10% in Pension Fund’s asset, such as commercial proper-
2023 general elections. FBCH from which dividends are being received ties, agricultural land and financial assets to the
over month. The fund is expected to generate and a compendium of residential and commer- Pension Fund, as well as settling current employer
The government has been facing growing pub- wealth and match the 2012 actuarial valuation cial properties from which the fund is collecting pension payments in order to allow the fund to
lic resentment due to a floundering economy pension liability of US$4.8 billion (ZW$2.65 monthly rentals. grow.”
which has effectively wiped out domestic savings. trillion),” Ncube said.

With triple-digit inflation Zimbabwe has one
of the highest inflation in the world.

Public service employees, mainly in the educa-
tion and health sectors, have throughout the year
been expressing displeasure over their remunera-
tion packages, prompting the authorities to an-
nounce both monetary and non-monetary incen-
tives which were frowned upon in some quarters.

Ncube also proposed to increase payouts made
to liberation war veterans in his 2023 budget.
War veterans have since the turn of the millenni-
um been a vital cog in Zanu PF’s power retention
strategy.

Zimbabweans will next year vote in the gen-
eral elections, amid rising political temperatures
and persecution of opposition activists and hu-
man rights defenders.

Ncube said the 2023 National Budget has a
provision of ZW$2.2 trillion for employment
costs, inclusive of grant-aided institutions and
pensioners, medical aid and pension contribu-
tion. This amount includes ZW$659.4 billion
and ZW$336.5 billion for the salaries and allow-
ances for education and health sectors, respective-
ly.

“The share of employment costs to total expen-
diture is projected at 52.4% in 2023, an increase
from 42.3% in 2022,” the Finance minister said.

“The increase in the employment cost level is
on account of the need to cushion civil servants
against the impact of global economic challenges
and domestic price increase.”

The budget statement shows that the ministry
of Primary and Secondary Education received the
highest vote allocation, which would also be gob-
bled up by wages.

“Primary and Secondary Education has been
allocated ZW$631.3 billion to provide quality
infant, junior and secondary education, with the
bulk of the allocation going towards payment
of salaries for teachers and other learning costs,”
Ncube said.

Commenting on the Public Service Pension
Fund, Ncube said the fund is now valued at
US$113 million (ZW$70 billion) or 3% of the
fund’s projected pension liability for the years

Zimbabwe has been facing growing public resentment due to a floundering economy.

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Zim foreign debt now US$14.4bn

DEBT-RIDDEN Zimbabwe’s total official The AfDB extended a US$3 million grant for technical assistance to Zimbabwe under the Arrears Clearance and Governance Enhancement Project.
Public and Publicly Guaranteed (PPG) debt is
estimated at ZW$2.2 trillion for domestic debt US$711 million to the African Development to US$5.6 billion, with US$3.9 billion owed all external debt owed to multilateral develop-
and US$14 billion for external debt (including Bank, US$358 million to the European Invest- to the Paris Club creditors and US$1.8 billion ment financial institutions (MDBs) is now in
blocked funds of US$3.1 billion) as at the end ment Bank, and US$66 million to other multi- owed to Non-Paris Club creditors. Arrears, ac- arrears, (World Bank Group, US$1.4 billion or
of September 2022, as the country plans to lateral creditors. cording to the latest Treasury statistics, remain 88%, African Development Bank, US$681 mil-
convene a high-level meeting with its creditors a major challenge to the economy, constituting lion or 95% and European Investment Bank,
during the first quarter of 2023. On the other hand, bilateral PPG external more than 77% of total external debt. Almost US$344 million or 95%). — STAFF WRITER.
debt as at the end of December 2021 amounted
With no budgetary support to finance its
capital projects due to a huge debt albatross,
Zimbabwe has largely relied on domestic re-
sources such as taxes, Treasury Bills, bilateral
grants and, most recently, part of its Interna-
tional Monetary Fund Special Drawing Rights
holdings to finance some of its key capital proj-
ects.

The country went into arrears at the turn of
the millennium and has been making frantic
efforts to normalise relations with its creditors.
Just this year, Zimbabwe crafted a new debt and
arrears strategy in an effort to extricate itself
from this debt which has worsened the sover-
eign risk profile.

The Arrears Clearance, Debt Relief and Re-
structuring (ACDRR) Strategy outlines and
explores possible debt resolution options under
the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
Initiative and non-HIPC Initiative scenarios.

The strategy critically hinges on the con-
tinued strengthening of cooperation with the
international financial institutions (IFIs), im-
plement options of comprehensive economic
and governance reforms, negotiating for arrears
clearance, debt relief and restructuring with the
IFIs, Paris Club creditors and non-Paris Club
creditors.

As a sign of our commitment to the engage-
ment and re-engagement process with the in-
ternational community and implementation of
the strategy, the government resumed making
quarterly token payments in March 2021 to the
IFIs.

In addition, the government extended quar-
terly token payments of US$100 000 to each
of the 16 Paris Club bilateral creditors (includ-
ing Germany), beginning September 2021. The
cumulative payments to date amount to US$8
million.

Presenting the 2023 National Budget this
week, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube told law-
makers the government has intensified re-en-
gagement with creditors.

“As part of actualisation of the ACDRR
Strategy, the President of the African Develop-
ment Bank Group (AfDB), Dr A. A. Adesina
is the country’s champion of arrears clearance
and debt resolution process with the IFIs and
bilateral creditors,” Ncube said.

“The African Development Bank (AfDB) has
also extended a US$3 million grant for techni-
cal assistance to Zimbabwe under the Arrears
Clearance and Governance Enhancement Proj-
ect. With this technical assistance, Government
is in the process of establishing and formalis-
ing a structured Dialogue Platform with all
creditors and IFIs, leading to the convening
of a High-Level Debt Resolution Forum with
all creditors in early 2023. The aim is to build
consensus among all creditors and stakeholders
on the reform agenda the options, process and
procedures of resolving the country’s external
debt overhang.

“In this regard, the overall annual borrow-
ing limit has been set at 5.75% of GDP for the
year 2023, informed by the level of the budget
deficit and Government’s capacity as guided by
Public Debt Management Act and commit-
ments.”

Official figures from Treasury show that
the country remains in debt distress, with an
unsustainable PPG external debt overhang
amounting to US$14.4 billion as at the end of
December 2021.

The country has been unable to meet its debt
servicing obligations and has, therefore, been
accumulating external debt arrears since 2000,
which are now estimated at US$6.6 billion as at
the end of December 2021.

PPG external debt owed to the multilater-
al creditors, as at the end of December 2021,
amounted to US$2.7 billion, of which US$1.5
billion is owed to the World Bank Group,

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Treasury slashes growth estimates to 4%

BERNARD MPOFU Zimbabwe expects the 3.8% growth during 2023 to be sustained mainly by mining, and agriculture (below).

SOFTENING commodity prices on
the international market have forced
Zimbabwe’s Treasury to cut economic
growth projections for this year to 4%
from 4.5% as the government’s ambi-
tious plan to build an upper middle
class economy by 2030 appear to have
been thrown off the rail.

A bullish commodity market after
Russia's invasion of Ukraine war was
seen as a boon for Zimbabwe’s min-
ing sector-driven economy which en-
dured two successive years of econom-
ic contraction between 2019/20.

The Zimbabwe National Statis-
tics Agency (ZimStat), in September
2022, published gross domestic prod-
uct (GDP) figures for the period 2019
to 2021, with revealed GDP growth
rates of -7.8% and 8.5% in 2020 and
2021, respectively.

The authorities see growth during
2022 being mainly driven by mining
(10%), construction (10.5%) and ac-
commodation and food services sec-
tors (56.3%).

“Due to the base effect, global and
domestic developments, particularly
the impact of high inflation and re-
sultant stabilisation measures on cred-
it and demand, the economy is now
projected to grow by 4% in 2022, a
further downward revision from the
mid-year projection of 4.6%,” Fi-
nance minister Mthuli Ncube said.

“In the outlook, the economy is
now projected to grow by 3.8% in
2023, compared to the NDS 1 [Na-
tional Development Strategy] target
of not less than 5%, on account of
the uncertain global economic out-
look and potential domestic adverse
factors. However, the average growth
rate for the period 2021-23 is estimat-
ed at 5.4%, which is in line with the
NDS 1 target. In the medium term,
GDP growth is projected to improve
to about 4.8% and 5% in 2024 and
2025, respectively.”

According to the International
Monetary Fund, the GDP growth of
the Sadc region is projected to deceler-
ate to 2.5% in 2022, from a recovery
of 4.2% recorded in 2021. South Af-
rica, a major economy in the region,
is projected to grow by 1.9% in 2022
and by 1.4% in 2023, with electricity
supply constraints and underperform-
ing state-owned enterprises expected
to weigh down growth.

Angola’s economic growth is ex-
pected to accelerate to 2.9% in 2022,
with non-oil sectors of agriculture,
construction, and transportation be-
ing the main drivers.

In 2023, growth is expected to
reach 3.5% driven by high oil prices
and the strong performance of non-
oil sectors.

The 3.8% growth during 2023,
Ncube said, will be sustained mainly
by mining, construction and agricul-
ture, as well as accommodation sec-
tors underpinned by global economic
growth slowing down; favourable in-
ternational commodity prices; normal
to above normal rainfall; stable pow-
er supply; tight monetary and fiscal
policies; and continued use of the
multi-currency.

“The uncertain global economic
outlook presents risks to the above
projections through continued taper-
ing of international commodity pric-
es. Similarly, the impact of climate
change through droughts, floods, cy-
clones, as well as uneven distribution
of rainfall may affect the attainment
of the desired targets,” Ncube said.

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

ZW$3bn for RG Mugabe Airport
upgrade, amid faulty radar system

BRENNA MATENDERE Expansion and upgrading (below) is underway at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.

THE upgrading of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe In-
ternational Airport in Harare has been allocated
ZW$3.1 billion by Finance minister Mthuli Ncube as
fears mount that the port of entry has become a ma-
jor conduit for smugglers due to inadequate security
and a danger to civil aviation owing to obsolete radar
equipment.

Presenting the 2023 budget on Thursday, Ncube
said the RGM Airport needed modern traffic control,
surveillance, aircraft communication and weather
equipment.

“Improvements in airport infrastructure will estab-
lish the country as a gateway to the continent and
the world, benefiting from the rebound in tourism, as
Covid-19 lockdown measures ease across the globe,”
said Ncube.

He added: “Support will mainly focus on the Rob-
ert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, funded
from a loan from China Exim Bank. Completion of
the project will increase passengers and cargo han-
dling capacity at the airport, ensuring it becomes one
of the regional aviation hubs, attracting more airlines
and facilitating tourist arrivals.”

“The Budget will provide ZW$3.1 billion for the
procurement and installation of air traffic control,
surveillance, aircraft communication and weather
equipment in order to improve air safety and secu-
rity.”

The growing concerns over the RGM Airport’s ra-
dar system were first raised by parliamentarians.

Parliament’s Budget Committee headed by Oscar
Gorerino in December last year raised alarm over the
situation, describing it as a national security risk.

In July this year during a briefing to the Defence,
Home Affairs and Security Parliamentary Portfolio
Committee, chief aviation security officer Gilbert

Chimoto told the MPs that there was no equip-
ment to detect minerals at the airport.

In particular, there are no diamond-detecting ma-
chines.

Chimoto said the minerals were supposed to be de-
tected before going through the security system.

In its current state, the radar system at the RGM
Airport has no capacity to detect light planes flying at
low altitude, making it possible for smugglers to loot
the country’s minerals and supply drugs undetected.

In addition, the RGM Airport as a whole again is
not fitted with critical Distance Measuring Equip-
ment (DME), which is essential for air traffic control.

Currently the expansion of terminals at the airport
is being carried out by a Chinese company, China Ji-
angsu.

Afreximbank poured in US$153 million for the
project, but the fund is a loan to the government of
Zimbabwe.

The departure and arrival sections are expected to
be completed before the end of this year, according to
statements made by Transport minister Felix Mhona
in July when he led the last delegation that toured the
facility.

The current renovations are also expected to result
in the construction of a VVIP lounge and pavilion at
the airport.

Before coming to the RGM Airport, the Chinese
company upgraded Victoria Falls International Air-
port in 2016, which trebled the airport’s annual pas-
senger handling capacity to 1.5 million.

The RGM Airport, despite boasting the longest
runway in Africa, was last upgraded in 2001, which
makes its facilities outdated.

Minutes of a meeting held on 10 May last year be-
tween the Air Traffic Controllers' Association of Zim-
babwe (ATCAZ) and the Civil Aviation Authority of
Zimbabwe (CAAZ) board of directors revealed that
the radar system risk had deteriorated to the extent
that a helicopter from Zambia landed at the Harare
airport without being detected in April 2021.

The crew of the Zambian aircraft are said to have
made claims that they had tried to communicate with
the control tower attendants at the RGM Airport be-
fore landing, but did not succeed.

ATCAZ at that meeting complained bitterly about
the dismal handling of air traffic control at the air-
port, which it said dated back to as far back as 2010.

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

BERNARD MPOFU Broke govt rejigs US$3.5bn
compensation to farmers
ZIMBABWE’S cash-strapped Treasury has
proposed a staggered payout plan to settle Zimbabwe deferred payment of US$1.75 billion in compensation to white former commercial farmers after failing to raise the required funds.
the US$3.5 billion compensation to white The land reform programme intensified the country’s international isolation.
ex-commercial farmers who lost vast tracts of
land when the government embarked on the
chaotic land reform programme at the turn of
the millennium after missing initial deadlines.

The redistribution of land to locals has
been an emotive undertaking, which also
intensified international isolation for the
southern African nation. Critics say failure to
compensate previous owners and the modus
operandi used under the programme resulted
in Zimbabwe being slapped with sanctions by
some Western governments.

Two years ago, the country agreed to pay
US$3.5 billion in compensation to white
farmers whose land was expropriated by the
government to resettle black families, moving
a step closer to resolving one of the most di-
visive policies during long-time leader Robert
Mugabe’s era. At the time, Treasury hoped
that half of the amount would have been paid
by mid-2021.

According to the compensation agreement
between farmers and the government, Zim-
babwe, which is barely recovering from two
years of economic contraction, does not have
the money and will issue long-term bonds
and jointly approach international donors
with the farmers to raise funding.

Presenting the 2023 National Budget at
the new Parliament Building in Mt Hamp-
den, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube pro-
posed to lawmakers to use debt instruments
to settle the longstanding issue.

“Interim cash payment of 10% (US$350
million) of the Global Compensation value
(US$3.5 billion), over four years,” Ncube
said.

“Government will pay interim cash pay-
ments of US$35 million per year for 3 years,
starting in 2023 to 2025, with the balance of
US$295 million being paid in 2026 from the
sale proceeds of the FFO 12.5% Kuvimba
shareholding and/or sale of any other Gov-
ernment asset.”

The cash payments, the Finance chief add-
ed, will be made in any jurisdiction in United
States dollars to an account of former farm
owners’ choice, payable biannually in Febru-
ary and July; and issuance of US dollar Trea-
sury bonds for the 90% balance of US$3.15
billion, with 0% coupon in the first four years
and 1% coupon starting from the 5th year.

“The Treasury bonds will be issued in 2023
and have maturities ranging from 6 to 20
years. The coupon payments will be bi-an-
nual in March and August in United States
dollars,” he said.

The TBs will be issued with features which
include prescribed asset status; liquid asset sta-
tus; tradable; payments emanating from the
bonds will not be subject to taxation, includ-
ing income, capital gains and/or inheritance
in Zimbabwe and redeemable as and when
additional resources become available to the
government.

Early this year, Treasury deferred the pay-
ment of US$1.75 billion in compensation to
white former commercial farmers after failing
to raise the required funds.

Ncube has said the government would
make payments mid-year after missing the
initial date. Last year, Treasury announced
the appointment of United Kingdom-based
Newstate Partners as financial advisers to the
agreement with effect from April 2021.

According to Ncube, the financial advisers
have already commenced work with the Joint
Resource Mobilisation Committee support-
ing its capital-raising efforts.

Ncube then said the Newstate Partners had
tabled funding options that include bonds is-
sued domestically (both listed and unlisted),
bonds issued into international markets (both
listed and unlisted); and listed and unlisted
equity and quasi type instruments.

The former commercial farmers last June
received their first pay cheque of US$1 mil-
lion in the form of a dividend for the 12.5%
equity the government gave them in Kuvim-
ba Mining House which they described as
only a tiny fraction of the finances required to
pay off the full compensation amount.

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

PRISCA TSHUMA Kuvimba House backs govt
in compensating pensioners
STATE-OWNED enterprise Kuvimba
Mining House has disbursed US$354 700 Business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei
in compensation to pensioners who suf-
fered losses during the 2019 currency re-
forms, said Finance minister Mthuli Ncube
in his budget statement on Thursday.

The mining group that is linked to
business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei
declared its first dividend last year, pay-
ing US$5.2 million to its investors, who
include the government, after it reported
record production. In this regard, the In-
surance and Pensions Commission got
US$400 000. The dividend was paid to
shareholders in the first quarter of 2022.

“A total of 3 547 pensioners from
the first group of vulnerable pension-
ers have been paid US$100 each,
translating to a disbursement of
US$354 700, out of the US$400 000 ap-
portioned to the compensation as at 30
September 2022,” Ncube said.

In February 2019, the Reserve Bank
of Zimbabwe introduced a market-deter-
mined exchange rate that entailed a transi-
tion from exchange rate of US$1:RTGS$1,
initially to US$1:RTGS$2.5, which result-
ed in a loss for pensioners.

In 2020, the government promised to
compensate the small and vulnerable de-
positors who had US$1 000 and below, for
the exchange rate movement with resources
equivalent to US$75 million.

Ncube said the first round of compensa-
tion was paid to the most vulnerable pen-
sioners with low annual income and the
remainder would be paid when the govern-
ment has more resources.

“The first dividend tranche targeted pen-
sioners and beneficiaries earning an annual
pension below ZW$1 000 as at 31 Decem-
ber 2020 and subsequent disbursements
will be made once more resources are avail-
able,” he said.

Kuvimba Mining House is the largest
mining house in Zimbabwe, owning shares
in eight mining companies in the country.
These include the mining blue chip, Bindu-
ra Nickel Corporation, Freda Rebecca Gold
Mine, Shamva Gold Mine, Jena Mine, Elv-
ington Mine and Zim Alloys.

In June this year, it acquired 50% stake
in Great Dyke Investments (GDI) from
Afromet Joint Stock Company, thereby
becoming the majority shareholder in the
platinum mine. GDI is the largest system
of platinum group metals mineralisation in
the world.

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Finance minister splurges
cash on teachers, farmers
FINANCE minister Mthuli Ncube on Thurs-
day allocated the highest vote of ZW$631.3 Teachers play a critical role in elections, as they both vote and play the role of polling officers.
billion to the education ministry in an attempt
to appease restive teachers ahead of next year’s “So the actual value of teachers' salaries re- sources. Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation,
general elections. mains questionable, and until we see the resto- The budgetary vote also includes a contin- Science and Technology Development, with
ration of US$540, there is very little traction an allocation of ZW$156.5 billion mainly for
The troubled Health and Child Care min- from the 2023 budget. We also wonder wheth- gency reserve of ZW$74.7 billion, as well as development of a skilled and competent hu-
istry, still smarting from the Covid-19 pan- er this is the budget that can usher in free ed- funding for parastatals under the ministry such man capital, including support to universities,
demic, was allocated ZW$473.8 billion for the ucation as enunciated by government as it falls as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Zimba- teachers’ colleges and polytechnical colleges.
provision of medical services to citizens, the far short of supporting more than 4.6 million bwe National Statistics Agency, Printflow, and
second-highest allocation. pupils in schools, infrastructural development Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Re- The ministry of Women's Affairs, Com-
and implementation of a vibrant and skills rev- search Unit. munity, Small and Medium Enterprises was
Most of the country’s health facilities, in- olution implied by the updated curriculum,” allocated ZW$18.5 billion for women's em-
cluding major referral hospitals such as Pari- he said. Auditor-General Mildred Chiri’s office was powerment programmes, gender equality and
renyatwa, Sally Mugabe and Mpilo hospitals allocated ZW$9.9 billion, mainly for audit of promotion of small to medium enterprises de-
are in a bad state while basic medication is in In other allocations made by Ncube, the Of- the accounts, financial systems, and financial velopment.
short supplies. fice of the President and Cabinet (OPC) which management of public entities.
houses the Central Intelligence Department The Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage
Patients across the country are being asked (CIO), was allocated ZW$161.7 billion. The Industry and Commerce ministry got ministry got an allocation of ZW$293 billion
to purchase medical sundries and drugs for an allocation of ZW$15.6 billion to cover sup- towards the maintenance of law and order, reg-
themselves because supplies are not available at Ncube said the money will “cover overall port programmes for industry such as indus- istration and issuance of secure identification
most institutions. government supervision including cost of en- trialisation, consumer protection and quality documents, as well as migration management
gagement and re-engagement efforts currently assurance.
The Agriculture ministry was allocated underway, some of which will be undertaken The ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamen-
ZW$362.5 billion. The ministry has over the by the Presidium.” The Mines and Mining Development min- tary Affairs was allocated ZW$120.3 billion
years played a critical role in helping to mobil- istry was allocated ZW$12.9 billion to cover towards the effective delivery of justice, incar-
ise support for Zanu PF by luring votes from The Defence and War Veterans ministry, sustainable mining development in the coun- ceration and rehabilitation of offenders while
rural farmers who benefit from state-funded which is usually pampered, was allocated try, including mineral exploration and support the Information, Publicity and Broadcasting
farming programmes. ZW$331.1 billion for maintenance of defence to artisanal, as well as small-scale miners. Services ministry’s allocation stood at ZW$8.6
and security, as well as to ensure the social and billion mainly for information dissemination
The distribution of inputs in some rural ar- economic wellbeing of war veterans, according The Environment, Climate Change, Tour- to the public and image building of Zimbabwe.
eas is along party lines, with Zanu PF support- to Ncube. ism and Hospitality Industry ministry has a
ers being assisted while in many cases opposi- provision of ZW$14.2 billion in the 2023 bud- The Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation min-
tion activists are denied. The Parliament of Zimbabwe was allocated get to cover development and implementation istry was allocated ZW$25.1 billion towards
ZW$47.8 billion to cover its activities while of environmental and tourism programmes, empowerment, employment creation, youth
“Primary and Secondary Education has been the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare including environmental protection. participation in national development pro-
allocated ZW$631.3 billion to provide qual- got ZW$91.6 billion, with Ncube saying the grammes, as well as recreational activities.
ity infant, junior and secondary education, money will mainly be for social protection pro- The Transport and Infrastructural Devel-
with the bulk of the allocation going towards grammes, such as Basic Education Assistance opment ministry received an allocation of The Energy and Power Development min-
the payment of salaries for teachers and other Module, drought mitigation, harmonised cash ZW$144.6 billion towards the development of istry got an allocation of ZW$15.5 billion for
learning costs . . . transfers, as well as support towards people liv- transport infrastructure such as roads, airports, the provision of energy supply and the bulk of
ing with disability, among other social inter- railway and ports of entry. the allocation targets electricity supply inter-
“Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water ventions. ventions while the Information, Communica-
and Rural Development has been allocated Foreign Affairs and International Trade was tion Technology and Courier Services minis-
ZW$362.5 billion, most of which is for pro- The Finance and Economic Development allocated ZW$81.9 billion to promote, pro- try’s allocation stood at ZW$17.4 billion.
grammes that ensure food security in the coun- ministry got a share of ZW$259.9 billion to- tect and safeguard the interest of the country,
try, such as agriculture input support under wards the formulation of macro-economic pol- while the Local Government and Public Works The National Housing and Social Amenities
the Agriculture Productive Social Protection icies and national development plans, as well ministry got an allocation of ZW$98.6 billion ministry had an allocation of ZW$27.7 bil-
Scheme, management of the Strategic Grain as mobilisation and management of public re- mainly towards for managing local authorities, lion for the provision of affordable and decent
Reserve, water harvesting and irrigation devel- as well as provide maintenance of government housing.
opment,” said Ncube. infrastructure.

Teachers play a critical role in elections, as
they both vote and play the role of polling of-
ficers.

Since the beginning of the year, the educa-
tors have been up in arms with the govern-
ment, demanding a pay increment.

In February, the teachers declared incapac-
itation ahead of the opening of schools, de-
manding that government act swiftly on civil
servants’ poor salaries to enable the educators
to resume their normal duties.

In an interview with The NewsHawks, Amal-
gamated Rural Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe
(Artuz) president Obert Masaraure, however
said Ncube’s latest 2023 budgetary allocation
to the Education ministry would not appease
the educators.

“The money allocated for the education sec-
tor won't be enough to pay teachers a mini-
mum salary of US$540 per month. Teachers
will remain underpaid. The education money
also fell short of our 20% expectation in line
with the Dakar Declaration,” he said.

Masaraure added that the government must
do more to meet the Dakar Declaration thresh-
old.

“Our advocacy for improved budgetary sup-
port towards education is bearing fruits. If we
are to use the total quantum of expenditure ex-
cluding loan repayments, support towards ed-
ucation goes to almost 15%. We urge govern-
ment to raise support towards the 20% Dakar
threshold,” he said,

“Unfortunately, this amount won't be
enough to appease teachers who still expect a
minimum of US$540.”

Takavafira Zhou, the Progressive Teachers'
Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president, was
also not happy with the budget.

“The education budget at 14% of the total
budget falls far short of a development budget
and does not resonate with the Dakar Agree-
ment of a budget hovering above 20% of na-
tional budget for the ministry of Primary and
Secondary Education,” Zhou said.

“Above all, it is in RTGS that lacks credibil-
ity and sustainability and is susceptible to hy-
per-inflation and erosion of value. One would
have expected a budget in US dollars so that
teachers could be guaranteed of a stable salary
value and restoration of their purchasing power
parity, pegged at US$540.”

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

NATHAN GUMA Auxillia Mnangagwa gets
National Budget allocation
FIRST Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has
been mentioned in the National Budget First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa
— the first time for a first lady — and
will get Treasury funding for her pro-
grammes as she increasingly gets involved
in government duties.

The First Lady will get Treasury fi-
nancial support under tourism advocacy
and awareness, according to the National
Budget statement presented by Finance
minister Mthuli Ncube this week.

“In an effort to improve tourism
awareness in communities, the First Lady
together with the line Ministry, contrib-
uted to the diversification of the tourism
product base through the introduction of
Gastronomy Tourism by promoting tra-
ditional foods and cuisines.

“The National Cookout Competitions
will be cascaded to district levels and up-
grading to regional (Sadc) level,” reads
the budget statement.

The First Lady launched the compe-
titions in 2020 to promote uptake of
traditional dishes, a programme that she
has since handed over to the ministry
of Environment, Climate, Tourism and
Hospitality.

The First Lady has also been penetrat-
ing the health sector through her Angel
of Hope Foundation, which saw her
being named Ambassador of Health in
2018.

She has also been involved in diploma-
cy — roles that are set aside for diplo-
mats, the minister of Foreign Affairs and
the President, among other officials.

This month, she met with Iranian For-
eign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahi-
an, where they discussed on expanding
and deepening relations between the two
countries, work that is reserved for diplo-
mats and the President.

Amir-Abdollahian said ties between
the two countries continue to grow and
expressed hope that, in the near future
and with the holding of the 9th meeting
of the Joint Commission on Cooperation
between the two countries, relations in all
fields will further develop.

The recent mention in the budget, and
involvement in governance is also iron-
ic, considering that the November 2017
coup was partly justified by the need to
resist former first lady Grace Mugabe
who was dabbling in party and govern-
ment business.

Writing from exile in South Africa
before the coup, Mnangagwa said Grace
was controlling party and government
business.

“This party is now controlled by un-
disciplined, egotistical and self-serving
minnows who derive power, not from the
party, but from only two individuals in
the form of the first family who have now
privatised our beloved institution.

“I now urge all the genuine members
of the party to determine for themselves
who between the three of us, including
your wife, is the real culprit is destroying
our party,” he said.

Page 18 News NewsHawks

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE Issue 109, 25 November 2022

CITIZENS' Coalition for Change senior Electoral Bill doesn’t pass
official Tendai Biti has dismissed the Elec- democracy test, says Biti
toral Amendment Bill as currently drafted,
saying it does not address various com- CCC senior official Tendai Biti
plaints raised by the opposition.
Norton MP Temba Mliswa
Speaking to The NewsHawks after the
State of the Nation address by President
Emmerson Mnangagwa at the new Parlia-
ment building in Mt Hampden, Biti said
the security of the vote and the ballot are
key in any election, but the Bill is mum
about the two important. In his address,
the President urged parliamentarians to
push the Bill ahead of the 2023 general
elections.

“The Electoral Amendment Bill as it
currently stands is pointless, it does not
address the real issues that need to be ad-
dressed, number one the security of the
voter, number two the security of the vote,
number three the live transmission of re-
sults,” he said.

In previous elections there has been se-
rious voter intimidation, especially in rural
areas where village heads are used by the
ruling Zanu PF to shepherd villagers to the
polling stations and ensure they vote for
the party.

Violence, including arson, has also been
widely used to intimidate voters.

Biti also spoke on the silence on the
need to reform institutions manning elec-
tions.

“The Bill should ensure that all the in-
stitutions respect the right of the citizen to
vote, the de-militarisation of our elections.
The current Electoral Act does not address
those issues,” he added.

Opposition parties and civil society
members have over the years complained
that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission
which runs election is heavily militarised.
These include the chief elections officer
Utloile Silaigwana.

Apart from persons with a military
background, Zec is also staffed with offi-
cials who have links with the intelligence.

His sentiments were echoed by MDC-T
president Douglas Mwonzora, who says
recommendations of the 2018 election ob-
server mission reports were ignored in the
Bill.

He also called for the de-militarisation
of Zec.

“There are various suggestions made by
observer missions in 2018 and unfortu-
nately these observations have not been in-
corporated into the Bill that we have seen.
We do not have the diaspora vote. We do
not have the institutional reformation of
the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. So,
this Electoral Bill as it stands does not ad-
dress the issues that were raised in 2018,”
said Mwonzora.

Foreign-based Zimbabweans have been
clamouring for the diaspora vote. Zec is
however on record as saying it is imped-
ed by the law which speaks to polling sta-
tion-based voting.

Independent Norton legislator Temba
Mliswa said the 5th session is an opportu-
nity to debate the Bill.

“The Electoral Bill is critical, It addresses
issues which affect democracy and, as such,
this is the time to come together. I am hop-
ing that the legislators and political players
are involved in this because we are now
going for elections and the only thing that
there is, is to make sure that the elections
are free and credible. The President has
now given us an opportunity to debate on
it and make sure that we reform. Reforms
are critical and this is one of the reforms
that has been spoken about,” said Mliswa.

Biti said the Bill does not address the
authorities' failure to ensure fair access to
public media by all political parties.

“. . . number four the issue of the media,
equal access of everyone to the media,” he
said.

Over the years the opposition has al-
ways demanded access to public media, to
unpack their manifestos as does the ruling
party.

Fair and equitable access to public me-
dia is not addressed in the current Bill.

NewsHawks News Page 19

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

BERNARD MPOFU Economic success hinges on
credible elections, says EU
THE European Union (EU) says the success of
Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint hinges on the EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Jobst von Kirchmann
holding of a credible general election as political
temperatures rise ahead of the 2023 polls.

As the election beckons, government spin doc-
tors have in recent months been hyping ongoing
infrastructure projects such as the rehabilitation of
the Harare-Beitbridge highway, the easing of infla-
tion, the discovery of oil and gas reserves in Mu-
zarabani as key economic gains achieved by Pres-
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of the polls.
Critics and international organisations such as the
World Bank however say Zimbabwe, which cur-
rently has the highest food inflation in the world,
remains in the woods.

Zimbabwe is next year expected to hold general
elections at a time the governing Zanu PF appears
to be stopping at nothing to establish a one-party
state which analysts say will plunge the country
deeper into authoritarianism.

The polls will be the first one for opposition
leader Nelson Chamisa since he lost control of the
Movement for Democratic Change through a le-
gal wrangle before forming the Citizens’ Coalition
for Change (CCC).

This week, the EU mission in Zimbabwe signed
a US$45.9 million financing agreement with gov-
ernment to fund the country’s health delivery sys-
tem and electoral process.

Jobst von Kirchmann, the head of the EU dele-
gation in Zimbabwe, said the regional bloc wants
the country to succeed in its quest to achieve up-
per middle income status by 2030.

“Looking to next year, I think we all agree that
credible and peaceful elections will be a key ele-
ment that will allow Zimbabwe to create a pros-
perous environment and to make the National
Development Strategy and Vision 2030 a reality,”
von Kirchmann said.

“To contribute to that and in line with the
NDS 1 strategy of strengthening the capacity of
independent commissions, the European Union
is committing today €4.5 million to the Zimba-
bwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to deliver on its
mandate. When I presented my credentials to his
Excellency President Mnangagwa back in October
and I asked him how can the EU support elections
in Zimbabwe, he suggested a support to the Zim-
babwe Electoral Commission.”

The EU dispatched an observer mission in
2018 to witness the first election after the coup
that overthrew the late former president Robert
Mugabe and saw him being replaced by Emmer-
son Mnangagwa who faced off with main opposi-
tion candidate Nelson Chamisa in a tightly con-
tested race.

Mnangagwa had a wafer-thin win over his
arch-rival Chamisa who challenged the election
outcome citing electoral fraud and an uneven play-
ing field. Chamisa, then leader of the MDC-Alli-
ance, lost the case in the Supreme Court.

As part of the 2018 recommendations, the
observer mission called for the independence of
Zec, an improved level playing field, a better legal
framework and the inclusiveness of the process.

The mission said state-owned media must be
impartial in its coverage. It also recommended that
Zimbabwe introduce legal measures to mitigate
the abuse of incumbency and of state resources.

Page 20 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

European bank keen on Zim ties

BERNARD MPOFU

THE European Investment Bank (EIB), one of Head of EIB representation for southern Africa and Indian Ocean Jim Hodges
Zimbabwe’s multilateral creditors, says it is keen to
work with the southern African nation as Harare multilateral financial institution in the world and billion as at the end of December 2021. owed to the World Bank Group, US$711 mil-
seeks to settle arrears and normalise relations with one of the largest providers of climate finance. I The country has been unable to meet its debt lion to the African Development Bank, US$358
the international community. am very proud that our bank could setup a private million to the European Investment Bank, and
lending facility in Zimbabwe”, von Kirchmann servicing obligations and has, therefore, been US$66 million to other multilateral creditors.
The continuing accumulation of arrears is also said. accumulating external debt arrears since 2000,
seriously undermining the country’s credit rating which are now estimated at US$6.6 billion as at On the other hand, bilateral PPG external debt
and severely compromising the ability to attract Official figures from Treasury show that the the end of December 2021. as at the end of December 2021 amounted to
foreign direct investment. It is also hampering ef- country remains in debt distress, with an unsus- US$5.6 billion, with US$3.9 billion owed to the
forts to mobilise direct budgetary and balance of tainable public and publicly guaranteed (PPG) PPG external debt owed to the multilateral cred- Paris Club creditors and US$1.8 billion owed to
payments support. external debt overhang amounting to US$14.4 itors, as at the end of December 2021, amounted Non-Paris Club creditors.
to US$2.7 billion, of which US$1.5 billion is
Senior officials from the EIB were in Zimbabwe
this week to assess the performance of the current
€40 million credit facility extended to the coun-
try’s private sector earlier on this year. The team
also had meetings with the World Bank and In-
ternational Monetary Fund. The officials included
Jim Hodges, head of EIB representation for south-
ern Africa and Indian Ocean.

The EIB said as one of Zimbabwe’s main inter-
national creditors, the regional bank will partic-
ipate in the dialogue platform established by the
government to implement its arrears clearance,
debt relief and restructuring strategy.

“Our visit will allow us to assess the success of
the current EIB EUR40 million credit facility to
the private sector and continue dialogue with the
Minister of Finance and Economic Development,
the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
in coordination with key partners including the
Bretton Woods Institutions (World Bank Group
and International Monetary Fund) and African
Development Bank,” said Diederick Zambon, the
EIB head of division for sub-Saharan Africa in a
statement.

“The EIB supports the efforts of the authorities
to achieve debt sustainability and unlock external
financing which is key to achieve the objectives of
the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1).”

Jobst von Kirchmann, ambassador of the Eu-
ropean Union to the Republic of Zimbabwe, said
the regional bloc is considering extending more
financial facilities to the country’s private sector.

“The European Investment Bank is the lend-
ing arm of the European Union. It is the biggest

NewsHawks News Page 21

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

NATHAN GUMA Young citizens should hold
leaders accountable: Tsunga
RENOWNED human rights lawyer and Nation-
al Democratic Institute country director Arnold National Democratic Institute country director Arnold Tsunga
Tsunga has urged Zimbabweans — particularly
youths — to register to vote and actually vote for “So, with the supremacy of the provisions of mand and ask? The people benefitting from the are rather invited, and the things they do destroy
parties and candidates of their choice in the 2023 our constitution and the Bill of Rights, which is extractive activity, the majority of the people, are the future of your children, and we are doing
general elections, amid indications of voter apathy. very unique as it incorporates group rights that in- not pro-democracy. That is why in the media there nothing about it. So, I really hope that with your
clude protection of the environment, family and is a lot on investors who exploit in the extractive entrepreneurship, you will be able to give commu-
He also urged youths to hold power to count obligations for people to benefit from resources sector. nities an opportunity to ensure that provisions of
and ensure that the country has strong institu- embedded in their land, why are we unable to de- our constitution are fully implemented,” he said.
tions and that communities benefit from their re- “These people do not impose themselves, but
sources. Addressing Accountability Lab graduates
in Harare this week, Tsunga encouraged young
people to help build transparent institutions. The
ceremony was held to recognise young minds, also
known as accountapreneurs, who have been pro-
moting accountability in their communities.

“The youths are not leaders of tomorrow, but
today, especially because your leadership is needed
now and not in the future. The burden cannot be
postponed anymore, especially in a country where
more than 50% of the population is below the age
of 19 years,” he said.

“We have only two [voter registration] blitzes
that were implemented by Zec [Zimbabwe Elec-
toral Commission], which is our only election
body, whether you like it or not. Your responsibil-
ity as an individual is to register to vote when you
get the opportunity.

“When the election comes, hold your leaders
accountable. But the moment you surrender your
own opportunities, you surrender doing the core
business — which is essentially demanding for
accountability in governance and being a social
entrepreneur whose work and efforts put pressure
on those who have power — whether at local or
national government, or even civil society,” Tsun-
ga said.

He said failure by young people to exercise their
important civic responsibility of casting their vote
results in the capture of institutions by the power-
ful. “You need to bring these people and institu-
tions to account. But, when you have a country
where a climate of impunity is part of the DNA,
institutions will be captured.

“We will also have institutions being unable to
implement constitutional values to ensure that our
good constitution translates into constitutional-
ism, which means practices that are in conformity
with the constitution as the supreme law of our
land.

“In terms of elections, if you do not participate,
it simply means that you are accepting the status
quo, which impacts our governance architecture.
You are going to allow it (lack of transparency) to
happen, whichever government is in power. So, let
us make sure that we deal with apathy,” he said.

Tsunga said lack of constitutionalism results in
plunder, culminating in communities failing to
benefit from their resources.

Tsunga says failure by young people to cast their vote results in the capture of institutions by the powerful.

Page 22 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Defending human rights via technology

World Democracy Innovation Award winner Courteney Mukoyi (left)

NATHAN GUMA

WHEN Courteney Mukoyi, a Zimbabwean tech- Mukoyi has been inspired by real-life social injustices that were gripping the country during the Covid-19 era.
noprenuer, was still in law school in 2020, social
injustices at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic “In June 2021, we won at the Founders Live that I realised that you can do a lot of things in organisation. It was not only financial support,
inspired him to come up with an invention to help Volume 16 awards in Harare. Then, around Au- terms of human rights violations. So the incident everything that a young innovator would need. It
promote social accountability. gust, I won the Global Youth Digital Challenge. then gave me an insight to try something that is has been much funding from Accountability Lab
End of 2021, I was selected for the Africa Law tech-related to remedying human rights viola- Zimbabwe, then along the way I won awards,” he
Mukoyi developed the human rights remedy Tech Young Innovations Award. tions, and that is when I started working on this said.
mobile application, Astrea Justice, which informs solution,” he says.
and educates citizens of their legal rights to admin- “Beginning of 2022, I also won the Africa Youth He says there is a need for more organisations
istrative justice, to vote, demonstrate and petition SDG No.16 Award. Three months ago (Septem- After developing it, the application has been to support young innovators, whose ideas may be
and to equality before the law. ber), I won the NGPF Social Policy Award, by helping people report injustices as they happen, suffering a stillbirth due to lack of assistance —
School of International Features,” he said. alerting on rights of arrested persons and personal whilst a few that make it are hamstrung by heavy
He has been part of Accountability Lab Zimba- security, including what to do in the case of vio- taxation.
bwe’s (AL Zimbabwe) incubator programme that Mukoyi’s journey, as he says, has been inspired lation, thereby reducing chances of people being
helps young change-makers to build sustainable by real-life social injustices that were gripping the harassed due to ignorance of the law. “We have ideas that would have gathered trac-
and effective tools for change. country during the Covid-19 days. tion, but the support is not as comprehensive as
Mukoyi says he has been helped by AL Zim- we would expect. As young organisations, we get
AL Zimbabwe was established in 2020 and will “The inspiration (to make Astrea) came from babwe which has been funding his initiative since to be charged taxes that are equivalent to those of
work with women, exemplary civil servants and real-life events. I was at law school at Midlands February 2021. mature organisations . . . which I think is a bit
youth to advance peaceful development, encour- State University (MSU) in 2020 when there was unfair. In Zimbabwe we have brilliant innovators,
age citizen participation and inclusion, and devel- a particular event in which Hopewell Chin’ono’s “That was the first fund I got. Going forward, but I have come to realise that innovation is close-
op more accountable institutions. house was broken into by police. they were consistent in supporting me with a ly linked to entrepreneurship. So, being an entre-
monthly stipend. It was no longer support that preneur is a combination of ideas and resilience.”
The organisation’s incubators support young “I am sure he recorded a live feed on his phone was for this project a lot, but for my Civic-Tech
“accountapreneurs” (accountability entrepreneurs) before it was confiscated. It was at that moment
who develop innovative, bottom-up ideas for ac-
countability and anti-corruption. Accountapre-
neurs receive mentorship and network-building,
quarterly training, knowledge sharing, sustained
communications, fundraising and advocacy sup-
port, from AL Zimbabwe.

“Quantitatively, we have realised hundreds of
downloads of the application on Google Play. A
lot of people have accessed it on other platforms.
We have people testifying around the country
after using the platform, especially after arrests,”
Mukoyi said in an interview with The News-
Hawks on Thursday.

Just this month, he won the Democracy Inno-
vation award given by the World Forum for De-
mocracy, adding to several accolades he has won
since 2020. He was awarded the Council of Eu-
rope’s Democracy Innovation Award presented by
the secretary-general each year to the World Fo-
rum for Democracy’s most popular initiative.

Astrea Justice won the award, beating initiatives
from Benin and Sweden, and shrugging off com-
petition from 900 participants from 80 countries
across the world.

In 2020, he won the Africa Law Tech Justice
and Innovation Challenge, followed by the We
Account Social Innovation Challenge which he
won in May 2021, by Innovation for Change Af-
rica Hub, an organisation based in Kenya.

NewsHawks News Page 23

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Mwonzora’s uncontested presidential
nomination shrouded in controversy

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE MDC-T president Douglas Mwonzora
MDC-T chairperson Morgen Komichi
THE uncontested nomination of Douglas
Mwonzora as MDC-T presidential candidate
ahead of the party's upcoming congress was the
result of brazen intimidation, The NewsHawks has
learnt.

Sources close to the developments say Mwon-
zora hired a crowd from the provinces to smug-
gle nomination onto the agenda of the national
council meeting.

“There was a hired crowd, of course party
members, but they were ungovernable. They kept
singing about Dougie [Mwonzora] being the only
candidate they want and the meeting was often
disrupted. That’s how the nomination of candi-
dates for congress started,” she said.

Another source added that there was extra se-
curity of muscle men like those that maintain or-
der in bars and beerhalls to intimidate any voice
contrary to that of the rowdy crowd.

“The meeting room was lined by bouncers,
they were screaming Dougie’s name and at one
point they told the chairman [Morgen Komichi]
to sit down, and even the late president’s son, Vin-
cent Tsvangirai, tried to raise a different note, he
was booed until he sat down,” said the source.

“You have seen how Zanu PF youths behave,
they feel like they have power through their prox-
imity to the president, and that is the exact case
that we had on the day of the meeting. No one
could contain them,” she added.

The nomination did not only disempower oth-
er candidates, mainly Elias Mudzuri and Komichi
— who are both presidential hopefuls — it was a
direct breach of the party constitution, bemoaned
another source who attended the meeting.

“There was a council [meeting], before this
one where we resolved to have congress rules and
regulations as the next agenda. You know this
guy just mobilised members and told them 'it’s
a nomination meeting, come and nominate me'.
I am sure the candidates found out too late that
it was the agenda. And really there was no way of
forcing people to nominate him as happened in
that shameful council meeting,” he said.

Traditionally, nomination of members seeking
a party mandate at congress is done through party
structures in the provinces and the national coun-
cil would endorse all nominees awaiting elective
congress.

Members who congregated for the meeting
that nominated Mwonzora said it was ironic that
he was resorting to controversial tactics similar to
the political fallout that led to the creation of the
Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC).

“President [Mwonzora] took Nelson Chami-
sa to court over a similar issue. I mean, Chamisa
chaired a council meeting that elevated him to the
presidency and he [Mwonzora] took him to court
for breaching the party constitution. What has
happened is disheartening and people now have
three options: to go to Zanu PF, CCC or just stay
away,” said a party member.

Contacted for comment, Mwonzora said there
were no anomalies in the meeting.

“The meeting was held after due notice. We
agreed in the standing committee that we are go-
ing to have that meeting and we even agreed on
the date, so all the candidates and hopefuls were
there and it was full house. All the 211 members
of the national council came. Those who wanted
to canvass support were able to do that. Nomi-
nations did take place in a free and fair manner,”
he said.

“But of course where you have people who did
not make it you always hear this,” added Mwon-
zora.

Other leaders eyeing the top post — namely
Komichi and Mudzuri — are now hoping that
congress will rescind the decision as provided for
in the MDC-T constitution.

“The functions and powers of congress shall be
able to review, ratify, modify, alter or rescind any
decision taken by any organ or official of the par-
ty,” reads section 6.2.3.f of the party constitution.

Page 24 News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Diamond demonstration ban:
Commissioner-General sued
POLICE Commissioner-General Godwin
Matanga and Home Affairs minister Kazembe Police Commissioner-General
Kazembe have been sued over their arbitrary Godwin Matanga
ban on a demonstration against the looting of
diamonds in Marange and failure by the gov- demonstration is simply because it is to be Chiadzwa in the court papers said he would compensation by the government working
ernment to fulfil promises made to relocated convened in a protected area, yet that is not suffer irreparable harm to his fundamental hu- with diamond-mining companies in the area.
families now stranded at Arda Transau. enough grounds to limit the right to protest man rights if the demonstration is prohibited
and petition as provided for under section 59 as being contemplated by the Mbira, Matanga The organisation, which made a follow-up
The case number is 1175/22. of the constitution of Zimbabwe. and Kazembe since there will be no adequate investigation to its findings on the situation
Filed by Chiadzwa Community Develop- compensation to the curtailment of his afore- that obtained in Marange in 2016, revealed in
ment Trust (CCDT) chairperson Newman “I respectfully submit that, consequent mentioned rights. its latest report that the affected villagers, who
Chiadzwa at Mutare provincial magistrates' upon the submissions in the preceding para- were relocated to pave way for the diamond
court on Wednesday this week, the lawsuit graphs, the prohibition notice issued by the 1st “The matter is urgent and cannot wait any mining, are yet to enjoy the benefits of the dis-
seeks an interdict on the ban on a planned Respondent on the 9th of November 2022 is longer than is necessary. I require immediate covery of the gems in their backyards.
praceful protest by civil society organisations. of no force or effect and therefore ought to be relief to avert the likely dire consequences to be
He is being represented by the Zimbabwe set aside.” caused by the Respondents’ conduct. I submit Companies reneged on a promise to pay
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) led by that I did not wait to approach the Courts as US$10 million each into the Chiadzwa com-
Kelvin Kabaya while Mutare provincial mag- “I submit that I have no other alternative soon as I received the prohibition notice from munity trust, a sore point among the grievanc-
istrate Xavier Chipato is presiding over the remedy available to me apart from approach- the 1st Respondent. The intended demonstra- es which prompted the demonstration. They
matter. ing this Honourable Court and have the Re- tion is only a few days away,” he further says. are Marange Resources, Anjin Mining Invest-
Matanga and Kazembe are cited as second spondents interdicted from interfering with ments, Jinan Mining, Mbada Diamonds, and
and third respondents in the matter. the intended demonstration.” Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights the Lebanese private company Diamond Min-
Chief Superintendent P. Mbira, who is the (ZLHR) spokesperson Kumbirai Mafunda ing Corporation.
regulatory authority for Mutare Rural District In recent days, there have been attempts by told The NewsHawks that the matter was de-
and is the one who wrote a letter to Chiadz- the intelligence apparatus in Marange to di- ferred to Tuesday next week by the magistrate The government has also failed to honour
wa banning the demonstration that had been vide the CSOs that are pushing to hold the where Mbira, Matanga, Kazembe and the oth- pledges to relocated families who moved into
scheduled for 15 November this year, is cited demonstration through posting of fake news er concerned parties will file their heads of ar- Arda Transau to allow the mining of gems by
as first respondent. on social media claiming non-existent fights gument. these companies in their ancestral land which
In his founding affidavit, Chiadzwa said it among the organisations. is fuelling anger among the villagers that now
was wrong for the police top brass to ban the “Basically the application is to stop the po- want to hold the demonstration organised by
15 November demonstration that had been CRD director James Mupfumi, who has lice from interfering in a demonstration over Chiadzwa and his partners.
organised by him and eight other civil society been a target of the sting operations by the non-remittance of funds from the Chiadzwa
organisations in Marange. Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), con- Community Ownership Scheme. The Chiadz- The pledges included jobs in the mines,
The other organisations that are backing firmed the development but vowed that the wa community is also aggrieved with the fact three-bedroom homes, electricity, running
the lawsuit as cited by Chiadzwa are Marange CSOs will not budge. that it is not benefiting from the proceeds of di- water, tarred roads, half a hectare (about 1.2
Development Trust (MDT), Centre for Re- amond mining in the area. So they approached acres) of land with irrigation systems, schools,
search and Development (CRD), Chiadzwa “The people of Marange will defend their the ZLHR after their letters of notification to a clinic, seeds, fertilizer and food delivery every
Community Share Ownership Trust, Bocha right to peaceful demonstration in the courts hold the demonstration were turned down by three months.
Community Development Trust (BCDT), from Monday next week. No amount of char- the police,” he said.
Zimbabwe Diamond Allied Workers’ Union acter assassination on myself and other CSO The families, previously farmers and depen-
(Zidawu), Zivai Community Empowerment leaders as falsely carried out in an online voice A United States-based non-profit conserva- dent on the land for their livestock, were also
Trust (ZICET), Young Entrepreneurs Trust article will distract unity in the movement tion and environmental science organisation, promised assistance to initiate piggery projects.
Zimbabwe (YETZ), and the Centre for Natu- in demanding socio-economic justice in Ma- Mongabay, recently revealed fresh details into
ral Resource Governance (CNRG). range. The article is yet another attempt by the deepening poverty that is engulfing relo- The late president Robert Mugabe in one of
“I wish to state that it cannot be gainsaid state security forces to divert world attention cated communities in Marange, 14 years after his interviews said US$15 billion diamonds
that there is a clear impression that 1st Re- from government heavy handedness on the de- locals were promised homes, electricity, water, were looted in Marange. Although the amount
spondent seeks to prevent me from holding mand for accountability in Marange diamond water, employment, social services, as well as was later queried, the looting of Chiadzwa di-
the intended demonstration together with mining,” he said. amonds and mineral proceeds has cost Zimba-
other participants. The reasons put forward by bwe immensely.
the 1st Respondent to prohibit the intended
demonstration are not cogent and are a clear
misinterpretation and misapplication of the
law.”
“I must point out that I only desire to enjoy
the rights that are enshrined in the Constitu-
tion and peacefully so. I further wish to high-
light Section 10 (1) (c) of the Maintenance of
Order & Peace Act relied upon by the 1st Re-
spondent cannot be read in isolation. Sub-sec-
tion 2 of the same Section is clear.”
“Sub-section 1 of Section 10 does not apply
to gatherings for which seven days prior notice
has been given to the Regulatory Authority
and in this case, the 1st Respondent. I humbly
submit that 1st Respondent has clearly misin-
terpreted the law.”
“It is evident from the preceding paragraphs
that notice was duly given to the 1st Respon-
dent to advise on the intended demonstration
seven days prior to the date of the intended
demonstration. It cannot be disputed there-
fore that the first ground for prohibiting the
demonstration is of no force or effect. It is
based on a clear misinterpretation of the law.”
“I further wish to aver that, the second
ground for prohibiting the demonstration
is equally without any merit. It cannot be a
ground for the Regulatory Authority to state
that he cannot guarantee the conduct and be-
haviour of those who will be demonstrating,”
said Chiadzwa adding:
“I must hasten to point out that 1st Respon-
dent has no power in terms of the Maintenance
of Peace & Order Act to declare any notice giv-
en to him as invalid. The spirit of the Act is
to fully facilitate the enjoyment of the rights
in question and not to have them stifled by
undue formalistic and technical requirements
as sought to be done by the 1st Respondent in
this matter.”
Chiadzwa also said in the affidavit that it
could not have been the purpose of the Pro-
tected Places and Areas Act to completely pro-
hibit the exercise of constitutionally guaran-
teed rights in protected places or areas.
He pointed out that it would appear to him
that, the police’s reason for prohibiting the

NewsHawks International Investigative Stories Page 25

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

InInvteesrtniagtaiotinvaelStories

Just six days after his arrest, Janusz
Walus revealed his collaborators

TWENTY-FIVE years ago, on 24 Novem- Janusz Waluś. The ease with which Waluś sought to in-
ber 1997, Janusz Waluś appeared at a Truth volve himself in violence suggests a psychop-
and Reconciliation Commission amnesty on had been stolen from the SA Air Force Derby-Lewis as the mastermind. interrogation, a lack of sleep, alcohol “and athy which found expression in right-wing
hearing in Pretoria. He was seeking a re- Pretoria in April 1990 during a raid by The 16 April interrogation lasted 14 quite possibly drugs” had led Waluś to be- politics. He denied consistently that he had
prieve for the brazen murder of Chris Hani right-winger Piet “Skiet” Rudolph. Ballistic lieve “all the stories that Deetliefs told me”. received any military training, instead pro-
in the driveway of his home in Dawn Park, tests proved this was the murder weapon hours. fessing to have been a “professional diver”.
Boksburg, on 10 April 1993. used. “During those interrogations particularly “And because of that, I told him the
name of Mr Clive Derby-Lewis and also “I never attained the certificate of the
Hani’s regular bodyguards had been off Rudolph was a member of the Afrikaner with Captain [Nick] Deetliefs and Sergeant told him that in the murder of Mr Hani, it professional diver, but I knew that I can
duty that weekend and as Waluś drove past Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) and the secret Beetge, interrogations, if I can describe it in was engaged on myself and they mustn’t be become a professional diver any moment,
2 Hakea Street at about 10am he noticed Orde Boerevolk which had declared war on that way, were always in the very friendly at- afraid of anything.” because I had a second degree of the sport
this. FW de Klerk’s government in 1990. mosphere,” Waluś recalled. diver,” Waluś replied.
A hit list including Nelson Mandela Let it burn
Waluś was 40 when he committed the After his release in 2015, Derby-Lewis, They had talked “about everything and and Joe Slovo had been compiled by Waluś Bizos interrogated Waluś as to what type of
crime that shook South Africa. This week who claimed to be a committed Christian, nothing” and he had been “manoeuvring under the guidance of Derby-Lewis. Der- discussions he might have had with the Der-
the Constitutional Court ruled he could be said he had regarded Hani as “the anti- not to discuss the matter of the murder of by-Lewis was later found. Waluś said Der- by-Lewises and what it was they had hoped
set free — to much outrage and controversy Christ”. He pooh-poohed the conspiracy Mr Hani”. by-Lewis had wanted him to wear a purple to gain by murdering Hani.
— at the age of 69. that grew in the aftermath of Hani’s murder wig when he shot Hani “so that people
that Thabo Mbeki had somehow been im- Outside the interrogation room tension would look at the wig and not see my face”. Walus: Yes, Mr Chairman. We discussed
Hani’s widow, Limpho, and their daugh- plicated in the plot or that Winnie Mandela was mounting. Hani’s murder was viewed as Dangerous assignments that subject.
ter Lindiwe, as well as other family mem- had planned with Hani to leave the ANC. a betrayal and a severe provocation. During cross-examination by the inimitable
bers have opposed every single parole ap- George Bizos, representing the Hani family, Advocate Bizos: If you very briefly could
plication, insisting that Waluś has not told In the madness, chaos and murder of Deetliefs had “confided” that he was in Waluś admitted to responding to an advert tell us, what was the objective that you
the entire truth about the murder or any those terrible times, theories about the “real” fact with the Security Police and that this published in The Citizen seeking someone would have achieved in accordance with
co-conspirators. motive for Hani’s death have never evapo- was “a department of the police which com- to complete a “dangerous assignment”. your discussions if you killed Mr Hani?
rated. bated terrorism and that he was always fight-
It was a Saturday on 10 April when the ing with the ANC and he was interrogating In January 1989 an ad was placed in Walus: Mr Chairman, the main object
dual Polish-South African citizen confront- Derby-Lewis was proud to claim respon- all the ANC was doing, and several times he the classified section which read “required was to cause the chaos in the country, and
ed Hani, 50 at the time, who had gone out sibility for Hani’s murder and believed until underlined to me how good it was that Mr for dangerous assignment, approximately because of this chaos the right-wing could
to buy the newspapers. It was Easter. his death in 2016 of lung cancer at the age Hani was murdered”, Waluś told the amnes- six months’ duration, salary $5 000-00 per unite and prevented to take the power by
of 80, and after serving 22 years, that com- ty hearing. month, send resume to the Commodore, ANC.
Waluś pumped one bullet into Hani’s munism was a global and godless threat to PO Box 207, Bergvlei, 2012”.
chest and three more into his head. He died the world and Hani a mortal threat to South Lulled by a sense of self-righteousness, ra- Advocate Bizos: You say that you wanted
on the spot, a pool of blood slowly coagulat- Africa. cial and political solidarity as well as Deetli- Those were the times. to create chaos. What did you understand
ing around his lifeless body. Waluś in custody efs’s repeated assurances that “he is on my Bizos asked whether he had “applied to when you and Mr Derby-Lewis decided that
Immediately after his arrest, Waluś was tak- side”, Waluś spilt the beans. the South African organisation, calling itself the purpose of this murder was to create cha-
Waluś was arrested 10 minutes later pass- en to the Murder and Robbery Squad offices the South African Institute of Maritime Re- os? What did you expect to happen?
ing the Boksburg City Hall. in Boksburg, where he was initially interro- “I can say now only that I am ashamed search, do you recall that?”
gated by Sergeant Holmes. that I was so naive and stupid,” lamented And while Waluś said that he could not Waluś replied that he had expected a “re-
This came after a neighbour had not- the killer. recall whether he had applied to be admitted volt” but that the real “revolution” had start-
ed the registration number of the red Ford It was “late and dark” by the time he was to the institute, he had indeed responded to ed earlier “but in silence”.
Laser he had used to travel from his flat in returned to his cell, he recalled. Deetliefs, added Waluś, had also con- the advertisement.
Pretoria to Hani’s house about 50 minutes vinced him that he was one of “General “And your name appears on a printout Advocate Bizos: When one section of
away. “I was locked up in the cell, I tried to rest, Groenewald’s men” and that Beetge too was that you and a couple of hundred others like the population is expected to act against an-
Mandela to the rescue however, from the neighbouring cells it was in the same group. you, applied for this $5 000-00-a-month other section or sections of the population,
This was also the day that Nelson Mandela, quite a big noise and I tried but I could fall job. What sort of job was it going to be, Mr we usually call it a civil war.
aged 75 and a free man for only three years, asleep, but I was woken up a couple of hours Waluś was later told by the two interro- Waluś?” asked Bizos.
assumed the mantle of unofficial leader of later and taken out from the cell.” gators that they had actually infiltrated the Waluś maintained he had no idea what Walus: Mr Chairman, the country was
South Africa when he addressed citizens in Security Police “but before he convinced me the job had entailed and had never received in a state of the war from the middle of the
a live nationwide TV broadcast aimed at Six days later — after numerous interro- completely, I was drinking with him and a response, but was up for it anyway. 80s, but it wasn’t publicly declared. We call
calming the rage that exploded across the gations in which Waluś refused to say much with Sergeant Beetge alcohol”. What his application for the job does re- that as a martial law or there was some nego-
tinderbox country. without his lawyer present — at about 4pm, veal, apart from the lawlessness of the time, tiations concerning that, but it was avoided
he was booked out for further questioning. Waluś was hoping the cops would con- is Waluś’s eagerness to enter illegal and “dan- to name it.
Mandela reminded the audience that spire to warn this suspect of his imminent gerous” terrain to undertake dirty work. Collateral damage
night that a “white Afrikaner woman” had It was during this round that the son of arrest — “he underlined to me that it is not Waluś revealed that he and Derby-Lewis
helped to identify Hani’s killer and that the an immigrant, bankrupt glass factory own- very convenient that somebody must be ar- had indeed thought about the fallout and
intention of the assassination had been to er, and later a truck driver deeply involved rested now from the right wing because not the death of thousands of South Africans in
trigger a race war. in far-right politics of the country, gave up everything is fixed to the last point where the the ensuing violence.
armed struggle with the ANC and govern-
There had already been an attempt on ment is concerned”. They had discussed it “superficially” and
Hani’s life in 1992, on Marshall Street, that as far as he was concerned “I know from
Joburg. The SACP offices were around the A combination of a week of hardcore the history, against what the propaganda
corner and Hani had been followed by a tried to imply, South African police and the
man who had allegedly stepped into a hair South African army was suppressing any ac-
salon and who began fiddling with “an ob- tive violence in such a way that there should
ject” concealed under his windbreaker. be as little victims as possible.”

An hour after the event the SACP held a Judge Bernard Ngoepe asked Waluś
press conference urging the then South Af- whether he expected many people to die.
rican Police (the SAPS was formed in 1994)
to investigate, which it refused to do since “Yes, I expected that such a possibility
“no charge had been lodged”. existed.”
Questions remain
In 1993, the year of the murder, Waluś Whether Derby-Lewis and Waluś acted
and the man he claimed had planned the alone or as part of a greater conspiracy in-
assassination, Conservative Party politi- volving right-wing elements as well as Hani’s
cian Clive Derby-Lewis, were sentenced to enemies inside the ANC, has never been
death for the crime. At TRC they claimed it probed further.
was politically motivated and this was why
Waluś had sought amnesty, which was re- The death of Hani will always be remem-
fused. bered as a turning point, for South Africa
and for the ANC. The ghosts still live among
Both men escaped the noose thanks to us. Waluś’s South African citizenship was re-
democracy when South Africa’s Constitu- voked in 2017 and as he is no longer one of
tional Court ruled in 1995 that the death us, and can be deported once he takes his
penalty was “unconstitutional”. first steps to freedom.

It was Derby-Lewis, who lived in Kru- — Daily Maverick.
gersdorp, who had supplied the gun that
Waluś had used to shoot Hani. The weap-

Page 26 International Investigative Stories NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

FAQ: What is correspondent banking?

THINK of money laundering and pensate it through commissions and Kumar, policy director at Global Fi- Q: What is the downside of corre- licit, to go round too. If there’s a bank
you might imagine colorful and com- other fees. nancial Integrity, a think tank based spondent banking? with weak controls, that normally at-
plex schemes — sacks of cash smug- in Washington, D.C. tracts criminals,” he added.
gled across borders, or convoluted Correspondent banking makes A: In theory, correspondent banks
loan arrangements routed through it easier for customers to make Tom Neylan, head of the Financial are meant to run checks before taking The correspondent banking system
Byzantine corporate structures on ob- cross-currency payments and helps Action Task Force’s Policy Develop- new banks, known as “respondent” also spreads out accountability across
scure Caribbean islands. smaller banks gain access to the global ment Group, said there are strong rea- banks, on board. But in reality, ex- multiple banks, making it harder to
electronic payments system. sons to keep correspondent banking perts say, they often make insufficient assign blame when dirty money en-
But while such tactics are indeed channels open, so that countries aren’t inquiries into a respondent bank’s his- ters the banking system, according to
employed, the reality is that criminals, Q: This all sounds like a neces- starved out of the system. To some ex- tory and client base. John Christensen, founder of the Tax
sanctions dodgers, and corrupt politi- sary part of a well-oiled system. Is tent, he said, big banks are “on side Justice Network advocacy group.
cians are also able to filter billions in there anything wrong with it? and doing the right thing” when it Respondent banks are sometimes
tainted cash through the conventional comes to keeping criminals out of the acting as correspondent banks them- “The inherent risks of the corre-
banking system using nothing more A: Yes, correspondent banking is a global financial system. selves, further obscuring the origin of spondent banking system are well
than standard money transfers. crucial part of the global financial sys- suspicious funds. Known as “nesting,” known and widely recognized,” he
tem. The scale of the business involved “On the other hand,” he said, this practice can let less scrupulous told OCCRP. “It shuffles accountabil-
Q: What is correspondent bank- is huge. Cross-border payments make “there were some very big cases from banks access financial systems they ity between actors and raises questions
ing? How does it work in the real up around a sixth of total transaction 2008 to 2012, when major global otherwise couldn’t. of how and how much monitoring
world, and what is it used for? flows, according to consultants McK- banks were handed billion-dollar fines high-risk countries, banks, and clients
insey, and nearly a third of all transac- for what they’d done in correspondent “If the relationship isn’t managed or must go through without disrupting
A: Smaller banks, often in less de- tion-related revenues, such as service banking. controlled properly … you’re opening an important financial lifeline.”
veloped parts of the world, can gain fees, earned by banks that extended a floodgate to all manner of activity
access to the system banks use to move correspondent services. “Those fines weren’t for acciden- that could be good, but could also be Q: What are some examples
money across borders by routing tally letting through a few dodgy bad,” said Dev Odedra, a U.K.-based of correspondent banking gone
transactions through an intermediary, In the developing world, corre- transactions – they were for wilfully financial consultant. Odedra empha- wrong?
known as a correspondent bank. spondent banking relationships can and deliberately stripping informa- sized that banks have an obligation
mean the ability to import fuel, food tion from wire transfers that con- to vet the institutions they are giving A: One good example is the case
If you hold an account in euros in and medicine without a hard cur- cerned sanctioned entities. The dia- access to the global financial system. of Reza Zarrab. From 2010 to 2015,
Morocco, for example, but want to rency. Without such relationships, a logue since then has portrayed [these the Turkish-Iranian money launderer
pay a supplier in dollars, chances are struggling country can face damaging events] as accidental non-compliance “They say ‘money makes the world helped Iran’s sanctioned government
that your Moroccan bank will use a isolation. rather than criminality. And I think go round.’ Well, if you’re responsible move billions in dirty money, often
correspondent bank in the U.S. to pay that’s where there’s a distinction to be for that, then you’re morally responsi- through major financial institutions.
the supplier on its behalf, then com- “Correspondent banking is the life- made.” ble for allowing that money, licit or il- Investigators found that a number of
line of many countries,” said Lakshmi

NewsHawks International Investigative Stories Page 27

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

large banks had processed some $6.5 surrounding it, according to the con- behind Moldindcombank before do- with high-risk foreign lenders, includ- dropped by half, to about $10 billion.
billion for Zarrab-linked companies. sent order. ing so. The scam, led among others ing offshore and shell banks. Still, experts say more needs to be
by now-fugitive Moldovan banker
The Zarrab case shows how easily On occasion, a smaller bank is run and politician Veaceslav Platon, saw The law has failed to stem the bil- done. Kumar of Global Financial In-
correspondent banking can be ex- by shady elements who are themselves $20 billion flood from Russia through lions of dollars in laundered mon- tegrity said American and European
ploited on a massive scale. Over sev- hiding behind opaque offshore firms. Moldindcombank accounts. ey that have been shown to move banks need to bring in more compli-
eral years, the Turkish state-owned A classic example of this was Mold- through U.S. correspondent banks ance managers to vet correspondent
Halkbank let Zarrab stockpile Ira- indconbank, the Moldovan bank at Q: Have there been any industry in the past two decades. Still, in some accounts, she said.
nian oil money in accounts he held the center of the Russian Laundromat, efforts to clean up correspondent contexts, there are signs that increased
through various front companies. He a scandal first broken by OCCRP in banking? regulation can at least help to reduce “Criminality can be prevented in
then used these and other accounts to 2014. In that case, larger banks who illicit financial flows. part by conducting extensive checks
send billions via industry giants such gave correspondent bank accounts to A: Yes. Under the 2001 “Patriot on the management, fiscal and due
as Deutsche Bank, HSBC, Bank of Moldindconbank — letting it route Act,” the U.S. restricted American After Latvia banned non-resident diligence units of the foreign bank be-
America, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, billions through the global financial financial institutions from forming shell firms from opening bank ac- fore it becomes a client,” she said.
Standard Chartered, UBS, and Wells system — failed to check who was correspondent banking relationships counts, the amounts funneled out
Fargo. through U.S. correspondent accounts — Organised Crime and Corruption
Reporting Project.
Because these banks had corre-
spondent banking agreements with
Halkbank, they allowed the transfers
without much scrutiny.

In 2016, Zarrab was arrested in
Florida and later pleaded guilty to
money laundering and other charges.
He agreed to testify against a Halk-
bank executive, and eventually settled
in Miami under a false identity. The
institutions who processed the trans-
fers, whom U.S. prosecutors called
“victim banks,” were off the hook.
They had fulfilled their regulatory
obligations by vetting Halkbank, and
had no responsibility to check the
funds further.

Other examples of abuse aren’t hard
to find.

• Take Ukio Bankas, the Rus-
sian-designed, Lithuania-based bank
at the heart of the “Troika Laundro-
mat” discovered by OCCRP in 2019.
This laundromat was a sprawling net-
work of offshore companies used by
oligarchs and criminals to dodge taxes
and launder funds. In part, the money
moved around via correspondent rela-
tionships that Ukio had been granted
at Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank and Ger-
many’s Commerzbank.

• In Latvia, a Baltic country
once favored as a conduit for illicit
funds from the former Soviet Union,
as much as $20 billion a day was mov-
ing into U.S. correspondent accounts
between 2010 and 2012, including
billions in highly suspicious funds.
Many transfers originated in former
Soviet republics and were funneled
through Latvian accounts held by
offshore shell companies. The prob-
lem got so severe that in 2018, Latvia
banned non-resident shell companies
from opening bank accounts.

• The Lebanese militant and
political movement Hezbollah, which
the United States labels a terrorist or-
ganization, has also reportedly made
extensive use of correspondent bank
accounts to move money abroad. In
2019, victims and families of attacks
allegedly linked to Hezbollah sued a
dozen Lebanese banks in U.S. court,
alleging that the banks had “knowing-
ly provided Hezbollah with financial
services, including access to the U.S.
financial system through correspon-
dent bank accounts in New York.”

• In 2020 New York’s Depart-
ment of Financial Services outlined
how billions were moved through
dollar-clearing or correspondent ac-
counts at Deutsche Bank, both from
Danske Bank’s high-risk Estonia
branch and from the Federal Bank of
the Middle East (FBME), which was
sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury De-
partment. Between 2007 and 2015, a
consent order from the Department
of Financial Services stated, Deutsche
Bank “cleared more than $267 billion
in 1,638,844 transactions for Danske
Estonia. Out of this total, Danske
transferred at least $150 billion in
payments from Russia and other for-
mer Soviet states through Deutsche
Bank.”

Deutsche Bank also allowed hun-
dreds of thousands of dollar-denom-
inated transactions “totalling more
than $618 billion” for the Middle
Eastern bank despite the concerns

Page 28 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Why legislate
patriotism?

WHEW, what a busy week! Inside the gleaming new Parliament Wage bill still a headache
Building in Mt Hampden, President Emmerson Mnangagwa
delivered his State of the Nation address, and Finance minister Hawk Eye
Mthuli Ncube presented the 2023 National Budget.
Dumisani
Such grand occasions are important in the life of a republic — Muleya
except that in this case the speeches were utterly underwhelming,
in policy terms, in stark contrast to the imposing new US$200
million made-in-China edifice. In a normal country, a State of
the Nation address — signalling the annual opening of Parlia-
ment — is a time to reflect on the current social, economic and
political state of the country. The head of state also spells out
the legislative and economic development agenda of the coming
year. Of necessity, an address of this type must serve two crucial
functions: fulfil the constitutional imperative of accountable gov-
ernance as spelt out in the national objectives of chapter two of
Zimbabwe’s supreme charter, and provide strategic reflection for
the creation of a Zimbabwe we all want. With respect, Mnangag-
wa has fared dismally on both scorecards.

He did not speak about the real state of affairs in this republic:
the stark reality of livelihoods devastated by the world's high-
est inflation rate. Today, the most astonishing food prices on the
planet are found here. Think about this: bombs are raining down
on Ukraine, Syria and other wretched countries as you read this,
but the highest food prices under the sun are found in Zimba-
bwe. There is no better definition of failure.

Malnutrition, stunting and wasting are ruining children's lives.
These are primitive medical conditions which a leading producer
of platinum, gold and chrome has no business associating with.
Critical analysis of the real State of the Nation shows a spike in
child pregnancy, with girls as young as nine giving birth in a
shameful indictment on a society that has lost its way. Mnan-
gagwa will not honestly talk about these pressing issues because
everyone knows that his government’s shambolic handling of so-
cial safety nets — most notably during the catastrophic Covid-19
pandemic — has directly precipitated a sharp increase in the sex-
ual violation of young girls. Extreme poverty has taken root in
Zimbabwe and the blame should be placed squarely on the the
shoulders of inept and corrupt leaders.

Mnangagwa finds it difficult to buy 32 ambulances for state
hospitals, yet he finds it easy to buy 500 brand new vehicles for
Zanu PF campaigns. Oh Zimbabwe! Finance minister Ncube can
wax lyrical and deploy all the sophisticated economics jargon he
crammed at Cambridge, but as long as the fundamental problems
of illegitimate politics and leadership failure are not tackled deci-
sively, he is whistling in the wind.

As former Treasury chief Tendai Biti has correctly observed,
Zimbabwe cannot achieve much without a social contract.

If this country had a social contract: slave wages would be out-
lawed; there would be no need to legislate "patriotism"; Zanu
PF's brutal physical beatings on opposition legislators would
never be tolerated; election rigging would be a thing of the past;
Mnangagwa would stop deploying police and soldiers to kill and
detain peaceful protesters; there would be no political prisoners
like Job Sikhala; the fight on corruption would be taken seriously;
the country’s vast mineral endowment would benefit citizens and
not Zanu PF elites and their cronies.

Let us focus, for a moment, on just one example of Mnangag-
wa’s abysmal governance record: the dogged refusal to implement
devolution.

Millions of dollars in devolution funds are exposed to looting
by government hawks who are brazenly violating the constitution
and undermining public procurement processes.

As correctly observed by a social and economic justice move-
ment, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (Zim-
codd), central government's interference has created a smoke-
screen devolution autonomy while exposing an unwillingness to
implement the devolution drive.

To Page 29

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NewsHawks

Issue 76, 15 April 2022
BusinessPage26
MATTERSNewsHawks

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

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

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

ZSE maintaints bearish sentiment

BERNARD MPOFU

THE Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) has maintained
bearish sentiment since the start of the fourth quarter of the
year, with sell-offs dominating trades as foreign investors exit
the local bourse mainly due to bottlenecks in repatriating
dividends, a new report has shown.

Official figures show that last week, the ZSE and Victo-
ria Falls Stock Exchange dropped 5% and 4%, to conclude
with total market capitalisation of ZW$1.7 trillion and
US$251.1 million, respectively.

“Our local markets continue to display weak perfor-
mance, a pattern that began few weeks ago. In general, the
Q4 [4th quarter] of the year is marked with poor market
performance, with investors liquidating their holdings to
obtain liquidity for year-end commitments,” says Akribos
Research Services in its research note.

“All the indices were in the negative, and the YTDs [year-
to-dates] are still way behind the year-on-year inflation rate,
which was at 268.8% as of October 2022. Thirteen of the
fifty-one firms on the ZSE stayed constant, and only nine
managed to register marginal gains that were tiny enough
to balance the losses reported by the other twenty-nine. The
technology sector was the worst affected, while the real estate
sector performed well in comparison to other sectors.

“Foreigners continue to be net sellers, selling more than
they are buying. Delta and NMB are becoming increasingly
popular. Foreign investors are always looking to leave the
market and to take advantage of other opportunity outside
the stock market. Policy divergences, inflation, and depreci-
ating exchange rate are the primary worries for these yield
and value seeking investors.”

Akribos says given the worsening global outlook for the
remainder of the year and the below-par forecasts for 2023,
it expects that “sticky high inflation” coupled with weak
economic growth will continue to weigh on the near-term
earnings growth for most equities.

“Despite that stocks might have already priced in forecast-
ed economic slowdown; we still think that stocks are well
into an undervalued territory and investors should take the
opportunity of buying low. We believe that usually when
most people start to shun and dislike the stock market, it is
often a good time to buy as valuations are likely to be lucra-
tive for investors,” the report reads.

From Page 28 We can’t legislate patriotism
We have seen how Local Government min-
ister July Moyo has sought to unconstitu- and competitive bidding in tender processes Harare — is shoddy service delivery. How on governance.
tionally divert huge sums of money towards are overlooked to advance the interest of in- earth do ratepayers measure the performance By subverting the devolution agenda, Zanu
payment for services not agreed to by local dividuals.” of a local council whose decision-making
authorities, including the emotive US$400 ability is encumbered by central government PF has grabbed power from the people in a
million Pomona waste-to-energy deal and the Local authorities are unable to fully dis- trickery? manner similar to a coup. Lest we forget, le-
forcing of both urban and rural local authori- charge their constitutional responsibilities in gitimate power comes from the consent of the
ties to buy fire engines from Belarus at inflated an environment characterised by unseemly Good governance is one of the key national governed. Without the all-important consent
prices and without floating a tender. political meddling by the Local Government objectives outlined in chapter two of the con- of the masses, we no longer have a constitu-
Central government's endless interference ministry. stitution. tional democracy but a fully fledged authori-
in the operations of local authorities under- tarian kleptocracy.
mines national devolution policy. When suspicious tenders are foisted upon "The State must adopt and implement poli-
This has serious implications for gover- local councils from above — with no tender cies and legislation to develop efficiency, com- Devolution in Zimbabwe — as currently
nance, socio-economic development and wid- screening and competitive bidding — Zimba- petence, accountability, transparency, personal configured — is a monumental charade.
er prosperity. bwe's status as a banana republic is cemented. integrity and financial probity in all institu-
Zimcodd has noted: “It [interference] has tions and agencies of government at every level The Zanu PF government has lost the battle
also undermined public procurement as pre- Taxpayer funds are left at the mercy of po- and in every public institution." Accountabil- for the hearts and minds of Zimbabweans —
scribed in the Public Procurement and Dis- litical elites and their cronies. The logical out- ity and transparency are the oxygen of good which explains why there is now a ridiculous
posal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23]. come — as we have witnessed in places like Stalinist plot to legislate "patriotism".
Procurement principles such as transparency

Page 30 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

VFEX records US$89m turnover
PRISCA TSHUMA

THE Victoria Falls Exchange has recorded a total The VFEX has four listed companies, including Caledonia Mining Corporation (below).
turnover of US$8.88 million, a 20 709% increase
from the same period in 2021, attributable to the The local currency stock exchange market has ernment identified loopholes in sub-systems of the nipulation of the stock market and other illicit
increased number of trades recorded in the period 55 listed companies and 5 ETFs; with five count- market’s custodial functions alleged to be part of practises. Meanwhile, total ZSE market turnover
under review, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has ers suspended, while 50 counters are active on the activities fuelling parallel market activities. for the period 1 January to 25 October 2022 was
revealed. equities board. Earlier this year, new regulations ZW$94 billion, compared to ZW$38 billion
were gazetted to tighten conditions on trading of Ncube said the ZSE was in the final stages of during the same period in 2021, attributable to
The VFEX has four listed companies, namely securities on the market. This was after the gov- procurement of a market surveillance system to inflation and exchange rate movements.
Caledonia Mining Corporation, Seed Co Inter- ensure implementation of measures to curb ma-
national, Padenga Holdings Limited and Bindura
Nickel Corporation.

The All Share Index of the stock market rose
by 27% for the period January to October 2022,
closing at 138.8 points, on 31 August 2022.

“VFEX market capitalisation stood at US$341
million as at 31 October, 2022, indicating a 76%
increase from the comparative period in 2021,” he
stated.

Addressing members of Parliament and law-
makers when he presented the 2023 budget state-
ment, Ncube said the positive performance of the
forex bourse would remain, with the pending list-
ings of securities like Nedbank, Simbisa Brands,
Karo Mining Holdings and the Exchange-Traded
Funds (ETFs) that are expected within the next
quarter.

“The number of trades has significantly in-
creased and is expected to further grow following
the launch of the VFEXDIRECT, an online trad-
ing platform to make the buying and selling of
listed securities easier and fast,” he added.

Commenting on the Zimbabwe Stock Ex-
change market, Ncube said speculative trading
and inflation affected the market capitalisation
and the All Share Index of the local currency
bourse during the period under review.

“The ZSE All Share Index gained 35% for the
period January to 25 October 2022, in compari-
son to a 334% gain in 2021 for the same period,
which was partly induced by speculative trading
and the impact of inflation,” said Ncube.

“The ZSE market capitalisation peaked at
ZW$$3.5 trillion in April 2022, before receding
to ZW$1.82 trillion, following the introduction
of measures which were announced in early May,
2022 to curb speculative trading at the bourse,”
he added.

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 31

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Natfoods flees high trading costs

BERNARD MPOFU

NATIONAL Foods, the country’s largest food
manufacturer by volume, has cited high trading
costs and the ease of repatriating dividends off-
shore as some of the main factors driving the
diversified group from the Zimbabwe Stock
Exchange (ZSE) to the Victoria Falls Stock Ex-
change (VFEX).

The diversified group joins the flurry of listed
counters which are migrating to the VFEX to
preserve capital as the domestic currency remains
under pressure.

“The VFEX’s lower trading cost of 2.12%
compared to 4.63% on the ZSE is more efficient
for shareholders. The ability to trade shares in
USD will potentially make the share attractive to
a broader set of investors,” reads the company cir-
cular to shareholders published this week.

“Foreign shareholders on the VFEX can free-
ly repatriate their dividends. The company’s mi-
gration from the ZSE to the VFEX would po-
tentially improve the firm's regional profile and
commercial standing, strengthening the compa-
ny’s prospects for further local as well as regional
expansion. Additionally, the VFEX listing would
promote the marketability of National Foods in-
vestment regionally.

“Provision of a de facto third-party USD val-
uation of the company will enable National
Foods’ existing shareholders to realise the real val-
ue of their holdings and provide a more accurate
benchmark of the stock’s performance and mit-
igate valuation volatility. Furthermore, accurate
valuation will enable effective decision-making
particularly concerning the company’s future in-
vestment decisions.”

National Foods, the circular further reads, will
have greater ability to raise capital against a "dol-
larised" balance sheet. The VFEX’s potential to
become a regional exchange enhances National
Foods' opportunity to attract a diversified inves-
tor base which can assist the company in both its
local and, in time, potential regional expansion
initiatives. National Foods shareholders are ex-
pected to vote for or against the proposed move
at an extraordinary general meeting set for De-
cember 12 2022.

BERNARD MPOFU PPC reports 13% sales decline

THE local unit of South African cement maker more expensive than PPC Zimbabwe’s own clin- the EBITDA margin. As at 30 September 2022, group will continue to improve cash generation
PPC says it registered a 13% decline in sales due ker manufacturing costs. In addition, the shut- PPC Zimbabwe held R253 million in hard cur- and operational efficiencies in an effort to further
to a planned shutdown as the group anticipates down of the kiln incurred once-off additional rency cash,” the group says. strengthen its financial position and reduce the
strong demand going forward. maintenance costs, which negatively impacted impact of rising input cost inflation.”
“In light of the current economic climate, the
According to the group’s summarised unau-
dited consolidated financial statements for the
six months ended September 2022, revenue
was up 9% to R4 248 million compared to the
same period last year. The group says hyperinfla-
tion weighed down on its Zimbabwe operations
during the period under review.

“Due to a planned kiln shutdown, required
for maintenance, PPC Zimbabwe’s cement sales
volumes declined 13% period-on-period,” reads
the financials.

“However, following the resumption of clinker
production at the end of May 2022, PPC Zimba-
bwe’s cement sales volumes improved in the sec-
ond quarter of FY23 [full year 2023] relative to
the first quarter of FY23 with a continued robust
cement demand from residential construction
and government-funded infrastructure projects.

“PPC Zimbabwe implemented US$ price in-
creases of 5% in March 2022, 2% in April 2022
and a further 5% increase in August 2022 to re-
cover input cost inflation. Further, PPC observed
an increase in foreign currency availability in the
Zimbabwean economy, with over 80% of ce-
ment sales occurring in foreign currency during
the period under review. “

Earnings before interest, tax depreciation and
armotisation (EBITDA) declined by 48% to
R148 million (September 2021: R287 million)
with a reduced EBITDA margin of 17.3% (Sep-
tember 2021: 23.2%). EBITDA and EBITDA
margin, the group says, were adversely impacted
by the procurement of clinker from South Africa
and Zambia as a way to offset the impact of the
kiln shutdown during a high demand period.

“Imported clinker, including transport, is

Page 32 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

RioZim’s Dalny Mine mothballed

BERNARD MPOFU

DALNY MINE, a unit of Zimbabwe Stock Ex- RioZim bemoans the current 60% foreign currency retention threshold.
change-listed resources firm RioZim, has been
placed under care and maintenance as the group currency and lack of production at Dalny Mine required foreign currency and power generated by production during the year and are earmarked to
expresses concern over rolling power cuts affecting resulted in a 6% decline in gold production for diesel costs is largely higher than normal power. drive the group to profitability. The company con-
production. the group compared to the same period last year. tinues to engage the authorities in various capaci-
Power and access to foreign currency earnings are “The group is also focused on ramping up pro- ties for an upward review of the foreign currency
The country has been facing erratic power critical to the needs of the company. Both of these duction to optimal levels for its two key projects retention on export proceeds from the current
cuts after the water level at the country’s largest continue to be extremely scarce. The company has being, the BIOX plant project at Cam & Motor 60% as this has proven to be inadequate consid-
hydro-powered electricity station, Lake Kariba, had to invest heavily in diesel generators which has Mine and the 500tph processing plant at RZM ering the group’s foreign currency requirements.”
dwindled. Murowa (Private) Limited which commenced

Zimbabwe has also had limited investments
in the capital intensive sector due to its high risk
profile and an unfavourable tariff regime, among
other factors.

RioZim, in its third quarter trading update for
the period ending September, says power supply
challenges worsened during the period under re-
view due to acute load shedding as the country
battled with erratic local power generation cou-
pled with inadequate supplementary power im-
ports.

“Production was, therefore, significantly ham-
pered during the quarter due to power supply
challenges. Power outages are taking up to 30%
of the available production time hence adversely
affecting production in a very material way,” the
company says.

“Power supply challenges remain a key risk
to the group’s operations as the current ongoing
power cuts are set to worsen as a result of the ap-
proaching rainy season from Q4 2022 [fourth
quarter]. Even though the company has put in
place generators to lessen production stoppages,
the group remains reliant on the power utility for
consistent power supply to run optimally.

"Engagements with the power utility are ongo-
ing on the rehabilitation of the unreliable power
infrastructure mainly at Renco Mine.”

RioZim also bemoaned the current 60% for-
eign currency retention threshold, saying this is
inadequate to meet the group’s operating require-
ments.

“Dalny Mine was placed under full care and
maintenance due to inadequate foreign currency
as it requires a huge capital investment to resusci-
tate underground operations,” RioZim says.

“Power supply challenges, inadequate foreign

PRISCA TSHUMA GBH defies tough environment

GENERAL Beltings Holdings (GBH) has re- GBH manufactures and distributes general-purpose and specialised reinforced conveyor beltings, and rubber and chemical products.
corded a 7% increase in total volumes to 690
metric tonnes for the third quarter to September would be felt in the fourth quarter of 2022,” com- sistent demand at the chemical division. and will remain a going concern,” he said.
2022, from 644 metric tonnes recorded in same mented the company secretary, Patrick Munyanyi. “The company has secured sufficient raw ma- General Beltings Holdings Limited (GBH)
period last year despite the constrained operating
environment. Going forward, the company expects a signifi- terials to convert the orders with some expected manufactures and distributes general-purpose
cant recovery in the fourth quarter buttressed by a to spill into the next financial year. Overall, the and specialised reinforced conveyor beltings, and
The group credited the increase to the market strong order book at the rubber division and con- company is expected to post a profit for the year rubber and chemical products.
recovery efforts in the chemical division whose
volumes were 14% up compared with the same
period prior year.

The outstanding performance of the chemical
division resulted in turnover growth. Turnover
for the quarter grew by 9% to US$3,539 million
from the prior year’s US$3,237 million.

The quarter was constrained in terms of raw
materials supplies due to liquidity shortages with
reduced activity recorded in August. The rubber
division suffered a blow as volumes dipped 3%
because of delayed raw material supplies in the
middle of the quarter.

The economic storms increased the local ex-
penses, the debtor default and operational costs
which restricted the company operations.

“The shortages of liquidity in local currency
and the high interest rates constrained operations
due to high debtor default and inability to access
additional local funding. In addition, the quarter
witnessed accelerated dollarisation of local ex-
penses and increased operational costs,” said the
group.

The initiatives by the authorities aimed at sta-
bilising the exchange rate and taming inflation,
which had reached 285% in August, took effect
leading to stability in the operating environment.

“Notwithstanding the above, the monetary
measures and stakeholder relationships assisted
the company to model a sustainable raw materials
supply structure for the short term whose benefit

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 33

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

RTG forecasts continued growth

Rainbow Tourism Group has recorded improved hotel occupancy.

PRISCA TSHUMA year. The brand has positioned itself to cater for sidiaries and the return of physical international RTG secretary Tapiwa Mari
tourist activities across Zimbabwe as international tourism conventions and exhibitions, which is into the Victoria Falls should see growth in ac-
LEADING hospitality company Rainbow Tour- tourism is increasing. pointing towards the return to normal of inter- tivity in the destination. The Gateway Stream
ism Group is anticipating sustained growth to- national tourism. and the Heritage Expedition Africa will continue
wards the end of the year as it recorded revenue Going forward, the group said it remains op- to drive revenue growth going forward,” said the
increase of ZW$21.4 billion for the period ended timistic about the persistent growth of its sub- “The resumptions of flights by some airlines statement.
30 September 2022, in inflation-adjusted terms,
from ZW$5.2 billion in the same period prior
year.

Company secretary Tapiwa Mari attributed
the increase to the improved economic activity,
which grew the hotel segment's revenue through
improved occupancies following a prolonged pe-
riod of low activity due to the Covid-19 pandem-
ic.

Occupancy rate for the period stood at 51%
from 24% recorded last year. With the help of
conferencing as the major revenue driver during
the period under review, the company estimated
that the trend would continue to year-end.

“City hotels continue to contribute the high-
est revenues. Increased economic activities have
seen the city hotels’ occupancies improve to the
pre-pandemic levels,” he said in the statement on
the trading update.

Mari said the group was benefiting from the
foreign business attracted by the resort hotels, and
the rebound of international tourism is set to im-
prove the volumes recorded at the resort hotels.

“The group continues to reap the rewards of its
international marketing activities as evidenced by
the increasing bookings from international tour
operations,” he added.

The company’s technology subsidiary, Gate-
way Stream, continued to witness growth in ac-
tivities across its revenue channels in the period,
with the grocery channel remaining the chief rev-
enue driver.

Commenting on this, Mari said: “The highly
successful hosting of a mega musical event in June
themed 'The Redefined Concert' was the main
highlight during the period under review.”

He added that the business has a number of
events in the pipeline that will generate significant
revenues in the remainder of the year. He said the
group expected to see the full activation of all the
12 Gateway Stream revenue channels.

Meanwhile, Heritage Expeditions Africa
(HExA)’s performance mirrored that of the hotel
business, with growth in activities over the past
seven months compared to the same period last

Page 34 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

What are the issues to consider for your
communication strategy in 2023?
BUSINESSES have to be adapt- er of Tesla Motors, and chair of
able and nimble in their strategies with employees, customers, and their advantage. We should know scape and how they can use these SolarCity. Musk has shown how
in an environment where rapid other stakeholders, as well as win about fundamental changes in so- changes to their advantage. With a single tweet can be enough to
changes are the order of the day. trust and credibility. We also need cial media platforms and how to 2023 being an election year in destroy a brand or cause massive
to be aware of the changing de- use them to engage customers. Zimbabwe, it would be folly of shifts in the markets.
There is a need to understand mographics of the workforce and With the rise of artificial intelli- any communicator to ignore the
the latest trends and use them to of how these changes will affect gence, businesses need to think fundamental shifts that can hap- “The only way to futureproof is
their advantage. In a world that the way employees communicate about how this technology will pen in our body politic. to continuously upskill and em-
is in a state of flux, communica- with each other and with custom- affect the way they communicate With the increase in remote brace change, enhance creative
tion practitioners can be of great ers. with their customers and employ- work, businesses need to keep em- and analytical thinking, make
help to executives in a company ees. ployees engaged and connected. informed choices, provide an im-
or business. Here are a few key issues that This may mersive integrated solution to ca-
we should examine when prepar- include using ter to the multiple organisational
Communicators can help them ing a communication strategy for chatbots to Corporate and brand needs. All the above, to
navigate the ever-changing land- 2023. First, businesses need to help with cus- either solve a consumer problem
scape and develop strategies that consider how the Covid-19 pan- tomer service, Communications or to nudge the brand to get clos-
will allow them to communicate demic has changed the landscape using data an- er to the consumer in a more au-
effectively with their target audi- of communication. The pandemic alytics or dab- thentic way,” advises Chatterjee.
ences. has forced businesses to be more bling in the
creative with their communica- metaverse with Lenox Lizwi Mhlanga Despite the demand for chang-
As we rapidly approach 2023, it tion strategies, and this creativity es in approach for communicators
is important to consider the vari- will need to continue in the New ‘NFTs and dig- in 2023, the "old mix" of commu-
ous issues that may arise when de- Year. As we move further into the ital footprint increasing with the This is through regular communi- nications tactics remain relevant
veloping a communication strate- 21st century, new and emerging exploration of various forms of cations and updates, as well as by but need some tweaking and reca-
gy. While some of these issues are technologies continue to shape engagement’ to better understand providing opportunities for em- libration, to borrow from Saheli.
specific to the year 2023, others the way we communicate with our customer needs. In this way, social ployees to connect with each oth-
will be more general and timeless. target audiences. Here are some media has become an increasing- er virtually. With the ever-chang- Storytelling: Storytelling will
The technological, social, and po- issues you should consider when ly important tool for businesses ing landscape of social media, it continue to play a vital role, an-
litical landscape is ever-changing, preparing your communication to communicate with their target can be difficult for businesses to chored by creativity and remain-
so we need to dust up and update strategy for 2023. audiences. keep up. ing at the core of content creation
our communication strategy regu- Businesses should to be aware We should not underestimate and management.
larly to stay relevant. With the ubiquity of social me- of the potential for cyber-attacks the power of social media. In re-
dia, businesses need to keep up and consider how to protect their cent years, we have seen the rise of Platforms: The number of in-
Saheli Chatterjee, a senior with the latest trends and examine data and systems. They also need social media influencers who can formation sources has now mul-
brand public relations (PR) and how to best use these platforms to have a plan for how to com- reach a large audience and engage tiplied, as a result, selecting a
digital manager for personal care to reach and engage their target municate with customers and em- with them in a way that tradition- platform and instrument for PR
business at ITC Limited observes audiences. They also need to con- ployees in the event of a cyber-at- al media cannot. One way to stay outreach can no longer be passive
that media consumption is wit- sider how to use social media in tack and other forms of crises. ahead of the curve is to examine and linear. It is critical for PR pro-
nessing a significant shift, with a a way that is respectful of users’ Political changes can also af- the PR lessons from Elon Musk’s fessionals to research, experiment,
digital-first approach trumping privacy and complies with any ap- fect communication strategies, use and eventual takeover of Twit- and build outreach in novel ways.
the traditional means. plicable regulations. so businesses should know about ter. Musk is the founder, CEO,
any shifts in the political land- and CTO of SpaceX, co-found- Tools: Both physical and ethe-
“Consumers are increasingly Businesses need to consider real elements are vital in obtain-
exploring and experimenting with how they can use technology to ing mindshare and attention.
media, a plethora of online plat-
forms and content. The growing Influencer marketing: The in-
consumer cynicism is also leading fluencer market is booming as a
to brand reputation being more flood of young men and women
fragile,” she says in her piece in begin to pursue influencing as a
Reputation Today.  career. The composition and effi-
ciency should be examined.
A communication strategy
helps businesses achieve their With all these issues to consid-
goals in several ways. First, it can er, businesses require the help of
help businesses connect with their communication practitioners to
target audiences in a more effec- ensure that both their communi-
tive way, creating a consistent and cation and business strategies are
recognizable brand identity. on point. Communication practi-
tioners help executives by staying
Second, it helps businesses cre- up to date on the latest trends,
ate more efficient and effective monitoring changes in the polit-
internal communication systems. ical landscape, and understand-
ing how new technologies can
Businesses develop better rela- engage audiences. By being aware
tionships with their stakeholders of these issues, communication
through this. practitioners counsel executives to
make the best decisions for their
Third, it can help businesses business in 2023.
save time and money by stream-
lining communication. Finally, it *About the writer: Lenox Liz-
can help businesses to better mon- wi Mhlanga is a communica-
itor and evaluate their progress in tions strategist with 20 years’
order to improve in the future. experience in the profession and
counsels organisations in the
Before creating any communi- private, public and civic society
cation strategy, there are several as well as political actors. He has
things to consider. The first and worked for the Word Bank and
most important are the audiences. is adviser to local and regional
It is essential to understand who PR agencies. Contact him on:
our target audiences are, as this Mobile  +263 772 400 656 and
will affect every other aspect of Email: lenoxmhlanga@gmail.
our communication strategy. We com
must consider what type of com-
munication will be most effective
in reaching our target audiences.

A well-executed communica-
tion strategy can help build and
maintain positive relationships

Property
NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 35

The home of prime property: [email protected]

New parliament complete, opened

The new Chinese built parliament building has finally been completed and officially opened. — Pictures: Aaron Ufumeli

Page 36 Stock Taking NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Zimbabwe Stock Exchange Pricelist

`

25 November, 2022

Market Cap ($mn) 1,735,167.82 0.69% Top 5 Gainers 14.45% Top 5 Losers -13.34% Value Leaders ($) 55,876,130 Top 5 Gainers YTD 589.58%
All Share Index 14,222.37 0.75% Mash 11.46% Willdale -9.44% Delta 53,463,000 Zeco 316.38%
Top 10 Index 8,209.21 -0.46% NMB 6.77% Ariston -8.63% Econet 52,271,580 Mash 289.25%
Value Traded ($) -69.56% Simbisa 1.29% Star Africa -5.56% Innscor 32,092,500 African Sun 282.60%
Interbank rate (USD/ZWL) 210,110,309.00 0.05% Delta 0.26% GB Holdings -5.08% Simbisa 10,513,750 CFI 250.00%
647.0850 GetBucks FMP Mash RioZim
Market Cap (US$mn) 0.69%
YTD Movement (%) 2,681.5145 -78.01%

Bloom be r g Opening LTP Closing Price Previous Volume traded Value traded Shares In Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change

Ticker (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) Change (%) Price (RTGSc) (shares) (RTGS$) Issue (mn's) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
26,000.00 - 26,000.00 - 26,000.00 - - 119.49 31,068.58 48.01 108.00% -65.07%
Afdis AFDIS: ZH 2,495.01 2,500.00 2,495.01 35,587.93 55.00 289.25% -34.63%
2,500.00 0.20% 395.00 78,700.00 1,967,500.00 1,423.52 5,821.19 9.00 -3.90% -83.86%
African Sun ASUN: ZH 395.00 335.75 357.70 -9.44% 1,540.00 4,300.00 15,381.25 1,627.40 6,729.45 10.40 47.37% -75.25%
1,540.00 - 1,540.00 6,308.63 - 34,840.68 53.84 109.98% -64.74%
Ariston ARISTON: ZH 6,308.63 6,310.00 - 800.00 - 107,270.00 436.98 24,318.12 37.58 -77.14% -96.16%
6,310.00 0.02% 2,600.00 1,700.00 - 552.15 34.42 0.05 14.71% -80.74%
Art ARTD: ZH 800.00 - 800.00 294,500.00 - 3,039.76 60,765.71 93.91 -8.00% -84.55%
2,600.00 - 2,600.00 - - - - 0.00 0.00 - -
Axia AXIA: ZH 294,500.00 - 294,500.00 - 20,005.00 - - 1.32 1,747.46 2.70 17.68% -80.24%
SUSPENDED - - 12,250.00 - - 20.63 64,026.03 98.95 62.97% -72.63%
Bridgerfort MMDZ: ZH 20,005.00 - - - 35,800.00 - - 42.94 37,962.63 58.67 282.60% -35.75%
12,250.00 - 20,005.00 - 21,753.20 - - 8.74 287,351.23 444.07 35.56% -77.23%
Bridgerfort Class B 35,800.00 - 12,250.00 - 4,700.00 - 522.66 16,826.04 26.00 34.29% -77.45%
21,753.20 35,800.00 - 3,576.39 - 55,876,130.00 106.04 91,512.14 141.42 -13.11% -85.41%
BAT BAT: ZH 4,700.00 22,055.00 22,033.17 1.29% 6,961.29 253,600.00 - 1304.18 180,644.30 279.17 -17.96% -86.22%
3,576.39 - 4,700.00 - 900.00 - 358.00 5,438.23 8.40 106.90% -65.26%
Border BRDR: ZH 6,961.29 3,532.50 -1.23% 6,250.00 6,800.00 240,210.00 2590.58 41,996.87 64.90 84.62% -69.00%
3,535.00 6,973.13 0.17% 2,265.00 766,700.00 53,463,000.00 2590.58 2,467.11 3.81 43.49% -75.90%
Cafca CAFCA: ZH 900.00 6,965.00 - 903.27 - 604.25 19,445.03 30.05 160.66% -56.23%
6,250.00 900.00 - 2,300.00 14,900.00 - 671.95 15,873.29 24.53 15.00% -80.69%
CBZ CBZ: ZH 2,265.00 - 6,250.00 - 1,055.00 - 931,250.00 108.92 12,398.41 19.16 28.38% -78.44%
6,250.00 2,265.00 -0.33% 180.00 89,100.00 2159.81 912.20 1.41 -25.93% -87.56%
CFI CFI: ZH 903.27 - 1,895.00 - - 690.14 22,099.25 34.15 216.67% -46.82%
2,300.00 - 900.31 -5.08% 20,100.00 44,100.00 802,180.00 1,238.16 38,816.44 59.99 -28.18% -87.94%
Delta DLTA: ZH 1,055.00 904.00 2,300.00 -5.56% 32,123.89 500.00 536.59 182,975.08 282.77 97.71% -66.80%
1,001.36 0.26% 12,475.00 100.00 - 1,163.12 10,000.00 15.45 56.25% -73.76%
Dairibord DZL: ZH 180.00 - 0.05% 1,180.46 100.00 441,600.00 193.02 25,116.65 38.82 316.38% -30.08%
1,895.00 1,000.00 170.00 -0.05% 7,500.00 162,800.00 569.88 18,124.03 28.01 36.36% -77.10%
Ecocash EHZL:ZH 20,100.00 1,900.00 0.20% 10,000.13 2,000.00 850.00 80.00 25,277.24 39.06 -20.02% -86.57%
32,123.89 170.00 20,110.00 14.45% 805.00 778,200.00 1,900.00 1,859.07 6,045.18 9.34 -28.30% -87.96%
Econet*** ECO: ZH 12,475.00 1,900.00 32,107.85 - 110,300.00 - 20,110.00 241.65 75,445.32 116.59 -19.76% -86.52%
1,180.46 20,110.00 12,500.00 0.05% 2,400.02 4,100.00 52,271,580.00 252.65 10,811.59 16.71 232.17% -44.22%
Edgars EDGR: ZH 7,500.00 32,250.00 1,351.03 -0.62% 1,200.00 100.00 250,000.00 755.65 3,046.47 4.71 90.48% -68.01%
10,000.13 12,500.00 7,500.00 - 3,028.10 - 10,513,750.00 68.40 38,456.04 59.43 8.96% -81.70%
FBC FBC: ZH 1,355.00 10,005.00 11.46% 8,199.06 400.00 404.17 5,425.19 8.38 0.00% -83.21%
805.00 - 795.00 - - 253.87 294.84 0.46 0.00% -83.21%
Fidelity Life FIDL: ZH 110,300.00 - 800.00 -1.24% 2,500.00 11,900.00 410,205.00 1,285.88 6,298.39 9.73 -13.79% -85.52%
10,005.00 110,300.00 - 750.56 - 66.17 18,741.17 28.96 -3.72% -83.83%
FCB FCB: ZH 2,400.02 - 8,365.38 - 800.00 37.09 20,678.50 31.96 -20.76% -86.69%
1,200.00 800.00 2,675.00 - 23,500.19 3,000.00 - 251.94 141,062.68 218.00 178.80% -53.18%
First Mutual FMLH: ZH 3,028.10 - 1,200.00 0.06% 171.69 500.00 2,495.50 7,397.02 11.43 35.40% -77.26%
8,199.06 2,990.63 0.00% 8,300.00 700.00 10,700.00 247.20 21,668.36 33.49 23.86% -82.58%
First Mutual Properties FMP: ZH 2,600.00 8,199.06 6.77% 244.89 127,900.00 - 562.18 929.44 1.44 21.00% -79.68%
795.00 - -8.63% 4,016.26 77,700.00 4,715.08 14,342.16 22.16 -42.77% -90.39%
GB Holdings GBH: ZH 2,500.00 795.00 - 400.00 - 355,885.00 261.06 1,972.16 3.05 -2.47% -83.62%
2,940.00 2,500.00 -1.18% 4,502.50 500.00 - 384.07 4,794.00 7.41 50.25% -74.77%
GetBucks GBFS: ZH 750.56 SUSP - 264.84 - - 357.10 4,080.87 6.31 -25.83% -87.55%
8,365.38 SUSP 751.00 - 11,400.00 - 493.04 19,971.73 30.86 48.05% -75.14%
Hippo HIPO: ZH 23,500.19 8,365.00 - 3.31 - 75,000.00 106.47 15.34 0.02 589.58% 15.80%
2,500.00 25,091.87 -13.34% 514.04 8,800.00 3,755.00 1,778.00 9,280.55 14.34 35.72% -77.21%
Innscor INN: ZH 171.69 751.00 - 260.00 - 58,555.00 175.19 1,497.60 2.31 -10.65% -85.00%
8,300.00 156.88 - 1,693.33 - 32,092,500.00 463.34 5,646.19 8.73 -30.57% -88.34%
Lafarge LACZ: ZH 8,365.00 8,300.00 -0.70% 8,900.00 121,893.00 1,818.22 7.14 0.01 - -
244.89 25,005.00 - 14,000.00 - 576.00 17,084.13 26.40 250.00% -41.22%
Mash MASH: ZH 4,016.26 242.00 -3.23% 700.00 - 344.58
150.00 4,016.26 - - 1,210.00 167.89
M as im ba MSHL: ZH 400.00 - - - 122.03
4,502.50 400.00 -
Meikles MEIK: ZH 241.25 4,502.50 -
264.84 - -
Nam pak NPKZ: ZH 11,400.00 - 229.52 20,197.75
- 11,400.00 -
Natfoods NTFD: ZH 3.31 -
514.04 225.25 3.31 45,427.00
NMB NMB: ZH 260.00 - 510.42 -
1,693.33 - 260.00 11,470.00
NTS NTS: ZH SUSPENDED 1,638.57 -
14,000.00 510.00 -
OK Zimbabw e OKZ: ZH - 4.25
14,000.00
Old Mutual OMU: ZH 1,600.00
-
PPC PPC: ZH -

Proplastics PROL: ZH

RTG RTG: ZH

Seedco SEED: ZH

Sim bis a SIM: ZH

Star Africa SACL: ZH

Tanganda TANG:ZH

Truw orths TRUW: ZH

TSL TSL: ZH

Turnall TURN: ZH

Unifreight UNIF: ZH

Willdale WILD: ZH

ZBFH ZBFH: ZH

Zeco ZECO: ZH

ZHL ZHL: ZH

Zim pape r s ZIMP: ZH

Zimplow Holdings ZIMPLOW: ZH

Hw ange HCCL: ZH

RioZim RIOZ: ZH

Econet shares in issue include Class A Shares

Exchange Traded Funds Opening LTP Closing Price Change Previous Price Volume traded Value traded Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change
(RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (%) (RTGSc) (RTGS$) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
Cass Saddle Agriculture ETF 200.00 200.00 200.00 200.00 23,540.00 22.67%
Datvest Modified Consumer Staples ETF 169.83 170.00 169.79 0.00% 169.83 54,350.00 47,080.00 - - 100.00% -66.55%
Morgan&Co Made in Zimbabw e -0.02% 92,282.92 115.50 0.18 69.79%
Morgan&Co Multi Sector 121.16 - 121.16 121.16 - 21.16%
OM ZSE Top-10 ETF 2,100.00 2,100.00 2,100.00 0.00% 2,100.00 90.00 - 2,982.96 4.61 21.16% -64.73%
0.00% 19,896.00 1,890.00 2,644.48 4.09 110.00%
561.06 560.00 564.60 561.06 -78.64%
0.63% 112,332.60 451.67 0.70 27.20%

* The complete list of ZSE Indices can be obtained from the ZSE website: www.zse.co.zw

Victoria Falls Stock Exchange Pricelist

25 November, 2022

Bloom be r g Opening LTP Closing Price Previous Volume traded Value traded Shares In Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change
Ticker (USc) (USc) (USc) Change (%) Price (USc) (shares) (US$) Issue (mn's) (US$ mn's) (RTGS$ mn's) US YTD (%) RTGS$ YTD (%)
BIND:ZH 3.00 3.00 - -
BNC - 0.00% 3.00 1,272.73 38.18 24,706.88 -45.45% 224.81%
Caledonia CMCL:ZH 1,300.00 1,300.00 - -
Padenga PHL:ZH 0.28 - 0.28 0.00% 1,300.00 5,150.00 1,439.47 0.62 8.06 5,215.51 0.00% 495.48%
Seed Co Intl 0.28 0.14% 0.28 537.67 1.50 972.44
SCIL:ZH 35.97 35.97 - - -98.67% -92.07%
- 0.00% 35.97 242.24 87.13 56,383.39
28.24% 663.62%

* The complete list of VFEX Indices can be obtained from the VFEX website: https://www.vfex.exchange/

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 37

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

2023: Authoritarians know it’s better to hold
and rig elections than not to hold them at all

PHILLAN ZAMCHIYA Zanu PF secretary for the commissariat Mike Bimha. Army and the Central Intelligence
Organisation, the police, and the in-
DEAR reader, Zimbabwe is on the The second "I" is inclusion. All citi- — is also broken. state of fear in communities reminds stitution of traditional leaders. This is
verge of holding a political ritual as zens must have equal right to partic- (3) Insulation me of my interview with the former meant to avoid the manipulation of
a general election in 2023 meant to ipation without any legal or practical The third "I" is insulation. Once the Zimbabwe prime minister, Morgan elections through various means and
legitimise the incumbent. hindrances. Violations of this norm citizens have formed their preferenc- Tsvangirai, who said to me: "I tra- the rigging of votes during counting
include practical hindrances such as es and attained their right to partic- versed the breadth and length of rural characterised by inflation and defla-
It is unlikely that a general elec- difficult access to registration centres ipate in the election, they must be Zimbabwe in early 2017. The people tion of votes and overall institutional
tion will be called off barring un- in perceived opposition strongholds able to express their choice freely. are aware of the challenges that affect bias in the management and conduct
foreseen circumstances because and partisan registration processes. The use of the secret ballot is meant them. Most want a change of govern- of the elections. Zimbabwe is still in
Zimbabwe has held regular general The police and ruling party support- to insulate people from outside pres- ment. However, the biggest problem search of institutional integrity in
elections when constitutionally re- ers have banned the opposition from sure, undue influence and  intimida- is fear. They are afraid to vote for the this aspect ahead of 2023.
quired to since the end of British freely holding campaign rallies in tion, threats, coercion and bribery. opposition. The fear factor is the great-
colonial rule in 1980. many rural areas like Gokwe in the Trends such as voter intimidation, est stumble. Before the opposition come (5) Irreversibility
past months. Civil society also face undue influence through patronage out with a strategy to deal with the The fifth "I" is irreversibility. Winners
However, Zimbabwe’s holding of constraints in their bid to exercise or prebendalism and violence against fear factor, it is going to be difficult." must be able to take state power and
regular elections does not suffice as a their constitutional rights. Legal opposition supporters, councillors I have since conceptualised this as exercise their power in line with the
measure of democracy. Since the end hindrances such as the government and Members of Parliament and the harvest of fear in my political works constitutional term limits. Hence an
of the Cold War, most authoritarian gazetted Private Voluntary Organi- leadership violate the norm. The sys- and up to now the citizens are not election must be irreversible ex post.
leaders have realised that it is better sations Amendment Bill [GN 3107 tematic abuse of the law to victimise insulated and are broken. Once this happens, then Zimba-
to hold and manipulate elections of 2021] might lead to further ex- opposition and civil society activists (4) Integrity bwe’s electoral chain of democrat-
than not to hold them at all. clusion of civil society organisations also break this link.   Just to show- The fourth "I" is integrity. The pro- ic choice is complete. Within the
to freely participate in electoral pro- case that people are not insulated: fessionalism, independence and context of an uncured 2017 military
In fact, across the world, govern- cesses in line with the Bill of Rights the Zimbabwe Peace Project reports competence of the Zimbabwe Elec- coup, norm violations can include:
ments are holding more and more as enshrined in the constitution. show that January to May 2022 pe- toral Commission, the judiciary (a) stopping winners of the ballot
elections but the democratic quality On the other hand, citizens that are riod signaled a surge in violence and and related election management from taking state power as happened
of elections is arguably declining. critical of government are being sys- human rights violations. The top institutions should be at the centre to Tsvangirai in 2008 when he won
This is a trend Africa has recent- tematically denied the right to citi- perpetrators of the violence during of a democratic election. Other in- the vote against the late President,
ly witnessed in Djibouti, Camer- zenship, freedom of expression and this period were Zanu PF members stitutions that must uphold integrity Robert Mugabe, and arguably to
oon and Equatorial Guinea, Chad, freedom to exercise their political and the Zimbabwe Republic Police are members of the Joint Operations Nelson Chamisa in 2018; (b) allow-
Uganda and the Republic of Congo. rights.  So, the second link to Zim- (ZRP) who accounted for 78.14% Command such as the Zimbabwe ing the ballot winners to take state
babwe’s electoral chain of demo- of the violations. The prevailing Defence Forces, Zimbabwe National power then frustrate their operations
Even the Western world, for ex- cratic choice — that of inclusion through tutelage to an extent that
ample the United States, has wit- the new leaders literally become a
nessed democratic recession charac- hostage of the military or powerful
terised by the erosion of democratic hidden elements of the state or (c)
norms and political institutions with a coup. So, the opposition can get
leaders like Donald Trump behaving into power but there can be another
like strongmen. However, this must coup. As we have learnt,  an uncured
not mean the end of the struggle to coup begets a coup.
enhance the democratic imperative
of elections. Reader, it is important to look
at the 5"I"s as an analytic and pre-
For Zimbabwe, or any constitu- scriptive lens. Analytic as in helping
tional democracy, to get a relatively practitioners to assess whether Zim-
free and fair election there is need babwe is ready for a relatively dem-
to build consensus towards an elec- ocratic election in 2023. Prescriptive
toral chain of democratic choice. as in helping practitioners to build
What would Zimbabwe’s electoral national, regional and international
chain of democratic choice look consensus that the 5"I"s, namely
like at this juncture? I argue, with Information, Inclusion, Integrity, In-
part genealogy in Robert Dahl’s wis- sulation and Irreversibility, constitute
dom, that it must have five primacy Zimbabwe’s electoral chain of dem-
conditions. These are information, ocratic choice. This will also enable
inclusion, insulation, integrity and the practitioners to make sure that
irreversibility (The 5 "I"s) as I ex- whatever political and legal reforms
plain next. on the table prioritise democratic
(1) Information investments in the 5"I"s.   Reader,
The first "I" is that of information. of emphasis is that violation of any
Democratic elections entail the free of the five links is bound to break
formation of voter preferences. Cit- the electoral chain of democratic
izens need to have access to candi- choice in ways that will lead to an-
dates and their policies. For this to other political ritual in 2023.
happen there is need for citizens to
have access to plural sources of in- *About the writer: Dr Phillan
formation and there is also need for Zamchiya holds a Doctor of Phi-
all candidates to have equal access losophy (D. Phil) degree in inter-
to the public space. Otherwise the national development from the
vote will be an echo of structurally University of Oxford in Britain.
induced propaganda by one player. He serves on the editorial advisory
board of tge Oxford Development
Stakeholders such as civil soci- Studies Journal.  He is also a senior
ety and parties must have equal researcher and the southern Africa
access like the ruling Zanu PF to coordinator for the Institute for
state media such as The Herald, The Poverty, Land and Agrarian Stud-
Chronicle, The Sunday Mail and the ies at the University of the Western
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation. Cape in South Africa. He studies
The prevailing norm is that opposi- state politics, democratisation and
tion political parties and civil society contemporary trajectories of land
working on political and civil rights and agrarian change in southern
have limited access to public space. Africa. He can be contacted on:
Reader, the first link is therefore evi- [email protected]
dently broken.
(2) Inclusion

Page 38 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Political violence: Zim women can't breath

MEMORY PAMELLA KADAU Bulawayo proportional representation MP Jasmine Toffa was attacked in Insiza by suspected Zanu PF members. for women. More importantly, the consti-
tution in section 245 provides for the set-
THE media has been awash with stories the beginning of the long struggle against is vividly captured in Women in the Na- women in the struggles of Zimbabwe, ting up of the Zimbabwe Gender Com-
of political violence, initially ahead of the colonisation in Zimbabwe's anti-colonial tional Liberation Struggle in Zimbabwe: An this has not translated to political prog- mission, a permanent body protecting the
26 March by-elections and subsequently history, but the role of Queen Lozikeyi interview of Naomi Nhiwatiwa by Carol ress for women in politics, social status rights of women and promoting gender
the most recent ones. and Prophetess Nehanda, as Zimbabwe's B.Thompson and Guns and Guerrilla and society. In addition to the historical equality in politics and other spheres of
feminist ancestors, is either downplayed Girls: Women in the Zimbabwean Liber- grounding, the country has also taken part life.
This is also happening in the run up to or not mentioned at all in historical ac- ation Struggle by Tanya Lyons also adds in the international and regional front to
next year’s high-stakes general elections. counts    (Dawson 2011; Beach 1979; insight into the issue. It is basically about respond to calls for holistic empowerment Political violence reverses all gender jus-
Beach 1998; Cobbing 1977). The ten- women guerrilla fighters in the Zimba- of women, including women's participa- tice gains.
Most worrying has been the deliberate dency to read the 1896 struggle through bwean national liberation war (1965- tion in politics and leadership.
targeting of women leaders and parlia- universalist patriarchal lenses occludes 1980). While policy provisions supporting
mentarians, including Jasmine Toffa of a consideration of what an articulation In this light, the country is state party women in politics are available, it is the
the main opposition Citizens' Coalition of the heroics of the two women would The book provides an examination of to the Beijing Platform for Action, Mil- terrible scourge of political violence which
Change (CCC) and other female mem- mean for imagining alternative politics in the plethora of representations of women lennium Development Goals, the Sadc limits women's effective participation and
bers of her party. Zimbabwe, and Africa, as a whole.” who joined the struggle for national inde- Maputo Declaration, the UN's Conven- ultimate advancement into leadership po-
pendence and contributes to a feminist tion on Ending All Forms of Discrimina- sitions.
These women in Matobo South and Lozikeyi was a senior queen of the understanding of Zimbabwe and African tion against Women and the Sustainable
Insiza constituencies were attacked by al- Ndebele nation. She was known for be- history and politics. Most previously pub- Development Goals. Politicians across board preach peace
leged ruling Zanu PF supporters. Reports ing outspoken, and for her defiance of the lished accounts about women’s roles in while they are the same actors who, be-
were made to the police, but the Zimba- white settlers — who described her as a the Zimbabwean liberation struggle have Collectively and cooperatively, these hind closed doors, plot violence which
bwe Republic Police has not acted to bring “dangerous and intriguing woman” — tended to focus on their “feminine” or international conventions and instru- we witness every time there is a political
the culprits to justice even when they are when she took over a leadership role after “natural” roles as mothers or alternatively ments are designed to create an enabling contest or elections. This deplorable sce-
known. the disappearance of Lobengula during on the post-independence concerns ex- environment for women's empowerment, nario is prevalent both in internal party
the 1893 Anglo-Ndebele War. pressed by women in Zimbabwe. including participation in politics and and national elections, this has over the
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and leadership. years created and nurtured the culture of
opposition CCC leader Nelson Chamisa Subject of a biography, Lozikeyi Dlodlo, Both of these views have ignored and political violence.
have both called for peace and tolerance Queen of the Ndebele: "A Very Dangerous excluded women’s actual experiences of At national level, Zimbabwe has also
ahead of the 2023 elections, but the situa- and Intriguing Woman" by Marieke Faber guerrilla fighting. Guns and Guerrilla made progress in promoting women's With women being the most vulner-
tion on the ground shows that violence is Clarke and Pathisa Nyathi, she served for Girls is the first text to both challenge the empowerment, including participation in able targets, the culture has also fed into
likely to escalate, with women being the sometime as de facto regent of the king- representations of “women as warriors” politics and leadership. Starting in 2009, violence against women in other areas
most vulnerable. dom and is credited with mass mobilisa- and provide a space for women ex-com- the country went through a constitutional outside politics. Since 2000, women have
tion and commanding of fighters in her batants in Zimbabwe to re-present their reform process which culminated in a new been maimed, raped, sexually harassed
Politicians often do not practice what territory during the 1896 uprising. past and their histories. supreme charter for the country in 2013. and even murdered during elections.
they preach.
The book is one of the first studies of a The text is also original in its aim to The constitution provided an expansive Resultantly, women are extremely un-
To appreciate the problem better, it is woman who led her people while British create a dialogue within postcolonial dis- Bill of Rights which, included most of the derrepresented in elected and appointed
important to look at the history of wom- colonial power occupied her country. course in order to facilitate understanding submissions by the women's movement. leadership positions while thousands live
en’s participation in politics and examine and healing vis-a-vis women’s wartime ex- This movement consisted of women from with scars of being part of public life in
the de jure, legally enforceable architecture Like Nehanda, Lozikeyi was the brains periences. political parties, civil society, trade unions, Zimbabwe. While the country has a legal
of their political participation, as well as behind one of the most historic anti-colo- informal sector, church, academia, diaspo- and policy framework for women's inclu-
evaluate how relevant legal provisions are nial revolts. The book deals specifically with the ra and private sector, among other groups. sion and participation in politics, this is
undermined by the de facto scourge of po- case of the Zimbabwean liberation strug- undermined by violence within the body
litical violence. Hence, Lozikeyi and Nehanda’s heroics gle, and provides an in-depth analysis of Part of the gains brought by the new politic.
continue to inspire generations up to this the different experiences women have of charter were women's rights set in term of
It is also equally important to proffer day. war when they take up arms to fight for section 17 and further elaborated in sec- Leaders of the influential political par-
some solutions on what can be done to their nation and liberation. The text al- tion 80. These rights include the import- ties, all men, have given lip service to the
end this scourge of violence disenfranchis- Nehanda’s name, memory and spirit lows women to describe their own history, ant right of gender equality in appointed scourge of political violence and the tar-
ing women while deepening inequality. were often invoked during the struggle in while providing a detailed analysis of the and elected positions in all agencies and geting of women. President Mnangagwa
the 1970s, mainly within Zanu and Zan- history of the struggle from a gendered arms of the government. public declares to be against political vio-
The history of women's involvement in la, while Zapu and Zipra called to mind perspective. lence but failed to condemn the barbaric
politics and fights for emancipation and Lozikeyi during the period. Section 56 outlaws discrimination on attack on Toffa and other women ahead of
liberty traces itself to the very foundations Despite the heroic contributions of the ground of gender and provides oppor- by-elections held last month.
of our country; the struggles for freedom The role of women during Zimbabwe’s tunities for affirmative action programmes
and independence. liberation struggle in the 1960s and 1970s It is even more disconcerting that his
silence comes on the back of his support-
One of the most iconic liberation her- ers being accused of perpetrating the vi-
oines of the 1890s struggles is Mbuya olence in Matobo and Insiza respectively.
Nehanda and her enduring legacy which In many instances, silence is misconstrued
underlines the critical role of women in to be contentment and it is frightening for
politics, and the need to build on that for the head of state to be tacitly endorsing
further emancipation and empowerment political violence.
of women in society.
Finally, it is important for political
Nehanda’s role and history are players to understand that it is them, their
well-documented. wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts
and grandmothers who face the scourge
During the same era, Queen Lozikeyi of political violence. The first step is for all
Dlodlo of the Ndebele also played an in- political players, particularly Mnangagwa
strumental role in the 1896 uprisings as to show action beyond words.
she took a leadership after the disappear-
ance of King Lobengula in the aftermath This demands that he lets the police
of the Anglo-Ndebele War in 1893, which and other security institutions undertake
followed colonial invasion in 1890. their work to investigate, arrest and bring
the perpetrators to justice. It also demands
As Khanyile Mlotshwa writes in The that Chapter 12 commissions are vigilant
Subalternity of Women in Social Movements and undertake their work without fear or
and African Politics: favour and expose perpetrators of political
violence.
Queen Lozikeyi of the Ndebele, and
Mbuya Nehanda, a Shona prophetess, are On that note, it is commendable that
two women who led the struggle against the Zimbabwe Gender Commission has
colonisation in the 1896 uprising in Zim- issued a statement condemning the recent
babwe, then colonised as Rhodesia. His- political violence against women in the
torians and political leaders put emphasis by-elections.
on the 1896 uprising as marking the be-
ginning of the long struggle against colo- However, beyond statements, the com-
nisation in Zimbabwe’s anti-colonial his- mission must institute thorough investi-
tory but the role of Queen Lozikeyi and gations to name and shame perpetrators
Prophetess Nehanda, as Zimbabwe’s fem- and recommend cases for prosecution
inist ancestors, is either downplayed or within the confines of their constitutional
not mentioned at all in historical accounts mandate.
(Dawson 2011; Beach 1979; Beach 1998;
Cobbing 1977). Finally, the ultimate task falls on of us
in society to change and challenge the cul-
The tendency to read the 1896 strug- ture of political violence by calling out and
gle through universalist patriarchal lenses withdrawing support to political parties
occludes a consideration of what an artic- and candidates who perpetrate political
ulation of the heroics of the two women violence.
would mean for imagining alternative
politics in Zimbabwe, and Africa, as a Only collective agency will protect
whole. women and girls from political violence
and unapologetically punish offenders.
“Queen Lozikeyi of the Ndebele, and
Mbuya Nehanda, a Shona prophetess, are *About the writer: Memory Pamella
two women who led the struggle against Kadau works in civil society and writes
colonisation in the 1896 uprising in in her personal capacity. She can be
Zimbabwe, then colonised as Rhodesia. reached on [email protected]
Historians and political leaders put em-
phasis on the 1896 uprising as marking

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 39

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

WERNER HOYER/
TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS

The pandemic and the fallout from
Russia's war in Ukraine have re-
versed progress in the fight against
many diseases, decreased life expec-
tancy, lowered basic immunisation
coverage, and increased psychoso-
cial and mental health challenges
around the world. Addressing these
problems will take both money and
new partnerships.

NO one could have predicted the Global health is the best country’s National Health Labo-
extent to which Covid-19 would investment we can make ratory, with financing from the
erode decades of progress in glob- European Commission and the
al public health. And the world is precisely primary health care – health targets, including  many ready identifies  antimicrobial EIB. The new laboratory will per-
still reeling from the shock. But play at all times, and especially of those  enshrined in the Sus- resistance  as “the silent pandem- form more than 80 000 tests each
we have the opportunity – and when economic crises hit. tainable Development Goals for ic” and a serious threat to global year, serving a population of more
the duty – to learn the right les- 2030. The pandemic has set us health and development. than 12 million.
sons to mitigate the ongoing pan- First, investment in primary back further.
demic, while minimising the risk health care must increase, because Moreover, we are working to To have a measurable impact in
of similar events in the future. investment gaps in health widen In times of rising debt and in- channel additional resources from these countries, we focus on using
during difficult times such as we creasing risks to debt sustainabil- other partners, such as the Euro- innovative finance mechanisms
Though there are new threats are experiencing now. These gaps, ity, governments, international pean Commission, development that spur domestic funding and
on the horizon, we must not al- in turn, increase the risks people organisations, and financial in- finance institutions, and pri- promote our shared goal of health
low our focus to move away from face from global threats, man- stitutions must cooperate closely vate-sector actors, to boost health for all.
Covid-19. The pandemic high- made or otherwise. It is in every- to get us back on track. While il- services where they are needed
lighted significant gaps in our body’s interest to help all coun- lustrating the many shortcomings most. At the same time, we are com-
global health systems. To leave tries that lack resources to invest in global cooperation, Covid-19 mitted to promoting sustainabil-
them unaddressed would be bad sufficiently in health-system resil- has also demonstrated the impor- Earlier this year, we announced ity in debt management, so that
public policy and bad econom- ience and pandemic preparation tance of working together. a partnership, in cooperation with our partner countries’ invest-
ics, because there can never be a and response. the European Commission and ments in health do not result in
trade-off between health and eco- That is why our two organisa- the African Union, to strengthen financial pain. Again, to invest
nomic development. Covid-19 Second, innovation in life sci- tions have committed to combin- health systems, in particular pri- in health is to promote good eco-
has demonstrated that health is ences needs more financing, espe- ing our strengths to promote and mary health care, in Africa. The nomic policy.
central to development, prosper- cially to scale it up in a sustain- increase investments in health. EIB has pledged to make at least
ity, and national security. able manner. €500 million (US$520 million) Good health and well-being are
For example, with support available to mobilise more than goals the whole world shares. To
The pandemic’s disruption This means supporting lo- from the European Investment €1 billion in investment, with accelerate the deployment of in-
of health services has resulted cal production or mental-health Bank, the WHO, the Wellcome a particular focus on primary novative health solutions, coun-
in spikes in HIV, tuberculosis, service delivery innovations that Trust, and others, the  AMR Ac- health care in sub-Saharan Africa. tries and institutions must work
malaria, and many non-com- reach millions of people and are tion Fund  is investing in inno- together, fostering cooperation
municable diseases – both unre- incorporated into the primary vative solutions to tackle antimi- New cooperative projects are not only between states, but also
ported cases and deaths. These health-care system. crobial resistance and ensure that already moving ahead in Africa between governments and the pri-
are diseases that the world had there is a pipeline of new drugs to and the Middle East. In Rwan- vate sector.
previously made great gains to- Unfortunately, even before address key needs. da, the WHO will directly advise
ward controlling. Making matters Covid-19, the world was lagging the government on rebuilding the — Project Syndicate.
worse, the pandemic has led to in the race to meet globally agreed The scientific community al-
decreased life expectancy, lower *About the writers: Werner
basic immunisation coverage, and Hoyer is president of the Euro-
increased psychosocial and men- pean Investment Bank. Tedros
tal-health challenges. Adhanom Ghebreyesus, former
minister of Foreign Affairs of
Compounding the pandemic’s Ethiopia, is director-general of
painful legacy, the war in Ukraine the World Health Organisation.
has triggered an extensive human-
itarian crisis, endangered glob-
al food supplies, increased food
and energy prices, and threatens
to cause recession and econom-
ic hardship around the world.
In September, the International
Monetary Fund warned that “the
impact of higher import costs for
food and fertilizer for those high-
ly exposed to food insecurity will
add  US$9 billion  to their bal-
ance of payments pressures – in
2022 and 2023. This will erode
countries’ international reserves,
and  their  ability to pay for food
and fertilizer imports.”

Moreover, higher interest rates
and tightening financial condi-
tions have raised the specter of
widespread  debt distress  in low-
and middle-income countries.
By subjecting public finances to
great strain, recent global shocks
have put vital, long-term health
investment at risk.

Global solidarity and equity are
the underpinnings of any effec-
tive response to the challenges we
face. We must advance on three
fronts to preserve the central role
that health systems – and more

Page 40 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

The emergence and rise of feminism

MATTHEW MARE Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) were formed to empower women. decades, quotas do not say anything about
effectiveness, whether endogenous or exog-
FEMINIST theories are diverse and varied. women as equal beings and deserving similar goal was to attain gender equality by 2020. enous. All they say is that more (or fewer)
They include liberal feminism, which advo- rights that are enjoyed by men in all spheres In addition, UN Security Council’s (UNSC) women have been deployed without saying
cates women’s equal access to socio-economic of life. This was a practical demonstration adoption of Resolution 1325, which marked anything about the implications of their pres-
and political institutions; radical feminism, that the implied distinction between private women’s entry into peacekeeping missions; ence. It does not mean that by increasing the
which argues that women’s oppression orig- (personal) and public (international) arenas creation of UN Women international efforts number of women in the uniformed peace-
inates in sexuality; Marxist and socialist fem- was false. Thus, there was no premise for to eradicate domestic violence by setting 25 keeping force, it will inevitably increase their
inism which roots gender inequality in capi- alienating women based on social construc- November as the International Day for the influence within the operation or modify the
talism; and psychoanalytic feminism, which tions (Meyer and Prugl, 1999). Women have Elimination of Violence against Women; way the mission operates in relation to local
argues that early childhood experiences shape to be equally represented in all facets of life Recognition of wartime rape (Niarchos 1995) citizens (Jennings, 2011).
women’s psyches and creates differences be- including in religious circles. as a war crime (Rome Statute 2002); and the
tween men and women. inclusion of women in key decision-making In the grey literature advocating for in-
While feminism has tried to open spaces positions. creased women’s participation in peacekeep-
Although these feminist theories are varied, previously reserved for men, it seems inclu- ing, a number of arguments that tend to over-
they all zero in on analysing women’s experi- sion of women in hard politics is still cosmet- Good examples include Dr Stergomena lap and to reinforce each other occur. They
ences and offer different remedies for gender ic as they are still restricted to playing periph- Tax, the former secretary for the Southern include the following argument: that woman
inequality (Mies, 1986). In order to achieve eral roles (Tickner 1992). African Development Community, Christine peacekeepers offer better protection to vul-
this, three overlapping forms of feminism Lagarde, president of the Bank of Europe and nerable citizens as they are less intimidating
have been developed. These are empirical Women are viewed through patriarchal Ursla von der Leyen, chairperson of the Euro- or provocative compared with male peace-
feminism, analytical feminism and normative lenses as socially constructed stereotypes pean Commission, and formulation of wom- keepers (Niarchos, 1995).
feminism. whose duties are limited to less demanding en’s quota systems in politics that has opened
tasks. This is despite the fact that they form the door for emergence of powerful women In religious circles, there are allegations
Empirical feminism explores gender as a a larger proportion of the world population in world politics (Barth and Hostens 2004) that women and girls are subjected to both
dimension of international relations. It has (Baumgartner 2010). like Angela Merkel, former Germany Chan- physical and emotional abuse. At the same
identified the male stream of society as a ma- cellor, Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House time, church tribunals that hear these alleged
jor contributor to gender inequality in the The situation gets worse in situations (UN) of Representatives and Greta Thunberg, a fe- cases are dominated by males who run most
world (True, 2001). Its argument is that tra- that involve violence and post-conflict peace- male teenage Green theorist. religious institutions. Therefore, the hearings
ditional international relations theories like keeping missions. A United Nations report are prejudicial to female victims. A lesson
realism help to maintain a distorted and par- on Women in Peacekeeping buttressed this Thus, women are showing that they are can be obtained from UN peacekeeping op-
tial world view that reflects the unequal pow- point. It highlighted that 1% of deployed indeed capable of performing duties just like erations where the involvement of women as
er of control that men clench rather than the uniformed personnel in 1993 were women. their male counterparts. In that respect, this peacekeepers is proving to provide better pro-
full social reality of the lives of women, chil- paper has found it necessary to also show how tection to vulnerable citizens such as women
dren and men (Runyan and Peterson, 1991). The figure rose to 4.8% of military contin- women were faring in war situation, that is, and children.
gents and 10.9% of police units in the year in peacekeeping operations, which are more
Thus, this school of thought challenges 2020. The target for women in UN peace- difficult to perform compared with the role in The same can be adopted in religious cir-
the patriarchal nature of society as espoused keeping missions set for 2028 ranges from church where women in Johanne Marange are cles so that there is a balance of gender, which
by traditional realism. Feminists challenge 15%-30% (United Nations Peacekeeping being side-lined. in turn may guarantee protection of women
women’s near-complete absence from tradi- 2020). These figures are still very low, espe- and children from abuse of their rights by re-
tional power relations, which perpetuated cially in a world where the need for gender Evaluating the effect of issues of gender and ligious leaders.
their marginalisation and exclusion from de- balancing has dominated various global fora. peacekeeping is a tough, multifaceted and
cision-making; "high politics" (Enloe, 1989). controversial task. One way of circumvent- In addition, the presence of female peace-
They also expose how globally, women were In the recognition of the important role ing these debates is to set quotas for women’s keepers acts as deterrence to their male coun-
victims of structural and indirect violence that women play and in trying to achieve gen- participation, where they serve as proxy for terparts, some of whom have the propensity
(even in war (Tickner, 1992). The exclusion der parity, many international treaties have impact (Valenius, 2007). to sexually violate victims of conflict whom
of women in high politics is also evidenced in been signed to advance the empowerment of they are supposed to protect.
religion where they are limited to peripheral females. But as suffragette critics of “add women
roles, which is the crux of this thesis. and stir” approaches have been arguing for Jennings (2011) adds that women peace-
Such treaties include the Beijing Declara- keepers have the added advantage when it
Meanwhile, analytical feminism utilises tion and Platform for Action (1995) whose comes to body search as they can search other
gender to deconstruct and expose gender bi- women and girls at checkpoints and thus can
ases in philosophical concepts. It holds that improve intelligence gathering about local
the use of abstract classifications such as “the communities as they can easily understand
system”, “the state”, (Enloe, 1989) without what constitutes a threat to the vulnerable
unpacking people as agents embedded in so- members of society (Sion, 2008).
cial and historical contexts leads to alienation
of women from being recognised as active ac- In terms of inspiration, women peacekeep-
tors in power politics. ers help contribute to more equitable gender
relations within the local society by serving as
Analytical feminine politics in this instance role models or mentors for local women and
moves from particular interstate relations to- girls (ibid).
wards transnational actors and their transfor-
mations in global politics. Showing how pre- Therefore, there indeed is some sign that
viously excluded areas like gender balance are female peacekeepers take a diverse tactic to
central to the functioning of the international uniformed peacekeeping duties than male
system. counterparts (Jennings, 2011). For example,
women peacekeepers easily befriend and assist
This deconstruction of gendered identi- local women both through formal or informal
ties that perpetuate normative ideas of what contacts. 
men and women should do is challenged, and
so are notions that masculinity is associated Their involvement in social capital activ-
with rationality, power, independence (Mies, ities like giving away toys, participating in
1986) and the public sphere where women clean ups and other outreach activities pro-
are seen as weak and in need of masculine vide solace for distressed females in local
protection as embodied by patriarchal power. communities (ibid).

This is what analytical feminism debunks, Such efforts commonly generate goodwill
hence advocating for parity even in once mas- within the affected communities and prevent
culine dominated sectors like on the role of possible glitches in the peacekeeper-local rela-
female in churches such as the Johanne Ma- tionship from arising. These same experiences
range Apostolic Church. can be extended to religious institutions for
the greater good in order to reduce cases of
Lastly, there is normative feminism, which the abuse of women and children’s rights.
advances ideas to attain gender equality in
politics and economics. *About the writer: Matthew Mare is
a Zimbabwean academic who holds two
The overarching argument here is that the bachelor’s degrees, five master’s qualifica-
female plays a key role in decision making for tions and a PhD. He is also doing anoth-
the family (Runyan and Peterson 1991) and er PhD and has 12 executive certificates in
can also do the same in the community, as different fields. Professionally, he is a civil
well as at church etc. servant and also board member at the Na-
tional Aids Council of Zimbabwe.
Such arguments birthed efforts to recognise

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 41

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

JONATHAN MUNEMO US dollar is getting stronger:
African countries feel the pain
THE United States dollar has
been advancing rapidly in response of 2022. US dollar invoicing is also a ably for African governments with turn.
to the Federal Reserve’s resolve to Other currencies including the prominent feature of trade financ- high levels of dollar-denominated The second option is to stem
keep raising policy rates for longer ing in developing countries. Com- debt.
to regain control of stubbornly high Kenyan shilling and South Africa’s panies engaged in merchandise currency depreciation pressures by
inflation. rand have also buckled under the trade are heavily dependent on Higher interest rates increase intervening in the currency market.
pressure of a strong dollar. bank finance for working capital, debt-servicing burdens, and have
This has far reaching consequenc- due to the difference in timing be- heightened concerns about debt This requires using foreign ex-
es. The US dollar is prominently The dollar’s strength comes as tween incurring costs and receiving sustainability, especially for the change reserves to support the cur-
used around the world as an inter- Africa is being hit hard by surging payments. more than 20 African countries rency. This option is not widely
national medium of exchange and global food and energy prices in- that  IMF and World Bank consid- available.
as a global reserve currency. cited by Russia’s war in Ukraine. A stronger dollar  tightens trade er  to be at high risk of, or already
Central banks across the region financing conditions, constraining in, debt distress. Many African countries have de-
The dollar is strengthening as have been tightening interest rates access to financing for firms.  This pleted their surplus reserves after
Africa is already being hit hard by to tackle the war-driven rise in in- offsets  any improvement in export Already, African loans to large large public spending programmes
rising inflation triggered by war flation. competitiveness, further dampen- creditors such as China are  fac- during the Covid-19 pandemic and
in Ukraine. As dollar power in- ing foreign trade. ing mounting repayment pressure. more expensive payments on their
creases, it is amplifying inflation- The dollar’s advance is intensi- Most of these loans are on commer- commodity imports. As a result for-
ary pressures across the continent. fying inflation woes by weakening In-depth studies on trade finance cial terms and denominated in US eign-currency reserves are already
That is making it even more diffi- African countries’ currencies and across Africa have been conducted dollars. perilously low in a number of coun-
cult for central banks to tame high thereby driving up dollar denomi- by the African Development Bank. Response options tries.
inflation. Additional pain will be nated prices of imports. As the dol- The  International Finance Corpo- How should African countries re-
felt as the dollar’s strength ripples lar climbs higher in value, it ampli- ration and World Trade Organisa- spond to the strong dollar? According to the Internation-
through Africa, causing a squeeze fies inflationary pressures. In turn tion  also conducted a joint study al Monetary Fund, one-quarter of
on trade volumes, tighter trade fi- that is making it even more difficult focusing on Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Options are few – and challeng- sub-Saharan African countries have
nancing conditions and burgeoning for central banks to curb high in- Nigeria and Senegal. ing. In the short term, there are two reserves below three months of im-
sovereign debts alongside surging flation. main options for African countries. ports and more than three-quarters
debt-servicing costs. These studies find that banks Unfortunately, neither is a silver have reserves below five months.
Although a strong dollar does identify lack of sufficient dollar bullet.
Another concern is the risk of improve competitiveness of African and euro liquidity as an important Given that weaker currencies in-
what has been termed the  dollar exports, the gains from weaker cur- constraint for financing trade. By The first is to keep raising interest crease the buying power of travel-
doom loop. As the dollar gains rencies may end up not being sub- tightening trade financing condi- rates to fend off currency deprecia- lers from abroad, one option would
strength, it becomes a drag on stantial. tions, a strong dollar further com- tion pressures from the strong dol- be to boost tourism to help shore
global economic activity, pressur- pounds working capital constraints lar. However, if policy rates keep up local currencies in the medium
ing other currencies to weaken and That is because exports are of- for companies. going up, they will squeeze output term.
fuelling even higher dollar strength. ten invoiced in US dollars. So, and could cause recession in some
This outcome further weighs on while currency weakening makes Rapidly increasing US interest African economies. — The Conversation.
economic activity, reinforcing cur- goods cheaper in domestic currency rates are a major driver of acceler-
rency weakness, setting in motion terms, this does not always translate ating dollar strength. This has tight- Lifting rates must be done care- *About the writer: Jonathan
a self-reinforcing feedback doom into cheaper goods for foreign buy- ened financial conditions consider- fully to avoid an economic down- Munemo is professor of econom-
loop. One negative outcome trig- ers who pay in US dollars. ics at Salisbury University in the
gers another. United States.

Already  concerns about a dollar
doom loop have been raised for the
global economy.

Unfortunately, African countries
have few options for responding
to the strong dollar. And most are
challenging.

They could keep raising interest
rates to fend off currency deprecia-
tion pressures from the strong dol-
lar. But, in doing so, policy makers
face a difficult balancing act as lift-
ing rates must be carefully calibrat-
ed to avoid spurring an economic
downturn.

An alternative option is to try to
contain currency depreciation pres-
sures by intervening in the curren-
cy market using foreign exchange
reserves. That is also challenging.
Many African countries have seen
their surplus reserves depleted af-
ter large pandemic-spurred public
spending support programmes and
more expensive payments on their
commodity imports.
The impact
The value of the US dollar has ris-
en substantially since March 2022
when the Fed started its aggressive
rate hiking campaign in a bid to
tackle stubbornly high inflation.
The Federal Reserve dollar index,
which measures the strength of the
greenback against the currencies of
a broad group of other major cur-
rencies, has risen steeply.

The index has appreciated by
about 10% since March, as Fed of-
ficials are laser-focused on fighting
inflation.

This has weakened African cur-
rencies. The extent varies by coun-
try. For example, Ghana’s  cedi, the
Egyptian  pound  and the Zimba-
bwe  dollar  have slumped sharply
and are now included among  the
top 10 worst-performing currencies

Page 42 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Renewable energy needs more investment

ABAY YIMERE

RENEWABLE energy technologies countries and regions. For example, in in 1998 (a fall of 22.95%). The hydro- a multitude of directions, including ry system creates unpredictability and
such as solar photovoltaics and on- southern Africa in 2020 precipitation power generation capacity in Nigeria climate change and socioeconomic deters investment.
shore wind power can help sub-Sa- was less than the historical average for was reduced by 27.4% from 2007 to development. Next steps
haran Africa meet its energy require- the region. 2009 and 42.3% from 2005 to 2009. There is a tremendous chasm between
ments from sources that have lower Similarly, Kenyan hydropower gener- More than 80% of the energy gen- aspirations and policy execution in
emissions than fossil fuels. In other areas, wetter weather is ex- ation capacity was reduced by 60.6% eration from hydropower comes from Africa. To close this gap the following
pected through to 2100. In the east- from 1998 to 2000 and 37.14% from the Democratic Republic of Con- steps need to be taken.
Currently, the sub-continent gets ern African region this period is pro- 2008 to 2009. These variations are go, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique,
0.01% of its energy supply from jected to be wetter and accompanied significant. Uganda and Zambia. In my view, all Policy barriers must be lifted and
wind, 2% from solar, about 4%- by heavy rains.  Variability between should diversify their energy sources there needs to be better co-ordination
5% from geothermal, 17% from years and heavy floods can make man- The second challenge is that hydro- to other renewable to make their en- between the various players.
hydro and  77% from fossil fuel. aging dams difficult, and disrupt the power plants are long-term projects ergy supply climate resilient and sus-
About 70% of current greenhouse gas electricity supply. which could last up to 100 years. Un- tainable. Secondly, financial limitations
emissions come from the global ener- der uncertainty about future poten- Barriers to solar and wind must be eased. The debt-laden climate
gy sector. This has already been seen to hap- tial impacts of climate change, it will Policy studies have identified five ma- finance structure must be revised. Cli-
pen. Heavy floods and wreckage have be risky to build hydropower plants. jor barriers to the development and mate finance for the most vulnerable
Clearly sub-Saharan Africa needs to disrupted the operation of dams in They might not be sustainable. uptake of solar and wind technologies countries is scarce and the applica-
reduce its dependency on fossil fuels. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Mala- in sub-Saharan Africa: tion process is long and cumbersome
Even though its greenhouse gas emis- wi. In the case of Malawi, this signifi- Thirdly, competition for water be- when the opportunity arises. Climate
sions account for only  3%  of global cantly reduced hydropower  genera- tween industries, energy, domestic use • institutional – lack of coordina- finance should be need-based and
emissions, the region’s reliance could tion capacity in 2019). and irrigation is expected to increase tion between different organisations practical to help the most vulnerable
be the source of a future carbon tsu- the stress on water availability. Water and bridge the chasm between finan-
nami. This would happen if energy Variations between years in rainfall scarcity would be a critical impedi- • technical – a trained labour force cial need and supply.
demand skyrocketed on the back of and evaporation affect stream flow ment to supplying Africa’s growing and expertise to implement, regulate
rapid  population growth,  urbanisa- and determine hydropower genera- energy needs with hydropower. Ac- and monitor technologies In addition, development banks
tion and economic growth. tion output. cording to projections, the African and donors need to champion and
population will reach  2.5 billion  in • socio-cultural – low acceptance of invest in the areas considered risky
There are many who advocate a As shown in this image, the histori- 2050. An additional 1.7 billion peo- the technologies by private businesses. They need to
move to hydropower, which currently cal data in selected sub-Saharan coun- ple will need energy, water and food. lay the business foundations to make
accounts for  17%  of the continent’s tries demonstrate the variations in hy- As of 2021, out of a 1.4 billion popu- • financial barriers – lack of subsi- the sector attractive for private invest-
energy mix. And the trend is to in- dropower generation. The Democratic lation, 600 million people do not have dies and incentives, and fragmented ments. In return, governments must
crease its share. Republic of the Congo (DRC), which access to electricity. The same water is taxation adopt policies and strategies that en-
carries 42% of the global hydropower used for drinking water, industry, ir- courage private investments in solar,
But I believe there are dangers in potential, shows fluctuations in pro- rigation and food production. This • regulatory – weak bodies and wind, and geothermal technologies.
this. Based on  my research, and the duction. For instance, the DRC’s hy- implies that water stress comes from problems with land leasing processes.
work of  others, I would argue that dropower generation capacity was re- — The Conversation.
there are three reasons to suggest that duced 6.1 TWh in 1996 to 4.7 TWh These barriers are intertwined and
African countries need to diversify reinforce one another. For example,
their energy sources and avoid a very the lack of an independent regulato-
high dependency on hydropower.

The main concern is climate un-
certainty. This could potentially pose
a threat to hydropower generation.
Generating energy from hydropower
depends on precipitation and tem-
perature patterns. Heavier rains and
more prolonged droughts will affect
the ability of countries to produce hy-
dropower.

The second concern is related: de-
veloping hydropower facilities takes
decades. It’s hard to plan that far
ahead when future climate conditions
are uncertain. And the third difficulty
is that the region is vulnerable to wa-
ter shortages and is already experienc-
ing the consequences.

These obstacles call for energy
diversification to solar, wind and
geothermal. The cost of solar has de-
clined  by 85% and that of wind by
56% in the last year alone. This makes
these technologies much more afford-
able and accessible.

But policy barriers currently im-
pede the development, use and ap-
plication of these low-carbon energy
technologies.
Dangers ahead for hydropower
The intensity and duration of  pre-
cipitation  varies across sub-Saharan

NewsHawks Africa News Page 43

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

SA lacks strategic
leadership to

weather its storms

RICHARD CALLAND/ actions in advance, in the light of Former South African President Nelson Mandela.
MABEL DZINOUYA SITHOLE our goals and capacities."
But few, if any, big strategic choices wait until sufficient consensus has has fully met the challenge of con-
SOUTH Africa is in a state of cri- Many leaders, governments and can be win-win; there will invari- formed or putting in place cumber- fronting “what is wrong” head-on.
sis. Its current reality is necessarily organisations confuse planning with ably be a downside. The question is some consultation processes, before Their ability to address the question
shaped by historical events, not least strategy. So this is an apt consider- whether the leader understands and reaching a clear decision. of “what is wrong” has been con-
the outcomes of the political settle- ation to keep in mind: have South then confronts the dilemma, and in strained by the very real demands to
ment process that led to the end of Africa’s post-1994 presidents ad- doing so can articulate the upside He gets things done; he gets there put out fires, and keeping the boat
apartheid in 1994. dressed the fundamental question of and recognise its intrinsic value, one in the end, but his design and use of afloat without an eye on the navi-
what is wrong with the society and that justifies the downside. process is that of a master tactician, gation system. And where they have
Unlike other countries in south- its economy, in a strategic way? not a strategist. He has not risen to focused on navigating the rough seas
ern Africa, where political indepen- Mbeki was a flawed visionary. His the leadership heights required by to get to the destination of a more
dence came after gruesome libera- Here’s how the country’s five legacy is scarred by his inexplica- the gravity of the historical mo- equal, inclusive South Africa, the
tion wars, the leaders of the African post-apartheid presidents have fared ble lack of judgment on HIV/AIDS, ment. This requires leadership that vessels of governance with a mandate
National Congress (ANC), which on strategy. and his stubborn refusal to accept would unshackle government from to steward these transitions have not
led the liberation struggle and has Five different styles that his government should provide the congealing embrace of the rul- always delivered.
been the governing party since 1994 Mandela, the first president of a antiretroviral treatment. ing ANC and its fractious factions.
— alongside other political and so- democratic South Africa, made big A leader who would rise above the Mandela, Mbeki and now Ra-
cial movements — managed to ne- strategic choices – not necessarily Motlanthe, who succeeded him, daily throng to inspire ordinary cit- maphosa have circled the problem
gotiate a transition to democracy. the right ones, but certainly ones in his modest way, also recognised izens with a compelling narrative of (while Zuma weakened the state’s
that were befitting of the times. the strategic imperative of his short, hope and change, underpinned by capability). But perhaps because it
There were many “wins”, includ- caretaker time as president — (25 iron determination to take brave is such a wicked problem, and the
ing assent to the election of a ma- A primary strategy choice faced September 2008 to 9 May 2009): to decisions and to execute them with structural difficulties run so deep,
jority-led government and the enact- Mandela at the very advent of the consolidate authority in democratic a sense of purpose and urgent expe- they have failed to define a strategic
ment of policies that would ensure democratic era. He opted for nation- government and to stabilise an un- dition. course that would confront the un-
broad-based  economic transforma- al reconciliation as his political mo- stable body politic in the context of Circling the problem derlying structural conditions, con-
tion. tif. It was strategic in the sense that the palace coup that had taken place The crises that confronted these five signing South Africa to an uncertain
the alternative was to drive a strong within the ANC. presidents have been very different, and worrisome future.
This transition may be seen as a transformational agenda without with varying levels of intensity and
point in history where the nation seeking to get the powerful and priv- Even Zuma, his successor, in his composition. Each has faced big — The Conversation.
navigated one of its greatest crises. ileged white minority on board. own mendacious and deviously challenges, that could inevitably not
But its current leadership is con- self-serving way, had strategic intent: be resolved only by their executive This is an edited extract from the
fronted with multiple challenges. Crudely put, he could have opt- to capture the state for venal person- office. Undoubtedly, part of strategic authors’  new book  The Presidents:
These range from  extreme pover- ed for redemption and even revenge, al gain. He executed it with a ruth- and visionary leadership is the abili- From Mandela to Ramaphosa,
ty  and high  unemployment  to the rather than reconciliation. less sense of purpose. ty to identify existing and potential Leadership in an Age of Crisis.
severe undermining of democratic allies who are willing to invest what
institutions by corruption and state This was accompanied by a deep Current president Cyril Rama- is required to drive a transformative *About the writers: Richard Cal-
capture. personal commitment to the rule of phosa appears to be the least strate- agenda. land is associate professor in public
law and constitutionalism. He used gic of them all. His failure to grasp law at the University of Cape Town
These “wicked problems” are so his presidential power to drive that the strategic nettles inhibits his pres- All have responded to “what went in South Africa. Mabel Dzinouya
difficult and complex that there is message and execute that strategy, idency. On issues such as the transi- wrong”. But, because of limitations Sithole is programmes officer at
no single, silver-bullet answer. There leaving the detail of management of tion away from coal, the government to their strategic leadership, none Building Bridges, University of
is only a range of clumsy solutions, policy and government to his num- stake in state-owned enterprises or Cape Town.
all of which are imperfect. The pol- ber two, Thabo Mbeki. the need for a basic income grant,
icy-making puzzle, therefore, is as Ramaphosa has dithered, seeking to
much about recognising the nature The transition from his govern-
of the problem as seeking to mitigate ment’s Reconstruction and Devel-
risks. opment Programme (RDP) to the
Growth, Employment and Redis-
Our new  book, The Presidents: tribution (GEAR) macroeconomic
From Mandela to Ramaphosa, Lead- strategy is another debatable case in
ership in an Age of Crisis, assessed point.
the leadership of South Africa’s five
post-apartheid presidents — Nelson The RDP was the ANC gov-
Mandela,  Thabo Mbeki,  Kgalema ernment-in-waiting’s flagship pro-
Motlanthe,  Jacob Zuma  and  Cyril gramme for socio-economic trans-
Ramaphosa. We wanted to see what formation. It was an essentially
lessons can be learned, especially in Keynesian public investment-fo-
relation to their strategic abilities. cused plan for improving public ser-
Strategy is one of the critical lead- vices such as housing, healthcare and
ership attributes necessary to cope electricity to the black majority. The
with the strong headwinds that lead- shift to GEAR was deeply contested.
ers often encounter. Left-of-centre commentators and
players within the broader ANC-led
We concluded that there has been alliance saw it as a neo-liberal ap-
a shortage of truly strategic leader- proach to fiscal and monetary policy
ship in South Africa in this period, that would constrain the govern-
with a few exceptions. Thus, the ment’s ability to drive redistribution
country has been unable to grapple of wealth and opportunity.
with the underlying structural prob-
lems that are the fundamental cause When his turn came as president
of its socio-economic precarity. (1999-2008), Mbeki strove to step
up to the strategic standards that
Strategic thinking Mandela had set. His vision for Af-
What do we mean by “strategy”? rica, in which Africans would take
Here we defer to former UK member control of their destiny, was strate-
of parliament and now (UK) Times gic. So was his determination to con-
columnist  Matthew Parris. He says, front the “two nations” problem —
"Although the meaning has become one prosperous and white, the other
diluted through promiscuous and poor and black.
often inappropriate use  …  strategy
remains the best word we have for The shift to GEAR was executed
expressing attempts to think about with strategic purpose and an iron
fist. There were negative conse-
quences, especially in the long term.

Page 44 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

COP27: Progress on compensation
but more needed on justice and equity

IMRAAN VALODIA/ JULIA TAYLOR

There were high expectations for
Cop27, the  27th Conference of the
Parties to the UN Framework Con-
vention on Climate Change.

Cop conferences broadly provide a
platform for the negotiation of inter-
national climate change agreements.
This was to be the first Cop held in
Africa since 2016. It was also framed
as the implementation Cop, which
would lead to action.

Cop27 was expected to make prog-
ress on “loss and damage”. This is fi-
nancing to compensate developing
countries for the harm to the climate
that has been caused primarily by the
developed world.

The outcome — the  establish-
ment of a new fund for loss and dam-
age – is a relief for climate activists
and developing countries.

Below we unpack this, and other
key outcomes from this crucial cli-
mate change conference.

Urgency, justice and equity missing developing countries initially found- processes. around the details of carbon credits. may allow for loopholes due to the
in negotiations ed by 77 countries in 1964. Rich The next step will be to identify the This could jeopardise transparency definition of “inefficient.”
Outside the formal negotiations, nations tried to divide the G77 and and accounting processes and reduce
there were clear and consistent mes- China negotiating group by arguing host for the Santiago Network Secre- the likelihood of carbon markets con- Moving forward
sages about the urgency of climate that China, India, and other less vul- tariat. tributing to mitigation. While Cop27 has delivered signifi-
action from scientists, NGOs and nerable countries should also have to No decision on the governance of New climate finance goal cant progress on finance for loss and
climate activists. They gathered at pay for loss and damage. the Warsaw International Mecha- This Cop was supposed to develop a damage, it remains to be seen wheth-
the event and in small, peaceful pro- nism new collective quantified goal on cli- er this will translate into action. The
tests. The same urgency was not seen It is true that China and India are The Warsaw International Mecha- mate finance, to replace the US$100 lack of progress on mitigation and ad-
among party negotiators. currently large emitters of greenhouse nism (WIM) was established in 2013 billion annual target which has not aptation is a worry. In failing to deal
gases, but this approach shows a re- to provide coordination and encour- been met. It was also supposed to with the central challenge of reducing
Inside the formal negotiations, fusal to acknowledge the historical age dialogue on loss and damage. Un- develop an action plan to double ad- fossil fuel use and reaching agreement
mostly wealthy country parties cumulative emissions mostly attribut- fortunately, discussions on the gover- aptation finance, which has not ma- on further reducing carbon emis-
pushed back on immediate action in ed to the early industrialisers. nance of the WIM went nowhere. terialised. The new finance goal has sions, Cop27 has not addressed the
these areas: been delayed to next year, along with key challenges of climate change.
The responsibility for cumulative Parties could not agree on whether a status report on the commitment to
• support for people displaced by emissions does vary based on which it should be under the governance of double adaptation finance by 2025. The UN multilateral processes that
extreme events caused by climate emissions are counted, how they are Cop or the Paris Agreement. govern climate change need devel-
change counted, and whether it is analysed Various parties pointed out that oped countries to seriously commit
on a per capita basis. However, North Developed countries want the climate finance should not worsen to loss and damage. And treaties must
• strong and transparent gover- American and European regions mechanism to be governed under the the indebtedness of developing coun- be given greater enforcement capabil-
nance of carbon markets stand out as the largest emitters. Paris Agreement alone. Developing tries. For the first time, the decision ities. The parties will also need to find
countries want a dual governance sys- document acknowledged this issue. a mechanism to place common inter-
• the phasing out of all fossil fuels. While the agreement on a fund for tem. It also encouraged reform of the way ests at the top of the agenda, above
This disconnect was striking and loss and damage is a significant step multilateral development banks sup- that of party interests.
has led to significant delays and set- forward, a lot of work needs to be Governance under Cop would port climate finance.
backs in agreements relevant to cli- done before it is set up. The parties hold developed countries to account, Phasing out fossil fuels It may also be time to assess the
mate justice. agreed to set up a transitional com- whereas the Paris Agreement has a This Cop failed to get a commitment equity of representation and power in
Further, the decision-making pro- mittee to make recommendations for paragraph which excludes liability from all parties to phase out all fossil these processes. It has taken 30 years
cess raises questions about the equity adoption at Cop28, in November and compensation. fuels. to make progress on loss and damage
of different voices at Cop, and whose 2023. Carbon market governance finance. Existing treaties are inade-
reality counts. All decisions within Technical assistance to address loss There were similar tensions in the Instead of committing to this ob- quate to hold parties to account on
Cop are made by consensus, not a and damage discussions around the  governance vious solution to reduce emissions, mitigation and adaptation targets.
vote. Decisions can be overruled by An additional positive move was made framework for carbon markets. parties insisted on  using the word-
one dissenting party. with the agreement on the institu- ing  “accelerating efforts towards the — The Conversation.
There’s also inequality in represen- tional arrangements to operationalise Carbon markets  allow  countries phase-down of unabated coal power
tation of countries and the prevalence the Santiago Network, which was es- or entities that can reduce or absorb and phase-out of inefficient fossil fuel *About the writers: Imraan Val-
of lobby groups at Cop27. tablished at Cop25 to help develop- emissions to sell them as carbon cred- subsidies.” odia is pro vice-chancellor for cli-
Certain countries can support large ing countries identify their technical its to high emitters. The markets can mate, sustainability and inequality
teams of party delegates and technical needs and connect with providers of therefore reduce emissions and in- “Unabated coal power” insinuates and director of the Southern Centre
support. Poorer countries can’t. assistance to address them. For exam- crease flows of climate finance if held that coal (with carbon capture tech- for Inequality Studies at the Univer-
New fund for loss and damage ple, in the case of flooding, improved to high standards of integrity and nology) could be continued. Specify- sity of the Witwatersrand in South
A significant achievement of Cop27 systems to prepare and implement transparency. ing “inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” Africa. Julia Taylor is a researcher
was an agreement to establish a new early warning systems and evacuation kn climate and inequality at the
fund for loss and damage finance. However, new language in the de- University of the Witwatersrand.
This negotiation was very conten- cision text allows for confidentiality
tious, with some parties threatening
to walk out at various points. The
central tension was between devel-
oped and developing countries. De-
veloped countries did all they could
to avoid a new financing entity for
loss and damage.
Developing countries are largely
represented by the  G77 and China.
This is a negotiating group of 134

NewsHawks Africa News Page 45

Issue 109, 25 November 2022 M23 rebel group's role batants should have been integrated
in Rwanda-DRC conflict into the Congolese national army but
DELPHIN R. NTANYONA were not. And the M23 political wing
takes place. They are extremely famil- on the Congolese government to mortars and machine guns. It’s like- was to become a recognised political
FIGHTING  between the Democrat- iar with this terrain and might enjoy open dialogue. But attacking the city ly these would have been supplied by party but was not.
ic Republic of Congo’s national army local support from inhabitants. The would increase more international a well organised army, which is why
and the rebel group M23 has displaced city of Goma is also within this vi- pressure against rebels and Rwanda. Rwanda security services are suspect- The DRC government, first un-
thousands of people in the eastern bor- cinity. 3. What’s behind their battlefield ed of supporting M23. der President Joseph Kabila and
der city of Goma. Formed 10 years ago, success against the national army? now President Felix Tshisekedi,
the Rwanda-backed Mouvement du 23 The area of Rutshuru territory Mathias Gillmann, spokesperson Besides equipment, M23 is fight- opted to politically engage its main
Mars (M23) soon made its first mark alone is approximately 5 300km², for the  UN stabilisation mission in ing a well-organised conventional war sponsor, Rwanda formally or in-
when it briefly occupied Goma, a city of equivalent to a fifth of Rwandan ter- the DRC, hinted at their strength as in which it has  intimidated  the na- formally. Rwanda’s involvement in
one million today. An African-led effort ritory. The region occupied by M23 recently as July 2022. He noted the tional army. It advanced quickly from the DRC dates back to 1996 when
resulted in a ceasefire and M23’s demo- borders Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC M23 was militarily stronger than in Sarabwe forest reserve to Bunagana. it  backed  the rebellion that toppled
bilisation — until the  resumption  of and has a huge traffic of commer- the past. More recently rebels were in action long-time ruler Mobutu Sese Seko.
hostilities in 2021. cial trucks carrying goods from the within 20km of Goma City. Its subsequent involvement through
Kenyan port of Mombasa through The M23 operates more and more proxies such as M23 has both security
Delphin Ntanyoma sets out the four Uganda to Goma and Bukavu in the like a conventional army, relying on However, it’s also important to and economic motivations.
things you should know about the reb- DRC. Controlling the border town equipment that is much more sophis- understand that the DRC’s national
el insurgency, which threatens regional of Bunagana – as M23 curently does ticated than in the past. army is extremely dysfunctional, cor- Relations between Kinshasa and
stability. – provides an opportunity to raise rupt, ill-equipped and low on morale. Kigali soured recently after Tshise-
1. What is the background to M23’s additional funds through informal Though it has not yet been inde- It is well known that soldiers’ rations kedi and Uganda’s President Yoweri
insurgency in eastern DRC? taxation. The region is also rich in pendently verified, M23 is among the disappear into the hands of the gen- Museveni agreed joint military op-
The current force is what’s left of the terms of natural (forest and miner- groups thought capable of  shooting erals. In many cases, soldiers can erations along their border coupled
original  M23 Movement  formed in al) resources. In the past, access and down  a UN mission helicopter that spend days without logistical support with roads construction. Neighbour-
April 2012. M23 was an offspring control of these resources have also crashed within their stronghold in simply because senior officers and ing Burundi was also allowed by
of the National Congress for the De- motivated several actors to support March 2022. DRC military helicop- military generals are more concerned DRC to pursue rebels across the com-
fence of the People, better known by rebel groups. ters were also targeted in this area in with accumulating resources even at mon border.  Burundian rebels  oper-
its French acronym CNDP, a rebel 2017. the expense of their rank and file sol- ating in DRC have received military
group which fought the DRC gov- While moving closer to the City of diers. and logistical support from Rwanda
ernment between 2006 and 2009. Goma and based on the 2012 experi- Military sources have hinted that 4. What happens next? security services.
Both groups draw on a claim that ence, M23 may not seek to easily cap- M23 is currently able to operate Let’s start with the context. The  po-
the Congolese Tutsi and other ethnic ture the city. The city harbours a mil- around the clock, thanks to night litical agreement that ended   M23’s This left Rwanda looking isolat-
communities in north and south Kivu lion inhabitants, including hundreds vision devices and equipment. It also occupation of Goma 10 years ago was ed in the volatile region. By reac-
are discriminated against. They are of thousands of internally displaced. has longer-range weapons, such as never fully implemented. Its com- tivating M23, President Paul Kag-
considered of Rwandan descent and Fighting near Goma exerts pressure ame’s  aim  was to stir the regional
are commonly referred to as “Rwan- political landscape in which he was
dophones”. One of the consequences feeling increasingly isolated.
of this discrimination is the presence
of  tens thousands of refugees  in the For its role, Rwanda has come un-
Africa Great Lakes region. der intense diplomatic pressure from
the international community. This
M23  occupied  the city of Goma includes key western allies such as the
in eastern DRC for 10 days in 2012. US, the UK and France. Kagame has
The rapid rise and its links to Rwan- little choice but to withdraw his mil-
da caused alarm and triggered inter- itary, logistical and political support
national efforts for a ceasefire. After and get M23 to leave the large area
talks brokered by the Southern Af- the rebels have occupied. This has
rican Development Community, happened before. In 2009, CNDP –
M23 ended its rebellion in 2013. the precursor to M23 – was disman-
tled when Kigali secured a deal with
Infighting soon  erupted  within Kinshasa that was advantageous to
M23 between two groups. One wing Rwanda but detrimental to the reb-
made up of roughly 1 700 soldiers el group. In 2013, Kigali again was
fled to Uganda. The other smaller obliged to withdraw his support to
wing of 700 fighters fled to Rwanda. M23 under international pressure.
Many of those fighters thereafter de-
mobilised voluntarily or negotiated This time around, Kagame could
their way into the DRC’s national seek guarantees that the East African
army. Community’s  regional force  won’t
constitute a threat to Rwanda’s secu-
Early in 2017, a few hundred rem- rity in the same way that a joint oper-
nants of the Uganda wing left Uganda ation of Uganda and DRC’s army in
for the DRC, where they sometimes North Kivu could have been.
clashed with the DRC’s national
army. But there was no sign of intense The cost of this to Kagame would
recruitment until 2021 when the reb- be loss of credibility among his shrink-
el group resumed attacks. ing supporters within his  Rwandan
inner circle . It would also hit his sup-
It is extremely hard to estimate port base, mainly among the Congo-
how large the M23 group is cur- lese Tutsi in the DRC who count on
rently. Still, this is a region that has his support amid violence targeting
been  volatile  for decades and where them in North Kivu.
countless  unresolved grievances  sim-
mer under the surface. There are hun- Rwanda will still remain somewhat
dreds if not thousands of young men isolated in the region. This is because
who constitute a ready reservoir for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi
recruitment and mobilisation. and South Sudan are all allowed the
East African Community and DRC
Nonetheless, the M23’s ability to specifically to send in their forces
occupy and control several localities to stabilise the Eastern DRC while
in North Kivu with its limited mili- Rwanda is not.
tary force has led many experts to be-
lieve that the rebel group has received Rather than back a rebel group
military support from Rwanda and to and operate through a proxy, Rwan-
a lesser extent Uganda. DRC govern- da could still directly intervene across
ment has strongly opposed any form the border with DRC if its security is
of peace talks with M23. threatened. But this option requires
2. What territory do they seek to its security services to show tangible
capture and why? evidence of these threats within the
The majority of M23 rebel combat- country’s borders.
ants originate from North Kivu prov-
ince and specifically from Masisi and — The Conversation.
Rutshuru.
*About the writer: Dr Delphin R.
These territories are close to the Ntanyoma is a visiting researcher at
border of Rwanda where fighting the International Institute of Social
Studies at Erasmus University in
the Netherlands.

Page 46 World News NewsHawks

Populism Issue 109, 25 November 2022
based not in
patriotism,
but in many
nationalisms

URSULA VAN BEEK “elite” and the large group called This photo taken on August 31, 2022 at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow shows the grave of Raisa Gorbacheva, the wife
the “people”. Populists unwit- of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union who played a major role in ending the Cold War, and died in Mos-
THE Cold War ended just over tingly endorse this view when cow on August 30, 2022 aged 91. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (Photo by KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images)
30 years ago, with democracy they present themselves as the
seemingly emerging victori- defenders of a certain section of litical life. to exclusion and inequality ex- longing with pre-political ideas
ous from the ideological battle the population, or the “people” The roots panding further the gap between of group membership defined by
against the communist Soviet as a whole, against what they A major normative split oc- the “people” and the elite.    shared language, rituals, culture,
bloc. portray as the corrupt elite that curred during the so-called cul- history or religion. As a result,
is bent on depriving the “people” tural revolution of the 1960s, Third, the cultural revolution not patriotism but multitudes
The world let out a collective of their rights and their voice. which originated in the US and rearranged the traditional role of of nationalisms are emerging,
sigh of relief as the spectre of a spread to the rest of the Western the left, the historical promoter causing deep polarisation with-
hot war receded, along with the But that definition is too nar- world with far-reaching con- of the working class that en- in and between nations around
nuclear threat. We thought that row to truly capture the multi- sequences, a few of which are couraged redistributive policies the world. According to the lat-
from there on freedom and de- faceted nature of populism. To worth mentioning. to create social safety nets. The est  V-Dem Democracy Report,
mocracy would flourish while understand it more fully, values “new” left, in contrast, targeted polarisation along with height-
peace and harmony reigned. must be considered, especially First, the cultural revolution the middle classes and came out ened misinformation constitutes
those on which identity is built.  confronted traditional surviv- strongly in favour of political the most dangerous threat to
Alas, today the mood is in- al-focused values with orien- and cultural changes. This pol- liberal democracy.
creasingly one of pessimism or Scores of white Americans, for tations advocating individual icy repelled the old left’s tradi-
even alarm and the safe path example, feel that liberal politi- rights, self-expression and gen- tional working-class constituen- There are no easy fixes when
into the future we had imagined, cians have relegated them to the der equality. This was seen as an cy, producing yet another split it comes to stemming the rising
is no more. It seems that democ- status of a discriminated-against assault on the old familiar values and thus more feeding ground tide of populism.
racy itself is under pressure. minority in their “own” country. by the older and less secure stra- for populism to grow.
What do we know now that we In reaction, many have retreated ta of the population and has led But that does not mean we
didn’t foresee then?   into a kind of political tribalism, to a generational rift. The various values-based di- should be hoisting the white
We did not predict the speed becoming hostile to both “the visions in combination with flag. As in the case of climate
and the wide-ranging implica- other” in the country — how- Second, the shift away from steeply increasing economic change, only a concerted effort
tions of the information tech- ever defined — and to immi- traditional values produced a inequalities have the power to by both enlightened elites and
nology revolution. We did not grants. One cannot but reflect mode of identity formation in fracture a sense of collective dedicated ordinary citizens will-
anticipate how much migrations poignantly on how this is hap- which frugality was replaced by identity that is necessary to up- ing to work together can start to
would increase in the new cen- pening in the very same coun- consumption-based forms of hold democracy. This kind of reverse the hazardous trajectory
tury. We did not fully under- try that had once welcomed the self-realisation. The consum- identity, known as patriotism, is on which humanity finds itself
stand the extent and impact of tired and poor “huddled masses er market has become an arena cultivated by developing attach- at present. It is up to us to keep
the fast-growing economic in- yearning to breathe free” who of identity construction while ments to the norms and values democracy strong, vibrant and
equalities in the world. then went on to help make consumption-based lifestyles of a liberal constitution. With- resilient.
America great. emerged as a mode of self-artic- out it, the idea of democracy in
We failed to prophesy a shift ulation. multicultural and/or historically — Mail&Guardian.
in the balance of power between Values-based identity markers conflicted countries such as, for
“the West” and “the rest”, and know no cultural boundaries. But as economic growth rates example, South Africa is simply *About the writer: Professor
we did not even begin to imag- Take Poland and Turkey, for in- started to move downwards, unimaginable. Ursula van Beek is a research
ine the existential threat posed stance. Historical, cultural, eco- consumption-based self-reali- fellow at the Centre for Inter-
by climate change that our plan- nomic and political differences sation can be increasingly sus- Populism works in the op- national and Comparative
et is now facing. We also did not between the two countries could tained only by some, giving rise posite direction. It replaces the Politics at Stellenbosch Uni-
think then that multilateralism not be greater. And yet both notion of inclusive political be- versity in South Africa.
would be faced with the danger have moved furthest away from
of rising populism and national- the model democracies they
ism around the globe. were in their respective regions
at the height of post-Cold War
It is populism, in particular, global democratisation.
that has many people around
the world worried about the In both cases the marker of
road ahead as the phenomenon identity for the majority of the
is gaining traction in both old respective populations has been
and young democracies.  religion: Christianity and Islam,
What is populism? respectively.  It is hard to escape
Most commonly, populism is the conclusion that in highly
understood as the relationship religious societies the more per-
between the small and powerful missive liberal values elevate the
assemblage of people called the status and influence of religion
rather than seeing religion di-
minished or retreating from po-

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 47 Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Zim film sector unfavourable
to persons with disability

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA Filmmaker Aaron Chiundura-Moyo. ments.
“Filmmakers in Zimbabwe do not
A PALTRY 1.6% of disabled film- “Stakeholders agreed that Zimbabwe “79% of practitioners believe that sumers circulated through social media
makers work in the Zimbabwean film has a very weak distribution infrastruc- the sector is struggling but with a vast platforms, additional data collected by generally make money from screening
sector while most roles are given to ture. YouTube is the biggest distributor potential for future development. the NACZ in focus groups with sector their works to the public as they upload
able-bodied persons in order to reduce of local film content, with 59% of cre- players, as well as additional desk re- their content for free on social media
costs. ators using it as their primary distribu- “There is a demand for local produc- search. A draft version of the situation- platforms like YouTube.
tion channel,” the reports says. tions in the country. 84% of respon- al analysis was circulated and reviewed
This has made the country’s film dents in the revealed that they were for feedback in October. “Just 15% of filmmakers have re-
sector exclusive rather than inclusive of Currently, the film sector market very interested in watching Zimbabwe- ceived any money from YouTube
persons with disabilities. overview indicates about 20 local fea- an film productions,” the reports says. Regarding revenue generation, with amounts ranging from US$50 to
ture films are produced every year in filmmakers indicated that while they US$1 000.
In Zimbabwe, the motto "disability Zimbabwe, plus a dozen international The data for the analysis came from invested a lot of resources in their pro-
not as inability" is taken seriously. projects, mostly wildlife documenta- interviews and observation carried in ductions or festivals, there were little “32% of filmmakers received direct
ries. August/September 2022, an online to no returns to show for their invest- funding from corporates for their pro-
The state of affairs in the film sector survey tool for filmmakers and con- ductions, with only 3% getting com-
was revealed recently during a presenta- missioned by the government to do
tion of the Situational Analysis Report productions,” the report said.
(SAR) focusing on the Zimbabwe film
sector as part of a process initiated by The Zimbabwean film sector has
the National Arts Council of Zimba- undergone metamorphic changes since
bwe (NACZ) of developing a strategy the country attained Independence in
to guide the development of the sector 1980.
in the next five years (2023-2027).
Since then, the sector has undergone
“There are few disabled filmmakers three phases of development.
in the film sector with only 1.6% of Pase one: 1980 to 1990
practitioners reporting to work with The film industry was thriving with
any disability. government and Hollywood striking
deals. International movies like Cry
“The sector has difficulty in accom- Freedom starring Denzel Washington
modating disabled practitioners as were shot in the country.
filmmakers found it very difficult to in- Phase two: 1990 to 2000
clude roles for disabled people as they A great deal of non-governmental or-
would incur further expenses to cover ganisation activity in the sector with
their needs for example transport and productions like Neria funded by
access to facilities,” the report says. Media for Development Trust. Many
international productions were also
Key areas in the report include filmed in Zimbabwe during this peri-
funding, revenue generation, poli- od.
cy environment, training, piracy and Phase three: 2000 to date
copyright protection, women, youth A lack of funding reduced investment
and disability. with the economic crisis are taking a
toll on the sector. However, produc-
Sadder still, the report says most tions continue with Cook Off becom-
practitioners are found in the creation/ ing the first Zimbabwean movie on
production segment of the sector, that global streaming platform Netflix.
is, the film industry value chain.
The situational analysis was pro-
“The value chain in Zimbabwe com- duced by the national team of the
prises creation/production, marketing Zimbabwe Film Strategy Project spear-
and distribution. headed by the government of Zimba-
bwe with the NACZ as the lead imple-
“Practitioners engage in multiple menting agent.
functions at this stage, with the majori-
ty being directors (59%), script writers The strategy-making process itself
(49%), producers (32%) and video ed- is part of measures by the government
itors (21%),” the report says. to enhance the capacity of the cultural
and creative industries (CCIs) to im-
According to filmmaker Aaron Chi- prove their contribution to the national
undura-Moyo the problem of practi- economy as espoused in the National
tioners engaging in multiple functions Cultural and Creative Industries Strat-
was inevitable because of the economic egy (NCCIS, 2020) and the National
downturn in Zimbabwe. Development Strategy (NDS 1).

Besides the exclusive nature of the
Zimbabwe film sector, the other key
challenge was securing funding for
productions. The report says this has
severely affected the filmmakers’ capac-
ity to market their works.

Page 48 State of the Culture NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

I REMEMBERED Whitney Crush the filthy predators a "wife".
Houston this past week. The who prey on little kids Clearly, the economic consid-
words of one of her songs carried
a special resonance for me. the perpetrators but I think also only a tip of the iceberg, given the some white garment sects as some eration plays a large role in this
to the parents…What is it that fact that we do have whole com- of the perpetrators but let me has- sort of transaction. Scholars have
Though the song was original- you must give for the children to munities within our country that ten to include the other factors found that some settlements are
ly covered by George Benson, a grow up properly? This is a diffi- brazenly practice paedophilia even that scholars have established. In crowded and predispose children
United States jazz maestro, "The cult time we are going through…" under the guise of culture and reli- some traditional communities the to child sexual abuse.
Greatest Love of All" became one gion. It is therefore fair to suggest concept of atonement involves In the name of god
of Whitney’s opuses or vocal mas- Punishment of individual per- that whereas the vice-president’s a human "sacrifice" in the sense I marvel that we have whole reli-
terclasses. The song, like a couple petrators has its place as a crime comments are welcome, they fall of having a girl child being given gious sects that have large mem-
of others the singer recorded lat- deterrent, but I suspect that the short of tackling the proverbial el- berships which have largely re-
er on, demonstrated her peerless issue of child sexual abuse runs ephant in the room, which I will Addy mained untouched in so far as the
mastery of vocal ability and the way deeper and is more nuanced discuss later on. But the time has Kudita long arm of the law is concerned
pathos of her emotive singing. than some may believe. What will come to draw the line under this in terms of putting paid to the
it take to convince some in our behaviour. Why is it so prevalent away to appease an avenging spirit practice of child sexual abuse.
But I digress. I am really not midst that children are not to be anyway? Why indeed is it done? from the family of a deceased per- Scholars have also found white
opining about Whitney’s vocal physically and sexually abused? Scholarly work on child sexual son. The girl child will have the garment churches very involved
prowess — which I could gladly abuse (CSA) task of bearing children for the in this practice.
do because she was all that…I am Something is fundamentally Muridzo and Malianga (2015) family that lost a member through
about to delve into a very sensi- wrong with a society such as ours observe that "25 to 50% of chil- murder, thereby perpetuating the That is the elephant in our
tive matter which I dare say may and World Children’s Day comes dren suffer from physical abuse lineage of the offended family’. room. It is the dirtiest scandal of
be reflective of a society which no at a propitious time for our na- globally and 20% of girls" expe- Child pledging is another prac- our society, especially when these
longer cares about minors. tion, especially given the events rience sexual abuse while citing a tice. religious sects have not received
World Children’s Day? of the last few weeks to do some Childline report which finds that specific public censure from the
"I believe that children are our fu- needful introspection. about "one in three girls and two This practice is one which en- powers that be. It beggars belief
ture, teach them well and let them A time of reckoning in five boys of the world’s children tails a girl child is pledged in mar- but maybe it should not really
lead the way, show them all the In the last few weeks, two terrible are survivors of sexual abuse". riage in exchange for food in a come as a surprise to political pun-
beauty they possess inside, give cases of pregnant minors gripped Closer to home, social scientists time of drought or in a case where dits because these churches have
them a sense of pride to make it the popular imagination and have managed to crystallise a the future husband helps in the voters who can help determine
easier, let the children’s laughter sparked debate on social media number of issues which lead to upkeep of his future wife. When the results of elections. I am yet to
remind us how we used to be…" platforms. These sexually violat- CSA. Again let me cite the work the girl starts her menstrual cycle, come across targeted rebuke from
ed girls' cases mark a moral nadir. of Muridzo and Malianga (2015) she is delivered to her husband as any of the political formations
So goes the opening verse of the One of the girls has already given who see the cultural dimension as aimed at these religious sects.
song and, like all evocative art, I birth while the other is six months looming large in this reckoning.
could not help thinking about pregnant. The girls are eight and They are fair game for criticism.
Zimbabwean society at this pres- nine years of age. The cases which I know that earlier I singled out Of course, there is something dis-
ent moment. The 20th of No- get to be reported are arguably turbingly and frighteningly sin-
vember is World Children’s Day ister about the impunity of their
throughout the world and the conduct. Children are children.
Convention on the Rights of the How exactly any man can perceive
Child which was adopted in 1990 an object of sexual gratification in
highlights important points about a prepubescent little girl and go
the welfare of children. State par- further to violate her boggles my
ties to the convention agreed, mind. It is not a proud day to be
among other things, with the pre- a man when such things are hap-
amble which stated inter alia that, pening.
"in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, the United Na- Still, I do not expect that a
tions has proclaimed that child- warning will be issued to these
hood is entitled to special care religious sects and the long arm
and assistance. Convinced that of the law is apparently not long
the family, as the fundamental enough to fetch the culprits in
group of society and the natural white garment churches who are
environment for the growth and a law unto themselves.
well-being of all its members and Danger zone
particularly children, should be Zimbabwe is not a safe space for
afforded the necessary protection children right now, if ever it was.
and assistance so that it can fully But the same applies to South
assume its responsibilities within Africa, our neighbour. A wom-
the community." an murdered four of kids with a
sledge hammer just this past week.
Recognizing that the child, for She is now also deceased but the
the full and harmonious devel- dastardly deed was done and chil-
opment of his or her personality, dren were murdered in the cold-
should grow up in a family en- est of blood. Predators are having
vironment, in an atmosphere of their way with these kids now and
happiness, love and understand- there appears to be no rescue.
ing. Parting shot
The powers that be Child sexual abuse has reached
This year’s commemorations alarming levels when an eight-
in Harare were officiated by year-old child is found to be
Vice-President Constantino Chi- pregnant or when parents take
wenga, who is also the Health and turns to violate their own minor
Child Care minister. children as sex tools. My head is
still spinning over the cases and
His remarks are worth noting, of course punishing the criminals
especially when he mentioned might prove useful in curbing the
perpetrators of child sexual abuse. practice, but there is more that I
"The government is deeply con- believe needs to be done. We need
cerned with the sad cases of un- to empty this country of all its cit-
der-10s getting pregnant…Stiffer izens and fill it with nobler ones.
penalties will be introduced and
will have to be done not only to

NewsHawks Poetry Corner Page 49

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Title: This Is Poetry Title: A day in the life of a mangy dog Title: Sunny Day
Poet: Mthulisi Ndlovu aka KhuluGatsheni Poet: Farai C Mlambo Poets: Ruvimbo Jeche & Obey Chiyangwa

Poetry is a sacred language of distinctive souls. The putrid odour of rotting banana peels Sunny day-
It is sometimes calm and soothing. Tucked between lumps of leftover sadza State house in flames,
Its wrathful syllables are of a disastrous And crumpled slices of stale bread from weeks Flickers eating at falsehoods,
concoction ago; Follows her like an evil spirit. Wildest of my shanty town dreams!
to the stiff necked crooks. She gratefully sings her drivel-filled canines, Darkness her mocking laughter-
It is a joyful melody of tranquillity and After mistaking a soiled sanitary pad for a roll of Echoes in the enraged flames,
purity yet vicious with its claws squeezing life bacon; And almost immediately loses her san- Corridors of might are crumbling down
out of the tyrant’s ego. ity, Staggering several yards back with abject This blood flow is a lonely Stream!
It scratches the backs and massages the shock. Freedom weeps her lonely dream,
burning scars of narcissistic gods. A swarm of green bombers, smelling blood, Striving in the short tempered heat,
Poetry is a hail of words, carefully churned Paint an overwhelming gluttonous presence in Her quivering voice echoing in every corner,
to loosen the jaws of merciless predators. her wake, Some unashamedly hovering about, The frightened soul leaping for reprieve!
It is a divine prayer of the preyed upon. Ready to finish her off; Peace her wings have now grown,
Poetry is like a summer breeze in the But unwilling to let them vanquish her Down the corridors she has flown,
highlands. She summons a last minute defiant growl Their pride their prejudice she has blown,
It flows in its flaws in no particular form. Emanating from somewhere deep in her broken Out in the open a farting groan.
It is flawless, unapologetically rebellious. soul Love her everlasting shield,
It abstains from conformity. And her famished ribs, In the highs and lows,
It is nothing less than priceless. But her conviction is without much merit. Passions and desires wielding them strongly,
It excites and incites. Then, spotting a lucrative looking dump site In a furnace of unmet goals.
It is way more than what quills could possibly ahead, And then faith-
fathom. Which she perceives through blurry eyes, Unshakable courage on her forehead,
Poetry is bliss. On she trots on her jerky knees She shudders the corridors of deceit,
It is power, greater than the valleys and caves Hoping to try out her luck - Iron fisted reign's day of reckoning,
of the ancient Himalayas. But not before a gruelling fight with hordes Wildest of my shanty town reveries
Poetry is a voice from distinguished life giving of scavengers from the other side of the ghetto.
harbingers. With a slight convulsion and a whimper ***********************************************
It is a seraphic mouthpiece of humanity. She gingerly makes her way past an alley
It is more than immortality. Where last night a legion of angry nightmares Title: Wake me up in December
thronged Poet: SaberstianZW
***************************************************** And slapped her to a comatose.
Title: This Crime Her crime: refusing to repeat their slogan. Do you remember —
Poet: Stephen Mupoto Barking then, was helpless Winds of November
As the attackers, some in flashy suits Goats birthed hyenas
My melanin; my curse. Others wearing golden teeth, Kings bowed to 6 feet
Subject to alien experiments, Mocked at her feeble defences. Fathers torched fields
Like a forest rodent, Whose blood is a sample, They even went to a radical extreme Mothers breastfed fear
For the slave driver's pleasure. of disregarding her gender, Children vomited destiny
Being educated, labelling her "poor son of a bitch!" The sun lied to the moon
Armed with a cap of knowledge, They bored holes in her memory Fire devoured metal
And tossed into unforgiving streets, Which will be hard to forget. Promises were aborted
Of this hustle-cracy, They raped and ruptured her into a spineless, Blood watered streets
A Republic of my curse, Boneless creature without a future. Sprouting seeds of despair
Where ignorance atones fortune, They taught her another way of barking, which
And still broken is my purse. is unlike hers. ***********************************************
This dream is a curse, Even her laughter must tally their own
My crime in a life's race, deep-throated chuckle, typical of the well-fed.
Where all is but death's brace, As the sun sets, she tumbles into a different
And condemnation my share. world.
Married to a hostile world, She tucks her tail and cocks her ears,
Creating an unholy union, Hearing an anthology of night sounds start to
with dearth and dire want, echo a death song.
Swimming in the deep shores of penury, Her roving eyes meet the punishing gloom -
And still to sanctions, Blame we apportion, No sight of a horizon anywhere.
And yet kleptocrats deflate the tyres of prog- By the way, it's another load shedding tonight.
ress, Assigning our dreams to the jungles of Bitter tears trickle, as she limps back to her
Trafalgar, place in the alley..
Where all is but for the guillotine, ************************************************
That slaughters both dreams and visions.
.*****************************************************

Page 50 People & Places NewsHawks

Issue 109, 25 November 2022

Opening of new Parliament Building
in Mt. Hampden in pictures

President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the new Chinese-built parliament building in Mount Hampden on Wednesday. - Pictures: Aaron Ufumeli