NewsHawks 14 October 2022

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 14 October 2022 TNeEtWraSd battles Price
shareholders'
ZNaEnWuSPF revolt US$1
youths grab
Kadoma Story on Page 5 ‘SSPuOpRerT12
gold mine will put Zim
back on
Story on Page 4 the map’

Story on Page 44

US$87m dam
tender scandal
exposes firm's
forged profile

ALSO INSIDE Nurse aide certificate rescues thousands from Zim poverty

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

US$87m tender scam unearthed

MOSES MATENGA aware that Grindale Engineering of the state-owned power utility Zesa to receive US$2 624  271.51 as part company won the tender.
clinched the tender on false pretences, Holdings, Zimbabwe Consolidated payment that the firm claimed was used This, the MPs said, was only a tip of
GRINDALE Engineering Services, a Munyonga said the water authority had Diamond Company (ZCDC), Gwe- to buy project machinery and vehicles.
company that won a lucrative US$87 no such information. ru City Council and platinum miner Vehicle purchase ‘lies’ the iceberg reflective of the murky na-
million tender for the construction of Zimplats. Investigations also exposed misrepre- ture of government and parastatal deals
Vungu Dam in the Silobela area of the "Zinwa has not been furnished with sentations that the company had used which are manipulated for personal
Midlands province, falsified informa- any report suggesting or implying that Members of Parliament from the over US$3 million, slightly above what gain.
tion and circumvented set procurement Grindale won the tender on the basis Lands committee chaired by Gok- the firm had received from the govern-
and tendering processes, investigations of false pretence and neither has any of we-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor ment, to buy machinery for the project Wadyajena recently quizzed the
have revealed. the companies that participated in the Wadyajena told The NewsHawks in as it later turned out the equipment had company over the role of senior min-
tender process filed any challenge to the separate interviews that Grindale En- been hired to hoodwink the MPs who istry of Lands officials in manipulating
The dam, with a length of 2.6 kilome- awarding of the contract to Grindale gineering did not qualify initially for visited the site on 10 July this year on a the processes and ensuring Grindale
tres and a height of 30 metres, is situated Engineering. the tender, effectively confirming that fact-finding mission. Engineering was awarded the US$87
in Silobela's Vungu locality. the firm unprocedurally clinched the million project that is now behind
"Experience in dam construction contract without meeting the require- While the company officials claimed schedule
Upon completion, it is expected to was not the only technical requirement ments. they had bought the equipment using
bring 118 million cubic metres of water that prospective bidders had to have part of the money availed to them, it We're on course, says Grindale
expected to irrigate 1 200 hectares for and, on that requirement, Grindale The MPs confirmed that a report is emerged they engaged Amasonic and Although Grindale Engineering offi-
the Redcliff, Silobela and Vungu com- Engineering did not score any points. now being compiled on the matter and Bickford Truck Hire whose drivers con- cials could not immediately comment
munities. The other requirements were that the will be tabled in Parliament. firmed the machinery was only brought on inquiries by The NewsHawks, the
bidders have experience in earthworks, in two days before the Lands commit- company is on record as saying it is on
Engineers say the project was expect- irrigation development and pipeline In its 19 July response to inquiries tee's July tour. course to completing the project while
ed to take 36 months to complete and construction, which Grindale had. from MPs that was gleaned by The pleading with the government to time-
the contract was signed on 28 Decem- NewsHawks, the ZPC said contrary MPs have questioned why the com- ously release funding.
ber last year between the Zimbabwe "Suffice to say that the tender was to Grindale Engineering's claims, the pany without adequate material placed Grindale Engineering was estab-
National Water Authority (Zinwa) and not evaluated and awarded on those company only rehabilitated a water res- a bid for a tender and went on to win. lished in 1995 and claimed it has
the contractor. requirements alone, but also on other ervoir and a pond at the Harare Power undertaken several works for the gov-
parameters which included pricing," Station in 2018 and never a dam or The company said it bought three ernment, the private sector and local
Grindale Engineering gave false in- said Munyonga. anything similar to that. tractors, three excavators, two dozers authorities.
formation, with the company claiming and service vehicles, but in trying to The company conceded it was be-
it had done “similar projects” as per the Praz chief executive officer Clever On 28 July 2022, Gweru City establish the truth, MPs have since hind schedule by two months, but ex-
requirements of the Procurement Reg- Ruswa could not immediately respond Council town clerk Vakai Chikwekwe demanded paperwork from Grindale pressed desire to complete the project.
ulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) to inquiries on the exact reservations dispelled claims by Grindale Engineer- Engineering (Pvt) Limited. MPs said Vungu constituency MP Omega
and Zinwa for the project. The com- the procurement authority had with ing that the company had done dam some of the equipment they saw on site Sibanda said although the dam was
pany further claimed  it had previous- Grindale Engineering. construction work, saying the firm was looked too small for the big project. moved from his area to Silobela, it was
ly worked with the Zimbabwe Power only involved in “minor maintenance MPs demand answers important for his area as the local com-
Company, Gweru City Council, Zim- Investigations by The NewsHawks work at our water treatment plant”. MPs have also demanded a list of every- munity is set to benefit.
plats and the Zimbabwe Consolidated with support from Information for De- thing bought by Grindale Engineering Sibanda said despite the negativ-
Diamond Company. velopment Trust (IDT), a non-profit ZCDC also dismissed Grindale En- after the company claimed it used part ity and reservations of some, he was
organisation helping journalists to ex- gineering's claims, with the diamond of the payment to purchase machinery pleased with the development.
Zinwa communications and mar- pose corruption and bad governance, miner saying it could not vouch for the for the project. “It will cover part of Vungu, but
keting manager Marjorie Munyonga, revealed that the Harare-based compa- company's capacity. the major part of it is Redcliff-Silobe-
responding to questions from The New- ny presented falsified information and “We want to have everything that la. They have started on it. The process
sHawks, said Zinwa floated a tender for had initially failed to win the tender Zimplats chief executive officer Alex you bought,” Wadyajena said. “Every- has started, I have seen mobilisation
the construction of Vungu Dam and after Praz raised red flags. Mhembere wrote to the Parliamentary thing must be accounted for and we of equipment has started. Remember
after an evaluation process Grindale Top firms speak Lands committee in July, saying the en- want a list of everything you bought when you are constructing a dam, it is a
Engineering was recommended to Praz Investigations, which included speak- gineering firm only completed works with the money from government.” process,” Sibanda said.
for the role of contractor. ing to companies that Grindale Engi- on its ponds and sewer in a nearby sub- “From what I have seen, I am satis-
neering claimed to have done jobs for, urb in Mhondoro. Committee sources this week said fied that something good will come out
"The Procurement Regulatory Au- showed that contrary to the claims, the a report on the matter was now being and it will cover a huge area of irriga-
thority of Zimbabwe did not object to company had not done any “similar “Grindale Engineering did complete prepared amid indications that the MPs tion. Even though some who are not
the selection of Grindale Engineering projects” with them. installation of steel and sewer pipelines will raise a lot of concerns on the flout- on the ground are complaining, I am
as the contractor, paving the way for and sewer ponds in Mhondoro and did ing of tender and procurement pro- happy,” he added.
the award of the contract to Grindale Companies that Grindale claimed not construct a dam,” the Zimplats let- cedures, in a development that speaks
in terms of the Public Procurement to have worked with in “projects of a ter gleaned as part of the investigation volumes of the manner in which the
and Disposal of Public Assets Act," said similar nature” include the Zimbabwe reads.
Munyonga. Power Company (ZPC), a subsidiary
This has raised further questions as
When asked whether Zinwa was to how the company not only won the
US$87 million tender but also went on

NewsHawks News Page 3
or repossess. These are individuals
Issue 102, 14 October 2022 Government moves who are taking advantage of their
to seize Chihuri farm positions,” Moyo said.
OWEN GAGARE
Former police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri. “If you look at the case of
GOVERNMENT is intensifying Chilonga, it is powerful individu-
its vindictive approach to seizing law declared unconstitutional in a er Chihuri properties including as well as vulnerable communal als working with cartels, elevating
farms belonging to its critics, most partial victory at the Harare High five vehicles, agricultural equip- communities. it to policy through instruments.
of whom were the late former pres- Court. ment at the Lomagundi farm and If you look at examples like myself
ident Robert Mugabe’s loyalists in farming equipment at his Inyika Communities in rural Zim- and you ask who is targeted. They
the twilight years of life and rule. Justice Pisirayi Kwenda stopped Farm in Shamva including com- babwe, including Chilonga in target people who have fallen out
the NPA from forcing Chihuri to bine harvesters, tractors, planters Chiredzi, Dinde in Hwange and of favour or are now at odds with
The latest victim is former po- forfeit his vast portfolio of proper- and boom sprays. villages in Chipinge district, as the ruling system.
lice commissioner-general Augus- ties unless he can explain how he well as Beitbridge are fighting to
tine Chihuri whose Inyika Farm acquired them. It was however not all good retain their ancestral land, as the "This is done to show how cold
in Shamva, Mashonaland Central news for Chihuri after Justice government prioritises commer- it can get outside and this is an
province, has been threatened Justice Kwenda amended, by Kwenda said he was “not satisfied cial interests. ideology entertained in Zanu PF.
with invasion by Zanu PF youths deletion, several parts of the un- that good cause has been shown Other targets are those presumed
who have been to the property this explained wealth order granted by to set aside the other order with Phillan Zamchiya, University sponsors of regime change activ-
week which they want to grab and the High Court on 11 June 2020.  respect to funds received” by four of Oxford-trained researcher now ities in order to show them that
subdivide into small plots. of Chihuri’s companies – Croxile with the University of the Western working with the enemy does not
In doing so, he stopped the Investments, Adamah Enterpris- Cape’s Institute for Poverty, Land pay.”
The other victims of the gov- NPA from asking further ques- es, Mastermedia and Mastaw In- and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS),
ernment's politicised approach are tions about several properties in- vestments – from the Zimbabwe has written about the disposses- Moyo said they deploy intim-
Saviour Kasukuwere, Patrick Zhu- cluding Chihuri’s imposing Glet- Republic Police for services. The sion of rural communities. idatory tactics, sending security
wao, Ignatius Chombo and Jona- wyn mansion sitting on 30 acres companies have since stopped sector officers and youth militia
than Moyo. and valued at US$7 million.  The trading. Last year he chaired a webinar to frighten targeted families. At
property combines seven stands. “Dispossession and Repossession times they get the Lands minister
In a major twist of history and Victims of the government’s of Farmland Post-Fast Track Land to write eviction letters.
irony, Mugabe’s family has also Other properties the NPA has continued arbitrary seizure of ag- Reform in Zimbabwe” on the is-
lost land seized by Zanu PF activ- been blocked from inquiring into ricultural and communal land say sue. “My case was very painful for me
ists in the Mazowe area.  include a 1 219-square-metre the exercise is driven by corrupt because we bought the farm, we
(sqm) house in Harare’s Strathav- and greedy officials taking ad- Moyo spoke about his experi- got a loan from CBZ and bought
The government has also said it en suburb, a 9.25-hectare farm in vantage of the land reform pro- ence in relation to the issue at the the farm in 2002. In 2005, (then
wants to take land from the family. Lomagundi, a 5 500 sqm house in gramme and other policies. webinar. Zanu PF spokesperson Ephraim)
Quinnington, a 4 639 sqm house Masawi started sending people
Its other properties, including in Athlone, Harare, a 142 sqm There has been a wave of dispos- “From personal experience, this and attacking us, saying that we
cattle, have been looted, some- house in Zengeza and a 4 891sqm session and repossession of land phase of what is happening in the are occupying prime land while
thing unimaginable at the height house in Mt Pleasant, Harare. in Zimbabwe, targeting people agricultural land sector is being criticising the state. In 2019, when
of the strongman's power. perceived as government critics done by possessive individuals not the late Perrance Shiri was Lands
The High Court has also ordered by the state because I don’t think minister he targeted me specifical-
Prominent human rights lawyer non-interference with several oth- there is a state policy to dispossess ly for criticising command agri-
Siphosami Malunga and his busi- culture. He deployed five military
ness partners Zephaniah Dhlamini people and allocated them land on
and Charles Moyo have also been the farm.
victims as Zanu PF secretary for
administration Obert Mpofu has Then they were saying the farm
been trying to grab their farm. was being used to hide weapons.
Those five are not farming and the
Sources close to the Chihuri sit- matter is in court.”
uation say Zanu PF youths have
been to the farm and threatened to Malunga also spoke at that we-
take it over, saying they had gov- binar, saying there is a specific ap-
ernment support to do so. proach to the way things are hap-
pening to serve elite interests.
The farm manager has filed a
police case over the incident, a “The motivation for disposses-
mere routine given that farm inva- sion of the community is usually
sions are political and police have primarily to serve elite commercial
failed to enforce the law when it interests and elite personal inter-
comes to land grabs. ests. I am considered as a critic
and hold views that are unpalat-
Farm invasions started in 2000 able. Unashamedly I am seen as
when Mugabe lost a constitution- the face of the organisation that
al referendum and sought to deal supports communities or individ-
with white commercial farmers uals to hold government account-
who opposed land redistribution, able, promote and protect human
while supporting the now defunct rights and they do not like that,”
main opposition MDC under the he said.
late former prime minister Mor-
gan Tsvangirai. “Somebody instrumental or in
the government is unhappy with
Chihuri himself forced out you; you’re talking too much, you
prominent Shamva farmer Peter are over-criticising. This organisa-
Butler from Woodlands Farm at tion that you lead, you are a seri-
the height of land invasions. ous regime change agent. Then
you are told the government is go-
A source said: "Government ing to take over your farm because
is targeting Chihuri's farm. The of this. As a matter of fact, Pro-
usual approach of sending Zanu fessor Moyo’s farm was referenced,
PF youths first as a stalking horse that as soon as we are done with
is being used. The youths have Professor Moyo and Saviour (Ka-
been there and threatened to take sukuwere) we are coming to your
over the farm. The farm manager farm. Of course my response was:
(named on condition of anonym- Do your worst, we will be waiting. 
ity) has reported the case to the Then you realise it is an individual
police. who has taken interest, and then
you begin to see everything taking
This comes as the National place and a minister has signed.”
Prosecuting Authority (NPA) is
appealing after Chihuri in June The dispossession and repos-
won a High Court case to stop the session of land has also been crit-
seizure of his properties. icised as a shot in the foot as it
makes the country an unattractive
Chihuri won his battle against investment destination.
moves to seize his properties un-
der a controversial “unexplained
wealth” law.

The former police commission-
er-general, who fled to self-im-
posed exile during a 2017 military
coup, however failed to have the

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Zanu PF youths grab Kadoma gold mine

BERNARD MPOFU be monitored and managed by the rate this might result in some of ing party youths. Zanu PF youths have previous-
National Youth League through  the mines being removed from the Addressing a youth campaign ly  invaded various mines includ-
ZANU PF youths have moved Cde Takura Gwande." market." ing  ZimAlloys' chrome mining
to grab Eiffel Blue gold mine in rally to drum up support for Pres- claims in Darwendale, Mashona-
Kadoma from a European investor The Eiffel group — which com- During the 2018 elec- ident Emmerson Mnangagwa in land West,  Shurugwi gold mine
who has put it up for sale ahead of prises the Eiffel Blue, Blue Duck tions, Zanu PF Midlands provin- Gweru ahead of elections in July owned by Urayayi Marima, es-
next year's general elections. and Orcus properties — extends cial youth chairperson Edmore 2018, Samambwa said youths caping with one tonne of gold,
three kilometres north-east of the Samambwa called for the seizure should be allowed to carry out and Gaika gold mine in Kwekwe,
This shows there is still no rule Cam and Motor Mine in Kado- of "non-operational" mines in the mining activities even without li- among others.
of law in Zimbabwe and property ma.  The gold project consists of province for redistribution to rul- cences.
rights are being trampled on with 22 prospects.
impunity.
Sources close to the situation
The breakdown in the rule of say Zanu PF youths are leveraging
law and violation of property party structures to seize the mine
rights on sustained basis have ac- for personal benefit.
celerated the destruction of Zim-
babwe's economy. "The mine in question is a pro-
ductive and lucrative operation,
There have been numerous cas- which belongs to an Eastern Eu-
es of Zanu PF youths invading ropean investor. He is selling it. It
mines. has three main shafts: Eiffel Blue,
Orcus 17 and Blue Duck," a min-
A letter written by Zanu PF na- ing source said.
tional secretary for administration
Tendai Chiwetu dated 10 Octo- "So we were marketing it to pro-
ber says Eiffel Blue mine in Kado- spective buyers, but some Zanu
ma has been given to party youths PF cadres wanted it all along.
led by Takura Gwande. They want to grab it for them-
selves, hence they came up with
"The Zanu PF National Youth a strategy of involving the youth.
League hereby authorises Cde We have been receiving Nicode-
Takura Gwande to run operations mus phone calls from 'Children
in Ward in 16 peri-urban Kado- of the Crocodile' demanding in-
ma. formation on the mine and saying
they want it."
"The operation of the Eiffel
Blue Mine will benefit the youths Another source added: "Which
of the community, which is in line investor in his or her right mind
with our President His Excellency would come to invest under such
Cde E.D Mnangagwa's vision of circumstances? We have forward-
youth empowerment," the letter ed the letter to the owner/seller
says. and to other mine owners. At this

"The permitted operations will

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Tetrad battles shareholders' revolt

As it drags Bard
Santner to court

BERNARD MPOFU

IN a bid to contain a growing share- Bard chief executive Senziwani Sikhosana.
holders' revolt, the defunct Tetrad In-
vestment Bank (TIB) — taken over ing that it cease interacting with its This has sparked fierce confronta- company seeking help on numerous The other big issue troubling share-
by depositors eight years ago through shareholders. tion between directors, who are oper- problems. holders is the impression that man-
a debt-to-equity arrangement — is ating effectively as management, and agement or directors are benefitting
dragging Bard Santner Investors (Pvt) However, BSI had replied on 10 the shareholders whose money is tied This has fuelled a shareholders' re- from the bank’s diversified property
Ltd (BSI) to court to prevent the asset October, saying it had done nothing in the bank without a return for years volt at TIB, which directors are bat- portfolio from which they are receiv-
management company from engaging wrong in engaging TIB shareholders now. tling with as it spins out of control. ing rentals.
the disgruntled stakeholders. as that is precisely why it exists, and The court action is more about con-
thus its action posed no harm to any- The revolt by shareholders has been taining shareholders than restraining Shareholders are also disgruntled
Through its lawyers, Gill, Godlon- one at all. specifically triggered by BSI’s takeover BSI. because the directors have made a se-
ton & Gerrans, TIB and The Trustees of private clients’ portfolio from TFS ries of empty promises on purported
of the Vincent Trust filed an urgent “This interaction between our cli- Management Company, which is un- Against this backdrop, a host of takeovers and capital injection which
chamber application for an interdict ent (BSI) and the said shareholders der liquidation, last month. minority shareholders are now in- have not materialised, including the
against BSI at the High Court in Ha- poses no harm to either your clients creasingly growing impatient with the fake story of Russians coming a few
rare on Friday. or anyone,” Everson Samkange of BSI is a subsidiary of Bard Santner TIB board of directors running the years ago.
Samkange Hungwe Attorneys wrote Markets Inc, a new Harare-based fi- bank’s affairs, including managing its
TIB and the trustees are the appli- in reply. nancial advisory services firm offering nearly US$13 million property port- The other issue arising is that some
cants, while BSI is the respondent. a wide range of products to clients to folio from which it collects rentals and of the shareholders are mainly old
A banking sector executive said: unlock value in their investments, es- leverages it for other financial benefits. people. As a result, some of them have
This comes amid a heated row be- “It’s strange that Tetrad Bank directors pecially dormant or defunct assets. died without benefitting anything
tween TIB shareholders and directors are trying to tell shareholders what to Information gathered shows that from their investments.
for the control of the closed financial do with their investments. Sharehold- As part of its consolidation process, shareholders are worried and fretting
institution’s US$13 million assets ers are free to act in their best interest, BSI  took over Tetrad’s managed cli- that they have gone for eight years Yet shareholders say there is no sense
portfolio. and approaching an asset management ents portfolio after reaching an agree- without receiving a return on invest- of urgency on the part of management
firm to try to see how to unlock value ment with the liquidator. ment. or directors who are fully aware of the
Shareholders led by Jackie Levey since they haven’t received a return demographics, particularly age, of the
and Dimitri Divaris are battling it out on investment for eight years can’t be Some of BSI clients under the ar- Besides lack of return on invest- shareholders who need the money the
with directors led by Andre Louren- said to be unlawful, let alone that it rangement are also shareholders in ment, the shareholders are complain- most now in the twilight of their lives.
co Vermaak and trustees such as John may cause irreparable harm. The real TIB,  hence their interest in the bank's ing about lack of audited financial
Pybus. question here is: What are the bank affairs. That is why they approached accounts. To make matters worse, there has
directors trying to hide or afraid of?” the asset management firm for help. also been a communication drought
Since 30 October 2018, a Shareholders have not received au- from management or directors to
five-member board led by economist Shareholders interviewed say they After reading about BSI's takeover dited financial accounts for the past shareholders.
Dr Appollinaire Ndorukwigira, who have not received any return on in- of TFS Management Company's three years.
is the acting chairperson, has been vestment since they took over the managed clients portfolio in the me- Some of the agitated shareholders
running the affairs of the bank. bank eight years ago. dia, some TIB shareholders have been The last financials they received have spoken out against the current
flooding the new asset management were qualified statements for 2018 untenable situation.
The bank is now owned by its share- which only came in 2022.
holders, not Tetrad Holdings as used
to be the case before the debt-to-equi-
ty scheme of arrangement.

In its application, TIB and its trust-
ees say they have “reasonable appre-
hension” that BSI has certain infor-
mation about shareholders as a result
of “data breaches”  that could cause
“irreparable harm” to their business
interests.

“The First Applicant (TIB) has a
reasonable apprehension of irrepa-
rable harm arising from certain data
breaches relating to the information
that it is in possession of,” the court
application says.

“The second applicant (The Trust-
ees of the Vincent Trust) being the
data subject concerned has an equal
apprehension of irreparable harm aris-
ing from the aforesaid data breach.

“The respondent (BSI) has been,
since the beginning of the month,
using the aforesaid personal informa-
tion, in particular the e-mail addresses
and telephone numbers to contact the
first respondent (TIB)’s shareholders
seeking from them their authorisa-
tion to take over management of their
shareholding in the first respondent
(TIB).

“Even though it is apparent that its
actions are unlawful, the respondent
(BSI) has refused to make an under-
taking to cease the unlawful process-
ing of the personal information that
it obtained from the first applicant
(TIB)’s database. The first applicant
(TIB) will suffer serious reputational
damage unless the unlawful actions
of the respondent are immediately ar-
rested.”

Prior to this, TIB had written BSI a
letter dated 6 October 2022 demand-

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Levey, Sakuma Trading director, “The bank’s shareholders are dis- longer is although it was before, which 31st October 2018, it has effectively management firm has only engaged
says her company, which was engaged gruntled and in a rebellious mood. is a peripheral matter. appointed directors and an executive its own clients with vested interests in
by TIB to mobilise deposits and in- The reasons are fairly straightfor- team with professional skills. the bank as well as shareholders who
vestment funds, has a property port- ward. They have received no finan- “The article may have created the have made enquiries or been referred
folio and loans worth US$5.3 million cial returns for the past eight years,” a impression that Tetrad Investment “As a result, TIB has been turned to them by others.
when the group, including the bank, well-informed source said. Bank Limited is in some way associ- around from making losses in 2018 to
was placed under judicial manage- ated with the transaction and that it is a break-even position. Over the past Contacted for comment, TIB di-
ment. “Communication blackout from a subsidiary of Tetrad Holdings,” the four years, debtors have been collect- rector Harry Orphanides said there is
management — shareholders have not letter says. ed, previously encumbered property now confusion over the situation.
“TIB directors are running scared received audited financial accounts for is unencumbered, property yields
now because for the first time they the past three years. The last they re- “We wish to assure shareholders of significantly improved, all material "There seems to be a lot of confu-
have got not just little old Jackie Levey ceived were qualified financial state- Tetrad Bank Investment Limited that liabilities repaid or settled, assets re- sion here and I’m due to meet with
and Sakuma trading gunning for ments for 2018, only in 2022. the bank has no association with the covered and (two) of the outstand- our attorneys to get the issue resolved.
them, but also influential sharehold- transaction described in the article, ing statutory audits have finally been Bard has no authorisation to deal with
ers. They are facing guys who have got “There is also an impression that and that TIB is owned by its share- completed and the remaining (three), the bank. Bard was dealing with the
more power and influence, and a sta- management or its directors are bene- holders and is not a subsidiary of any to 30 September 2021 are all due to issues of TFS. Yes we do have a prob-
ble asset management company will fitting, given the fact that the bank has company mentioned in the article.” be completed by 31 October 2022. As lem in that the shareholders were nev-
to help. The problem is that they are a diversified property portfolio from a result of this value enhancement, the er informed that Bard was going to
the only ones making money from the which it is receiving rent. The article in question related to bank is now in a position to plan its take over this portfolio and I have a
current situation; so they don't want BSI's takeover of TFS Management future path.” problem with that."
to lose it. That's why they are being “Lack of trust in the directors — Company's clients portfolio to unlock
defensive. I stood up at the last AGM past announcement of takeovers and value for themSmall shareholders are While conceding the shareholders Asked why the board is not com-
(annual general meeting) and I said capital injection have not materi- currently grouped and exercise proxy have a right to choose who to work municating with TIB shareholders,
on behalf of my clients 'we don't have alised. Fellow shareholders are main- through Tetrad Creditors Group Trust with, TCGT resorted to scare tactics. Orpahnides said:  “The bank deals
faith in any of you; you are not trust- ly old people. Some have died. There (TCGT) represented by Pybus, a with shareholders of Tetrad, it's a total
worthy, you do not communicate' is no sense of urgency on the part of banker. “Shareholders are entitled to select separate entity; they have got nothing
and in the last three weeks they began management who are fully aware of their proxy and TCGT will not stand to do with TFS, which was put under
sending messages because they are the demographics of the sharehold- TCGT has been complaining in the way of shareholders who wish judicial management and is a separate
panicking. But it’s the first time they ers.” about shareholders' approach to BSI to assume their voting rights," it said. company to the bank. The board rep-
have had real serious demands for for rescue instead of addressing their resents Tetrad Investment Bank.”
accountability and return for invest- Instead of dealing with these issues concerns. "We only warn that this action will
ment, while shareholders oppose their raised by the shareholders, TIB direc- reduce a shareholder to an uninflu- Bard chief executive Senziwani Sik-
actions.” tors have been dismissive of the mi- “We wish to bring to your atten- ential participant in the future of the hosana spiritedly defended his clients
nority equity stakeholders' grievances. tion an approach being made to other bank and the disposal of its assets. who are also bank shareholders, and
Another shareholder, Divaris, said: shareholders in respect of their share- This is the very condition which the those who are not, saying they have
"Before my mother (Kiki Divaris) They have been defensive and holding in Tetrad Investment Bank TCGT was formed to prevent. Unless done nothing wrong in engaging in-
died, she was opposed to the decision witch-hunting to intimidate share- Limited (TIB)," it wrote to share- a sufficient level of shareholders con- vestors as they only want to get a re-
to bring in the new board. Ever since holders, while targeting the financial holders. tinue to support the role of the TCGT, turn on their investments.
then there has been no communica- advisory services firm, BSI, which has it is unlikely to achieve the same level
tion from them. The story is that these been approached for help. “The TCGT was formed in May of success that it has to date.” “Some of our clients are share-
guys have been running the bank carte 2015 to enable smaller shareholders to holders in Tetrad Investment Bank.
blanche, that is without accountabili- In a letter to shareholders dated 9 have a significant influence as a unit- TIB directors have also written a Through them, other minority share-
ty and communicating for some years. September 2023, acting TIB compa- ed body. The number of shares under letter to BIS and issued a public state- holders have reached out to us for
The promise of prospective buyers or ny secretary Judy Conway suggests proxy by the TCGT totalled approxi- ment warning shareholders against help. As a result, we want to know
investors has been going on for years, the bank is more concerned about  mately 54% and enabled the TCGT engaging the asset management firm. how their investment portfolios are
but there is no progress.” distancing itself from a transaction in to vote for and support a management They said BIS should desist from performing. That’s why we are here.
which BSI took over Tetrad’s managed policy to recover and consolidate the talking to the shareholders. That's our job. When we act and ask
Some of the shareholders chose to clients portfolio — and not address- assets of TIB,” TCTG said. questions on behalf of our clients, we
speak off the record. ing the real issues. However, Bard Santner Markets expect answers whether the company
“Since the TCGT commenced an Inc lawyers dismissed TIB's accu- is listed or unlisted; not stonewalling,
The letter says the transaction creat- active interest in the management of sations as baseless, saying the asset intimidation or scare tactics.
ed an impression that TIB is a subsid- TIB through its substantial consoli-
iary of Tetrad Holdings, which it no dated voting position with effect from "Our clients expect nothing less
than that and so do our regulators.
There is no passive investment in our
world. We simply want our clients
and other shareholders to get a return
on their investments.

We are open for business to those
who want to engage us and we are al-
ways ready to help."

TIB was incorporated on 12 June
1995 as Tetrad Securities Limited. The
institution commenced operations in
1996 after obtaining a licence to oper-
ate as a discount house in terms of the
Banking Act. 

Tetrad Securities Limited’s dis-
count house licence was converted
to a merchant banking licence on 6
March 2009. But TIB’s licence was
withdrawn by the Reserve Bank of
Zimbabwe in 2014. In 2015, the
bank was then placed under provi-
sional liquidation, while it looked for
a new investor. 

Its liabilities exceeded assets by
US$1.5 million.

Initially, Tetrad Holdings, estab-
lished in 1995, comprised financial
services (a merchant bank, TIB; asset
management entity, TFS Manage-
ment Company; a microfinance unit,
Multiridge Finance; and an insurance
company, Tobacco Hail Insurance),
a mining and mineral resource pro-
cessing company, Tetrad Resources;
a property development and manage-
ment company, Tetrad Properties; and
other interests.

However, when the group closed
in 2014 it was broken into different
entities. This left the bank, TIB, in the
hands of depositors after a debt-to-eq-
uity scheme of arrangement.

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Mnangagwa jolts ministers
into compromise agreement
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnan-
gagwa was recently forced to com- to critically look at the issues re- Investigations revealed that after President Emmerson Mnangagwa. the minimum wage being pegged
pel 13 ministers who sit in the lating to the socio-economic chal- receiving the petition, Mnangagwa coz leader Demos Mabuya repre- at US$238. This was in their view
Tripartite Negotiating (TNF) Fo- lenges and erosion of wages in our immediately ordered a TNF meet- sented labour and the business sec- aimed at cushioning the majority of
rum to urgently attend meetings to country yet the 13 ministries are ing to be held during his absence tor respectively. workers who were being subjected
discuss solutions to worsening eco- only sending technical persons, when he was attending the 77th to abject poverty since most goods
nomic hardships after workers and particularly the Ministry of Finance United Nations General Assembly On the issue of erosion of wag- and services were being charged in
employers threatened to seek the which has not even been represent- summit in New York. es and salaries, the draft proposal, US$,” the document reads.
intervention of the International ed despite being the lead ministry which now awaits tabling before
Labour Organisation (ILO). representing government,” the peti- The TNF meeting was held on 23 cabinet, says that the labour side “Following extensive discussions
tion reads. September 2022 on the 11th floor insisted that the least-paid workers on the matter, social partners rec-
The TNF is a constitutionally of the National Social Security Au- like domestic employees must earn ommended that: A guideline be es-
mandated body bringing together “As a result, the four meetings thority boardroom. It was chaired US$238, but the final recommen- tablished across all sectors pegging
representatives of the government, have been postponed because of by Public Service, Labour and So- dation agreed upon by all the three the minimum wage at US$150.00
business sector and organised la- lack of key players including the lat- cial Welfare minister Paul Mavhima sectors was that the figure be put at payable either in US$ or ZWL$ at
bour. It is constituted through the est 24 August 2022 meeting. Your while the government team was led US$150. the prevailing inter-bank rate…
Tripartite Negotiating Forum Act, Excellency, this is very disappoint- by the minister of state for Presi-
making it a serious platform for ing and gives the impression that as dential Affairs in charge of Imple- Part of the draft document ob- “Government should consider a
discussing matters pertaining to the workers and employers, we are not mentation and Monitoring, Joram tained by The NewsHawks reads: review of payable taxes with a view
social contract. important in addressing key issues Gumbo.   to increase disposable incomes for
in our country.” “Organised labour highlighted employees. The proposed guide-
Since 2017, the labour side of the The ZCTU’s Taruvinga and Em- that it was maintaining its posi- line for the minimum wage will
body led by a technical committee tion of demanding the payment be subject to review at the Main
fronted by Kenias Shamuyarira, of wages and salaries in US$ with TNF meeting in the first quarter of
leader of the Zimbabwe Federation 2023”.
of Trade Unions, has been trying to
convene meetings with government Shamuyarira confirmed the
and business represantatives to dis- meeting.
cuss lasting solutions to the liveli-
hoods crisis caused by inflation. If adopted, the draft cabinet
document will see salaries of civil
However, the cabinet ministries servants also increase, based on the
from the economic and labour clus- improved scale of incomes of the
ters such as the Finance ministry as least-paid workers in society.
well as the Labour and Social Wel-
fare ministry have been shunning Currently, the gazetted wage
crucial meetings. of least-paid worker is less than
US$30 in real terms on the parallel
Miffed by the continued snub of market rate.
the ministries, the TNF members
of the technical committee who “We now await cabinet to give a
included Shamuyarira, Zimbabwe nod to the recommendations but it’s
Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) just academic because resolutions of
president Florence Taruvinga, Zim- TNF are binding. What was more
babwe Confederation of Public positive about that meeting is that
Service Trade Unions leader Cecilia there was an agreement to appoint
Alexander and president of the Em- a substantive chief executive offi-
ployers' Confederation of Zimba- cer (CEO) of the TNF to make the
bwe Desmond Mbauya wrote a pe- body more independent instead of
tition to Mnangagwa complaining it falling under the minister of La-
about the ministers' unbecoming bour who is the TNF chairperson,”
conduct. said Shamuyarira.

Part of the petition in the pos- “That CEO has already been
session of The NewsHawks reads: identified and is being vetted by the
“We, the undersigned hereby pe- security agents before his appoint-
tition Your Esteemed office to rein ment can be made.
in the ministers from the 13 key
ministries to take serious, the social “In our petition to His Excellen-
dialogue platform and its mandate cy, we made it clear that we would
to address the issues affecting our be left with no option but to ap-
economy and our environment.” proach the ILO if the ministers
continued to snub our meetings.
Zimbabwe has a legal obligation We are happy that the President
to respect social dialogue and make immediately took action.”
it function in terms of ILO con-
vention 144 which the country has The labour movement is con-
ratified. vinced that the ministers' disre-
spectful behaviour is an indication
Failure to uphold international of the government's uncaring atti-
conventions leaves the country lia- tude towards the economic hard-
ble to ILO sanctions. ships faced by citizens.

The TNF petition to Mnangag-
wa detailed the complaint and took
aim at Finance minister Mthuli
Ncube.

“We have had more than four
main TNF meetings where we were

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Controversy swirls around
Zim's US$961m IMF windfall

Where is the money?

MARY MUNDEYA of   US$144m had been allocated Development, Clemence Taderera Finance minister Mthuli Ncube. twasa presidential inputs scheme.  
to the Road Development Pro- Bwenje, who showed no knowl- On 26 September, Bhasera re- Farmers from different areas
THE lack of transparency sur- gramme encompassing Harare-Be- edge of the fund and directed us to sponded to a WhatsApp message
rounding how the Zimbabwean itbridge Road, Masvingo Road the permanent secretary. we had sent him and indicated that who spoke to The NewsHawks on
government has spent the US$961 Interchange Development Project he was in a meeting. condition of anonymity for fear
million Special Drawing Rights and the Emergency Road Rehabili- “You mean US$80m for social In a follow-up call two days of reprisals complained that they
(SDR) windfall from the Interna- tation Programme (ERRP). protection? Was it given to the later, Bhasera said: “We are still did not get any cushioning from
tional Monetary Fund (IMF) is ministry of Agriculture or people working on your responses. It's not the purported Pfumvudza/Intwa-
raising serious questions on mat- An investigation by  The News- were being given as cash? I’m only right that you send us questions sa agricultural social protection
ters of accountability and prudent Hawks with support from the Vol- aware of the US$30m for horticul- and expect an instant response. We scheme for rural and peri-urban
public finance management,The untary Media Council of Zimba- ture and US$20m for the small- are busy people. I’m in the field households. They also voiced con-
NewsHawks can report. bwe Investigative Journalism Fund holder farmer irrigation schemes, and someone from my office is cern over how the programme is
into the utilisation of SDR funds all of which are yet to be disbursed working on giving you the answers being used by politicians to gain
This comes at a time Finance found that unlike all the other from SDR funds,” he said. you need.” mileage ahead of the 2023 general
minister Mthuli Ncube is under SDR-funded projects, there was During the call, when we re- elections.
fire for not honouring his promise no trace as to how the US$80m Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, minded him that it had been two
to consult Parliament before dis- disbursed towards the Agricul- Fisheries, Water, Climate and Ru- weeks since we submitted the ques- “As subsistence farmers that
bursing the SDR funds. ture Productive Social Protec- ral Development permanent secre- tions and we inquired as to when are still grappling with effects of
tion Scheme meant for rural and tary John Bhasera failed to give an we could expect a response, Bha- the Covid-19 pandemic and the
SDRs are an international re- peri-urban households had been account on how the US$80m was sera said he could not make any recurrent droughts we have been
serve asset defined and maintained used. used. guarantees and he proceeded to experiencing, we are disappointed
by the IMF meant to supplement abruptly terminate the call. by the partisan distribution of the
the official reserves of member In a bid to get clarity on how After calling his mobile number When we contacted him again Presidential Input Scheme here in
countries. the US$80m was channeled to- 15 times over a period of seven via a direct voice call on 30 Sep- Headlands’ Masunzwe district.”
wards the support for the Agricul- days and getting no response, we tember, he asked us to re-send our
On 23 August last year, Zimba- ture Productive Social Protection resorted to sending a message on questions, which we did, but he “There has been a lot of jostling
bwe received US$961m worth of Scheme for rural and peri-ur- WhatsApp, which he replied to has not sent his response. of candidates who are eyeing the
SDR funds. This amount was de- ban households, The NewsHawks by promising to draft a response. Upon further investigations, The councillor and MP positions in the
posited into the government’s ac- reached out to the chief director Two weeks down the line, no re- NewsHawks established that the upcoming 2023 polls and if you are
count at the Reserve Bank of Zim- of strategic planning in the min- sponse was forthcoming and none US$80m was used to finance the known to be in support of anyone
babwe (RBZ). istry of Lands, Agriculture, Fish- of our numerous direct voice and heavily politicised Pfumvudza/ In- who is not the incumbent council-
eries, Water, Climate and Rural WhatsApp calls were being re- lor Samanyanga or MP Chingosho,
There was great optimism sponded to. you are guaranteed that you will
among Zimbabweans that the SDR not get anything,’’ said a farmer in
funds would provide some respite the Headlands ward 6 area.
to the prevailing social and eco-
nomic challenges. “Known opposition party sup-
porters here have never benefitted
In a joint Press statement released from the presidential Pfumvudza
on 23 August 2021, Treasury and inputs programme. Agricultur-
the RBZ promised to “prudently al extension officers in cahoots
and with utmost accountability, with local ruling party leaders are
support the social sectors, name- politicising the distribution of the
ly health, education, and the vul- Pfumvudza inputs. Our families
nerable groups; productive sectors are on the verge of starving as we
that include industry, agriculture cannot afford basic inputs,” said
and mining; infrastructure invest- another subsistence farmer from
ment covering roads and housing; the Mapiravana ward 1 area of
and foreign currency reserves and Chirumhanzu South.
contingency fund and support for
our domestic currency and mac- Other farmers who are engaged
ro-economic stability". The official in urban farming in Harare’s Mab-
stance was widely received as a step vuku, Warren Park, Waterfalls and
in the right direction. Mbare suburbs also spoke about
how they had not been cushioned
However, almost a year later, from the politicised Pfumvudza/
amid a growing outcry by Parlia- Intwasa presidential inputs scheme
ment, civil society organisations after the Covid-19 pandemic.
and good corporate governance
activists, Minister Ncube on 18 “I have been farming on this
August 2022 revealed that a sig- piece of land for close to 10 years
nificant chunk of the SDR funds now.
amounting to US$311m had al-
ready been spent in the period from and I have never received any
September 2021 to June 2022. Pfumvudza inputs. Last year, there
was an ongoing buzz of another
Ncube said US$71m had programme called 'rima' some-
gone towards the procurement thing (plant something), which
of Covid-19 vaccines. A vaccine was for Zanu PF youths who were
rollout programme had gobbled given various vegetable seedlings
up US$6m while US$10m had and many of our young people also
been used in the procurement did not get anything,” said Pedzisai
of Covid-related medical testing Hungwe, an elderly farmer in Ha-
equipment. rare’s Mabvuku suburb.

In addition, US$80m had been “We only heard about Pfumvud-
used towards a social protection za for urban farmers on radio, and
programme to support agricul- we were hoping to get something,
tural production for rural and but the Zanu PF cell chairman
peri-urban households. A total who was responsible for compiling

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

beneficiary names left us out. We Zimbabwe had this notable effect. In the 2022 National Budget plus) was added to a part of the vaccines is not clear because we
will see how this year goes,” said The current episode, however, is statement, Finance minister Ncu- US$150m Zimbabwe got from know that government mobilised
Simbarashe Mukono, a resident of marred by secrecy from the minis- be said the government had uti- various development partners, plus US$100m before this money was
Mbare suburb.  try of Finance on use of the funds lised budget savings of US$100m the US$71m from SDR funds to provided to secure vaccines for
and this discourages public trust from the previous year in addition buy 20 190 000 vaccines does not Covid-19 which were supposed to
Narrating some of his govern- and defies the principles of good to current budgetary support for stand up to scrutiny. It leaves close vaccinate at least 60% of the pop-
ment’s achievements (which in- governance and prudent financial Covid-19 vaccine procurement. to US$60m unaccounted for. ulation, which is about 10 million
clude the Pfumvudza programme) people,” said Mugano.
to Zanu PF supporters at a rally management. The ministry of Ncube added that as at the end A breakdown of all the pur-
held in Epworth on 12 February Finance should endeavour to pro- of September 2021, the govern- chased and donated Covid-19 “If you look at the records of
this year ahead of the 26 March vide granular information on this ment had spent about US$204 vaccines and syringes from the how many people have been vacci-
by-elections, President  Emmerson expenditure for any comprehensive million on the procurement of 17 ministry of Health and Childcare nated, we are looking at somewhere
Mnangagwa confirmed the abuse impact assessment to be done,” million vaccines and syringes — confirmed and corroborated  The around five million, which means
and thievery that have engulfed added Zimcodd. which is contrary to what he had NewsHawks’  findings, indicating that the US$100m that was set
the Pfumvudza inputs scheme, previously revealed at a pre-bud- that indeed Zimbabwe spent a to- aside and secured before we even
saying: “As the governmemt, we Zimbabwe Farmers' Union di- get seminar held in October 2021 tal of US$128 263 750 for the 20 got the SDR funds, is still there. So
sat down and agreed to imple- rector Paul Zacharia defended the when he said: “Government has 190 000 vaccines it purchased. there is no wisdom of again draw-
ment the Pfumvudza programme channeling of the US$80m SDR so far spent US$127 million to ing down US$71m for vaccination
so that you benefit. In Harare, we money towards the Pfumvudza/ procure over 16 million Covid-19 The NewsHawks reached out to support,’’ Mugano said.
distributed Pfumvudza agricultur- Intwasa presidential inputs pro- vaccine doses and syringes, since ministry of Finance spokesperson
al inputs to   23 330 households gramme, arguing that it was gov- the mass vaccination programme Clive Mphambela concerning the Meanwhile, the maladministra-
and your leaders told us that the ernment money. began  early this year.” mismatch in the vaccine procure- tion of SDR funds has come to
beneficiaries used the inputs on 8 ment figures. He said he had been the attention of the Budget and Fi-
185 hectares of land. It's unfortu- “All the inputs that have been Thus, apart from the US$100m out of the country for the past two nance Portfolio Committee, which
nate that some of the inputs have distributed for the Pfumvudza/Int- surplus funds, by 25 November weeks and was awaiting a response is pushing that the Finance minis-
been failing to reach the intend- wasa programme rural and peri-ur- 2021 Zimbabwe had received a from relevant departments. ter give oral evidence on how the
ed beneficiaries due to corruption ban farming set-ups or settlements total of US$150m from various money has been spent so far and
and thievery, but we would have are actually funded by government development partners, aimed at However, sources in the Fi- that the Auditor-General thor-
availed them,’’ the and SDR funds are government fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. nance ministry revealed that the oughly audit the utilisation of the
money because they (the govern- variance in vaccine procurement IMF windfall.
President told the crowd, which ment) are the ones who administer Our investigation revealed that, might have been caused by insur-
booed in disapproval. it,” he said. to date, Zimbabwe has purchased ance and freight charges that were “The committee called upon
Covid-19 vaccine saga 20 190 000 Covid-19 vaccines at usually not accounted for in most the minister to include a report
On 28 September, The New- The NewsHawks  also zeroed-in on a total cost of US$128  263 750 instances. on the utilisation of SDRs so far
sHawks also reached out to the the US$71m that was reportedly and received a further 2 215 000 in his mid-term fiscal policy re-
ministry of Finance and Economic disbursed towards the procure- vaccines in the form of donations Economist and executive direc- view statement which he did and
Development permanent secretary, ment of Covid-19 vaccines from from China, Russia and India. tor of Africa Economic Develop- we are scheduled to meet him so
George Guvamatanga, who asked the US$311m utilised funds. ment Studies (AEDS) Professor that he explains what he wrote to
for questions in writing, which In addition, the investigation Gift Mugano said the statement us. Moreover, the committee also
we sent to him but never got a re- Our investigation found a mis- revealed that 16.2 million syring- released by Treasury on the util- called upon the Auditor-General
sponse. match between how much was said es had been bought at a total cost isation of SDR funds was not to thoroughly audit the utilisa-
to have been spent on the procure- of US$1 024 000 while a donation clear on how the US$71m was tion of the SDRs,” Buhera Central
The NewsHawks was seeking ment of vaccines and the number of 1 003 200 syringes had been re- spent towards the procurement of MP and chairperson of the Budget
official clarity on the agricultural of vaccines Zimbabwe actually ceived from China. Covid-19 vaccines. and Finance portfolio committee,
projects which benefitted from the purchased. Mathew Nyashanu, said.
US$80 million that was funded via Therefore, the claim that the “The US$71m invested towards
the SDR purse. US$100m (from the set-aside sur- the procurement of Covid-19

Guvamatanga did not answer
the more than 15 direct voice and
WhatsApp calls we made to him
as a follow-up to the questions we
had submitted. 

Sources in the ministry of Fi-
nance and Economic Development
confirmed The NewsHawks’ in-
vestigative findings and indicated
that the funds had been used to
import tonnes of fertilizer from
Russia and the purchase of other
agriculture-related products for
the Pfumvudza/Intwasa presiden-
tial inputs scheme.

A socio-economic justice advo-
cacy group, the Zimbabwe Coa-
lition on Debt and Development
(Zimcodd),  also corroborated The
NewsHawks’  findings, saying it
was unfortunate that a fund that
was supposed to improve the lives
of the marginalised had been spent
on the heavily politicised presiden-
tial inputs scheme that is providing
mileage for politicians ahead of the
2023 general elections.

“SDR allocations are a cru-
cial windfall and should be used
to fund improvement of citizens’
livelihoods, especially the margin-
alised and it's unfortunate that as
much as the presidential inputs
scheme is a notable venture for
cushioning farmers around the
country, its politicisation has led to
the benefit of politicians ahead of
the 2023 elections compared to the
general marginalised people in var-
ious communities,” Zimcodd said.

The civil society organisation
further lamented how the cur-
rent SDR allocation had relatively
failed to have an effect on Zimba-
bwe’s economy.

“The 2009 SDR allocation to

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

The picture
collage show
Job Sikhala
being taken
to Court
on different
occassions.

Sikhala makes 8th attempt at freedom

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE “The courts are for the people, they at least inform those that are dealing rights and they are protected by the you commit another offence.  That is
are meant to serve the people, so ef- with these matters to see the state of state.  My question is: These particular the general principle.   The individu-
ZENGEZA West MP and senior fectively they have to consider what affairs out there and be able to make a criminals that I have mentioned have al so concerned, my understanding
member of the opposition Citizens' the people are saying. The petititon decision that is based on law and not been given bail, these armed robbers.  which I just read, not to say that I was
Coalition for Change, Job Sikhala, on is a representation of what the gen- any other factor that may influence Today the country is aware of Job schooled by the judiciary from going
Friday made an eighth attempt at free- eral public think towards the matter, the outcome.” Sikhala, Godfrey Sithole and others; is to ask about judicial decisions, but
dom, citing changed circumstances. towards their conduct as judicial offi- this not a violation of their rights? Is that is not my duty;   the decision of
cers,” he said. The case of Sikhala has been taken this not selective application of the law the courts was on the basis of the fact
He is scheduled to appear in court as a political case in which the ruling and the constitution?  Zimbabweans that a bail was granted, bail conditions
for a ruling on the application on 19 “When the applications were made, party is using the courts to deal with want to know how the government is were violated and that is the reason to
October. the petition was not there. Our as- dissenting voices. tackling this matter.  I thank you,” said deny bail.
sumption is that the courts did not Komichi.
The Sikhala family spokesperson, know the general thinking of the pub- In the aftermath of the prayer meet- Over and above that, I would not
Freddy Michael Masarirevu, says the lic out there. So we are hopeful that by ing in Nyatsime, 14 other people were Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi be very competent to question their
application was made on the basis going through the petition they will at arrested for inciting violence although responded, saying he had no jurisdic- decision.  A judge or a magistrate,
that a petition signed by more than least be able to understand what the some of them had had their homes tion over court decisions. when they are dealing with a case,
50 000 Zimbabweans contradicts the public think, not only about them torched. even their superiors cannot even direct
magistrate’s submission that granting but about everything surrounding the “Firstly, let me start by indicating them.  They must enjoy their indepen-
Sikhala freedom will result in the pub- matter. We definitely hope that they A lot has changed since the that the question that I am being dence when they are dispensing that
lic losing trust in the bail system. consider that, because the courts are last bail ruling. One of the asked is that I am being asked to in- particular case.  So, I submit that the
for the people.” reasons that was given by the terrogate judicial decisions which, ac- general rule or advice is for us not to
“A lot has changed since the last bail court as a basis for denying cording to the constitution, I do not play politics but to follow court rules
ruling. One of the reasons that was Sikhala has been in police custody Honourable Job Sikhala have a right to interrogate, neither do when we are in courts and then when
given by the court as a basis for de- since 14 June 2022 when he was ar- bail is that the public will I have a right to question them when we are outside or in this august House,
nying Honourable Job Sikhala bail is rested alongside co-accused Chitung- lose confidence in the bail a judgement is passed.  Even when I we can then use the rules that pertain
that the public will lose confidence in wiza North legislator Godfrey Sithole question, you also indicate that the to what we do here.  When we are in
the bail system. Fortunately our legal on charges of inciting public violence. system. Fortunately our minister is now interfering with their court, sometimes as politicians, we
team has managed to demonstrate that This came after they successfully con- legal team has managed to area of jurisdiction.  However, some- must refrain from abusing the courts
the public is losing confidence in the vened a prayer meeting in Nyatsime demonstrate that the public times I comment as an ordinary citi- for political expediency,” said Ziyam-
court system itself by failing to release for their party member, Moreblessing is losing confidence in the zen who is just aggrieved but not to bi.
him on bail. There is ample evidence Ali, who was gruesomely murdered court system itself by failing say that I can get into details of asking
to demonstrate that the petition has by suspected Zanu PF member Pius why you are giving this particular de- Sikhala fell sick while in prison
been submitted in court showing that Jamba. to release him on bail. cision and why you are not doing this amid fears of poisoning, but has since
in excess of 50 000 people in Zimba- particular decision.” recovered. Masarirevu says the law-
bwe signed a petition demanding the He has been denied bail four times Senator Morgen Komichi, from the maker is getting better.
release of Honourable Job Sikhala. So at the magistrates’ court and thrice at MDC-Alliance, raised Sikhala’s matter Ziyambi added that Sikhala was
this is a clear sign that the public is ac- the High Court since then. in the Senate this week, saying it was denied bail because he violated bail “He is okay, he recovered from that.
tually losing confidence in the court a case of the violation of rights of ac- conditions of his previous cases that We did have a scare but he got over it,
system itself, contrary to the assertion Asked whether the latest bid for cused persons, given the nature of the are still before the courts. The minister but we thank God he managed to get
that was made by the court that by freedom would turn around Sikhala’s allegations. denied allegations that the courts are treatment. Now he is okay, except that
releasing Honourable Job Sikhala the fortunes, Masarirevu said they can handing down politically motivated he is in prison. You can never be 100%
public will lose faith in the bail sys- only hope. “This country has experienced seri- judgements. okay when you are incarcerated. It's
tem,” said Masarirevu. ous crimes committed by armed rob- always difficult to be away from your
“We have no option but to be con- bers, serial killers, rapists and many “My understanding is that you are family, but he is managing,” he said.
The petition, he said, should be ev- fident that eventually there will be a crimes.  These criminals have their on bail on a specific case and there are
idence enough that the people that he greenlight, because what we cannot conditions that are attached to that.  If Sikhala’s trial on allegations of incit-
was referring to in the judgement want do is to just sit and not do anything you violate your bail conditions, then ing violence in Nyatsime is slated for 5
Sikhala released. about it. We are hoping that the events the bail will not be granted should November.
that are unfolding in the country will

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 102, 14 October 2022 Political lawfare against
opposition party exposed
BRENNA MATENDERE
Zimbabwe's main opposition CCC militant senior leader and MP Job Sikhala (right) and legislator Godfrey Sithole who were arrested over violence surrounding the
AN anonymous letter written by late party activist Moreblesssing Ali.
magistrates to the Judicial Service
Commission and the Zimbabwe An- manipulation of cases. A few quotes Since the dis- Tsvangirai died in February 2018, told The NewsHawks that he did not
ti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) from their letter exposes the lawfare. puted 2018 he was succeeded by Nelson Chami- doubt the existence of political law-
complaining of what they term “real general elec- sa. The succession was not without fare in Zimbabwe as highlighted in
judicial capture” has exposed a plot “Sadly, capture is a fact, not a per- tions, the courts controversy, but Mnangagwa himself the letter of the magistrates.
to use political lawfare to annihilate ception. The saddest aspect is that have handed duly recognised that Chamisa was
the opposition Citizens' Coalition politicians aren’t leading this cap- down judge- his opponent and the MDC-Alliance “As a lawyer, a citizen and a mem-
for Change (CCC). ture." ments that the was a political party,” he wrote. ber of a law-based civil society organ-
CCC says are isation, on account of what I have
The intricacies of the systematic The letter said judicial capture a confirmation He argued that the Supreme Court seen, heard and experienced, I have
strategy were highlighted long back kingpins are in the JSC. of judiciary failed to see that the MDC-Alliance no reason to believe that the core
by the late Kent University law lec- capture by the was a political party in terms of Zim- contents of the letter are false or ma-
turer Alex Magaisa in a popular blog “It’s common knowledge in the Zanu PF regime babwe's electoral law is a recognised licious,” he said.
piece he titled “How ED Is Plotting magistrate’s court that certain mag- political party and independents.
To Take Over Zimbabwe’s Opposi- istrates handle only politically driven He added: “The reality of the day is
tion.” matters.” “Political parties might form a coa- that the justice delivery in Zimbabwe
lition, but the law does not recognise is not done without fear or favour.
Since the disputed 2018 gener- “Political parties, including oppo- coalitions. It only recognises political The fact that people get different
al elections, the courts have handed sition members, are brought before parties. Therefore, the MDC-Alliance treatment in the courts depending on
down judgements that the CCC says so-called Anti-Corruption Courts presented itself before the Zimbabwe identity and affiliation confirms this.”
are a confirmation of judiciary cap- (ACC) to assure the (desired) result Electoral Commission (Zec) as a po-
ture by the Zanu PF regime aimed at from captured ACC magistrates.” litical party and it was recognised as “That we had to fight an Amend-
either silencing dissent or totally dec- such. Candidates were nominated as ment to the Constitution which
imating the opposition. “Lawyers can shout themselves candidates of the MDC-Alliance.” removed the level of judicial inde-
hoarse before these magistrates, but pendence confirms this. The nature
These judgments date back to the their clients won’t get justice because “I make extensive reference to this of the judgments we are getting con-
2018 presidential election petition everything is done per JSC orders,” recognition to highlight the absur- firms this. High Court judges have in
brought by now CCC leader Nelson reads part of the letter. dity of the claims in recent months the past also written an anonymous
Chamisa, seeking the nullification that seek to delegitimise the status letter attesting to these same chal-
of the Zimbabwe Electoral Com- In one of his blogs, the late of the MDC-Alliance as a political lenges.”
mission’s declaration of Emmerson Magaisa said in order to understand party. It’s nothing more than political
Mnangagwa as winner. Mnangagwa’s strategy to control the gamesmanship designed to exclude “The letter is a cry for help from
opposition, it was useful to present and dismember the main opposition some men and women charged with
The Constitutional Court led by the position after the 2018 general from the political community,” wrote justice delivery who are still true to
Chief Justice Luke Malaba dismissed elections. Magaisa. duty, as much as it represents our cry
the petition and adjudged that “any as citizens to have rule of law and
mathematical error that may have oc- “The main opposition contested Musa Kika, the Zimbabwe Hu- equal access to justice in this coun-
curred in the process of verification the election as the MDC-Alliance, man Rights NGO Forum director, try.”
of the Presidential election result in originally a coalition of seven polit-
terms of Section 110 of the Act was ical parties. When the then leader
not gross or sufficient to overturn the and presidential candidate Morgan
outcome of the election".

The opposition in its analysis of
the judgment disagreed with the apex
court’s ruling and said it was flawed.

Another major contentious ruling
that has been cited as evidence of law-
fare against the opposition was the
2020 Supreme Court judgment  that
said Chamisa was not the president
of the MDC-Alliance as Thokozani
Khupe is the lawful leader.

It was despite the fact that the par-
ty had held its elective congress in
Gweru a year before the judgment in
2019 and elected Chamisa.

The MDC-T under Khupe and
later Douglas Mwonzora used the
judgement to recall Chamisa’s MPs
from Parliament and councillors
from local authorities in what looked
like an end to his political calcula-
tion.

Since that time, whenever opposi-
tion politicians are brought to court,
they have been denied bail repeatedly
with Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala,
Chitungwiza MP Godfrey Sithole
and 14 activists from Nyatsime hav-
ing clocked over 100 days in remand
prison for a crime of inciting vio-
lence.

To the contrary, several opposi-
tion party officials like Gokwe-Nem-
budziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyaje-
na were easily granted bail on more
serious charges.

At one time Harare magistrate
Ngoni Nduna had to recuse himself
from hearing Sikhala’s bail applica-
tion following his arrest accused of
defeating the course of justice.

Sikhala had filed an application
for Nduna’s recusal, arguing that he
could be biased after he denied him
bail in a similar case before.

In the recent open letter written
by unnamed magistrates dated 4
October 2022 and addressed to the
JSC and Zacc, the judicial officers
expressed frustration over political

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Chiwenga Vice-President Issue 102, 14 October 2022
circumvents Constantino
Parliament Chiwenga who
grilling for doubles as minis-
six months ter of Health and
BRENNA MATENDERE Hwende asked the deputy speaker Child Care.
to clarify whether Chiwenga was no Minister of Health and Child Care inet meetings regularly although
KUWADZANA East legislator longer required to attend Parliament is still in office.” there have been reports of him fore-
Chalton Hwende this week took in his capacity as Health minister. going some public functions due to
to task deputy speaker of Parlia- The response triggered inaudible ill health. Chiwenga is a former mil-
ment Tsitsi Gezi over the continued "I need clarity regarding the Hon- interjections from other MPs who itary general currently serving also
non-attendance of Vice-President ourable Vice-President and Minister expressed concern over Chiwenga’s as second secretary of Zanu PF. In
Constantino Chiwenga who dou- of Health and Child Care, CGDN continued dodging of Parliament’s 2017, he, among others, managed
bles as minister of Health and Child Chiwenga. Since I was elected as a question-and-answer sessions and, to successfully topple Robert Mug-
Care. member of Parliament in March, I to restore calm, the deputy speaker abe, who had been in power for 37
have never seen him in this House,” had to threaten the legislators with years.
Hwende revealed that ever since said Hwende. expulsion from the House.
he was elected MP in the 26 March He has been touted as a possible
by-elections, he had never seen Hwende, who was elected secre- The deputy speaker particularly successor to Mnangagwa in Zanu
Chiwenga attending the grueling tary-general of the opposition party warned Bindura South constituency PF and has played a key role in con-
question-and-answer sessions of now led by Nelson Chamisa at its MP Remmigious Matangira that he solidating the party’s power, includ-
Parliament which are slated for ev- congress in Gweru in 2019, ex- risked being sent out after he con- ing retooling the army’s armoury
ery Tuesday during weeks when the pressed concern over the number of tinued making inaudible interjec- after negotiating a weapons deal in
august House is in session. months that Chiwenga has absented tions. Indonesia early this year.
himself from Parliament.
President Emmerson Mnangag- Ironically, Chiwenga attends cab-
wa appointed Chiwenga Health “We have a lot of issues that we
and Child Care minister in August want to ask him concerning the
2020. health of the nation. Since March,
now we are in October, our term of
He took over from former dis- office is going to expire before we
graced minister Obadiah Moyo even meet him. My question is: Is he
whom Mnangagwa fired in July still the Vice-President and minister
2020  over reports of abusing a of Health and Child Care or he is
US$60 million Covid-19 facility to now out of office?” asked Hwende.
purchase Personal Protective Equip-
ment (PPEs) in a botched deal that In her response, deputy speaker
also roped in the first family's ally Gezi said:
Delish Nguwaya.
“Thank you, honourable mem-
Rising on a point of order, ber. I would like to inform you that
the honourable Vice-President and

Chiredzi residents in uproar over hefty bills

MORRIS BISHI aged equipment at its Hippo Valley ZW$16 000 to ZW$50 000 and this time, which will allow council to run thing in foreign currency. You will see
water treatment plant, Chiredzi Town was based on estimates. We are saying its operations smoothly. that our council will be broke forever
CHIREDZI Town Council is under Council is producing less than five if these are estimates, how can they be and l can tell you that we are running
fire from residents after the local au- megalitres of water per day against a different. In low-density suburbs, some Acting town secretary Wesley Kau- with empty coffers, our accounts were
thority rebased water bills to exorbitant demand of 10 megalitres, leaving more received bills as high as ZW$200 000 ma told The NewsHawks that the lo- recently garnished by Zimra and Zesa
levels despite the perennial erratic sup- than half the town's population with- and this was done without consulting cal authority is the only council in dragged us to court,” Kauma said.
plies currently troubling the town, The out water. the residents. We think it's a calculated the country which is yet to adjust its
NewsHawks has established. confusion with a clear agenda of cor- rates to the current official exchange "Our revenue collection rate is 34%
United Chiredzi Residents and ruption. We know people are not pay- rate since it is still using the January despite having the lowest rates in the
The development comes at a time Ratepayers Association (UCHIRRA) ing bills and this is because they are not 2022 rate, making it difficult to meet country, which is very low. Residents
the local authority is in financial dire advocacy and communication offi- receiving water, with areas like ward 5 financial obligations. He said council is resist, but on the other side they want
straits, with council officials saying rev- cer Constance Chikumbo told The going for years with dry tapes," said operating with empty coffers, resulting us to deliver services without mon-
enue collection from ratepayers only NewsHawks that by rebasing the bills Chikumbo. in two court cases and failure to pay ey. Our water situation is dire since
stands at 34% as most ratepayers are without consulting residents, council workers. equipment at our water treatment
not settling bills. officials are creating confusion which Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers plant is now worn out coupled with
they wrongly think will work in their Association (CHIRRA) chairperson "Residents are complaining after a power cuts, making it difficult for us to
Last month, the Zimbabwe Reve- favour. Jonathan Mupamombe said the erratic rebasing exercise last week which re- pump the required daily demand of 10
nue Authority (Zimra) garnished CTC water supply is greatly affecting wom- sulted in councillors convening a full megalitres per day."
bank accounts over unpaid statutory She said it is unfair for council to en, school children and people living council meeting on Tuesday which re-
obligations and the local authority was charge residents for services which they with disabilities who have to walk long versed what we have done. We are in Acting council chairperson Ropa-
recently dragged to court by the Zim- are not providing, since many areas in distances to fetch the scarce commod- a difficult situation due to our failure fadzo Makumire said the local author-
babwe Electricity Supply Authority the lowveld town are relying on bore- ity. to adjust our rates according to prevail- ity will definitely rebase bills, but this
Holdings (Zesa) over outstanding bills holes for water. ing official exchange rates since Janu- will be done after consulting residents.
totalling RTGS$10 million. It is also He said council should prioritise ary this year. A household in Tshovani He said councillors reversed the current
battling to pay September salaries for "The current bills which residents re- construction of new waterworks to [suburb] is paying an average bill of high bills because management carried
its employees. ceived are a result of how unorganised cope with the growing population. He ZW$5 000 per month, which is less out the exercise without the knowledge
the council is. Residents in high-densi- also urged residents to pay their bills on than US$5 since we procure every- of town fathers and residents.
Due to technical faults caused by ty suburbs received bills ranging from

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Zimsec attempt to evade July Moyo resumes
US$170 000 debt flops campaign for

THE  Zimbabwe School Examinations other one a sorting house. to the respondent, and was no longer lia- Redcliff seat after
Council (Zimsec) has been ordered to The court heard that work  com- ble for any further payments arising from shock 2018 defeat
honour its obligations and pay a US$170 work that had already been done under
000 debt owed to AR Mandizvidza Ar- menced in 2009, but an accounting dis- the agreement.
chitect, trading as Amandiz Architect, pute arose between the two parties.
dating back to 2007. “To Zimsec’s surprise, it then received
The engineers claimed Zimsec had an another letter from the respondent dated
Zimsec had approached the High outstanding payment for works done on June 14, 2016, barely a week after it had
Court seeking a declaratur, arguing that the two projects. made the payment referred to above, to
the debt had expired because of the lapse which was attached a new invoice. Effec-
of time. Investigations were conducted and a tively, the respondent was now making a
report claimed that Zimsec owed the ar- fresh claim against Zimsec for payment
The architectural company did some chitectural firm  US$170 777.96 post the in the sum of US$285 447.49, which
designs for Zimsec over a decade ago, but commencement of the multi-currency the respondent claimed to be the amount
efforts to get payment proved to be futile, economy in 2009. outstanding for the works done in respect
prompting the court proceedings. of the printing press and the sorting ware-
Zimsec wanted  the matter treated house, during the Zimbabwe dollar era
The request to avoid payment by Zim- as stale debt and prescribed it on the prior to 2009,” complained the council.
sec was shot down in  a recent judgement grounds that the issue was initially raised
after Justice Rodgers Matsikidze ruled the on 24 August 2007. Zimsec alleged  that  Amandiz law-
examinations council was abusing court yers  wrote letters of demand claiming
processes. The examinations council argued  the varying amounts, first US$1 307 972.46
architects also had an opportunity to ini- as underpayment, which then miracu-
“Applicant (Zimsec) was issued with tiate a court case but waited for years until lously declined to US$621 957.82 on 30
invoices by the respondent (AR Man- 2020. April last year.
dizvidza ), as service provider. Instead of
dealing  with those demands as per con- Zimsec sought authority to be granted However, Amandiz said payment re-
tract, it rushed to this court for a declara- leave to put its house in order and com- quests were for work done after the Zim-
tur, seeking to nullify  the invoices. In my plete its applications in a matter in which babwe dollar era.
view, this is an abuse of the provisions  on it seeks to shrug off payment.
declaratory orders,” said the judge. “As a starting point, the applicant is
“As far as Zimsec was concerned, it had basing its claim and arguments for pre-
“If allowed, it could   lead to an ava- settled in full all payments that were due scription on the wrong invoice.
lanche of such applications, where debt-
ors  raise whatever defences they feel they The invoice given to the applicant by Local Government Minister July Moyo.
have against the claims they are facing, by the respondent is the one dated Septem-
way of applications for a declaratur." ber 14, 2020. This is the invoice which BRENNA MATENDERE while it is far from Redcliff, he does not
was and remains a bone of contention LOCAL Government Minister July attend church services as a parishioner at
He ruled:  “The proper course of ac- between the parties for some time now,” Moyo is dishing out donations in the Rutendo Lutheran Church.
tion, in my view, is to order that it's struck Amandiz said. dormitory town of Redcliff amid reports
off the roll.” that the Midlands Zanu PF godfather has Rutendo is a densely populated suburb
This is the invoice given after the appli- resumed campaigns to regain the peri-ur- located adjacent Redcliff which as a whole
Court papers show that the two par- cant terminated the contract between the ban parliamentary seat which he lost to constituency encompasses some rural
ties entered into an agreement to carry parties, citing that the scope of the sorting an opposition party novice in the 2018 wards of Silobela and resettlement farms
out architectural designs at Zimsec’s two warehouse has changed.” elections. such as Amatava near Mvuma which
properties in Norton. were invaded by war veterans during the
— STAFF WRITER. Moyo is a senior politician touted as fast-track land reform exercise.
One was to be a printing press and the one of President Emmerson Mnangag-
wa's strategists. He has been a Mnangag- Zanu PF members in Redcliff view
Erlaetccthioent usepasinonflactoiounld wa loyalist for long despite recent reports Moyo’s donations as part of his 2023 elec-
BERNARD MPOFU mises competitiveness. “With no official platform for do- of a fallout. tion campaign. Moyo however said his
“Zimbabwe is now entering its mestic participants to change local donations were not political.
THE Confederation of Zimbabwe currency for foreign currency for store Before the 2017 military coup, which
Industries says next year’s general elec- farming season, which comes along of value purposes, any extra liquidity ousted the then president Robert Mug- "I am a member of that church. I was
tions, money supply growth to sup- with agriculture financing. In recent in the economy will chase foreign cur- abe, Moyo was publicly chastised by the baptised in the Lutheran Church so I
port the summer cropping season and years agriculture financing has been rency on the parallel market.” then first lady Grace Mugabe for spear- mobilised those resources for our pastor
a suppressed foreign exchange market Zimbabwe’s Achilles heel when it heading a plot to topple the long-time and the community. It had nothing to do
may reverse inflation stabilisation in came to macro-economic stabilisa- The organised manufacturing sec- ruler. with the party," he said.
the short to medium term. tion,” reads the latest CZI currency tor lobby group says while the central
and inflation update. bank has increased the amount of for- However, despite a huge campaign Redcliff has perennial water challenges
Official figures show that since the eign exchange which can be accessed war chest in 2018, Moyo was trounced as its supplier, Kwekwe City Council, of-
beginning of 2022, annual inflation “The manner in which government from the formal banking system, more in his bid for the Redcliff parliamentary ten cuts off water supplies over a big debt
has been increasing every month un- will finance the agriculture season will steps are needed to liberalise the mar- seat by the then MDC-Alliance's  Lloyd overhang running into millions of dollars
abated. For the first time in 2022, determine the sustainability of the ket. Mukapiko (pictured below). incurred by the ailing Zimbabwe Iron
annual inflation slowed down in Sep- inflation downturn. There is need to and Steel Company before it folded.
tember, which experts say was a posi- ensure that the financing of the agri- The Reserve Bank of Zimba- At that time, Mukapiko
tive development since Zimbabwe has culture season does not result in a net bwe (RBZ) increased the maximum was a graveyard assistant Ahead of the 2018 elections,
one of the highest inflation rates in the increase in liquidity beyond levels that amount that entities can purchase whose job was to al- Moyo tried to turn the water
world. holders would need for transactions from the willing-buyer willing-seller locate graves at the crisis into a campaign issue
and other payments, which could see (WBWS) system from US$20 000 to council-run Kwekwe by drilling boreholes in
In September 2022, the annual in- the parallel market getting fuelled up.” US$100 000 per week per entity. Cemetery. Redcliff constituency
flation rate was 280.4%, shedding 4.6 after having entered
percentage points on the August rate Experts say the introduction of gold This was done in a bid to liberalise Mukapiko once into a deal with
of 285%. The persistent decrease in coins as a store of value, increased the foreign exchange market. worked as a pest Zvishavane-based
month-on-month inflation since July due diligence on payment of govern- control general Makanaka Invest-
2022 is starting to filter through to an- ment suppliers, hiking interest rates to “However, the rate on the WBWS hand and is a self- ments Company
nual inflation. 200% and slowdown in money supply platform must be market determined taught bricklayer. owned by Zanu PF
growth have in recent weeks eased in- if RBZ is going to maintain sustain- stalwart Antony Clev-
With the tight liquidity conditions flationary pressures. able convergence,” CZI says. The NewsHawks er Pote.
in the market, market watchers say it gathered that Moyo was After he was drubbed
is expected that the decline in annual “Zimbabwe is approaching election “A controlled rate will ultimately recently in Redcliff where in the 2018 elections, Moyo
inflation will be sustained in October season as 2023 draws near. Elections lead to a distorted exchange rate mar- he made cash donations to the
2022 as well. are by nature a very expensive under- ket and the emergence of a huge par- Lutheran Church in Rutendo suburb and abandoned some of the projects
taking and there is need for the au- allel market premium, which is an op- handed over a borehole accompanied by midway.
Goods and services that had the thorities to ensure that the season does portunity cost for using official foreign senior Zanu PF officials and Vongai Mu-
highest inflation rate in August 2022 not come with money supply increase currency channels, hence increased pereri, Mnangagwa’s nephew. In Harare, he fell out with mayor Jacob
recorded a decline in September 2022 whose consequences would be dire to traffic to the parallel market. There is Mafume and residents over the Pomona
except electricity which registered an stability as has already been experi- need for RBZ to take advantage of the Minister Moyo also pledged to build a garbage deal that sought to draw millions
increase. enced. Under a high inflation environ- current convergence pathway to avoid house for the church's pastor. of dollars from the local authority for the
ment, the ZWL$ will continue to lose any more controls of the rate which next two-and-a-half decades before it was
The CZI says despite the relative value such that any holder would be widens the parallel market premium When contacted for comment, Moyo cancelled.
stability, Zimbabwe’s annual inflation better off offloading it and holding on and renders the official exchange rate confirmed making the donations, but
is such an outlier compared to its re- to the USD,” the report reads. unattractive for holders of foreign cur- claimed it was just out of benevolence Netherlands-registered company Geo-
gional counterparts, which compro- rency.” and not motivated by politics. genix BV, which is at the centre of the
controversial Pomona waste-to-energy
When in Kwekwe, Moyo stays in the deal,  is fronted locally by Delish Ngu-
Sherwood area where he has a farm and, waya, an ally of Mnangagwa's family.

Page 14 News NewsHawks

NHAU MANGIRAZI Issue 102, 14 October 2022

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Zacc investigators camp
Commission (Zacc) last week deployed at Nyaminyami council
its officials to probe Nyaminyami Ru- for council to advertise to bidders
ral District Council over suspected Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo. through tenders as stipulated in the
corruption and abuse of office over Procurement and Disposal Act 22.23.
the exploitation of natural resources, of financial abuse as funds are not re- cil offices. he is not named. But to our surprise as residents, we are
among other issues, The NewsHawks mitted as required to community de- ‘‘Each of our councillors were called According to a dossier compiled by in September and no tenders have been
has established. velopment,’’ said a spokesperson for advertised yet,’’ reads part of the doc-
the villagers who refused to be named. individually to give their side of the locals, some members of top manage- ument.
Although Zacc spokesperson John story on these allegations. Each com- ment are allegedly working in cahoots
Makamure would neither confirm nor The team went around the outlying mittee chairperson was also asked the with councillors to abuse funds. It adds that there is suspicion that
deny the investigation, council officials communities on Thursday last week. role they were playing in plugging the it will be corruptly awarded to com-
confirmed the raid. abuse of office by senior officers,’’ said a ‘‘The Bulembi and Safrique Hunt- panies currently operating in the areas.
On Friday, they had closed-door councillor speaking on condition that ing concessions expire this year on 31
Nyaminyami Rural District Council meetings with councillors at the coun- December 2022, hence there is need ‘‘We are reliably informed that the
chief executive officer Cletus Gwabva two companies were awarded secretly
Matingwana confirmed that Zacc of- to a white guy (name supplied) with-
ficers are stationed at the remote rural out going to tender on 26 May 2022,’’
council, situated about 210 kilometres reads the document.
away from Karoi.
It is alleged that Nyaminyami Rural
‘‘Yes, I can confirm that Zacc offi- District Council has been undervalu-
cers are here at Nyaminyami (Siakobvu ing animal trophy sales.
business complex) and dealing with
several issues. I am waiting for their The dossier further claims that the
report,’’ he said in written response on council is selling animal trophies at far
Wednesday. cheaper rates than other safari areas
around the country.
Asked what exactly the investigation
was centred on, Matingwana said: ‘‘It ‘‘Nyaminyami sells an elephant
is Zacc business and I am not in a posi- at US$9 000, lion US$5 000 and a
tion to answer for them,’’ he said. buffalo is pegged at US$4 000, yet in
Tsholotsho an elephant costs US$20
Investigations by this publication re- 000, lion US$30 000 and a buffa-
vealed that the team visited the remote lo is pegged at US$15 000. Why has
rural council situated in the Zambezi council not put hunting concession so
Valley last week as part of a probe over that we get better prices for Campfire
an array of corruption allegations in- proceeds as communities?" reads the
volving abuse of Communal Areas document.
Management for Indigenous Resourc-
es (Campfire) funds and remittances, It areas in question encompass Ga-
among other accusations. chegache in ward 2 as well as Mola
wards 3, 4 and 7.
The team visited Mola villagers in
wards 2, 3 and 4 where a company ‘‘As council, we are offering the
called Bulembi Safaris is operating. cheapest animals trophies and we
are not offering tenders so that those
They also gathered information in that offer better prices are given the
Chief Nebiri’s area in ward 7 where a chance,’’ reads the document.
company called Safrique is operating.

‘‘The villagers are bitter that they
have not seen any developmental proj-
ects from Campfire proceeds. Com-
munities expressed concern over how
Campfire has failed to develop as it
used to do in the past. There is a lot

NewsHawks News Page 15
to ensure and sustain price and
Issue 102, 14 October 2022 exchange rate stability and re-
duce resource misallocation,” the
Informal sector businesses, a World Bank report World Bank says.
contributes massive has shown.
62% to Zim GDP “Without significant and sus-
Despite having a big informal tained policy reform, econom-
BERNARD MPOFU est informal sectors in the world, for 80% of the labour force, but sector, the authorities in Zimba- ic growth will remain depressed
generating 62% of gross domestic the country’s economy needs the bwe continue to have running with marginal improvements in
ZIMBABWE has one of the larg- product (GDP) and accounting right policy to grow the small battles with players in this sector, living standards.”
accusing them of evading taxes
and other levies. The World Bank says Zimba-
bwe should in the short-to-medi-
According to the World Bank um term simplify business start-
Country Economic Memoran- up formalities;  improve access
dum for Zimbabwe, bureaucratic to finance, stabilise prices and ex-
delays and multiple layers of taxa- change rates, and reduce resource
tion stood out as the main reasons misallocation and lower the fiscal
why informal businesses are reluc- burdens associated with formality.
tant to be registered.
Long-term solutions to the in-
A study by the World Bank formalisation of the economy, the
shows that 79% of informal firms World Bank says, include intro-
are not registered because of the ducing incentives for formality;
taxes to be paid. improving public service delivery
and lower administrative costs via
The report shows that the driv- digitalisation; fostering tax mo-
ers for informality are macroeco- rality via improving governance,
nomic and structural challenges enforcement, and the provision
as well as the business climate, of public service; and building
regulatory burdens, and gover- awareness of the relevance of for-
nance. malisation.

Zimbabwe, the World Bank The World Bank produces
says, needs policies to boost the CEM reports in all countries that
productivity of the informal sec- the financial institution works in.
tor and linkages with the formal These reports take a long-term
sector such as better access to view of economic developments
finance, sector-specific and gen- in the country and recommend
der-specific policies and better ac- policy options to support inclu-
cess to information, markets, in- sive economic growth and poverty
frastructure, and general support reduction.
for entrepreneurs.

“Zimbabwe should implement
a package of complementary po-
lices and comprehensive reforms

THE German embassy in Harare has German govt protests intervention.
sent a note verbale to Zimbabwe's Zim property invasion On 1 September 2022, the Ger-
Foreign ministry, expressing concern
at the recent invasion of an ecotour- and pristine environs, are now cancel- ing 'Zimbabwe is open for business'. The German family says a day after man owners of Musangano Lodge
ism lodge owned by German inves- ling bookings. But the institutions are not working the diplomatic note was sent, the two obtained a provisional High Court
tors. properly. Things must change in this mining companies – Zim Gold Fields interdict against the miners, but the
The mining grant is for a period of country. Institutions must learn to do and Young Tech Engineering – sent invaders stayed put.
Musangano Lodge, which opened five years and subject to extension. If their jobs properly," Klein-Alterkamp lawyers to offer "a paltry sum" as an
in 1996 near the Odzi area of Mu- the mining is allowed to continue, it told The NewsHawks. out-of-court settlement. The amount On 10 October, Mutare High
tasa district in Manicaland province, will damage the environment, ruin offered was woefully inadequate, con- Court judge Justice Jester Helena
is owned by German couple Gerhard the lodge and bankrupt the business. The German embassy's dispatch of sidering the massive environmental Charewa granted the German family's
Eggert and Birgit Klein-Alterkamp. a note verbale to Zimbabwe's Foreign degradation caused by the miners. urgent application for leave to execute
Eggert and Klein-Alterkamp say Affairs and International Trade min- pending appeal.
The family has been granted a pro- this brazen violation of property rights istry on 20 September 2022 indicates The German family has also writ-
visional High Court order interdicting is bringing into question the authori- the seriousness with which the Euro- ten to the ministry of Environment, Justice Charewa found that the
Belarusian and Chinese companies ties' respect for Bippa agreements and pean country is approaching the mat- Climate, Tourism and Hospitality mining companies had no environ-
Zim Gold Fields (ZGF) and Young could dent investor confidence. ter. Industry, seeking the government’s mental impact assessment from the
Tech Engineering (YTE) respectively Environmental Management Agen-
from mining for gold on the property, "The Foreign minister is always say- cy. She further found that the firms
but the invaders have continued. lacked the necessary regulatory au-
thorisations for water abstraction. The
The property – perched on the judge also found that the companies
picturesque tree-covered hills of the were using heavy equipment for allu-
Eastern Highlands – is under a Bi- vial mining, which is prohibited by
lateral Investment Promotion and law.
Protection Agreement (Bippa) signed
between Zimbabwe and Germany in The companies were using four ex-
1995. cavators and three tippers, working
round the clock, making it impossible
Trouble began in May 2022 when for Musangano Lodge to continue op-
the companies told the owners of the erating as a tourism business.
lodge that they had been granted a
special grant by the government to This latest case involving the in-
mine gold and other minerals on the vasion of a Bippa-protected property
140-hectare property. follows the Zimbabwean govern-
ment's setback at the International
The German family says no envi- Centre for Settlement of Investment
ronmental impact assessment was ever Disputes (ICSD) in Washington DC.
conducted on the land before the Be-
larusian and Chinese miners moved The ICSD tribunal ruled that the
in with heavy equipment. Despite the Zimbabwean government must com-
court interdict, they have continued pensate Bernhard Von Pezold's family
with the alluvial mining, which has which was arbitrarily dispossessed of
led to severe environmental degrada- farmland.
tion along Mutare River.
Von Pezold and his family, who
The owners of the lodge argue that are dual Swiss and German nationals,
as operators of a tourism company on have enlisted the help of a United
private land, their business is suffering
irreparable harm from the unlawful States federal court in enforcing
conduct of the miners, who are caus- a US$277 million arbitral award
ing "24-hour noise pollution". Cli- against Zimbabwe which they won
ents, who visit the lodge for its serene after their farmland was grabbed by
the government.

— STAFF WRITER.

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

OWEN GAGARE Nurse aide certificate rescues
thousands from Zim poverty
THOUSANDS of Zimbabwe-
ans, mostly healthcare workers, rising to 4 077 in May. 8 158 medical doctors, according to data for tem as the leading inter-governmental orga-
are leaving Zimbabwe for the A total of 3 744 were screened in June while vacancies published by the National Health nization promoting since 1951 humane and
United Kingdom in search of Service. orderly migration for the benefit of all, with
greener pastures at a time many 3 418 persons were screened in July. 174 member states and a presence in over 100
locals are struggling to cope with The highest number of persons screened Nursing assistants in the UK earn an av- countries. IOM has had presence in Zimba-
the country’s relentless economic, erage of £20 000 per annum (US$26 000), bwe since 1985.
social and political crises. was in August when 4 418 were assisted. which translates to about US$2 100 per
The report shows that so far 19 cases of month. Nurse aide certificates have become The International Organization for Migra-
Statistics gleaned from the a prized possession in Zimbabwe. Desperate tion (IOM) is part of the United Nations Sys-
International Organisation for active TB have been diagnosed, including a Zimbabweans seeking to escape the country’s tem as the leading inter-governmental orga-
Migration Zimbabwe’s Chief of single case of mono drug-resistant TB. never-ending socio-economic crisis are flock- nization promoting since 1951 humane and
Mission Report for September ing to various institutions that have sprout- orderly migration for the benefit of all, with
2022 shows that there has been The UK, which recently advertised vacan- ed up and are offering short-term nurse aide 174 member states and a presence in over 100
a massive increase in locals leav- cies in the health sector, is one of the coun- training. countries. IOM has had presence in Zimba-
ing the country, with the peak tries paying nurse aides lucratively. The UK bwe since 1985.
months being August and Sep- says its health system needs to fill 110 192 The International Organization for Migra-
tember. posts left vacant after the death of frontline tion (IOM) is part of the United Nations Sys-
health workers during the Covid-19 pandem-
All UK visa applicants from ic. The shortages include 39 652 nurses and
Zimbabwe — including children
and infants — need an IOM
medical certificate indicating
that they are free from tubercu-
losis when applying for a visa to
the UK for a period longer than
six months. The tests are being
conducted daily from Monday to
Friday, except on public holidays
and UN-recognized internation-
al public holidays.

The situational report, which
was shared among UN agencies,
Zimbabwean government and
other partners, is used by poli-
cymakers to monitor migration
patterns.

A government official who
shared the statistics with The
NewsHawks said the majority of
people leaving for the UK were
healthcare workers, among them
doctors, nurses and care givers,
including nurse aides.

“The month of September
saw the total monthly caseload
for the UK TB reaching the sec-
ond-highest to date, at 4 399
applicants. This brings the total
number of applicants seen this
year to 31 552,” the IOM Chief
of Mission report reveals.

“This is 126.21% of the re-
viewed projected annual caseload
of 25 000 applicants.

“We continue to see a maxi-
mum of 310 cases per day.”

The situational report shows in
January, a total of 1 201 Zimba-
bweans were screened under the
programme, but the figure shot
up to 3 139 in February, 3 471
in March, 3 608 in April before

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 102, 14 October 2022 Govt okays firing of nurses’
leader over winter protests
BRENNA MATENDERE
Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union president Robert Chiduku. work, without leave or reasonable peals Officer on 27 September
GOVERNMENT through the cause for the period from 20 June 2022, after having carefully gone
Health Service Board (HSB) has 2022 to 24 June 2022 (That is a to- through the record and grounds
upheld a verdict to fire Zimba- tal of four days). The effect of your of your appeal, dismissed your ap-
bwe Professional Nurses Union conduct is that the provision of peal,” reads part of the brief letter.
(ZPNU) president Robert health service and care to patients
Chiduku for triggering the winter was seriously undermined,” reads Teacher unions and fellow asso-
protests joined by 23 associations part of the charge then. ciations of healthcare workers have
of healthcare workers in June this already condemned the sacking
year. A disciplinary hearing found of Chiduku, saying it violates his
Chiduku guilty and recommend- rights to protest peacefully in ac-
Chiduku was a registered general ed his dismissal. The ZPNU leader cordance with the constitution.
nurse at Gweru Provincial Hospital through the Zimbabwe Human
when his union issued a two-week Rights NGO Forum launched an Chiduku told The NewsHawks
ultimatum to the government de- appeal at the HSB. However, The his dismissal was unfair.
manding an improvement in wages NewsHawks gathers that the appeal
and solutions to other grievances. has been dismissed. “It is heartbreaking that trade
union is being criminalised. We
The ZPNU’s ultimatum saw In a letter dated 10 October urge nurses to stand in solidarity
the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors 2022, the acting executive director with fellow leaders facing wantom
Association president Kudzanai of the HSB, Anglebert Mbengwa, persecution day and night for sim-
Muzenda writing to HSB chairper- wrote Chiduku confirming the po- ply advancing the interests of their
son Dr Paulinus Sikosana demand- sition. members. We are not scared, we
ing an improvement in salaries and will stand firm and resolute till our
provision of basic consumables “Please be advised that the Ap- genuine demands are met,” he said.
necessary for treatment of patients
as well as drugs.

After being snubbed by the gov-
ernment on these requests, the
Zimbabwe Health Apex Council 
in a letter dated Friday 17 June
2022 signed by the body’s leader
Tapiwanashe Kusotera and ad-
dressed to the HSB chairperson
Sikosana announced a strike that
began on 20 June.

The job action saw senior doc-
tors, junior doctors, nurses, phar-
macists, radiographers and com-
munity health volunteer workers
embarking on a crippling strike
that brought to a halt healthcare
services at key hospitals like Pari-
renyatwa, Mpilo, United Bula-
wayo and Masvingo Provincial.

Although the nationwide strike
was later called off, Dr Fabian
Mashingaidze, the medical su-
perintendent at Gweru Provincial
Hospital, on 1 August, laid mis-
conduct charges on Chiduku ac-
cusing him of violating section 4
(a) of the Labour (National Em-
ployment Code of Conduct) Reg-
ulations Statutory Instrument 15
of 2006.

The general explanation of the
charge was that Chiduku had not
reported for duty during the peri-
od of the strike.

“You absented yourself from

Page 18 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

The NewsHawks rules the roost

Teamwork makes the dream work...The prestigious Mining Media Awards on display in The NewsHawks newsroom.

Big night...The NewsHawks Digital Editor Bernard Mpofu (left), writers Mary Mundeya and Nathan Guma are joined in celebration on stage by Nathan's mother after winning prizes for their excellent coverage
of the mining sector.

JOURNALISTS working at Zimbabwe's leading digital investigative journalism and breaking the Year while Nathan Guma, a promising young reporter at the same media house, was selected
news platform scooped four out of nine awards which were in the offing at the Mining Media the first runner-up in the Diamond Mining category.
Awards ceremony on Friday night in Harare.
The NewsHawks was established in 2020 and, since then, the platform has consolidated its
Digital Editor Bernard Mpofu, who also doubles as a business and financial writer, walked away strong social media presence, establishing itself as a source of credible and well-researched news
as the Overal Mining Reporter after scooping two gongs for the Diamond Mining and Platinum articles.
Mining categories. He was also the first runner-up in the Chrome Mining category.
Among the sponsors of the awards were Mimosa, Zimplats, Vigilant Resources, Golden Reef
Mary Mundeya, another journalist at The NewsHawks, was crowned Gold Mining Reporter of Mining, AngloAmerican and Zimasco.

NewsHawks News Page 19

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Zimbabwe’s ITU director
Zavazava to close digital gap

ITU director Cosmas Zavazava.

ZIMBABWEAN information communication ects and initiatives, mobilised resources, and states. the digital skills gap as well as accelerating
technology (ICT) expert Dr Cosmas Zavazava negotiated partnerships. He has demonstrated During the campaign, I presented my vision digital transformation. I will ensure that the
was recently elected to the position of director extreme dedication and passion in his work. In and answered questions as to why I was the development bureau is responsive to mem-
of the telecommunication development bureau his election manifesto, Zavazava vowed to po- best candidate for the post based on my prov- ber states needs, and that it is accountable to
(BDT) with the International Telecommuni- sition Zimbabwe and Africa at large to benefit en record in connecting the world, developing member states. 
cations Union (ITU), a United Nations spe- from telecommunication developmental proj- digital skills, driving digital transformation JM:  To whom do you owe your success?
cialised agency. Zimbabwe has never occupied ects implemented by the ITU. and deploying information communication CZ: My success goes to the many countries
an elective position in any of the UN organs technology for sustainable development.  with whom I have implemented impactful and
and the victory will go down as a momentous The election of Zimbabwe into the ITU JM: How do you intend to use the post for successful projects with across the globe. My
achievement for the country and the Southern council will enable the country to push for the benefit of Zimbabwe and the region? country, Zimbabwe, deserves credit for nom-
African Development Community region.   its positions in terms of telecommunications CZ: Africa is one of the least connected re- inating me as their candidate and supporting
development in the country and on the conti- gions, yet it has the highest number of least de- my campaign. Sadc played a key role in en-
Prior to this latest appointment, Zavazava nent. As a member of the ITU council, Zim- veloped countries and landlocked developing dorsing my candidature.  Finally, the African
was working as chief of department, part- babwe would be in a position to influence the states. As director of the development bureau, delegations and other delegations from many
nerships for digital development in the BDT nature of ICT development projects for Africa. I will ensure that Africa's challenges are well countries across the globe voted for me, a sign
responsible for strategic partnerships, engage- addressed through impactful projects financed of trust and confidence in the work that I
ment with industry and private sector, resource The country would also be positioned to through partnerships. have done over the years. Our campaign team
mobilisation and project implementation. push for the prioritisation of certain projects This also goes for countries in other regions worked very hard with determination and fo-
over others. The NewsHawks’ Jonathan Mbiri- that require ITU support. We are the United cus. They deserve to be acknowledged. 
He also spent many years working as chief yamveka (JM) speaks to Dr Cosmas Zavazava Nations specialised agency in the area of in- JM: Tell us more about the campaign for
of department for projects and knowledge (CZ) on his new appointment: formation communication technology with a this post.
management in the BDT. Prior to joining JM: Tell us, how do you feel about landing clear mandate to connect the world and en- CZ: It was a tough race, a competition among
the ITU, Zavazava served as head of the Zim- this post? sure that technology plays a catalytic role for six candidates with the African region fielding
babwean government’s telecommunications CZ: I feel great. This post will give us opportu- the attainment of the UN-adopted Sustainable four candidates that weakened the region due
agency. He also served as a senior diplomat for nity to connect the 2.7 billion people that are Development Goals.  to split votes, thus potentially giving advan-
many years.  Zavazava has worked in the de- still offline worldwide.  JM: What areas do you want to change or tage to candidates from outside Africa.  How-
velopment sector of the ITU since 2001. He JM: What effort did it take to clinch the improve on? ever, we won the race with incredible votes.
has over 30 years' experience in telecommu- post? CZ: I will focus on closing the digital gap and For this, I am grateful.
nications. CZ: It took a lot of campaigning in all the six
ITU regions, appealing to all the 193 member
He holds impeccable qualifications in tele-
communications, business management, law,
and international relations.  He also holds a
doctorate in multilateral trade. Over the years,
he has successfully implemented many proj-

Page 20 News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

OWEN GAGARE Zim prepared to ignore er station in Zimbabwe and a 300-bed
UN warning on Vic Falls hotel complex and a golf course in
ZIMBABWE may be prepared to Zambia, among other developments.
continue developments near the Vic- Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu.
toria Falls — one of the Seven Natu- Unesco in March sent a team to as-
ral Wonders of the World — despite “This (delisting threat) is a high- “So, we are asking ourselves wheth- and Zimbabwe. It has unique rock sess if the destination still qualifies as
a warning from the United Nations ly contentious issue, but we are also er this push is not a mechanism to structures and is the world’s largest a World Heritage Site.The UN body
Educational, Scientific and Cultural aware that Niagara Falls (on the bor- slow our tourism and economic sheet of falling water, spanning 1.7 has the mandate to conduct periodic
Organisation (Unesco) that this could der between the US and Canada) re- growth. We believe there are a few kilometres and dropping 108 metres assessments.
lead to the country’s prime tourist ceives 11 million visitors annually and countries that can protect the envi- into a gorge.
destination losing World Heritage yet it lost its World Heritage Site sta- ronment like Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Zambia National Commission
Site status, a senior government offi- tus. Yes, Niagara lost the status many But we continue to engage because It is the main tourist attraction for secretary-general for Unesco, Charles
cial told The NewsHawks. years ago, but the facilities which were we believe countries should define both Zimbabwe and Zambia, where Ndakala, led the monitoring team
built are attracting large numbers; their right to develop. We believe we visitors can enjoy sightseeing, bungee and warned of possible downgrad-
The Unesco threat comes at a time they are driving the economy,” Ndl- should be allowed to develop while jumping, white-water rafting, boat ing, red-listing or removal of Victoria
Zimbabwe is holding its prime tour- ovu said. balancing the development with our cruises and game viewing. Victoria Falls.
ism indaba, the Sanganai-Hlanganani conservation efforts.” Falls attained World Heritage Site sta-
World Tourism Expo, which is being “In Zimbabwe, the peak year of tus in 1989. Unesco and some envi- "We were assessing as mandated
attended by 270 exhibitors, including tourist arrivals was 2.5 million and Victoria Falls, on the Zambezi Riv- ronmentalists are however concerned to check the effects of developments
30 foreign firms, and about 100 inter- this was in 2018. er, is on the border between Zambia by plans to build a hydroelectric pow- on the World Heritage Site. This also
national buyers. includes the planned Batoka (hydro-
electric power) project as we wanted
The buyers have had a chance to to engage stakeholders to find out
sample some of the country’s finest how it will affect tourism upstream,"
tourism facilities and enjoy Zimba- said Ndakala.
bwean hospitality, at a time the tour-
ism sector is still recovering from the Ndakala said the committee would
Covid-19 pandemic. compile a report of its findings.

Buyers from the United Kingdom, "This process will result in a report
Germany, the Middle East, United that will be presented to superiors at
States of America, Australia and India the upcoming Unesco World Heri-
are among those in attendance, while tage Convention in June," Ndakala
six African countries — South Africa, said.
Rwanda, Mozambique, Zambia, Bo-
tswana and Malawi — are exhibiting "The report will determine wheth-
at the expo. er Victoria Falls continues as a listed
World Heritage Site or it gets down-
Some players in the tourism indus- graded, which is also called red-list-
try are however worried by the poten- ing, or is totally removed from the list.
tial impact of Victoria Falls losing its
World Heritage Site status because of "This is only assessment for poten-
developments on either side of the tial impact of the threats since there
Zambezi River despite ongoing efforts are certain parameters to be followed
to promote the country as a tourist in terms of the need to preserve tour-
destination. ism and value of the product," Nda-
kala said.
Environment, Climate, Tourism
and Hospitality Industry minister Ndlovu however said he was excit-
Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu told ed by Zimbabwe’s tourism potential
The NewsHawks on the sidelines of the despite the Unesco threats, pointing
expo that both Zimbabwe and Zam- to, among other factors, the increase
bia have been careful to ensure that in airlines flying into the country as
any developments occurring on either well as the tourism facilities in the
side of the border are in line with con- country.
servation efforts.
He said domestic tourism remained
Ndlovu said the infrastructure de- strong, adding it saved the industry
velopments were meant to boost the during the Covid-19 shutdowns.
tourism sector and the economies of
the two countries. Ndlovu however said it was im-
portant to continue promoting Zim-
babwe, hence the Sanganai-Hlanga-
nani Expo which has attracted many
international buyers and journalists.

NewsHawks News Page 21

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

SIKHULULEKILE MASHINGAIDZE/ Pregnant school girls: challenge.
SIMANGELE MOYO-NYEDE Zim’s law a good start Some Zimbabwean legislators con-

EDUCATION re-entry or continua- ry a pregnancy and deliver a baby with- Shurugwi and Marondera in Zimbabwe but, importantly, now realised the need firm how unwelcome this conversa-
tion policies for  pregnant schoolgirls, out life-threatening complications.  confirm this. for a career that would enable me to pro- tion still is. Ronald Nyathi, the MP for
while still controversial in some contexts, vide for my child. By being afforded an- Shurugwi North, argued that these mea-
have gone a long way towards securing Adolescent maternal mortality is a “The policy only exists on paper,” one other chance, I was able to catch up on sures encouraged child marriages and
their right to remain in school.  global concern, with the World Health teacher said. “Once learners leave the my learning. But I was only able to do so pregnancy. But Afrobarometer findings
Organisation (WHO) noting that com- school system due to pregnancy, only a because my mother was there to provide presented in July, by the Mass Public
Where effectively implemented, the plications during pregnancy and child- few return to write their examinations, good care for my daughter.” Opinion Institute in Bulawayo, showed
measures have helped girls build their birth are the leading cause of death for as they experience a new layer of abuse, that almost seven out of 10 Zimbabwe-
careers, edging them closer to a more girls aged 15 to 19 years globally.  even by the teachers. Some girls have had Measures that help girls complete ans (69%) support pregnant girls’ re-en-
secure, economically empowered future.  to endure endless summons by women school can deliver significant ca- try to school.
The WHO further  notes  that: “Of teachers, who not only subject them to reer-building and economic empower-
These are girls who would otherwise the estimated 5.6-million abortions that intrusive questions, but sometimes ask ment benefits. But, as Rosa noted, un- Effective implementation of re-en-
have been struck off the school register occur each year among adolescent girls the learners to display, and even request less one gets sufficient counselling and try measures requires multisectoral and
at the point of their teen pregnancies, aged 15 to 19 years, 3.9-million are un- to touch, their protruding stomachs.” family support, it’s not always an easy multipronged structural interventions.
contradicting efforts to “leave no one be- safe, contributing to maternal mortality, journey.  As Zimbabwean child rights advocate
hind”, whereas the male partners in the morbidity, and lasting health problems. This additional layer of problems was Caleb Mutandwa noted: “The law has
pregnancies continue their education Adolescent mothers (ages 10 to 19 years) also highlighted by Rosa (not her real Zimbabwe’s implementation of not taken off very well on the ground.
and build their careers. face higher risks of eclampsia, puerper- name). She told  Africa in Fact  that in measures to end discrimination against So much needs to be done to transform
al endometritis, and systemic infections 2014, aged 17, she became pregnant, learners based on pregnancy coincided mindsets and attitudes at all levels …
Although these measures are invalu- than women aged 20 to 24 years, and and had to endure the stigma of being “a with — and was hampered by — the The Act itself was meant to be simulta-
able to ensure girls’ right to education babies of adolescent mothers face higher pregnant learner in uniform”, something retrogressive effect of the Covid-19 neously supported by other services and
during and after pregnancy, they must be risks of low birth weight, premature de- perceived as a moral contradiction.  pandemic. But it is the pre-existing, structures, to enable the girls to balance
complemented by sexual and reproduc- livery, and severe neonatal conditions.”  structural barriers that pose the greatest the demands of learning with those of
tive health education, encouraging girls This was before the Education pregnancy and motherhood. 
to prioritise completing their secondary Clearly, adolescent or teen pregnancy Amendment Act, which states that “no
school education and their health by de- presents a new layer of health difficul- child shall be excluded from school “Without structurally entrenched
laying their sexual debut.  ties for girls, some already vulnerable based on pregnancy”. Rosa acknowl- support services, it is one of those good
to poverty. Separate interviews with edged the importance of this law, saying laws that remains just that: a law on pa-
This benefits their decision-making senior women teachers (who requested that she quit school during pregnancy per.” 
capacity and typically leads to better life anonymity) from Bulawayo, Inyathi, and only returned after giving birth.
choices. Central Kenya’s Serene Haven
She said that one of the immediate Secondary School is one example of
In 2021, Human Rights Watch not- problems is the ostracisation fuelled by best-practice of the value of in-built day-
ed that at least 30 countries in Africa the gossip among family, community, care and counselling support services,
had measures to protect pregnant stu- colleagues and even school authorities. especially in cases where family support
dents’ and adolescent mothers’ right to Most girls cannot cope, resulting in structures are nonexistent. 
education to varying degrees. But some some quitting school and going off to
countries still have policies that are dis- get married, she said. “Maybe some girls There should be ongoing campaigns
criminatory and bar pregnant girls and have been lucky, but once known to be to foster a paradigm shift in social norms
teenage mothers from going to school. pregnant, the stigma is unbearable.”  and perceptions that continue to be a
barrier to a pregnant girl child’s educa-
The implementation of these poli- Rosa said she was in the second term tion. Apart from dealing with the shame
cies provides insights for a review of the of her form three studies when she be- and stigma, pregnancy is an experience
structural changes needed to strength- came pregnant, and re-entered school with physiological and emotional de-
en their effectiveness. Zimbabwe, for two years later: “I still felt a desire to mands that are often incompatible with
instance, revised its Education Act in complete my education like my peers, those of learning. 
2019 to include no discrimination based
on pregnancy. According to research- The efficacy of re-entry policies
ers  Theresa Takafuma and Rutendo should be improved by several measures,
Chirume, in an article published last including adequate stakeholder-wide
month, progress has been slow and more policy awareness campaigns and build-
needs to be done.  ing the capacity of school personnel at
various levels, through training and
Zimbabwe is among the countries in much-needed material resources for sup-
sub-Saharan Africa with a high rate of porting girl learners. 
teenage pregnancies, according to Ed-
ucation International, a global union Other measures include: reducing or
federation of teachers’ trade unions. In eliminating fees for the girls, offering
2020 it recorded more than 6 000 girls bursaries and providing books and other
who became pregnant during the first necessities, something several govern-
wave of Covid-19, when schools closed ments are already doing, as well as pro-
for more than three months. In January viding ongoing mentorship, guidance,
last year, nearly 5 000 girls were preg- coaching, counselling and psycho-social
nant.  support services at all levels.

Furthermore, the Covid-19 school — Africa In Fact.
closures left many learners vulnera-
ble. Once out of school, these teenage *About the writers: Sikhululekile
mothers have to find domestic work to Mashingaidze is the lead researcher on
support their children, with some con- human security and climate change at
demned to child marriage, because they Good Governance Africa. Simangele
are forced to live with the men responsi- Moyo-Nyede is the principal research-
ble for the pregnancy.  er for the governance and policy think-
tank, the Mass Public Opinion Insti-
The poor implementation of return- tute in Zimbabwe.
to-school policies has resulted in many
pregnant girls dropping out.

In interviews, girls, teachers, family
and community members said that de-
spite enabling laws, pregnancy itself can
threaten girls’ health, because often they
are physiologically too immature to car-

Page 20 International Investigative Stories NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

InInvteesrtniagtaiotinvaelStories

Scientist convicted for helping Russia spy on US
had high-level Mexican political connections

A Florida judge sent Mexican scientist Mexican scientist Héctor Cabrera-Fuentes there had been interaction between him and
Héctor Cabrera-Fuentes to jail in June on a Russian handler. The handler promised to
the charge of being an unregistered foreign Miami from March 2019 to February 2020. more than 100 academic papers. At the time "Let's say that they saw him as a danger, help Cabrera-Fuentes get his wife and their
agent. Now, reporters have discovered he That informant had shared information of his arrest, he was conducting research on just as has happened with many characters daughters out of Russia, according to the
was involved in discussions with the gov- about Russian intelligence services with the heart disease funded by a joint grant from in history who have contributed a lot to affidavit.
ernment of President Andrés Manuel Lopez U.S. government. Duke University in North Carolina and the science,” he said in an interview at a rustic
Obrador on plans for an ambitious railway National University of Singapore. restaurant in nearby Ixtaltepec. Cabrera-Fuentes agreed to the deal, and
project. These few details were outlined in an FBI went to Miami on a business visa to gather
affidavit in support of the criminal com- But most of Cabrera-Fuentes’ political "I know Héctor's human quality, I know information on the target of the Russian es-
Before his June sentencing for helping plaint in February 2020. It also revealed that allies have now abandoned him. his intellectual and professional capacity, I pionage, a person who had previously passed
Russia spy on the United States, Héctor Cabrera-Fuentes, 37, told FBI counterintel- don't believe and I will never believe what intelligence to the U.S. government. Travel-
Cabrera-Fuentes pleaded for leniency. His ligence officers that he had two wives and Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat once they accuse him of,” Cruz added. ing with him was his Mexican wife, Evelyn
lawyers argued that he was a world-re- two sets of young children, one in Mexico showered Cabrera-Fuentes with praise when Dehesa Martínez.
nowned researcher on cardiovascular disease, and another in Russia. the scientist headed a team that developed a Cruz recalled how the knowledge-hungry
and a role model for his charitable work in new cream to treat ulcers, burns, and other high school student had approached him for The charging documents said the Rus-
the impoverished Mexican state of Oaxaca. The FBI described Cabrera-Fuentes as a wounds. At one point, Murat even provided help learning more than his teachers could sian handler instructed Cabrera-Fuentes,
“co-optee,” used by a Russian intelligence a helicopter to transport scientists to a meet- offer. through an associate, to rent a condo in the
Cabrera-Fuentes’ journey began from officer to provide “a layer of obfuscation” ing in El Espinal. complex where the target lived. He was giv-
humble origins in the small town of El Es- between himself and the target. "He came to ask for support to learn en $20,000 for rent and a down payment
pinal, where many people still speak the But El Espinal Mayor Matus said Murat about chemistry," he recalled between sips of toward the costs.
indigenous Zapotec language and wear tra- But most information about his arrest at refused to intercede with federal authorities mineral water. From that day on, he helped
ditional brightly flowered clothing. He rose the Miami airport remains classified, hidden on behalf of Cabrera-Fuentes once he had Cabrera-Fuentes study every Saturday from The couple worked together to surveill
to become an internationally prominent from the public for reasons of U.S. national been arrested. (Murat declined to com- 4:30 am until 8 am. the target, and photographs of the target’s
doctor before becoming entangled in the security under the Classified Information ment.) license plates were found on Dehesa’s phone,
espionage scandal. Protection Act. The target of the espionage, The tutoring led to a lifelong interest in according to the indictment against Cabre-
the reason he was asked to spy on the target, Matus said he traveled to the capital, molecular biology, and Cabrera-Fuentes ra-Fuentes.
Reporters from OCCRP and the Mi- and even the locations in Miami where it Mexico City, to appeal to Foreign Secre- went on to study at Benito Juárez Autono-
ami Herald have also discovered that this took place, were even kept from his defense tary Marcelo Ebrard to weigh in on Cabre- mous University of Oaxaca. He then attend- Dehesa has not spoken since her hus-
improbable saga included stops at Mexico’s attorneys and remain secret, OCCRP has ra-Fuentes’ case. But when he showed up for ed the University of Puebla, where he won a band’s arrest, and records show she was al-
National Palace, the official workplace of reported. his appointment and told staff he was there scholarship to study medicine in Russia. lowed to return to Mexico without facing
President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador. to speak about Cabrera-Fuentes, the meet- U.S. charges. The FBI has declined to pro-
Cabrera-Fuentes is now serving his sen- ing was canceled and he was told: “It is a Blackmailed Into Spying vide details about what role she might have
At the palace, Cabrera-Fuentes met tence in South Florida, but could be re- delicate issue, friend.” It was in Russia that Cabrera-Fuentes met played in the espionage.
numerous times with officials involved in leased within a year on good behavior. He Aliya Valeyeva. They married sometime be-
Lopez Obrador’s lofty ambition to build a has not spoken to the media since his arrest. Cabrera-Fuentes has even vanished from tween 2005 and 2010 in the eastern city of Dehesa declined an interview request.
railway across southeastern Mexico known Through his attorney, he declined an inter- the website of the Technological Institute of Kazan, where he was studying, and photos Cabrera-Fuentes’ Russian wife did not re-
as the Trans-Isthmus Corridor, which could view with OCCRP. Monterrey, one of Mexico’s leading universi- show the couple in ceremonial garb of the spond to requests for comment sent via
upend some global shipping routes and chal- ties, where he was coordinator for the Center Tartars, the main ethnic group in the region. LinkedIn and the Russian social media site
lenge the Panama Canal. “I think the four-year sentence reflects of Biotechnology. Valeyeva was with Cabrera-Fuentes when VK.com, where she posts as Aliya Cabre-
that the court acknowledged itself that the he studied for his PhD in the German city ra-Fuentes.
Cabrera-Fuentes had been living in Sin- humanitarian and scientific contributions But some friends and colleagues dismiss of Giesen. She went to Russia with their
gapore, and the Mexican government hoped were on a societal level very, very important,” the spying accusations entirely. children for a visit and was prohibited from Before the sentencing in June, Cabre-
to enlist him to attract investment from the said his lawyer, Ronald Gainor. returning to Germany, according to the FBI ra-Fuentes’ parents and siblings sent letters
Asian financial power, according to Hazael The Americans wanted to silence Cabre- affidavit. This was how Russian intelligence of support attesting to his good character
Matus Toledo, the mayor of El Espinal, Cabrera-Fuentes’ legacy remains strong ra-Fuentes, because they considered him “a was able to blackmail him into spying. and asking for leniency. But they told OC-
who said he attended meetings between in his hometown of El Espinal, where people threat” due to his scientific achievements, Cabrera-Fuentes’ cell phone showed that CRP they did not want to discuss the case
senior government officials and the scien- still remember his good works and admire especially his work on cell regeneration in any further.
tist-turned-spy. the intellectual prowess that saw him publish heart attack victims, said his former mentor,
Cruz. “We are not open to making any com-
“The last meeting was to be on a Tuesday. ments considering that at this point the first
He was arrested on a Sunday,” Matus told person who should do so is Héctor himself
OCCRP. before the rest of the family,” his sister said
in an email.
It is unclear how the government of Lo-
pez Obrador connected with Cabrera-Fuen- To Cabrera-Fuentes’ friends and other
tes, or exactly what role he was playing in members of his family, his entanglement in
the development of the rail project. Howev- an international espionage case is at odds
er, the Trans-Isthmus Corridor is widely seen with everything they know about the brainy
as a bid by the populist president to attract child who followed his passion for science
Asian investment, and a potential threat to into adulthood.
U.S. hegemony in the region.
Cabrera-Fuentes was raised in a red-gat-
The office of the president did not re- ed house that shared a patio with relatives
spond to requests for comment on Cabre- on his mother's side. Among them was his
ra-Fuentes’s relationship with the Mexican cousin Rusbelt Fuentes, who is now the di-
government. rector of the non-profit group For Oaxaca +
Researchers, which was founded by Cabre-
The extent of the scientist’s political con- ra-Fuentes and promotes young scientists in
nections in Mexico has not previously been El Espinal and across the state.
reported, but much ink has been spilled
since his arrest in 2020, especially as details Fuentes said his cousin was particularly
filtered out about allegations of espionage inspired as a child by a book about pioneer-
and his secret other family in Russia. ing scientists who discovered microbes and
invented vaccines to combat them, saving
For those in Mexico who respected his millions of lives.
scientific achievements and knew of his
charitable work helping reconstruct earth- "He tells that story, that at age 11 he read
quake-damaged areas and funding study 'Microbe Hunters' and it blew his mind,"
abroad, it’s hard to accept the accusations Fuentes said in an interview on his patio in
against him. El Espinal, taking shade from the scorching
mid-day sun.
“It’s a vile lie,” insisted Román Cruz Or-
tiz, a chemical engineer who became Cabre- Juan Alpuche, a scientist close to Cabre-
ra-Fuentes’s mentor after meeting him when ra-Fuentes, said his friend could only have
he was a 16-year-old high-school student been drawn into espionage against his will,
interested in science. in order to protect his family.

Cabrera-Fuentes pleaded guilty in Febru- “But premeditated? I don't think so,” Al-
ary and was sentenced to four years in a U.S. puche said.
prison for working as an unregistered foreign
agent, helping Russia spy on an informant in — Organised Crime and Corruption
Reporting Project.

NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 21

Issue 102, 14 October 2022 CARTOON

Land grabs
are sabotage

AS the growing tide of arbitrary seizures of land by the government, powerful Confidence is key to currency
politicians and their corporate cronies shows no signs of abating, the time has
come to confront this scourge in the national interest. Zambia’s economic progress has become the talk of the continent, Hawk Eye
particularly in Zimbabwe which has been going in the opposite
Land grabs are bad for the economy. They spook investors, disrupt produc- direction for long. In fact, for two decades. But there is more fo- Dumisani
tion and worsen the country’s risk profile. More worryingly, they plunge citizens cus on how the Zambian kwacha is now the world’s second-best Muleya
into deeper poverty even though the perpetrators may pocket short-term gains. performing currency and Africa’s 6th most powerful currency.

So brazen are the economic saboteurs that they will not even hesitate to in- It's not out of place that the world is surprised by this sudden
vade private land listed under Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection growth because the Zambian kwacha was one of the worst per-
Agreements. The Zimbabwean government faces massive claims at international forming currencies in 2020.
tribunals, thanks to this unmitigated tomfoolery.
However, the reasons for this surge are not far-fetched — pro-
As for rural land, the all-powerful Zanu PF overlords know no limits. gressive leadership, good governance and political stability; and
This week, Zimbabweans woke up to the news that villagers in Hwange dis- many more.
trict have been granted a High Court order prohibiting Stelix Civils (Pvt) Ltd
from grabbing their 500-hectare ancestral land.
The company planned to build a Formula 1 race track. Hwange Rural Dis-
trict Council had unlawfully given away the land.
Josephat Tshuma from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights represent-
ed the residents of Chidobe, Kachecheti and Nemanhanga. The race track would
have deprived the locals of their grazing land and livelihoods. Justice Evangelista
Kabasa declared the land grab unlawful.
Many questions arise. What legal authority is a rural district council relying
on to arbitrarily deprive citizens of their land? If the ultimate aim is to bring
economic development to an area, why are the authorities unwilling to adopt
an inclusive approach which brings everyone on board? Why are the local com-
munities — who ought to be respected as the owners of the land — excluded
from crucial deliberations pertaining to investment proposals and development
projects?
The answers to these questions are varied and complex. However, the bottom
line is this: the problem is a direct consequence of the extractive nature of Zim-
babwe's governance ethos. The country lacks inclusive governance.
Crooked public officials and their corporate cronies are taking advantage of
the government's sweeping powers over land rights.
From Chilonga in Chiredzi district to Dinde in Hwange district, there is a
common thread running through the land-grab scandals: the corrupt confluence
between powerful public officials and politically exposed tycoons.
Despite masquerading as a revolutionary outfit, the Zanu PF government
has no qualms behaving like a colonial power. A ruling party which has roots
in Africa's vaunted anti-colonial struggle is today grabbing land from helpless
Zimbabweans.
This undemocratic stranglehold on agricultural land ownership — with ram-
ifications for wider property rights — must be dismantled without further delay.
It is an extension of colonialism.
The headache does not end there. The law on land ownership — as currently
configured — is patently oppressive. It stipulates that any seller of rural land
must first make it available to the government before selling such land. This is
done through the issuance of a certificate of no present interest.
Effectively, it means Zimbabweans cannot acquire any land before the poten-
tial seller first offers it to the government. This cannot be allowed in a country
that purports to be a constitutional democracy.
We must remind each other, without fear or favour, that the central objec-
tive of the armed liberation struggle was the repossession of land by indigenous
Zimbabweans.
How on earth — the pun is inevitable — does the government justify its
land grabs? Even after declaring the fast-track land redistribution programme a
success, the authorities unjustly continue exercising arbitrary powers in the ac-
quisition and disposal of land.
The government’s stance on matters of land ownership appears to mimic very
disturbing colonial-era policies.
Responding to a lawsuit challenging the government's land ownership rules,
the Lands ministry argued that the right to property "is not absolute" and that
this limitation of fundamental rights is provided for in section 86 of the national
constitution. The ministry further argued that, in terms of the law, there is a
presumption that "the state has interest in all rural land unless it indicates oth-
erwise".
The ministry added: "For that reason, the state has to put in place mecha-
nisms to manage and monitor rural land."
This stance is very troubling, at many levels. Surely, a government that came
to power following a protracted liberation struggle has no business behaving like
a colonial power.
The Zanu PF government's stranglehold on rural land ownership rights has
become an important frontier in the fight for constitutional rights.
Sections 4 and 6 of the Communal Lands Act vest rural land in the President.
At the stroke of a pen or over a cold beer at his farm in Kwekwe, President
Emmerson Mnangagwa can deprive rural dwellers of their land. Such emperial
powers are mind boggling.

Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
tance of freedom of expression and me- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
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mocracy and as a means of upholding Interest Journalism Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba [email protected] The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the
human rights and liberties in the con- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue [email protected] Code of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate,
stitution; our mission is to hold power Beverly Court, 6th floor News Editor: Owen Gagare
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corruption to ensure good governance Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Reporters: at No.: 34, Colenbrander Rd, Milton Park, Harare.
and accountability in the public inter- Professor Wallace Chuma, Teldah Mawarire, Nyasha Chingono, Enoch Muchinjo, Moses Matenga,
est. Doug Coltart Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Telephone: 024-2778096 or 024-2778006,
Email: [email protected] 24Hr Complaints Line: 0772 125 659

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Website: www.vmcz.co.zw, Facebook: vmcz Zimbabwe

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

BERNARD MPOFU ZSE exodus envisaged
as firms seek refuge
THE devaluation of Zimbabwe Stock Ex-
change (ZSE) stocks in United States dol- maining players to use primarily the ZWL by the government’s attempt to hit share valued at USD360m. Yet in 2022, the
lar terms could trigger an exodus of listed are the local pension funds, the asset man- prices in the false belief that it was the ZSE company is operating at full capacity and
firms from the bourse to alternative mar- agers, stockbrokers, administrators and of that was one of the causes of the depreci- due to expand in early 2023 to meet de-
kets such as the Victoria Falls Exchange course their regulators, IPEC, SECZ and ating currency. mand. Meanwhile the bulk of its revenues
(VFEX) as they seek capital preservation, the ZSE all of whom receive the bulk, if are in USD. Under normal circumstances
a new report has shown. not all, of their fees and revenues in ZWL. “In US dollar terms the falls were even its value should be nearer USD1.5 billion.
Their staff salaries therefore have to be more marked. As we had written in pre-
Experts say the re-introduction of the paid in ZWL whilst they are unable to vious Notes, valuations of listed equities “At the same time, Econet plus Eco-
multi-currency system and the current pay other costs in USD. It would therefore in USD terms were fairly valued during cash taken together were worth a mere
tight liquidity situation have seen most make sense for the ZSE to dollarise in line 2021 and early 2022. By mid-September USD300m at their September lows yet in
companies reporting significant growth in with the listed companies who are fast do- valuations stood at their lowest levels since 2008 when it was nearly impossible to buy
US dollar revenues. ing the same!” September 2008 at the height of hyperin- a SIM card and there were less than 1 mil-
flation when businesses were on care and lion subscribers it was worth USD332mil-
According to the latest Imara Asset Official figures show that the ZSE in- maintenance!,” Imara says. lion. Back in March this year the two were
Management quarterly report published dustrial index peaked at 93 000 at the end valued together at almost USD2 billion!
this month, rising inflation and curren- of April, had fallen to 65 000 by the end of “Take Delta whose market valuation Such low valuations rarely occur and when
cy dynamics troubling listed firms could June and hit a low of 41 000 in mid-Sep- fell to a mere USD230 million at the re- they do it is time to buy aggressively. Such
push for the dollarisation of the ZSE. tember. cent low. Back in 2008 at a time when the opportunities don’t occur very often any-
company could barely produce with the where in the world.”
“The one headache for both listed and The initial falls, Imara says, were caused market flooded by cheap imports, it was
privately owned companies is the hassle of
producing annual accounts in ZWL under
inflation accounting. This is apparent for
listed companies who continually request
extensions from the ZSE as their accounts
are not ready to publish,” the report reads.

“This is not necessarily due to our lo-
cal accounting firms not being able to
produce them but, for the international
accounting groups, the accounts need to
be signed off by the technical departments
in South Africa who have little experience
of inflation accounting. As a result we ex-
pect to see more companies changing their
functional currency to the USD now that
the bulk of their revenues are in USD. We
might also see more companies move from
the ZSE to the VFEX for similar reasons.
We have been delighted as shareholders in
Delta, OK and Simbisa to receive our div-
idends in USD as well.”

Desperate to defend the value of the do-
mestic currency, Zimbabwean authorities
have hiked interest rates to discourage bor-
rowings for parallel market transactions,
among several measures to stabilise the
economy.

“The banks too are fast dollarising. With
their ZWL borrowers paying off their
ZWL loans, new loans are being granted
in USD. Typically banks would have only
extended loans to exporters who receive
genuine USD but they are more willing to
do so now with revenues being deposited
in physical cash,” the report reads.

“Companies on the other hand are also
willing borrowers as this helps them cir-
cumvent the 20% liquidation rule on their
nostro receipts. It would be dangerous to
lend against nostro USD; remember the
days of the RTGS electronic USD that
were backed by nothing but a promise
that in the end was never kept. The last re-

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 23

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Karo Platinum project takes shape

KARO Platinum, the Zimbabwean unit of South Karo Mining Holdings managing director Bernard Pryor. operation with proposed output of some 150 000
Africa-headquartered commodities group Tharisa ounces of PGMs annually.
Plc, has embarked on a personnel recruitment drive further 1 000 created when the mine is operational. undertaken, while at the beginning of the second
as the company prepares a ground-breaking cere- Karo Platinum was awarded a special grant in the exploration programme a comprehensive imple- The initial exploration programme comprising
mony for its US$391 million project by year-end. Great Dyke in the Mashonaland West minjng dis- mentation study was commenced and completed, some 238 diamond core boreholes totalling 32 483
trict for an area of 23 902.9 hectares in 2018. resulting a favourable outcome, with the study ad- metres took place from November 2018 to April
Zimbabwe has one the largest known platinum vocating the development of an open pit mining 2019. This programme was followed by a second
reserves in the world after South Africa and Russia A comprehensive exploration programme was phase of drilling comprising 77 diamond core holes
and the authorities see the white metal as one of totalling 7 642 metres. The second phase of drill-
the key minerals in establishing a US$12 billion ing was completed in December 2020. The pro-
mining industry by 2023. Official figures show grammes generated over 22 000 samples that were
that mining contributes between 40% and 60% assayed by an independent laboratory.
of foreign exchange and contributes between 10%
and 14% of gross domestic product. The total number of drill holes completed was
315. The Karo Special Economic Zone was de-
According to an advertisement which appeared clared by the Zimbabwe Investment Development
in local media, Karo wants to hire several technical Agency in October 2019. The investor and devel-
experts that will play a key role in setting up a new opment licences are valid for 10 years and can be
mine in Zimbabwe. renewed. Incentives such as favourable corporate
tax rate and exemptions from withholding tax have
Phoevos Pouroulis, the Tharisa CE, said plans been gazetted for Special Economic Zones.
are now at an advanced stage to set up the mine.
In terms of the Mines Act, Karo Platinum was
“We have advanced our position in Karo Plat- awarded a special grant over an area covering 23
inum, which is on track to become the second 903 hectares on the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe on 8
world-class asset in our portfolio,” said Pouroulis in June 2018 and was valid for five years.
his fourth-quarter production report.
A mining lease application was submitted to the
“The next major milestone is ‘groundbreaking’ Mining Affairs Board, wherein the tenure of the
at the Karo site in December 2022, as this PGM lease under the legislation is for the life of the mine.
[platinum-group metal] asset moves into the The mining lease was issued on 12 March 2021.
construction phase, with inaugural production
planned for within the next 24 months. Tharisa re- Early this year Tharisa acquired a controlling
mains firmly committed to its strategy of delivering stake in a PGMs project in Zimbabwe which will
sustainable growth and value to all its stakeholders eventually double its output.
despite the current volatility in the global markets.”
Tharisa exercised an option to increase its stake
Bernard Pryor, the Karo Mining Holdings man- in Karo Mining Holdings Limited from 26.8% to
aging director, told an analyst briefing that the 66.3% in an all-share deal valued at US$27 mil-
company was in talks with renewable energy firm lion. Tharisa, the platinum group metals (PGMs)
Total Eren for the development of a 300-megawatt and chrome co-producer is dual-listed on the Jo-
solar plant to supply the mine with power. Zim- hannesburg and London stock exchanges.
babwe has a perennial power deficit that often im-
pacts mining operations. The Karo project, according to Tharisa, is ex-
pected to start producing PGMs concentrate in the
During the development of the mine, the mine first two years of phase one at 150 000 ounces a
will, according to Pryor, create 1 000 jobs, with a year. — STAFF WRITER.

Zim needs more reforms for growth: World Bank

BERNARD MPOFU to extricate itself from a debt overhang, requires in three tracks — macroeconomic stability, good a GNI per capita between US$1 036 and US$4
more neo-liberal policies to achieve strong eco- institutions, and structural transformation. Of 045; and upper middle-income economies —
ZIMBABWE’S ambitious plan to attain an upper nomic growth which can help the southern Afri- these three, macroeconomic stability was a nec- those with a GNI per capita between US$4 046
middle-income country status by 2030 may turn can nation to transition into a stronger economy. essary condition for the success of the institution and US$12 535 (2021).
out to be pie in the sky unless the country shifts building and restructuring of the economy.”
the gear and adopts mercantilist China’s dramatic “First, achieving the Vision 2030 goal will re- Middle income countries are home to 75% of
growth trajectory of the late 1970s, a new World quire dramatic increase in economic growth, par- The last CEM for Zimbabwe was done in 1985. the world’s population and 62% of the world’s
Bank report has shown. ticularly of productivity growth,” Mpundu told The World Bank produces CEM reports in all poor. At the same time, middle income countries
delegates attending a historic hybrid Country countries that the financial institution works in. represent about one third of global GDP and are
Buoyed by the short-lived international good- Economic Memorandum (CEM). These reports take a long-term view of econom- major engines of global growth.
will which came after the ouster of long-time for- ic developments in the country and recommend
mer president Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's new “Our simulations show that productivity in policy options to support inclusive economic Zimbabwe, Mpundu added, has several con-
leader Emmerson Mnangagwa promised a break Zimbabwe will need to grow by 8-9% per year, growth and poverty reduction. straints to productivity growth which include:
with the past and undertake several political and much faster than the current growth rates. This limited financing for private investment and pub-
economic reforms with the hope of normalising is a significant challenge that requires some dras- According to the World Bank, middle income lic infrastructure; high informality; high cost of
relations with the international community while tic changes in the policy environment. Lessons countries (MICs) are a diverse group by size, pop- production; and weak learning from international
growing the economy. from other countries have shown that transition ulation, and income level. They are defined as trade.
to an upper middle income economy took place lower middle-income economies — those with
The World Bank says Zimbabwe, currently bat- “The root cause of these constraints is partly at-
tling a floundering economy and a toxic political tributable to macroeconomic challenges and inef-
environment, needs more reforms to anchor aver- ficient allocation of resources. Price and exchange
age economic growth rate of 8.9% over the next rate volatility and distortions and unsustainable
eight years to reach this milestone against current debt levels have limited investment opportunities
estimates of 3%. and reduced the productivity of exporters. Inef-
ficient allocation of resources across firms and
But a series of policy missteps, high levels of sectors has hindered growth of formal firms, de-
corruption, effects of climate change and lower layed structural transformation, and encouraged
foreign direct investment compared to regional informality or survival of less competitive firms,”
peers has seen Zimbabwe’s economy wobbling she said.
since Mnangagwa took over in 2017.
“Zimbabwe has significant unrealised potential
Mnangagwa’s administration, which came to with its skilled labour force and abundant natu-
power on the back of a military coup which forced ral and mineral resources. In fact, in terms of skill
Mugabe to step down after 37 years of iron-fisted levels, Zimbabwe fares very well compared to its
rule, also promised to transform the debt-ridden aspirational peers in the region — the countries
low-income economy into an upper middle-class that have already transitioned to upper-middle
economy. While this aspiration has the potential income status. We believe that the six pathways
to lift millions of Zimbabweans from abject pov- proposed in the CEM will help Zimbabwe in its
erty, current and future growth rates show that quest to unleash this potential.”
this ambition may be pie in the sky, if things re-
main unchanged. The World Bank said while Zimbabwe was able
to recently regain lower middle income country
The International Monetary Fund this week status, growth outcomes were far from remark-
cut Zimbabwe’s gross domestic product growth able.
forecast for 2022 to 3% from an initial estimate
of 3.4%. The World Bank sees Zimbabwe’s econ- China, now the second-largest economy by
omy registering modest 3.6% growth, in contrast size, became an upper middle income nation
to the government's forecast of stronger growth in 2015 after nearly four decades of reform and
driven by mining and agriculture. opening up. The country’s GDP growth hit
9.9% and 7.8% from 1978 to 2010 (high-speed
Marjorie Mpundu, the World Bank country growth) and from 2011 to 2016 (moderately high
manager, said Zimbabwe, currently struggling speed growth) respectively on average.

Page 24 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Poor confidence discourages banking

PRISCA TSHUMA or in offices instead of depositing deposit rates are low or below in- unprecedented economic melt- low the inflation rate. This means
in banks. flation, it reduces the incentive for down, the central bank raided the interest earned from bank sav-
FEARS of raids on foreign curren- people to want to bank their mon- FCAs to save the economy from ings is not enough to offset the ef-
cy accounts, poor economic poli- “If the macro-economic envi- ey.” collapse after gold exports plunged fect of inflation.
cies and lack of transparency in the ronment becomes more stable, to three tonnes from a high of over
running of the country’s economy then that enhances the confidence Chitambara said the Zimba- 20 tonnes. Early this month, the country’s
are main reasons Zimbabweans of the people not just in the bank- bwean economy was highly in- organised manufacturing sector
were shying away from banking ing system but also in the whole formalised, adding that traders Chitambara said government lobby group, the Confederation
their cash and resorting to keeping economy,” he said. preferred circulating cash among policies, which have been inconsis- of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI),
huge sums of money in homes and themselves for profits instead of tent of late leading to many losing sounded the alarm bells over rising
offices, an economic expert has “If government reforms are utilising banking facilities. out, were also a factor influenc- crime levels, warning that this may
said. credible or seen to be credible, ing the behaviour of the banking affect foreign direct investment.
consistent, inclusive and transpar- “A lot of people in the informal public. In June this year, the Re-
As business registers growth in ent, then that obviously enhances economy do not have bank ac- serve Bank of Zimbabwe raised its In its latest report titled Crime
United States dollar sales follow- confidence in the economy and counts because most of them do benchmark interest rate to 200% Trends in Zimbabwe, the CZI
ing the use of the multi-currency ultimately in the banking system,” not normally bank their money.” from 80% to curb rising inflation. says crime has been on an upward
system, cases of break-ins and hi- Chitambara added. trend, increasing by 12% in the
jackings targeting those carrying “Most people in the informal However, the minimum deposit first half of 2022 compared to the
large sums of money have become On the deposit rates scaring economy sector might not have rate for Zimdollar savings was in- corresponding period in 2021.
a cause for concern in Zimbabwe. away people from banking their surplus income to bank,” he add- creased to only 40%, which is be-
money, Chitambara said:   “If the ed. At the height of the country’s At the core of this increase are
The government has been ac- cases of fraud, armed robbery,
cused of punitive policies that unlawful entry into premises and
have seen people losing their sav- theft, evidently resulting in mas-
ings overnight, leading to public sive losses for the business com-
scepticism in the use of banking munity and households.
facilities.
The report shows that many
However, keeping huge sums of businesses and households have
money in homes and offices has been subjected to armed robber-
come with its troubles, including ies. Recorded cases of armed rob-
armed robberies that are on the bery in which firearms were used
rise across the country. increased to 695 from January to
July 2022 from 640 cases in the
Prosper Chitambara, a senior corresponding period in 2021.
researcher at the Labour and Eco-
nomic Development Research Out of these 695 cases, a total of
Institute of Zimbabwe, told  The 100 accused persons were arrested
NewsHawks this week that the low and taken to court, where 28 of
deposit rates were among the rea- them have been convicted. The
sons many Zimbabweans are re- 9% increase in armed robberies is
sorting to keeping money at home of great concern to business and
the general public.

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 25

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Fintech drives EcoCash revenue

PRISCA TSHUMA EcoCash Holdings chief executive Eddie Chibi. The group’s chairperson,
Sherree Shereni, attributed the
THE Zimbabwe Stock Ex- which growth we are confident In spite of the positive out- lenging operating environment, curtailment of the performance
change-listed financial services will be accelerated in the subse- come, the financial services which curtailed the performance in the mobile money business to
provider, EcoCash Holdings, quent period,” Chibi said. provider had to navigate a chal- of the company. the constant depreciation of the
says the fintech business re- local currency, regulatory inhi-
mains the largest contributor to bitions and the rising annual
its revenue, accounting for 80% inflation, which was recorded at
of this year’s revenue increase. 285% in August this year.

Despite the macro-economic “The growth of our Mobile
constraints, EcoCash Holdings Money business has been se-
Zimbabwe Limited’s revenue verely constrained due to reg-
closed at ZW$29.9 billion, 26% ulated transaction limits, regu-
above the ZW$23.8 billion re- lated tariffs, and the continued
corded in 2021. suspension of some of our rev-
enue-generating services,” she
Eddie Chibi, the EcoCash said.
chief executive, said the group
deployed digital assets in the The company’s focus on
Steward Bank core banking sys- cost optimisation improved its
tem upgrade, which increased earnings before interest, taxes,
capacity in rolling out banking depreciation and amortisation
services and solutions. (EBITDA) margin by 18%
from the 15% recorded in 2021.
“We have integrated with
ZimSwitch, allowing us to ex- EcoCash Holdings improved
pand our play in the local digital its customer experience by
payments’ ecosystem,” he said. launching its EcoCash *150#
self-service platform which has
Meanwhile, the Insurtech given the customers the pow-
business contributed 14% to er to resolve issues such as pin
the revenue, a dip on the 15% resets, transaction reversals and
from the prior year and VAYA getting e-statements which nor-
Technologies added 6% to the mally came through call-in traf-
increase. fic.

“While the contribution Going forward, the group
largely came from Fintech, we aims to improve its cyber secu-
are pleased to report growth rity systems.
across all our business units,

BERNARD MPOFU Edgars remodels business sure that investment in invento-
amid economic headwinds ry is kept at optimal levels.”
LISTED apparels retailer Ed- The growth in real terms, Edgars
gars says it is remodelling its revamping our stores to world- “The recovery to the business import requirements, a stable ex- says, is attributed to volume re-
business to withstand the head- class standards, offering widened is premised on the back of im- change rate and slower inflation. covery, replacement cost-based
winds which have brought un- merchandise ranges at affordable proved access to foreign currency Smart merchandise procurement pricing, ongoing cost manage-
certainty to the domestic econ- prices and flexible credit terms. through domestic sales to cover remains a key focus area to en- ment practice as well as initia-
omy. tives implemented by manage-
Edgars says notwithstanding ment to ensure fresher stock
the challenges in the operating availability in the stores, regard-
environment, the group man- less of the supply chain challeng-
aged to close the 2022 half-year es.
with an improved performance The group achieved a basic
over the prior year. earnings per share of 212.07
The group reported revenue of cents (2021: 33.14 cents). To-
ZW$10.33 billion, a 114% in- tal group units sold increased by
crease from the ZW$4.82 bil- 35% from 0.94 million to 1.27
lion achieved in 2021. million compared to the corre-
Profit before tax of ZW$2.85 sponding period last year.
billion was 891% up from Trading in foreign currency since
ZW$287 million attained in April 2020 has, according  to the
the prior year. group, allowed chains to im-
“Management continues to re- prove stock assortments which,
model the business to capital- in turn, has increased traffic in
ise on opportunities that arise stores.
in the very uncertain operating “Whilst a sizable portion of our
environment. Cost contain- cash sales are in foreign curren-
ment remains a focus area so as cy, we believe that further relax-
to ensure long-term viability of ation of foreign currency trading
the business,” reads a statement will go a long way in increasing
accompanying the half-year fi- our USD generation to fund im-
nancials. ports,” Edgars says.
“The group seeks to expand its “Gearing reduced to 0.14 in the
geographic footprint through current year from a prior year of
the opening of new stores in 0.21. Funding was channelled
strategic locations. Smart mer- towards growing the debtors’
chandise procurement remains book as well as store expansion
a key focus area to ensure that initiatives. At the end of the re-
target margins are achieved porting period, the company
without compromising the had USD262k [US$262 000]
merchandise quality. We will foreign liabilities which it will
continue to transform our be able to service from existing
customer experience through resources.”

Property
NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 26

The home of prime property: [email protected]

Excavation works at Afreximbank Africa Trade Centre along Herbert Chitepo Avenue in Harare.

NewsHawks CrSitioccakl TThakininkging Page 27

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Price Sheet A MEMBER OF FINSEC & THE ZIMBABWE STOCK EXCHANGE

Friday, 14 October 2022

Company Sector Bloomberg Previous Last VWAP (cents) Total Total Price Price YTD Market
Traded Traded Change Change (%) Cap
AFDIS Consumer Goods Ticker Price (cents) Traded Volume Value ($) (cents) ($m)
African Sun Consumer Services (%)
ART Price -
Ariston Industrials 4,800
Axia Consumer Services AFDIS: ZH 29895.00 - 29895.00 10,100 - - - 139.16 35,722.89
BAT 1,000 81,400 -54.17 -3.10 164.04 25,062.70
Bridgefort Capital Consumer Goods ASUN: ZH 1750.00 1700.00 1695.83 96,300 177,400 -243.56 -12.18 68.08
Bridgefort Class B Consumer Goods ARTD: ZH 2000.00 1700.00 1756.44 0.12 0.03 7,675.25
CAFCA 900 3,970 253.03 4.56 6.66 6,460.76
CBZ Industrials ARISTON: ZH 396.88 397.00 397.00 - 5,588,420 -356.67 -0.12 93.12 32,042.06
CFI Financial Services - 2,696,700 -6.39 61,824.89
Dairibord AXIA: ZH 5550.11 5805.00 5803.14 - - - -80.00
Delta Industrials - - - - 4.00 84.00
Ecocash Banking BAT: ZH 299990.00 299500.00 299633.33 - - - - 17.65 34.89
Econet BFCA: ZH 700.00 - 700.00 - - - - 72.95 1,747.02
Edgars Industrials BFCB: ZH 2600.00 - 2600.00 - - - 282.18 67,945.99
FBC Consumer Goods CAFCA: ZH - 144,300 - - - -16.28 37,921.49
Fidelity Consumer Goods 20000.00 - 20000.00 55,700 - 1445.35 6.80 39.65 10,490.64
First Capital CBZ: ZH 13000.00 - 13000.00 32,751,690 -29.17 -0.60 18.47 296,007.96
FML Technology CFI:ZH 35761.20 35761.20 1,021,000 2,682,670 171.62 2.01 2.23 124,769.45
FMP Telecommunications 1,000 88,722,810 -3.60 -0.48 71.59 225,115.95
GBH Consumer Services DZL: ZH 2930.34 - 2930.34 600 7,464 5.00 0.10 47.70 4,510.11
Getbucks - 30,000 - - 52.04 33,597.50
Hippo Banking DLTA: ZH 21251.59 22000.00 22696.94 - -31.18 -3.12 180.49 2,614.16
Innscor Financial Services EHZL: ZH 4845.45 4700.00 4816.28 42,200 408,840 -84.00 -3.15 29.30 20,925.69
Lafarge ECO: ZH 8518.18 8705.00 8689.80 1,000 25,860 0.61 0.09 -16.59 17,847.10
Mash Banking 214,050 0.50 0.25 -13.73 8,055.58
Masimba Financial Services EDGR: ZH 750.00 741.00 746.40 32,900 396 - - 192.50 1,062.45
Meikles FBC: ZH 4995.00 5000.00 5000.00 200 - 605.00 3.01 -26.07 20,412.73
Nampak Real Estate - 269,100 884.59 3.25 73.05 39,955.26
NatFoods Industrials FIDL: ZH 2400.00 - 2400.00 16,889,890 - - 56.25 160,152.21
NTS FCA: ZH 1000.00 960.00 968.82 1,300 - 0.07 0.01 134.26 10,000.00
NMBZ Financial Services FMHL: ZH 2670.00 2500.00 2586.00 60,100 2,309,150 - - 32.12 14,130.64
OK Zim Consumer Goods FMP: ZH 650.00 700.00 650.61 - 4.90 0.05 -20.06 17,560.18
Proplastics GBH: ZH 197.50 198.00 198.00 - 20,000 - - -15.26 25,615.07
RTG Industrials GBFS: ZH 1755.00 1755.00 303,800 - - - -25.79 7,143.97
RioZim Industrials HIPO: ZH 20095.00 - 20700.00 - -100.00 -7.69 90.48 69,769.07
SeedCo Real Estate INN: ZH 27218.38 20700.00 28102.97 - 1,200 -33.33 -1.67 144.21 3,046.47
Simbisa Industrials LACZ: ZH 12500.00 28110.00 12500.00 200 17,700 74.81 2.33 19.86 7,948.72
Star Africa Industrials 88,825 33.33 1.23 -5.74 42,646.20
Tanganda Industrials - - 82,000 - - -10.26 6,886.23
Truworths Consumer Goods - 14,000 - - 230.00 17,468.47
TSL Industrials MASH: ZH 760.02 760.00 760.09 100 - 8.29 0.10 -24.17 16,107.89
Turnall MSHL: ZH 7266.67 - 7266.67 900 1,432,895 226.71 1.34 90.47 19,829.65
Unifreight Banking MEIK: ZH 9995.10 10000.00 2,700 6,274,000 4.12 2.56 42.41 96,370.17
Willdale Consumer Services 10000.00 3,000 495,330 -33.33 -0.41 19.30 7,779.89
ZB 2,000 576,000 - - 27.00 20,885.17
Zeco Industrials NPKZ: ZH 945.41 - 945.41 - - - - -46.84 975.53
Zimpapers Consumer Services 17,900 - 8.46 2.21 -4.66 13,319.92
Zimplow NTFD: ZH 102001.41 - 102001.41 36,600 11,730 - - 66.85 1,927.79
ZHL Basic Materials NTS: ZH 1300.00 1200.00 1200.00 300,200 - - - -35.37 5,323.71
TOTAL Consumer Goods 7,200 1,600 -0.49 -0.01 -9.09 3,556.00
Consumer Goods NMB: ZH 2000.00 1850.00 1966.67 - 35,008,050 - - 589.58 12,263.71
Consumer Goods - - - - 3.09 15.34
Consumer Goods OKZ: ZH 3215.00 3295.00 3289.81 3,000 7,500 - - -38.56 1,728.00
Consumer Services PROL: ZH 2700.00 2700.00 2733.33 - 44,950 10.32 2.11 32.94 4,996.42
Consumer Goods 800 145,990 9,090.55
RTG: ZH 700.00 700.00 700.00 500,100 197,081,580 1,678,423.44
Industrials RIOZ: ZH 13200.00 - 13200.00 -
Industrials SEED: ZH 7996.71 8005.00 2,500
Industrials 8005.00 3,100
29,200
Banking SIM: ZH 16915.37 18000.00 17142.08 2,686,700
Industrials
Consumer Services SACL: ZH 160.88 165.00 165.00
Industrials
Financial Services TANG: ZH 8033.33 8000.00 8000.00

TRUW: ZH 254.00 - 254.00

TSL: ZH 3730.00 - 3730.00
TURN: ZH 382.54 391.00 391.00
UNIF: ZH 5000.00 5000.00
WILD: ZH 200.00 - 200.00
ZBFH: ZH 7000.70 200.00 7000.21
ZECO: ZH 8050.00
3.31 3.31
-

ZIMP: ZH 300.00 300.00 300.00
ZIMPLOW: ZH 1450.00 1450.00 1450.00
489.65 500.00 499.97
ZHL: ZH

ETFs CSAG.zw 200.00 200.00 200.00 2,000 4,000 - - 100.00 72.40
Cass Saddle Agriculture ETF DMCS.zw 171.00 171.00 171.02 55,000 94,061 0.02 0.01 71.02 120.63
Datvest Modified Consumer Staples ETF 120.00 120.00 120.00 64,400 77,280 - - 20.00 2,869.21
Morgan&Co Made in Zimbabwe ETF MIZ.zw 2400.00 2400.00 2400.00 53,760 - - 140.00 3,088.15
Morgan&Co Multi-Sector ETF MCMS.zw 520.00 520.00 520.79 2,240 506,749 0.79 0.15 18.34 747.99
97,304
Old Mutual ZSE Top 10 ETF OMTT.zw

FINSEC Financial Services OMZIL 15000.00 15000.00 -- - 50.00 12,451.76
Old Mutual Zimbabwe

VFEX (US cents) Mining BIND:VX 3.00 - 3.00 - - - - -45.45 US$m
Mining CMCL:VX 1300.00 - 1300.00 - - - - - 38.18
BNC Consumer Goods 34.00 149,552 50,772.97 0.01 0.03 8.06
Caledonia Consumer Goods PHL:VX 33.94 38.00 33.95 500,315 190,120 -1.95 -4.88 61.67
Padenga SCIL:VX 39.95 38.00 35.47 183.87
SeedCo International 144.95

Index Close Change (%) Open YTD % Top 5 Risers Price Change % YTD %
ZSE All Share 13,831.97 +1.77 13,591.97 +27.81 Delta 22696.94c +1445.35c +6.80 +39.65
Top 10 8,221.85 +2.65 +20.71 Axia +4.56 +93.12
Top 15 9,181.43 +2.49 8,009.37 +21.94 Innscor 5803.14c +253.03c +3.25 +73.05
Small Cap -1.56 8,958.34 +22.47 Hippo 28102.97c +884.59c +3.01 -26.07
Medium Cap 493,268.60 -0.09 501,065.24 +46.57 Star Africa 20700.00c +605.00c +2.56 +42.41
29,911.28 29,938.97
165.00c +4.12c

Top 5 Fallers Price Change % YTD %
ART 1756.44c -243.56c -12.18 +68.08
NTS 1200.00c -100.00c -7.69 +90.48
FML 2586.00c -84.00c -3.15 +29.30
First Capital -31.18c -3.12 +180.49
African Sun 968.82c -54.17c -3.10 +164.04
1695.83c

SALES & TRADING: Davide Muchengi: [email protected] | Lungani Nyamazana: [email protected] | Precious Chagwedera: [email protected]
RESEARCH: Batanai Matsika: [email protected] | Tafara Mtutu: [email protected] | Gabriel Manjonjo: [email protected]
Tel: (+263) 08677008101-2 | Email: [email protected] | Address: 14165 Sauer Road, Gunhill, Harare

MORGAN & COMPANY has issued this document for distribution to its clients. It may not be reproduced or further distributed in whole or in part for any purpose. This document is not and should not be construed as an
offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe to any investment. MORGAN & COMPANY has based this document on information obtained from sources it believes to be reliable but which it has not

independently verified; MORGAN & COMPANY makes no guarantee, representation or warranty and accepts no responsibility or liability as to the accuracy or completeness of its content.

Page 28 RNeferwams AinngaIlsysuises NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Mthuli Ncube transforms from
technocrat to a political player

BRENNA MATENDERE It began when President Mnan-
gagwa visited Davos, Switzerland,
IF ever there was any doubt, Fi- African Development Institute. As When Mthuli sity of Oxford in Britain, where he in January 2018 for the World Eco-
nance minister Mthuli Ncube has vice-president of AfDB, Ncube was Ncube was named taught in economic development, nomic Forum where he reiterated
fully abandoned his posture as a a member of the senior management Finance minister public policy and doing business in the now tired “Zimbabwe is open
neutral technocrat after being elect- team of the bank and contributed to in the first cabinet Africa, at both the SAID Business for business” mantra and intro-
ed a Zanu PF central committee its general strategic direction. of President Em- School, and Blavatnik School of duced a multi-coloured scarf. After
member last weekend. merson Mnangag- Government. Davos, Mnangagwa has continued
Before his arrival in Zimbabwe to wa after the 2018 to wear the scarf, even in blazing
The central commiteee is Zanu take up the ministerial appointment elections, he was Before taking up the post of Fi- temperatures.
PF’s highest decision-making body from his Switerland base, Ncube touted as a man of nance minister, Ncube had also
outside congress. had notched up other accomplish- substance whose been a distinguished professor of He wears the scarf, be it at party
ments. solid curriculum banking and financial markets at events, government engagements or
His participation in the political vitae placed him a the University of the Witwatersrand at his farm when receiving visitors
elections confirms that Ncube is The achievements included being cut above the rest. in South Africa. such as members of the Political Ac-
now a full-time Zanu PF politician a regulator and a board member of tors Dialogue (Polad).
who behaves like his ruling party the South African Financial Services His curriculum vitae therefore is
peers, including grabbing farms in Board  (FSB), which regulates non- not just impressive but also reflects The scarf is no longer for purpos-
violation of property rights. bank financial institutions in that the epitome of academia. es of fashion or style and has since
country. developed mythical dimensions.
As reported by The NewsHawks When he arrived in Zimbabwe af-
in June, Ncube joined President In Zimbabwe he had been the ter his appointment as Finance min- Results of the Zanu PF central
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s brother founding chairperson of  Barbican ister on 8 September 2018, Ncube committee elections which were
Patrick, Zanu PF acolytes from the and Selwyn Capital  and worked was projected as a technocrat and held across the country on Saturday
Marange apostolic sect and senior for Investec Asset Management as a a man on a mission to rescue the showed that Ncube had won, join-
bureaucrats to settle inside the high- portfolio manager and head of asset country’s economy. That reputation ing other party stalwarts like retired
ly protected Midlands Black Rhino allocation strategy. was well earned. colonel Tshinga Dube in Bulawayo.
Conservancy, threatening the exis-
tence of the wildlife sanctuary. Ncube had also been chairper- Many expected him to be de- Each of the Zanu PF Bulawayo
son of the board of the  African tached from Zanu PF politicking, province’s five districts held elec-
The settlements have the poten- Economic Research Consortium, sloganeering and the wearing of tions as the party readies itself for
tial to put to waste investments run- chairperson of the Global Agenda party regalia. However, no sooner its national congress which will be
ning into tens of millions of Unit- Council on "Poverty and Econom- had Ncube arrived in Zimbabwe held in Harare later this month.
ed States dollars made by multiple ic Development" (World Economic than he started dabbling in Zanu
property owners and stakeholders Forum) and a governor of the Afri- PF politics, marking the beginning Ncube and Dube were joined by
for the past 35 years in the conser- can Capacity Building Foundation. of a journey that has led to today's Mlungisi Moyo in the district co-or-
vancy. realities. dinating committee 1 (DCC 1),
He is a professor at the Univer- who garnered 52 votes to see off the
Funders like the Save Foundation challenges of Joshua Malinga, Caleb
of Australia and Sebhakwe Black Sengu, Emmanuel Kanjoma, Jose-
Rhino Trust also made significant phine Danda and Matelia Matunha.
donations to the conservancy to
build it into what it is at present, Ncube’s ascendancy to the cen-
but the illegal settlements could see tral committee means he has leap-
the investments going down the frogged Zanu PF's lower organs,
drain. namely the cells, branches, districts
and provinces.
The Parks and Wildlife Act
(Chapter 20:14) prohibits human He automatically becomes a
settlements or agricultural activities member of the national consul-
on conservancies, unless with the tative assembly of Zanu PF which
express authorisation of an Act of comprises members of the central
Parliament. At present, no such law committee, national assembly of the
has been promulgated to legalise the women’s league and their deputies,
settlements, not even a statutory in- the 10 provincial executive councils,
strument. former members of the central com-
mittee on account of their so-called
The conservancy is situated in the contribution to the liberation strug-
Chirumanzu-Zibagwe constituency gle or development of the country
on the 35-kilometre peg along the after Independence.
Kwekwe-Mvuma road, on the left
side of the dusty strip road. Ncube’s new organ, the central
committee, is the principal struc-
This is not the "technocrat" many ture of the party’s congress and con-
thought Ncube would turn out to sists of 230 members drawn from
be when he was appointed to cab- the country’s 10 provinces. It acts
inet. on behalf of congress when it is not
in session and, among other func-
When Ncube was named Finance tions, implements all policies, res-
minister in the first cabinet of Pres- olutions, directives, decisions, and
ident Emmerson Mnangagwa after programmes enunciated by con-
the 2018 elections, he was touted gress. The central committee meets
as a man of substance whose solid once in three months and it is the
curriculum vitae placed him a cut one which picked President Mnan-
above the rest. gagwa to succeed the late long-time
ruler Robert Mugabe when he was
A former chief economist and toppled in a military coup.
vice-president of the African Devel-
opment Bank (AfDB), Ncube holds Ncube is now likely to be a Zanu
a PhD in mathematical finance PF politburo member, which is an
from Cambridge University. organ that is the standing commit-
tee of the central committee and
As chief economist of AfDB, he implements all the decisions, direc-
oversaw the economics complex, tives, rules and regulations of the
which was focused on the process central committee. This one meets
of knowledge management and eco- at least once a month and is answer-
nomic research. able to the central committee on all
matters.
In that regard, Ncube supervised
the development research depart-
ment, statistics department and

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 29

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Vital to invest in Africa’s health

Covid-19 has reversed some of the progress made in the fight to eradicate Aids, malaria, and tuberculosis
in Africa. But, despite high inflation and an uncertain economic outlook, African governments can take
several steps to strengthen local health systems and bolster the continent’s defenses against future epidemics.

DONALD P. KABERUKA

THERE was a time, not so long But domestic investment is For starters, economic recov- health. Very few African coun- able resources over the medium
ago, when an HIV diagnosis was also crucial for securing health ery is a virtuous circle: GDP tries currently  devote  15% of term and by being responsive
a death sentence. Aids, together sustainability, especially giv- growth enables greater invest- their national budgets to the to changing needs, including
with tuberculosis and malaria, en the impact of recent glob- ment in health, and a healthier health sector — the target set health emergencies. Meanwhile,
killed millions of people and al shocks on both advanced population is more productive. by the 2001 Abuja Declaration. health ministries can design
overwhelmed health systems and emerging economies. To The next few years could be This, in turn, impedes their abil- more streamlined and cost-effec-
worldwide — especially in Afri- this end, the Global Fund sup- challenging as the longer-term ity to ramp up efforts to eradi- tive public programs.
ca. But the world came togeth- ports initiatives like the Afri- consequences of the pandem- cate Aids, TB, malaria, and oth-
er and fought back. The Global can Union’s  African Leadership ic and the ripple effects of the er epidemics, and thus reduces Pulling these levers requires
Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculo- Meeting  (ALM), which advo- war in Ukraine adversely affect their chances of achieving the political leadership and sus-
sis, and Malaria, established in cates for increased domestic re- investment and trade. But ful- 2030 Sustainable Development tained effort. The Global Fund
2002, is an unparalleled success sources for health. ly implementing initiatives like Goals (SDGs). directly supports African com-
story. Cooperation between de- the  African Continental Free munities and governments as
veloped and developing coun- While the Global North can Trade Area  (AfCFTA) could The private sector must do its they work to strengthen lo-
tries, the private sector, civil so- look forward to the post-Covid help reduce Africa’s dependency part as well, whether through cal health systems. But only a
ciety, and affected communities economic recovery, Africa is on food and fuel imports. corporate taxes, employer-led combination of international
has saved 44 million lives, and still  lagging behind  the rest of health insurance, or workplace aid and domestic financing can
the combined death rate from the world in vaccine access and Another way to prop up lo- health schemes. Private compa- turbocharge the efforts to elim-
these three diseases has been re- uptake. The continent will need cal health systems would be to nies benefit enormously from inate Aids, TB, and malaria by
duced by more than half. more time to recover fully from increase tax revenues. Many a healthier population and 2030. And only by ending these
the pandemic. How, then, in the African governments face a sig- — as we have seen during the epidemics can we propel Africa’s
Saving this many lives has had face of an uncertain economic nificant “tax gap” — the differ- Covid-19 pandemic — can suf- economies, bolster the world’s
a huge economic impact. The outlook — with African  GDP ence between what their tax laws fer dramatic losses when infec- defences against future out-
Global Fund  estimates  that an dropping, inflation  rising, and should, in theory, deliver and tious diseases run wild. breaks, and free millions from
investment of US$1 through the food and energy costs soaring what governments manage to the burden of disease.
health programs it supports will — can governments realistically collect. Removing loopholes and Of course, it is also important
result in US$31 in health gains increase health spending? reinforcing the efficacy of tax ad- to make health spending more *About the writer: Donald P.
and economic returns over three ministration are powerful ways efficient. This would involve Kaberuka, a former president
years. And since most of its in- While there is no silver bullet, to make more money available coordination between finance of the African Development
vestments are in Africa, the ben- we have identified several ac- for health. and health ministries. Finance Bank, is board chair of the
efits will spread across the con- tions that governments can take ministries can support planning, Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tu-
tinent. to promote investment in the Governments should also al- budgeting, and spending by pro- berculosis, and Malaria.
health sector. locate more funds to public viding a clear indication of avail-
But the Covid-19 pandem-
ic curtailed this rapid progress.
While the  death rate  on the
continent has not been as cat-
astrophic as many feared, the
pandemic has had a profound-
ly  negative impact  on Africa’s
health systems and on the fight
against Aids, TB, and malaria.
Testing, diagnosis, and treat-
ment for these diseases have been
severely affected, threatening the
gains made in previous decades.
Worldwide deaths from malaria,
for example, increased by 13%
in 2020, to a level not seen since
2012. Unless things change, the
gap in health and economic out-
comes between Africa and the
rest of the world will widen.

Overseas aid remains vital.
If we are to reverse the losses
created by the pandemic and
continue to do lifesaving work,
the Global Fund needs to meet
its fundraising target of US$18
billion over the next three years.
The Fund’s Replenishment Con-
ference this month will bring to-
gether representatives from do-
nor countries, the private sector,
and civil-society groups seeking
to renew commitments and en-
sure overarching support for the
fight against Aids, TB, and ma-
laria.

Page 30 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

The holy spirit and human rights

MATTHEW MARE crafted their theology to ensure that spiri- teaches that sinning against the Holy Spir- who even camp for months or years at the So, Johanne Marange, Johanne Masowe
tual customs passed on by their ancestors it is unpardonable by God making it im- healers’ homestead are used as unpaid la- and Mutumwa Paul Mwazha are viewed
OF note, most, if not all, African indepen- are not forsaken.  He stated that AICs possible for anyone in the church to ques- bour. In most instances, it is women and as some kind of messiahs. They are the
dent church (AICs) founders were once believe African worship is better than that tion the authenticity of anything claimed children. “Christs” sent for Africa by God to re-
active members of the Western founded of missionaries. Cox went on to say that to be from the Holy Spirit. It must be deem Africans into salvation.
churches and later defected to form their most AICs provide a setting in which the noted however that JMAC is not the only There is glaring evidence of labour re-
own churches. African conviction, spirituality and heal- church where the leadership is viewed as lated abuse which the Ministry of Labour The trio claim to hold the true and
ing get dramatically enacted. infallible. and Social Welfare as well as organisations real time gospel received to them through
The reason all of them give for found- such as the International Labour Organ- visions, dreams and some mystical expe-
ing their own churches is that it was a di- A majority of AICs founders claim The Roman Catholic Church holds isation (ILO) ought to investigate into. riences and pneumatological manifesta-
rective by the Holy Spirit. Paul Mwazha, spiritual encounters to justify that they that the Pope is infallible. The Roman This aspect is not limited to JMAC but tions. They have borrowed from ATR,
for example, wrote in his autobiography were chosen by the Holy Spirit. It is such Catholic Church uses scriptures such as to most mega apostolic sects like Vadzidzi perhaps, on continuous revelations where
that he clashed with the Methodist minis- pneumatologically charged claims that Matthew 16:18 as the basis for Papal infal- eChishanu who followed Wimbo in Goo- God/gods would converse with humanity
ters on doctrinal issues, especially the work make AIC leaders have unquestionable libility. Mbiti (1973:17) went on to state ra, Mt Darwin. directly through spirit mediums.
of the Holy Spirit. authority. They claim to have been sent that the Holy Spirit in Johanne Marange
on a mission by the Holy Spirit and they Apostolic Church (JMAC) is the source There is lack of enforcement mech- The Mabweadziva and Matojeni
Mwazha wanted the Holy Spirit to lead spend the rest of their lives claiming that of revelation, prophecy, healing and pro- anism perhaps due to lack of political shrines were associated with the voice of
and direct the church as opposed to wor- they are still fulfilling their missions. tection and that without it, there is no will since AICs are the political parties’ God. This aspect is important in that,
ship in a conservative protestant manner church. important voting constituency in Zim- AICs claim that, this earth, including the
(Mwazha, 1997:62). Mwazha, like many For example, Paul Mwazha is referred babwe. There is evidence of stampede by state, is Satan’s dominion, hence they are
other AICs leaders and founders, believed to as Mutumwa, meaning “the one sent” The rights of women and children are various political parties to bootlick the just but passers-by and therefore they take
that the Holy Spirit brought congregants or “the messenger” and hence the teaching thus given and determined by the Holy AICs leaders. Resultantly, most AICs have directives from God directly and not from
into clear focus with the glory of God and Kutumwa KwaPaul Mwazha we Africa, Spirit. The doctrine of faith healing is diplomatic passports, for example, Jo- the state.
atonement of sins (ibid, 1997:39). thus the sending of Paul Mwazha of Afri- blocking women and children from ac- hanne Marange the leader of JMAC and
ca. These honorific titles deify the leaders cessing modern health interventions re- Wimbo the leader of Vadzidzi eChishanu AICs are very clear that they support
However, the concern of this research of these AICs and shape their theologies. sulting in them dying of simple diseases who tend to be guarded by both the army the existing authority for the purposes
is on the abuse of or the misconception of that can be easily cured. and police details. of co-existence and peace only. They also
the Holy Spirit leading to human rights Quoting of such verses which say claim that, through revelation, they are
abuses. The study also looks at how the “touch not my anointed one of God...” Daneel (1970:10) argued that the The founder of JMAC prophesied that able to give political direction to the state
Holy Spirit saw women like Mai Chaza as well as the one that says whoever sin church’s central teaching of healing God does not like whites and they do not by communicating the will of God to hu-
founding a church and to account for the against the Holy Spirit has committed un- through the Holy Spirit in JMAC is a re- accept whites amongst their congregants. manity.
presence of women prophetesses in most pardonable sin is quite often. cruitment exercise more than a pure reli- Major theological controversies in AICs
AICs. gious calling. Africans before the advent of emanate from their pneumatological con- Thus, the state is in their perspective
However, it remains unanswered on Christianity and modern medicine would ceptions and teachings. the subject of the church and the role of
Maxwell (1995:313) claims that Gu- how the calling would be transferred to be treated by mediums, healers and faith the state is to obey the will of God and not
ti’s Zaoga emerged as a schismatic move- one’s siblings upon death. According to healers. The spirit dictates the pace and course vice versa. This explains the AICs’ non-ad-
ment within the Apostolic Faith Mission Hastings (1979:77), on 17 July 1932, on of direction that the church is to take. herence to forced changes to their theol-
(AFM). the road from Mutare to his home near And people had a lot of faith in these. There even seem to be some tenets of ogies, especially to conform to Western
Mount Nyengwe, Johanne Marange had However, this study is limited to showing Apartheid in most AICs resulting in them values like Human Rights which promote
However, Guti, like Makandiwa, a visionary experience. He was suddenly how the Holy Spirit infringes the rights of refusing to accept any Western teachings fourth generation rights like homosexuali-
claims directives and encounters with the struck by a powerful light and he fell un- women and children. There is evidence of and its civilisation like schools, hospitals, ty, family planning, and transgender issues
Holy Spirit as the reasons for founding conscious. He heard a voice that spoke to children dying en masse due to the teach- employment and human rights amongst among others. The state by adopting these
his church despite the glaring evidence of him: You are John the Baptist, an Apostle. ing that, there is no disease the Holy Spirit others. fourth-generation rights is now being con-
power dynamics. Now go and do my work! Go to every coun- cannot cure, hence all JMAC congregants sidered lost and an agent of Satan.
try and preach and convert people! Tell them are expected to undertake an oath or chit- Most AICs and JMAC in particular,
It must also be noted that mothers to not to commit adultery, not to steal and not sidzo, on their behalf and their families’ up to recent years when the church-built Some AICs ended up canonising ATR
most AICs founders are highly venerated, to become angry. Baptise people and keep the that no pure JMAC member will ever seek St Peters school, have not been supportive value systems into their theologies be-
hence occupy some special position with- Sabbath day (Hastings 1979:77). medical help from clinics and hospitals. of the idea of educating children and even cause they wanted to demonstrate to the
in the church seemingly parallel to Mary allowing them to go to school. Western founded churches that they were
the mother of Jesus in the Roman Cath- According to Anderson (2000:48), the The church teaches the story of Job proud of their Africanness.
olic tradition. role of the Holy Spirit is a central feature who lost everything and was later replen- Of note is the fact that, even today they
in the theology of AICs. Grab (2016:2) ished twofold by God, to give hope to do not allow children to go to school on Jules-Rosette (1975:187) argued that
The respect comes from the claims that also reiterated that the Holy Spirit helps their congregants who would have lost the Sabbath. AICs have demonstrated that the com-
their birth was somehow very complex, in healing, prophesy, interpreting dreams, their family units. The church also preach- plete abandonment of their African cul-
mysterious and complicated. preaching and casting of evil spirits. es of demons and witchcraft as causes of This has been found to affect most es- tural identity makes it impossible for them
illness and death. This is to discourage pecially those AICs whose sabbath falls on to feel a sense of the divine.
According to Takavarasha (1997:4), the The concept of the ‘Holy Spirit’ and their congregants from seeking medical a Friday, which is a normal school day in
late Mbuya Dorcas, the mother to Guti dreams is exclusive to each other in that, help from clinics and hospitals, since no Zimbabwe. This is an indirect violation Thus, Blakely (2006:5) says the for-
to whom the hospital Mbuya Dorcas is dreams are interpreted from a spiritual hospital or clinic cures a demon or exor- on the rights of the children which is not mation of AICs demonstrated strong
named after, is central in the theology of point of view. cises witchcraft. often looked at by researchers. cultural resilience, adaption and adoption
Zaoga. It is, however, worth noting that in a teleological sense. Whilst the study
women in the Zaoga, unlike in AICs, are Of note is that there is evidence of the Non-JMAC relatives of the congre- The rights of women and children in acknowledges the desire by AICs to pro-
well respected and can occupy pastoral abuse of the Holy Spirit in the facilitation gants are often prophesied and labelled JMAC are a pertinent issue that requires mote their values and tradition, the study
offices. of child marriages where minors are mar- witches and wizards so that they will not the attention of the state. Whilst political is concerned about the culturally gender
ried off to older persons under the theolo- have influence on their congregants. The leadership often visits JMAC shrine for and Human Rights insensitive practices
The issue of gender within AICs is elu- gy of kurotswa or dreams. Holy Spirit is perhaps being used as strat- power and endorsement, there is, how- and teachings copied by JMAC. The drive
sive and a very complex matter whether egy by the church to dominate and blind- ever, the need to strike a balance in terms of the study is to seek to transform these
the gender lenses of the founder becomes Leach (1967:6) argued that JMAC fol- fold congregants from questioning the of church and state relations vis-a-vis the theologies to ensure that women and chil-
the theological position of the church. lowers believe that their leader was given church’s authority. rights of women and children. With the dren are accorded full rights theologically.
the Church’s Charter, its rules and prac- fundamentalist doctrine in JMAC and
To demonstrate the importance of the tices by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit In the Roman Catholic Church, the most AICs remains unclear on whether The JMAC church is very dogmat-
doctrine of pneumatology, some AICs governs and directs JMAC theology and is Papal infallibility makes it impossible for the state is capable of imposing its values ic when it comes to its theology and the
reject the Bible in favour of continuous not subject to discussion since it is divinely the congregants to question the authority and laws on them. church strongly believe that Marange is
revelation. Engelke (2007:95), postulates ordained. of the church as well as some of its teach- the embodiment of God on earth, hence
that one of the AICs in Zimbabwe, the Jo- ings. Marange, Masowe and Mwazha are terms such as tenzi meaning lord are used
hanne Masowe eChishanu sect, rejects the Bishau argued that the Holy Spirit is believed to be some special messianic fig- to refer to Marange. Brian Maguranyan-
Bible in favour of live and direct commu- unfortunately used to differentiate gender Of note is that JMAC congregants ures specifically sent for Africa, just as Je- ga noted that Johanne Marange, Johanne
nication with God. roles in the church. However, the church sus was in the Ancient Near East (ANE).  Masowe and Madhidha sects demand
strict observance of the church beliefs and
The church states that, by accepting practices with sanctions for non-confor-
the Bible, it is synonymous with accept- mity. Non-believers are regarded as vanhu
ing Western domination and missionary vemunyika, people of the world. In the
methods of interpretation. theology of JMAC there is a separation be-
tween believers and non-believers and the
Of note to this research is that, nei- state is part to non-believers who require
ther those AICs that accept the Bible nor redemption to repent and follow JMAC. 
those that rejected it are found not to be
entangled in women and children’s rights Missiologically, the JMAC believes
violations. that, all other churches including main-
line, Pentecostal, orthodox, other AICs
Thus, human rights considerations cut and the state should repent and worship
across all AICs but not limited to AICs the true God of Johanne Marange accord-
alone as there is evidence of human rights ing to JMAC’s theology, teachings and
violations of women and children even in revelations.
other Christian denominations outside
AICs. *About the writer: Matthew Mare is
a Zimbabwean academic who holds two
The doctrine of pneumatology in AICs bachelor’s degrees, five master’s qual-
seems to have its roots in African Tradi- ifications and a PhD. He is also doing
tional Religion (ATR). It can be argued another PhD and has 12 executive cer-
that the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of God tificates in different fields. Professional-
was in Africa before the arrival of mission- ly, he is a civil servant and also board
aries on the continent. member at the National Aids Council of
Zimbabwe.
Any contradiction to this is in essence
a refutation of the omnipresence of God.
Thus, the Holy Spirit and/or God was not
brought to Africa as some missionaries
may have erroneously claimed.

According to Cox, (1995:247) AICs

NewsHawks RefrOambiitnugarIyssues Page 31

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

NIGEL NYAMUTUMBU Abigail Gamanya: life on the
battle front, victory in death
THERE simply was no chance of
one missing the unassuming pres- The late Abigail Gamanya.
ence of media personality Abigail
Gamanya, even from a distance. somewhere.”  She didn’t bother a "chicken bus" from Mutare to all hell would break loose.  and facilitating a training process
to respond to the obvious pick- Masvingo.  I was not particular- I will never forget how we that brought together state and
The choice between liking and up line.  If her first line and body ly in a good space, but the way non-state actors to a platform
disliking her at first glance was language seemed to be a direct at- Abigail made me feel comfortable overcame a huge storm that al- where they can jointly co-create
relatively thin.    It is definitely tack, the second was a knockout and provided me with survival most threatened our professional a project that will lead to media
easy to misjudge towering charac- punch. tips on such journeys made the and personal relationship.  She freedom.  It is an intervention
ters in her mould, with no sense whole trip memorable and drew at some point had reservations supported by the Swedish Inter-
of fear of anyone and relatively “Aaah hoo ndiwe Nigel wacho.  us closer. about my work and, in typical national Development Agency
loose tongue.  Ndaifunga kuti hameno munhu Abigail fashion, she descended on (Sida) and she was instrumental
akangwara.”  To paraphrase, she Moments of that nature me like a tonne of bricks.   For a in the establishment of diverse
I am generally one person nev- did not expect to see a dull person brought the best out of Abigail moment I thought I was on my teams that are engaging across
er short or at loss for words.  But but a more streetwise one.  I was who was also overly protective of way out of employment. political and ideology inclination.  
in Amai Ruvarashe or Sis Abie, as taken aback and left speechless.  not only female journalists but
I would affectionately call her, I also youths.    As a veteran jour- Yet my fears were far from the This is a battle that she dedicat-
found my match. But that was to be the begin- nalist who had seen it all, she felt obtaining reality.  As a no-non- ed her life to. 
ning of a professional partnership a moral obligation to take the sense personality, she just wanted
The setting was a boardroom that later upgraded to friendship young under her wings and men- to vent out and read the riot act Hopefully her immense contri-
and, in typical civil society style, and ultimately family. tor them. to ensure that my work became bution to the national and indeed
invitees to a planned meeting more inclusive and focused.  We international discourse will trans-
were trickling in slowly.  Every- What was to follow was a She had this awesome tact of later were to laugh it all out and late to a better life for all one day. 
one wants to get into the meeting whirlwind tour across the length having everyone in her inner cir- find each other again. 
at its crux after the usual pleas- and breadth of the country on a cle comfortable to share even the Her sterling works deserve to
antries.    As is the case in such shoe-string budget but with an deepest intricacies of their lives.  That was her modus operandi, be rewarded even in death.  Rest
moments, meetings fail to kick important message that journal- Sis Abie would identify talent, even in her engagements with in peace, my dear sister.
off for lack of a quorum. ists had to internalise.  nurture the raw diamond and policymakers and power in its
place persons according to their various manifestations.  She could *About the writer: Nigel
Small talk becomes the order of It was a campaign against sex- gifting, even if it would come knock at any door and make Nyamutumbu is a media devel-
the day.  From the difficult operat- ual harassment in the media that with bruises. sure that her demands were met.  opment practitioner, currently
ing environment, personal devel- was being jointly implemented Rarely would she take no for an coordinating a network of nine
opments, politics and latest news by FAMWZ (which she later But then again one would not answer.  If today fails, she would media professional associations
within the sector. It was on one branded Gender and Media Con- dare mistake her otherwise big knock again on the morrow. and support organisations, the
of those rare occasions that I had nect) and the Zimbabwe Union heart as a basis for taking advan- Media Alliance of Zimbabwe
made a meeting on time, when of Journalists (ZUJ) where I was tage of her or compromising her That was her life.  (MAZ).  He can be contacted on:
colleagues broke the "trending" serving at the time. work ethic and path.  The iron In the later days of her career [email protected] or +263 772
development in the sector.  lady in her would spring out and she was concurrently pursuing 501 557
It was such a remarkable ex- the quest for gender equality
The return of Abigail.  perience that would see us board
Well, I had never met her in
person, but had interacted with
her works and had heard lots of
stories about her.  The good, bad
and ugly.  There had been lots of
unproven gossip on her personal
life, something she was to push
back and fight as a barrier to the
emancipation of women in the
media sector.
The hot news, though, was that
she had left the Prime Minister’s
office, which had been established
to accommodate the late Morgan
Tsvangirai’s work in government
in a brokered power-sharing deal.
Abigail was returning to her roots
in the media civic space assuming
her previous role as coordinator
of the Federation of African Me-
dia Women Zimbabwe (FAM-
WZ).       
As discussions were unfolding,
we began to hear bouts of laugh-
ter emerging from the other offic-
es.  A beautiful towering lady had
entered the scene greeting every
person, including those she was
not familiar with.
Then came my turn as we im-
mediately made eye contact.  In
her soft but firm voice she greet-
ed everyone with her famous “hi
guys” clouded in a smile.  As she
was already looking at me, the
next words to come out of her
mouth seemed to be a direct at-
tack on me.  “Who is this one?”
she quipped.
I was rattled.  But like I nor-
mally do in such circumstances,
I burst into a loud laugh and
responded by twisting facts a lit-
tle.  ”My name is Nigel.  I know
you.  I am sure we have met

Page 32 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

KEVIN RUDD Issue 102, 14 October 2022

IN the post–Cold War era, the Western The world according to Jinping
world has suffered no shortage of grand
theories of history and international rela- ... What China’s ideologue-in-chief really believes
tions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The settings and actors may change,
but the global geopolitical drama goes on: collide and are resolved). In his published gave an address to the Central Conference cal defenses are breached, other defenses CCP into the high church of a revitalised,
variants of realism and liberalism compete writings, Xi deploys historical material- on Ideology and Propaganda, a gathering become very difficult to hold.” But the secular faith.
to explain and predict state behaviour, ism to position the Chinese revolution in of top party leaders in Beijing. The con- CCP “has justice on our side,” he assured High Marx
scholars debate whether the world is world history in a context in which China’s tents of the speech were not reported at his audience, encouraging them not to be In contrast to those immediate moves to-
witnessing the end of history, a clash of move to a more advanced stage of social- the time but were leaked three months “evasive, bashful, or mince our words” in ward a more Leninist discipline in domes-
civilisations, or something else entirely. ism necessarily accompanies the decline of later and published by China Digital dealing with Western countries, whose tic politics, the shift to Marxist orthodoxy
And it is no surprise that the question that capitalist systems. Through the lens of di- Times.  The speech offers an unfiltered goal is “to vie with us for the battlefields of in economic policy under Xi has been
now attracts more analytical attention alectical materialism, he portrays his agen- portrait of Xi’s deepest political convic- people’s hearts and for the masses, and in more gradual.
than any other is the rise of China under da as a step forward in an ever-intensifying tions. In it, he dwells on the risks of the the end to overthrow the leadership of the
President Xi Jinping and the challenge it contest between the CCP and reactionary ideological decay that led to the collapse CCP and China’s socialist system.” Economic management had long been
presents to American power. In the run- forces at home (an arrogant private sector, of Soviet communism, the West’s role in the domain of the technocrats who serve
up to the 20th National Congress of the Western-influenced nongovernmental fomenting ideological division within This meant cracking down on anyone on the State Council, China’s administra-
Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as Xi organizations, religious movements) and China, and the need to crack down on all “harboring dissent and discord” and de- tive cabinet. Xi’s personal interests also lay
has manoeuvred to consolidate his power abroad (the United States and its allies). forms of dissent. “The disintegration of a manding that CCP members demonstrate more in party history, political ideology,
and secure an unprecedented third term, regime often starts from the ideological loyalty not only to the party but also to Xi and grand strategy than in the details of
Western analysts have sought to decode These concepts may seem abstruse and area,” Xi said.  personally. What followed was an internal financial and economic management. But
the worldview that drives him and his am- arcane to those outside China. But they “cleansing” of the CCP, accomplished by as the party apparatus increasingly assert-
bitions for China. are taken seriously by elites in the CCP, As I see it, we cannot purging any perceived political or institu- ed control of the economic departments
senior Chinese officials, and many of the heed this; forgetting tional opposition, in large part through a of the state, China’s policy debates on the
One important body of thought has international relations scholars who advise history means betray- decadelong anticorruption campaign that relative roles of the state and the market
been largely absent from this search for the government. And Xi’s published writ- al. History objectively had begun even before the speech. became increasingly ideological. Xi also
understanding, however: Marxism-Le- ings on theory are vastly more extensive exists. History is the progressively lost confidence in market
ninism. This is odd because Marxism-Le- than those of any other Chinese leader best textbook. A na- A “rectification campaign” brought economics following the global financial
ninism has been China’s official ideology since Mao. The CCP also draws on the tion without historical another round of purges to the party’s po- crisis of 2008 and China’s homegrown fi-
since 1949. But the omission is also un- kinds of economic and strategic advice memory does not have litical and legal affairs apparatus. Xi also nancial crisis of 2015, which was sparked
derstandable, since most Western thinkers that typically guide Western political a future. — Xi Jinping reasserted party control over the People’s by the bursting of a stock market bubble
long ago came to see communist ideolo- systems. But within the Chinese system, Liberation Army and the People’s Armed and led to a nearly 50 percent collapse
gy as effectively dead — even in China, Marxism-Leninism still serves as the ideo- “Political unrest and regime change Police and centralised China’s cybersecu- in the value of Chinese stocks before the
where, in the late 1970s, the CCP leader logical headwaters of a world view that may occur overnight, but ideological rity and surveillance systems. Finally, in markets finally settled in 2016.
Deng Xiaoping set aside the Marxist-Le- places China on the right side of history evolution is a long-term process,” he 2019, Xi introduced a party-wide edu-
ninist orthodoxy of his predecessor, Mao and portrays the United States as strug- continued, warning that once “ideologi- cation campaign titled “Don’t Forget the China’s economic policy trajectory un-
Zedong, in favor of something more akin gling in the throes of inevitable capitalist Party’s Original Purpose, Keep the Mis- der Xi — from a consensus in support of
to state capitalism. Deng summed up his decline, consumed by its own internal po- sion in Mind.”  According to an official market reforms to an embrace of increased
thoughts on the matter with characteris- litical contradictions and destined to fall document announcing the initiative, its party and state intervention — has there-
tic bluntness: Bu zhenglun, “Let’s dispense by the wayside. That, in Xi’s view, will be goal was for party members “to gain theo- fore been uneven, contested, and at times
with theory,” he told attendees at a major the real end of history. retical learning and to be baptised in ide- contradictory. Indeed, in late 2013, less
CCP conference in 1981. His successors ology and politics.” By around the end of than six months after Xi’s revivalist sermon
Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao followed his In 2013, barely five months after his his first term, it had become clear that Xi on ideology and propaganda, the Central
lead, rapidly expanding the role of the appointment as party general secretary, Xi sought nothing less than to transform the
market in the Chinese domestic economy
and embracing a foreign policy that max-
imised China’s participation in a global
economic order led by the United States.

Xi has brought that era of pragmatic,
nonideological governance to a crashing
halt. In its place, he has developed a new
form of Marxist nationalism that now
shapes the presentation and substance of
China’s politics, economy, and foreign
policy. In doing so, Xi is not constructing
theoretical castles in the air to rationalise
decisions that the CCP has made for
other, more practical reasons. Under Xi,
ideology drives policy more often than
the other way around. Xi has pushed pol-
itics to the Leninist left, economics to the
Marxist left, and foreign policy to the na-
tionalist right. He has reasserted the influ-
ence and control the CCP exerts over all
domains of public policy and private life,
reinvigorated state-owned enterprises, and
placed new restrictions on the private sec-
tor. Meanwhile, he has stoked nationalism
by pursuing an increasingly assertive for-
eign policy, turbocharged by a Marxist-in-
spired belief that history is irreversibly on
China’s side and that a world anchored
in Chinese power would produce a more
just international order. In short, Xi’s rise
has meant nothing less than the return of
Ideological Man.

These ideological trends are not simply
a throwback to the Mao era. Xi’s world-
view is more complex than Mao’s, blend-
ing ideological purity with technocratic
pragmatism. Xi’s pronouncements about
history, power, and justice might strike
Western audiences as impenetrable or ir-
relevant.

But the West ignores Xi’s ideological
messaging at its own peril. No matter how
abstract and unfamiliar his ideas might be,
they are having profound effects on the
real-world content of Chinese politics and
foreign policy — and thus, as China’s rise
continues, on the rest of the world.
Party man
Like all Marxist-Leninists, Xi bases his
thinking on historical materialism (an
approach to history focused on the inev-
itability of progress through ongoing class
struggle) and dialectical materialism (an
approach to politics that focuses on how
change occurs when contradictory forces

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 33

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Committee of the CCP (the top several China’s “100 years of national humilia- ic practice over the last 35 years. economic growth over time. That is be- conflict for the foreseeable future and can
hundred leaders of the party) adopted a tion.” Xi’s ideological beliefs have committed cause declining business confidence will therefore seek economic and foreign pol-
remarkably reformist document on the reduce private fixed capital investment in icy advantages while the United States is
economy, starkly titled “The Decision.”  In the years since, the concept of “the China to the goal of building what Xi de- response to growing perceptions of polit- bogged down elsewhere, especially in the
It outlined a series of policy measures that great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” scribes as a “fairer and more just” interna- ical and regulatory risk; after all, what the broader Middle East. But in the wake of
would allow the market to play “the deci- has become the centerpiece of Xi’s na- tional system — one anchored in Chinese state gives, the state can also take away. Washington’s official labeling of China as
sive role” in the allocation of resources in tionalist vision. His goal is for China to power rather than American power and a “strategic competitor” in 2017, the on-
the economy. But the rollout of these pol- become the preeminent Asian and global one that reflects norms more consistent This applies in particular to the tech- going US-Chinese trade war, mutual (if
icies slowed to a standstill in 2015, while power by 2049. In 2017, Xi identified a with Marxist-Leninist values. For that nology, finance, and property sectors, selective) forms of economic decoupling,
state-owned enterprises received trillions number of quantitative benchmarks that reason, China has pushed to strip UN res- which have been China’s principal do- and the hardening of US alliances with
of dollars in investment from “industry the country must reach by 2035 on the olutions of all references to universal hu- mestic growth engines for the last two Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Nato,
guidance funds” road to that status, including becoming a man rights and has built a new set of Chi- decades. China’s attractiveness to foreign the CCP is likely to change its formal
“medium-level developed economy” and na-centric international institutions, such investors has also declined because of sup- analytical conclusion about the strategic
between 2015 and 2021 — a mas- having “basically completed the modern- as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian ply chain uncertainty and the impact of environment.
sive infusion of government support that ization of China’s national defense and its Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the the new doctrines of national economic
brought the Chinese state roaring back to armed forces.” To capture and codify his Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to self-sufficiency. At home, China’s business The danger is that dialectical method-
the center of economic policy. vision, Xi has introduced or highlighted rival and eventually replace Western-dom- elites have been spooked by the anticor- ologies and the binary conclusions that
a number of ideological concepts that inated ones. ruption campaign, the arbitrary nature of they produce can lead to spectacularly
At the 19th CCP Party Congress, in collectively authorise China’s new, more the party-controlled judicial system, and incorrect conclusions when applied to the
2017, Xi announced that going forward, assertive approach. First among these is A Marxist-Leninist quest for a “more a growing number of high-profile tech real world of international security. In the
the party’s central ideological challenge “comprehensive national power” (zonghe just” world also shapes China’s promotion titans falling out of political favour. And 1950s, Mao saw it as dialectically inevi-
would be to rectify the “unbalanced guoli), which the CCP uses to quantify of its own national development model China has yet to figure out how to leave table that the United States would attack
and inadequate development” that had China’s combined military, economic, across the global South as an alternative behind its “zero Covid” strategy, which China to snuff out the Chinese revolution
emerged during the “reform and open- and technological power and foreign pol- to the “Washington consensus” of free has compounded the country’s economic on behalf of the forces of capitalism and
ing” period of market-based policy chang- icy influence. Whereas this concept was markets and democratic governance. And slowdown. imperialism. Despite the Korean War and
es that Deng had inaugurated in the late used by Xi’s predecessors, only Xi was Beijing has offered a ready supply of sur- two crises in the Taiwan Strait during that
1970s. In a little-noticed speech published bold enough to claim that China’s power veillance technologies, police training, Adding to these weaknesses are a num- decade, no such attack materialised.
in the party’s ideological journal in 2021, has grown so rapidly that the country has and intelligence collaboration to coun- ber of long-term structural trends: a rap-
Xi in effect challenged Deng’s definition already “entered the leading ranks of the tries around the world, such as Ecuador, idly aging population, a shrinking work- Had Mao not taken such an ideologi-
of “the primary stage of socialism” and world.” Uzbekistan, and Zimbabwe, that have es- force, low productivity growth, and high cal view, the thawing of China’s relation-
Deng’s belief that China would need to chewed the classical Western liberal-dem- levels of debt shared between state and ship with the United States could perhaps
endure inequality for hundreds of years Xi has also emphasised rapid changes ocratic model. private financial institutions. Whereas the have been initiated a decade earlier than
before achieving prosperity for all. Instead, in “the international balance of forces” CCP had once expected average annual it was, particularly given the unfolding
Xi hailed a faster transition to a higher (guoji liliang duibi), which refers to offi- These changes in Chinese foreign and growth to remain around 6% for the rest reality of the Sino-Soviet split that began
phase of socialism, declaring that “thanks cial comparisons the party uses to measure security policy were signaled well in ad- of the 2020s before slowing to around after 1959. In similar fashion, Xi now sees
to many decades of hard work, [this] is China’s progress in catching up with the vance by earlier shifts in Xi’s ideological four percent for the 2030s, some analysts threats on every front and has embarked
a period that marks a new starting point United States and its allies. Official CCP line. Using what Western audiences might now worry that in the absence of a radical on the securitization of virtually every as-
for us.” Xi rejected Deng’s gradualism and rhetoric also features references to growing see as obscure, theoretical mumbo jum- course correction, the economy will soon pect of Chinese public policy and private
the notion that China was doomed to an “multipolarity” (duojihua) in the interna- bo, Xi has communicated to the party a begin to stagnate, topping out at around life. And once such threat perceptions be-
indefinite future of developmental imper- tional system and to irreversible increases crystal-clear message: China is much more three percent in the 2020s before falling to come formal analytical conclusions and
fection and class inequality. in China’s power. Xi has also rehabilitated powerful than it ever was, and he intends around 2% in the 2030s. As a result, Chi- are translated into the CCP bureaucracies,
a Maoist aphorism hailing “the rise of the to use this power to change the course of na might enter the 2030s still locked in the Chinese system might begin to func-
 Through more rigorous adherence to East and the decline of the West” (dong- history. the so-called middle-income trap, with an tion as if armed conflict were inevitable.
Marxist principles, he promised, China sheng xijiang) as a euphemism for China economy smaller or only marginally larger
could achieve both national greatness and surpassing the United States. China has also be- than that of the United States. For Chi- Xi’s ideological pronouncements shape
greater economic equality in the not-too- come far more ag- na’s leadership, that outcome would have how the CCP and its nearly 100 million
distant future. Xi’s public praise for China’s growing gressive in going after profound consequences. If employment members understand their country and
national power has been much sharper critics abroad. In July and income growth falter, China’s budget its role in the world. They take such texts
Such an outcome would rely on party and more expansive than that of his pre- 2021, Beijing for the would come under pressure, forcing the seriously; the rest of the world should,
committees increasing their influence on decessors. In 2013, the CCP formally first time announced CCP to choose between providing health too. At the very least, Xi’s embrace of
private firms by playing a larger role in abandoned Deng’s traditional “diplomatic sanctions against indi- care, elder care, and pension entitlements Marxist-Leninist orthodoxy should put
selecting senior management and making guidance,” dating from 1992, that China viduals and institutions on the one hand and pursuing national se- to rest any wishful thinking that Xi’s Chi-
critical board decisions. And as the Chi- should “hide its strength, bide its time, in the West that have curity goals, industrial policy, and the Belt na might peacefully liberalize its politics
nese state began securing equity in private and never take the lead.” Xi used the 2017 had the temerity to and Road Initiative on the other. Mean- and economy. And it should make clear
firms, the state would also encourage suc- Party Congress Report to describe how criticize China. while, China’s gravitational pull on the that China’s approach to foreign policy
cessful entrepreneurs to invest in state- China had promoted its “economic, sci- rest of the global economy would be called is driven not only by a rolling calculus of
owned enterprises, mixing the market and entific, technological, military, and com- In it to win it into question. The debate over whether strategic risk and opportunity but also by
the state to an ever-greater degree. prehensive national power” to the extent Xi is 69 years old and seems unlikely to re- the world has already witnessed “peak an underlying belief that the forces of his-
that it had now “entered into the leading tire; as a lifelong student and practitioner China” is only just beginning, and when torical change are inexorably driving the
Meanwhile, CCP economic planners ranks of the world” — and that owing to of Chinese politics, he knows full well that it comes to China’s long-term growth, the country forward.
would be tasked with designing a “dual an unprecedented increase in China’s in- if he did leave office, he and his family jury is still out.
circulation economy,” which in effect ternational standing, “the Chinese nation, would be vulnerable to retribution from This should, therefore, cause Washing-
meant that China would become increas- with an entirely new posture, now stands his successors. So Xi is likely to lead the Therefore, the critical question for Chi- ton and its partners to carefully evaluate
ingly self-reliant across all sectors of the tall and firm in the East.” country for the rest of his life, although na in the 2020s is whether Xi can engineer their existing China strategies. The United
economy while the world’s economies Theory and practice his formal designations may change over a course correction to recover from the States should realize that China represents
would become increasingly dependent on What matters most to those warily eyeing time. His mother is 96 and his father lived significant slowing of economic growth. the most politically and ideologically dis-
China. And in late 2020, Xi laid out an China’s rise is how these changing ideo- until he was 89. If their longevity is any That, however, would involve a consider- ciplined challenger it has ever faced during
approach to income redistribution known logical formulations have been put into indication of his, he is poised to remain able loss of face for him. More likely, he its century of geopolitical dominance. US
as the “common prosperity agenda,” practice. Xi’s doctrinal statements are not China’s paramount leader until at least the will try to muddle through, making as few strategists should avoid “mirror imaging”
through which the rich were to be expect- only theoretical — they are also opera- late 2030s. ideological and rhetorical adjustments as and should not assume that Beijing will
ed to “voluntarily” redistribute funds to tional. They have laid the groundwork for possible and putting in place a new team act in ways that Washington would con-
state-favored programs to reduce income a wide range of foreign policy steps that Xi faces few political vulnerabilities. of economic policymakers, hoping they strue as rational or serving China’s self-in-
inequality. By the end of 2021, it was clear would have been unimaginable under Elements of China’s society may begin to can find a way to magically restore growth. terests.
that Deng’s era of “reform and opening” earlier leaders. China has embarked on a chafe at the increasingly repressive appa-
was coming to a close. In its place stood a series of island reclamations in the South ratus he has built. But contemporary sur- Xi’s Marxist nationalism is an ideolog- The West won an ideological contest
new statist economic orthodoxy. China Sea and turned them into garrisons, veillance technologies allow him to con- ical blueprint for the future; it is the truth in the twentieth century. But China is not
“History is the best textbook” ignoring earlier formal guarantees that it trol dissent in ways that Mao and Joseph about China that is hiding in plain sight. the Soviet Union, not least because China
Xi’s push toward Leninist politics and would not. Under Xi, the country has car- Stalin could hardly imagine. Xi exhibits Under Xi, the CCP will evaluate chang- now has the second-largest economy in the
Marxist economics has been accompa- ried out large-scale, live-fire missile strikes growing confidence in China’s rising “na- ing international circumstances through world. And although Xi may not be Sta-
nied by his adoption of an increasingly around the Taiwanese coast, simulating a tionalist generation,” especially the elites the prism of dialectical analysis — and lin, he is certainly not Mikhail Gorbachev,
bracing form of nationalism, fueling an maritime and air blockade of the island — who have been educated at home rather not necessarily in ways that will make either. Xi’s adherence to Marxist-Leninist
assertiveness abroad that has replaced the something that previous Chinese regimes than abroad, who came of age under his sense to outsiders. For example, Xi will orthodoxy has helped him consolidate his
traditional caution and risk aversion that refrained from doing despite having the leadership rather than during the more see new Western institutions intended to personal power. But this same ideological
were the hallmarks of China’s foreign pol- ability to do so. Xi has intensified China’s liberal regimes of his predecessors, and balance against China, such as the Quad stance has also created dilemmas that the
icy during the Deng era. Xi’s recognition border conflict with India through repeat- who see themselves as the vanguard of Xi’s (the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a CCP will find difficult to resolve, espe-
of the importance of nationalism was evi- ed border clashes and by building new political revolution. strategic cooperation agreement between cially as slowing economic growth puts
dent early in his tenure. roads, airfields, and other military-related Australia, India, Japan, and the Unit- in doubt the party’s long-standing social
infrastructure near the border. And China It would be foolish to assume that Xi’s ed States) and the AUKUS (a defense contract with the people.
“In the West, there are people who say has embraced a new policy of economic Marxist-Leninist vision will implode un- agreement linking Australia, the United
that China should change the angle of its and trade coercion against states whose der the weight of its own internal contra- Kingdom, and the United States), as both Whatever may unfold, Xi will not
historical propaganda, it should no longer policies offend Beijing and that are vul- dictions in the near to medium term. If strategically hostile and ideologically pre- abandon his ideology. He is a true believ-
make propaganda about its history of hu- nerable to Chinese pressure. political change does come, it will more dictable, requiring new forms of political, er. And this presents one further test for
miliation,” he noted in his 2013 speech. likely arrive after Xi’s death than before it. ideological, and military “struggle” to roll the United States and its allies. To prevail
“But as I see it, we cannot heed this; for- China has also become far more aggres- back. In his Marxist-Leninist view, Chi- in the unfolding ideological war that now
getting history means betrayal. History sive in going after critics abroad. In July But Xi is not completely secure. His na’s ultimate victory is guaranteed because stretches before them will require a radical
objectively exists. History is the best text- 2021, Beijing for the first time announced Achilles’ heel is the economy. Xi’s Marx- the deep forces of historical determinism reembrace of the principles that distin-
book. A nation without historical mem- sanctions against individuals and institu- ist vision of greater party control over the are on the CCP’s side, and the West is in guish liberal-democratic political systems.
ory does not have a future.” Immediately tions in the West that have had the temer- private sector, an expanding role for state- structural decline. Western leaders must defend those ideals
after Xi was installed as CCP general sec- ity to criticize China. The sanctions are owned enterprises and industrial policy, in word and deed. They, too, must be-
retary in 2012, he led the newly appointed in harmony with the new ethos of “Wolf and the quest for “common prosperity” This view will affect the likelihood of come true believers.
Politburo Standing Committee on a tour Warrior” diplomacy, which encourages through redistribution is likely to shrink conflict in Asia. Since 2002, the CCP’s
of an exhibition at the National Museum Chinese diplomats to routinely and pub- code language for its belief that war was — Foreign Affairs.
of China in Beijing titled “The Road to Re- licly attack their host governments — a unlikely has been the official phrase “Chi- *About the writer: Kevin Rudd is
juvenation,” which chronicled the perfidy radical departure from Chinese diplomat- na continues to enjoy a period of strategic president of the Asia Society, in New
of the Western imperial powers and Japan opportunity.” This statement is meant to York, and previously served as prime
and the party’s heroic response during convey that China will face a low risk of minister and foreign minister of Austra-
lia.

Page 34 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

A basic income grant for SA: More money
in poor people’s pockets, but at a heavy cost

HYLTON HOLLANDER/ DAAN STEENKAMP/ Different eligibility criteria can rise by 7.7 percentage points of GDP, sic income at the food poverty line the transfer expansion.
ROY HAVEMANN also be inferred. These include con- VAT by about half a percentage point financed by an increase in taxes (a This scenario is estimated to lead
sidering four potential eligibility and personal income tax by about 5.3 “balanced budget” scenario). Debt
ANALYSES of the implications of groups. They are: percentage points. would still rise marginally because to job gains but only because the
extending income support measures the economy would slow. If the new structural reforms permanently raise
in South Africa, including a basic in- • covering 8.3 million people The model predicts job losses grant was funded by VAT alone, this long-run growth and, therefore, gov-
come grant, have focused on one of • reaching the same as the current amounting to about 200 000. These would require an increase of 7 per- ernment revenue.
three things: how much it will cost, social relief of distress grant (10.5 come about because of the fiscal centage points in the rate – from 15%
calculations about how much revenue million people) impact of a permanent increase in currently to 22%. Moreover, by enhancing the econ-
would need to be raised (but without • a grant targeting all poor people spending (higher taxes and higher in- omy’s productive capacity, govern-
assessing the ripple effects), and how (33 million). terest rates). If funded from a combination of ment investment would have long-
it might affect the incomes of the rich • a universal basic income grant to higher VAT and personal income tax, run growth-enhancing effects.
and the poor. the whole population (60 million) The contractionary effects operate VAT would need to rise by 4 percent-
Converting the R350 (US$20) through: age points and personal income tax The take-away
Each of these provide important social relief of distress grant into a would rise by almost 3.5 percentage Our paper shows that the intro-
contributions. But they don’t address permanent basic income grant is es- • higher debt, which leads to rel- points. For the average taxpayer, who duction of a basic income grant
the dynamic and long-term impli- timated to require an increase in pub- atively higher borrowing costs and earns R370 000 (US$21 000) and would require significant long-term
cations of basic income support op- lic debt of about 3 percentage points lower long-term economic growth pays an effective rate of 21.3%, this tax increases and would likely lead
tions on the country’s economy and of gross domestic product after five would mean an increase in taxes from to employment losses. We also show
its finances. What has been missing is years. It would require a marginal • direct crowding-out of govern- R79 000 (US$4 500) per year to R91 that without sustained higher eco-
a modelling that compares – or tests increase in effective indirect tax- ment expenditure in an attempt to 500 (US$5 200) per year. This, in nomic growth, much higher social
– the impact of the different policy es (mainly the value added tax rate, maintain fiscal sustainability turn, would lead to significant con- transfers could threaten fiscal sustain-
choices and their permutations and VAT), an increase in the effective per- traction in the economy, even though ability.
how these are funded and who ben- sonal income tax rate of about 2 per- • crowding-out of private sector there would be some short-term em- Poverty, inequality and unem-
efits and who loses. centage points, and an increase in the expenditure through higher taxes. ployment gains from the large direct ployment are three interdependent
effective corporate income tax rate of income effects from higher transfers. socio-economic challenges South Af-
In a recent paper we attempt to do about 0.25 percentage points. These effects dominate any expan- rican policymakers are seeking to ad-
just that. The model shows that the con- sionary effects from higher transfers. Scenario 3.  This models a grant dress. Addressing this triple challenge
sumption of poor households would at the food poverty line financed by is critical for the future of the coun-
Our model allows for both posi- rise. But it predicts that there would As a result, a large fiscal transfer a combination of higher VAT but try. But an unfunded expansion of
tive and negative economic effects of be some job losses owing to the con- of the type proposed by advocates of also higher economic growth. In the social transfer system could lead
higher direct transfers to households. tractionary impact on investment BIG is not estimated to boost eco- this scenario, the assumption is that to even worse economic outcomes
The model thus captures feedback and growth from higher debt and nomic growth. government simultaneously expands — the medicine should not be worse
effects between government expendi- higher taxes. government investment by R60 bil- than the disease.
ture, taxation, household consump- Introducing a grant at the food The largest transfer expansion con- lion (US$3.4 billion) and successfully — The Conversation.
tion, firm investment, debt, interest poverty line [R624 (US$35) per per- sidered is a grant of R840 (US$47) undertakes structural reforms (such *About the writers: Hylton Hol-
rates and economic growth. son in 2022 prices for an eligible pop- per month for 33 million households as removing constraints on electricity lander is a senior lecturer at Stel-
ulation of 10.5 million at a cost of at a cost of R333 billion (US$19 availability). lenbosch University in South Africa.
On the one hand, our model shows R79 billion (US$4.4 billion)] would billion). This, the model suggests, Daan Steenkamp is a research asso-
that a basic income grant would de- lead to higher debt, VAT and person- would increase debt by 42 percentage In this scenario, VAT would still ciate at Stellenbosch University. Roy
crease economic growth through al income tax increases. Debt would points of GDP, requiring higher VAT need to rise (by 9 percentage points Havemann is a research associate at
three main channels: an increase in of 3 percentage points and personal without structural reform, and 5 per- Stellenbosch University.
borrowing costs, an increase in taxes, income tax to rise by 29 percentage centage points with reform) to fund
and crowding-out of private and oth- points, essentially a doubling.
er forms of public spending.
The contractionary impact on the
On the other hand, it would economy would be estimated to lead
have a positive impact on economic to nearly a million job losses.
growth through one main channel:
an increase in consumption by poor Scenario 2. This focuses on a ba-
households.

Overall, the results suggest that
the negative economic effects of an
expansion in social grants would
outweigh the positive. We conclude
that, without structural reform of the
economy and sustained economic
growth, introducing additional per-
manent social transfers could threat-
en South Africa’s macroeconomic and
fiscal stability.

Three possibilities
The paper considers three basic
income grant scenarios. And it esti-
mates different combinations of tax
and debt funding.
Scenario 1: This estimates tax and
debt outcomes for different grant
sizes without imposing any specif-
ic “funding policy”. The estimated
model based on historical data guides
the macro-fiscal dynamics.
The scenario estimates two possi-
bilities for expanding social transfers:
• convert the R350 (US$20) tem-
porary social relief of distress grant
into a permanent basic income grant
• raise the grant in three possible
ways – to the food poverty line (R624
in current prices or US$35); the lower
bound poverty line (R890 in current
prices or US$50); the upper bound
estimate of the poverty line (R1 335
in current prices or US$75.50).

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 35

Issue 102, 14 October 2022 Xenophobia is threatening
future of SA universities
JONATHAN D. JANSEN
indeed, For example, at one university, or  Achille Mbembe  (Cameroon) University of Pretoria in South Africa.
ONE of the most serious threats Asian countries was threatened the interpretation of political mes- at the University of the Witwa-
facing higher education and the saging on foreigners is taken to tersrand, a foremost scholar in That it is a place of higher learn-
scientific enterprise in South Afri- as competition for limited resourc- mean that you go through several philosophy; or  Linus Opara  (Ni- ing. That it is not a religious organ-
ca is the rising tide of xenophobia es was politicised around national rounds of a search for an academic geria) at Stellenbosch Universi- isation requiring commitment to a
in the halls of academia. origins. Local and even national appointment and even when you ty in the agricultural sciences; shared dogma. That it thrives on
politicians (and a former late king) cannot find a black South African, or the medicinal chemist  Kelly reason, not rage. That it is not an
I did not think this was possi- saw a political opportunity in rather leave the position open. Chibale  (Zambia) at the Univer- extension of the school or home.
ble. One could, to some extent, these conditions and began to sity of Cape Town. What these That it is a public institution open
understand the raw competi- mobilise and support angry South In rural universities, there is a scholars and scientists bring to to all. That it is not a racial or eth-
tion for limited resources on the Africans against their neighbours very practical logic that kicks in the South African academy is in- nic or sectarian possession. That it
streets of  Diepsloot  or the farms – with devastating consequences during deliberations on political valuable, world-class research that values independence of thought.
of  De Doorns, where impover- for, especially, African nationals messages from the national gov- benefits all of humanity.
ished South Africans feel they from elsewhere. ernment. Those universities would Most of all, that a university
were abandoned twice – first by quite literally fall apart were it not Together, African scholars from has open borders that welcomes
the apartheid regime and then by Such xenophobic thinking start- for other African academics will- outside South Africa have trained ideas and inventions from any-
their own leaders in the democrat- ed to reflect in certain ministries ing to work in rural areas and up- hundreds of masters and doctoral where and by anyone in the world.
ic period. and their government depart- hold their academic programmes students and mentored post-doc- When such core values fall away,
ments. Leaders of science councils in everything from undergraduate toral fellows who have, them- a university is simply a training
But in universities? They are the will tell you how they receive mes- teaching to postgraduate supervi- selves, become academics in local institute that produces automa-
elites of society, the well-educated. sages from their political heads to sion and, of course, senior admin- universities. Many of those taught tons for the local markets without
Not exactly the marginalised poor. keep an eye on the appointment or istration. and supervised are black South any sense of conscience towards a
Many of those who work in uni- advancement of African scientists A lack of understanding about Africans. Why, therefore, would a broader humanity.
versities gained from and are con- and scholars from outside South what a university is country struggling with the pro-
nected to international networks Africa. Why is academic xenophobia a duction of high-level skills shoot I can assure you that the lead-
without which their own research threat to the future of the South itself in the foot? ership of the  Academy of Science
and statuses would suffer. After all, Similarly, university vice-chan- African university? It is quite sim- of South Africa  remains deeply
the very word “university” suggests cellors would receive these politi- ple.  No university in the world Because bigotry against others is committed to those foundational
openness to the world, the univer- cal messages, sometimes subtle and ever became a global centre of blind even to its own needs, as so- values that distinguish universities
sum. sometimes direct. Employment academic and research excellence cial science research has repeatedly from government departments or
equity is meant for black South through nativist thinking in its ac- shown. those educational institutions that
It turns out, as I detail in my Africans, something to remember. ademic appointments policy. discriminate on the basis of na-
forthcoming book  Corrupted: At the root of the problem is the tional origins.
A Study of Chronically Dysfunc- This is where institutional be- Think of what the South Afri- lack of understanding of what a
tional Universities, the university haviour becomes interesting. In can academy would look like with- university is, and is not. I do not — University World News.
in South Africa, as in the case of some universities, those political out Tebello Nyokong (Lesotho) at know of any higher education in-
the (other) state-owned enterpris- messages are taken seriously, es- Rhodes University, a world leader stitution in South Africa that takes *About the writer: Jonathan
es [in South Africa], is perceived pecially where they coincide with in chemistry and cancer research; the time at orientation or any oth- D. Jansen is a distinguished pro-
by many as simply a concentrated the xenophobic commitments of er forum to teach students what a fessor of education at Stellen-
resource to be stripped and from a vice-chancellor and his or her university is. bosch University and president of
which to gain individual or group team. the Academy of Science of South
advantage. Africa.

One’s high-level ideals about
a university as a place of higher
learning open to the best talent
(students, scholars, scientists)
from anywhere on the planet can
take a beating in a country that
has long given up on such core ac-
ademic values.

Concerned about anecdotal
reports on the plight of African
academics from other African
countries in South African univer-
sities, our research team launched
a study across the 26 public uni-
versities to generate a more sys-
tematic account of the workings of
xenophobia on our campuses. It is
early days in the research project
but, already, our fears are being
confirmed.
Limited resources politicised
around national origin
In the early years of our democ-
racy, there was an openness to
ordinary people and professionals
from other African countries, a
recognition, perhaps, of the role
of the frontline states in South
Africa’s freedom and a general-
ly pan-African view of the world
carried, for example, in then pres-
ident Thabo Mbeki’s vision of an
African Renaissance.

As the country moved on from
the heady days of the mid-1990s
and social and economic hard-
ship remained unchanged for the
majority of the population, those
lofty ideals started to fall away,
particularly in areas of poverty and
underdevelopment where South
Africans struggled to survive from
one day to the next.

Gradually, co-existence with
migrants from other African and,

Page 36 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Women, life, freedom and the left

SLAVOJ ŽIŽEK

FOUR events centring on women kingdom that conquered other Afri- mally abolish it until 1962). oped West, and the protesters’  slo- Whatever the immediate result of
have made headlines over the past can states and sold their people into Indeed, Muhammad Qutb, the gan “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (“woman, the protests, the crucial thing is to
month: Giorgia Meloni’s elector- the slave trade. While Nanisca is de- life, freedom”) is not some mere off- keep the movement alive, by organ-
al  victory  in Italy, Queen Elizabeth picted protesting to the king against brother of the Egyptian Muslim in- shoot of #MeToo or Western femi- ising social networks that can con-
II’s death and funeral, the release of the slave trade, the real Agojie served tellectual Sayyid Qutb, vigorously nism. Although it has mobilised mil- tinue to operate underground in the
the film  The Woman King, and him. defended Islamic slavery from West- lions of women, it speaks to a much event that the forces of state oppres-
the widespread protests in Iran after ern criticism.  Arguing  that “Islam broader struggle, and it eschews the sion achieve a temporary victory.
the killing of Mahsa Amini by the The Woman King  thus promotes gave spiritual enfranchisement to anti-masculine tendency that one of-
country’s morality police. a form of feminism favoured by the slaves,” he contrasted the adultery, ten finds in Western feminism. It is not enough simply to express
Western liberal middle class. Like prostitution, and casual sex (“that sympathy or solidarity with the Ira-
Taken together, these four stories today’s  #MeToo feminists, the Am- most odious form of animalism”) The Iranian men who are chanting nian protesters as if they belong to
highlight essential features of the po- azon warriors from Dahomey will found in the West with the “clean “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” know that the some faraway exotic culture. All the
litical terrain. ruthlessly condemn all forms of bi- and spiritual bond that ties a maid struggle for women’s rights is also relativist babble about cultural speci-
nary logic, patriarchy and traces of [a slave girl] to her master in Islam.” the struggle for their own freedom ficities and sensitivities is now mean-
With the left failing to offer an racism in everyday language — but — that the oppression of women is ingless. 
adequate response to the crisis of lib- they will be careful not to disturb One still hears such talk merely the most visible manifesta-
eral democracy, the rise of new right- the deeper forms of exploitation that from some conservative Salafi schol- tion of a larger system of state ter- We can and should see the Irani-
wing governments in Europe is not underpin modern global capitalism ars, such as Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, ror. Moreover, the events in Iran are an struggle as synonymous with our
surprising. But women’s central role and the persistence of racism. a member of Saudi Arabia’s highest something that still awaits us in the own. We do not need female figure-
in this movement has yet to receive religious body. But one would not developed Western world, where the heads or Woman Kings. We need
the attention it deserves. Right-wing This stance involves downplaying know it from listening only to West- trends toward political violence, re- women who will mobilise us all for
leaders such as Meloni and Marine two basic facts about slavery. First, ern middle-class liberals. ligious fundamentalism and the op- “woman, life, freedom,” and against
Le Pen in France are presenting white slave traders barely had to set pression of women are accelerating. hate, violence, and fundamentalism.
themselves as stronger alternatives foot on African soil, because privi- Fortunately, Islam’s historical as-
to traditional mainstream mascu- leged Africans (like the kingdom of sociations with slavery need not We in the West have no right to — Project Syndicate.
line technocrats. They embody both Dahomey) furnished them with an impede predominantly Muslim treat Iran as a country that is des-
right-wing hardness and features ample supply of fresh slaves. And, societies’ emancipatory potential. perately trying to catch up with us. *About the writer: Slavoj Žižek,
usually associated with femininity, second, the slave trade was wide- The protests in Iran have a world-his- Rather, it is we who must learn from professor of philosophy at the Euro-
such as a focus on care and the fami- spread not only in western Africa torical significance, because they Iranians if we are going to have any pean Graduate School, is the inter-
ly: fascism with a human face. but also in its  eastern parts, where combine different struggles (against chance of confronting right-wing vi- national director of the Birkbeck
Arabs  enslaved millions, and where women’s oppression, religious op- olence and oppression in the United Institute for the Humanities at the
Now consider the televised spec- the institution lasted longer than in pression, and state terror) into an States, Hungary, Poland, Russia and University of London and the au-
tacle of Elizabeth II’s funeral, which the West (Saudi Arabia didn’t for- organic unity. many other countries. thor, most recently, of Heaven in
highlighted an interesting paradox: Disorder.
as the British state has fallen ever Iran is not part of the devel-
further from its former superpower
status, the British royal family’s abil-
ity to  inspire imperial reveries  has
only grown. We should not dismiss
this as ideology masking actual pow-
er relations. Rather, monarchical
fantasies are themselves a part of the
process whereby power relations re-
produce themselves.

Elizabeth II’s death reminded us
of the modern distinction between
reigning and ruling, with the former
being confined only to ceremonial
duties.

The monarch is expected to radi-
ate compassion, kindness and patri-
otism — and to stay out of political
conflicts. As such, monarchs repre-
sent not the transcendence of ideol-
ogy but rather ideology in its purest
form. 

For seven decades, Elizabeth II’s
role was to serve as the face of state
power. The coincidence of her death
with Liz Truss’s rise to power may
have been highly contingent, but it
was also deeply symbolic of the shift
from Queen to Woman King. In her
new role, Truss has partly preempted
the left by  mixing  energy subsidies
with tax cuts for the rich.

Gina Prince-Bythewood’s  The
Woman King also deals with the po-
litical logic of monarchy. A historical
epic about the Agojie, an all-female
warrior unit that protected the West
African kingdom of Dahomey from
the 17th to the 19th centuries, it stars
Viola Davis as the fictional General
Nanisca. She is subordinated only to
King  Ghezo, a real-life figure who
ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1859,
and who was involved in the Atlantic
slave trade until the end of his reign.

In the film, the Agojie’s enemies
include slave traders led by Santo
Ferreira, a fictional character loosely
inspired by Francisco Félix de Sousa.
But, in fact, De Sousa was a Brazil-
ian slave trader  who helped Ghezo
gain power, and Dahomey was a

NewsHawks Africa News Page 37

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Ghana battles debt, economic headwinds

THEOPHILUS ACHEAMPONG spending and ensuring it lives within its in 2017, according to central bank and fi- A vendor in Ghana. securities such as treasury bills and other
means. nance ministry data. of 2021, about 72% of the external debt fixed deposits.
GHANA is struggling with managing Ghana’s public debt dynamics was also dollar-denominated.
its debt, 20-year high inflation, a weak cur- A country’s debt dynamics includes both Of this, external debt was US$28.1 In 2021, Ghana’s banking sector cu-
rency, and rising inequality. external and domestic debt, and debt ac- billion (GHS203.4 billion or 40.5% of In 2021, the government spent US$2.2 mulatively held 50% of the total domestic
cruing to  state-owned enterprises  and its GDP), while domestic debt issued in cedis billion in total external debt service, in- debt stock comprising commercial banks
For example,  inflation  rose to 33.9% maturity structure. All need to be consid- was US$26.3 billion (GHS190 billion or cluding principal repayments, interest pay- (30%) and the Bank of Ghana (20%).
in August 2022 from 9.7% a year earlier, ered when considering any debt restruc- 37.8% of GDP). ments and charges. The non-bank sector comprised firms and
while the cedi has  depreciated  by 41% turing. institutions (22.6%), individual investors
year-to-date against the US dollar. These Regarding external debt, the portfolio Of the domestic debt, Ghana’s govern- (9.2%), rural banks (1.1%), insurance
vulnerabilities have been worsened by the Ghana’s total public debt as of June includes debt owed to multilaterals such as ment sourced as much as 85% of its do- companies (0.6%) and the Social Security
aftershocks of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine 2022 was US$54.4 billion (GHS393 bil- the IMF and World Bank, bilaterals, com- mestic debt in 2021 via the market. This and National Insurance Trust (0.3%). For-
war and the Covid-19 pandemic. lion or 78.3% of GDP) from US$32.3 bil- mercial loans such as Eurobonds, and other included financial securities and instru- eign investors held 16% of the remaining
lion (GHS143 billion or 55.5% of GDP) export credits. The external debt also com- ments traded on the secondary market. domestic debt.
These challenges have forced Ghana’s prises of fixed (86.5%), variable (13.1%) This means that Ghanaian banks, indi-
government to approach the International rate and some interest-free (0.4%) debt. As viduals and institutional investors, such as system. Media reports indicate that only
Monetary Fund (IMF) for an economic pension funds, buy and sell government about a third of government transactions
support package. Part of the engagement are fully captured. This creates many ave-
will involve a new assessment of the sus- nues for collusion and corruption.
tainability of the country’s debt.
Thirdly, the government must limit
Debt sustainability analysis  classi- borrowing from the domestic market to
fies  countries into four bands: low risk, compensate for the lack of access to the
moderate risk, high risk, and in debt dis- international capital markets.
tress. This is based on certain thresholds
for key public debt indicators. Ghana’s Fourthly, President Nana Akufo-Addo
last analysis, conducted in mid-2021, clas- must cut down the size of the government
sified the country as being at high risk of through a reshuffle to remove many of
external debt distress and overall debt dis- those who are not performing and reduce
tress. The assessment was carried out joint- public expenditure. The President does not
ly by the IMF and the World Bank. need to tell Ghanaians that his ministers
are  “outstanding”, as the citizens would
If the new assessment concludes Gha- know it if cost of living is indeed improv-
na’s debt levels aren’t sustainable, the coun- ing.
try will have to take steps to restructure its
debt to qualify for IMF assistance. The Fifth, the government must urgently
Fund states that it won’t lend to countries convene a broader national stakeholder
that have unsustainable debts unless the forum on the economy with all key rep-
member takes steps to restore debt sustain- resentative groups including labour, civil
ability, which can include debt restructur- society, inter-faith groups, political parties,
ing. and business associations, among others.

Recently, Zambia had to negotiate with In 2014 the then opposition  ridi-
all its external lenders, including bilateral culed the idea of a forum. But platforms
and commercial creditors, as a pre-condi- like this can be valuable for generating new
tion for accessing IMF funding. The pro- ideas for economic reforms. It will also en-
cess lasted almost two years. sure stakeholder buy-in of any proposed
reform programmes.
Ghana needs to address its current crisis
by tackling two issues. Lastly, the government must be trans-
parent in its dealings with Ghanaians and
Firstly, the restructuring of its debt. the IMF. All data must be fully and trans-
Here a good option would be to restruc- parently disclosed, especially the indebted-
ture its external debt as well as some limit- ness or exposure of the state-owned enter-
ed domestic debt restructuring. prises and other parastatals.

And secondly, it needs urgently to take — The Conversation.
six steps on the domestic front to get its *About the writer: Theophilus Ache-
financial house in order. This includes put- ampong is an associate lecturer at the
ting an end to  profligacy  in government University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

AFRICAN CLIMATE JUSTICE COLLECTIVE What African governments Global South. All parties must commit to
must fight for at COP27 exclude waste-to-energy incineration from
African delegations must demand loss and climate plans. Governments must stop
damage reparations, that fossil fuels stay in community struggles. zero”, and geoengineering. supported as alternatives to the industri- petrochemical expansion, reduce plastic
the ground, and that false solutions are aban- At the same time, however, we are ex- Against this backdrop, we are calling on alist food system. Governments should production, and phase-out single-use plas-
doned.  increase national budget allocations to ag- tic and packaging. They must invest waste
Climate change  remains Africa’s biggest periencing a stronger push towards the our African Delegation to push for the fol- riculture and protect local seeds and seed reduction measures and zero waste circu-
“existential challenge” and we are already entrenchment of dirty energy colonialism. lowing outcomes at at COP27, on 6-18 systems, guided by the principle of Free, lar economy systems. Polluting companies
experiencing its effects. Fossil fuel operations are expanding in November: Prior and Informed (and Continuous) should be made accountable for plastic
South Africa; oil and gas is being explored Consent by small-scale food producers pollution and their enormous contribu-
Cyclone Batsirai displaced 150 000 in Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast; offshore Climate financing should be increased and consumers. tion to global warming in line with the
people in Madagascar this February, com- reserves are being further exploited in Ni- to meet the set targets. It should be in the “producer pays” principle.
pounding the effects of the country’s worst geria and Mozambique to mention just form of grants and without debt. It should Rich countries must end their climate
drought in 40 years. The “Durban Rain a few examples. Furthermore, the war be targeted towards the most vulnerable hypocrisy, and false solutions  should be In line with the UN declarations on
Bomb” in April caused flooding across in Ukraine has recently prompted a new communities at the frontline of the cli- abandoned, including “net zero”, failed the Rights of Peasants and Indigenous
KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, destroy- push for extractivism. Countries in the mate crisis in Africa including rural wom- emissions trading and offsetting mecha- People’s Rights, COP27 must respect and
ing thousands of homes. Dust storms Global North are encouraging investment en food producers. nisms, and techno fixes such as geo-engi- uphold the rights of people in the face of
are wreaking  havoc  in the Sahel region. in fossil fuels in Africa – where US$400 neering and genetic modification. Nuclear climate injustice. National legal frame-
And millions are at risk of starvation in billion worth of new natural gas projects Clear commitments should be made energy, big dams, and “Green” and “Blue” works should be revised to reflect this and
the Horn of Africa following four years are underway – while simultaneously giv- on loss and damage reparations. We must Economy models must be called out as strengthen women’s rights and protection
of  failed rains. Climate breakdown has ing lip service to the idea of phasing down ensure the historical polluter pays. Large scams and abolished. from violence. We stand in solidarity with
also undermined food security for hun- oil and gas. polluters owe a huge climate debt that Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, Oka-
dreds of millions of people and fuelled must be honoured and paid to oppressed Governments and financiers must vango in Namibia, and all communities
violent conflict. Growing evidence shows that this ex- indigenous and other communities in Af- commit to  leave fossil fuels in the and territories affected by conflicts and
ploitation will not bring long-term bene- rica and the Global South according to ground and stop all new exploration. Our resource wars, as well as all those affected
Challenges related to climate change fits to the continent. The only winners will how the climate crisis is impacting them. governments should redirect existing re- by the East African Crude Oil Pipeline
are being faced around the world, of be rich countries and transnational cor- The Global North must fairly and justly serves to phasing out fossil fuels and com- (EACOP) and the West African Gas Pipe-
course, including in the form of unprec- porations looking to make huge profits. compensate for the loss and damage expe- mit to a just energy transition. line (WAGP). Actions that perpetuate in-
edented heatwaves, floods, and droughts. These oil and gas companies are planning rienced by those who are most vulnerable justice, further exploitation of natural re-
But in the Global South, these effects are 195 gigantic oil projects around the world and least responsible for the destruction We must focus on  transforming  our sources, and displace communities in the
being experienced amid low capacity for that will produce 646 gigatons of border- of their environments. There is a need to energy system. Ideas like energy suffi- false name of the climate must make way
climate adaptation. In Africa, the large- less CO2 emissions that will impact us all move from an open-ended negotiating ciency for all, energy sovereignty, energy for an equitable and just transition in en-
scale plunder of natural resources to meet and drive us past internationally agreed platform on loss and damage to an emer- democracy, energy as a common good, ergy, agriculture and mining. A new Africa
the overconsumption of elites has resulted temperature limits. While these “carbon gency facility with accountability frame- 100% renewable energy for all, and com- is possible. We need climate justice now.
in increased poverty. Industrial agriculture, bombs” are being pursued, countries and works. munity-owned renewable energy can help
forestry, and fishing have pushed ecologi- corporations in the Global North are also us urgently transition to a way of living — African Arguments.
cal systems to the brink of destruction and pushing false solutions such as carbon Peasant agroecology and other sustain- that is just and in harmony with nature. *About the writer: The Africa Climate
undermined local development. markets, carbon offsetting, the idea of “net able food production and distribution Justice Collective (ACJC) is a grouping
models grounded in  food sovereign- The Global North must stop its waste of African civil society organisations,
The upcoming COP27 summit has ty  should be recognised, respected and colonialism  of dumping waste in the movements of women, peasant commu-
added focus on Africa’s climate vulnerabil- nities, African citizens and more, that is
ity as well as the Global North’s non-com- fighting for climate justice and stand-
mitment on its UNFCCC pledges. The ing in solidarity with the people of the
“just transition” narrative is finally being world, especially those in the front lines
recognised by governments after years of of the impacts of the climate crisis.

Page 38 World News NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

JOSEF JOFFE Putin’s crazy game sia’s best and brightest have report-
edly absconded, rather than fight in
HARDLY a day goes by without missile silos would open their pro- rationality.” The great strategist and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine, since Putin launched his
Russian President Vladimir Putin tective covers. Angst would squelch Nobel laureate Thomas Schelling Gurulev,  outdid him  on state TV. “partial mobilisation” of the armed
waving his nuclear bludgeon to cow caution. Just a slight miscalculation (I was a student of his at Harvard) “We should not nuke Ukraine, be- forces; a similar number fled Russia
Ukraine and the West. Is he crazy? or miscommunication could set off a came up with a compelling example. cause we still need to live there,” he after the invasion began on February
Maybe, because launching such strategic exchange. If you start a little explained, but should instead target 24.
weapons would break a  77-year- war, be ready for the Big One. Assume someone shows up on the real “decision centres,” that is,
old nuclear taboo. your porch and calmly says: “Give Berlin and, above all, London. “We US President Joe Biden has issued
Putin’s general staff should have me US$20 or I’ll blow my brains could turn Britain into a Martian his own, but appropriately unspecif-
Ever since the United States studied American war games. One out.” wasteland in three minutes.” ic, threats in this test of wills. The US
dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshi- at Princeton University  simulated a is acting rationally in the true mean-
ma and Nagasaki, the unthinkable US-Russian exchange. It began with You probably would not be im- “Though this be madness, yet ing of the word, imposing sanctions
has been kept in check through some tactical nukes and ended in all-out pressed and offer him some soothing there is method in it,”  mused  Po- on Russia and providing support to
200 conventional wars — even where strategic war. The toll? Ninety mil- hot milk. Now assume he returns, lonius. Make-believe lunacy, also Ukraine, but not intervening direct-
nuclear powers were involved on one lion dead and wounded within the bug-eyed and foaming at the mouth. known as “psy-war,” promises to be ly, which could trigger all-out war.
side or the other. Only once did the first several hours. Climb one rung of Wouldn’t you rather give him the a winner, just as it was for the man Biden has dispatched US$17 billion
Soviet Union and the US come close the escalation ladder, and you quick- cash instead of having to repaint the on Schelling’s porch. Pretend to lose in military and financial aid, and
to the edge of the abyss — exactly 60 ly end up at the top. porch and spend hours with the po- control, and you frighten your target more is in the pipeline. The US also
years ago  during the Cuban Missile lice? into submission. provides precious space-based and
Crisis. Why did they pull back, and Is Putin  demented, as long-dis- battlefield  intelligence  that enables
what are the lessons for our time? tance psychiatrists in the media are Putin may simulate insanity, but To talk like a madman is the real the Ukrainians to score one tactical
surmising? Let’s not play Dr Freud, it is “rational” brinkmanship. If game; to execute the threat is not surprise after another.
Recall how, in 1914, the great but put our money on the “Madman he can intimidate Ukraine and the credible in a  world of 13 000 nu-
powers stumbled into World War Theory” of international politics, West, he will do a lot better than his clear weapons, where Russia, too, The US has  delivered  high-pre-
I. Then imagine that kaisers, czars, also known as the “rationality of ir- failing army. On 18 September, his would become a “Martian waste- cision HIMARS multiple-rocket
and kings could have looked into henchman, Duma member Andrey land.” Meanwhile, 300 000 of Rus- launchers. Yet their rockets’ range is
a crystal ball and seen the world of only 85 kilometres. The US has ruled
1918. Twenty million  died, along out  the longer-range Army Tactical
with four great empires: Germany, Missile System, because it could hit
Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the targets 300 kilometres away inside
Ottoman. In Russia, Bolshevism Russian territory, as well as  Abrams
won, and Fascism would soon follow tanks and combat jets that can attack
throughout Europe. Only British as well as defend. While Putin mim-
foreign secretary Edward Grey had it ics madness, Biden wants to avoid es-
right in 1914: “The lamps are going calation. But the mere prospect that
out all over Europe, we shall not see Biden could reverse that decision is
them lit again in our lifetime.” a high-value bargaining chip that
should give Putin pause.
Today, with a Russo-Ameri-
can nuclear arsenal of 12 000 weap- The West also has legitimacy
ons, Putin needs no crystal ball. He on its side. In Ukraine, the West is
may think that a “little” tactical de- trying not only to save an innocent
vice will not bring on Armageddon. country’s sovereignty, but to pre-
But maybe his generals did not dare serve one of the most precious gifts
tell him what tactical nukes can do. of the postwar era: a European order
The best  assessment  is by then-US no longer based on conquest. It is
secretary of defence James Mattis in the longest great-power peace in the
2018: “I do not think there is any continent’s blood-drenched history.
such thing as a tactical nuclear weap- Such high stakes underpin stamina,
on. Any nuclear weapon used any will, and credibility, despite skyrock-
time is a strategic game changer.” eting energy prices. Even the most
détente-minded Europeans would
Sergei Shoigu, Putin’s defence not want Russian armies ensconced
minister, now  sidelined  because of on the Polish-Ukrainian border, let
Russia’s military failures in Ukraine, alone see the Baltics gobbled up by
should tutor his boss. The explosive Russia. That is rational, not off the
power of tactical weapons ranges wall.
from  0.3 to 170 kilotons of TNT.
The Hiroshima bomb was only  15 Putin is clearly playing the mad-
kilotons and claimed the lives of 90 man. Crazy, though, is not the same
000 people. as stupid. He struts and threatens,
but this imperialist needs no crystal
What would happen if Putin did ball to peer into the future. In a nu-
drop a “little” bomb? The US could clearised world, those who shoot first
not know whether this was just a die second.
one-off attack. It would put its stra-
tegic forces on DEFCON 2 or even — Project Syndicate.
the highest level, DEFCON 1, ap-
propriately called “cocked pistol”. *About the writer: Josef Joffe
teaches international politics at the
Britain and France would do so as Johns Hopkins School of Interna-
well — and so would the Russians. tional Studies.

Bombers would take to the air;

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 39 Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Tocky Vibes

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA He is changing genres, but
fans still vibe to old Tocky
MOST people fear change, or resist
change. Tocky Aenda neNyika and Usakande During those days, Tuku released Frankly speaking, who remembers ment, they should also be aware that
Mapfumo Pasi on the popular Body two albums which were wholly acous- any song from the album Chicken at times experiments are highly risky.
It appears being comfortable with Slam riddim. tic – Rudaviro and Dairai – which and Chama?
the status quo is one of the defining were some of his firm favourites. And the solution to this is that
human traits. These are some of the all-time hits Already, this should tell Tocky Tocky Vibes should start performing
that put Tocky Vibes — real name Oddly enough, there was an out- Vibes something about his new the new songs first then up the tempo
For a lot of people, while change Obey Makamure — in the spotlight. cry during live shows at the Andy sound, especially when performing to using the old hits which are popular
is good, they rather it comes gradual- Millar Hall, with fans insisting that a live audience. with fans.
ly, not drastically. It applies in nearly However, through Tocky's interac- Tuku should go back to the old Black
every sphere of life, and music is no tions with the late legendary Oliver Spirits. Most people would stand still That way, he will be able to bring
exception. Mtukudzi, who singled out Tocky as whenever Tocky Vibes played the together earth, wind and fire on stage.
his favourite artiste, the Chamaku- That decision to go acoustic was latest hits from Chamakuvangu to
Imagine waking up one day to find vangu hitmaker found inspiration. met with resistance from the fans Chicken and Chama. But mixing the old and the new
that Alick Macheso is now perform- — the same as what is happening to songs is not working because the
ing mbira or reggae music? It will be Since meeting Tuku, Tocky Vibes Tocky Vibes during live shows. Once he played Zimdancehall crowd goes ecstatic one moment and
some kind of nightmare to sungura has since changed his sound from songs, the crowd went wild. the next they are just going through
fanatics! Zimdancehall to contemporary beat. Fans enjoy more when he performs the motions of watching Tocky Vibes
Zimdancehall classics than when he And it was easy to see why; many do his thing.
Those who attended Chibuku Tuku himself once experimented plays the more contemporary songs of his fans love Zimdancehall and
Road To Fame last weekend at the with an acoustic band when he re-in- like Tushiri, Chamakuvangu, or the they prefer the old sound to any of There is no doubt Tocky Vibes is
Glamis Arena would have noticed troduced marimba and mbira to the latest Chicken and Chama. his latest releases. a talented lyricist and songwriter, but
how Tocky Vibes has changed his Black Spirits. he needs to put his act together!
sound, for good or bad. While artistes are free to experi-

But judging from the responses
from the crowd, it appears fans still
love the Tocky Vibes of old.

The old Tocky Vibes is the one
who used to sing Zimdancehall.

He is the one who used to pen such
thought-provoking songs as Mhai,

Page 40 Poetry Corner NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

Title: Untitled The city streets were awash with the tides of Home of one
Poets: Rutendo Mugadza, Michelle Makoni, misery Of our collaborators,
Ruvimbo Jeche, Tashinga R Ndindana, Raining on the pavements from as far afield as With an amputated hand.
beyond imagination Permanently,
Filled with regret, it is my bitter drink Crowds and hordes who horded hatred Disabled.
Remorse on my plate as my daily morsel Waiting for the day and time of reckoning By auger bites of the war.
Watching the golden ball from east to west The songs they sang were not designed to Adjacent the Bvumbura mountains
I like the thinking man, thoughts running riot sooth any soul Are the remains.
Immobile and still when will I be free Neither were they renditions of happy times Of a flying machine.
Drifting away farther than emotions could sail ahead Haggard, defunct
Dream big, sleep evaded us Dirges mourning the demise of peace And corroded,
Lead us not into....halt! Slow sounding ditties about sorrow and shame By the passage of time.
This cup was rejected in the desert The pen scribbled on I recall of resonance
But it has become my lifeline Detached from the mind Of drumbeats
What shall I be Who was mindful about the keg that was boiling At pungwes.
when winter wanes to summer? The piece came out like a piece of scrambled The black charcoals,
And when the night shall blossom a star, egg The mountains of whitey ashes,
What song shall my weary soul sing? From the pen of a madman on the prowl That denied to get
When my thoughts, my dreams and all fears From "The Book A Hermit Penned" Washed away by years
Speed past my brazen mind Which slithered past.
And with sorrow I dance as if it were my part- .*****************************************************
ner, .************************************************
What shall I be? Title: Old People.
Gone with the wind, a reed in a dry river Poet: Lovejoy Pedzisai JASI (JAH SEE) Title: Eclectic Hymns
When we sailed I left hope at the shore Poet: Sheikh Al Dirani
Forgot smiles at that little inn Old people,
and pure joy in the bathroom mirror. Are store houses, He who builds a bower
Endless times I interrogate myself to nothing- Cesspits, With the noxious weed of lies
ness; Bleak is dawn no sunrise Treasure, Will meet dreadful distrust in every room.
What shall I be? Citadel, He to whom forgiveness was begged
My mind a forgotten shipwreck sinking in sand Of useful ideas. But never found it in his heart to forgive
My rusted thoughts eating me away Old people, Will have tear sodden faces peep at him
Blurred flashbacks of the face I saw in the mir- Are a fount, During his hours of sleep.
ror Of wisdom, He who cheats a daughter of innocence in
Haunt me with a siren whistle of happiness Of life's experience love
But my feet, heavy in sand can’t move an inch By care. Will forever be haunted by that love he’s
towards it Though they feign forsaken.
I’ve been trapped for so long in these waters! Asleep, He who tramples rough shod
Rain comes again, In the abysmal pit, On the feelings of tender children
Drenched in my pain again. Of damnation slumber! Will all his life be looking over his shoulder.
Summer comes and passes, Reminiscent He who judges unjustly oppressing the guilt-
The innocent not lasting. Beyond those hills, less
Time may heal it and the sun may shine again I see some dilapidated Who come seeking justice
But happiest times start before pain. Buildings... Will sit in a throne of thorns all his life.
Attachments area At an old township. For blow for blow this karma must fight back
By the name Cherechere. on all ills
***************************************************** In the sacred caves Righting all wrongs, accounting for each
Of Chigweshe valleys, oblivious sin
Title: Off Crowded Pavements! Are the dry bones, For each tear drop shed, exacting a justice.
Poet: Obey Chiyangwa Of the fallen heroes,
Some freedom fighters ***********************************************
I wrote this piece far afield of peace Of Chimurenga wars.
Sitting on the crumbling ashes of a burnt out The fallen heroes.
mind The guerillas,
Dust was swirling hard and strong Who liberated Zimbabwe
Above the wicked machinations of engineered From the colonial
chaos Bondage!
Choking sore throats that wanted to chant a At the heart of the village,
protest There stood a filthy
Sunrise was never a time for joy
Nor the light that brought forth beams of peace

NewsHawks People & Places Page 41

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

It's that time of the year.....Blooming Jacaranda trees in the Africa Unity Square in Harare give a purple patch to the environment.

Page 42 State of the culture NewsHawks

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

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NewsHawks Sport Page 43

Issue 102, 14 October 2022

THE three African countries at SA guns for first World Cup,
cricket’s T20 World Cup in Aus- Zim aims to continue revival
tralia starting this weekend have
different objectives. two World Cups in both white- mance, with the core of the team’s the rankings. These three games Temba Bavuma.
ball formats, due to a suspen- best players prematurely quitting that we are playing (in the group
For the continent’s number one sion by the International Cricket at the height of the commotion stages) are games we should win, cessful sporting cousin of rugby in
team, South Africa, the mission is Council (ICC), the Zimbabweans post 2004. so let's go out there and play our Namibia, with such African coun-
clear. The Proteas, once again, will are back at the top table of world best cricket." tries as the East Africans Kenya
be gunning for their first major cricket. But with the groundwork that and Uganda having had the upper
silverware in cricket. had been done to spread the game Houghton, though a hard-to- hand over the years.
Their return coincides with a throughout the country, crick- please coach as he is, isn’t getting
Since South Africa’s re-admis- dramatic turnaround in fortune et remained part and parcel of carried away with his team’s recent But the Namibians are grad-
sion into international sports fol- for the Chevrons, who have been the Zimbabwean sporting fabric. form. ually coming into their own in
lowing the fall of apartheid in the on a roller-coaster ride over the Cricket had deepened its roots in cricket, too, and in large part due
early '90s, the Rainbow Nation past four months following the Zimbabwe and in spite of every- "It's unrealistic to think we're to their sporting ties with South
has since gone on to win three re-appointment of former Zimba- thing, it was never going to die. going to go on and win this World Africa.
World Cup titles in one of the bwe Test captain Dave Houghton Cup," he said.
country’s major sporting codes, for a second tenure in charge of "We have probably got more At the 2021 competition in the
rugby. his home country’s national team. talent now than we had going "But the great fun about being UAE, Namibia’s debut in any of
back 10-15 years or 20 years when in these World Cups is the ability the World Cup formats, the Ea-
But in cricket, which has a sim- So for the Zimbabweans, the reached our peak around the 1999 to upset some of the big dogs." gles announced their arrival as a
ilar background with rugby in the goal at the T20 World Cup is to World Cup," coach Houghton force to reckon with by handing
country, South Africa has not won prove that their progress over the told BBC Sports Africa this week Zimbabwe, who are captained out a few shocking defeats that se-
a World Cup trophy in any of the past four months hasn’t been a from Australia. by batsman Craig Ervine, open cured them a historic place in the
two short formats of the game, fluke. their campaign against Ireland on Super 12.
earning the Proteas the unwanted "It's an absolute privilege to be Monday. And what of Namibia,
“chokers” tag. Zimbabwe used to have a team here and you just hope we do our- who open their account against Namibia Cricket chief execu-
that constantly challenged the selves justice on the big stage. Sri Lanka on Sunday? tive Johan Muller said the Eagles’
The Proteas are consistently best teams in the world, from the 2021 performance was “a signifi-
among the favourites at both the early 1980s to around the turn of "We know what we've got to do They are better known for their cant impact on interest, exposure
main World Cup – the 50-over the millennium. But boardroom - we're here to qualify for the main rugby, having dominated Africa’s and the growth for the game in
version – and the T20 event. But squabbles and power struggles groups. That pressure was on us single qualification spot for the Namibia.”
on all these occasions, they have negatively impacted on perfor- before we left home, even without Rugby World Cup since the 1999
never gone past the semi-final the knowledge of where we are in edition, to this day. A repeat of 2021 will sure have
stage. that desired impact in the Land of
Cricket has been the less suc- the Brave. — This Is Africa.
For a successful sporting nation
on the continent, cricket’s record
is not a reflection of what South
Africa is, and it definitely some-
thing the Proteas will be trying
to correct Down Under in this
World Cup.

South Africa, just like in the
last T20 World Cup in the Unit-
ed Arab Emirates in 2021, will be
captained by Temba Bavuma, the
country’s first black cricket cap-
tain.

However, unlike previous
World Cups, there isn’t much
hype surrounding South Africa
heading to the tournament, chief-
ly due to unsatisfactory team and
players’ form.

“Proteas teams of the past have
always been well prepared and
among the favourites at World
Cups, and not achieved much,
so maybe on this occasion, with a
few players out of touch and oth-
ers nursing infections, and with
few giving them a chance to do
anything, they’ll surprise us all,”
recently wrote Jacques van der
Westhuyzen, Head of Sport at
South African publication, The
Citizen.

South Africa, because of supe-
rior rankings, is one of the teams
enjoying a “bye” in the early stag-
es of the tournament in Australia.
The World Cup officially begins
this Saturday, but for the Proteas,
it will start at the Super 12 stage on
24 October. Their opponents for
that match are yet to be known,
but it could well be neighbours
Zimbabwe, if the Chevrons finish
on top in their preliminary round
pool, Group B. A big Southern
African derby at the World Cup it
will be!

After South Africa, Zimbabwe
is the second strongest crick-
et-playing nation in Africa.

Having missed out on the last

Sports Some casualties
Punished for calling in World Cup
himself ‘Beast’, but squad, it can’t be
now tracing his business as usual
Thursday 1 hOcetorboer’s202f0ootsteps

Friday 14 October 2022 @NewsHawksLive TheNewsHawks www.thenewshawks.com

WHAT’S INSIDE NEWS CULTURE

Community
radio
regulations
‘Super 12 will put Zim$60Covid
tariff for
visitors &
tourists under review

Story on Page 8
dred in the country’s first Test match,
ENOCK MUCHINJO back oCnhthaemmisaapr’ eacStoryonPage 3

A FORMER top official of Zimbabwe out against India (in 1992). He is a good
Cricket (ZC), Nick Chouhan, is back- to Khupemotivator in making players believe
ing the Chevrons to continue their re- in themselves. I played with Dave at
surgence and leave a mark at the forth- Old Hararians and as an administra-
coming T20 World Cup in Australia. tor I toured with him. He is a very
Zimbabwe open their campaign good person to have in the team. He
against Ireland in Hobart on Monday is very simple in his ways, but he has
in Group B of the first round, on the a very good eye for picking talent
African side’s return to the big stage af- Unofficial president calls for emergeand making sure the right players are
ter missing out on the last two World playing. His man management is very
Cups of both white-ball formats. good. He knows how to talk to peo-
“This team has good balance, it has ple and get the best out of them. He
good openers, a strong middle order, has coached overseas for years and he
as well as good spinners and seamers,” brings back home that experience.”
Chouhan, a former ZC development It has been a positive turnaround
director, told The NewsHawks. indeed for Zimbabwe from a tough
“Look at the warm-up game against last five years in which the game in
the country went on a nightmare of
Sri Lanka (on Tuesday); 11 people a phase, which included an interna-
bowled, so there is good back-up. But tional suspension by the game’s global
we have to be careful of the bouncy
wickets in Australia, even the sub-con- governing body, the ICC.
tinent teams like India and others have Things are starting to look up again,
to adjust to the bouncy and fast wick- but there is some concern though,
beyond the World Cup, over the fu-
ets.” ture of the Zimbabwe team. The core
The Chevrons will also face Scot- group of the current team is aged be-
land and West Indies in the pool, with tween early to mid-30s, which might
the top two sides progressing to the
Super 12 stage. Eight of the countries hint at retirement for some of the play-
in the 16-team tournament have au- ers over the next few seasons.
tomatically qualified for the Super 12 Chouhan, however, allayed fears
due to superior rankings, so have a bye of a talent drain, remarking that the
younger players are gradually gaining
in the first round. the experience to eventually fill the
Chouhan stressed the importance void smoothly.
of Zimbabwe securing a Super 12
berth, adding that the country should “The older players will nurture the
in the future improve its rankings to youngsters, hopefully, and leave a leg-
avoid the pressure of having to qualify acy to say if they can do it, so can we,”
from the preliminaries. HAPPY TEAM: Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton and senior bowler Tendai Chatara enjoy a light moment during practice in said Chouhan.
Hobart on Thursday. Pic: Gerry Images/ICC
“Going all the way to the Super 12 “Remember, there are two good
will put Zimbabwe back on the map,” key players perform. We have beaten There is talent in that squad.” has given them freedom: ‘I don’t care players who were not selected for this
commented the veteran administrator. World Cup, (Innocent) Kaia and (Ta-
“We shouldn’t be struggling to qualify Ireland before, we have beaten Scot- Coach Dave Houghton’s philos- how you get out, but play without diwanashe) Marumani. There will be
and all that. We are capable of being in land before. On their day, the Zim- ophy of fearless and basic cricket has fear’”. positions for them in future. We do
the top 10 in all formats.” babwe team can beat the West Indies been a key component of the team’s The hugely respected club cricket have talent and we need to nurture it.
provided everyone chips in. The key revival since the former Zimbabwe stalwart and ex-national administra- In cricket, bear in mind, one can play
A commonly held view, also shared players are (Sikandar) Raza, Sean Wil- batting kingpin and first Test captain tor, who also had a spell as a sports until the age of 40.
by Chouhan, is that Zimbabwe should liams, (Craig) Ervine the captain, (Re- took over the reins in June. broadcaster in the 1980s to early '90s, Look at (England fast bowler) Jim-
target Ireland and Scotland, and then gis) Chakabva with his experience. I ALpSroCOahchoIuNwhSialnlIDbebEeclireuvceisaFlitnfhoaer ntshcaemeaeMttaaiinnp--istyphwrisaiaisppedpeotshineotmiumetpn$atc3itn.o2JfuBHnieollufiogorhntaodnseecsiopnncodesitomwreysll fAunnddersson, whZoimis 'stillal tbeoswtlilnagnd c
play with freedom to possibly upset hope he (Chakabva) doesn’t open, be-
two-time T20 world champions West cause he has done better in the middle. ment of team goals in the World Cup. tenure in charge of Zimbabwe. at 38, 39 (Anderson turned 40 in
July). Most players know when they
Indies. Ryan Burl is used as a finisher, he can “We have to play our game, don’t “The last five months have seen an have had enough. Their bodies will tell
“We have to win the games against clear the boundary, and Brad Evans be complacent,” he said. “Take catch- upsurge, the players have built con- them.”
Ireland and Scotland, winning against is a good all-rounder to have. In the es, field strongly, bowl line and length, fidence, because they are now being
the West Indies will be a tall order, but bowling unit, we have Blessing (Mu- and the batters must bat to their po- mentored properly,” Chouhan said. After Monday’s clash with the Irish,
a morale booster,” he said. zarabani), (Tendai) Chatara and even tential. If we play well, we will pull out “Dave is a good cricketer himself, Zimbabwe will take on the West In-
dies on Wednesday and then Scotland
“But it can be done, provided the (Richard) Ngarava – all good bowlers. a surprise here and there. Houghton he leads by example. He scored a hun- on Friday.

ALSO INSIDE SA guns for first World Cup, Zim aims to continue revival