NewsHawks 9 September 2022

WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 9 September 2022 NBaErWd SSantner Price
clinches Tetrad
CNEorWruSption-hit managed clients US$1
Cottco in fresh portfolio deal
ZW$2.5bn ‘SSPoOmReTthing
scandal Story on Page 11 special is
happening
Story on Page 3 across the bridge’

Story on Page 52

Mysterious AK-47
assault rifles were
smuggled for Zim
Presidential Guard

ALSO INSIDE Delta faces Parly grilling over beer levy

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Mysterious AK-47 assault rifles were
smuggled for Zim Presidential Guard

OWEN GAGARE

THE deepening mystery behind the recent The smuggled arms currently stirring controversy in the counrty were ordered for the Presidential Guard to bolster President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s (second from
botched smuggling of AK-47 assault rifles and left) security.
scores of ammunition magazines through Beit-
bridge border post – now playing out in the courts The sources say when Mabhena was nabbed in pain of telling his wife Amanda, who gave birth to sell arms to Zimbabwe like Canada and Australia.
– has been unravelled as it emerged the guns were Beitbridge, he then reached out to ZDI general their fourth child while he was incarcerated, that The targeted sanctions were imposed on Mug-
ordered from the Zimbabwe National Army manager Hope Goliath Mutize – not Mutizwa/ he believed he would never be freed.
(ZNA) for the Presidential Guard, an elite unit Mtizwa as the media has been wrongly reporting abe’s regime at the height of his authoritarian re-
responsible for protecting the President. – for rescue. He is Mutize. Mutize, now entangled in the current arms pression, electoral theft and human rights abuses,
smuggling saga, was involved in that story through including violent attacks, killings and terror.
The brigade is organised into two units located Mutize then instructed Matambo to write a let- ZDI arms supplies, working with Dube. At the
in Harare: 1 Presidential Guard Battalion based at ter to Zimra to allow Mabhena to leave with the time, Mutize was ZDI group marketing manager. An arms embargo is an instrument of coercive
State House and 2 Presidential Guard Battalion smuggled guns, but the police and other security diplomacy that seeks to prevent transfer of arms
at Dzivaresekwa Barracks. Its headquarters is in agencies refused. This led to a face-off, their even- Mugabe subsequently became Obiang’s close and military-related material to a specific state or
Dzivaresekwa and it is led by Brigadier-General tual arrest and the ongoing court case.  friend and received lots of money for that. Obi- armed group. They are typically imposed on states
Fidelis Mhonda. ang, who went to Singapore when Mugabe died or rebel groups that pose a significant threat to re-
The letter from ZDI to Zimra has now become there in 2019, also funded the late Zimbabwean gional or international peace and security.
One of those arrested for gun-running is Group a major subject of court inquiry. strongman’s activities.
Captain Leonard Matambo, an Air Force of Zim- Arms embargoes are based on the assumption
babwe senior commissioned officer who works Mutize, while working with the then ZDI boss While one source said the order for the arms that the transfer of arms and military-related ma-
for the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI). He retired Colonel Tshinga Dube, was involved in bought by Mabhena originated from the ZNA terial into an area characterised by high levels of
was arraigned on 29 August for allegedly trying the controversial sale of arms to South African GS Branch led by Chief-of-Staff (General Staff) political tension, aggression and violence would
to facilitate the smuggling into the country of mercenaries led by Simon Mann, a British Sand- Major-General Kasirai Tazira, insiders say the have a destabilising effect.
the weapons by a former military medical doctor, hurst-trained former Special Air Services (SAS) of- department does not handle procurement. ZNA
Gugulethu Mabhena. The two were arrested and ficer, jailed for plotting Equatorial Guinea leader procurement is under Quartermaster Staff (QS) The measures are also a message of disapproval
charged with conspiring to smuggle 31 AK-47 ri- Teodoro Obiang’s overthrow in a coup in 2004. Branch under Chief-of-Staff Major-General and a tool for punitive action used to reduce inci-
fles and 62 magazines. In military terms, the guns Hlanganani Dube. dents of human rights abuses, politically motivat-
are enough to serve a platoon. The late former Zimbabwean president Robert ed murders and the intensity of the violence.
Mugabe, working with South African authorities, The ZNA is commanded by Lieutenant-Gen-
Military sources say the arms were brought for thwarted the coup, leading to the arrest of Mann eral David Sigauke, a three-star General, who is After some court battles, Harare regional mag-
the Presidential Guard, but Mabhena botched the and his co-conspirators in Harare and Malabo, deputised by Tazira, Dube and Emmanuel Mata- istrate Stanford Mambanje ruled on Wednesday
deal. Equatorial Guinea’s capital.  tu, all major-generals. that the matter should be heard in camera.

“The order for the gun consignment was gen- While in prison, Mann wrote a book about the Sigauke, Tazira, Dube and Matatu constitute Matambo’s lawyers had applied to have the
erated from the General Staff (GS) Branch of botched coup titled Cry Havoc.  the ZNA command element. Below them are five matter heard in camera as he filed his bail bid. 
the ZNA for the Presidential Guard to bolster staff branches: General Staff, Training, Adminis-
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s security, espe- Mann's remarkable first-hand account of his life tration, Quartermaster and Inspectorate. Apparently when Mutize arrived in court to tes-
cially going to the potentially explosive elections reads like a thriller, taking readers into the world tify in camera on Thursday, he was picked up by
next year. It was given to a middleman who then of mercenaries and spooks, of murky international While the precise source of the order for the the police. The magistrate had said the case was
looked for an arms dealer, in this case Mabhena, politics, big oil and big bucks, action, danger, love, purchase of the arms remains unclear, insiders say of public interest and he needed more time to ap-
in Johannesburg. Mabhena is originally from Bu- despair, and betrayal. under Mutize’s orders Matambo conspired with ply his mind before making a determination as to
lawayo, but was in the ZNA as a medical doctor Mabhena to smuggle into the country the con- whether the case should be held in open court or
before he resigned and left the country,” the source On 7 March 2004, the former Special Air Ser- signment of 31 AK-47 automatic firearms and 62 in camera.
said. vices (SAS) soldier and mercenary and his troops magazines from South Africa.
prepared to take off from Manyame Air Base, near Matambo is being charged with conspiracy
“While in Johannesburg, Mabhena went into Harare International Airport (now Robert Gabriel Acting on a tip-off, security agencies on 29 Au- to smuggle and conspiracy to possess dangerous
private medical practice. At the same time he be- Mugabe International Airport).  gust found Mabhena in possession of 31 AK-47 weapons. There is an alternative charge of violat-
came an arms dealer supplying the Zimbabwean rifles and 62 AK-47 magazines in a white Toyota ing the Firearms Act.
military. So it’s not the first time he was smuggling His destination was Equatorial Guinea, with the King Cab (4JK36RL GP) at Manica Transit Shed
guns into the country. He hustles as a gun-run- intention being to remove one of the most brutal in Beitbridge. However, Matambo says the letter to Zimra for
ner.” dictators in Africa in a privately organised coup. the release of Mabhena’s consignment was writ-
The plot had the tacit approval of Western intelli- Police say Mabhena had imported the consign- ten by Mutize. His lawyers brought a letter that
Another source said after he was given the order, gence agencies. Mann had planned, overseen, and ment without a firearms dealer’s permit.  he claims was written by Mutize confirming the
Mabhena then went to Spartan Arms Internation- won two wars in Angola and Sierra Leone. guns were being brought into the country legally,
al, which sells arms in Edenvale, Johannesburg. In terms of Zimbabwean law, there are many contrary to the state’s charges.
He reveals the full involvement in the coup plot requirements for the registration and licencing of
Spartan Arms is a top firearms and accessories of Mark Thatcher, son of the late former British firearms, as well as getting permits. Prosecutor Tafara Chirambira opposed submis-
supplier in South Africa that deals with the public prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the endorse- sion of the letter to court, saying it should be ten-
as well as wholesale bulk buyers. It started in part- ment of a former prime minister, and the financial After moving to South Africa, Mabhena had dered by its author – Mutize – who should also be
nership by Demis and Terry Spartan. Demis, who involvement of two internationally famous mem- ventured into the business of supplying arms called to testify in person.
is an advanced level firearm instructor, has over 10 bers of the House of Lords.  mainly to the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF),
years of experience in the firearms trading and am- which largely uses underground networks to buy As a result, Chirambira opposed bail, saying
munition manufacturing industry. He discusses how the British government ap- weapons as a sanctions-busting measure since it Matambo poses a security threat to the state if re-
proached him in the months preceding the Iraq is under a European Union, British and United leased on bail. But The NewsHawks understands
“So Mabhena then bought the guns and decid- War to suggest ways in which a justified invasion States arms embargo. the arms were ordered for the Presidential Guard
ed to smuggle them through Beitbridge to hide of Iraq could be engineered. He also describes the to bolster Mnangagwa’s security, although no one
their point of origin and destination. Some cover There are other Western nations which do not now wants to touch the smuggled guns.
of a safari operator was used.

However, his operation was clumsy even
though he has experience.

“Firstly, they bought a wrong model of guns.
So the ZNA refused to accept them as that would
raise security, financial and accountability issues.
No one wanted to touch the guns.

“Secondly, when those who placed the order
complained the guns were the wrong ones, Mab-
hena couldn’t take them back; so he decided to
take them to ZDI [Zimbabwe Defence Indus-
tries] as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zim-
ra) and later police closed in on him. Intelligence
services were also involved in nailing Mabhena.
This was partly because of inter-security agency
rivalries and grudges.

“Some police officers were previously exposed
by the army for allegedly smuggling guns for
poaching activities and dealt with harshly by the
Joint Operations Command, which brings to-
gether police, army and intelligence service chiefs.
So some in the police force feel that army officers
also smuggling guns must be exposed since they
like exposing others. The situation is exacerbated
by latent tensions and rivalries between the army,
police and intelligence security services.”

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Corruption-hit Cottco in
fresh ZW$2.5bn scandal
THE Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco),
currently smarting from a US$5.8 million cor- Gokwe-Nembudziya MP
ruption storm, has come under fire from farmers Justice Mayor Wadyajena
in remote parts of Gokwe South district who say
the firm, which received ZW$2.5 billion from perceived barter trade of cotton with groceries is was unjustifiably enriched and must compensate other plans with their money except to buy food?
Treasury this year to pay for last season’s crop de- unlawful, abusive, and a serious insult to the hard- farmers. There is a clear disrespect of the payment “Whoever is involved in this conduct is unpa-
liveries, has been using groceries to settle the debts working farmers. methods and trade laws that exhibits cruelty and
instead of making cash payments. heartlessness. Remember, farmers only get paid triotic and is fighting against the gains of the lib-
“Whoever pocketed those US dollars and then once a year. Does it mean farmers did not have eration struggle and the reform programme. They
The farmers said the practice has mostly been went into shops to swipe RTGS for groceries are an enemy of Zimbabwe and dangerous.”
rampant in Makuchira village in Gokwe South as
well as other remote areas that border the district Cottco
with roads that lead to Nkayi as well as in Manoti
and Sengwa.

Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee
chairperson and Gweru Urban MP Brian Dube
said the swapping of cash for groceries was crimi-
nal abuse of office and fraudulent.

Together with Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Jus-
tice Mayor Wadyajena, Cottco managing direc-
tor Pius Manamike and other company bosses
Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Maloyi and Chied-
za Danha are out on bail waiting to be tried in a
case in which they are accused of minting money
amounting to US$5.8 million belonging to the
ailing firm.

Since the end of last year, the government dis-
bursed to Cottco a total of ZW$2.5 billion in
four tranches so that it could clear outstanding
payments of cotton delivered to its depots last
season. There were two tranches of ZW$500 mil-
lion each and then there was the third one made
in March of ZW$750 million with the balance
cleared in April.

Cottco, which was privatised in 1994, is the
largest cotton-buying company in the country
with an 80% market share. It buys mostly from
farmers in Gokwe and passes on the produce to
the government.

In peak years before the hyperinflationary
levels of between 2005 and 2009, the company
would buy as much as 80 000 tonnes of cotton
from farmers.

Farmers from remote parts of Gokwe South
who spoke to The NewsHawks said while in oth-
er areas Cottco paid cotton producers using local
currency, they were startled by being paid in gro-
ceries for their bales.

A farmer from Mukuchira village who pre-
ferred anonymity said:

“After delivering 11 bales of cotton I was sup-
posed to be paid about US$660 using their price
of US$0.30 per kg because on average my bales
weighed 200kgs. Last year we could not be paid
and we were promised that we will get the money
this season. I was shocked when I went to collect
my money last month to find out that it had been
converted to groceries like sugar, cooking oil, soap
and cereals.”

“I was told to either take it or leave it. What
pained me the most is that I discovered that prices
of these commodities had in fact been inflated to
justify the small quantities I was given,” said the
farmer.

Other farmers said the challenge with the gro-
cery payments would be their failure to prepare
for next season and meet living expenses like
school fees for their children on top of healthcare
needs.

“In short, we will not be going back to the
farms next season. We were dealt a big blow. We
won't even talk about how our children will suf-
fer,” said another farmer.

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John
Mangudya revealed on 13 June this year that for
this season’s purchase of cotton by Cottco, there
would be a new payment model which would see
farmers getting US$30 per bale in cash and the
rest in Zimdollars. In the past it was US$10 per
bale. However, investigations by The NewsHawks
revealed that farmers in Gokwe South continued
to get groceries for the value of their cotton in-
stead of the promised cash.

Victoria Mtomba, the Cottco spokesperson,
requested written questions on the matter and
these were sent to her via social media platform
WhatsApp on 7 September.

She acknowledged receipt of the questions and
promised to return responses the following morn-
ing.

On Thursday afternoon she had not responded
and did not answer calls until her mobile number
became unavailable.

Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka did not
answer calls or respond to messages.

PAC chairperson MP Dube said: “Farmers are
adults and know how to use their money. The

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Harare City Council loses US$200 million

MOSES MATENGA

PARLIAMENT has raised a red flag over Hara- Harare City Council
re City Council’s opaque billing system, saying
billions of United States dollars has over the office charges with the police or the Zimbabwe “In their own admission and that of the di- which still had no capacity to find where this
years been exposed to looting and abuse by in- Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc).” rector of finance, there could be a billion US money is.”
dividuals who manipulated tender processes for dollars that has gone missing because of the
self-gain. “They will have to answer to contempt of void created by the accounting system.” “It is all about kickbacks and they share,
Parliament in that they are undermining an in- from the US$2.5 million and are given some-
It emerged that Harare officials have been struction that can actually redeem the US$200 “A billing system is there that can reconstruct thing like US$500 000 or US$1.5 million after
manipulating tenderers for kickbacks and are million which, by the way, we have a feeling as a records of 2019. Whatever it is, it is useless. Af- engaging the contractor and it is sad.”
now failing to account for over US$200 million committee that it is a tip of the iceberg.” ter shelving the first one, they went for SAGE,
that disappeared through a suspicious billing “We need to bring it to a complete stop.”
system.

The Public Accounts Committee’s sub-com-
mittee on local authorities, chaired by Chegu-
tu West MP Dexter Nduna, had given Harare
until Friday this week to produce documenta-
tion and explain how the city lost more than
US$200 million following the eyebrow-raising
cancellation of a contract it had with a South
African accounting firm, Quill Associates, that
supplied it with an accounting software.

Nduna told The NewsHawks this week that
if city official bosses remain uncooperative in
explaining how the amount disappeared, Parlia-
ment will go ahead and engage anti-corruption
hawks.

“What we have seen is they are using issues to
do with tender in particular for their account-
ing system for their own enrichment,” Nduna
said.

“They would do requests for companies to
tender and they would request those compa-
nies to pay for allowances, airfares and hotel
accommodation for the visit to their premises
and some are in South Africa, Australia, China
and various other countries and ultimately they
would fail those companies because they would
not have paid allowances.”

Nduna said the missing US$200 million was
a tip of the iceberg and over US$1 billion could
have disappeared due to the murky billing sys-
tem.

“They would either bring in a contractor who
has no capacity to deal with the accounting sys-
tems for Harare City Council. They ditched
Quill Associates, a company that would han-
dle 25 accounts for SAGE system which can-
not handle more than 12 accounting models in
Harare council or anywhere else,” Nduna said.

“They engaged SAGE for US$2.5 million
and ran away from a firm they were supposed
to pay US$40 000, so you can see that they
then wait for kickbacks from companies such
as SAGE but still ditch the same company and
remain without any accounting system so that
they can pilfer any moneys they get.”

“US$200 million is just a tip of the iceberg.
We sought to get to the bottom of it to say why
would a council as big as Harare be on autopilot
and operate without a robust, resilient, effective
and efficient accounting system?” the Chegutu
West MP asked.

He said the conclusion by lawmakers was
that some officials within the local authority
were pursuing dubious deals for self-enrich-
ment. “The director and his henchmen have
hatched a plan to siphon money out of Harare
City Council in that when there is no good bill-
ing system, they can even send people manually
to go and collect money for water bills instead
of using an accounting system to know what
the bills are and how much they are.”

“They would keep that in their heads and
some ratepayers would pay, some would not pay
because there is no billing system and proper
record system and that is how the Auditor-Gen-
eral observed that Harare City Council had lost
US$200 million and to who this money has
gone to, we can only speculate they have done
it for personal enrichment and it is there some-
where with officials from Harare City Council.”

Nduna added: “To that end, we have in-
structed that we want reconstruction of the
records of 2019 so that we find the missing
US$200 million, the paperwork and track re-
cord in terms of the history on finances.”

“We feel Harare City Council is dilly-dally-
ing. We have brought them three times already
to Parliament and, if nothing is done by this
Friday, we are bringing them to Parliament for
contempt besides issuing of criminal abuse of

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Delta faces MPs grilling over beer levy

MOSES MATENGA port on Local Authorities, several councils were submitted for verification to support the beer una said.
in the dark on the remittances and whether levy remitted by the commercial brewers. “According to the law, they are supposed to
DELTA Beverages bosses are facing a Parlia- the amount they were receiving was the actual
mentary grilling over beer levy remittances to amount they should be getting. She said there was high risk of financial loss pay a certain percentage of beer levy annually
local authorities amid fears some were capi- due to understatement of beer sales and rec- to local authorities but a company listed and
talising on lack of proper accounting systems “Strikingly, all the Local Authorities were ommended that management ensure that com- has books like Delta, it is a shame that they are
to unlawfully under-remit the levy, it has not accurately accounting for beer levies de- mercial brewers submit returns for beer sales behaving like a proverbial bull in a China shop
emerged. posited in their accounts by brewers as there and remit beer levy according to the law. and it can only mean one thing: the money
were no supporting sales schedules as required they are supposed to give to the local author-
The beer brewing company bosses have since by the provisions of the Traditional Beer Act In Chiredzi, the Auditor-General’s report ities, individuals at Delta are pocketing it and
been summoned to appear before the Public [Chapter 14:24],” Auditor-General Mildred said several communications and visits were we are going to bring in the bosses there, the
Accounts Committee sub-committee on Local Chiri noted in her report. done to Delta to verify the authenticity of the top management and they need to answer to is-
Authorities toanswer to their failure to remit 3% opaque beer payments to council. The in- sues of beer levy to all the 92 local authorities.”
the funds as exposed by Auditor-General Mil- For Gweru, it emerged council was not get- formation was yet to be availed, according to
dred Chiri’s 2020 report. ting statements from the breweries operating Chiri. Nduna said the Kariba meeting was to un-
in the city. The Traditional Beer Act [Chapter pack what transpired in the 2020 Auditor-Gen-
Sub-committee chairperson Dexter Nduna, 14:24] stipulates that a 3% levy be paid by Nduna said there was no proper accounting eral’s report regarding local authorities.
who is also Chegutu West MP, said the Delta breweries on the basis of sales figures. system in remitting beer levy to local author-
management will soon testify. ities. “You find that Delta did not remit the
Chiri failed to therefore ascertain the accura- amount or if they did they did without any
“We have just come in from Kariba and it cy and completeness of revenue from the beer “We have companies like Delta who are proper record and we will be asking them to
shocking what the Auditor-General has un- levy, with the risk of misstatement. supposed to pay beer levy to local authorities. show us records for the past 10 years, so we will
earthed in the 2020 report,” Nduna told The They just pay whatever they think they can bring in the management and accounting offi-
NewsHawks this week. In Kadoma, Chiri said there was no basis for pay. There is no accounting system and proper cers and I am sure somebody will be answering
the beer levy remitted by the breweries, with record for why they are paying whatever it is to corruption charges,” he said.
According to the 2020 Auditor-General’s re- the management saying returns were not being they are paying to the local authorities,” Nd-

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

NATHAN GUMA Questions surround US$1bn
IMF windfall’s disbursement
GOVERNMENT has not cushioned vulnera-
ble people using dividends from a US$1 billion “Many organisations came questioning wheth- Finance minister Mthuli Ncube Zimbabwe Farmers' Union says the govern-
Special Drawing Rights (SDR) windfall from the er people had benefitted anything from previous we call upon the IMF to ensure transparency in ment made the intervention to smoothen ag-
International Monetary Fund (IMF) which Fi- allocations. People started gaining hope after how the money will be disbursed,” said Samu- ricultural value chains by injecting some of the
nance minister Mthuli Ncube said, among other such questions were being asked, but now, the lit- el Wadzai, the Vendors Initiative for Social and funds to fix transportation channels of food to
things, would be used to support those hard hit tle hope people have is slowly fading,” said David Economic Transformation (Viset) director. major markets.
by the Covid-19 pandemic, The NewsHawks has Mutambirwa, programmes director at Mutare
established. Residents and Ratepayers Association (MRRA). The SDR fund has also been a topical issue “So, this was a national programme which was
among organisations representing people with not discriminating. What I am aware of is that
In August 2021, the IMF disbursed SDR al- In Masvingo, the story is the same. disabilities which were earmarked to benefit from the public support that has been given by way of
locations of US$650 billion to help the global “So far, we are not aware of any people who the windfall. rolling out a number of programmes that were
economy cope with the major setback caused by have benefitted because we haven’t received any- all supported by the SDR which include mitiga-
Covid-19 and the need to rebuild reserves. thing. We have not yet received any reports from The National Association of Societies for the tion initiatives of marketing and aggregation of
any beneficiaries and we don’t even know how Care of the Handicapped (NASCOH), an um- produce.
Zimbabwe as a member received its share of the process was even implemented. We just know brella organisation of 70 groups representing
US$1 billion, which Ncube promised to use to- there was a donation by the IMF, but how the people with disabilities, says it is not aware of any “And the other side of it was the smooth flow
wards areas that have been affected by Covid-19. funds were cascaded, we do not know,” said God- beneficiaries. of produce from the farm to the market. Some
frey Mtimba, spokesperson for Masvingo United farms got disrupted completely. There are some
"We have about US$1 billion. The idea is that Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA). Organisations under NASCOH include Jairos farms which totally closed down. It is not only
the SDRs will be channelled towards areas that Vendors, who were among those worst-affect- Jiri, Zimcare Trust, Danhiko Project, Council the perishable in terms of vegetables, it was also
have been affected by Covid-19. So we will invest ed by the Covid-19 lockdowns, say they have not For The Blind, Albino Charity Organisation, Au- the poultry. Hotels and schools were closed yet
the SDRs in the health, agriculture, education, been assisted by the government. tism Zimbabwe and Nzeve Deaf Centre. those were their major customers.
roads, industry and manufacturing, mining sec- Most markets were shut down after the govern-
tors, and supporting the vulnerable,” Ncube said ment introduced the lockdown in March 2020, “No one even knows how the process is be- “Those were the areas targeted. It was not like
when the money was disbursed by the IMF. to curb spread of the disease. Street vendors were ing rolled out, and for other organisations like money that was going to be given to an individ-
also not allowed to operate during the lockdown. the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children ual. It was public support towards particular ser-
Minister Ncube wrote an article published “None of our members have benefitted from Association (ZPHCA), it has been the first time vices that would make business better,” said Paul
in newZWire on 24 August 2021 revealing the the US$1 billion SDR given by the IMF. We hearing such,” said Ishmael Zhou, the NASCOH Zakaria, the ZFU president.
money “would be used for social welfare pro- are still trying to get information as to where chairperson based in Bulawayo.
grammes that include Cash/Food for Work one needs to go to be part of this important in- On the other hand, smallholder farmers say
Schemes that would be set up to encourage those tervention by the IMF. It is very important be- The fund has also been projected to help farm- they have not benefitted from the services fi-
who can work to work, whilst utilising the same cause most of our members lost massive incomes ers, many who lost their produce and livelihoods nanced by the SDRs.
schemes to support the elderly and disabled who during the lockdown. during the Covid-19 pandemic.
perhaps are unable or can no longer integrate “So, we are very disturbed because now, almost “No one got any funding,” said Ngoni Chi-
into the workforce”. a year down the line, we are worried as to how the In Domboshava and Goromonzi, many farm- kowe, Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’
funds have been disbursed. We are worried that ers could not transport their produce to major Forum (Zimsoff) agricultural technical officer
In the education sector, he said the funds the ugly head of corruption is rearing its head. markets like Harare's Mbare Musika due to travel based in Mutoko. “The only people who got assis-
would be used to build at least eight new board- We do not want this to happen to this fund, and restrictions. tance were helped by social welfare. Smallholder
ing schools – building about one per rural prov- farmers never got any assistance from anywhere.”
ince. Farmers who spoke to The NewsHawks said
they were harassed during the pandemic, with se- Women’s groups say they have also not ben-
The schools would be used “to deliver im- curity personnel manning the lockdown extort- efitted.
proved education and a better quality of life ing them money for travel passes.
for rural children, particularly for low-income Young Women’s Christian Association of Zim-
groups”. Most agricultural produce was rotting in the babwe (YWMCA), a non-profit organisation
fields, spelling poverty for the farmers. that develops the leadership power of women
The Herald of 24 August 2021 also reported and girls to achieve social empowerment, has also
that “some vulnerable people, whose livelihoods been tracing the SDR windfall.
were devastated by Covid-19 following the impo-
sition of lockdown measures that sought to limit The organisation, which is the cluster lead for
movement, were to get cash transfers”. economic empowerment under the Women’s
Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCOZ) – a grouping
In the agricultural sector, an Agriculture Re- of more than 60 women’s rights organisations –
volving Fund would be set up to support hor- says vulnerable women have not been cushioned
ticulture businesses that will in turn help Zim- countrywide.
babwe generate more foreign currency from
exports. “We were anticipating and expecting the vul-
nerable to be cushioned, but throughout our
The revolving fund would also support flori- constituencies across Zimbabwe, we never got a
culture, which is the growing and selling of flow- report to say there are any people who benefitted.
ers, blueberries, and macadamia, among other So, we do not know what really happened. The
cash crops or water culture crops. social safety net was supposed to benefit all those
who could not fend for themselves,” says Cynthia
The same promise was reiterated in the new- Mukamuri, the YWMCA national secretary-gen-
ZWire article which said that the ministry would eral.
“be investing in smallholder irrigation schemes to
again support our vulnerable farmers who have The organisation has also conducted research
been hit hard by Covid”. However, organisations which shows that its members did not benefit.
representing smallholder farmers say farmers are
yet to benefit. The ministry of Finance and Economic Devel-
opment told The NewsHawks that the fund has
Groups representing people heavily affected been disbursed to promote development in var-
by the pandemic, including vendors, people with ious sectors, namely: education, agriculture and
disabilities, farmers, small and medium enter- other social protection nets.
prises, the elderly and orphans, say they have not
received any cushioning from the SDRs, a year A recent report by on the usage of the SDRs
after the funds were released. by the government from September 2021 to
June 2022 availed to The NewsHawks shows
Residents' associations which spoke to The that Treasury allocated US$222 million towards
NewsHawks say their members have not benefit- health, education and social protection nets, with
ted from the fund, thereby raising questions as to US$167 million being withdrawn.
how the money has been used.
The agriculture revolving fund was allocated
“In Harare there were researches around that US$50 million, but nothing was withdrawn,
(the IMF windfall) which were done during the meaning farmers had not benefitted.
Covid-19 pandemic,” said Ruben
A total of US$222 million was set aside as a
Akili, acting director of the Combined Harare contingency fund, with nothing being deducted
Residents Association (CHRA). from the allocation.

“The ones (assistance programmes) which we Ministry of Finance spokesperson Clive
are aware of are the ones done by the DanChurch Mphambela said he was not aware of any person-
Aid and World Food Program (WFP). These or- al disbursements to the vulnerable.
ganisations were giving people money in their
bank accounts.” “The recent report produced by the Minister
(Mthuli Ncube) shows the expenditure patterns.
Chitungwiza, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru I am not aware of the disbursements to personal
residents’ initiatives, among others, said vulnera- accounts. I am also not aware of personal dis-
ble citizens, among them the elderly, disabled and bursements of the SDRs,” he said.
child-headed homes, had not received any mon-
ey transfers from the government. They were also “There is a social protection programme com-
not enrolled for Food For Work programmes, as ing which has very little to do with the SDRs."
announced by the minister.
Upon receiving the SDR funds, Ncube said
Mutare residents say they have lost hope in vulnerable persons would be cushioned through
the government's empty promises to cushion the cash handouts or the Food For Work programme,
vulnerable. among other measures.

“Nothing has been done, except empty prom-
ises. We were promised by government that all
the people who were affected in the informal
sector and people who were failing to make ends
meet were supposed to be cushioned, but noth-
ing materialised.

NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE Sikhala bail denial: Outraged
citizens petition Mnangagwa
SOME eminent Zimbabweans, including busi-
nesspeople, former ministers, sports personal- Former deputy prime minister
ities, academics and civil society leaders, have Arthur Mutambara
written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa,
seeking restoration of the law in the case of Citi- Businessman
zens' Coalition for Change legislators Job Sikhala Strive Masiyiwa
and Godfrey Sithole as well as 14 others from
Nyatsime who have been detained for almost 90 Author Tsitsi
days without trial, The NewsHawks has learnt. Dangarembga

The petition was sent to chief secretary to the Sculptor Dominic
President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda by aca- Benhura
demic Ibbo Mandaza, on behalf of the petition-
ers. The NewsHawks could not independently Golfer Nick Price Former minister
verify if all the petitioners had signed but Man- Simba Makoni
daza last night said it was authentic.
"The criminal justice system was never created doing so without cause erodes confidence in the and process," they added.
In their petition dated 9 September 2022, the as a platform to silence or punish political dis- justice system." Meanwhile, Sikhala and Sithole appeared in
group requested that Mnangagwa institute an sent or holding of divergent views. When that
inquiry into the case and how the judiciary has happens, as is happening to Honourable Sikha- Sikhala and Sithole were arrested on 14 June court on Friday for a ruling on their application
been weaponised to crush dissent. la, Honourable Sithole and the 14 residents of 2022 after a prayer meeting they held in memory to have prosecutors Michael Reza and Lancelot
Nyatsime, it erodes the value and essence of the of Ali who had been gruesomely murdered by a Mutsokoti serve the defence counsel with state
Among the 107 petition signatories who said criminal justice system and diminishes public Zanu PF activist on 24 May. papers in preparation for a trial date set for 15
the detention is unjust are business mogul Strive confidence and trust in the justice system. That November 2022.
Masiyiwa, former deputy prime minister Arthur should not be allowed to happen. Where the Since then, the duo has applied and conse-
Mutambara, world renowned sculptor Dominic criminal justice system is weaponized against dis- quently been denied bail five times at both the The state had been ordered to make the docu-
Benhura, author Tsitsi Dangarembga, civil soci- sent, there are no victors. The justice system, the magistrates' court and the High Court. The sig- ments available by 18 August but they failed. The
ety leader Brian Kagoro and respected sports per- accused and the generality of Zimbabweans de- natories said the treatment was too unjust for accused now want the magistrate to charge the
sonalities who made names for themselves on the rive no benefit from this. Should there be cause, them to keep quiet. "The injustice is too visible state prosecutors with contempt of court.
global stage, Nick Price, Bruce Grobbelar, Byron by all mean the law must take its course. But to ignore, and we would be unfaithful in our de-
Black, Henry Olonga and Tatenda Taibu. votion to the country if we remain silent," The defence has since applied to be given a
time frame within which the state ought to serve
Musician Thomas Mapfumo, former judges "We expect a resolution to this abuse of law them with the required papers.
Simplicius Chihambakwe and Ahmed Ebrahim,
academics Brian Raftopolous and Eldred Masun-
ungure were also part of the petitioners.

Former ministers Simba Makoni and Dzingai
Mutumbuka also signed. South African Broad-
casting Corporation journalists Sophie Mokoena
and Peter Ndoro were among the petitioners.

Sikhala and Sithole are facing charges of incit-
ing violence. Sikhala has an additional charge of
obstructing justice.

"We petition Your Excellency to bring to your
consideration, a most unusual situation obtain-
ing in the arrest and detention of MPs Hon-
ourable Job Sikhala and Honourable Godfrey
Sithole, and 14 residents of Nyatsime, Chitung-
wiza following the violence of 14 June 2022 in
Nyatsime. Our duty to Zimbabwe constrains us
from maintaining silence," reads the petition.

“The multiple denials of bail these two have
endured, multiple times in the Magistrates Court
and multiple times in the High Court, makes for
an unusual and unprecedented situation. We
cannot think of any prosecution in recent times
where one has been denied bail for such numer-
ous times, for offences of inciting public violence
and obstruction of justice, which Honourable
Sikhala is charged with, and inciting public vi-
olence, which Honourable Godfrey Sithole is
charged with. MPs Job Sikhala and Godfrey
Sithole have now spent 85 days in pre-trial in-
carceration at Chikurubi Maximum Security
Prison.

“When this is juxtaposed to the timely and
little-resisted granting of bail to high profile po-
litically exposed persons accused of serious cor-
ruption, and they being flight risks, questions
about the equal treatment of persons before the
courts arise. There appear to be targeted differen-
tial treatment of those arrested and detained for
charges emanating from political circumstances.”

They noted that Sikhala and Sithole have been
subjected to leg irons and sometimes denied ac-
cess to visitors and lawyers.

The petitioners questioned why victims of
violence were also arrested and why Zanu Pf
members implicated in the violence in Nyatsime
following the murder of a CCC activist Moreb-
lessing Ali were not arrested.

“While we all noted the political violence that
occurred in Nyastime, it is curious that arrest and
detention was targeted at members and perceived
supporters of the political opposition. No one as-
sociated with any other formation was arrested.
Among the 14 residents currently in detention
are victims of arson who were arrested upon pre-
senting themselves to a police station to report
the arson,” the petition reads.

The petitioners reminded Mnangagwa that
Sikhala has been arrested more than 60 times
without a conviction.

They decried the weaponisation of the law.
"The unusual trajectory that these cases have
taken cannot be ignored. These cases, in our
view, warrant an inquiry into how the justice
system has come to this. The consequences of ig-
noring this will be too dire for Zimbabwe’s young
democracy to bear," reads the petition.

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

MOSES MATENGA Madhuku's political solution
for Sikhala release stirs storm
NATIONAL Constitutional Assembly lead-
er Professor Lovemore Madhuku may have Zengeza West MP Job Sikhala
come under fire over his suggestion of a po-
litical solution involving Citizens' Coalition Zanu PF politburo member Professor Jon- out of pre-trial jail.” The nonsense that engaging prosecutors to get
for Change (CCC) leaders and President Em- athan Moyo, who said: “Scream your insults “The politics of negotiating bail with prose- Sikhala bailed from pre-trial detention means
merson Mnangagwa to rescue incarcerated op- but it is cultic naivety, arrogance and immatu- CCC must join Polad smacks of bankrupt pol-
position lawmakers Job Sikhala and Godfrey rity not to engage prosecutors to bail Sikhala cutors, to agree on bail terms to submit to the itics in the so-called main opposition
Sithole, but it has emerged that such interven- courts, is a common practice in the rule of law.
tions have happened before.

The CCC has been attacked for remaining
aloof while the Zengeza West and Chitung-
wiza North legislators respectively reach the
90-day mark behind bars.

Their lawyers claim the two are being treat-
ed like hardcore criminals under inhuman
conditions.

With fears swirling that Sikhala was poi-
soned inside Chikurubi Maximum Security
Prison, Madhuku said only political engage-
ment would rescue the two from further de-
tention following their arrest with 16 other ac-
tivists for allegedly inciting violence following
the death of opposition activist Moreblessing
Ali three months ago.

Madhuku claims the arrested MPs and the
other activists were victims of their own po-
litical party’s decision to refuse to engage in
dialogue.

“I think that if there were issues to deal with
the perception that is coming out strongly that
this is a political persecution,” Madhuku said.

“What would stop that political party from
which they belong having an audience with
the President (Emmerson Mnangagwa)?

“The role of the President there is not to
interfere with the courts but to engage the
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) who
would consent to bail. He is the one who
would make an arrangement for an early trial
and so on.”

But Madhuku has been heavily criticised
for his suggestion, despite precedents in which
“political prisoners” were rescued through ex-
ecutive intervention.

In 2008, it took political intervention by
opposition leaders to secure the release of hu-
man rights activist Jestina Mukoko and other
prisoners.

Mukoko wrote that in her book and con-
firmed this week to The NewsHawks that she
was released after political intervention.

“In my case it is true. My issue was not dealt
with in the court. It was a political arrange-
ment that was eventually agreed on. It is on
record in the book. It was a political solution,”
she said.

In 2018, it took the intervention of Presi-
dent Mnangagwa to secure the release of CCC
vice-president Tendai Biti, with the Zanu PF
leader taking to Twitter to confirm his involve-
ment.

“Tendai Biti was released earlier today fol-
lowing my intervention. At such a crucial time
in the history of the new Zimbabwe, nothing
is more important than unity, peace and di-
alogue,” Mnangagwa wrote in his 9 August
2018 tweet.

Lawyer Brian Crozier said it was deplorable
for anyone to suggest political intervention, as
that would be unconstitutional, with implica-
tions for judicial independence.

“If the judges or magistrates are in fact treat-
ing it as a political matter, then it is something
that must be absolutely deplored,” he said.

“If he (Madhuku) is right that they are do-
ing that, then it is deplorable. If he is wrong
and the judges or magistrates are treating it as
a legal matter, then to suggest that a President
should intervene is again deplorable,” he add-
ed.

“It may be as well that there are political im-
plications in the case, but there are also legal
grounds upon which Sikhala could be detained
and in that event any intervention by the Pres-
ident would be totally unconstitutional.”

“Let us not forget the courts must be inde-
pendent of the executive and so is the National
Prosecuting Authority. We must not even sug-
gest the President can influence its decisions.”

However, Biti said Madhuku’s suggestion
was shocking.

“They are so outrageous in their defiance
of logic. They however confirm the capture of
and weaponisation of the law in Zimbabwe. A
sad indictment of the regime,” Biti said.

Madhuku received support from former

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Lack of political will detrimental to mining

NATHAN GUMA artisanal and small-scale miners. of money in grants and donations from devel- managed, says a report by the Centre for Natu-
Zimbabwe has also been losing an estimated opment partners to support various sectors. ral Resources Governance (CNRG).
CIVIL society says there has been no political
will for Zimbabwe to join the Extractive Indus- US$1.8 billion through illicit financial flows in As of September 2021, the country owed ex- The EITI could improve transparency lev-
tries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to promote the mining sector. ternal lenders US$13.2 billion, which could be els in the management of mineral resources,
accountability in the mining sector, a platform settled by mineral resources, should they be well Mkaratigwa says.
that the government has been snubbing despite Every year, the country receives vast amounts
evidence of mineral leakages through illicit
flows.

The EITI is a global standard for open man-
agement of gas and mineral resources.

Zimbabwe has been losing an estimated
US$100 million every month in gold leakages,
which translates to over US$1.2 billion annu-
ally.

The government’s main argument has been
that the EITI is a foreign-driven initiative and
that it does not come with clear opportunities
for change, according to a report by the South-
ern Africa Resource Watch titled: Experiences
and Benefits of Optimised Mineral Resource Gov-
ernance for Zimbabwe: Lessons from Sadc EITI
Implementing Countries.

Since 2010, civil society has been pushing
for Zimbabwe to join the EITI to improve the
management of minerals, but in vain.

“There is no evidence to suggest that Harare
wants to join the EITI. After an initial commit-
ment by Mthuli Ncube in 2019, in his 2020
budget statement he has remained mum on the
issue and there have not been any meaningful
strides.

“What we must understand is that EITI com-
mitment is not a playground for governments
that are not ready for fully-fledged transparen-
cy initiatives and openness in mineral resource
governance. Measured against the rampant
corruption, the illicit financial flows, mineral
smuggling across borders, among other illicit
acts, Zimbabwe is not ready for full disclosure,”
said John Maketo, programmes manager for the
Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Develop-
ment (Zimcodd), an independent organisation
that champions social and economic justice.

Parliament has added its voice for Zimbabwe
to join the EITI.

“We support the EITI because of a number
of reasons. One is that the pillars that underpin
our national development strategy are transpar-
ency, accountability and sustainability, among
many others. In that respect, EITI reinforces
those dimensions of our national development
strategy and plans.

“Transparency assists in creating unity and
a common understanding of the foundations
of our economic capacities as a country,” said
Edmond Mkaratigwa, parliamentary portfolio
committee chairperson for mines.

In addition, Mkaratigwa said Zimbabwe
should have “EITI-compliant clauses in our
laws, especially as we are reviewing some of
these legal frameworks”.

Civil society says whilst calls for joining the
EITI have been imminent, there has been no
political will to join the initiative.

Zimbabwe has been losing minerals through
politically-linked elites.

The country also ranks 157th out of 180 on
the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) with a
score of 23 out of 100, which is 20 points be-
low the international average of 43 out of 100,
reflecting the dwindling levels of transparency.

In 2020, Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation
(ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya was ar-
rested at Robert Mugabe International Airport
in Harare for allegedly attempting to smuggle
six kilogrammes of gold worth US$400 000 to
Dubai.

Rushwaya has since been cleared of any
wrongdoing in the case in which she was ac-
cused of offering a US$5 000 bribe to an airport
official to pass through the checkpoint with the
gold.

As also reported by The NewsHawks, polit-
ically-linked elites have been minting money
through the Gold Incentives Scheme (GIS),
which has largely been benefitting politically
connected people, mainly President Emmer-
son Mnangagwa’s close ally Pedzisayi “Scott”
Sakupwanya, and his Better Brands Jewellery
(BBJ) company. In 2021, the company pocked
US$460 million in revenues at the expense of

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE Capital markets necessity for
entrepreneurs and companies
ZIMBABWE needs a functional capital market
to help people with great ideas to become en- Bard Santner Investors executive director Dr Alfred Mthimkhulu
trepreneurs and small businesses to grow into
big companies as what happened in the 1990s assets. They include the stock market and the millions of United States dollars in deploying sets. The real game there was playing around
with Econet Wireless Zimbabwe and Innscor bond market. Among other outcomes, they the widest and most robust 2G, 3G and 4G with price-earnings ratios and asset valuations.
Africa Limited, a local economist has said. help people with ideas become entrepreneurs networks in the country. Nothing new was being created in the real
and small businesses to grow into big compa- economy. That’s de-mergers.”
Dr Alfred Mthimkhulu, Bard Santner Inves- nies. Innscor Africa Limited, a manufacturer of
tors executive director, told a Confederation of consumer staple and durable goods for the Turning to competitiveness and compliance
Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) congress in Hara- The capital market is a measure of inherent mass market with an integrated portfolio of with competition laws, Mthimkhulu said it is
re this week that when the capital market was strength of the economy. It is one of the best businesses, also got the capital market support difficult to pursue both simultaneously.
working together with the secondary market sources of finance for companies, and offers to grow into a leading conglomerate as savings
during the 1990s it helped companies to raise a spectrum of funding avenues to investors were mobilised to fund long-term investments, “There is usually a trade-off between the
long-term funding for investment. which, in turn, encourages capital creation in he added. bold pursuit of competitiveness and domestic
the economy. compliance to competition laws. The unasked
The CZI congress, under the theme Glo- “The goal of an industrialising economy is question is What do we seek to achieve: To be
calise (acting local with a global outlook), was The secondary market is basically the stock to expand that nexus (capital markets, nation- seen as compliant or to be globally competi-
attended by government officials and captains market driven by trading. al industrial policy, private sector and national tive? We learn from history that we will be kid-
of industry, including chief executives and fi- research centres). The best and easiest way to ding ourselves if we say both can be successfully
nancial gurus. Mthimkhulu said Econet Wireless Zimba- expand it to its biggest is to merge all circles pursued simultaneously,” he said.
bwe Limited, the largest mobile telecommuni- (create a nexus),” Mthimkhulu said.
Delegates included the industrial body’s cations, technology and digital solutions com- “Yet, if there is something unique in Zim-
chief executive Sekai Kuvarika, its president pany in the country, emerged as a result of the “In the tail-end of the 1990s, a thesis took babwe’s capacity to nurture local-cum-globally
Kurai Matsheza and chief economist Cornelius capital market funding a good idea presented root in our financial market and private sector, competitive firms, it is the country’s well-es-
Dube, Industry and Commerce minister Sekai by billionaire Strive Masiyiwa, who then was a as proxied by listed companies. The thesis was tablished capital market boasting three stock
Nzenza, Agribank chief economist Joseph small-time business operator. that shareholders are better-off in a niche or fo- exchanges, one of which trades in the world’s
Mverecha, Old Mutual boss Samuel Matse- cused business than in a conglomerate, and so most used currency. With perhaps good rea-
kete, Trade and Development Bank Group Now among the top-three heavyweight Zim- began the era of de-mergers. sons, local firms are yet to make use of these
boss Gloria Mamba, Public Service Commis- babwe Stock Exchange counters, the company capital markets. But, none will doubt that in-
sion chair Vincent was listed in September 1998, less than three “How the thesis came up is important to dustrial Zimbabwe is on the rise when prospec-
months after launching its commercial opera- discuss. It came out to justify corporate raids tuses of IPOs, rights issues, mergers and acqui-
Hungwe, Nyaradzo Group chief executive tions in July 1998. of the 1980s in the United States wherein junk sitions are found in our offices’ waiting rooms
Phillip Mataranyika, and Delta Corporation bonds were issued to finance acquisitions. The along the usual newspapers and magazines. We
chief executive Matts Valela, among many oth- Over the past 20 years, Econet — by far the debt financing acquisitions would then be re- must look forward to that. I do.”
ers. market leader in its industry with over 12.4 paid from disposal of seemingly peripheral as-
million connected customers — has invested
Presenting a paper titled Listings, acquisi-
tions, (de)mergers and vertical integration: Im-
plications for competition, entrepreneurship
and economic growth in Zimbabwe, Mthim-
khulu, an economist and former stockbroker,
said for sustainable market functionality and
access to capital there needs to be an interface
and nexus between the capital market, second-
ary market, private sector, policy and research
initiatives.

“I started trading on the Zimbabwe Stock
Exchange (ZSE) mid-1990s as a finance stu-
dent. It was a season of listings and I enjoyed it
very much. I know I’m not the only one here
who enjoyed it because that nostalgia has been
expressed numerous times in this congress,”
Mthimkhulu said.

“I fondly remember walking into a UDC
office, ‘the money people’, to drop a bank-cer-
tified cheque to follow my rights in the rights
issue of the finance house. I also recall submit-
ting my Econet initial public offering (IPO)
subscription form to the financial adviser, Na-
tional Merchant Bank, itself having raised cap-
ital a few years earlier by means of a dual listing
in London and here at home.

“What defined that era is that the primary
market function of the capital market was alive
as was the secondary. We were raising long-
term capital to fund long-term projects.

“Our capital market was also funding ideas,
sheer ideas with no track record, for example
Econet which to my reading today is a con-
glomerate.

“At about that time, an obscure entity, Inns-
cor, reverse-listed into a small cap. That was an
acquisition. Today, that then obscure entity is
a conglomerate. In that era, we were using our
capital markets to seed and scale local business-
es, and that is the primary function of capital
markets; trading is secondary.”

Mthimkhulu, an alma mater of the National
University of Science and Technology in Zim-
babwe and Stellenbosch University in South
Africa, where he also lectured, said the capital
market in the 1990s helped to provide long-
term funding for companies to emerge and
grow, as economic players did not just rely on
secondary market trading — as the situation
might be now.

“I will stay in the 1990s a bit. I am in my
final year. We have a lecturer who is an invest-
ment manager at one of the largest pension
funds in the country. One afternoon, he leads
us in a debate on which IPO was better: the
Seed Co IPO or Discount Company of Zimba-
bwe IPO. Looking back, I cannot miss that ab-
stract yet real picture of the nexus of academia/
research, industrial development policy, capital
markets, and the private sector,” he said.

Capital markets are financial markets that
bring buyers and sellers together to trade
stocks, bonds, currencies, and other financial

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

IN a significant market development for the Bard Santner clinches Tetrad
long-suffering Tetrad Holdings customers, managed clients portfolio deal
financial advisory and investment company
Bard Santner Markets Inc has secured a deal Bard Santner Markets Inc Chief Executive Officer Senziwani Sikhosana
to take over Tetrad Financial Services (TFS)’s ties in frontier markets.
managed clients portfolio through its subsidi- “We see our appointment as an endorsement
ary Bard Santner Investors to unlock value for of Bard in investment management and asset
them. management in Zimbabwe. This move is in
keeping with our strategy to find and reactivate
The clients’ investments have been frozen dormant asset portfolios in the market, simi-
since Tetrad went into liquidation in 2015 lar to our recent launch of a product where we
amid fears that their US$10 million could sink are unlocking investments in paid-up offshore
as it was placed in money market investments properties in South Africa,” Sikhosana said.
through Tetrad Investment Bank (TIB) which “Dr Mthimkhulu, who heads the Bard’s
was also closed at the time. asset management division, is a seasoned pro-
fessional who has taught finance at the high-
TIB was technically insolvent as its total lia- est levels at universities and provided thought
bilities exceeded assets by US$26.3 million and leadership in this industry for many years. The
its cumulative losses scaled US$54 million by local and international financial expertise and
January 2015. skills within Bard are some of the best in the
market. This has given the market confidence
Seven years later, Bard clinched the transac- in us.
tion after a rigorous process of shortlisting, due “This deal is an indication of how the market
diligence and selection which looked at various trusts us and a demonstration of its confidence
factors, including capacity, skills and entrepre- in our vision, mission and strategy of bringing
neurial cutting edge. and unlocking value in dormant assets, mobil-
ising diaspora funds for investment locally and
This led to Aurifin Capital, the liquidator of securing new lines of credit.”
Tetrad Holdings, which owns Tetrad Financial Sikhosana said Bard will help Zimbabweans
Services (TFS) and Tetrad Investment Bank unlock value in their assets, most of them con-
Limited, and Bard Santner Investors issuing a stituting dead capital outside the country and
public notice on Wednesday on the business access new lines of credit.
arrangement. The dead capital is mainly tied in immov-
able properties like houses and buildings which
“Clients of TFS Management Company (in Zimbabweans own outside the country but are
liquidation) are hereby advised that the TFS not leveraging to raise capital to invest there
Managed Clients Portfolio, made up of indi- and back home.
vidual investors, which has been under TFS The new lines of credit the advisory firm has
has now been transferred to Bard Santner In- arranged are in the form of offshore transac-
vestors (Private) Limited (BSI), an asset man- tion-based funding which does not need indi-
ager licensed by the Securities and Exchange viduals or companies to be clients of financial
Commission of Zimbabwe, with effect from 1 institutions providing the money.
September 2022,” the notice said. Bard will arrange transaction-based deals
and associated funding.
The Tetrad clients portfolio now under Bard Hungwe has said securitising internation-
includes individuals, well-established pension ally-held assets is critical as it would allow
funds, private companies and unit trusts, as capital-seeking individuals and corporates to
well as listed and unlisted entities and money borrow offshore in markets where the mac-
market investments. ro-economic fundamentals, especially interest
rates, are stable and repayment terms favour-
The deal came after a market assessment of able. — STAFF WRITER.
who to appoint to manage the Tetrad book and
a due diligence process.

Bard won it due to its blend of local knowl-
edge, experience and international expertise, as
well as capacity to deliver.

Market sources say the move indicates Bard’s
growth and consolidation strategy which seeks
to position it as an ambitious new kid on the
block in the dynamic local financial services
market.

Bard is led by local banker Senziwani Sikho-
sana, who is the chief executive, with over two
decades' experience in banking, investment,
property, and capital and money markets.

Sikhosana works with a local business con-
sortium, which includes Tatenda Hungwe, Al-
fred

Mthimkhulu and international finance ex-
pert Vinod Bussawah from Mauritius.

Hungwe is executive director of the compa-
ny and Mthimkhulu is head of Bard Santner
Investors, the firm’s asset management arm,
while Bussawah is the chairperson.

In an interview yesterday, Mthimkhulu,
a former stockbroker who holds a PhD in fi-
nance and ex-lecturer at Stellenbosch Univer-
sity in South Africa and National University of
Science and Technology in Zimbabwe, said the
move is a significant growth and consolidation
step for Bard.

“The handing over is a stepping stone in our
long-term strategy to find, build and grow a
diverse asset management portfolio which is
responsive to the new and prevailing economic
environment,” Mthimkhulu said.

“Investments within the local and interna-
tional markets have fundamentally changed
and technology has also changed the way we
invest and manage investment in the local and
international markets. We are bringing to the
market innovations that will allow local inves-
tors access to global markets and financially
re-engineer global solutions for adaptation to
local conditions.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to
service the investors in the book we have inher-
ited and will be working with the liquidator,
the clients and other institutions to bring out
the latent dormant value for the investors.”

Sikhosana, the Bard boss, said the deal is in
keeping with the company’s strategy to find
and reactivate value in dormant asset portfo-
lios in the market, while tapping into diaspora
investment capital and seeking new opportuni-

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

AirZim, ACZ partner
to boost travel expo

AIR Zimbabwe and the Airports Company making this a win-win partnership. ACZ chief executive well as Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International
of Zimbabwe (ACZ) have partnered the Zim- “The tourism and travel industries were the officer Tawanda Gusha Airport, which provides access to Bulawayo,
babwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) to sponsor which are strategically located across the coun- Zimbabwe’s second-largest city and the coun-
the 15th edition of the Sanganai/Hlanganani most hit by the Covid-19 global pandemic. try, providing quick and direct access to tourist try’s melting pot for arts and culture as well as
World Tourism Expo. Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo resorts and trade zones. business.
provides a unique opportunity for business The three major airports with scheduled ser-
Zimbabwe’s largest tourism showcase will be recovery and this year the event is attracting vices are Robert Gabriel Mugabe International The ACZ operates other five smaller airports
held from 13 to 15 October in Bulawayo. buyers from across the globe, making it the Airport, the main gateway into Zimbabwe and which are mainly served by charter operators,
perfect platform for this strategic partnership.” the capital city, Harare; Victoria Falls Interna- except Kariba which now has scheduled ser-
The annual expo, which resumes after a tional Airport, which provides access to one vices. These are Kariba International
prolonged suspension due to the Covid-19 The ACZ operates a network eight airports of the seven natural wonders of the world, as
pandemic, presents a golden opportunity for Airport, Charles Prince International Air-
players in travel and tourism sector to promote port, Hwange National Park Airport, Masv-
their brands. It attracts international visitors ingo International Airport, and Buffalo Range
and journalists from across the world. International Airport.

The past 14 editions of the expo were a ma- Plans are underway to establish three more
jor success and attracted leading African desti- airports in Gweru, Beitbridge and Mutare.
nations and major world tourism markets such
as South Africa, Botswana, Malaysia, China, Tourism accounts for 4.25% of the Gross
Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Mozambique, Na- Domestic Product (GDP) with a value of
mibia, United Kingdom, United States, Chi- US$1.03 billion in 2018. In 2019, the sector
na, India, Italy and many others. accounted for 6.3% of GDP with a value of
US$1.23 billion, according to Zimbabwe’s
In support of the expo, AirZim has put ad- Tourism Satellite Account (TSA).
ditional capacity to fly daily twice on the Ha-
rare-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls route, to ensure “The tourism and travel industries were the
the convenience of local and foreign visitors. most hit by the Covid-19 global pandemic.
Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo
A plane will leave Harare for Bulawayo and provides a unique opportunity for business
Victoria Falls every morning and then fly back recovery and this year the event is attracting
from the resort city, through Bulawayo to Ha- buyers from across the globe, making it the
rare every morning, before repeating the rou- perfect platform for this strategic partnership.
tine in the evening.
“Aviation and tourism are intertwined
AirZim’s acting chief executive officer Ta- and inter-dependent; the growth in national
fadzwa Zaza said the flag carrier is pleased to tourism translates directly to the growth of
be a partner. passenger and aircraft movements across the
airports making this a win-win partnership,”
“The partnership includes, among other said Tawanda Gusha, the ACZ chief executive
things, domestic flights for winners of a famil- officer.
iarisation trip to Zimbabwe at the Dubai 2020
Expo held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, In welcoming the partnerships, the ZTA
from October 2021 to March 2022. The part- said the sponsorships are a boost as the expo
nership will also include co-branding on ad- resumes in physical form following a Covid-
vertising and other exciting activities inflight 19-induced break.
and prizes on a public day,” Zaza said.
“I would like to sincerely thank them for
The ACZ says it will contribute by provid- considering Sanganai/Hlanganani worthy of
ing swift access to the country’s tourist resorts partnering and sponsoring, especially in this
and trade areas where participants will be environment where there is fierce competition
showcasing their products. for resources. Let me at this juncture call upon
corporates and individuals to follow suit. So
ACZ chief executive officer Tawanda Gusha once again, thank you to ACZ and AirZim,”
said: “The Airports Company of Zimbabwe said Winnie Muchanyuka, the ZTA chief ex-
(Private) Limited will be partnering the Zim- ecutive officer.
babwe Tourism Authority at this year’s edition
of Sanganai/Hlanganani World Tourism Expo. Partners and prospective partners enjoy a
Aviation and tourism are intertwined and in- wide range of benefits, including placing their
ter-dependent; the growth in national tourism business in the spotlight, increased brand
translates directly to the growth of passenger awareness and media exposure, giving them
and aircraft movements across the airports, visibility in target markets. — STAFF WRITER.

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Murder-accused Zanu PF
activists besiege key witness
ZANU PF activists who are on bail while
awaiting trial for allegedly murdering Citi- The late CCC supporter Mboneni Ncube
zens' Coalition for Change supporter Mbone-
ni Ncube in Kwekwe are harassing, intimi- explained to ACT-SA that a group of men sur- “ACT-SA reiterates its call to the govern- exploring ways of helping the family of the
dating, physically attacking and issuing death rounded his house on the 3rd of September ment of Zimbabwe to protect witnesses and murdered CCC supporter as well as the chief
threats to a key witness in the matter so that 2022 wanting to attack him. The witness had whistleblowers. This case warrants that ac- witness.
he does not testify in court, The NewsHawks been attacked twice before by the suspects in cused persons be arrested and put in remand
has established. the murder case of CCC supporter in Kwe- prison since they are interfering with state wit- The organisation’s director, Reverend Jack-
kwe. The matter was reported at Mbizo Police nesses.” ie Ngulube, said the Ncube family’s situation
On the night of 3 September, the witness, Station but no action was taken against the was worrying.
Brighton Nyirenda, had to flee his home in culprits. Council for Peace and Justice Trust, a civ-
Mbizo suburb after the marauding armed ac- il society organisation based in Kwekwe, is “It is a very touching issue and they feel
tivists surrounded the house, demanding his very insecure and vulnerable at the moment.
head.

He confirmed the incident in an interview
with The NewsHawks, adding he fears for his
life.

“I no longer know what to do. My trou-
ble started when I appeared at the magistrates’
court on 18 August for their routine remand.
They started sending me threatening messag-
es and eventually trailed me from Old Mbizo
Shopping Centre at night where I had gone to
watch football,” Nyirenda said.

“They ambushed me at my homestead’s
gate and used logs to assault me all over the
body, saying I must not be seen at the courts
again. At night on 3 September, I had to flee
my home after they came to my home. This
time, they accused me of speaking to the me-
dia about the harm they did on me. Up to
today, I continue to receive threats and I am
always watching my back wherever I go, but I
fear for my life.”

The accused persons leading the crack-
down on Nyirenda have been identified as
Albert Maketo Tembo and another common-
ly known as Masparo. The two have been ac-
cused of violent crimes in Kwekwe.

The co-accused persons in Ncube's murder
are Edmore Shoshera (30), Perscy Mukwaturi,
Talent Imbayago, Misheck Mutetwa, Takun-
da Chivenyengwa, Isaac Tapfumaneyi, James
Jere, Musa Matingwende, Shepard Mbewu,
Progress Munyuki, Amon Kwachata, Edmore
Shoshera, Fraud Munyuki, Blessing Tomu,
Sydeny Samanyai and Valentine Mandizvidza.

The accused persons’ lawyer, Valentine Mu-
tatu, said he did not interact much with his
clients and would not know what they were
doing on the ground since preparations for the
murder trial have not begun.

“There was a time when I learnt that my
clients were interfering with witnesses and I
phoned them to say, ‘if it is true, please stop it
because it violates your bail conditions’. How-
ever, with the latest case of interfering with
the murder case witness, I am not in the know.
If there is something like that happening, the
people or witnesses affected must seek protec-
tion from the law,” he said.

Recently, the family of the slain Mboneni
Ncube fled into hiding, fearing for their lives
after being terrorised by the suspects in the
murder case.

Obert Chinhamo of the Kwekwe-based
Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa
(ACT-SA) said the witness had reported the
matter to his organisation to seek help with
temporary relocation after failing to get sound
assistance from the police after reporting the
assault he suffered at the hands of the Zanu
PF thugs.

There is growing concern that police officers
in Kwekwe are actually afraid of pursuing the
matter since the accused persons are connect-
ed to Zanu PF senior officials as evidenced by
circumstances surrounding their arrest. The
suspects were found hiding at a lodge run by
former State Security minister Owen “Mud-
ha” Ncube.

The NewsHawks also understands that the
police officers who were handling the case
have been transferred from Kwekwe.

These include Happymore Chamba (40), a
police officer who acted as an informant in the
case.

Contacted for comment, Midlands po-
lice spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Ma-
hoko said: “Please get in touch with Assistant
Commissioner (Paul) Nyathi (national police
spokesperson)”. Nyathi declined to comment.

“I am not at the office. I cannot say any-
thing. I am somewhere out,” he said.

In a security alert to Kwekwe residents on 4
September, ACT-SA said: “The chief witness

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Former Parly speaker castigates
Mnangagwa over Gukurahundi
FORMER Speaker of Parliament and Matobo
North legislator Lovemore Moyo has lambasted Former Speaker of Parlia-
President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his hypoc- ment and Matobo North
risy in resolving the contentious Gukurahundi MP Lovemore Moyo
genocide which he pledged to prioritise when he
toppled long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in a mil- Gukurahundi genocide must include and listen The Zimbabwean government has constantly in the Matabeleland region in 1983 at the incep-
itary coup in November 2017. to the victims. Compensation for victims and refused to release the Chihambakwe Report on tion of Gukurahundi and to gather testimony
communities must be considered,” said Moyo. an official probe into the killing of 1 500 civilians from villagers about what occurred.
At the just-ended United Nations Internation-
al Convention on the Elimination of all Forms
of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) summit, the
Zimbabwean government was advised by the
global body to timeously bring closure to the
genocide by instituting a credible process of truth
telling and healing.

Gukurahundi is a widely used term to refer to
the brute massacres in Matabeleland and parts of
Midlands in the 1980s carried out by the elite
North Korean-trained 5 Brigade of the Zimba-
bwe National Army. An estimated 20 000 people
were killed during the massacres.

Soon after taking over power in 2017, Mnan-
gagwa, who was State Security minister during
the Gukurahundi genocide, made several prom-
ises to boldly resolve the long-held conflict and
bring closure to survivors and families of victims.

Widely acknowledged as one of the master-
minds of the murderous Gukurahundi opera-
tion, Mnangagwa in a pre-recorded broadcast
with state television in 2019 even called for
“open debate” on the issue, something unthink-
able during the Mugabe era.

In the early years of his rule, the aged Zimba-
bwean leader also held three successive engage-
ments with Matabeleland civil society groups
at Bulawayo State House to discuss the emotive
atrocities, but the process was slammed by vic-
tims who were left out.

He constantly pledged to roll out the issuance
of birth certificates and mational identity docu-
ments for the Gukurahundi victims and facilitate
the exhumation of those buried in mass graves.

Mnangagwa made similar engagements with
chiefs in Kadoma and pledged to push the Na-
tional Peace and Reconciliation Commission
(NPRC) to lead a process of bringing closure to
the massacres. The NPRC is now largely dormant
with nothing to show for its taxpayer funding.

In a 2018 interview with CNN, Mnangagwa
boldly said he needed the matter to be put to rest
to an extent where “if needs be” he would be man
enough to apologise.

However, five years after he was thrust into
power, he has not resolved the matter.

Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi last month
said perpetrators would never be tried because
they were pardoned when Zanu PF and PF Zapu
signed the Unity Accord in 1987.

Former Parliament Speaker Moyo, who now
heads the opposition United Movement for
Devolution, told The NewsHawks that Mnangag-
wa was never sincere on the Gukurahundi issue
from the start but was merely grandstanding.

“There is very little on the ground that shows
the Mnangagwa regime’s commitment to resolv-
ing the Gukurahundi genocide. No tangible pro-
grammes or government structures set up to spe-
cifically deal with the Gukurahundi massacres.
Remember, the so-called Matabeleland distur-
bances were not an event, but a process. There-
fore, its resolution requires a holistic approach
and an inclusive process,” Moyo said.

“The process that will lead to the closure of
Gukurahundi genocide must not be led by the
perpetrator but should be led by an independent
judicial commission of inquiry. Unless the rele-
vant structures are put in place to deal specifically
with the matter, it will be foolhardy for one to
believe that Mnangagwa’s regime is serious and
committed to resolving the Gukurahundi issue.”

Moyo, who was national chairperson in the
then opposition Movement for Democratic
Change led by Morgan Tsvangirai, said Ziyambi
misdirected himself when he spoke about Guku-
rahundi in Geneva at the UN summit.

“In short, his reckless, irresponsible utterances
are dangerous and a threat to peace and tranquili-
ty in the country. He must unconditionally with-
draw his statement as it clearly undermines unity
and nation building efforts. For the record, the
Unity Accord of 1987 did not directly address
the Gukurahundi genocide, but sought to bring
about peace and unity between the two political
parties,” he said.

Moyo urged that there be a truth telling, prop-
er reconciliation and healing processes.

“The process leading to the closure of the

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

SPIRITED efforts by former NetOne chief ex- High Court throws out Kangai’s
ecutive officer Reward Kangai to get his sever- bid for NetOne severance package
ance package have been further delayed after the
High Court dismissed his application in which Former NetOne (below) chief executive officer Reward Kangai
he sought constitutional relief in his long-run-
ning labour dispute with the company. the senior labour relations officer asking that termination has not been confirmed. "Having gone nowhere on that front he could
a replacement officer be appointed to proceed In his application, Kangai said he was assert- have approached the court for relief. His deci-
Kangai sued Labour minister Paul Mavima with the confirmation, nothing has been done. sion to launch this constitutional application is
and NetOne Cellular, stating that section 93 ing his right to enforce fundamental human therefore strange.
(5a) and section 93 (5b) of the Labour Act be He argued that he is being seriously preju- freedoms. He argued he had been denied equal
declared unconstitutional because they were in- diced about his inability to execute the judge- protection and the benefit of the law. " . . . for these reasons, the applicant's con-
consistent with other sections of the constitu- ment of the Labour minister. stitutional application is ill-conceived. There
tion. "This is discrimanatory and unconscionable," is no constitutional matter before the court.
He also cited as an example changes in the Kangai said. Thus both the constitutional relief and the con-
He complained that continuous delays in re- currency situation in Zimbabwe. sequential substantive remedy sought by the
leasing his package was prejudicial, considering Justice Mafusire said Kangai was howev- applicant cannot succeed. The application is
the country's ever-changing economic policies He said a multi-currency system existed when er aware of remedies available in his case and hereby dismissed with costs," ruled the judge.
and inflation. the ruling was made. He also complained about should have approached the courts when his
NetOne causing his eviction from a house he several letters to the Labour officers were ig- — STAFF WRITER.
But Justice Joseph Mafusire threw out his ap- was using, among other issues, yet his contract nored.
plication, saying it was not clear what he want-
ed.

The judge also said he failed to approach the
courts when need arose and it was fatal for him
to do so now.

"A court order must be complete in itself.
The nature and extent of the relief granted must
be self-evident on the face of it. It should not
require an interpretive process or a reference to
pleadings," said the judge.

In his application, Kangai traced the histo-
ry of his employment, dating back to the then
Posts and Telecommunications Corporation
and through its unbundling stage until he end-
ed at the helm of NetOne.

Kangai said there were several processes and
efforts undertaken since 2016 to sever the em-
ployment relationship.

Effectively, Kangai and NetOne have been
locked in legal combat at different judicial fora
since 2016.

He challenged the termination of his employ-
ment.

The Labour minister upheld the termination
of Kangai's employment, but directed NetOne
to pay him some money in line with terms and
conditions of his employment.

In terms of the law, once this is done the La-
bour minister is expected to apply to the Labour
Court for confirmation.

The then minister said she failed to do so be-
cause she was overwhelmed by her new employ-
ment, trying to familiarise with a new working
environment.

NetOne also opposed the application for
condonation.

The application was set down for hearing by
the Labour Court on 10 September 2020.

During proceedings, NetOne said only the
Labour officer could make the application.
Faced with that predicament, the minister
withdrew her application. That is why his em-
ployment termination has not been confirmed
to date.

Kangai said despite writing several letters to

MOBILE network operator NetOne ******* they transact or manage their finances
says its parent ministry of Information on the OneMoney platform.
Communication Technology, Postal Ministry better placed to deal
and Courier Services is better placed to with the US$1m saga: NetOne “As a business, we are convinced
deal with the issue of the unaccounted that operational issues regarding the
for US$1 million fund it was mandat- governance, but we take seriously our Covid-19 disbursements are better
ed with distributing to vulnerable cit- duty to ensure that we preserve and handled by the respective ministry,”
izens whose livelihoods were adversely protect public funds.” she said.
affected by the Covid-19 lockdown in
2020. She said having been tasked with NetOne group chief executive Ra-
working on the Covid-19 beneficiaries phael Mushanawani said his com-
As reported by The NewsHawks last project, they were alert as a business on pany’s mandate is to offer innovative
week, the Covid-19 funds distributed the need to ensure that efficient sys- financial services and solutions to
by NetOne were not properly dis- tems and effective controls were pro- banked and the unbanked communi-
bursed and accounted for. vided to facilitate seamless processing ties not breach confidentiality – and
of transitions. not tell customers what to do.
Some of the irregularities in the dis-
tribution of the funds were highlight- “From our end, we believe this was She said the ministry of Public Ser-
ed by Auditor-General Mildred Chiri done well through our capable team,” vice and Social Welfare is one of Ne-
in her report titled Special Audit Report she said. tOne's key clients and should handle
of the Auditor-General on the Covid-19 the issue.
Pandemic Financial Management and Mutangadura highlighted the need
Utilisation of Public Resources in the to uphold client confidentiality while “The company endeavours to give
Country’s Provinces. handling such issues. She further its customers the best service, in this
pointed out that from a strategic per- regard as a mobile financial services
However, in response to the issue, spective, the business has been able to provider we give customers a platform
NetOne said: unlock value while making it possible that enables them to manage their fi-
for individuals and businesses to trans- nances and take control of their dis-
“NetOne’s focus is to acquire, ser- act in a secure, cashless and seamless bursements. Such a facility was created
vice, and maintain clients; it would be manner. and made available,” he said.
unethical for us as a business to com-
ment on individual client transactions She said the company has no ju- “The story on Covid -19 funds dis-
and deal with other issues outside our risdiction to question clients on how bursements by NetOne is important
jurisdiction.” to us as a business and indeed it is of
public interest, but our role was lim-
NetOne board chairperson Susan ited to providing a payment solution,
Mutangadura added: “Our role as a not to vet the clients and do other
board is to maintain good corporate things.” — STAFF WRITER.

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

ZimStat census sparks controversy

BERNARD MPOFU babwean doctors and nurses and, secondly, the “The data indicate that the most emigrants the 37 209 persons residing in Harare, 16 018
political turmoil in this country which has led from Zimbabwe were based in the southern Af- were born in South Africa,” the report reads.
THE accurate number of Zimbabwean immi- to a sharp rise in asylum seekers. Figures ob- rican region and in particular South Africa with
grants in the United Kingdom (UK) and Aus- tained from the UK show that Zimbabweans 773 246 and Botswana with 47 928. For over- “Households with emigrants constituted 13.6
tralia has exposed gross inaccuracies in the 2022 began to claim asylum in Britain in significant seas countries, the United Kingdom had 23 166 percent (520 240) of all households enumerat-
Population and Housing Census which has numbers in 2000 when 1 010 applications for emigrants.” ed during the 2022 PHC. Matabeleland South
painted the size of the country’s diaspora in a asylum were made compared with 230 applica- province had the largest proportion; 33 percent,
significantly different way, The NewsHawks has tions in 1999 and just 80 in 1998. In total the study shows that 908 913 Zimba- of households that experienced loss of members
established. bweans are living outside the country. through emigration while Matabeleland North
According to Statista, an online statistics and Masvingo provinces experienced a loss of
As debate on the socio-economic impact platform, there were approximately 40 000 The report also shows that professionals, 24 percent and 23.”
of immigrants in South Africa and the region Zimbabwean nationals residing in the United service and sales workers and craft and related
gains traction, a new report by the Zimbabwe Kingdom in 2021, a decrease from the 71 000 trades workers accounted for 58% of the emi- The report also shows highest proportion of
National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) has re- Zimbabwean nationals residing there in 2008. grants. emigrants, 64% had completed lower second-
vealed that less than one million Zimbabweans The UK has over the past few years been de- ary level of education followed by 18% who had
have emigrated since Independence contrary porting undocumented foreigners, including Migration is a powerful driver and important completed primary level of education prior to
to empirical evidence and long-held indepen- Zimbabweans. consequence of economic, political and social their departure. The proportion of emigrants
dent estimates which projected the figure to be change. Migration affects population dynamics, who had not completed any level of education
around seven million. The ZimStat survey shows that 773 246 Zim- demographic characteristics, ethnic and reli- prior to departure was 2%.
babweans have migrated to South Africa mainly gious composition; crafting of national policies
Whereas the census says 6 473 Zimbabweans due to economic reasons. on migration as well as labour migration among The census also revealed that most of the per-
left the country for Australia, a census by the others; and monitoring of regional and inter- sons, 84% (761 548 out of 908 907) emigrated
Australian department of Home Affairs in 2016 It was estimated that over three million Zim- national obligations such as Agenda 2063 and for employment reasons while 9% and 5% em-
showed that 34 787 Zimbabwean-born people babweans have fled to South Africa in search Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). igrated for family reasons and study/education
were in that country, an increase of 15% from of better employment prospects. The undoc- respectively. Masvingo and Matabeleland South
the 2011 census. umented immigrants are working in metro- Migration is the process of moving from one provinces had relatively more people who had
politan cities, farms and mines. The influx of district or province to another (internal migra- emigrated for employment purposes than other
Given the stringent visa requirements of the immigrants has worsened diplomatic relations tion) and from one country to another (inter- provinces. Harare and Bulawayo provinces had
Australian government and that the country between Zimbabwe and South Africa in recent national migration). International migration is relatively more people who had emigrated for
is far-flung with vast waters between coastal times. designated as emigration from the standpoint education or training purposes.
areas and surrounding oceans, the census by of the country from which the movement oc-
that country’s department of Home Affairs re- Although numbers of Zimbabweans who curs and as immigration from that of a receiving Dr Kudzaishe Mangombe, a statistician at
flects reality compared to ZimStat figures which migrated to South Africa are not easily consol- country. the University of Zimbabwe department of de-
largely relied on estimates. idated due to porous ports of entry, it is widely mography and settlement studies told delegates
believed that the official figures could also be Lifetime migration occurs between birth and that the new census was historic.
Government figures show that 23 166 Zim- under-estimated. time of the census. A lifetime migrant is one
babweans are in the UK, a figure which is dis- whose current province of residence is different “It’s the first kind of census which we man-
puted by an independent tally. According to the For the first time since Independence, the from his or her province of birth, regardless of aged to dispel the number of emigrants who are
United Nations Refugee Agency, Zimbabwe 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC) intervening migration. Harare province had the outside Zimbabwe because all along we were
has been in the UK’s top 10 asylum-receiving collected data on internal and international mi- highest number of lifetime in-migrants (1 037 living with speculative figures,” she said.
nations since 2000. This is attributed to the gration. 907) while Manicaland province had the largest
unprecedented economic decline and political number of lifetime out-migrants (586 930). “We had sources which were saying that the
instability that has prevailed in Zimbabwe. Not “There was a sharp increase on the num- number of people living outside Zimbabwe is
only does the UK receive many asylum seekers ber of emigrants between 1980 and 1990 that “The 2022 PHC recorded a total of 236 246 estimated to be between four to seven million.
from Zimbabwe, the UK is also the top destina- was followed by a sharp decline between 1990 persons who were born outside the country. The So the 2022 census is a ground breaking census
tion for Zimbabweans after South Africa. and 2000. There was a steady increase in the highest number of the foreign-born population because from the previous censuses we never
number of emigrants between 2001 to 2015 was born in South Africa, 137 594. Of the 137 counted the diasporans and so many sources
The increase in Zimbabweans in the UK is at- and thereafter there was a sharp increase that 594 persons born in South Africa, 23 476 per- were coming from different angles. From this
tributed to an expansion in the National Health reached a peak in 2021,” reads the 2022 Popu- sons were residing in Matabeleland South. The census we were also able to tell the level of skills
Service (NHS) which has attracted more Zim- lation and Housing Census preliminary report highest number of foreign-born population source, our brain drain and our brawn drain
of migration. were recorded in Harare province, 37 209. Of (the unskilled workers who have migrated)”.

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Mugabe loyalists vow to preserve his legacy

MOSES MATENGA The late former president Robert Mugabe
Exiled former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere
DESPITE silence by Zanu PF hawks on com-
memorating the death of their once revered
leader Robert Mugabe, his loyalists, many of
them in exile since the 2017 military coup, have
vowed to fight to ensure his legacy is protected.

Mugabe died on 6 September 2019 in a Sin-
gapore hospital leaving behind a tainted legacy.

Despite mixed reactions on how Mugabe
should be remembered, especially as a found-
ing father, his loyalists who coalesced around
him and his wife Grace under the G40 banner
during his last days in power, have vowed to en-
sure the preservation of what he stood for.

They say strides made by Mugabe to ensure a
good education system as well as his empower-
ment drive cannot be ignored.

Mugabe died a bitter man at the age of 94
as he felt betrayed by his former deputy, Em-
merson Mnangagwa and former commander
of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Constantino
Chiwenga.

Chiwenga masterminded a military coup that
saw the ouster of the veteran leader in Novem-
ber 2017, paying way for Mnangagwa to take
over the presidency.

While Mugabe is blamed for superintending
over the collapse of the economy, atrocities in
Matabeleland and the Midlands in the 1980s
that saw over 20 000 dead and politically moti-
vated violence against opposition supporters at
the turn of the millennium, among other issues,
his loyalists insist he was a good leader.

“We betrayed a good man,” Kasukuwere told
The NewsHawks.

“We know the principles he stood for and
we will fight for it. The founding fathers of this
nation were human, they may have made mis-
takes, but we will uphold the good they did.
Mugabe’s exploits in education, empowerment
of the people, land reform. He sacrificed a lot
for his people.

“He did the best he could in defending what
he stood for. He had an unfulfilled mission and
that mission will be fulfilled,” Kasukuwere add-
ed.

Kasukuwere is currently in exile, but his
name has remained in Zanu PF circles as a po-
tential challenger to Mnangagwa.

The former Local Government minister is
said to habour intentions of fighting for a re-
turn to Zanu PF to challenge Mnangagwa’s rise
which has been described as unconstitutional.

He was fired together with Grace Mugabe,
former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko,
former Higher and Tertiary Education minister
Jonathan Moyo, former Foreign Affairs minister
Walter Mzembi, among many others, most of
whom remain in exile.

“The people continue to live in poverty, with
only a few benefitting from the resources. What
he stood for in terms of resources and how they
should benefit locals should be implemented.
Resources should benefit our people and that
will not change,” Kasukuwere said.

“We will not betray you and indeed our great
people of Zimbabwe. The marathon continues.”

Mzembi said even though the Mnangagwa
regime had ignored the day Mugabe passed on,
his legacy remains.

“There is no heritage without Robert Gabriel
Mugabe, even if state media today ignores his
date of death. Doing so is absolutely child-
ish and wilderness politics. Competing with
a founding father inside a grave is ideological
convulsions. He will be father always,” Mzembi
said.

“This is the last time I am ever going to com-
plain or cry foul to this administration about
Mugabe. We owe it to ourselves to organise
and commemorate him as we feel and as he de-
serves.”

G40 elements were hounded out of the party
and the country after the military coup amid
high expectations that the Mnangagwa regime
would depart from Mugabe’s ruinous policies to
build a vibrant economy.

The Mnangagwa administration blamed
Mugabe for the country’s woes, but has failed
to address myriad challenges that continue to
affect the country.

Page 18 News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

MOSES MATENGA Mnangagwa-Masisi alliance
bad for democracy: Analysts
ZIMBABWEAN President Emmerson Mnan-
gagwa and his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi President Emmerson Mnangagwa (right) with his Botswana counterpart Mokgweetsi Masisi
Masisi clearly have many things in common — the Former Botswana presidents Festus Mogae (left) and Ian Khama
hounding of political foes out of the country and
the silencing of critics being some of their tactics.

Masisi touched down at Robert Mugabe Inter-
national Airport last week and his speech read like
a loyal student of the Zimbabwean leader and a
proud follower of Zanu PF.

“Botswana continues to call for the removal of
sanctions against Zimbabwe,” Masisi told dozens
of Zanu PF supporters who gathered to welcome
him. We just came from our elective congress, and
Zanu PF was represented very well. The two ruling
parties have relations, we are friends,” the Botswa-
na leader said, with Mnangagwa clapping while
standing next to him.

For a country whose previous leader, Ian Kha-
ma, was vocal against the human rights violations
perpetrated by president Robert Mugabe’s regime,
many pro-democracy campaigners felt Masisi
would continue on that path of advocating for
people’s freedoms, but his speech betrayed them.

In the process, Masisi has created for himself
a number of enemies in both Zimbabwe and in
his own country for siding with a Zanu PF regime
criticised by many for human rights violations.

“The ED-Masisi alliance is an alliance of au-
thoritarian leaders as Masisi has essentially been
hounding his predecessor (Ian Khama) out of
Botswana. He has also been taking a strong stance
on the media and political rivals,” political analyst
Rashweat Mukundu said.

“To me it is a bad sign and omen for the region
that a democratic country like Botswana is unfor-
tunately learning the art of authoritarianism from
Zimbabwe,” he added.

He said there was nothing productive to come
out of the relations between the two leaders.

“There is nothing productive to see out of this
other than supporting each other in their schemes
to oppress the opposition and disregard human
rights.”

He said Masisi ought to learn from former Bo-
tswana presidents Festus Mogae and Khama and
be cautioning Mnangagwa on economic misgover-
nance and human rights abuses.

Botswana is home to thousands of Zimbabwean
economic refugees, a development Mukundu said
was confirmation of crisis in Zimbabwe.

During his presidency, Khama took a firm
stand in protecting the rights of Zimbabweans and
clashed often with Mugabe who accused him of
pursuing a Western agenda.

Masisi also was blasted by the Botswana Con-
gress Party (BCP) that accused him of taking a
partisan position in supporting Zanu PF while on
a state visit. “President Masisi’s attempt to absolve
Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa
from the Zimbabwean crisis is not only an affront
and insult to the suffering people of Zimbabwe,
but it is also an attempt to revise history in the
most deceptive way,” the party said in a statement.

The party further called upon Mnangagwa’s
government to introduce the “necessary reforms
that will allow for true democracy to thrive”.

“Repression of political opponents and intimi-
dation of those that challenge the Zanu PF regime
should be condemned in the strongest possible
terms,” the neighbouring country’s opposition
said.

Like Mnangagwa, Masisi was deputy to Khama
for four years and appeared to have good relations,
but they ultimately clashed. Mnangagwa was dep-
uty to Mugabe until the November 2017 military
coup that saw dozens of Mugabe loyalists fleeing to
safety in various countries.

Khama has also fled Botswana and has been in
South Africa since November last year.

The former Botswana president recently told
Eyewitness News that his successor, Masisi, was us-
ing law enforcement structures to purge political
foes. His home was raided following claims that
he had illegally obtained firearms, allegations he
denied. “In recent times, members of his party are
the ones who have been arrested and are unlaw-
fully detained. A member of Parliament had to be
released by the High Court from unlawful deten-
tion,” Khama was quoted as saying.

Khama has also previously accused Masisi’s ad-
ministration of a plot to have him killed.

While all the accusations are placed on Masisi in
Botswana, the Zimbabwean opposition blames the
Mnangagwa administration of violations, includ-
ing arbitrary arrests and detentions without trial of
political foes.

NewsHawks News Page 19

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Outrage as sand poachers dig up graves

Ema (below) says sand and clay poaching is among the major drivers of land degradation in Zimbabwe.

AYESHA CHIDEMBO

SAND poachers have invaded Zinyengere Ceme- “The first ones are the illegal sand miners and it’s an issue for the local authority. It's not under officers are turning a blind eye to poaching because
tery in Epworth, exposing coffins and remains of the second are the illegal sand transporters. The our mandate.’’ of corruption. Sand and clay poaching has been
the deceased, while also creating pits in the grave- joint inspection [patrols] has been few because it’s recorded by Ema as one of the major drivers of
yard from which desperate people are fetching difficult to always get armed police officers. Ep- According to Ema, the statutory body respon- land degradation in Zimbabwe's urban, semi-ur-
water. worth sand poachers are violent and as such need sible for ensuring the sustainable management of ban, rural service centre areas, as well as at growth
police officers with guns, horses and dogs. This natural resources and protection of the environ- points, mainly due to construction activities.
Sand poaching has become rampant in Ep- requires mobilisation of resources. So far this year ment, approximately 1 694 hectares of land are
worth and other areas in Harare, but the invasion we have impounded 33 trucks involved in illegal affected by sand-poaching in Zimbabwe, with Harare and Bulawayo have the worst incidences
of the cemetery has shocked many residents. sand transportation,’’ Mavondo said. Harare contributing more than 850 hectares of of illegal sand poaching, with the authorities call-
the statistic. ing for more deterrent sentences in order to ward
The sand poachers are randomly digging pits “The issue of graves which have been exposed, off poachers.
in the graveyard, sometimes exposing remains of There are also reports that some top municipal
the dead, as witnessed by a crew from The News-
Hawks which visited the scene.

Rather than evicting the sand poachers, the Ep-
worth Local Board has moved in to fill the pits
with garbage.

Residents who have tried to discourage the sand
poachers have been intimidated or attacked by the
marauding groups.

“Some pits are now being used to trap drinking
water as the community has no water to use’’ said
Sheila Dance, an Epworth resident, who is mak-
ing a living from collecting garbage from the pits
in the cemetery.

Epworth Local Board secretary Wilton Manda
said the local authority is doing all it can to stop
the sand poachers.

“The problem is that sand poaching in Epworth
is being done early in the morning, during the
night or during weekends, when there are no peo-
ple around. In the afternoon you barely see them,”
Manda said.

“We are going ahead trying to stop them be-
cause they are not supposed to be doing so as it is
not under the law in Zimbabwe.’’

Epworth mayor Gift July said the Environmen-
tal Management Authority (Ema) and Epworth
Local Board officials have conducted joint raids
several times but the poachers and brick moulders
have persisted because of economic hardships.

He said the board was dumping rubbish in the
pits as part of reclamation efforts.

“On the graveyard issue, we have applied for
land, and plans are at an advanced stage to estab-
lish a new cemetery close to Glenwood extension,’’
he said.

Ema’s Harare provincial environment manager
Robson Mavondo said the agency, board and po-
lice have been battling two types of offenders in
Epworth.

Page 20 Feature NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

QUEEN Elizabeth II died on Queen was not perfect but look
Thursday in Scotland, as you at what came after her in Africa
likely know, at the age of 96.
The late Queen Elizabeth II. The late former President Robert Mugabe.
She was the longest-serving
monarch in British history. She The late Ugandian President Idi Amin. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
was born in one world and died the English is that they took their
in another. It's not easy to main- ground by an incompetent klep- colonial responsibilities seriously. ing as beautiful as the Bombay by impressive people. We will
tain your dignity while living in tocratic called Cyril Ramaphosa. They didn't just take things, they train station that the British co- see many empires going forward,
the public eye. Most of us could added.  lonialists built? No, sadly, it has but we will never see one so be-
not pull it off for an afternoon. So, it's hard to see any of that not. Not one. nign. That's true and because it's
Queen Elizabeth did it for more as an improvement because it's When the U.S. government true, the people who would like
than 70 years. not an improvement. Sorry, At- withdrew from Afghanistan after So, despite what they may be to run the world in a far harsher
lantic Magazine. And now, of 20 years, we left behind airstrips, claiming on Twitter tonight, the way would like to make certain
"I want to ask you all," she course, the entire continent of shipping containers and guns. British Empire was more than that you don't know it. And so
wrote shortly before her corona- Africa has a new master: the Chi- When the British pulled out of just genocide. In fact, the Brit- they destroy the evidence, the
tion in 1953, "whatever your re- nese government. China is the India, they left behind an entire ish did not commit genocide, ex- evidence that ever existed. Here
ligion may be, to pray for me on latest colonial power to dominate civilization, a language, a legal cept arguably against the Dutch they are tearing down a statue of a
that day, to pray that God may Africa. Its subjects will be pin- system, schools, churches and during the Boer War. The Brit- British philanthropist in the UK
give me wisdom and strength to ing for the British soon, assum- public buildings, all of which are ish did give the world the Mag- two years ago.  
carry out the solemn promises I ing they are not already. In an still in use today. Here's the train na Carta and habeas corpus and
shall be making and that I may ideal world, they would not be station the English built in Bom- free speech. They helped end the Destroy the statue, erase the
faithfully serve Him and you all empires, no empires, only sover- bay, for example. There's noth- transatlantic slave trade, as well memory. That's why they're do-
the days of my life." eign nations, but we don't have ing like that in Washington, DC as the ritual murder of widows in ing it. Slander the ruler, discred-
that world and we never have had right now, much less in Kabul or India. The British Empire spread it the entire period she lived in.
For the most part, she did just that world going back to at least Baghdad. Protestant Christianity to the en- And that's exactly why they're at-
that, and that was not a small the Assyrians 1,400 years before tire world. It published some of tacking Queen Elizabeth tonight
achievement given the period she Christ. In the real world, the one Today, India is far more power- the greatest literature ever written — not because she was a bad per-
lived in. The week that Elizabeth that we live in, strong countries ful than the UK, the nation that and produced the finest manufac- son, she wasn't a bad person, but
was coronated, Edmund Hillary, dominate weak countries and that once ruled it and yet, after 75 tured goods ever made anywhere because she lived during a better
a British subject from New Zea- trend shows no sign of changing. years of independence, has that at any time, including now. time.
land, a beekeeper, became the first The very least you can say about country produced a single build-
man in history to summit Mount It was an impressive place run — Fox News.
Everest. The achievement seemed
symbolic at the time – Britain
on top of the world. But in fact,
Britain was already over, whether
the British knew it or not. To this
day, Britain claims to have won
both of the 20th century's world
wars, but together, they destroyed
that nation forever.

After victory came humilia-
tion. The empire evaporated, and
along with it, Britain's self-con-
fidence and ultimately its self-re-
spect. It's hard to believe now,
but Britain wasn't always a re-
gional banking center/refugee
camp. It was a real place with a
history and a language and a cul-
ture and a genuinely remarkable
people, a country in the North
Atlantic, the size of Alabama, that
somehow took over the world and
ruled it with decency unmatched
by any empire in human history. 

The British Empire was not
perfect, but it was far more hu-
mane than any other ever. It's
gone now, barely even remem-
bered. Queen Elizabeth II was
the last living link to a truly Great
Britain. Today on social media,
the usual ghouls celebrated her
death. "May her pain be excru-
ciating," a Carnegie Mellon pro-
fessor called Uju Anya  wrote on
Twitter of the queen. "May she
die in agony."

Various know-nothings in the
media, including a columnist at
The Atlantic and a couple of em-
ployees of NBC News, seconded
that thought. "The British Em-
pire was evil," they wrote, ap-
parently totally unaware of what
came after it. And speaking of:
what did come after the British
Empire? How, for example, did
Africa fare after the British left?
Let's see. Uganda got Idi Amin,
who was a cannibal. Rhodesia be-
came Zimbabwe and then became
the poorest country on the planet
under the racist lunatic Robert
Mugabe. As of tonight, South
Africa is still being run into the

NewsHawks International Investigative Stories Page 21

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

InInvteesrtniagtaiotinvaelStories

Riviera Maya ATM-Skimming
Gang invests fortune, dodges
justice in Paraguay and Brazil

THE trial of an alleged member of line where they operated. Tudor progresses uninterrupted and ends Paraná department, where the case er to the president, told reporters
a notorious gang thought to have was arrested in 2021, but he has so as quickly as possible,” Méndez is being heard, said lawyers failing that the decision to hold him in the
stolen more than a billion dollars far avoided extradition to Romania said. to appear can be one of a number of lawless border city was “irregular”
from unsuspecting tourists across while Mexican authorities evaluate strategies, known as chicanas, de- given the obvious flight risk.
Latin America plodded along in his case. The latest delay followed five signed to delay proceedings. These,
virtual obscurity in Paraguay this others at the court in Ciudad del he said, are used to put off trials for As his seemingly endless legal
week, with witness testimony can- While the Riviera Maya gang has Este, a city near the border with so long that criminals serve their process drags on, OCCRP and
celed in the latest of a string of de- garnered headlines in Mexico, the Brazil and Argentina. Proceedings entire sentences under house arrest, partners have delved into Belmonte
lays. trial of Tudor’s alleged man in Par- have been repeatedly postponed; in rather than in prison. do Amaral’s past, piecing together
aguay has received little media at- one case a former prosecutor sub- details of the gang’s Paraguayan
Julio César Belmonte do Amaral tention, and the courtroom has re- mitted last-minute notifications Belmonte do Amaral could re- operations from police records and
faces charges for fraud related to mained almost empty. At the most that she had COVID-19. ceive a maximum sentence of 10 interviews. Reporters also tracked
the gang’s main business of stealing recent hearing, on August 22, the years for charges including partic- down multiple properties in Brazil
victims’ bank card details by tam- judge, prosecution and defense de- On July 22, a visibly annoyed ipation in a criminal organization, that his family members and oth-
pering with ATMs, then withdraw- cided to postpone police testimo- Méndez was forced to postpone a according to Méndez. He has now er alleged proxies for the gang al-
ing their money using cloned cards. nies because they were busy with hearing, because Belmonte do Am- been under house arrest for five legedly bought with the proceeds of
The Brazilian was singled out by different trials. aral’s lawyers didn’t show up. The years. their scams.
a fellow gang member as a leader judge said he had only received no-
of the group’s expansion into Par- “I want to make it clear that the tice minutes before the trial was due “Everything indicates that he is Belmonte do Amaral did not re-
aguay, where a police source said police are not reluctant. The wit- to start that one of the lawyers, Luis seeking the dismissal of the case. spond to requests for comment.
the gang had also developed a new nesses are ready to give their testi- Alberto Jiménez, could not attend They use all the mechanisms and ‘Money You Can’t Even Imagine’
scam targeting payment terminals mony,” Judge Marino Méndez told because he had COVID-19. The means to achieve it,” said Barreto, Ciudad del Este lies on the Triple
at local businesses. OCCRP’s Paraguayan media part- other lawyer, Osvaldo Martínez, referring to Belmonte do Amaral Frontier, where Argentina, Brazil
ner, ABC Color, days after the brief did not present any documentation and his lawyers. and Paraguay meet –– the most
Belmonte do Amaral is the broth- hearing. to justify his absence. economically productive place in
er-in-law of the gang’s leader, Flo- Belmonte do Amaral has been Paraguay, and one of the largest du-
rian Tudor, a Romanian gangster Méndez said the file had been Reporters could not reach either largely confined to a serviced apart- ty-free zones on earth. It is also in-
nicknamed “The Shark.” In 2020, backlogged because it was passed Martínez or Jiménez for comment. ment in a hotel in Ciudad del Este famous for corruption, permeable
OCCRP published an investigation between courts — most recently They are no longer representing since being arrested in Argentina in borders, smuggling, and weak law
into the group’s operations, dub- from the Supreme Court to a Sen- Belmonte do Amaral, who has been 2017. enforcement.
bing them the Riviera Maya gang tencing Court — and staff were given a public defender.
after the stretch of Mexican coast- overextended. Cecilia Pérez Rivas, a former Par- “It’s a place where it’s difficult to
Mauro Barreto, president of the aguayan justice minister who now
“It’s in the court’s interest that it bar association for Paraguay’s Alto serves as a national security advis-

Page 22 International Investigative Stories NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

trace cash,” said Irma Llano Perei- Julio Cesar Belmonte do Amaral seen at the Police Investigations Department after his arrest in 2014.
ra, a Paraguayan cybercrime pros-
ecutor who pursued Belmonte do The hotel where Julio Cesar Belmonte do Amaral has lived under house arrest news reports. He said that at the 46 fake credit cards in a vehicle that
Amaral. since 2017. time of his Paraguay arrest he had he, Johny Araujo do Amaral, and
been there on vacation, and he had another associate were using.
“Cash is brought back and forth Catalin Bota and Marian Zarcu, Zarcu and Vargas Neto were fined nothing to do with any skimming.
between Paraguay and Brazil, buy- were taken into custody. and expelled from Paraguay for the A Brazilian Property Portfolio When Julio Cesar Belmonte do
ing high-end vehicles or valuable “production and use of cloned cred- Part of the money the Riviera Maya Amaral’s bag was searched at the
real estate, through which money As part of a wider sweep, police it cards” and for being in an “irreg- gang made in Paraguay was invested airport in Paraguay’s capital Asun-
laundering can occur.” arrested Brazilian Amantino Vargas ular migratory situation,” and sent into Brazilian real estate, according ción in 2014, security officials
Neto in the vicinity of an apartment to Brazil. Belmonte do Amaral was to the former gang member, whose found a box with Jucivaldo’s name
One former Riviera Maya Gang complex in the Triple Frontier city arrested in Argentina the following claims are supported by the Roma- and address in Foz do Iguaçu, con-
member said Belmonte do Am- of Hernandarias. In a room in the year, and sent back to Paraguay. nian criminal file on the gang. taining white plastic credit cards
aral was sent to Ciudad del Este hotel where he had been staying — that can be used for cloning, as
in 2015, tasked with expanding rented in the name of Belmonte do Llano, the prosecutor who In interviews with OCCRP re- well as cell phones, cash, and 18
the gang’s business into Paraguay. Amaral’s cousin, who had been on worked on an investigation into porters, the ex-gang member de- cards from various banks. He was
The move was close to home for the run from Paraguayan authori- Belmonte, said most card scams in scribed going to Brazil to deliver arrested, fined and expelled from
the Brazilian, who grew up across ties since 2016 — police discovered the country are carried out by for- cash to Tudor’s wife, Jucilene, so the country.
the border in the tourist destina- card cloning equipment. eigners, who are usually fined and she could build a house in Foz do
tion of Foz do Iguaçu with his sis- expelled in part to avoid the risk Iguaçu. Using land registry docu- In August of the same year, Ju-
ter, Jucilene Belmonte do Amaral, Juliana Giménez Portillo, a pros- of them teaching their methods to ments, reporters identified several civaldo’s wife bought two condo-
whom gang leader Tudor describes ecutor with Paraguay’s Specialized other inmates in Paraguayan pris- other properties in the town reg- minium units in the same devel-
as his wife. (He is legally married to Cyber Crime Unit, said it was the ons. istered in the name of Jucilene, opment for over $23,000 each. She
a Romanian woman). first time police in the country had other members of the Belmonte do sold them again in 2019.
ever seized such technology, which Vargas Neto did not respond to Amaral family, and other presumed
As in Mexico, where Tudor’s included fake cards with chips, mi- a request for comment. Reached proxies for Tudor. Tudor and his wife bought an-
gang was expanding at the same cro cameras, and magnetic stripe by reporters, Zarcu said he had other property themselves in the
time, Belmonte do Amaral and his readers used for card cloning. “no relationship” with Julio Cesar Jucilene Belmonte do Amaral has city for 232,400 Brazilian reals
colleagues allegedly set to work Belmonte do Amaral, had “no idea four properties in her name in Foz (over $100,000) in July 2014, re-
skimming from local ATMs. The However, despite the apparent what he was doing,” and he refused do Iguaçu, reporters found. One cords show. The former gang mem-
former gang member said they rap- strength of the evidence, none of to comment on any of the gang’s was bought in 2015 for a little over ber shared pictures of an additional
idly started making vast amounts of those arrested are in prison in Par- wider activities. $530,000 and the three others were luxurious property he said Tudor
money and that he personally pro- aguay. bought in 2019 for a combined built about three years later, though
cessed more than $100 million for Bota told reporters he had only $172,000. reporters were unable to confirm
the gang over the course of three to In November 2016, Paraguayan learned of Tudor’s existence from this through property records.
four years. migration authorities said Bota, In total, between 2014 and
2019, the records show members of Tudor, his wife Jucilene, Cleusa
“I have seen money in my life the gang and their proxies bought Belmonte do Amaral, and Jucival-
that you can’t even imagine,” he at least 11 properties for just over do Belmonte do Amaral did not re-
told Context.ro, an OCCRP mem- $950,000. The former gang mem- spond to questions about the prop-
ber center in Romania. “I was car- ber, who delivered funds to them erties and the gang’s activities.
rying $700,000, $800,000, $1 mil- in Brazil, said there was no way the
lion in a few days.” proxies could have afforded the real Yet another of the alleged prox-
estate on their own. ies singled out by the family of a
The former gang member said different former gang member also
Belmonte do Amaral funneled One property was bought by bought a property in 2015 and
some of the money back from Par- Cleusa Belmonte do Amaral, the some land in 2019. His wife was
aguay to Brazil, where it would be mother of Jucilene and Julio Ce- the co-purchaser of another prop-
invested in real estate. sar Belmonte do Amaral, in March erty together in 2017.
2014 for a little over $25,000 from
Besides ATM skimming, police a person named Johny Araujo do It seems unlikely that Paraguay-
say the gang also pioneered anoth- Amaral. an authorities will recover the al-
er scam targeting local restaurants legedly illicit funds used to pur-
and other businesses in Ciudad del Others were bought by the wife chase those assets, given the lack of
Este. of one of his brothers, Jucivaldo state control described by Barreto,
Belmonte do Amaral, who also president of the Alto Paraná bar as-
Children and teenage “soldiers” appears to have been involved in sociation.
would steal a payment terminal skimming:
from a business, which would then “These groups … do business or
be fitted with a device that gave ac- In 2016, Jucivaldo spent four trade in Ciudad del Este because
cess to the details of all cards that days in a Florida jail after a police justice does not exist here. It’s all
made transactions. The gang would search turned up a plastic bottle about money,” said Barreto.
then reinstall the altered terminal cap containing cocaine residue and
in another business, sometimes — Organised Crime and Cor-
with the help of employees, and use ruption Reporting Project.
it to clean out the accounts of cus-
tomers who paid on that machine.

By 2016, however, police had
started to get suspicious.

Commissioner Diosnel Alarcón,
head of cybercrime investigation
for the national police force, said
that they were contacted by Par-
aguay’s main card transactions
monitoring service about frequent,
small withdrawals using Mexican,
European, and U.S. cards being
made in Ciudad del Este.

Security staff at Visión Banco
also alerted police that someone
had tried to install a camera and
magnetic stripe reader on one of
their ATMs in Ciudad del Este.
CCTV footage showed two men
emerging from a white Kia Sportage
SUV and accessing the ATM, one
of whom the police thought they
recognized as Belmonte do Amaral.

A few days later, police stopped
a vehicle matching that descrip-
tion owned by Belmonte do Am-
aral, which appeared to have been
bought with skimmed funds. In-
side, they found a magnetic card
reader, as well as payment cards
that were presumed to be cloned.

Two Romanians, Laurentiu

NewsHawks Editorial & Opinion Page 23

Issue 97, 9 September 2022 CARTOON

Genocidal
crimes cannot
be wished away

BY far the biggest story of the week has been the death of Queen Eliza- Queen's death sparks hot debate
beth II at the age of 96 after 70 years on the British throne.
Hawk Eye
There has been an outpouring of diverse sentiments, proving yet
again that human beings view life through remarkably varying lenses. Dumisani
Some have hailed Britain’s longest-serving monarch, describing her as a Muleya
moderniser who steered her country into the 21st century.

Others have — unsurprisingly — reminded the world that she pre-
sided over a rapacious genocidal empire that profited from slavery and
colonial conquest. For Zimbabwe, Queen Elizabeth II was a profound-
ly influential figure in the history of the country.

She first visited the then Southern Rhodesia with the royal family
in 1947. In 1991, she would make a return, attending the Common-
wealth Heads of Government Meeting hosted by Zimbabwe.

Her son — who has automatically ascended the throne and is now
officially known as King Charles III — attended Zimbabwe's Indepen-
dence ceremony in 1980, famously lowering the Union Jack as the flag
of the new republic went up, to rapturous applause.

But soon after Independence, Robert Mugabe’s murderous regime
committed the Gukurahundi genocide, killing an estimated 20 000
mostly Ndebele-speaking civilians. The British establishment knew
about the genocide, but they really did nothing to demand an end to
the atrocities. Mugabe — who had postured as a noble international
statesman — was adept at selling a contrived image of himself.

The late Zimbabwean president had great relations with Queen Eliz-
abeth II when he rose to power in 1980, riding on the crest of a wave of
popularity, but they later bitterly fell out over violent land seizures, theft
of elections and gross human rights abuses.

The British monarch bestowed Mugabe a ceremonial knighthood in
1994, but went on to strip him of the honour. It was a highly unusu-
al move, meant to show Britain’s revulsion with the atrocious human
rights abuses of his regime.

The queen acted on the advice of the then Foreign secretary David
Miliband who said Mugabe should have the honour revoked because of
widespread violence and intimidation of Zimbabwe’s opposition ahead
of the June 2008 presidential election runoff.

Britain — the former colonial power in Zimbabwe — and its ally
the United States had said they would not recognise the result because
the late founding main opposition MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had
withdrawn from the poll, citing violence and intimidation. Since then,
relations between Harare and London have been fraught, with Zanu PF
leaders placed on travel bans and asset freezes.

It will be interesting to see how the queen's death will shape the
raging global discourse over demands for reparations by former British
colonies. King Charles III has inherited an institution whose problem-
atic emperial history continues dangling above the monarch like the
proverbial sword of Damocles. The genocidal crimes of the past cannot
be wished away. Already, some Commonwealth countries are demand-
ing to be liberated from British ceremonial rule.

Genocide needs genuine truth-telling, justice, atonement and repa-
ration. This is the message Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnan-
gagwa now needs to understand for posterity.

After visiting the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Rwanda this week,
Mnangagwa — who spearheaded the Gukurahundi killings back home
although he feebly denies it — wrote an ironic message.

He wrote a moving tribute in the visitor’s book, but it was replete
with hypocrisy. Mnangagwa said “this is the most sad and dark experi-
ence of my life”.

Amazingly, his government recently told the United Nations that
nobody will be prosecuted for the Gukurahundi genocide because the
1987 Unity Accord and the late president Mugabe conferred a blanket
amnesty.

If the Genocide on the Tutsi people of Rwanda elicits such profound
sadness in Mnangagwa’s life, why is he unwilling to come clean on
Gukurahundi? As State Security minister back then, he was one of the
masterminds of the 1980s massacres.

It is instructive that Rwandan President Paul Kagame has advised
Mnangagwa to stop grandstanding and walk the talk on reforms. Kag-
ame realises that there is a limit to cheap propaganda and contrived
optics. Is Mnangagwa listening?

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Page 24 New Perspectives NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Zimbabwe needs capital markets to
fund business ideas and companies

This a paper presented by Dr Alfred Mthimkhulu, ers] need no protection ... because steel is now
Bard Santner Investors executive director, at the produced cheaper here than anywhere else”. At
Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries congress in that point, the developing country called the
Harare on Thursday. The presentation was titled United States had achieved its mission.
Listings, Acquisitions, (de)mergers and Vertical
Integration: Implications for Competition, Entre- That is a story or two from a long time ago.
preneurship and Economic Growth in Zimbabwe. Because of the stories’ datedness and because of
our couched sensitivities to anti-trust behaviour
ALFRED MTHIMKHULU of big businesses, we are wary of learning from
such a long time ago, the era of “robber barons”
Background on Zimbabwe capital markets shareholders are better-off in a niche or focused They then created efficiencies in the new as it is called.
I STARTED trading on the Zimbabwe Stock business than in a conglomerate and so began large entity, thanks to resultant economies of
Exchange mid-1990s as a finance student. It the era of de-mergers. How the thesis came up scale. New products were introduced. We prefer learning from more recent times
was a season of listings and I enjoyed it very is important to discuss. It came out to justify when humanity had presumably become more
much. I know I’m not the only one here who corporate raids of the 1980s in the US wherein A diverse value chain emerged. Jobs were civil.
enjoyed it because that nostalgia has been ex- junk bonds were issued to finance acquisitions. created. Long story short: at the centre of US
pressed numerous times in this congress. The debt financing the acquisitions would then industrialisation were very large monopolistic South Korea began aggressively industrialis-
be repaid from disposal of seemingly peripheral businesses. At its peak, Standard Oil had about ing mid-1960s – that’s when we locate modern-
I fondly remember walking into a UDC of- assets. 85% of the kerosene market in the world. day origins of the likes of Samsung, Hyundai,
fice, “the money people”, to drop a bank-cer- LG Electronics and so on.
tified cheque to follow my rights in the rights The real game there was playing around with Some of what we learn from the likes of Stan-
issue of the finance house. I also recall submit- price-earnings ratios and asset valuations. Noth- dard Oil is as follows: there were no proper con- In the Table we see very large businesses:
ting my Econet initial public offering (IPO) ing new was being created in the real economy. tainers for crude oil when they started so they Export-oriented businesses; research-intensive
subscription form to the financial adviser, Na- That’s de-mergers. ventured into making them; trains had no suit- businesses.
tional Merchant Bank, itself having raised capi- able cargo cars so they made the cars; railroad
tal a few years earlier by means of a dual listing I will now share two stories from elsewhere companies were unreliable so they bought them To us, it whispers the imperativeness of merg-
in London and here at home. to reflect on the implications of mergers and or at least devised ways of controlling them. ers than de-mergers in deepening the industrial
acquisitions for industrial development in Zim- sector, it whispers the imperativeness of acqui-
What defined that era is that the primary babwe bearing in mind that mergers rouse more It all worked because there was a strong cen- sitions and new listings at the most ambitious
market function of the capital market was alive attention of the competition authorities than tre in the large corporate entity. scale imaginable.
as was the secondary. We were raising long-term de-mergers. The first story is perhaps overtold.
capital to fund long-term projects. Our capi- It is from a developing country called the Unit- The large corporate entity was not just an  
tal market was also funding ideas, sheer ideas ed States of America. The other is an amalgam industrial holding company but an internalised The way forward
with no track record e.g., Econet which to my of stories from a developed economy called capital market for the firm and the economy. But there is a trade-off between the bold
reading today is a conglomerate. At about that South Korea. In fact, industrialists of that era, even across the pursuit of competitiveness and domestic com-
time, an obscure entity, Innscor, reverse-listed Atlantic, were in themselves financiers often res- pliance to competition laws. The unasked ques-
into a small cap. That was an acquisition. Today Lessons from US and South Korea cuing the entire financial system, meaning that tion is: What do we seek to achieve: To be seen
that then obscure entity is a conglomerate. In In recent years, I have been fascinated by the capital markets and industry were almost per- as compliant or to be globally competitive? We
that era, we were using our capital markets to pace and scale of industrialisation in post-Civil fectly merged. learn from history that we will be kidding our-
seed and scale local businesses and that is the War America (1865 to 1913) and wondered if selves if we say both can be successfully pursued
primary function of capital markets, trading is we could draw insights from that period. One There is a caveat to this sweet story. Indus- simultaneously.
secondary. interesting story is of course that of three young trialists of that era got away with many things Yet, if there is something unique in Zimba-
men, among them John D. Rockefeller Snr we cannot get away with today, the most sig- bwe’s capacity to nurture local-cum-globally
I will stay in the 1990s a bit. I am in my final nificant being competition laws. It was only in competitive firms, it is the country’s well-es-
year. We have a lecturer who is an investment 1911 that the US enacted their first set. It is un- tablished capital market boasting three stock
manager at one of the largest pension funds in derstandable that they passed the laws that late. exchanges, one of which trades in the world’s
the country. One afternoon, he leads us in a Why? Because the industrialisation mission was most used currency.
debate on which IPO was better: the Seed Co on course or already met. With perhaps good reasons, local firms are
IPO or Discount Company of Zimbabwe IPO. yet to make use of these capital markets. But,
Looking back, I cannot miss that abstract yet As I was scribbling what I have just said, I was none will doubt that industrial Zimbabwe is on
real picture of the nexus of academia/research, reminded of an article Andrew Carnegie wrote the rise when prospectuses of IPOs, rights is-
industrial development policy, capital markets, in 1908 lobbying for removal of import tariffs sues, mergers and acquisitions are found in our
and the private sector. I have sketched that nex- from 35 years earlier: “Today [steel manufactur- offices’ waiting rooms along the usual newspa-
us below. pers and magazines. We must look forward to
South Korea top exporters, 2019 that. I do.
Nexus in which industrialisation process is optimal *About the presenter: Dr Alfred Mthim-
khulu is the executive director of Bard Sant-
ner Investors, a subsidiary of Bard Santner
Markets Inc. He is an economist and former
stockbroker, as well as National University
of Science and Technology and Stellenbosch
University alma mater.

Nature of business Total Assets (US$) Sales (US$)

Samsung Electronics Semiconductors 304.9 billion 197.6 billion
Hyundai Motor 90.5 billion
Hanwha Car/truck makers 163.3 billion 43.2 billion
SK Holdings 85.1 billion
Posco Products trader, explosives 157.6 billion 53.2 billion

Oil, gas 114.2 billion

Iron, steel 67.6 billion

KIA Motors Car/truck makers 45.8 billion 50.9 billion

launching what would become one of the larg- Hyundai Mobis Automotive parts 38.7 billion 31.9 billion
est businesses in the world, Standard Oil.
The goal of an industrialising economy is to LG Electronics Consumer electronics 37.4 billion 52.5 billion
expand that nexus. The best and easiest way to The sector was new and many jumped in for
expand it to its biggest is to merge all circles. a quick buck. The three were in it for the long SK Innovation Iron, steel 34.2 billion 42.8 billion
haul. They executed a series of mergers and ac-
In the tail-end of the 1990s, a thesis took root quisitions in the oil boom city of Cleveland and Hyundai Heavy Industries Heavy equipment 22.2 billion 21.8 billion
in our financial market and private sector, as ended up controlling 80% of output.
proxied by listed companies. The thesis was that Total 985.9 billion 669.5 billion

Companies & Markets 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

Tobacco earns US$7bn since 2007

DUMISANI NYONI when the country began selling the product in "These were shipments to China that had destinations for Zimbabwean tobacco, absorbing
greenback. been halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tra- a combined 38% of total exports in 2021," he
ZIMBABWE has sold about 2.5 billion kilo- ditionally, Chinese shipments are done between said.
grammes of tobacco valued at US$7.1 billion The years which contributed much in terms November and January," he said.
since 2007, with China and Indonesia absorbing of value were 2018 and 2014, with US$737.4 Gudu said a total of 7.9 million kgs was im-
most of the golden leaf, data from the Tobacco million and US$612.1 million respectively. The export earnings for 2021 totalled to ported from 10 countries compared to five mil-
Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) show. US$819.7 million, data show. This was a signif- lion kgs imported in 2020. The imported to-
The lowest contributors were 2008 and 2007, icant increase from US$763 million recorded in bacco was used for blending with local stock for
Tobacco is one of Zimbabwe’s leading foreign at US$156.7 million and US$169.2 million, re- 2020. The 2021 average export price for tobac- either cigarette manufacturing or processing and
currency earners, alongside gold and diaspora re- spectively. Last year, the southern African nation co was US$4.46 per kilogramme compared to export, he said.
mittances. raked in US$589.7 million from tobacco sales. US$4.06 per kg for 2020.
"Imports from the Dominican Republic and
The country, which is the largest producer of According to TIMB chief executive officer Gudu said the Far East has been the top des- Indonesia are mainly used for the manufacture of
tobacco in Africa and the sixth globally, is aiming Meanwell Gudu, in 2021 Zimbabwe exported tination for Zimbabwean tobacco since 2012, cigars. 98% of the imports was flue-cured virgin-
to turn tobacco farming into a US$5 billion in- 183.7 million kilogrammes which was lower absorbing a high of 52% of total exports in 2016 ia (FCV) tobacco and 2% was burley and dark
dustry by 2025. than the 187.9 million kgs exported in 2020. and 40% in 2021. fire," he said.

According to data contained in the TIMB The export pattern was the same pattern in the "China and Indonesia are the main markets Gudu said the year 2021 ended with stocks
2021 report, Zimbabwe has been earning bil- past three years from 2019. for Zimbabwean tobacco in the Far East. The amounting to approximately 122 million kgs
lions of dollars from tobacco sales since 2007 European Union and Africa are also significant compared to 121 million kgs in the previous year.
However, the report shows that peak exports
for 2021 were first realised in April.

Page 26 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

DAVID MCKAY Revolving door of Zim’s mining
investment keeps on spinning
ZIMBABWE’S mining sector was delivered a
body-blow in June when Russian firm Vi Holding appropriated by Zimbabwe’s former president, diction, where we have had the least amount of including lithium production.
withdrew its support for the long-proposed plati- Robert Mugabe. disruption and the most predictable production The government of Zimbabwe gets a load of
num group metals (PGM) mine Darwendale. profile,” he said in April at a PGM industry con-
But the game-changer for Tharisa is that the ference. bad press and I accept that. It is not getting every-
The company foresaw insoluble difficulties at- Zimbabwean government has declared the region thing right, but its incentives, what it is putting in
tracting investors following its homeland’s attack a special economic zone (SEZ), which carries a “Personally, I am quite happy that the jurisdic- front of foreign direct investors, are well thought
on neighbour Ukraine. The project is now exclu- 15% tax rate compared to 25% for other corpo- tion is seen as a risk by most other competitors through.
sively owned by the Zimbabwean government, rates, as well as duty-free importation of capital because it allows us to continue expanding our
which intends to go it alone. That could take goods. “We wouldn’t have a project without the interests,” he said. “Much of the new developments involve small-
some doing, though. SEZ,” says Graulich. “It provides a lot of com- er players in China looking to secure resource sup-
fort.” Lithium ply overseas, a strategy that China has employed
Darwendale is scoped to produce up to Sam Hosack, MD and CEO of Sydney-listed to gain control of the supply chain,” says Allan
860 000 oz of PGMs annually, a scale requiring Tharisa is also applying for national project sta- Prospect Resources, says his company is content Ray Restauro, an analyst at BloombergNEF.
US$3 billion in investment, US$500 million tus, which will speed up Karo’s implementation to reinvest in Zimbabwe’s minerals exploration
for its first phase alone. Government seems un- by improving the flow of capital goods in and out industry despite having in April completed the The West is concerned about the geopolitical
deterred by the task: “That platinum project is a of the country. US$387m sale of the firm’s Arcadia lithium proj- risk of China having so much dominance in a
great asset for the country and we are not only ect to China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. critical metal, much as it does in the rare earth
focusing on platinum in acquiring shareholding People need to get their heads around the neg- “The government of Zimbabwe gets a load of industry that is critical in the manufacture of
but other assets as well,” said George Guvamatan- ativity although, obviously, having good geology bad press and I accept that. It is not getting every- wind turbines for renewable energy. Hosack’s
ga, Zimbabwe’s finance permanent secretary in an helps thing right, but its incentives, what it is putting in view is that the Chinese are quicker to the table
interview with Bloomberg News. “That is the new front of foreign direct investors, are well thought than Western original equipment manufacturers
thrust of government.” On the back of this, Tharisa has raised the through,” he says. “Zimbabwe is trying to create (OEMs). “When we were looking at, shall we
prospect of tapping Zimbabwe’s bond market in an ‘open for business’ culture and to create that say, investment approach, I was quite frankly dis-
The project had been in the sights of Russian order to part-fund the project, possibly through awareness, and certainly in our case it was a clear turbed by the attitudes from Western countries.
investors for 16 years without ever seeing light the newly founded Victoria Falls Exchange. That example of a well-incentivised investor that found It was very predatory, there was no profit-sharing
of day. Despite the riches of the resource, there’s sounds bold, but it’s a sign of the confidence a good asset.” interest,” says Hosack.
no escaping the reality that Zimbabwe is a tough Tharisa has in Zimbabwe. Debt funding and ex- It’s a little known fact that Zimbabwe is the
place to do business. port credit finance are other funding mechanisms world’s sixth-largest producer of lithium, and the “It’s of course a function of risk appetite that
underway but which are yet to be finalised by the largest in Africa. Lithium, a mineral critical in the China can move quicker and that the West is lag-
The late David Brown, previously CEO of company. assembly of batteries for the electric car indus- ging,” he says. “When the Chinese came along
Zimbabwe’s Kuvimba Mining House, a govern- try, is expected to flourish over the next five to they were like a gundog on the scent. When they
ment-owned company that is now the sole owner If successfully built, Karo Platinum Project 10 years. Its price gained 400% last year and ac- want something they can move very quickly.
of Darwendale, was fulsome in his appraisal of the will take its place in an established PGM business cording to the International Energy Association, a That’s part of our fiduciary duties as directors to
asset. “The [Darwendale] resource is reasonably that has Impala Platinum as its most significant major supply deficit opens up from about 2024. carefully note where the real likelihood lies and
attractive. It’s shallow and on the Great Dyke and investor through its 85%-owned Zimplats. It China controls the market but the price hike where the best shareholder value can be created.”
so it’s got a good post code from PGM content announced in March the US$204m doubling of alarmed some of its smaller producers, trigger-
point of view. I think it’s got some good option- Zimplats’ smelter capacity. This investment frees ing a rush for the mineral globally; hence the Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s presi-
ality,” he said. up capacity for additional smelting in South Af- play for Prospect’s Arcadia. Sinomine acquired dent, welcomes China’s presence in the country’s
rica, which currently treats concentrate from the Zimbabwe’s Bikita lithium mine earlier this year minerals sector, according to a report by Xinhua,
“But like all things, you can’t lock that in unless Mimosa mine in Zimbabwe. while Chinese firm Chengxin Lithium Group has the state-owned news agency.
you’ve got the right investors. In Zimbabwe, there teamed up with Sinomine to explore for the min-
has been an inability to attract significant foreign Nico Muller, CEO of Implats, says the decision eral in Zimbabwe. London-listed Premier African China had brought “value and employment”
direct investment [FDI] in a generic way. Saying to invest in Zimplats’ expansion was premised on Metals recently raised funds for the continued in contrast to Western investors, said Mnan-
there are one or two projects in Zimbabwe doesn’t “the attractiveness of the orebody, strength of the development of the Zulu lithium and tantalum gagwa. According to Xinhua, the government
really help. You need a wave of FDI,” he said. operating team and unmatched record in opera- project in Zimbabwe whilst there was speculation mouthpiece, the investment in Bikita this year
tional performance and project delivery”. As for last year that the government’s Zimbabwe Mining could herald a new start for the mine after years of
“I’m not sure the government has been that jurisdictional risk, he thinks Implats can fall back Development Corporation planned to reopen the one-way exploitation by Western investors. Based
successful at attracting investment for itself. I’d say on a 25-year track record of collaboration with Kamativi tin mine as a multi-element operation on recent history in Zimbabwe, the fulfilment of
they probably aren’t [successful], and I don’t see the government. that assumption remains to be seen.
that wave of FDI coming through.” Brown trag- About the writer: David McKay is owner and
ically passed away on June 18 – a major loss for This has led to some criticism of Implats: how publisher of Miningmx, a digital publication
Zimbabwe considering his 20-year-long involve- does it square its own principles against the cor- which provides independent news and analysis
ment with the country. rupt administration of Mugabe? But Muller has related to the African mining sector. — MINING
few qualms. “Zimbabwe has been our best juris-
Brown’s view was also recently expressed by the
Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe. Commenting
in its 2022 Commodity Outlook, it identified an
estimated capital shortfall in its mining sector of
US$10bn over the next five years. That, and the
hindrances of “erratic power supply … exchange
rate volatility and foreign exchange restraints”, are
preventing the

country from benefiting from “favourable
commodity prices”.

The track record suggests Zimbabwe is a place
where mining companies can have some success if
they have a commodity the market views favour-
ably. But the converse is also true. Fundamental
hindrances undermine its reputation, such as its
currency problems.

These include the reintroduction of the Zimba-
bwe dollar three years ago after the (US) ‘dollari-
sation’ of the economy. As part of this, exporters
have to “give up” 40% of their export proceeds,
which have to be paid in Zimbabwe dollars. “The
Zimbabwe dollar relative to the US dollar has
been inflationary,” says an industry source. “The
differential between official rates and unofficial
rates shows there’s a lack of faith in the local cur-
rency, in what it can buy and what its value is.”

There are workarounds, such as a company se-
curing a special mining lease, but issues around
currency are just the tip of the iceberg for inves-
tors. Another problem is that it’s difficult to im-
port capital goods. Electricity supply is also un-
reliable.

Incentivising projects
Yet new mining projects do get announced in
Zimbabwe. One is Tharisa’s proposed US$250m
Karo Platinum Project, which aims to produce
150 000oz/year of PGMs, doubling the size of
the Johannesburg-listed firm’s current South Af-
rican production. “Absolutely, you can invest in
Zimbabwe,” says Ilja Graulich, spokesman for the
company.
“People need to get their heads around the neg-
ativity although, obviously, having good geology
helps,” he adds, referencing the project’s position
on the Great Dyke so favoured by Brown. In fact,
Karo Platinum Project is to be constructed on
property originally owned by Implats until it was

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 27

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Zim Q2 platinum output slightly declines

DUMISANI NYONI

PLATINUM output in Zimbabwe slightly de- was not repeated in the period under review. year decline, with the second quarter represent- tenance, this was more than offset by a build of
clined by 1% to 124 000 ounces (oz) during "The company’s mined output fell as opera- ing the ninth consecutive quarter of year-on- producer inventory in Russia," it said.
the second quarter of this year compared to the year falls.
same period last year, the World Platinum In- tions halted as an area of cultural significance Global platinum mine supply in 2022 is fore-
vestment Council (WPIC) has said. was identified, which necessitated a reconfig- The report notes that a flood at Sibanye-Still- cast to decline 7% year-on-year to 5.8 million
uration of Mogalakwena. Elsewhere, Impala water’s US operations and processing mainte- ounces, primarily due to the depletion of An-
Last year, in the second quarter, output stood Platinum’s production declined due to a smelter nance at Vale’s Sudbury operations were respon- glo-American Platinum semi-finished invento-
at 125 000oz. rebuild," the report reads in part. sible for this quarter’s slump of 13%. ry that boosted refined volumes in 2021 and
constrained smelter availability due to planned
"Output from Zimbabwe was stable at 124 "While the state electricity supplier Eskom Russian production rose 18% for the quarter, rebuilds.
koz, benefiting from increased concentrator ca- implemented a level of load shedding not ex- offsetting much of the losses from other regions
pacity at Unki. This offset declines at Mimosa perienced since 2019, the timing in late June as Nornickel’s output recovered from the mine South Africa will account for the bulk of the
and Zimplats, which fell due to a semi-finished means the impact of this will be mostly felt in flooding of 2021. fall, with a forecast decline of 10% to 4.2 mil-
inventory release last year," the report reads in the third quarter with only a modest effect on lion ounces, while other producing countries
part. Q2." "While there was a modest destocking of are expected to remain broadly in line with
producer refined inventory in South Africa to 2021 output.
The southern African country holds the North American output continued its multi- support sales during a period of furnace main-
world’s third largest proven platinum reserves
after South Africa and Russia.

As such, output from Zimbabwe has an im-
pact on global output and pricing trends.

Platinum is one of Zimbabwe’s biggest for-
eign currency earners, with South African min-
ing companies such as Impala Platinum (Im-
plats) and Anglo-American Platinum (Amplats)
owning the biggest platinum group metals
mines in the country.

According to the government’s vision of at-
taining a US$12 billion mining economy by
2023, platinum is expected to contribute US$3
billion per year.

Quarter-on-quarter, platinum output in-
creased by 6%.

This year, WPIC projected Zimbabwe's pro-
duction to fall by 4% to 465 000oz compared
to last year's figures of 485 000oz.

Global refined platinum production during
the second quarter declined a modest 1% year-
on-year to 1.5 million ounces as lower output
from most producing countries were largely off-
set by growth from Russia.

Production in South Africa was relative-
ly stable as well, declining 3% year-on-year.
Anglo American Platinum’s output fell quar-
ter-on-quarter due to the exceptional impact of
the release of semi-finished inventory accumu-
lated due to the Anglo Converter Plant (ACP)
shutdown in the same period last year, which

BERNARD MPOFU Currency volatility piles pressure on banks
rate. If you check, the official rate has depreciated
THE continued depreciation of the Zimbabwe ed pressure on capital resulting in the Bank’s resenting capacity to underwrite more business.” by over 70% ever since the year started,” Rufa-
dollar is piling pressure on local banks to harden US$-denominated core capital having reduced Preservation of capital is a conservative in- ro Hozheri, a research analyst at Fincent Capital,
their balance sheets as they seek to preserve their from US$74.8m as at 31 December 2021 to said.
capital ahead of the year-end deadline to meet US$44.4m as at 30 June 2022,” reads a statement vestment strategy where the primary goal is to
minimum capital requirements. accompanying the bank’s half-year financial re- preserve capital and prevent loss in a portfolio. “So if you were capital compliant let’s say by 31
sults. Capital preservation strategies necessitate invest- December, it’s very possible that by now you are
The past few weeks have seen most financial ing in the safest short-term instruments such as no longer capital compliant. If you talk to POSB,
institutions publishing their financials and flag- “This level is still above the regulatory mini- Treasury Bills and certificates of deposit. But with they will tell you that story. So as the local curren-
ging the need to preserve capital as the 31 De- mum of US$30m with a comfortable margin of TBs currently denominated in the local currency, cy is depreciating, banks need to preserve capital;
cember deadline approaches. The apex bank has safety being maintained. The bank’s capital ade- financial institutions now find United States dol- that is why we are seeing an increase in US dollar
more than once extended the compliance dead- quacy ratio remained strong closing the period at lar lending as a viable option. lending. At least if they lend in US dollars, they
line timelines due to a weakening economy. The 34% which is well above the regulatory minimum will be in a position to preserve their capital be-
central bank has set varying minimum capital of 12%. The bank also operated with a comfort- “It makes sense for banks right now to be cause the volatility in US dollars is less than the
thresholds which should be met by year-end. This able buffer above the regulatory minimum liquid talking about capital preservation because their volatility in the local currency.”
comes as the discrepancy between the official for- assets ratio of 30% throughout the period, rep- core capital is pegged in US dollar so for tier-1
eign exchange rate and the parallel market rate banks, its US$30 million pegged at the official ZB Holdings also says as at 30 June all units
narrows. within the group, with the exception of its mort-
gage lending arm, were in compliance with the
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe has main- prescribed minimum capital requirements.
tained a tight monetary stance in an effort to
control inflation and stabilise the exchange rate. “The group is finalising on options available
A number of measures and frameworks were in- to address the capital adequacy challenges at ZB
troduced to instil economic confidence, foster Building Society, which are expected to be com-
market discipline and strengthen local currency pleted by 31 December 2022,” the group antici-
demand. pates.

Key pronouncements made by the monetary Ecobank says while it was adequately cap-
authorities included the temporary suspension of italised by June 30 with total core capital at
lending, entrenchment of the multicurrency sys- ZW$23.75 billion (US$64.9 million) during the
tem through the willing-buyer willing-seller rate, period under review, the bank “will be deliberate
introduction of gold coins as a store of value and in its capital preservation initiatives”.
an increase in the bank policy interest rate from
80% to 200%. As at 30 June 2022, all of FBC Holdings Lim-
ited subsidiaries were in compliance with their
The bank policy rate was subsequently man- regulated capital thresholds and the group seeks
dated to be the minimum lending rate with effect to maintain this position.
from 1 July 2022. Resultantly, interest rates across
the banking sector have increased, with interest “The group’s strategy to invest in infla-
rates of 100% p.a. and 200% p.a. being adopted tion-hedging assets has contributed immensely
as minimum lending rates to individuals and cor- to sustainable capital growth for the subsidiaries,
porates respectively. thereby withstanding the negative effects of the
deteriorating exchange rate on the capital posi-
First Capital Bank says it is now underwriting tions of the banking subsidiaries which are pegged
more loans in hard currency to preserve value. in US dollar equivalents,” the group says.

“The rapid devaluation of the ZW$ exert-

Page 28 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

FBC clinches Botswana reinsurance licence
Commission (Ipec) in 2021.
BERNARD MPOFU “The use of multi-currencies in the economy Ipec says short-term reinsurers had an asset base of ZW$17.66 billion as at 31 March 2022.

FBC Holdings’ reinsurance arm has been given has provided an opportunity for the sector to in-
the nod to underwrite business in neighbouring crease insurance underwriting in foreign currency
Botswana as the group seeks to boost its foreign to the public.
currency earnings.
The group’s insurance subsidiaries continue to
According to the group’s interim financial explore opportunities in the environment to in-
results for the six months to 30 June, the peri- crease business underwriting.”
od under review was characterised by significant
exchange rate volatilities. The interbank exchange FBC Re was incorporated in 1994 before it
rate deteriorated by 237% during the period un- started trading as the Southern Africa Reinsur-
der review. ance Corporation (SARE) a year later. In 2004,
the company rebranded to FBC Reinsurance
The instability in exchange rates fuelled a rise Limited to reflect FBC Holdings' majority share-
in inflation, thereby triggering drastic measures holding.
by the monetary authorities, including the tem-
porary suspension of lending and an increase in FBC Re specialises in non-life reinsurance and
the bank policy rate in line with inflation. There is risk management services to insurance compa-
optimism that the measures implemented by the nies to effectively manage capital and risk. It is
authorities will result in the stabilisation of infla- the leading provider of risk transfer solutions to
tion and the exchange rate. insurers of property and casualty business within
sub-Saharan Africa on both facultative and treaty
FBC Holdings Limited achieved profit before basis.
tax of ZW$12.2 billion and after-tax profit of
ZW$8.1 billion on the back of a 212% improve- According to Ipec, short-term reinsurers had an
ment in total income to ZW$43.2 billion. asset base of ZW$17.66 billion as at 31 March
2022, reflecting a 132.53% increase from the
“FBC Reinsurance Limited (FBC Re) was fi- ZW$7.60 billion reported as at 31 March 2021.
nally granted a short-term reinsurer licence in Bo-
tswana with operations having commenced on 1 Investments in prescribed assets by short-term
July 2022. This development is in line with our reinsurers increased from ZW$1.23 billion as
regional expansion strategy,” the company says. at 31 March 2021 to ZW$2.11 billion as at 31
March 2022.
“In spite of the volatile economic environment,
the Zimbabwe insurance sector continues to be a Three out of the nine short-term reinsurers
sound risk mitigation system. The insurance mar- were compliant with the minimum prescribed
ket has significantly progressed with regards to asset ratio of 10%. As at 31 March 2022, all the
regulatory capacity as informed by the regulatory registered short-term reinsurers reported capital
initiatives introduced by Insurance and Pensions positions above the minimum capital require-
ment of ZW$75 million.

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 29

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Horticulture exports need more airlines

BERNARD MPOFU

ZIMBABWE sees more airlines flying into the
country as authorities seek to boost horticulture
after the sector suffered a plunge in output follow-
ing the chaotic fast-track land redistribution pro-
gramme, a senior government official anticipates.

The country embarked on agrarian reforms at
the turn of the century, resulting in more than
4 000 white commercial farmers losing vast tracts
of land to locals.

Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka told The
NewsHawks after the launch of the US$30 mil-
lion Horticulture Export Revolving Fund that
the government will have discussions with airlines
which stopped flying into the country to improve
Zimbabwe's access to traditional and new mar-
kets.

“KLM is already in the country. It has already
been carrying cargo and many more carriers are
coming into the country,” Masuka said.

“You know that since the coming of the Sec-
ond Republic, we have had a policy on the open-
ing of the skies and so often we see a new airline.
This facility will be the accelerator we need for ad-
ditional cargo planes, especially direct flights. I am
confident that Zimbabwe will be able to regain
and retain its previous glory in horticulture. Air
freight is a critical aspect and I’m sure airlines will
see the business sense in it.”

Official figures show that Zimbabwe has been
one of Africa’s traditional major exporters of hor-
ticultural products, alongside Kenya and Ethiopia
for most of the late 1980s up to the early aughts.

According to the Horticultural Development
Council of Zimbabwe, the country’s horticultural
exports increased from only US$6 million in the
1987/88 season, to US$103 million by 1997. The
exports grew by an annual average rate of 25%
for the period 1998 to 2004 peaking at above
US$250 million by the early aughts.

Until the late 1990s the sector contributed be-
tween 3.5% and 4.5% of national GDP and was
a major foreign exchange earner for the country
with diverse exports of horticultural products, in-
cluding tropical, citrus and deciduous fruits; vari-
ous vegetables; tree nuts; avocados and cut flowers
to European markets.

The sector contributed over US$125 million
in export earnings at its peak in 2000. Currently,
the industry contributes US$77 million to export
revenue.

According to the Horticulture Development
Council (HDC), the sector employs 18 700 peo-
ple and has potential to double jobs in the next
four years (2022-2025). Furthermore, the sector
is projected under the Horticulture Recovery and
Growth Plan to contribute export earnings of
US$300 million per year, by 2030.

The US$30 million facility, which will be dis-
bursed through normal banking channels, seeks
to empower local farmers to start horticulture
projects as well as acquire value-addition facilities
that will enable the dehydrating, freezing, can-
ning, bottling, extracting, juicing and concentra-
tion of their produce.

Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka Zimbabwe has been one of Africa’s traditional major exporters of horticultural products and needs more airlines.

Page 30 Stock Taking NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Zimbabwe Stock Exchange Pricelist

`

09 September,2022

Market Cap ($mn) 1,577,181.21 -4.12% Top 5 Gainers 5.42% Top 5 Losers -15.00% Value Leaders ($) 51,940,340 Top 5 Gainers YTD 500.00%
All Share Index 12,680.84 -3.82% Star Africa 3.59% Lafarge -9.46% Delta 46,028,330 Zeco 327.75%
Top 10 Index 7,178.08 -6.35% RTG 2.56% Econet -9.35% Innscor 43,439,020 CFI 182.55%
Value Traded ($) 137.04% Proplastics 2.08% Innscor -7.41% OK Zimbabw e 18,465,000 African Sun 166.67%
Interbank rate (USD/ZWL) 215,520,032.00 0.52% GB Holdings 1.73% FBC -7.41% FBC 15,900,400 GetBucks 140.00%
585.0986 Nampak Willdale NMB Afdis
Market Cap (US$mn) -4.12%
YTD Movement (%) 2,695.5819 -77.89%

Bloomberg Opening LTP Closing Price Previous Volume traded Value traded Shares In Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change

Ticker (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) Change (%) Price (RTGSc) (shares) (RTGS$) Issue (mn's) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
30,000.00 - 30,000.00 - 30,000.00 - - 119.49 35,848.36 61.27 140.00% -55.43%
Afdis AFDIS: ZH 1,819.23 1,814.73 1,819.23 25,832.99 44.15 182.55% -47.52%
1,800.00 -0.25% 289.77 5,500.00 99,810.00 1,423.52 4,730.35 8.08 -21.91% -85.50%
African Sun ASUN: ZH 289.77 290.00 290.67 0.31% 1,660.00 6,000.00 17,440.00 1,627.40 7,253.82 12.40 58.85% -70.50%
1,660.00 - 1,660.00 4,603.44 24,560.53 41.98 48.03% -72.51%
Ariston ARISTON: ZH 4,603.44 4,448.16 - 870.00 - - 436.98 26,445.95 45.20 -75.14% -95.38%
4,500.00 -3.37% 2,600.00 103,800.00 4,617,190.00 552.15 34.42 0.06 14.71% -78.70%
Art ARTD: ZH 870.00 - 870.00 229,995.00 3,039.76 47,456.06 81.11 -28.15% -86.66%
2,600.00 - 2,600.00 - - - - 0.00 0.00 - -
Axia AXIA: ZH 229,995.00 - 229,995.00 - 19,530.30 - - 1.32 1,705.99 2.92 14.88% -78.66%
SUSPENDED - - 15,920.00 - - 20.63 83,207.71 142.21 111.79% -60.67%
Bridgerfort MMDZ: ZH 19,530.30 - - - 40,025.00 - - 42.94 42,442.86 72.54 327.75% -20.56%
15,920.00 - 19,530.30 - 20,173.18 - - 8.74 244,988.48 418.71 15.58% -78.53%
Bridgerfort Class B 40,025.00 - 15,920.00 - 2,000.00 - - 522.66 7,160.02 12.24 -42.86% -89.39%
20,173.18 40,025.00 - 3,142.94 - - 106.04 76,905.69 131.44 -26.98% -86.44%
BAT BAT: ZH 2,000.00 17,995.00 18,784.93 -6.88% 9,729.48 276,500.00 51,940,340.00 1304.18 228,203.67 390.03 3.64% -80.75%
3,142.94 2,000.00 2,000.00 - 560.00 1,500.00 30,000.00 358.00 3,383.79 5.78 28.74% -76.09%
Border BRDR: ZH 9,729.48 2,700.00 2,968.67 -5.54% 5,400.00 3,000.00 89,060.00 2590.58 33,597.50 57.42 47.70% -72.57%
8,315.00 8,808.99 -9.46% 2,100.00 102,200.00 9,002,790.00 2590.58 2,287.39 3.91 33.03% -75.29%
Cafca CAFCA: ZH 560.00 - 753.74 3,700.00 20,720.00 604.25 16,288.46 27.84 118.34% -59.45%
5,400.00 560.00 560.00 -7.41% 1,625.00 369,300.00 18,465,000.00 671.95 11,214.82 19.17 -18.75% -84.91%
CBZ CBZ: ZH 2,100.00 5,000.00 5,000.00 - 500.00 400.00 8,400.00 108.92 5,943.16 10.16 -38.46% -88.57%
2,100.00 2,100.00 0.06% 210.00 4,400.00 33,183.00 2159.81 1,126.84 1.93 -8.50% -83.01%
CFI CFI: ZH 753.74 - 1,600.00 - - 690.14 18,609.89 31.81 166.67% -50.47%
1,625.00 750.00 754.16 -4.00% 24,000.00 22,300.00 107,040.00 1,238.16 46,324.94 79.17 -14.29% -84.08%
Delta DLTA: ZH - 1,625.00 2.08% 26,052.92 14,000.00 29,400.00 536.59 134,584.19 230.02 45.42% -72.99%
500.00 - 10,200.00 - - 1,163.12 6,936.00 11.85 8.38% -79.87%
Dairibord DZL: ZH 210.00 480.00 480.00 - 540.03 21,100.00 5,064,000.00 193.02 9,330.32 15.95 54.68% -71.27%
1,600.00 210.00 210.00 -9.35% 5,000.00 194,900.00 46,028,330.00 569.88 12,082.69 20.65 -9.09% -83.12%
Ecocash EHZL:ZH 24,000.00 1,600.00 -15.00% 8,560.28 10,000.00 867,000.00 80.00 21,474.92 36.70 -32.05% -87.38%
26,052.92 - 24,000.00 -7.06% 933.83 52,400.00 262,984.00 1,859.07 7,178.66 12.27 -14.85% -84.19%
Econet*** ECO: ZH 10,200.00 24,000.00 23,616.38 - 134,500.00 600.00 30,000.00 241.65 91,998.15 157.24 -2.15% -81.83%
540.03 23,490.00 8,670.00 -0.70% 1,725.00 200.00 17,000.00 252.65 6,870.31 11.74 111.08% -60.80%
Edgars EDGR: ZH 5,000.00 8,670.00 501.88 1.73% 1,300.00 5,000.00 47,500.00 755.65 3,300.34 5.64 106.35% -61.68%
8,560.28 5,000.00 - 3,640.45 - - 68.40 46,903.66 80.16 32.90% -75.32%
FBC FBC: ZH 933.83 500.00 8,500.00 -1.46% 8,199.06 935,400.00 15,900,400.00 404.17 5,425.19 9.27 0.00% -81.43%
134,500.00 5,000.00 950.00 - 795.00 - - 253.87 294.84 0.50 0.00% -81.43%
Fidelity Life FIDL: ZH 1,725.00 8,500.00 134,500.00 0.20% 2,145.00 1,190,900.00 43,439,020.00 1,285.88 5,542.58 9.47 -24.13% -85.91%
1,300.00 1,699.85 - 704.71 - - 66.17 18,217.12 31.14 -6.41% -82.62%
FCB FCB: ZH 3,640.45 950.00 1,300.00 - 7,089.73 - - 37.09 17,304.19 29.57 -33.69% -87.68%
8,199.06 - 3,647.58 2.56% 14,894.48 471,100.00 10,364,200.00 251.94 82,446.59 140.91 62.95% -69.74%
First Mutual FMLH: ZH 795.00 8,199.06 3.59% 166.00 200.00 1,460.00 2,495.50 8,251.40 14.10 51.04% -71.95%
2,145.00 1,600.00 795.00 -1.27% 12,289.98 1,600.00 112,000.00 247.20 32,084.79 54.84 83.41% -71.47%
First Mutual Properties FMP: ZH 704.71 - 2,200.00 -1.54% 170.00 55,600.00 8,153,955.00 562.18 652.91 1.12 -15.00% -84.21%
7,089.73 730.00 5.42% 6,000.00 6,800.00 11,900.00 4,715.08 21,426.15 36.62 -14.50% -84.12%
GB Holdings GBH: ZH 14,894.48 3,650.00 7,000.00 - 456.51 - - 261.06 2,253.24 3.85 11.43% -79.30%
166.00 SUSP 14,665.39 - 3,825.00 - - 384.07 4,072.64 6.96 27.64% -76.29%
GetBucks GBFS: ZH 12,289.98 SUSP 175.00 - 200.00 500.00 30,000.00 357.10 3,292.68 5.63 -40.16% -88.89%
170.00 12,289.98 0.11% 6,800.00 108,600.00 496,314.00 493.04 11,562.58 19.76 -14.29% -84.08%
Hippo HIPO: ZH 6,000.00 2,200.00 170.00 - 2.88 - - 106.47 13.34 0.02 500.00% 11.43%
456.51 730.00 6,000.00 -7.41% 491.93 52,000.00 96,300.00 1,778.00 8,907.45 15.22 30.26% -75.81%
Innscor INN: ZH 3,825.00 457.01 -2.94% 399.75 200.00 13,200.00 175.19 2,302.56 3.94 37.37% -74.49%
200.00 7,000.00 3,825.00 - 1,543.36 - - 463.34 5,318.12 9.09 -34.60% -87.85%
Lafarge LACZ: ZH 6,800.00 14,500.00 185.19 -0.41% 4,000.00 19,596.00 1,818.22 7.14 0.01 - -
6,600.00 - 9,500.00 - - 576.00 11,592.80 19.81 137.50% -55.89%
Mash MASH: ZH 2.88 175.00 - - - 344.58
491.93 - 2.88 - - - 167.89
Masimba MSHL: ZH 399.75 - 489.90 - 1,100.00 104,500.00 122.03
1,543.36 399.75
Meikles MEIK: ZH SUSPENDED 6,000.00 1,543.36
9,500.00 457.00
Nampak NPKZ: ZH - 4.25
185.00 9,500.00
Natfoods NTFD: ZH
6,600.00
NMB NMB: ZH -

NTS NTS: ZH 450.00
-
OK Zimbabwe OKZ: ZH -
-
Old Mutual OMU: ZH
9,500.00
PPC PPC: ZH

Proplastics PROL: ZH

RTG RTG: ZH

Seedco SEED: ZH

Simbisa SIM: ZH

Star Africa SACL: ZH

Tanganda TANG:ZH

Truworths TRUW: ZH

TSL TSL: ZH

Turnall TURN: ZH

Unifreight UNIF: ZH

Willdale WILD: ZH

ZBFH ZBFH: ZH

Zeco ZECO: ZH

ZHL ZHL: ZH

Zimpapers ZIMP: ZH

Zimplow Holdings ZIMPLOW: ZH

Hw ange HCCL: ZH

RioZim RIOZ: ZH

Econet shares in issue include Class A Shares

Exchange Traded Funds Opening LTP Closing Price Change Previous Price Volume traded Value traded Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change
(RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (%) (RTGSc) (RTGS$) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
Cass Saddle Agriculture ETF 155.00 155.00 155.00 - - 5.14%
Datvest Modified Consumer Staples ETF 145.02 - 149.65 0.00% 145.02 8,832.00 - - 55.00% -67.39%
Morgan&Co Made in Zimbabwe 150.00 3.19% 3,560.00 13,216.80 101.80 0.17 49.65%
Morgan&Co Multi Sector 125.00 125.00 125.00 25.00%
OM ZSETop-10 ETF 2,664.53 125.00 2,664.53 0.00% 2,664.53 - 4,450.00 3,077.50 5.26 25.00% -50.51%
- 0.00% 9,244.00 - 3,355.39 5.73 166.45%
561.63 560.71 561.63 -76.54%
560.00 -0.16% 51,831.78 448.56 0.77 26.32%

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

NewsHawks News Analysis Page 31

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

MIKE CHIPERE What needs to be done to get

ZIMBABWE'S problems can never Zimbabwe back on its feet
be resolved until they are sufficiently
identified and defined. Reducing the Informal sector remains a source of livelihood for many people in Zimbabwe.
country’s complex problems to looting
and corruption is well-intentioned but • All university degrees awarded by must be allowed to vote. what destroyed Zimbabwe. I would ar- en who bravely went all out to demand
simplistic and myopic in scope.  unregistered foreign and local universi- The Zimbabwe charter draft is based gue that if we demonstrate unity by suc- a world they wanted rather than help-
ties and honorary degrees awarded by cessfully delivering the proposed char- lessly fold their hands when their world
I define the Zimbabwe problem to Zimbabwean universities after 2000 on my own ideas as a concerned Zimba- ter, it means that in the event that the was in crisis. 
be greed (for money, wealth and power) must be respectively invalidated and bwean, but the charter can only become political parties fail to convince us that
and present a 20-item Zimbabwe char- withdrawn. a people’s charter if Zimbabwe’s silent they are capable of implementing the Shadow boxing on Twitter must nev-
ter as an answer to the country’s prob- majority or all the people who are not charter, we can quite easily become the er be conflated with a plan or leadership. 
lems and a precondition for supporting • The Chihambakwe commis- enjoying the fruits of political indepen- new politics that Zimbabwe requires. 
future leaders of Zimbabwe.    sion  Gukurahundi  report and the  En- dence participate in its construction.  It is grossly irresponsible to expect
tumbane report  written by Justice Zimbabwe is a highly intolerant Zimbabweans to make voting decisions
• All Zimbabwe army personnel Enoch Dumbutshena must be publi- To participate, please visit www.zim- polarised country and does not have a purely on the basis of empty rhetoric,
above the age of 50 years must be retired cised to allow victims to decide on ap- charter.com where you can edit a single higher level of common belonging but blind faith and charismatic authority. 
with immediate effect and not replaced propriate reparation. draft charter item or propose a new hopefully the charter presents an oppor-
until the size of the army is 50% of what charter item. After a few months, all tunity for Zimbabweans to find each If Zimbabwe’s silent majority man-
it was in November 2017. • A conditional grant must be paid to contributions will be evaluated manual- other.   age to make a success out of the pro-
people over the age of 65; orphans, un- ly and through qualitative data analysis posed Zimbabwe charter, every Zim-
• All A2 farm owners must be resi- employed disabled and all inhabitants software, and consolidated into a max- A prominent opposition leader in babwean will be left in no doubt that
dents at their farms and must not be in of region five regardless of citizenship imum of 20 concrete, actionable de- whom the young have put all their it is based on a simple ideology of the
full-time employment elsewhere. The five years after the 1923 general elec- mands, which will then be taken to our hopes is often accused of not having an redistribution of unjust money, wealth
land reform process in 2000 created a tions. political leaders represented by Zanu-PF, ideology, plan or strategy that could lib- and power. 
category of medium-scale commercial Movement for Democratic Change, erate the long-suffering people of Zim-
farms, the A2 schemes. • Zimbabwe insurance companies Citizens' Coalition For Change, Zapu babwe. In response, he proudly boasts As some passionately mobilise Zim-
must be compelled to comply with the and other opposition parties.  that his silence is “strategic ambiguity”, babweans to vote in the 2023 elections,
• The country must debate and set Justice Smith commission, which estab- which requires that he keeps his cards it is important that we pay attention to
A2 farm sizes to about 150 arable hect- lished that they owe pensioners US$4 Some will rightly argue that taking close to his chest. He is worried that if the question: what idea is there to vote
ares in regions one to three, the first 150 billion and which they have refused to the charter back to our political lead- his supposedly brilliant ideas are publi- for rather than who is there to vote for?
hectares surrounding the farmhouse pay out. ers would be pointless because the 63 cised, the ruling Zanu-PF could sabo-
must be offered to the owner before the years’ combined leadership experience tage or steal them.  — Mail & Guardian.
land redistribution. • The 2023 elections should only be of Zanu-PF as a ruling party and the
held if the following two conditions are Movement for Democratic Change and Perhaps this explains why he occa- *About the writer: Mike Chipere is
• All A2 farms that have not been met; (1) compulsory voting by all Zim- its offshoot, the Citizens' Coalition For sionally tweets motivational Bible verses a Zimbabwean post-doctoral scholar
used to full capacity in the past 10 years babweans over the age of 18  and (2) Change, as an alternative government is and quotes by legendary men and wom- affiliated with the Human Economy
must be immediately reallocated but displaced Zimbabweans in the diaspora Programme at the University of Pre-
with preference given to people with toria.
traceable previous commercial farming
experience regardless of their race.

• Municipal land exceeding 20ha
(owned by individuals or registered
companies that employ less than 100
permanent  staff) must be forfeited to
the city council. 

• 99% annual taxation must be
charged on the market value of all valu-
able domestic movable and immovable
property that exceeds four municipal
houses and four cars.

• Monthly bedroom tax must be
charged on all house rooms exceeding
15 unless the property is registered and
operating as a business with auditable
tax returns.

• All beneficiaries of the war victim’s
compensation fund must be reassessed
by an independent organisation. Funds
inappropriately disbursed must be re-
paid in US dollars or equivalent in both
movable and immovable property.

• All property lost through the indi-
genisation policies or other means other
than a fair market exchange must be
returned to its original owners by those
who either stole it or benefited by other
means.

• 99% income tax must be charged
on a fraction of salaries or wages that
exceed US$60 000 a year backdated
to 2009. US$60 000 is 10 times more
than the amount required to support a
family of five.

• Constitutional amendment must
follow constitutional enactment proce-
dures.

• All (past and present) donations or
payments made to churches, faith and
traditional healers must be refundable
when demanded by the donor/payer at
any time.

• Compulsory employment of all
skilled and qualified disabled people
by all Zimbabwe stock exchange listed
companies in proportion to their mar-
ket capitalisation.

• Multiple directorships of publicly
listed companies and other corporations
with an annual turnover that exceeds
US$1 million must be banned.

• Traditional leadership — chiefs and
headmen — must be subject to elec-
tions every 10 years.

Page 32 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Zimbabwe
remains open
for business,
well sort of

ALASTAIR FORD siderably higher. And if Caledonia The Zimbabwean dollar is only though China is now Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
was able to pay a dividend on gold really good for allowing the gov- largest foreign investor by some
DEAL-MAKING is still possible production of that order, it would ernment to manipulate certain ac- margin. It is Chinese money that the dial in the same way as the
in Zimbabwe, if you know your be a substantial endorsement of tivities, such as trading on the two could end up blocking the upper major regions of South America or
way around. the ability of investors to profit local stock exchanges — Harare reaches of the Zambezi river in Australia do. So, at the moment,
from putting money into and tak- and Victoria Falls. By mandating Zimbabwe in the creation of a new there is an uneasy truce.
For proof, look no further than ing it out of Zimbabwe. the use of local currency in certain hydro-project, and in opposition
the transaction that has just com- activities, it is possible to control, to the local tourist trade. Britain’s influence, though
pleted around Prospect Resources’ The key question, though, is to a degree, how local businessmen briefly revived during the Lancast-
Arcadia lithium project, situated whether or not these two examples manage their funds. And it is Chinese money that er House talks in the late 1970s,
around 38 kilometres east of the are the exceptions that prove the is offering the safest current exit was really ended by the Smith
capital, Harare. rule. But in truth, the Zimbabwean route for investors who want to regime in the 1960s. Since then,
government lost control of mon- cash up. Prospect’s US$377m sale the Americans and Chinese have
In working up Arcadia, Pros- It’s no secret that Zimbabwe etary policy years ago, and their of Arcadia may have been denomi- played a lacklustre form of chess
pect followed a path that has been has been very much out of style current grip on the fiscal side of nated in US dollars, but the buyers with the country’s assets, and it’s
tried and tested by countless ju- as far as the Western investment things is tenuous at best. were Chinese, and the trucks that notable from  one of the more
nior miners over the decades – it community has been concerned rumble to and from Arcadia down readable accounts of the events
made a discovery, it delineated a since the wave of land seizures and The US dollar rules all – dollar the main highway into Harare are that led to Mugabe’s toppling,
resource, it ensured local stake- low-level ethnic cleansing orches- notes, that is. If you want change Chinese-made. Could the Ameri- that Emerson Mnangagwa and his
holder support as it developed an trated by President Mugabe in the from a single dollar, expect it in cans regain the initiative? army chief Constantino Chiwen-
economic plan for development, early years of this century. Seques- kind, in the form of a can of drink, ga sought the permission of both
and then, when the time was right, tration is always a strong deterrent a bottle of mineral water or a choc- They could if they wanted, and the yanks and the Chinese before
it sold out for a tidy US$377 mil- to any investor, and guaranteed to olate bar. There are no nickels and indeed have just spent megabucks moving their tanks into position.
lion. send sentiment off a cliff. To have dimes here. From a business per- on an extensive new embassy com-
it done so publicly and so blatantly spective, that is good and bad. plex. But are the stakes really high Worth noting, though, that the
What is more, a chunky part sent up so many red flags to the enough? change at the top was achieved al-
of that sale price was returned to investment community that more The predominance of the US most bloodlessly, and that by Afri-
shareholders, meaning investors than a decade later they haven’t all dollar means that there is only so Zimbabwe is rich agricultur- can standards, Zimbabwe’s history
got a real return rather than the yet come down. much currency manipulation that ally, and has some attractive raw of violence isn’t the worst.
standard recycling of hard-won can be done  by whatever dark materials and commodities in the
capital into new and more distant President Emmerson Mnangag- forces operate inside Zimbabwe’s ground. But at the moment, its Still, it remains a difficult place
hopes and dreams. wa has done something to reverse Deep State. But on the whole, largest gold producer is Caledonia to navigate, and requires a keen
the effects of those land seizures, having two currencies instead of with it is 80 000 ounces per year, eye and certainly your full atten-
So it is possible as an investor and inside Zimbabwe it is now one is an added cost, and leads an output which does not even tion, if you want to be sure of se-
to make money in Zimbabwe possible to see those formerly to complexities at the admin level show up on the radars of most se- curing a return on any investment.
and, given that Prospect is listed evicted farmers now back and from payroll to managing cash- rious gold-producing companies.
on the Australian Exchange, it’s working the land they were once flow. Currently, the interest rate on The Arcadia project was signifi- — Proactive.
also demonstrably straightforward evicted from. But crucially, they Zimbabwean dollar-denominated cant regionally, and lithium may
to get that money out. A A$0.77 are now working that same land as debt is 200%, as set by the cen- yet become a major export earner *About the writer: Alastair
dividend per share was paid out in tenants rather than landowners, so tral bank, but of course you will for Zimbabwe, as Prospect, Galil- Ford is a British journalist with
June, with a further A$0.19, tak- fundamentally the sequestrations not get that rate yourself if you try eo Resources and others continue 15 years' experience covering
ing the total per share payout to of the Mugabe regime remain un- lending any Zim dollars yourself. to look for new deposits. But as mining, commodities and capi-
A$0.96. reversed. it stands, Zimbabwe’s lithium en- tal markets, and has accumulat-
Caledonia deal So far, Chinese currency has dowment is nowhere near hitting ed a wide range of contacts at all
Of course, Prospect is not the only On a more practical level, of yet to make any real inroads, even levels of the mining, finance and
mining company that is convert- course, as tenant farmers, the for- investment communities around
ing Zimbabwe’s in-country re- mer owners are far less likely to in- the world.
sources into hard currency. vest significantly in the land than
they would have been had they
Down south, near Bulawayo, retained title. It seems that under
Caledonia has been mining at the the current dispensation, Zimba-
Blanket gold mine for years, and bwe’s agriculture sector will never
paying out regularly quarterly div- recover to the heights it reached in
idends for more than a decade. the 1980s and early 1990s, when
the country was referred to as the
Caledonia has also just acquired breadbasket of Africa.
the Bilboes project, Zimbabwe’s
largest undeveloped gold asset, Now, it needs to import food
from a consortium of investors, a from Ukraine, which as events in
move which could propel it firm- the wider world have shown, offers
ly into the ranks of the world’s only a limited amount of econom-
mid-tier gold miners.  ic security.

Currently, Caledonia produces The lingering effects of the land
of the order of 80 000 ounces of seizures remain present in other
gold per year from Blanket. But ways too inside the country. For
the addition of Bilboes could take one thing, the Zimbabwean dollar
annual production comfortably plays second fiddle to the US dol-
over 200 000 ounces, if not con- lar in terms of economic activity.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 33

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Rise of digital authoritarianism in Zim

In a new report, the Unfreedom Mon- landscape created by globalisation, rights and political activists are reg- nication blockade, many civilians events.
itor, a Global Voices Advox research by resorting to methods such as the ularly subjected to random and extra were killed, and several more several It is evident from these and many
initiative, examines the growing phe- use of surveillance technologies, the legal surveillance activities, due to abducted, tortured and left critical-
nomenon of networked or digital au- unmonitored collection of citizens’ their whistleblowing role and their ly injured after soldiers were sent to other accounts of digital repression
thoritarianism. This is an abridged biometric data, and the promulga- use of the internet as a mass commu- crush the protests. It is estimated that that technology has a strong bearing
version; the full report can be accessed tion of draconian legislation. The nication tool. the country incurred losses worth upon Zimbabwe’s political, social
on: advocacy.globalvoices.org key actors identified as supplying the millions of US dollars, during the and economic life. Activists are also
  government with digitally repressive Prodemocracy groups are increas- days-long internet shutdown, reflect- concerned with the government’s
Executive summary technologies are just as complicit in ingly subject to repression as the in- ing how dependent Zimbabwe is on rapid adoption of biometric technol-
DIGITAL authoritarianism in Zim- digital rights violations and the clos- ternet is their primary means of ex- digital transactions. ogy and other Artificial Intelligence
babwe has roots in the colonial pe- ing of civic space both on online and pression. People and groups deemed initiatives with Chinese companies,
riod when the Rhodesian regime offline platforms. critical of government are routinely With a high Gini coefficient and which have terrible human rights
implemented communication and Background targeted for harassment, abduction, rife unemployment, millions of cit- records. The government is also in-
media management policies premised Mobile telephony and internet use torture and at times, forced disap- izens depend on online transactions creasing its digital footprint in Zim-
on propping up the then govern- is ubiquitous in Zimbabwe, with a pearance. for daily informal work, diaspora babwe’s public life, without regard
ment’s image. rapidly growing youthful popula- remittances, and other banking busi- for rights enshrined in the 2013 Con-
tion taking up mobile internet usage The 2010 arrest of an opposition ness in other economic areas. stitution nor respect for regional and
Led by the late Robert Mugabe, in both rural and urban areas. This party supporter over a Facebook international protocols to which it is
the independent government also can be attributed to the mass avail- post that the state deemed subver- The latest incident of government signatory.
encouraged a restrictive media en- ability and affordability of mobile sive marked the early signs of digi- interference with democratic process- Zimbabwe internet penetration
vironment with laws that sought to phones and a massive government/ tal repression in Zimbabwe. Social es is the throttling of the internet to In a report titled Digital 2022 Zim-
regulate and persecute voices of dis- private sector led telecommunication media activism gained traction in disrupt the live streaming of a politi- babwe, the country’s total population
sent. In the early days of the internet infrastructure rollout. As far back 2016 when online movements such cal rally by opposition party Citizens' stood at 15.21 million in January
in the country in the mid-1990s, the as 2013, when the late strongman as the #MugabeMustFall, #ZimShut- Coalition for Change (CCC.) The 2022, having increased by 234 000
space was not seen as a real threat as Robert Mugabe ran for yet another down2016 and #ThisFlag shook the service slowdown significantly affect- (1.6%) between 2021 and 2022.
most citizens had not yet adopted in- term of office, elections were large- government and WhatsApp was tem- ed several internet service providers
formation and communication tech- ly influenced by internet and social porarily blocked for the first time in (ISPs), with many reaching low ac- With 4.65 million internet users
nologies. It was only after Facebook media activity. The ruling party Zim- Zimbabwe, after the country’s lead- cessibility rates of 50 to 60 percent. in January 2022, Zimbabwe’s inter-
became popular as a source of news babwe African National Union Pa- ing internet service providers were net penetration rate stood at 30.6%
in 2010, in a highly polarised media triotic Front (Zanu PF) recognized pressured into shutting down access. This also had the effect of limiting of the total population at the start of
environment, that the state took an the potential power of information access to online content for all users 2022. Furthermore, there were 1.55
increasingly keen interest in what communication technology (ICT) The height of digital and human of services provided by local ISPs. million social media users in Zimba-
media the population was consum- towards the run up to the 2013 elec- rights violations, accompanied by a Cyber security watchdog NetBlocks bwe during the same period. Social
ing. tions. brutal military led clampdown on has previously reported on similar media users in Zimbabwe increased
civil protests, was in January 2019. government-initiated internet service by 250,000 (19.2%) between 2021
A key motive for digital repression The independent Press, civil so- A social media movement, led by disruptions in the country before and and 2022.
identified in the research is based on ciety organisations (CSOs), human Zimbabweans frustrated by fuel price during planned protests and opposi-
an overarching desire to maintain the increases, prompted the government tion political activity in the past, with At the start of 2022, 43.7% of
status quo and hegemony, where only to order a complete shutdown of the the objective of limiting mass mobili- Facebook’s ad audience in Zimbabwe
a few of the ruling elite feel entitled internet. Behind this online commu- sation and real-time coverage of such was female, while 56.3% was male.
to ownership of the country. For Numbers published in Twitter’s ad-
instance, the threat of revolution- vertising resources indicate that Twit-
ary change inspired by social media ter had 232 400 users in Zimbabwe
mobilisation had to be neutralised. in early 2022. This figure means that
The November 2017 military coup Twitter’s ad reach in Zimbabwe was
that deposed long time ruler Mugabe equivalent to 1.5% of the total popu-
did not lead to fundamental change lation at the time.
but instead provided fertile ground
for a more militarised approach to Data from Global System for Mo-
governance, without much regard bile Communications (GSMA) Intel-
for constitutionalism. The current ligence shows that there were 13.64
regime continually amends the na- million cellular mobile connections
tionally accepted 2013 constitution, in Zimbabwe at the start of 2022.
as the president seeks to expand the GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indi-
influence of the executive over the ju- cate that mobile connections in Zim-
diciary and the legislature. Realising babwe were equivalent to 89.7% of
the strategic importance of both the the total population in January 2022.
media and the online digital sphere, These figures can partially explain the
the ruling junta views both spaces fact that most people in the country
not as a means of empowering connect to the internet via mobile
telephones.
citizens to take part in democratic Digital authoritarianism
processes, but more as tools for the Digital authoritarianism in Zimba-
consolidation of political power. The bwe is hardly a new phenomenon as
political and legal extent to which it goes back many years ago to when
the Zimbabwean state is willing to the late president Robert Mugabe
use technology to entrench the status was in power. The ruling Zanu PF
quo depends greatly on its national has, since Independence in 1980,
context, and the success of any estab- used a police state apparatus to run
lished digital rights regime depends the country as the rank and file in the
on their political and country con- leadership emerged from a bush war
text. with Rhodesian security forces.

The law has been a major part of Much of the repressive and state
this process. Enabling legislation has led hegemony media policies applied
been passed to undermine legitimate in the colonial era still find expression
dissent against unpopular policies digitally in contemporary Zimbabwe.
and political leadership methods.
On 24 February 2010, police ar-
This new legislation impacts digi- rested Vikas Mavhudzi, an internet
tal rights as it enables an oppressive user interested in the Arab spring, af-
context. ter he suggested that the then prime
minister Morgan Tsvangirai should
The influence of foreign govern- match pro-democracy protests that
ments and corporations in shaping had occurred in Egypt, also com-
Zimbabwe’s digital environment is monly referred to as the Arab Spring.
also a pressing issue. As the study In January 2014, a Facebook user,
will show, the authoritarian regime Gumisai Manduwa was arrested over
aggressively seeks to survive in an ev-
er-changing political and economic

Page 34 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

a Facebook post alleging that Robert in the “national interest.” Social me- in partnership with state-owned tele- uptime. and biometric technology for mass
Mugabe had died. dia played a big part in publicising communication state-owned enter- The launch is part of a US$98 mil- surveillance purposes is premised on
and mobilising people to take part in prises. the ruling party’s overarching desire
Although the magistrate dismissed the 6 July 6 shutdown. lion network modernisation project, to control the population and retain
the latter case for lack of substance, Surveillance The privacy rights of citizens are the National Broadband (NBB) ini- political power. The fact that almost
this incident marked the growth Zimbabwe has in place an Intercep- threatened as a recent report (Khar- tiative, funded by a loan from China all deals are shrouded in a dark veil
of digital repression as the state re- tion of Communications Act (ICA) pal) reveals that Chinese companies Export-Import Bank. Huawei is al- of secrecy bodes badly for civil soci-
mained paranoid about preserving which legitimises surveillance. would have to give data to the Chi- ready banned in a number of coun- ety, human rights defenders, inde-
the status quo. nese government if required. China’s tries over privacy and surveillance pendent journalists, and opposition
A particularly contentious pro- 2017 National Intelligence Law from concerns around its party members as the ends to which
An account appeared on Facebook vision in this law obliges ISPs to 2017 obliges organisations and citi- such technology will be applied are
in January of the same year using the facilitate the interception of user in- zens to “support, assist and cooperate products and services. Further- not publicised. The identification
name “Baba Jukwa.” The accurate formation by installing hardware or with the state intelligence work.” more, in 2021, Huawei entered into and tracking of journalists who ex-
posts from this anonymous account, software that would provide callrelat- a strategic cooperation agreement to pose corruption within government
thought to have been run by a Zanu ed information in real time, and after This lends credence to assertions carry out the modernisation of state- circles and their subsequent deten-
PF insider, immediately became a the phone call. The law also requires that the existence of data traps plays owned telecom network, NetOne. tion implies that digital technologies
reputable source of online political ISPs to allow access to decrypted user into wider narratives and concerns. The project being financed by China are being used as part of what Dragu
news in Zimbabwe. Many of the data flowing through their networks. Access to the tune of US$400 000 will lead and Lapu term preventive repression.
posts revealed unparalleled state cor- The ICA criminalises non-compli- Typical of growing authoritarianism to a Huawei-built broadband infra- Electoral outcomes are increasingly
ruption, violence and the ance by the service providers. This in Zimbabwe, legislation has been structure rollout at national level, being manipulated by digital means
effectively means that designated per- passed to undermine legitimate dis- posing further risk to human rights. in the country, as the Zimbabwe
assassinations of senior govern- sons, in particular dissenting voices sent against unpopular policies and Electoral Commission (Zec), which
ment officials. While state security can be targeted for surveillance and Zanu PF’s political leadership meth- Coupled with enabling legislation has sole access to voter information
agents sought to find the person be- persecution by state authorities. ods. such the Interception of Communi- in its servers, has been accused by
hind the posts, they found it impos- cations Act, Zimbabwe acquired in- civil society and opposition parties
sible to arrest them as they commu- Surveillance also goes beyond the The section on data protection vasive spyware from Israeli telecoms of favouring the ruling party during
nicated using a number of layers of boundaries set out by the ICA as discusses this in more detail. A con- company Circles. This technology is elections.
encryption. deals made by the government with tentious Private Voluntary Organi- sold to nation-states only. It inter-
foreign firms can facilitate unregulat- sations (PVO)amendment seeks to cepts data from 3G networks, allow- Manned by members of the mil-
So worried was the government ed surveillance. For example, the criminalise the work of civil society ing the infiltrator to read messages, itary, who are aligned to the ruling
that the minister of State Security an- organisations involved in what gov- emails, and listen in on phone calls party, there is no direct oversight
nounced that Zimbabwe was under government of Zimbabwe in 2018 ernment terms “politics.” The PVO as they occur. Using only a telephone and accountability in how biometric
cyber attack, in apparent reference entered into a biometric voter reg- amendment exposes the govern- voter information is processed and
to the Baba Jukwa account. The gov- istration exercise deal with Chinese ment’s explicit intention to avail le- number, a Circles platform can stored. China’s CloudWalk Technol-
ernment offered a reward of US$300 firm, CloudWalk Technology. In gal tools that enable it to control and also identify the location of a phone ogy reportedly has access to these
000 for the identity of the person be- return, CloudWalk gets to harvest suppress civil society, both online (Dadoo). Zimbabwe has long used servers, and is harvesting information
hind the account. Zimbabwean citizens’ data in order and offline. As noted from the Civic surveillance technology to track and to train its algorithms how to recog-
to train its algorithms to identify Media Observatory (CMO), public target its opponents. In 2020, investi- nise Zimbabwean faces with darker
On the one hand, this period darker skinned tones. hearings about the proposed amend- gative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono skin tones.
marks the government’s foray into in- ment were violently quashed by rul- and opposition politician Jacob
vestment in technologies that would More importantly, there is no pol- ing party supporters, who threatened Ngarivhume were detained ahead of All this is being done without
enhance its ability to conduct digital icy on how the data harvested will be any member of the public question- anti-government protests and it is oversight mechanisms or the consent
surveillance. used, stored and disposed of, posing ing this law’s contents. believed that Circles technology may of Zimbabwean citizens who have
great risk to persons that the author- have facilitated this repressive act. registered to vote using the biometric
On the other hand, the ruling par- ities perceive as a threat to the state. In a paper, Allen and Kelly argue voter system. This scenario has dire
ty used this incident to conflate state that, paradoxically, while often justi- The government of Zimbabwe consequences for citizens’ digital pri-
and party interests. Taking a leaf from Surveillance projects in Zimbabwe fied as necessary to enhance security, also entered into a facial recognition vacy rights.
the Chinese Communist Party, Zanu include the government’s acquisition the embrace of digital repression has agreement with another Chinese
PF considers its political behaviour of spyware from Israel’s NSO Group, failed to improve African security. company with a bad human rights The influence of the Chinese
and interests as national interests, importation of cellphone tower sim- record, Hikivision. The facial recog- Communist Party (CCP) on Zim-
which must be respected without de- ulators (IMSI catchers) from Iran, Instead, digitally repressive tactics, nition AI will be used for surveillance babwe’s technological trajectory and
bate or question. the Smart Cities initiative being pi- technologies, and policies are proving at international border posts, state political affairs will serve to entrench
loted by Chinese firm Hikivision in to be damaging to national security points of entry, and airports. the current digital authoritarian re-
In July 2014, the Baba Jukwa Mutare, and Chinese/ and harmful to citizens. gime. Regular cultural and politi-
page was deleted under unclear cir- Hikvision software will also be cal exchanges between the CCP-led
cumstances following the arrest of a Russian assistance in setting up a In its determination to stifle online integrated with locally developed one-party state and Zimbabwe’s
journalist for allegedly running the National Security Agency type of sur- activity, the government enforced a technology to drive a national facial Zanu PF has led to conjectures being
page. An intimidatory political en- veillance centre. new 10 percent excise duty on in- recognition and AI system in the east made about how more technology to
vironment was created, which has ternet service providers in February of the country (Mutare). The deal is control the population will continue
consequently cultivated an ethos of Zimbabwe’s surveillance landscape 2022. Ordinarily, excise duty is used to be imported by the government of
self-censorship among the major- clearly reflects a covert embedding of to discourage the consumption of shrouded in secrecy, raising fears Zimbabwe.
ity of the online community in the political intentions mainly in the use certain goods and services like tobac- about how this technology will be
country. Only a negligible number of technologies. In an article, Briggs co and alcohol. Critics of the new tax used to track down activists and voic- It is in the investment interests
of local citizens, opposition activists, points out that evidence suggests argue that it weighs down on service es of dissent. of China to preserve Zimbabwe’s
citizens in the diaspora, and the in- Chinese companies have engaged in provider operations and drives up the authoritarian regime, as Beijing has
dependent media remain defiant by deals which allow them to access sen- cost of access to the internet. The government is also using spy- poured billions of dollars into Zim-
expressing themselves freely. sitive and critical data, highlighting Methods ware from the Islamic Republic of babwe’s economy through major ICT
the potential for an erosion of state In 2018, Zimbabwe entered into a Iran, known as IMSI catchers, which rollout projects and other infrastruc-
Social media activism gained trac- sovereignty. strategic cooperation partnership are being used to track and monitor ture development projects such as
tion in 2016 when online movements with Chinese startup CloudWalk the movements of opposition party roads, bridges and energy develop-
such as the #MugabeMustFall, #Zim- He adds that there have also been Technology, under which the gov- members and political activists. ment.
Shutdown2016 and #This Flag shook allegations that China has used its ernment would gain access to a facial Conclusion
the government. On 6 July, the streets privileged position as a leading digi- recognition database that it could The government of Zimbabwe and It can be argued that the rapid
of the capital city Harare resembled a tal technology supplier to advance its use for all kinds of purposes. These the ruling Zanu PF party are bent adoption and use of digital technol-
ghost town as people abided by a call own intelligence objectives. uses would range from easier polic- on ensuring that the status quo is ogies enhances a state’s capacity for
to stay away from work. The main Privacy and data protection ing under the Smart Cities initiative preserved at all costs. As evidenced preventative repression.
ISPs were reportedly instructed by Under first generation rights norma- to tracking down political dissidents by findings in the Civic Media Ob-
the authorities to shut down access. tive theory, the state is obliged to pro- among others. servatory, the digital sphere has been A paper by the Media Institute of
Frustrated Zimbabweans became the tect individuals’ privacy or personal identified as a threat to the country’s Southern Africa (IFEX) posits that
victims of an online communications data from public scrutiny, thus en- In return, China gains access to national security, insofar as Civil Society Organisations need to
shutdown in a context of protests suring that people must provide their this database of Zimbabwean citizens focus on solidarity, collaboration and
against rising corruption and abuse consent for their information to be in order to train its algorithms and deposing the current political jun- people-centred advocacy.
of taxpayers' money by the Mugabe collected and processed by any entity. improve the ability of its surveillance ta from power is concerned.
regime. systems to recognize darker skin This requires them to take proac-
However, the government of Zim- tones. The Arab Spring, which led to the tive steps to bring free online expres-
For the first time in Zimbabwe, babwe has enacted legislation that deposing of leaders in the MENA re- sion within the broader human rights
WhatsApp was temporarily blocked enables digital authoritarianism. The agreement is being imple- gion through social-media-organised discourse, while targeting new play-
and was unavailable for several hours mented in stages and will soon reach protests certainly placed a lot of Afri- ers that have the power to influence
after the country’s leading ISPs were Chinese-led Smart City projects, development of camera and network can governments on high alert about decision-making by wayward regimes
pressured into shutting down ac- such as the pilot project being imple- infrastructure in Zimbabwe. the potential transformative power of in the southern African region.
cess. The ISPs did not explain why mented in Mutarefor other intentions digital space.
WhatsApp had been shut down, than the stated purpose. Zimbabwe- Zimbabwean state-owned tele- A lot more coordinated research
nor did the Postal and Telecommu- an citizens’ rights to privacy stand to coms operator TelOne and Huawei This has led to more governments, and advocacy at a policy level high-
nications Regulatory Authority of be violated under this project. Also entered into an agreement to develop including that of Zimbabwe, enact- lighting the digital rights dimension
Zimbabwe (Potraz) hold them to ac- of particular concern is the fact that two new colocation and cloud facil- ing digitally repressive legislation will be needed to draw back on the
count for service disruption. Instead, Chinese company Huawei is deeply ities. The facilities reportedly meet aimed at curbing any form of politi- culture of digital authoritarianism
the Potraz threatened arrests of those involved in setting up base stations Tier III standards and offer 99.98% cal mobilisation on social media. taking root in Zimbabwe.
who engaged in irresponsible use of and rolling out national broadband,
social media, and dealing with them Zimbabwe’s engagement with — Advox Global Citizens.
Russia, China, Iran and Israel for
the acquisition of invasive spyware

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 35

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

NELSON CHAMISA Zimbabweans do not want to be
a burden on SA's health system
Following Dr Phophi Ramathu-
ba's outburst at a Zimbabwean
patient, opposition Citizens' Co-
alition for Change leader  Nelson
Chamisa  writes that Zimbabwe's
neighbours should not have to carry
the burden of poor leadership, and
should push Sadc to insist on credi-
ble elections.

LIKE many people in Zimbabwe
and elsewhere around the world, I
recently watched a video in which
Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the Lim-
popo MEC for Health, spoke to a
Zimbabwean patient seeking care
in a hospital.

As I listened to my dear com-
patriot expressing gratitude to
the MEC, I was filled with a deep
sense of regret, sadness, and rage.

The patient's vulnerability re-
minded us of real impact of poor
leadership on the lives and dignity
of our people. For me, it deepened
my resolve to change it.

Like many other Zimbabweans
who have had to shelter outside
our borders, she did not want to
be there. It was not her choice.
She is there because her leaders
back at home do not care about
her.

She is not alone. 

A burden for too long  most basic tests. Corruption and misrule are to We have a plan to turn this Dr Phophi Ramathuba.
Zimbabwe has been a burden to The current doctor-to-patient blame around. We have a New Great
her neighbours for far too long. It There is a reason why our hos- Zimbabwe plan to build and lence and patience, but you should
is time we changed this. ratio and nurse-to-patient ratio in pitals are in this state. We know transform Zimbabwe into glory. not have to carry this burden any
Zimbabwe is depressing. why patients are crossing the bor- longer than you already have.
By the Zimbabwean govern- ders to seek treatment in neigh- Zimbabwe is not poor. It is
ment's own estimates, since this The last survey revealed 1.6 bouring countries. It is because of poorly led. It is simply a leader- Please help us to hold credible
regime took power, people have doctors per 10 000 people (23 corruption, bad governance and ship crisis. And we will fix it. elections. We are encouraged that
left the country at a higher rate doctors per 10 000 people is the poor leadership under Zanu PF President Cyril Ramaphosa has
than at any time in our history. WHO recommendation). Zim- misrule. The cartels that smuggle said the immigration crisis will
The national statistics agency re- babwe has 7.2 nurses per 10 000 US$1.6 billion worth of gold be discussed at a regional level.
cently released data showing that people, which should be 83 per 10 Millions were lost in Covid-19 from our country every year will Now, more strongly than ever,
emigration peaked in 2021. 000 people. procurement deals, and nobody be stopped. We will rededicate a Sadc must demand reforms. We
was held accountable. The po- more significant proportion of our do not ask for anything new, only
Nowhere is this exodus felt so As I write this, more than 700 litical elite gets treated overseas. national budget to critical social that Zimbabwe hold elections that
strongly than in our critical health children have been killed by mea- This is who they are; they do not services, and away from the over- meet already existing Sadc guide-
sector. sles, a disease that should not be care for ordinary people, like that priced vanity projects designed to lines.
afflicting us in this century. woman in the Limpopo hospital. oil corrupt cartels.
In a period of 12 months in They care only for themselves. This, more than shaming the
March 2020, the United King- Our maternal mortality rate We will increase the budget for innocent victims of misrule, is
dom took in 1 059 Zimbabweans is 462 per 100 000 live births, Our crisis is not just a health health and ramp up support to what will solve the crisis.
on that country's skilled work one of the highest in the world. crisis or an economic crisis. It is our professionals. We will treat
visa. Our neonatal mortality rate is 31 essentially a governance crisis. our people at home, in our own Zimbabweans do not want to
deaths per 1 000 live births. This Nelson Mandela once said there first-class hospitals. cross the borders for services or
By 2022, that number had in- rate has not changed since 1988, was a "crisis of leadership in Zim- jobs. They do not want to be a
creased to 5 549 visas to Zimba- showing the lack of progress in babwe". The global icon was right. This all starts with solving the burden. They have not chosen this
bweans for skilled work. Put in healthcare. We are facing the consequences governance crisis once and for all. life. They have not chosen their
other terms, the number of skilled today, and so too is the entire re- We need reforms. We must pre- leaders. It is time they did.
workers that have left Zimba- Recently, our hearts broke after gion. pare and have a pre-election pact
bwe to work in other countries seven babies were stillborn in one on electoral and political reforms. *About the writer: Nelson
has gone up by 424% in just two night at Harare Central Hospital Chamisa leads the opposition
years. because their mothers did not get Our call to our neighbours is Citizens' Coalition for Change
the care they needed in time.  this; we appreciate your benevo- in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is among the top five
recipients of these skilled visas to
the UK. A country with a popula-
tion of 15 million is in the same
category as nations such as India
– with its population of over a bil-
lion – in terms of exporting skills.
We are losing skilled people more
than countries that are at war.

Which industry are all these
skilled people coming from?
Many are coming out of our hos-
pitals. Not only are our medical
staff unable to feed their fami-
lies, but they also have to face the
emotional and psychological trau-
ma of watching their patients die
from what should be easily treat-
able ailments.

Our healthcare system fails the

Page 36 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

How migrants who move between Zim
and SA access healthcare in border towns

ZIMBABWE and South Africa share the COVID pandemic and the dian migrants and asylum seekers trict hospital caters for both local and to people moving through to
a 225km common border. data collection was concluded and in particular reported poor mental and mobile populations. South Africa.
published just as the pandemic be- health indicators.
There is only one official border gan. Some of these findings may These facilities are geared to- In the town of Musina, there are
crossing, at Beitbridge. An estimat- therefore be different now. CA: What facilities are avail- wards providing services around three state-run facilties: Musina
ed  15 000 migrants  and refugees able? chronic conditions. Their capabil- Hospital, and Nancefield and Mu-
from Zimbabwe and other countries CA: What are the biggest in- ities to provide mental health and sina clinics.
cross daily either through the offi- sights about their health needs? VB: On the Zimbabwean side, sexual and reproductive health
cial border post or at illegal crossing there is one hospital and four gov- services are more limited. At the Recently a quick needs assess-
points. Migrants’ access to healthcare, VB: For a long time there has ernment clinics: Beitbridge Hos- Dulivadzimu council clinic, Doc- ment by Doctors Without Borders
particularly in the two towns along been insufficient information pital, and Dulivadzimu, Notting- tors Without Borders supports the in the area showed inappropriate
this border – Beitbridge and Musi- about migrants’ medical needs in ham, Shashe and Tshikwarakwara facility with human resources, fill- water and sanitation facilities at the
na – has come into sharp focus after this area. council clinics, which offer primary ing in gaps for the pharmacy, and site, as well as difficulties in access-
the health minister of Limpopo prov- health services. providing laboratory support. ing healthcare in the public clinics
ince made  disparaging remarks  to a In Beitbridge, the health needs and hospitals.
Zimbabwean woman seeking help often related to chronic or infec- These facilities are all in the town In addition to these facilities,
at a South African hospital. Doctors tious diseases such as hypertension of Beitbridge. The clinics are stra- Doctors Without Borders has set On the back of these insights
Without Borders has been providing and malaria. There was also high tegically located in the Beitbridge up a small mobile clinic at the Be- Doctors Without Borders estab-
healthcare to displaced populations at HIV prevalence among women. urban district. The Beitbridge dis- itbridge Reception Centre, which lished an emergency project in the
Beitbridge for 22 years. The Conver- And there was a significant need for provides primary healthcare to so-called men’s shelter in Musina
sation Africa (CA) spoke to Doctors mental health services. Zimbabweans who are deported town.
Without Borders’ regional migration
adviser Vinayak Bhardwaj (VB) Our results showed that Central The organisation also established
about their research into migrants’ Africans coming from countries the “Musina model of care” – a
healthcare needs in the area. such as Burundi and Democratic strategy which targets agricultur-
Republic of Congo were particular- al workers based at distant farms.
CA: What’s known about peo- ly hampered from accessing medi- The idea was to create a mobile
ple crossing into South Africa? cal care, primarily due to language approach with core minimum ser-
barriers. Because their primary lan- vices, including antiretroviral treat-
VB: In 2019 we did a survey to guage was French, accessing care in ment and tuberculosis treatment
produce reliable evidence on the English was difficult. for those who could not access
way migrants move and what the clinics.
links are to their health outcomes. The survey also showed that sex-
ual violence was a reality for mi- Having achieved successful rates
In the survey we interviewed just grants. An estimated 36% of single of treatment continuation, the ac-
over 1,600 migrants in the border female Malawian migrants residing tivities have been handed over to
towns of Beitbridge in Zimbabwe at a safe house in Beitbridge said the South African authorities.
and Musina in South Africa. they had experienced sexual vio-
lence. CA: What did you learn about
For most migrants, Beitbridge the scale of migration in the area?
was a transit site en route to South In Musina, there was evidence
Africa. The main reasons they gave of high levels of sexual violence VB: Historically, the flow of
for leaving their countries of origin and abuse among male migrants. migration in southern Africa is to-
were to search for jobs and for bet- There was also a significant need wards South Africa, as shown by
ter living conditions. for mental health services. Burun- the International Office for Migra-
tion’s flow trends data.
These economic motivations
were coherent with the main diffi- But consolidated data has not
culties many respondents faced in been consistently collected for the
Zimbabwe as their last place of resi- last two years, due to the COVID
dence. Many respondents had trav- pandemic. The International Office
elled from countries further north for Migration, which tracks this
and had spent some time in Zim- information closely,  reported  that
babwe en route to South Africa. during the pandemic (2020-
2021), over 200,000 Zimbabwean
These difficulties were mainly migrants returned to Zimbabwe
unemployment, financial challeng- mostly because of the lack of eco-
es and food insecurity. Although nomic opportunities in South Afri-
they were aware of the alarming ca during the pandemic.
levels of political persecution and
civil unrest in Zimbabwe, none of The closure of the Beitbridge
the participants cited political-re- border for several months (on the
lated factors as the main reasons for Zimbabwe side) during the pan-
leaving Zimbabwe. demic, as well as the further restric-
tions on legal movement, such as
Men and women said they came the requirement to provide a nega-
searching for jobs. But the search tive PCR test, further reduced legal
for better living conditions was a migration. This affected irregular
more predominant reason to leave migration in ways that haven’t been
the country for men than for wom- tracked yet.
en. Motivations involving family,
such as a family gathering or start- More recent data is available on
ing a new family, were more com- a month-to-month basis, docu-
mon among female respondents. menting the flow across the Beit-
bridge border. But this has not yet
The number of migrants at the been analysed to assess whether the
Beitbridge border post and their scale of migration has returned to
reasons for leaving their countries pre-pandemic levels.
of origin.
— The Conversation.
The number of migrants in Mu-
sina and the reasons for leaving *About the writer: Vinayak
their countries of origin. Bhardwaj is a regional migration
referent at Johns Hopkins Univer-
Our survey was initiated before sity in the United States.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 37

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Jewish and African culture’s influence on
African Independent Churches theologies

MATTHEW MARE Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa) compound in Jerusalem. time their wives demand sex they
tend to be labelled prostitutes.
THE society plays a pivotal role began to recognize some ATR However, in JMAC, the church lygamous project as a fight against
in terms of socialisation, thus one ethos, norms and values. The aspi- determines marriage issues; hence Western hegemony that is introduc- Moreover, the young women
cannot ignore how the Jewish and rations and demands by AICs, that this study explored the teachings, ing family planning to depopulate cannot find alternative sexual part-
African cultures help shape the the- theology must be contextual were rituals and the doctrines of JMAC Africa. This shows that there is also ners because adultery is considered
ology of Johanne Marange Apostol- achieved and began to be realised. with the view to identify elements a political and economic dimen- a major and unpardonable sin in
ic Church (JMAC) on women and that violate the rights of women and sion to the doctrine of polygamy in JMAC. The wives end up endur-
children. Thus, in 1962, the AICs, perhaps children. JMAC. ing the physiological and emotional
won their religious independence in torture for the sake of the church
The roles given to women and Africa. The church would in the un- Since the JMAC theology is a hy- Akin to human rights violation, doctrine.
children in the ecclesia are given to foreseeable future begin the journey brid theology that borrowed from Nyandoro revealed that all his 16
them by the society and not God. towards retaining its pre-Westphalia the Jewish culture, ATR and the wives compete to cook for him dai- With the economic hardships
The study has observed that, wom- position of prevailing over political Hebrew text, the three were cited by ly and he throws food from those and poverty in Zimbabwe, large
en and children in Marange are not affairs of the state. this study in relation to their con- who would not have cooked well. families are no longer sustainable
accorded full rights like other wom- tribution to women and children’s Nyandoro also highlighted that in without a sound economic base.
en in the secular society who can In 2017 Fr Fidelis Mukonori SJ rights abuse. JMAC, it is a sin to marry someone
join and participate in politics and played a key role during the Oper- who was married before, thus, wid- While feminists demand that
lobby groups, take up leadership ation Restore Legacy that saw the In JMAC, women are interest- ows, single mothers and divorcees women should have a say in the
positions at workplaces, own means shift of power from the long-time ingly the family providers and bread are regarded as rejects without full social sphere, in JMAC, men are
of production, free to approach ruler President Robert Gabriel winners. JMAC teaches that men in rights like any other women. found to have absolute dominance
secular courts for justice and enjoy Mugabe to President Emmerson a polygamous relationship should in the family. The church teaches
constitutional rights such as the Mnangagwa. The study noted that do no menial work like ploughing In a marriage, couples are entitled that it is a sin for women to use con-
right to demonstrate and freedom there are elements of JMAC mar- the fields on the pretext that vanop- to conjugal rights as well as sexual traceptives.
of speech. riages that infringe on the rights of era simba meaning they lose energy reproductive rights. Apart from this
women and children. Marriage is and will not be good in bed. archaic practice in the JMAC, old The church teaches that people
In Zimbabwe, the JMAC is pre- generally entered into by consent people above the ages of 65 prefer must be fruitful and multiply like
dominantly a rural-based religion and parties into the marriage union Misheck Nyandoro, a JMAC to marry minors because they are al- the sand of the ocean. The teaching
and is attended by a section of the must be 18 years and above. member from Mbire, Mashonaland leged to be ‘hot’ meaning they have against contraceptives does also en-
society that is deeply cultural. In the Central, who has 16 wives and 151 warm bodies. able the church to grow rapidly as
Marange area, non JMAC mem- The government of Zimbabwe children argues "for me, polygamy each male member of the church
bers are into full time traditional has set out 18 years as the legal age is a project and am receiving finan- The study found out that, most tends to have a very big family.
practices like medicine-man and of majority where a person who is cial benefits from my children and men in polygamous marriages and
magicians. The cases of traditional aged 18 years and above has the in-laws”. above the age of 65 are not able to If family planning methods are
lighting, reputable magicians like right of self-determination. satisfy their wives sexually and each to be allowed in JMAC, the mem-
the late “Ndunge” and the nation- He gave the reason for his po- bership of the Church is likely to
al hero Sekuru Rekai Tangwena are dwindle tremendously as there is
found within the Manyika peo- no much evidence of new converts
ple. Women, both within JMAC converting to JMAC.
as well as non-JMAC members in
Marange, are found to have limited The modern youths might find
rights as a result of both religion and it difficult to join JMAC due to its
culture. extreme ATR influenced theologies.
Some of these teachings includes,
The study, therefore, considers barring children from accessing ed-
how the Jewish and African Tradi- ucation, health facilities and having
tional Churches (ATR) culture in- self-determination on marriage, po-
fluences the manner in which wom- litical participation and economic
en and children are being treated in production.
such societies as this.
The JMAC is never comfort-
The 1962 Vatican 11 resolution able with Human Rights teachings
is a very critical document in so far as they pose a direct threat to the
as African Independent Churches Church’s existence. In addition to
(AICs) victory is concerned. While that, most men marry up to twen-
the mainline churches were wholly ty wives or more, taking the risk
controlled by their mother churches, against HIV/Aids.
the Vatican 11 allowed the Roman
Catholic Church to domesticate its In JMAC, most old men are
practices thereby assimilating some found to marry minors and with
traditional and cultural practices the short life expectancy of 36 years
from the context the church may be old in Zimbabwe, these minors are
found to be operating in. being exposed to early widowhood.
It is also important to note that the
The Vatican 11 document ad- JMAC teaches that women have no
vocated for the domestication and right to own property. Women are
indigenisation of the Church and only entitled to kitchen utensils.
the gospel message. Apart from the The church does also have a say on
indigenization of the church, the inheritance including the distribu-
church was to recruit African agents tion of the estate of the deceased.
of the gospel such as catechists, dea-
cons, brothers, priests and nuns to *About the writer: Matthew
ensure that, the church becomes rel- Mare is a Zimbabwean academic
evant to Africa. For the first time the who holds two bachelor’s degrees,
African culture was to be respected. five master’s qualifications and
a PhD. He is also doing another
Thus, the previous doctrines of PhD and has 12 executive certif-
discovery and dominion were neu- icates in different fields. Profes-
tralized indirectly and the church sionally, he is a civil servant and
also board member at the Nation-
al Aids Council of Zimbabwe.

Page 38 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

JUSTICE ALFRED MAVEDZENGE Critical reflections on Chamisa
leadership style and approach
Introduction political change. This phenomenon
THE pro-democracy movement any given moment in the history a debilitating socio-economic cri- CCC leader Nelson Mandela. is not new.  There is a story in the
in Zimbabwe is trapped between a of elections, the country has been sis.   This tragic state of affairs is but will never accept responsibility Book of Jeremiah similar to our sit-
rock and a hard surface. dominated by two parties. Since the taken advantage of by the opposi- for their part. Similarly, the opposi- uation. When faced with an inva-
early 2000s, the county’s elector- tion to deflect attention and public tion is not prepared to accept that sion by the Babylonians, the only
The rock is the repressive Zanu al politics has been dominated by scrutiny of their internal processes whilst Zanu PF’s autocratic rule is message which the Israelites wanted
PF regime who continue to use Zanu PF and MDC.  Currently, it is and election strategies. Whenev- a serious problem, it is not the only to hear were prophecies which con-
violence, intimidation and weapo- dominated by Zanu PF and CCC. er one criticises the opposition for problem. The manner in which the firmed that God would give them
nise the legal and security system to Outside of these two parties, it has its internal weaknesses, their re- opposition mismanages its internal victory over the Babylonians. They
punish and persecute legitimate po- proven quite difficult for any per- action is to quickly remind those processes is also a serious problem were not prepared to hear anything
litical dissenters. The hard surface is son to gain political traction. Out criticizing them that the problem which, if left unaddressed further different. When Jeremiah, the real
the populistic, autocratic and weak of fear of being pushed into politi- is not the opposition but is Zanu weakens their capacity to survive Prophet of God, was sent with the
leadership of Nelson Chamisa, as cal obscurity, many inside Zanu PF PF misrule.  “People must always and challenge Zanu PF’s autocratic word from God to tell them that
demonstrated by the manner in and CCC tend to avoid being criti- remember that the CCC is a solu- rule. they were surely going to be con-
which he is running the main oppo- cal of the leaders of their respective tion to the problem. We are not the quered by the Babylonians because
sition party, the Citizens' Coalition political parties. The existence of problem. The problem is Zanu PF The third reality is that generally, of their sinful nature and disobedi-
for Change (CCC). a two-party system in Zimbabwe and citizens must not allow to be as Zimbabweans, we are not toler- ence to God, they arrested and even
has created a situation where party distracted from that”: This has be- ant of divergent views, including attempted to kill Jeremiah. He was
Many of us have thoroughly and leaders, including opposition lead- come a common statement uttered on politics. Whenever one express- called all sorts of names, including
consistently scrutinised Zanu PF’s ers end up operating as demi-gods by CCC leaders and their associates es a divergent view, that person is being labeled a traitor. Similarly,
autocratic rule and we must con- under whose wings everyone is des- whenever the CCC is called to ac- targeted for harassment including this is how generally Zimbabwe-
tinue to do so as a way of holding perate to congregate, because there count for its own blunders, own through vicious cyber bullying. ans from across the political divide
the government of the day account- seems to be no political life outside goals and shortcomings. This is a This culture of intolerance may be treat those who critique their polit-
able. However, we must admit that of these two parties. strategy of diversion and deflection, a result of living under a repressive ical leaders. There is a serious lack
we have (to some extent) abdicated carefully employed to hide from political regime for more than 42 of a democratic culture, not just
from openly and objectively scruti- The second reality is that current- being held accountable for the own years. As a result, many amongst amongst those in government but
nising the manner in which Cha- ly, the conditions for a free and fair goals which the party so frequent- us may have now begun (subcon- the general population too.
misa is managing the CCC. The election do not exist in Zimbabwe ly scores. This culture did not start sciously) to mimic the intolerance
manner in which Nelson Chamisa and it is highly unlikely that there with the current crop of CCC func- of those who have been suppressing The fourth reality is that Zim-
manages the CCC is a matter of will be any substantial positive re- tionaries. They may have perfected us for the past 42 years. The culture babweans generally are attracted
public concern and public interest, forms which will be undertaken it, but this culture can be traced of intolerance may also be a result to political leaders who maintain a
which we cannot afford to ignore as to improve these conditions ahead back to Zanu PF. Whenever they are of desperation for political change, messianic outlook. Since colonial-
scholars and citizens. There are two of the 2023 elections. Under the called to account for the socio-eco- which causes people not to be re- ism, a significant part of the popula-
fundamental reasons for this. Zanu PF (mis)rule, government nomic crisis, Zanu PF politicians ceptive to any views that challenge tion has been trapped in a perpetual
corruption and economic misman- blame sanctions and everyone else the dominant thinking, or which search for a political messiah. They
First is that the CCC and Cha- agement is rife and has resulted in exposes the weaknesses of “their seem to be searching for someone to
misa are the main opposition and best foot forward” in the quest for “save” them rather than to “serve”
a potential government in wait- them. This is why in Zanu PF they
ing. If we are to build a genuine- refer to their leaders as “chefs”- a
ly democratic society, we must be terminology which at some point
courageous enough to subject the had also creeped into the MDC
CCC and Chamisa to democratic circles. When Robert Mugabe took
accountability now, so that they get over and led the country into in-
accustomed to a culture of demo- dependence, he was generally per-
cratic accountability before they are ceived as the messiah who had come
in government. Secondly, scrutiniz- to save and redeem Zimbabwe from
ing and subjecting the CCC and the shackles of British colonialism.
Chamisa to democratic account- For this reason, the majority of the
ability will strengthen them as par- population were not prepared to
ty or a movement and ensure that hear of Mugabe’s evil Gukurahun-
Zimbabwe has a strong opposition. di massacres in Matebeleland and
No democracy can survive without Midlands provinces. Their messiah
a strong and vibrant democratic could not do any wrong! They only
opposition. It is from this premise realised much later that “their mes-
that I offer this installment. I can siah” was now the albatross hanging
only hope that the CCC and its around their necks. By that time,
leader, my brother in Christ Nel- Mugabe had completely captured
son Chamisa will treat and receive all the organs of the Zanu PF party
this as advice from a Zimbabwean and institutions of the state.  When
who is passionate about building Morgan Tsvangirai rose to fame
genuine democracy. I also hope that in the early 2000s as the leader of
my colleagues in the academia and the then opposition MDC, he was
other public intellectuals will react largely perceived as the Moses who
to this installment by publishing had been sent to rescue the country
their joinders and replies to contest and lead it to its promised land of
(rather than just agree with) the Canaan. Various songs were com-
views I express in this installment. posed by artists to assert and rein-
Our prospects for a democratic so- force this perception. Many were
ciety can only be enriched as a re- not prepared to entertain any views
sult of such robust contestation of which critiqued Morgan Tsvangi-
ideas. rai’s style of leadership.
Chamisa and the contextual real-
ities of the Zimbabwean political When Nelson Chamisa took
environment   over the MDC reigns in 2018, he
Before I offer a critique of my dear was (and still) is perceived as “the
brother Chamisa, it is important Joshua of our time”, who is taking
to state certain realities which con- over from Moses to lead the people
stitute the context within which to the promised democratic society.
the CCC exists. I believe that my Interestingly, Emmerson Mnangag-
brother Chamisa is both a product wa is perceived the same way by his
and a victim of some of these con- supporters, after taking over from
textual realities. It is impossible to Mugabe in 2017. These perceptions
understand and critique him with- shape the extent to which the peo-
out looking at the context which
has both formed and victimised
him, politically.

First is that Zimbabwe is a
two-party state, as has been rightly
observed by other scholars, includ-
ing my friend Philani Zamchiya. At

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 39

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

ple are prepared to be honest in the cept his role as the President of litical change or because they are deliberately been ignored because of government, it is highly unlikely
way they engage with their political CCC and those he has appointed selfishly seeking positions. the clique that has captured Chami- that he will accept to be subjected
leaders. To some extent, these per- into positions such as the party sa (possibly on behalf of Zanu PF) to those principles when he wields
ceptions also nudge and encourage spokesperson and other function- They simply do not want to be would like to retain control over the governmental power.
political leaders to behave as demi- aries. used as “forks and knives” in what party.
gods. In both Zanu PF and CCC, appears to be Chamisa’s personal Fear and denialism  
there is always a legion of politicians There are no internal procedures kitchen where he single handedly My brother Chamisa favours the Many are not prepared to critique
who are eagerly waiting to worship for decision making. He holds decides what is on the menu. My status quo as it gives him the unre- Chamisa’s leadership style and po-
the ground that Mnangagwa and meetings with his lieutenants only good brother Chamisa often says strained leeway to organise and run litical approach because doing so is
Chamisa walk on. when he wants. He makes party de- “toda hugaro not zvigaro mantra” the party the way he feels like and quite risky in a two-party context
The problematic nature of Cha- cisions without consulting anyone which loosely translates to “CCC without anyone questioning him.  and where the man is perceived by
misa’s leadership style outside of his inner circle. Members is a movement which is not focused Doomed prospects the large section of the masses as
It is in this context that Chamisa of his inner circle know that they on creating positions for individu- There are doomed prospects for their political messiah.
has emerged as the main opposi- serve at his pleasure and therefore als but creating a vehicle to deliver a genuine substantive democratic
tion leader, enjoying support from they are unable to engage with him change which will result in better change even if CCC wins the 2023 Those close to him in the party
across the country and across gen- critically. In fact, they are so inse- livelihoods for all”. But what Cha- elections. would rather suffer quietly because
erations. His populistic and auto- cure in their positions that they feel misa forgets is that a political party to speak out against Chamisa will
cratic style of leadership is shaped that they must outshine each other or a movement is essentially an or- Without elected structures at na- surely result in one being shunted
and encouraged by these contextu- to demonstrate their loyalty to Nel- ganisation. tional and local levels which hold into the political dustbin. Several
al realities namely: the enormous son. the party leaders accountable and have already been pushed out of the
power he enjoys over his colleagues For any organisation to be ef- make collective decisions with the cock pit. Some argue that criticising
as a result of the two-party state, Sometimes when they describe fective, competent people must be leaders, and without a constitution Chamisa’s leadership style at this
intolerance and the lack of a dem- Chamisa, you may be excused if appointed into various positions adopted by party members, the point and holding him accountable
ocratic culture amongst the general you confuse them for Zanu PF sup- of responsibility. The manner in CCC is not a democratic collective. would undermine prospects for
population, and the electorate’s af- porters describing their dear leader which those people are appointed democratic change in 2023.
finity for messianic politicians and Mnangagwa.  This state of affairs must incorporate certain minimum A coalition of people or organisa-
individual centred politics.     undermines not only CCC’s pros- democratic principles such as trans- tions cannot be described as a dem- The assumption made by those
pects of winning the 2023 elections parency, accountability, fairness, ocratic collective when all of them who argue like this is that there are
My brother Chamisa is an as- but prospects for a genuine sub- rationality and stakeholder consul- have been appointed by a single prospects for a democratic political
tute political scientist and a high- stantive democratic change even if tation. It is not possible to achieve person and their rules of engage- change in 2023, without address-
ly skilled orator with exceptional CCC wins the 2023 elections. these without a clear constitution ment are determined by one person ing certain of Chamisa’s leadership
ability to speak in ways which cap- Undermining prospects of win- and formal structures adopted and not in terms of a rules book deficiencies and stopping him from
ture the imaginations of a popula- ning 2023 elections and endorsed by the membership that is adopted by the membership. scoring own goals. Others argue
tion that is in search of a political Operating a party or a movement through a democratic process. This spells doom for genuine dem- that Chamisa is the best foot for-
messiah. Yet, Chamisa might have in this manner will only create and ocratic change in Zimbabwe even if ward and therefore he must be sup-
now become the albatross hanging promote internal fissures, disgrun- Some have argued that Chamisa Chamisa were to win elections and ported blindly. But what if the best
around the pro-democracy move- tlement and demobilisation as oth- must single handedly appoint struc- take over from Zanu PF in 2023. foot forward is broken?
ment, and a potential stumbling er leaders, at both the national and tures or avoid appointing structures He would have won the elections
block against progress towards the community levels feel that the party in order to protect the party from without a democratic collective, Will it still take you to your de-
attainment of a genuine democratic has become Chamisa’s personal fief- infiltration by Zanu PF. and it would be very difficult to ex- sired destination without fixing it?
change yearned by many in Zimba- dom. pect him to be democratic as a head Others argue that all that is need is
bwe. These people have not cared to of government. to defeat Zanu PF in the 2023 elec-
CCC needs everyone to put explain how the CCC can still re- tions and then the rest of the issues
Less than 9 months towards the their hands on deck to prepare for main a democratic movement when A politician who obtains pow- can be sorted out. As I mentioned
2023 election, Chamisa is still run- an election that is going to be held its structures, organs, leadership er through individual effort rather above, I do not think that a politi-
ning the CCC without any formal under very tough conditions in and internal rules are determined than a democratic collective effort cian who does not respect democra-
structures and without a constitu- less than 9 months. Given the way by one person or a clique. They have is unlikely to respect and honor the cy while outside of government will
tion. The party is financially broke Chamisa is running and leading the also ignored the fact that already significance of collective governance become a champion of democracy
and does not have an organisation- party, it will be very difficult to get Chamisa’s inner circle is heavily in- when inside government. Similarly, as a government leader.
ally driven fundraising strategy. He everyone to put their hands on deck filtrated by people whose history in a politician who does not respect
operates and runs the movement as some of the leaders, especially and connection to Zanu PF is not a institutions when they are outside *About the author: Dr Justice
through unelected secret structures. those who genuinely believe in de- matter of guess work.  of government is unlikely to start Alfred Mavedzenge is a constitu-
There are no formally recognised mocracy may have already started doing so when they get into pow- tional law academic committed to
national leadership positions, ex- to take a back seat. It is not because Proposals have been made on er. If Chamisa is not subjected to the building of democracy in Zim-
these leaders do not aspire for po- ways of protecting the party from democratic collectivism and dem- babwe and Africa. He writes in his
infiltration without undermining ocratic accountability while outside personal capacity.
the democratic nature and outlook
of the organisation. But these have

Page 40 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Botswana HIV patients get adequate
treatment – But it's not all of them
SIMANI GASEITSIWE

HIV remains a major public health how people with HIV who are on ART resistant variant, or their treatment scribe virologic failure as viral loads found to have a drug resistant variant,
challenge globally. Around  38 mil- are managed in developing countries. isn’t working. above 1 000 copies/ml. Our results the patient should be switched to an
lion people are estimated to be living challenge this. appropriate ART regimen.
with the infection. We recommend that patients on Prevalence of drug resistant muta- Going forward
ART with detectable viral loads above tions:  We sequenced the HIV in the Our results echo the views expressed If they are found not to harbour
Sub-Saharan Africa bears the brunt 50 copies/ml be further investigated to patients with low viral loads as well by others who have looked at this is- HIV drug resistant variants, the pa-
of the HIV epidemic. Close to two ensure that they don’t harbour drug re- as those with viral loads above 1 000 sue. Like them, we recommend that tient should undergo intensive adher-
thirds of the HIV cases are in the re- sistant HIV variants. copies/ml. We found no difference in the HIV treatment guidelines in devel- ence counselling because this could
gion. What we found the prevalence of HIV drug resistant oping countries be improved to ensure point to treatment failure.
Number of HIV patients on ART with mutations between the two patient that patients with low HIV viral load
But huge strides have been made in low viral load: Our study looked at a groups. This indicates that patients while on ART get the necessary atten- Scientists and funders must invest
curbing the epidemic. One of the keys cohort of 6 078 people with HIV from with low HIV viral loads are just as tion. time and resources to develop more
to this has been the introduction of an- across Botswana who were receiving likely to harbour HIV variants with sensitive HIV drug resistant assays that
ti-retroviral therapy (ART). It has re- combination antiretroviral therapy. drug resistance mutations as those In developed countries, screening can sequence HIV in samples with low
sulted in people with HIV living long, We narrowed this down to 4 443 peo- with high viral loads. for drug resistant HIV variants is done viral loads. This is currently a limiting
productive lives and reducing the risks ple who had been on ART treatment when people start ART. Drug resis- factor as most of the available assays
of HIV transmission. for at least six months. Treatment failure: A select group of tance screening is also done whenever don’t work well with samples with low
the patients with low HIV viral loads a patient on treatment has a detectable viral loads.
HIV has a high mutation rate, how- Only 8% had viral loads of more were followed up for at least a year. We viral load.
ever. As a result, there is evidence of than 50 copies/ml. Testing for muta- found that there was a statistically sig- — The Conversation.
HIV variants with resistance to almost tions only happens on patients with nificant association of low level HIV The same approach should be ap-
all available anti-retroviral drugs. The viral loads of over 1,000 copies/ml, viral load with subsequent virologi- plied in developing countries. *About the writer: Simani Ga-
development of variants with drug re- which means that this group isn’t be- cal (or treatment) failure. Our results seitsiwe is principal investigator
sistant mutations is a major challenge ing screened. show that patients with a low HIV vi- Patients should also have a follow-up and research associate at Botswana
to the success of ART — and there- ral load are more likely to experience viral load test which – if the virus is still Harvard Aids Institute Partnership,
fore to efforts to achieve the UN goal The figure of 8% may seem low. But virological failure. detectable – should lead to sequencing Sub-Saharan African Network for
of ending Aids by 2030. it means that this cohort either has a of the HIV variants they harbour. If TB/HIV Research Excellence (SAN-
Current treatment guidelines de- THE).
In developing countries, screen-
ing for HIV drug resistant variants is
done only when patients who are on
treatment have high viral loads – over
1 000 copies/ml, as per the World
Health Organisation  guidelines. This
means drug resistant HIV variants in
patients with low viral loads are not de-
tected. This is the case in many coun-
tries in sub-Saharan Africa – including
Botswana.

We set out to establish three things.
Firstly, what percentage of patients
on ART had low HIV viral loads. This
is data that’s never been collected be-
fore. Secondly, we wanted to deter-
mine HIV drug resistant mutations in
this cohort of patients. The third thing
we set to establish is whether there’s a
connection between patients with low
viral loads and treatment failure. This
is known as virologic failure.
Answering these three questions has
given us a much deeper understand-
ing of where a country like Botswana
stands in its efforts to eliminate HIV.
As a result of our research we have a
better understanding of how many
people with HIV have low viral loads,
how serious a threat we face from drug
resistant HIV variants and finally how
many people with low viral levels are at
risk of treatment failure.
We found that people with low vi-
ral loads were just as likely to harbour
drug resistant HIV variants as people
with high viral loads. This matters be-
cause it points to the need to change

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 41

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Kenya’s elections are proof of change since
2007 violence, but more reform is needed

GABRIELLE LYNCH Kenya's Supreme Court confirmed William Ruto’s election as president. environment in which people are
struggling to make ends meet — it
KENYA’S Supreme Court has con- New reforms, old fears governments, and prompted oth- various monitoring, early warn- is clear from interviews that many
firmed William Ruto’s election But what explains the disjuncture er reforms, including changes to ing and conflict resolution mecha- simply want the economy to pick
as president in a  unanimous rul- between fears of violence and real- the electoral system. These made nisms have been established up and to get back to work.
ing  following the submission of ity? the  problems  of multiple voting
eight petitions seeking to annul the and interference with vote tally- Just as importantly, the political More work to be done
result. It can in part be explained by ing reported in 2007 far less likely. atmosphere has changed. While Kenya has changed, the road
uncertainty. Particularly important They also made the process far more Change in tone ahead is a difficult one.
The court dismissed all the peti- in this regard is uncertainty about transparent. In 2007, politicians mobilised quite
tions, including that submitted by how the elections would unfold and openly along ethnic lines. The op- Time will tell what Odinga’s
the losing candidate, Raila Odinga. whether certain parties would try These changes were in place for position Orange Democratic Move- plans will involve, and how the in-
It found that some of the claims to manipulate the elections. And, this poll. They were what lay behind ment, for example, cast its call for cumbent president, Uhuru Kenyat-
“were based on forged documents if so, what evidence would exist of unprecedented  transparency  in the reform as a contest of  41 tribes ta, will respond to events. Kenyatta
and ‘sensational information’.” the same? Also important is uncer- record of votes at each of Kenya’s against one. has said that he will execute the or-
tainty about how key players would 46,299 polling stations – better ders of the Supreme Court, but also
Odinga responded by saying react to events, and how die-hard known as form 34A. Various  ac- In 2022, in contrast, both of the invited Kenyans “to hold all institu-
that he had “respect for the opinion supporters might respond to their tors could check whether the forms main alliances — Odinga’s Azimio tions to account”.
of the court”. But he “vehemently reactions. on the electoral commission’s portal la Umoja and Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza
disagreed with the decision” and matched those seen by party agents — mobilised across ethnic divides. This close and disputed elec-
“would be communicating in the However, this disjuncture can and posted outside polling stations. The result is that  most areas  were tion has gone hand-in-hand with
near future on our plans to contin- also be explained by the fact that divided in terms of support. much misinformation and followed
ue our struggle for transparency, ac- much of the fear that I came across This paper trail provided vital a vigorous campaign period. It also
countability and democracy”. as I travelled around the Rift Valley evidence that proved central to the The rise of social media has also followed concerns voiced about the
and its borders in the months pri- court’s upholding  of Ruto’s elec- ensured that, while misinformation electoral commission by the  me-
The court ruling followed weeks or to the elections stemmed from tion. is rife, what is said in one area can dia,  political parties  and  the po-
of uncertainty which began with memories of election-related vio- quickly spread across the country. lice  in the weeks prior to the poll,
a six-day wait for the presidential lence and nervousness about a re- There was also far more confi- This has led to most politicians be- and  reports of leaflets  circulating
outcome after a  close race. On 15 currence. This history includes the dence in the judiciary following ing much more careful about what online and offline, warning certain
August four Independent Elections ethnic clashes of the 1990s and the judicial reforms and the Supreme they say. communities in parts of the Rift
and Boundaries Commission com- post-election crisis of 2007/8 when Court’s  annulment  of the 2017 Valley to vote in a particular way.
missioners  disowned  as “opaque” over  1,000 people were killed and presidential election. The changes Finally, the majority of Kenyans
the results about to be announced. almost 700,000 displaced. meant that, as in 2013 and 2017, clearly do not want violence and — The incoming government also
But the electoral commission chair- the losing presidential candidate as reflected by relatively low voter inherits an economy characterised
man, Wafula Chebukati, went But a great deal has changed brought an electoral petition before turnout rates — are much more by a cost of living crisis and mas-
ahead and announced that Wil- since then. the court. sceptical of politicians as a class and sive debt burden. And the presi-
liam Ruto of Kenya Kwanza was not greatly excited about  either of dent elect has made many promises
the country’s president elect with A  new constitution  was intro- In addition, the police are better the frontrunners. In this context to the Kenyan electorate, alliance
50.5% of the popular vote. duced in 2010. This devolved pow- trained and organised, and were – and in a very difficult economic partners, and those who  agreed to
ers and resources to 47 new county more visible on the ground. And accept party nomination results.
Raila Odinga of Azimio la Umoja
got 48.8%. Governors, senators and A series of  defections  to Kenya
members of parliament  were  ini- Kwanza has also weakened the po-
tially fairly evenly split between the litical opposition, which has a vital
two alliances. role to play in holding the govern-
ment to account.
Azimio  rejected the results  and
challenged Ruto’s election in the Many of the country’s key insti-
Supreme Court. It argued, among tutions also suffered from a credi-
other things, that some of the poll- bility crisis going into the polls and
ing station-level forms (specifically have been further tainted by the
34A forms) had been changed on allegations of electoral malpractice
the elections commission portal raised. This includes the police and
by hackers associated with Ruto; electoral commission.
that Ruto had failed to secure 50%
plus one vote and so did not secure The Supreme Court in its ruling
a first round victory; and that the was blunt in its assessment of the
gubernatorial races in Kakamega commission, saying that it suffered
and Mombasa had been postponed from a “serious malaise” and was in
with the ulterior motive of reducing need of “far-reaching reforms”.
turnout in Odinga strongholds.
Finally, inter-communal relations
Many Kenyans feared the  possi- remained poor in places going into
bility of violence. But the campaigns the polls. This was true, for exam-
and post-election period were rela- ple, in parts of the Rift Valley where
tively calm and peaceful. This was little has been done to address past
despite vigorously contested, close, grievances and injustices, or to pro-
disputed and at times tense polls. vide accountability.

Notable incidents include lim- The fact that presidential pow-
ited protests in  Nairobi  and  Kisu- er is still believed to bring benefits
mu following the announcement of to particular areas ensured that the
the results, and the tragic murder of stakes were high. Unfortunately, the
a Nairobi electoral returning officer. elections — and the allegations and
counter-allegations made, and the
Based on research conducted “monsoon of misinformation” —
around Kenyan elections since will only leave the country further
2007, I would argue that the coun- divided. Ruto’s pledge to “make
try is very different to that which Kenya a country of everybody” is
stood on the “brink of a precipice” thus welcome. It will be important
in 2008. Nevertheless the shadow for the opposition and other actors
of – and potential for – violence to hold him to that promise.
still lingers, and the road ahead re-
mains a difficult one. Key institu- — The Conversation.
tions are in need of further reforms,
the country remains divided, and *About the writer: Gabrielle
the new president is faced with Lynch is professor of comparative
large economic challenges. politics at the University of War-
wick in England.

Page 42 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Scientist who discovered the Covid-19
omicron variant — and then caught it

Dr Sikhulile Moyo (49), a Botswa-
na-based Zimbabwean virologist, led
the team of scientists that first identi-
fied the omicron variant of Covid-19
in November 2021. It has gone on
to dominate the world. Moyo directs
the laboratory for the Botswana-Har-
vard Aids Institute and is a research
associate with the Harvard School of
Public Health.

Moyo was  disturbed to see the
world's reaction  to the more trans-
missible variant. Other nations
closed off travel and trade with
southern African countries, including
Botswana, even as they discovered the
variant was already within their own
borders. In fact, it was subsequently
found that the variant was circulat-
ing in the Netherlands a week before
the announcement from Africa.

"How do you reward the countries
that alert you of a potential dan-
gerous pathogen with travel bans?
My country was put on a red list,
and I didn't feel good about that,"
Moyo (SM) told National Public Ra-
dio (NPR), a public radio network
of the United States. NPR touched
base with Moyo to see what he's been
working on – and thinking about –
since this landmark discovery. This
interview by journalist Melody Sch-
reiber has been edited for length and
clarity.

NPR: You discovered omicron. Sikhulile Moyo, the laboratory director at the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute and a research associate with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, headed
Did omicron discover you? the team that identified the omicron variant.

SM: I got Covid. Funnily NPR: Has your work changed cause of the pathogen genomic se- southern Africa. we need to make sure these systems
enough, the omicron discoverer because of this discovery — are quencing that has been established We're even thinking beyond are sustained. That's one of the
gets omicron. you and your lab collaborating [examining DNA to identify it or challenges: Are we going to be able
more with scientists around the see if it's changing]. We think it's Covid. We are preparing ourselves to sustain some of this innovation
I had three days of very serious world? not that they are not circulating to be able to adapt for pathogen that we have developed over a very
symptoms of Covid, and I had to elsewhere, but it's just that maybe discovery. If a [new] outbreak hap- difficult time of our lives during
stay at home. So I would say mild SM: Yes! We have established we are looking deeper. pens, we should be able to quickly Covid?
to severe, but not too severe. collaborations with the Africa check within 24 to 36 hours what
CDC [Centres For Disease Control We are always doing pathogen it is. The virus is still finding some
Then I had long Covid. I had al- and Prevention]. We've established genomic sequencing. The most re- pathways to escape immune pres-
most three months of difficulty try- what is called the Pathogen Ge- sourced in the world, in terms of NPR: New subvariants seem sure.
ing to recover my lung volume, my nomics Initiative, a network of labs sequencing, is of course the UK to be getting better at  reinfect-
breathing. Walking, I was fatigued. that are working together, and we and the United States, and many ing people. What does that mean NPR: And there's always a pos-
All of a sudden, the Covid made have a lot of demand for training. parts of Europe. But I think the moving forward? sibility of a more virulent variant?
my [blood] sugar worse, and I had systematic, real-time, sampling and
to change my diabetes doses. I had I was named one of the TIME sequencing [in southern Africa] has SM: BA.4 and BA.5 are masters SM: The variant that is going
to step up my meds, because it was magazine's 100 most influential been very, very useful. in terms of evading the fury of the to really dominate is a variant that
no longer controlling [my diabetes] people of 2022. That gives us a immune system. The subvariants would have a massive escape to an-
the way it was. voice to share our experiences but NPR: How has southern Africa were able to elicit an immune re- tibody neutralisation or to vaccine
also access to a lot of collaborations become so good at finding new sponse, but magnitudes lower than neutralisation. Chances are low
These are the complications that that I never thought I would have. variants and subvariants? what we saw before. of that happening. But omicron
come with Covid, while people That is really pushing us forward. taught us that anything can hap-
think Covid is gone. SM: Southern Africa was the As the immunity wanes down, pen.
NPR: Have you made more hotspot for HIV. We have passed that's where my worry is: How far
NPR: Do you think the world ground-breaking omicron dis- through difficult times. I think can we hold on with the current So we need to be very careful.
has made any progress in learning coveries? we have taken this to our advan- levels of immunity? We need to continue with surveil-
not to cast blame? tage to find solutions for ourselves. lance, so that if we notice anything,
SM: Earlier this year, around With funding — from PEPFAR The vaccine immunity still pro- we should be able to go back and
SM: There was a global awak- April, May, there was the discovery and from other international agen- vides some protection against se- say: Do we need to change the way
ening. Those events around the of BA.4 and BA.5, and we detect- cies, US institutes, some donors vere disease. we are doing things?
omicron discovery showed us the ed them in Botswana a few days — southern Africa began to imple-
triumph of science but the failure after South Africa detected them. ment pathogen genomics focusing We know that you may get in- While I support loosening and
of global health policy. And these are the variants that have on HIV. fected, but you may not get hospi- going back to our lives [when cases
taken over the world. Some of the talized with BA.4 and BA.5. are low], I also feel that's when you
While we suffered, we were a questions have been: What's hap- Some of us were involved in set- need to be  more  vigilant. When
catalyst to make people aware of pening in southern Africa that [the ting up population-based sequenc- It may get a little bit rough. you see signs of wildfire starting,
the value of global public health — region] is seemingly detecting more ing to understand the movement Many people are spending days then you can try and put it out.
that we cannot be inward-looking, variants? of viruses, to characterise trans- at home and [developing] long
because the virus knows no borders. mission dynamics — and that has COVID afterward. — npr.org.
What is unique about southern spilled out to malaria, to TB.
You see the response to monkey- Africa, especially Botswana and NPR: What do you think needs *About the interviewer: Melody
pox is different than the response South Africa, is the ability to detect And we used those technologies to happen next? Schreiber (@m_scribe) is a jour-
to Covid. these variants in near real-time be- to quickly adapt to SARS-CoV-2. nalist and the editor of "What We
That has been the strength of SM: Research, training and de- Didn't Expect: Personal Stories
No one is blacklisting anyone velopment cost a lot of money, but About Premature Birth".
from the monkeypox-endemic ar- as cases go down, people forget that
eas.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 43

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

NICHOLAS WESTCOTT Why new British PM Truss needs
to pay more attention to Africa
NEW  British Prime Minister Liz
Truss  has never said much in public
about Africa.

But, in my view, her administra-
tion must pay more attention to its
relationship with Africa. African
countries are increasingly important
partners both in geostrategic and
material terms. Neglecting them will
weaken Britain itself and diminish its
global role.

Britain’s relations with Africa have
been deep and long-standing. The
slave trade and colonial period have
left conflicted legacies, but in the 60
years since African countries gained
independence, British governments
have generally sought to maintain
close links with those where English
is spoken. Human, cultural and com-
mercial links have remained strong.

Since 2010, however, Africa has
fallen steadily down the priority list.
Theresa May paid a brief, dancing
visit in  2018, but Boris Johnson’s
only visit as prime minister was to the
Commonwealth summit in Kigali
this June. It only underlined Britain’s
weakening influence on the organisa-
tion as Britain failed to secure their
its preferred candidate as secretary
general.

Why Africa matters ish governments have paid scant at- UK’s respected development invest- governments, democratic as well as British Prime Minister Liz Truss.
With the world’s  fastest growing tention to Africa despite the declared ment fund CDC, as “British Interna- autocratic, are under pressure from
population, Africa is increasingly vi- intention to diversify Britain’s inter- tional Investment” which will remain protests about rising food prices and by the pandemic, support key infra-
tal for the global response to climate national partnerships. The  review of a major investor in Africa, particu- falling job opportunities. There is a structure and help African countries
change. It has a major carbon sink in foreign and security policy  in 2021 larly in renewable energy and infra- risk, already seen in  Guinea,  Burki- adapt to climate change. In this, too,
the Congo rainforest and is a source made sensible proposals, focusing on structure. The government plans to na Faso and Tunisia, that democratic it is pursuing a policy in tune with
of the minerals needed to power a low the major economies. But its cred- continue its annual UK-Africa invest- politics is perceived to have failed to the EU’s collective priorities for its
carbon future. ibility was undermined by the swift ment summits  inaugurated in 2020 have deliver the promised benefits, partnership with Africa.
and brutal cutting of aid programmes in London, just before Covid-19 hit. and that authoritarian alternatives
Global food supplies will also from 0.7% to 0.5% of GDP in 2020, might as well be given a chance. Some officials and experts are keen
come under increased pressure un- which did as much damage to Brit- But if this marks a systematic shift for Britain’s new government to share
less an agricultural revolution enables ain’s reputation as to the fight against from aid to investment, this has been That plays exactly into Russian this approach. They understand that
Africa to feed itself. And in a world poverty. neither communicated to — nor un- president Vladimir Putin’s hands. neglecting Africa is costing Britain
of geopolitical competition, the sup- derstood by — Britain’s African part- From Russia’s point of view, the more badly needed international support at
port of Africa’s 54 votes in the United The government’s new  Strategy ners. Neither as international trade chaos in Africa the better, as Russia’s the United Nations, in the Common-
Nations will be crucial if an effective for International Development, pub- secretary nor as foreign secretary has priority is purely to support client wealth and elsewhere.
multilateral system is to be preserved. lished in May 2022, had Liz Truss’s Truss visited Africa. She has made governments, not make people pros-
fingerprints all over it. She was sec- only  one speech on Africa  in recent perous, free or happy. They’d also like to see an explicit
Since 2000, Africa has shown itself retary of state for foreign, Common- years. Looking forward and public strategy that pushes Africa
as a continent of extraordinary eco- wealth and development affairs at the The United States has recognised this back up the priority list, together with
nomic dynamism, but it still has to time. Nor is there any hint that the risk. Its new  Africa strategy  marks more active political engagement.
overcome major challenges if it is to government recognises the changed two important shifts. One is that the
realise its potential. It is very much in It did little to repair the damage. It international context. The war in US is listening to African priorities, But as long as British foreign policy
Britain’s interests to help it do so. narrowed the focus of aid away from Ukraine has highlighted that interna- not imposing its own — a version of is based on an illusion, a denial of the
poverty reduction and improved gov- tional support is essential to stop the the European Union’s longer-stand- reality that Brexit has weakened the
The Covid-19 pandemic and ernance to supporting women and conflict. ing  “partnership of equals”  with the country economically and diplomati-
Ukraine war have had a  dispropor- girls, action on climate and health African Union and its members. And cally, such a rational policy is unlikely
tionate impact on Africa, compound- challenges, and humanitarian relief. But much of Africa is choosing it will back countries that support to gain much traction in No 10.
ing the difficulties created by climate All are worthy in themselves, but to  sit on the fence, rather than join openness and democracy.
change, internal instability and inter- with an emphasis on what Britain those defending Ukraine’s sovereign- — The Conversation.
national inequalities. could bring to Africa, rather than ty and integrity. Alongside this, the US will help
supporting Africa’s own priorities. repair the economic damage wrought *About the writer: Nicholas West-
This matters to Britain for a num- The war’s global impact is in- cott is a research associate at the
ber of reasons. There are up to three Truss initiated a re-brand of the creasing political as well as eco- Centre for International Studies
million people of African heritage in nomic strains in Africa. Incumbent and Diplomacy, School of Oriental
the UK. Most are citizens who have and African Studies, University of
lived in the UK all their lives, but London in Britain.
many also have strong family and
business links to Africa.

British companies are still  major
investors on the continent, and more
African companies are quoted on
the London Stock Exchange than on
any other stock market outside the
continent. People continue to flow
back and forth in large numbers. So
while the historical legacy of slavery
and colonialism remain points of
contention, cultural, educational,
commercial and financial links be-
tween Britain and Africa unavoidably
tie the two together.

These facts will not change. But
British government policy will have
an impact on the positive (or nega-
tive) potential of the relationship.
Brexit and the changing world
Since the Brexit vote in 2016, Brit-

Page 44 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Don’t blame blacks from other countries
for the ruling ANC’s inability to govern

KENNETH MOKGATLHE killed by the Nazi extremists. Hitler and his Nazi Party propagandists said, occupy a public office or strengthen nationals for what is the government’s
blamed everything that was going blaming Jews for problems of which their political standing. It is unfor- disastrous track record in governing.
PATIENTS have been prohibited wrong in Germany and in the world Jews knew nothing. tunate that, like Germans under the
from healthcare facilities because of on Jews. He believed that the extermi- dictatorship of Hitler, South Africans This blame game by government
the pigmentation of their skin and the nation of Jewish people would be the In South Africa today, attacks on desperate for jobs or have adequate ser- officials such as Ramathuba, Lindiwe
language they speak. new beginning for Germany to con- foreign nationals are to a large extent vices delivered by the government are Zulu and other politicians and activ-
quer the world. being purposefully engineered for becoming accomplices in inhumane ists such as Nhlanhla Lux, formerly
This comes after a video showed political point-scoring purposes by actions by blindly blaming foreign of  Operation Dudula, is misplaced,
Limpopo health MEC  Phophi Ra- People easily followed what Hitler demagogues and populists wishing to baseless and false. Their sole intent is
mathuba shouting at a patient for us- to find people upon whom to lay the
ing “her” facilities when she should be blame for the country’s being on the
using Zimbabwean ones.  brink of collapse. 

South Africa’s healthcare system has The ANC appears incapable of
been sick for most of the 28 years un- taking responsibility for its failure to
der a democratic dispensation. Sys- properly administer and govern since
tematic and structural factors affect the assuming office in 1994. In the midst
country’s public health services. They of all the wrong things happening in
include the poor management of pub- this country, it still wishes to be seen
lic sector hospitals, health professional and treated as a liberator of the South
shortages, low morale and productivity African masses.
levels, corruption and poor planning. 
The ANC should take the coun-
The lower quality of public health- try into confidence on the current
care pushes people — at least those status quo. All those blaming foreign
who can afford it — to private health- nationals for corruption should be
care. All these issues and others have condemned to prevent unnecessary
nothing to do with foreign nationals in tensions between South Africans and
South Africa. Africans from other countries on the
continent. Not so long ago they were
We have witnessed  xenophobic being blamed for heightened levels
attacks from 2008  until the present. of criminal activities. Now they are
Such attacks are Afrophobic because blamed, just as falsely, for the collapse
black South Africans fight fellow black of the already failing public healthcare
Africans from other African states, system.
such as Zimbabwe and Nigeria, whose
nationals make up the majority of for- South Africa is a member state of
eign immigrants. Xenophobia has nev- the regional Southern African Devel-
er been decisively addressed. opment Community and the African
Union. With its economic muscle and
The lessons of history should serve influence, it has a responsibility to en-
as a warning about the dangers of sure that there is peace and stability
scapegoating minority groups and in other African countries. This is es-
brainwashing the public into believing pecially true of Zimbabwe, a country
falsehoods about them. For a dictator on its doorstep. Pretoria has not been
like Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, helpful in resolving the Zimbabwean
propaganda was an important tool to crisis since the early 2000s.
win over the majority of the German
public. It served to push forward the The failure of Zimbabwe is the rea-
Nazi’s radical programme, which re- son that many Zimbabweans have had
quired the acquiescence, support or to leave their country and come to
participation of broad sectors of the South Africa in search of a livelihood.
population.  Now they, and other African migrants,
are being unjustly blamed for the fail-
The outcome of Hitler’s propa- ures in South Africa.
gandabrought about the deaths of
20 946 000 people, including Jews, — Mail & Guardian.
Roma, homosexuals, black people and
those with mental disabilities as well *About the writer: Kenneth Mok-
as other minority groups. From 1941 gatlhe is a freelance journalist and
to 1945 alone, six million Jews were writer.

NewsHawks Africa News Page 45

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

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Page 46 World News NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

British PM Liz Truss clearly had plan
for her first week, but fate tore it up

ON Monday night, Liz Truss was There was a reshuffle, a No. 10 overhaul and an energy package style to Johnson, forced to make
holding forth at a victory party on before she suddenly found herself leading a nation in mourning U-turns and with a “bunker men-
the rooftop of Deliveroo’s head- tality” alienating critics.
quarters in Cannon Street, before The new PM delivering a statement on the death of the Queen outside Downing Street on Thursday. Photograph: Alberto Pezzali/AP
leaving early to prepare for her “If I was Liz I would be careful
audience with the Queen the next profile. “If you’re Liz you don’t Truss finished around midnight, by Johnson, but he was mollified about those who got onboard with
day. Thérèse Coffey, her soon-to- want Kemi in the Telegraph every but aides said she was back at her with a pledge to overhaul the bill her because she is continuity Boris,
be deputy prime minister, hit the week with juicy ideas,” one MP desk by 6am, preparing for cabi- of rights, which he had grave con- because the diet version will nev-
dance floor along with aides. backing Truss observed. “She is net. cerns about. er be the same as the real thing to
quite obviously more of a future them,” the minister said, in a co-
Little did they know that their prospect for the party than Penny As for her rivals, most of Sunak’s In contrast to the glum Sunak vert reference to her appointment
sense of jubilation was to be or Suella [Braverman, the home most prominent backers were on gang, there was a big smile on the of Jacob Rees-Mogg, a close ally of
shortlived. With just hours of ex- secretary] now.” the the Commons terrace after los- face of Keir Starmer as he strode on Truss’s predecessor.
perience as prime minister behind ing the leadership contest on Mon- to the terrace late on Monday af-
her, Truss has found herself lead- The reshuffle publicly started on day. Departing ministers, includ- ternoon for a rare appearance with One former minister said they
ing the nation through a period of Tuesday but appointments went on ing Grant Shapps, George Eustice his aides and a gang of MPs leaving felt new freedom to speak their
mourning following the death of late into the night largely because and Steve Barclay, bought rounds a meeting. mind with Truss’s election. They
the Queen on Thursday afternoon. of calls between Truss and foreign of farewell drinks for their staff be- said: “Ultimately I was very loyal
leaders, the most important with fore they had even been told offi- On arrival, Starmer was mobbed to the government, I think, and
However, in the few short days the US president, Joe Biden, and cially that they were out. by Conservative MPs, two of now there are things I want to say
before all government business was Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr whom jokingly congratulated him that I don’t agree with and there’s a
effectively suspended, Truss was Zelenskiy. Shapps had been one of the few on winning the next election. Two lot of people feeling like that now.”
not idle. She managed to com- Sunak-backing ministers to put up former ministers said they were de-
plete a relatively hitch-free cabinet Biden took the moment to un- a fight to try and keep his depart- spondent about the party’s future, Another said a more widespread
reshuffle, announce a £100bn- derline the US’s warnings over ment, having spent the summer with one saying throwing them- unease at Truss’s election had been
£150bn package of relief on energy the Northern Ireland protocol. A making a series of announcements selves in the Thames was a similar- compounded by the lower than ex-
bills and replace almost the en- White House readout referred to on strikes. ly appealing prospect. pected margin with which she beat
tirety of Boris Johnson’s Downing the countries’ “shared commit- Sunak, pointing out fewer than 30
Street operation. ment to protecting the gains of the But he was ousted along with One current serving minister MPs had backed her publicly in
Belfast/Good Friday agreement all the others; the one survivor was said they were concerned that a the first round of voting. “In my
Truss had evidently prepared and the importance of reaching Robert Buckland as Welsh secre- mass clearout of Sunak supporters lifetime I have never seen a PM
to a high degree as it became ob- a negotiated agreement with the tary. He had tactically switched would entrench divisions in the coming in with lower political cap-
vious she would triumph over her European Union on the Northern sides during the contest. party. ital.”
rival, Rishi Sunak. Over the last Ireland protocol”. The UK readout
three weeks of the campaign, she skirted over the same detail. Buckland had hoped for a return They said there was widespread But those who were in for the
spent much of her time planning to the justice department, where concern that Truss would con- biggest shock were not the felled
for government with a clutch of he had served before being ditched duct her government in a similar Sunak supporters in the cabinet,
close aides at her grace-and-favour but the Johnson-era staff in Down-
retreat in Chevening. ing Street, many of whom expect-
ed to stay on under Truss – or at
Johnson opted for a firing squad least had asked to do so. Political
approach to his cabinet in his first advisers received an email as John-
days as PM, summoning them son departed Downing Street tell-
to his Commons office, dispens- ing them to clear their desks by
ing with their services and letting 9.30am.
shocked and sometimes tearful
former ministers then head down Truss’s team also made it clear
to the Palace of Westminster court- she would be dismantling John-
yard where journalists captured son’s reforms of the No 10 oper-
their expressions. ation, and at least 40 civil servants
were told directly about their new
However, Truss had much of roles in the Cabinet Office. Even
the logistics stitched up before David Canzini, a former colleague
she even entered No 10. She was of Truss’s new chief of staff, Mark
also a diplomat; awkward conver- Fullbrook, and a firm Brexiter, was
sations took place by phone over not asked to stay on.
the course of the last week so that
those who were departing would Truss will now have to contend
be prepared. Negotiations over with a break in her plans for gov-
positions for ambitious leadership ernment, using the time to take
rivals took place over days, some- stock and work out the details of
times weeks beforehand, ensuring her energy bailout – which was
there would be no standoffs in No published without an explanation
10 to set tongues wagging. for how it would be funded.

Two of the square pegs who When business returns after 10
Truss found most difficult to fit days of national mourning cul-
in were her leadership rivals Kemi minating in the Queen’s funeral,
Badenoch and Penny Mordaunt. Truss will have a huge amount to
Badenoch had been keen to take get done in a compressed period
over as culture secretary and Mor- of time, from a visit to the UN
daunt rejected the job of party general assembly and an emergen-
chair. Friends of Mordaunt, who cy budget, to a slew of policy an-
came a close third to Truss and was nouncements that will be expected
subject to a damaging campaign at her first party conference.
against her mounted by Truss sup-
porters, said she had been hoping Politics may not be as pugilistic
to be foreign secretary. as normal this autumn, but the
new prime minister’s intray is still
But Truss opted to place her building up, with her government
most ambitious potential chal- bracing for an economic crisis,
lengers in low-key jobs with little potential energy shortages and an
chance to build substantial policy NHS on its knees before too long.

— The Guardian.

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 47 Issue 97, 9 September 2022

‘Which God are we really
worshipping?’— Saba berates
‘holier-than-thou’ gospel artistes

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA secular musicians? Here is the answer – they are not complicat-
ed, they are not restricted and their decisions are not decided
PEER jealousy among famous public figures can turn into out- by pastors, prophets and spiritual fathers. They are just easy to
right malice, with often harmful effects on reputation. work with and I will keep doing that.”

This is exactly what musician Sebastian Magacha reckons his At times in gospel circles or rather Zimbabwe in general,
fellow gospel singers are doing to him, damaging his character when people really hate and want to pull you down they go
with mischievous and unsubstantiated labels. can to the extent of calling you gay so that you are condemned.
Homosexuality is deemed a taboo and many people loathe any-
Saba, as he is known by adoring fans, claims he was being one associated with it. Saba also claimed that his dress code and
targeted by a group of gospel musicians who fancy themselves energetic performances have earned him names.
as “holier-than-thou”.
“Handina kumboziva hangu kuti mapfekero angu akasha-
In laying his claim, Saba says there are divisions rocking local ta uyezve kuti ndatovangochani nekuda kwehembe dzangu [I
gospel music between the haves and the have-nots. didn't know my dressing is horrible and that I'm now seen as
gay owing to my style of dressing],” he said.
Since the emergence of praise-and-worship artistes (names
withheld), it appears gospel musicians are split into two camps. It does not end there. Saba has been labelled a drug addict
because of his energetic performances.
On one hand, there are artistes seen as “downtown”, those
who are into sungura-type gospel, while on the other there is “Handina kumboziva kuti energy yandinayo nekufara kwan-
the classic sort of artistes. dinoyita zvirikureva kuti ndakuyita zvema drugs, mbanje, etc.
[I didn't realise that the energy I display means that I'm now
In a Facebook post, Saba lamented the divisions, claiming he into drugs].
was a victim of malicious name-calling.
“All I ever wanted was and is to preach the gospel of Jesus
“It looks like most of us Christians believe in gaining fame at Christ.
the expense of demeaning other people,” Magacha said.
“I know that I cannot be able to please everyone on this earth
“We are holding grudges among ourselves as believers, be- and I cannot expect to be. Even Jesus Christ had enemies, many
cause of our different denominations and beliefs. So, Mwari were against him. As for me, my mission is to please God,” he
watirikunamata wacho ndeupi? That’s my worry.” said.

Magacha has often been criticised for collaborating with sec- Saba see certain aspects of social media as toxic, but vowed
ular musicians like Jah Prayzah and Herman. not to quit.

In defending his position, Saba says he is comfortable in the “Social media of today is full of people who are very toxic.
company of secular musicians because they are not quick to This is the very reason a lot of people are suffering from depres-
judge. sion. Some are even going through mental health issues and
others are committing suicides.
“Have you ever noticed the way secular musicians or drunk-
ards embraced each other? Those (secular) musicians under- “Already people are stressed with different personal issues,”
stand the importance of love and unity and that’s why there he said, adding that, “I hope my new album, I Am Favoured,
is progress in their genre in the music industry. But, look at us will continue to minister to your lives.”
gospel musicians, there is a gap, actually they are not united. A
lot of people asked me this question, why do I collaborate with

Page 48 LifeStyle NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Future of Miss World Zim uncertain

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA stantino Chiwenga. pens and all that is worth the effort This makes it difficult for Mubaiwa pageant because of the way the contest
But bedroom politics aside, there because whoever wins brings pride to to continue organising, let alone hold was structured.
ZIMBABWE is slowly fading away their nation. onto the licence for Miss World Zim-
from the world of beauty pageantry. should be continuity and Mubaiwa, babwe, which is a franchise of the Miss The first step was to scout for
who is also a former top model, has to The main reason for holding the World pageant. would-be contestants then preliminar-
This is because Miss World Zimba- pave way for other organisers to take Miss World Zimbabwe pageant is be- ies are held in each of the 10 provinces.
bwe, the most prestigious beauty pag- over. cause it is a celebration of our culture Another important issue is that the
eant in the country, has not been held which also adds onto tourism. license has not been renewed for the The final step will be the national
for the last three years. The importance of holding Miss longest time, which means the Miss pageant and it appears this was not
World Zimbabwe cannot be overem- But from the look of it, Miss World World Zimbabwe pageant cannot be the case as organisers had to cut cor-
And Belinda Potts, the current title phasised because whoever wins the Zimbabwe is as good as dead because held under the circumstances. ners just to arrive at the national event.
holder, has been clinging to the crown title represents the country at interna- Marry Mubaiwa, the licence holder, is Wide consultations could have helped
since Covid-19 hit the world. But one tional level, precisely the Miss World facing criminal charges. This has given rise to the newly matters, but again the organisers of
cannot blame it on the pandemic be- and Miss Universe contests where al- launched Miss Zimbabwe Queen, Miss Zimbabwe Queen seem clueless
cause even after the pandemic, no one most other country participates. According to Miss World rules and which is scheduled for this weekend at on this.
has the faintest idea as to when the regulations: “Miss World  requires its the Harare International Conference
pageant will be held. There is so much at stake at the Miss applicants to have had no legal trou- Centre. It is hoped that in future beauty
World pageant and previous beauty bles or criminal record in the past. pageants organisers must put in place
This is largely because Marry queens would attest that it is no walk Countries are also strict on reputation While this was a noble idea, whoev- mechanisms that ensure the girl child
Mubaiwa, the licence holder, has been in the park. and general presence, requiring that er wins will not be able to take part in is empowered and protected.
embroiled in a court case in which individuals not bring shame upon the Miss World contest.
she is being accused of murder by her For one to be crowned Miss World themselves, their country, or the com- The world over, pageantry is held in
former husband, Vice-President Con- it takes more than just pretty face. petition at large.” Sadder still, Miss Zimbabwe Queen high esteem, not as a money-spinning
is not representative of the national project.
There is rigorous selection that hap-

NewsHawks Poetry Corner Page 49

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

Title: Twilight Paradox Title: The Elusive Fruit Title: The Pedagogue of Wisdom
Poet: Temba Munsaka Poet: Obey Chiyangwa Poet: LP Jasi (Jah See)

Cognomen – The Demented Scribe A stranded apple lay forlorn on some muddy My prosody of poetry.
Often my mind runs amok ground; Half broken half rotten and partly swol- The patina of all the wealth in it,
at the temerity of the powerful len; Who happened by saw a shrunken misera- Is like foxes
& the injustice of the downtrodden ble fruit That hunt alone,
by the ruling elites Whose yellow hue was embroiled in the mud of Never in packs.
The aspirations of the people wet terrain It is a one man walk,
For a season Where a narrow stream flowed steady silently A beggar dressed in rags.
like a drunk at twilight past; Morsels of raw sewage stumbling and An old gardener
who galumphs home slowly- tumbling down tiny rivulet With horny hands....
in obscurity & gradual decline Meanwhile a hungry hermit marches by in hasty I mean to hate
to thwart hopes sprout stride; Dirty features frowning and scowling at The rackets
But at dawn the sight of raw sewage Of this modern world.
awakens the giant Flared nostrils bristling with anger at the rancid A generation that speaks through noses
collectively, smell; Until a roving left eye catches sight of the Negating social values
the masses enmesh the corrupt rotten apple Of their African cults
to confound them at an elective assemblage Stranded on the edge of the filthy running The atomic bomb
At some point in time stream; Pangs of hunger spasm the rest of his That will soon raze out
redemption comes wasted body The shackles
at a sacrifice As a whirlwind blows that tumbles the apple Of Africanism
twilight and dawn- into the sewage stream.... Leaving us naked savages
a discord that misperceives! To bob and ebb downstream of his hungry Made of mansions of bleary savages.
dreams
ZAMBEZI VALLEY ENCLAVE- a collection of ***********************************************
protest pieces ***********************************************
***************************************************** Title: My Own
Poem: Birds Of Prey Poet: Carla-Ann Makumbe
Title: Orange Moon Poet: Stephen Mupoto
Poet: Igal Pikai The worst stories to tell are my own,
Alter-ego: Professor Ngugi waMkirii For my mind is a forest of dark memories.
Renewed life, Adept flight Dreams locked up in cages and put away
an altered version of all yester days. In the cold singed streets, in boxes.
A miracle in the North Pole, Burnt with simmering glaciers, Choices that have left scars and many
yet a Saharan nightmare. Of icy relations. broken,
another shot at salvation, A dark straw of petrified My heart in shards, a mirror shattered on
for sins in different time-zones. Purity anchored in ad-hoc, the ground.
It's the recycled moons for me; Doctrine of self-preservation Fears covered by smiles and tears lost
sweat turning into currencies, Drivels into the path, and sad days.
words used to make power, Of these birds of prey. Love lost, love found. Heart throbbing.
to be exchanged as paper. Shrivelled are the sinews of purity, Mind gripping. Blood spilling.
Orange moon, And the veins of time clogged, Self-losing tale.
the light we need to count the bills, Like a defunct ablution. A bipolar patient swaying between
before the gates open. Deep in the streets, might-have-beens and never-have-beens.
Orange Moon, Where all are but prey, No time for introspection for the image
the dawn of the Click Age , To the tax man's gallows, that reflects on the mirror scares me.
moments so diligently recorded, Chaos is a canvas of deathly clouds, The worst stories to tell are my own,
to be relived at a later age. Dangling the noose, No closet to hide my skeletons.
Daily posts and likes are the trendy urge. To rip the neck of subsistence. They are visible and so my own
Orange Moon, Brittle is the life Ghosts haunt me.
more evolution since Eden, That clings quietly,
the manifestation of Eve's power. In the dark nooks of pale streets, From the anthology - And to Patricia: I had
More division since the Babel tower. Agonised by these snappy twigs, to Man Up
The light spoken into existence, That break under the horse's bolt,
is being. To wilt in silence.
Make haste, lest it gets dark again, The things that keep me awake at night,
when light melts it all. The darkest of night,
The things that keep me going,
.***************************************************** The dreams that keep me believing,
What do you know?
.*****************************************************

Page 50 People & Places NewsHawks

Issue 97, 9 September 2022

World pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth II