Week 10
A weekly selection from Zimbabwean newspapers
Zim now food secure: Basera | The Herald (state owned)
Zimbabwe is now food secure after achieving bumper maize and wheat harvests in the last few cropping seasons, but the Government remains determined to transform agricultural systems for the sector to contribute positively towards Vision 2030 of an upper middle income society, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera said.
Huge debt crippling Zim economy
ZIMBABWE’S debt overhang is weighing heavily on the economy, as the country cannot borrow from multi-lateral institutions because of its failure to honour its obligations. With a total consolidated debt of Zimbabwe of US$17.5 billion, Zimbabwe owes international creditors US$14.04 billion, with domestic debt pegged at US$3.4 billion. The country is also in arrears for servicing its debt, with arrears to multilateral development banks, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank.
AfDB president Akinumwi Adesina said:
“The once thriving private sector of Zimbabwe has imploded. International banking has almost dried up with 102 correspondence banking relations lost in the past one decade. Today, 90% of the economy is now informal.“
“Zimbabwe’s once thriving contribution as the nerve centre of the Sadc region has been broken, lowering regional trade and investments. The once thriving National Railways of Zimbabwe, with a rolling stock of 12.5 million tonnes in the 1990s now accounts for under 2.5 million tonnes. The number of people living in extreme poverty now stands at 44%.”
Al Jazeera postpones premiere of Zim corruption documentary
According to a statement put by the Al Jazeera investigation unit, undercover reporters infiltrated rival gangs that control Africa’s gold.
INTERNATIONAL media organisation Al Jazeera has put on hold the premiere of the much-awaited corruption documentary, which exposes high-level graft in government circles due to “technical issues”.
Titled Unveiling Zimbabwe’s Dark Secrets: Al Jazeera exposes looting, plunder and money laundering, the two-year investigation on corruption and money laundering in Zimbabwe involving senior government officials and their cronies was supposed to premier yesterday.
NRZ pensioners earning US$3 monthly pay outs
RETIRED National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers are receiving a meagre monthly pension pay out equivalent to around US$3 per month despite decades of investing their labour into the growth of the company. “Early this year the pension pay outs were increased from around ZW$2 000 to ZW$3 000 which is not even enough to purchase more than US$3.The worst part is that one needs ZW$1 000 to travel to the bank if you are based in urban centres and even much for those residing in rural areas. “This added to high bank charges makes it senseless to even think of withdrawing the money,” he said.
We’re importing over 50 000t of maize monthly to cover local supply: GMAZ
The Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) says it is importing at least 40 000 to 50 000 tonnes of maize every month from Zambia and South Africa to augment local supplies following poor harvests last year.
Luring diaspora investors, while denying them vote
THE ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade will in April host the Invest in Africa Conference (IAC) and the Eighth Pan-African Conference (PAC) to lure the diaspora community to invest more in Zimbabwe, despite denying the foreign-based citizens the right to vote in the August general elections.
China Natural Resources to acquire US$1.75bn lithium mine in Zimbabwe
China Natural Resources Inc said on Tuesday it would acquire Williams Minerals, the operator of a lithium mine in Zimbabwe, amid surging demand for the metal used in batteries for electric vehicles.
The company plans to issue restricted shares and promissory notes to fund the acquisition for a maximum of US$1.75 billion, with US$140 million as initial payment. It may also pay some of the amount in cash.
Zimbabwe: A Pilot Project in Zimbabwe Shows How Grants, Cash, and Menstrual Pads Can Keep Adolescent Girls in School
May girls routinely skip up to a week of school every month because they don’t have sanitary pads.
The pilot project reduced the school dropout rate for adolescent girls after the COVID-19 pandemic, through complementary social protection and WASH interventions.
Menstrual hygiene management kits were critical, improving attendance by over 30%.
Income generating activity grants gave adult beneficiaries the chance to start businesses in livestock, poultry, or vegetable farming.
Beneficiaries received unconditional cash transfer payments of $210 over six months, an IGA grant payment of $250 (in two equal installments), and the delivery of a menstrual hygiene management kit, which included sanitary pads, underwear, masks, sanitizer, soap, and a towel.
Zim gets it right on debt clearance plan | The Herald (state owned)
ONGOING engagements over debt clearance spearheaded by President Mnangagwa are likely to bear fruit as the country has adopted robust economic reforms and was compensating white former commercial farmers in fulfilment of creditors expectation.
Through the Structured Dialogue Platform, where Zimbabwe engages its debtors on the arrears clearance and debt resolution process — the country has roped in African Development Bank Group (ADB) led by its president Dr Akinwumi Adesina and former Mozambican President Hon Joachim Chissano, as high-level facilitators of the engagements.
Zimbabwe gets €209 million EU women empowerment grant
Zimbabwean women are set to benefit from a €209 million (US$220 million) European Union empowerment grant extended to the country through the Women Affairs Ministry.
The so-christened Team Europe Initiative mobilises financial resources from all European Union member states and Switzerland.
Women’s Affairs Minister Sithembiso Nyoni on Monday met with TeamEurope Ambassadors to begin policy dialogue under the Team Europe Initiative on Gender.
Zimbabwe’s Greatest Treasure – Cathy Buckle
Will this Zimbabwe stand the test of time? We are a country of such beauty, with so many natural resources and so much potential but election promises only ever yield more self enrichment for leaders and their buddies. Every day we see the bad but we look for the good: a little boy dancing on the roadside, an old toothless man smiling as he tries to persuade you to buy his hand-made basket, a large-chested woman in a communal land who beams in welcome when you stop and say you are lost and then asks if you can spare a dollar so she can take her maize to the grinding mill. Aaah Zimbabwe, how we love you!
We eagerly await graft exposé: Zacc
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) says it is eagerly awaiting the pending premiere of a documentary by Qatar international news network, Al Jazeera that will purportedly expose massive corruption in government.
In a short preview of the documentary titled: Unveiling Zimbabwe’s Dark Secrets, Al Jazeera says it will expose looting, plunder and money laundering involving senior government officials and their cronies.
The documentary, initially scheduled to premiere last week Thursday, but was postponed to a yet to be announced date, has since sent tremors down Zanu PF and government corridors.
