Week 19
Wekelijkse selectie van nieuws uit Zimbabwe
NGO saves school from water blues | The Chronicle (state owned)
WHEN the Lot Water Project sunk a borehole at Inzwananzi Primary School in March in Bulawayo it, was simply a part of fulfilling the organisation’s objectives of availing water to every community. However, it was a blessing in disguise as the school’s water supplies had been disconnected by the Bulawayo City Council after accumulating a bill of ZWL $2 million.
Last term, the school was forced to ask pupils to bring water in two litre containers while limiting the use of toilets.
The commissioning was attended by United States based Lot Water Project founder, Luveve-born Innocent Hadebe, who is based in the United States, his partners from America, Lisa Churchfield and Cherrod Pate, Luveve legislator Stella Ndlovu and Luveve residents.
The Lot Water Project has drilled six boreholes in Luveve, Gwabalanda and Cowdray Park since it started working in 2020.The Lot Water Project founder said they are closely following the water challenges facing the city and they are eager to offer a helping hand in alleviating the challenges and help residents to cope. The boreholes are accessible to members of the community.
Churches heed call for peaceful polls
CHURCHES have heeded President Mnangagwa’s call for peaceful elections and will hold a national prayer conference just before this year’s harmonised polls.
Yesterday, President Mnangagwa convened a meeting with the leadership of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe – a grouping of indigenous churches comprising apostolic and Zion churches – who laid down their plans ahead of elections.
Zimbabwe adopts new inflation rate based on U.S. dollar, local currency
Previously the official rate was based only on items in the local currency.
Zimbabwe will from now on measure inflation using a weighted average of items priced in Zimbabwean dollars and U.S. dollars, the government said on Friday.
Blended inflation for February stood at 92.3 percent year-on-year compared to 101.5 percent in January, the statistics agency said.
EU ambassador says Zimbabwe should clean ‘negative perception’ to attract investment
European Union ambassador to Zimbabwe Jobst von Kirchmann says Zimbabwe still needs to work towards cleaning its “negative perception” so it could gain investor confidence from businesses in the rich bloc. He was speaking Thursday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) business conference where he also took time to praise the country for hosting what he found to be an impressive trade showcase.
Nurse shortage hits Byo
BULAWAYO council clinics have been hit by a critical shortage of nurses, with Magwegwe said to be the worst affected, according to residents. While council director of health services, Charles Malaba, refused to comment, deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube, however confirmed the staffing challenges saying the council was planning to recruit more nurses.
The local authority has not been spared the mass exodus of health workers, many of whom have been leaving the country for the United Kingdom after that country relaxed visa regimes for medical personnel.
Council clinics are reportedly operating at less than 50% staffing capacity, according to previous council minutes of the health department.
‘Love your country’: Govt makes impassioned plea to Zimbabweans
Government has made an impassioned plea to Zimbabweans to love their country and stop ‘churning’ out negativity regardless of the differences people may have with each other.
This call from Minister of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, Monica Mutsvangwa, comes as some Zimbabweans resent the government for causing socioeconomic and political problems that continue to afflict the majority of citizens.
Mnangagwa says western imposed sanctions ‘are good’
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a strong hater of western imposed sanctions, on Friday made a tongue-in-cheek admission the measures were “good” for Zimbabwe as they have almost turned the troubled country into an attraction for foreign exhibitors.
He was addressing journalists soon after touring stands at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) while being accompanied by visiting Eswatini King Mswati III who officially opened the fair.
ZITF is of great importance: China The Herald (state owned)
CHINA and Chinese businesses attache great importance to the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and are impressed by the business opportunities presented to its companies at this year’s fair, a senior Chinese diplomat has said.
The ZITF ends today with many Chinese companies having exhibited and others having come to scout for business opportunities.
Walk in my shoes in Zimbabwe – Cathy Buckle
It’s been a long time since I described what everyday Zimbabwe looks like. Come, walk in my shoes, have a look.
Our economy and our life is on the pavements, at the intersections, on the roadsides, under the trees. Need toilet paper? There’s a guy on the corner of those two streets. Buckets, mops, brooms? Go to the lady under the tree near the deserted factory. Shoes, socks, tights? The woman with the toddler near the government offices has a big selection. Need a new pillow? There’s a man in a red car at the roundabout and he’s got beautiful duvets and blankets too.
Zimbabwe open for business, not abuse — President
IN as much as Zimbabwe is open for business, the country is not open to abuse and will not condone mineral leakages, haphazard operations, and breaches of it’s laws, President Mnangagwa has said.
Launching the Responsible Mining Initiative Audit at State House in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said his Government will increase oversight over all mining activities in the country and will not condone malpractices.
Parly summons Mthuli over high inflation
PARLIAMENTARIANS have summoned Finance minister Mthuli Ncube to explain what measures he was implementing to tame inflation and stabilise the free-falling Zimdollar.
The local currency, reintroduced in 2019, has been on a free-fall, pushing up the cost of living and piling more misery on long-suffering Zimbabweans.
The Zimbabwean dollar is currently trading at between $2 500 and $2 700 to the greenback at the black market where the majority of citizens get foreign currency.
Raising a point of national interest, Norton Legislator Temba Mliswa (Independent) said: “The current parallel market has gone up to $3 000 and the majority of our people have been affected.
Harare East legislator Tendai Biti added: “I rise on the issue of illicit financial flows; 79% of our people are living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than US$1,25 a day yet this country is extremely rich.
EU, UK, US presence at ZITF excites Mnangagwa
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday said the participation of European nations, the United States of America and the United Kingdom at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) is an indication that his re-engagement drive is effective.
“The Americans are here, the British are here, the EU is here. What else would we want? Everybody is here. So this engagement and re-engagement policy is bearing fruits. Perhaps, they heard that the Majesty is coming. That’s why they are here,” Mnangagwa told journalists after touring the stands at the ZITF.
Angola, Belarus, Botswana, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America and Zambia were the countries that participated.
There are 533 exhibitors, taking up 46 631 square metres of the exhibition space, which converts to 97% of available exhibition space.
