Week 23
A weekly selection from Zimbabwean newspapers
Zim turns to America to fix cancer machines
Government has signed a three-year contract with an American company to repair and maintain cancer machines in the country to alleviate the plight of patients who are forced to cross borders for specialised treatment.
Health and Child Care deputy minister Sleiman Timios Kwidini revealed this on Thursday while responding to written questions in the National Assembly on measures to upgrade and modernise cancer treatment machines at referral hospitals.
“This contract [with Varian Medical Systems] ensures regular inspections, preventive maintenance and prompt repairs, if necessary, to sustain the functionality of the cancer machines in the long term,” he said.
13 more specialist doctors join Mpilo Hospital
The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening public healthcare with Mpilo Central Hospital getting an additional 13 specialist doctors to expand its service offerings.
These specialists cover a wide range of crucial areas, including obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, general surgery, anaesthesia, radiology, oncology, internal medicine, orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, haematology, nephrology as well as ear, nose, and throat.
Previously, Mpilo Central Hospital faced challenges due to a lack of specialised equipment. However, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Sleiman Kwidini, highlighted positive developments. The installation of a new MRI machine has significantly improved the hospital’s diagnostic capabilities, enabling faster and more accurate diagnoses.
Zimbabwe’s economic growth down to 2%
The African Development Bank (AfDB) revised Zimbabwe’s economic growth forecast for 2024 downward to 2%, a significant reduction of 1,6 percentage points from its previous projection.
The AfDB’s recent Africa Outlook report showed that although Zimbabwe’s GDP grew by 6,1% in 2022 and by 5% in 2023, a marked decline was expected in 2024 due to limited agricultural output caused by the El Niño-induced drought.
Despite the AfDB’s forecast, the Zimbabwean government maintains a more optimistic outlook, expecting 3,5% growth in 2024, as reported by The Zimbabwe Mail.
Women behind the lens: ‘This is how I see Zimbabwe – thriving in the face of challenges’
I use African prints in every shoot. They show how cultures and communities connect: people share them as gifts, buy them as souvenirs, or wear them while travelling. My photography is about making connections too – between dreams and reality, and between the past, present, and future. Photography’s magic is capturing fleeting moments and making them last for ever.
Lotus is part of a larger project entitled Birds of a Paradise, representing everyday people from contemporary life in Zimbabwe – and new beginnings.
Zimbabwe demands major reductions on $19.2bn debt – Ecofin Agency
Zimbabwe has asked its creditors for significant debt reductions on its $19.2 billion internal and external debt, Bloomberg reported on May 30, citing Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.
“We will be looking for lots of haircuts, the removal of penalties,” Ncube said at the African Development Bank (AfDB) Annual Meetings in Nairobi. He did not specify the extent of the reductions Zimbabwe is requesting. However, he mentioned that heavy debt hampers the country’s development needs due to limited access to international resources for Zimbabwe’s economic recovery.
Communities resist measles vaccination
There is resistance to the measles vaccination blitz in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West province, which was implemented following the secret burial of 35 unvaccinated children.
A team deployed in Deve’s ward 24 area for the vaccination campaign has had to deal with a difficult community, NewsDay has heard.
“As soon as the dust had settled on our arrival at one family homestead, several children literally vanished from our sight and we were shocked when the father took us hostage,” a team member said.
At least 35 secret burials of minors were reported last month in ward 22 under Nyama area and ward 4 near Lynx Mine, prompting a blitz targeting the affected communities.
Fuel shortage grounds Zupco
ZIMBABWE Passenger Company (Zupco) operations have been grounded due to fuel shortage for its fleet, NewsDay has gathered, as wheels come off the mass public transport operator amid allegations of managerial incompetence and interference by the political elite.
“Ironically, the country has enough fuel, but it is now three weeks without fuel at the Zupco main depots.”
It is alleged that Zanu PF paid for fuel at PetroTrade service stations around the country, where it was allocated to hired buses.
CCC piles pressure on SADC to resolve Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections results dispute ahead of summit
Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) defacto administrator, Jameson Timba, has challenged Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders to provide the people of Zimbabwe with a conclusive resolution to the disputed outcome of 2023 general elections.
Timba’s remarks come as SADC prepares to hold its annual summit in Zimbabwe this August.
The CCC faction loyal to former leader, Nelson Chamisa, has maintained last year’s plebiscites were rigged in favour of the ruling Zanu PF party, a claim that has been echoed by various domestic and international observer missions.
Timba, who was addressing journalist at the end of a CCC National Assembly meeting in Harare last week, said the poll outcome was a “charade” and “illegitimate,” and called on SADC to pronounce itself on the matter during its upcoming summit.
Zimbabwe: Zanu-PF Tops Human Rights Violations As Zimbabwe Records 145 Cases in April Alone
According to the latest Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) report, the human rights watchdog says it documented 145 violations of human rights, which included harassment and intimidation, violations against equality, and non-discrimination, abduction, arbitrary eviction, extra-judicial killing, unlawful detention, theft, and assault.
The report noted 69.41% of the perpetrators were affiliated with the ruling party, Zanu PF, while 8.53% were traditional leaders. The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) accounted for 7.94% of the perpetrators while members of the defence forces and municipal officers accounted for 5.29% and 2.94% respectively.
Members affiliated with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) constituted 1.47% of the perpetrators while 4.41% were not affiliated with any group or institution.
New species of sauropodomorph dinosaur from Zimbabwe reveals Africa’s hidden heritage
An ancient relative of the largest ever land animals has revealed new insights into the rise of the dinosaurs.
Though Musankwa sanyatiensis is just the fourth dinosaur ever found from Zimbabwe, it suggests there may be more species to find in southern Africa.
A 210-million-year-old dinosaur leg uncovered in Zimbabwe might be the tip of the iceberg for new fossil discoveries in the region.
Found on the shores of Spurwing Island in Lake Kariba, Musankwa sanyatiensis may not look like much. It’s far from complete, preserving only the thigh, shin and ankle bones, and missing many of the characteristics that could reveal more about this dinosaur’s life.
However, its very existence suggests that rich fossil beds in South Africa might extend further north than expected. This could mean that there are many more African dinosaurs just waiting to be discovered
BCC channels US$187k to toilets
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has budgeted US$187 000 to eliminate the shared toilet system in Emabuthweni and Iminyela suburbs.
Ward 9 councillor, Donaldson Mabutho revealed this in an interview with the Southern Eye.
“We came up with the Emabuthweni-Iminyela Redevelopment Strategy which has a US$187 000 budget. However, we don’t have that kind of money as yet but the budget has been allocated so that we can try and redevelop Emabuthweni and Iminyela. We are mainly focused on the toilets, so that each and every family can have its own toilet,” Mabutho said.
President in high level talks with South Korean leader The Chronicle (state owned)
President Mnangagwa arrived here yesterday for the inaugural South Korea-Africa Summit and is today expected to engage in high level talks with his South Korean counterpart, President Yoon Suk Yeol, as Zimbabwe presses ahead with its engagement and re-engagement drive.
The summit, being held under the theme: “The Future We Make Together: Shared Growth, Sustainability and Solidarity”, starts tomorrow and ends on Wednesday.
Zimbabwean delegation members are set to sign deals with their South Korean counterparts during the summit.
