Week 3

A weekly selection from Zimbabwean newspapers

Heavy rains, thunderstorms expected across Zim (The Sunday Mail, state owned)

The Meteorological Services Department (MSD) expects heavy rains and thunderstorms over much of the country up to January 21, with the possibility of flooding in some areas.

The wet weather conditions are, however, not related to Tropical Storm Dikeledi, which is currently affecting parts of Madagascar and the Indian Ocean region.

In an advisory issued on Friday, the MSD warned of significant rains in Matabeleland North, Mashonaland West and Manicaland provinces, with potential localised flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas. It urged residents of these areas to adhere to safety measures during storms.

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Gandiwa appointed new ZimParks boss (The Herald, state owned)

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has entered a new era following yesterday’s appointment of Professor Edson Gandiwa as its new director-general.

He succeeds Dr Fulton Mangwanya who was recently appointed Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) director-general.

At the handover ceremony in Harare yesterday, Prof Gandiwa expressed appreciation for the opportunity to lead ZimParks.

“I accept this significant leadership role with profound gratitude and humility,” he said.

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Nothing short of Harare overhaul will save the capital (The Sunday Mail, state owned)

SOMETIME in the early 1980s, two American criminologists, James Wilson and George Kelling, conceptualised the compelling “broken windows theory”, which essentially claims that visible signs of crime and disorder in an urban environment were likely to lead to even more crime and disorder.

Typically, in a clean environment, even the most stubborn of litterbugs would hesitate to throw away litter in anything other than a bin.

But the latest effort, which culminated in a deal last week between the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Harare City Council, Hangzhou Laison Technology Company and Helcraw Electrical for a new water treatment plant and smart meters, represent Government’s untiring resolve and determination to modernise the capital and ensure world-class services.

By privatising Harare water, the Government is trying to leverage on the expertise and capacity of the private sector.

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Gold reserves surge to US$533 as ZiG firms (The Sunday News, state owned)

Reserves supporting the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), including foreign currency and gold, have increased to US$533 million since President Mnangagwa gave a directive requiring 50 percent of mineral royalties to be paid in kind.
The reserves, part of which include 2,67 tonnes of gold valued at US$228 million held in Reserve of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s vaults, represent more than three times the amount of local currency in circulation, a development expected to anchor currency and price stability.

When the ZiG was launched on April 5 last year, the central bank held about 1,5 tonnes of gold.

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Emergency food distribution to continue until March (The Herald, state owned)

The rains being experienced across the country have sparked optimism for a successful farming season, with the hope that the food distribution under the drought mitigation programme will continue until March, when the first harvests come in to support vulnerable communities.

The programme, launched last year in response to the El Niño-induced drought, transitioned from a cash-based to a voucher-based food distribution system in rural areas. This system is designed to ease the burden on affected families. Beneficiaries now receive a three-month grain allocation in a single delivery.

Each person is entitled to 7,5kg of grain per month, amounting to 22,5kg over three months. For a family of five, this translates to 112,5kg of grain for the same period.

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Economy heads for a bloodbath: Biti

Former Finance minister Tendai Biti has warned of a bloodbath in the absence of a liberalised exchange rate and  an injection of liquidity into the economy. 

 His warning comes on the back of a persistent liquidity crunch, exchange rate volatility and a wave of business closures and corporate rescues. 

“Companies are paying the price of an uncertain political regime and exchange rate mismanagement. The introduction of the ZiG [Zimbabwe Gold] currency has only brought chaos to the economy, ”he told NewsDay Business. 

 “It’s going to be a bloodbath for businesses in 2025,” he added. 

To prevent further decline, Biti said the economy must be liquid. 

 There must be cheap money in the market to allow access to funding and ensure businesses survive, he said. 

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Historic launch of new curriculum as schools open (The Sunday Mail, state owned)

The Government has launched an intensive training programme to prepare teachers for the implementation of the new heritage-based curriculum, which is set to be rolled out when schools open for the first term on Tuesday.

The revised curriculum aims to equip learners with skills, values and attitudes essential for life and work by integrating a strong scientific and technological focus, aligning with the Government’s skills development strategy.

This mandatory training programme for educators nationwide is designed to help them interpret the new syllabus.

Key elements of the heritage-based curriculum include a shift from continuous assessment learning activities (CALA) to school-based projects (SBPs) for all classes, streamlining primary school learning areas to avoid curriculum overload, and emphasising six core areas — Indigenous Languages; English Language; Science and Technology; Mathematics; Social Science; and Physical Education and Arts.

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Zimbabwe teachers not ready for January schools opening

As Zimbabwean schools prepare to reopen on January 14 for the first term, teachers’ unions have voiced serious concerns over educators’ readiness, citing financial incapacitation and resource shortages. 

The reopening coincides with the introduction of the new Heritage-Based Curriculum, which replaces the Competence-Based Curriculum. However, many teachers are struggling to cope with low salaries and a lack of essential resources at their workstations.  

Currently, the average teacher earns around US$300, with part of their salary paid in Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) currency. Teachers have long demanded the restoration of their pre-October 2018 salaries, which were at least US$540, but these calls remain unmet. 

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Push to extend ED’s tenure undemocratic: Zesn

The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (Zesn) has castigated the proposed election extension from 2028 to 2030 saying the move was undemocratic and undermines electoral integrity. 

This comes amid a push by Zanu PF to have President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term extended to 2030, a move that has drawn criticism from civil society organisations and opposition politicians. 

Last year, politician Jealousy Mawarire, however, said Mnangagwa should leave his loyalists to hang dry in their controversial push to extend his term to 2030 claiming that the initiative was driving a wedge into an already divided ruling party. 

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Chinese ambassador pledges more support to Zim

CREATIVE presentations of modern and traditional Chinese and Zimbabwean music theatrical performances reverberated at the University of Zimbabwe’s Beit Hall on Saturday, a notification to the world that the Chinese New Year in Zimbabwe is jubilation of many realised social, economic and political achievements. 

The event lived up to its billing with support from the mining, banking, farming, construction, aviation and the hospitality industries, among many business enterprises managed by the Chinese in Zimbabwe. 

A carefully selected line up of close to 15 artistes prompted the Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding to preempt that the year 2024 was a year of numerous achievements. 

“2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Zimbabwe. It is the year of the Snake on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. In the Chinese zodiac tradition, the snake brings wisdom, transformation, calmness and creativity.

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Girls outdo boys in A-level exams | (The Sunday News, state owned)

GIRLS achieved a remarkable performance, outshining boys by 2,81% in the November 2024 Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council Advanced Level examinations. 

School candidates recorded an impressive pass rate of 95,18%, while private candidates achieved 90,52%. 

Girls excelled with a pass rate of 95,94%, compared to 92,05% for boys, marking a significant change from the previous year when boys led with 93,95% against girls’ 93,32%. 

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China’s meddling in Zimbabwe’s internal politics unwelcome and against international law

China’s actions in Zimbabwe are becoming increasingly disturbing, with its flagrant interference in the country’s internal political affairs going beyond what is acceptable under international law.  

Recent actions by the Chinese ambassador, Zhou Ding, reveal a pattern of open support for the ruling ZANU-PF party, raising serious concerns about sovereignty, governance, and the future of Zimbabwe’s democracy.  

These actions are not only unacceptable but also a stark violation of both international and Zimbabwean laws governing diplomatic conduct. 

One of the latest examples of China’s brazen interference was Zhou Ding’s donation of solar lights and food packages to ZANU-PF supporters through the party’s Women’s League.  

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