Week 35
A weekly selection from Zimbabwean newspapers
WATCH: Bulawayo whiz-kid creates pothole repair drone
AN 18-year-old schoolboy from Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) in Bulawayo has created a drone equipped with a machine-learning algorithm to effectively map and repair potholes.
Rahil Bhavan was inspired to develop the drone after witnessing the ongoing pothole problem in the city.
The drone autonomously analyses road surfaces and accurately locates areas with potholes in real-time. The data-driven approach allows for prioritisation of repairs and improves operational efficiency while reducing maintenance costs in the long run.
Ageing water infrastructure: Harare appeals for govt support
Harare City Council is urging the central government to extend its rehabilitation strategy to include the upgrade of over 9 000 kilometres of the capital’s ageing water and sewer pipes to bring relief to residents plagued by a water and sanitation crisis.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume, in an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, highlighted the urgent need for a massive overhaul of the city’s piping system, estimating the cost at around US$800 million.
This staggering figure is well beyond the reach of Harare’s estimated four million residents, who collectively owe about US$100 million in unpaid rates.
US embassy launches academy for women entrepreneurs
The United States embassy has launched the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE), which is aimed at reducing uncertainty in businesses led by women.
Speaking during the launch this week, US ambassador to Zimbabwe, Pamela Tremont said the programme was meant to promote enterprenuership among women in business.
“The AWE aims to reduce some of the uncertainties in new businesses, as starting a business can be scary and full of uncertainty and challenges,” she said.
Modern Ndebele marriage practices
Modern Ndebele marriage practices are similar to other Bantu marriage practices in Southern Africa. Even though the pre-colonial elaborate marriage practices have since been modernised, the core traditional rites and pillars of marriage have been preserved.
In this article, we shall discuss some of the core traditional steps and practices that lead to marriage in modern Ndebele society.
Contaminated fuel: ZERA in nationwide clampdown, 12 suppliers brought to book
The Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has issued a stern warning against service stations selling contaminated fuel following its intensified quality monitoring and testing campaign at retail sites countrywide.
In a statement, ZERA said that they are closing in on operators that are involved in the supply and retail of fuels that do not meet fuel quality specifications and released the names of non-compliant suppliers brought to book in the first half of 2024.
Zimbabwe is third most attacked country in the world because cybersecurity is a joke to us – Techzim
Reports show that Zimbabwe is the third most attacked country in the world. Check Point Software Technologies released the Global Threat Index for July 2024, revealing this concerning information.
Check Point measures how well a country’s cybersecurity defenses match up against the cyber threats it faces. It also considers the number of attacks and the number of impacted organizations within each country.
The gap/metric (Normalised Risk Index, or NRI) is given as a percentage. The bigger the gap, the more dire the situation.
Zimbabwe has an NRI of 77%. Sheesh. We are sitting ducks here. That’s good for 3rd in the world and second in Africa. Ethiopia is doing internet completely wrong, coming in with an NRI of 100%.
ED 2030: Zanu PF moves to amend Constitution
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s allies have set in motion manoeuvres to amend the Constitution to enable him to exceed the constitutionally-mandated two terms when his tenure ends in 2028.
The push to amend the Constitution comes despite Mnangagwa categorically stating that he will leave office when his second and final term ends.
The ruling Zanu PF party wants a resolution for the amendment of the supreme law to be made at it’s annual people’s conference set for October.
United States offers help to Zim
The United States has expressed interest in improving the investment climate in Zimbabwe in a bid to expand economic opportunities for the nation.
In a statement yesterday, US ambassador Pamela Tremont said her country continued to support Zimbabwe and its efforts to build a more just, prosperous and healthy society.
Tremont revealed that since Zimbabwe attained independence, the US has provided US$5 billion in humanitarian, health and development assistance, including more than US$1 billion in the last three years alone.
“We have provided US$62 million in assistance in 2024 to counter the effects of the current drought in Zimbabwe. This funding will address short-term food insecurity and long-term strategies to improve agricultural practices and strengthen community resilience,” she said.
Chegutu health scare as sewer contaminates water The Herald (state owned)
A health scare has hit Chegutu town amid revelations that the town’s water has been contaminated by sewer. The management of the town’s council confirmed the issue yesterday.
Reports from local residents indicate that some have since been admitted at local health facilities after drinking the contaminated water.
Chegutu Municipality’s town clerk Mr Jacob Chikuruwo said he was away on council business but the issue is under investigation as they suspect that some residents have been vandalising water pipes in search of ‘free’ water.
El Niño phenomenon worsens receding Kariba Dam levels
The severe rainfall shortage that led to the El Niño-induced drought experienced during the 2023/24 rainfall season continues to contribute to the receding water levels in the Kariba Dam, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has said.
In a statement yesterday, ZRA said water level in Lake Kariba had dropped significantly. It was recorded at 476,75m this year compared to 479,34m last year.
The low water levels at Kariba have affected electricity generation at the dam, where Zimbabwe was reportedly generating 897 megawatts (MW) against an installed capacity of 1 050MW.
The ZiG currency so far
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) launched the new currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), over four months ago.
Prior to the introduction of ZiG currency, the moribund Zimbabwean dollar (ZWL) had depreciated considerably.
The ZWL currency lost around 70% of its value on the official market between January 2024 and March 2024, trading at around ZW$30 000 per USD.
On the parallel market, the exchange rate of the ZWL to the US dollar was around ZW$40 000.
The ZiG started trading on April 8 2024, with an initial official exchange rate of ZiG13,56 to the US dollar. The average exchange rate for May, June and July 2024 was 13.58 ZiG to the dollar
This speaks to a stable exchange rate on the official market.The worrisome development on the black market is that the ZiG has depreciated by around 35%, trading at around ZiG19/20 to the US dollar.
Moscow assesses prospects for co-operation between Russia and Southern African Development Community | TV BRICS, 22.08.24
The Day of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) was held in Moscow. The event was hosted by the M. Rudomino All Russia State Library for Foreign Literature (LFL), a partner of TV BRICS.
Diplomats and students from SADC member countries took part in the celebrations. On the Russian side, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Moscow universities attended the event. One of the central themes of the meeting was the development of tourism in Southern Africa.
In turn, Andrey Stolyarov, Deputy Director of the Africa Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, congratulated the delegates on the 32nd anniversary of the SADC and spoke about the partnership between members of the community and the Russian Federation.
