Assessing Media Reportage on Liberation War Veterans & Values

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Thursday, June 9

1100HRS-1300HRS

Join with Google Meet
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The objectives of the debate are:

● To critically assess the manner in which the cross section of Zimbabwean cover issues to do with liberation war veterans and liberation war values;

● To come up with recommendations on how Zimbabwean media can cover liberation war veterans and liberation war value frameworks in objective, informative and critical ways that promote democracy and development.

Tune in and make your contribution

Improve on accountability, government urged

By Panashe Chikonyora

The Poverty Reduction Forum Trust (PRFT) urged government to improve on accountability, transparency and balance as ways of refining the monetary policy, which it says is necessary in further reducing the rate of inflation in the country.
In its assessment of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ)’s monetary policy statement the PRFT said although it acknowledged RBZ’s efforts in reducing Inflation from the peak of 837.5% in July 2020 to 60.7% in December 2021, inflation is still very high. Therefore, PRFT suggested;

“That the RBZ should review the foreign currency auction system taking into consideration stakeholder’s views and conforming to the Dutch Foreign Currency Auction principles which allows for price discovery. This will build confidence in the official foreign exchange market and help bridge the gap between the official and parallel foreign exchange market; Government should allow payment in local currency for all government goods and services to promote the use of the domestic currency; The limit on mobile banking transactions should be increased further in line with the inflation developments; More emphasis should be put on improving access to credit to disadvantaged groups such as women and persons with disabilities; and RBZ and the relevant authorities (Police, Zimbabwe Anticorruption Commission etc.)must deal with abusers of the US$50 facility. On the other hand RBZ must put in place a mechanism for all citizens with genuine foreign currency requirements to be able to access the forex through official channels,” said the Poverty Reduction Forum Trust.

The economy has been deteriorating due serious hyperinflation which has contributed to the increase of poverty in the country.
This has seen the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe implementing various monetary policy measures, including the recent 7 February 2022 monetary policy statement – themed “Stay the Course”, to try and reduce the rate of inflation.
The monetary policy statement is in line with section 46 of the Reserve Bank Act (Chapter 22:15), which requires the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to issue a statement outlining the monetary policy stance for the subsequent six months, the reasons for the policies and an evaluation of the previous period monetary policy measures.

Mutoko Residents reject PVO bill

There was a pandemonium at Kapondoro Business Centre this week during public hearing for the PVO Bill hearing with parliamentary team on justice and legal affairs. Women, men and the youths took turns to reject the bill that is regarded as toxic, politically targeting NGOs and a recipe to disaster for communities wallowing in abject poverty due to climate change reduced rainfall patterns. Women testified how NGO’S in Mutoko have increased their knowledge on issues around human rights, gender justice and HIV/AIDS.

Young people added that the PVO Bill if enacted into law would cripple their ability to provide an oversight role in monitoring elections, combating corruption and poor governance jn Zimbabwe.

The jaw breaker prayer left the audience dumfounded as one faith leader fumed in prayer saying we reject the bill seven times.

PVO Bill responses from public hearings

Europe after the Second World War

Development does not occur in a vacuum. Development planning, evaluation and monitoring   at   macro   and   micro   levels   are   usually   associated with dominant development thinking at the time. Over a period of time, such thinking crystallize into theoretical or policy traditions and paradigms.  When we look at the past five decades, it is possible to see how such theoretical traditions and paradigms have been   formulated,   questioned,   criticized   and   new constructions   or   formulations emerged.

By Cain Mnangwa

Development theories tend to grasp the development-underdevelopment realities in given countries and come up with prescriptions as to how to resolve specific development issues such as poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, agricultural and community development, health and education. The thinking around these has been changing, for example   from   earlier emphasis on modernization and dependency to current emphasis on community participation, capacity development and sustainability. There are also different conceptions of development such as those associated with modernity and post development.

Since the end of World War II, there have been distinct phases in the development thought,   ideologies   and   policies   adopted   by   international   agencies   and governments   in the North.   Griffin identifies three phases governing academic discussion and research as well as influencing public policy and action in the Third World (Griffin 1988) During phase one, the priority for development was economic growth to stimulate the stagnant economies and traditional societies of the underdeveloped countries. During phase two, the emphasis shifted to redistribution with growth. The issues of concern became employment, policies for the direct   alleviation   of   poverty, improving the distribution of income, and the satisfaction of basic human needs. During phase three, the emphasis shifted to economic restructuring and major economic reforms brought on by declining living standards and economic decay in the Third World. Disenchantment with   the state as a vehicle for promoting development led to the exploration of possibilities for greater   government decentralization and local mobilization for development (Hope 1996:  10). This shows the shifting emphasis from growth to redistribution and then to economic restructuring and reforms where decentralization and greater mobilization of people for development were emphasized.

In addition, other authors provide different accounts of the changing nature of development thinking and theories as applicable to developing countries. For example, Tarapore (2001) provides a useful summary of various theories and principles that were dominant in international development since World War II.

There is consensus in the more recent historiography of post-war Europe that the foundations of economic life remained strong. Across Western Europe, the casualties of war were more than offset by natural population growth and post-war mass migration. Despite the scale of material damage, industrial equipment and plants survived the war remarkably intact. Even in Germany and Italy, the two main targets of Allied strategic bombing, industrial fixed capital grew by 20% and 30%, respectively, between 1936 and 1945. Power-generating capacity was also enlarged and needed little repair.

Industrial production had been brought to a halt by the demolition of the transport infrastructure, in particular bridges and railway hubs. But the maintenance of wartime command-economy controls and warlike labor mobilization swiftly eliminated these bottlenecks and avoided the acute shortages that might have fueled social unrest and runaway inflation, as Europe had experienced at the end of WWI (Boltho 2001). By 1947, industrial production was back at pre-war levels in at least the victorious powers and the non-belligerent economies.

Furthermore, continued revival and the resumption of economic growth were held back by institutional and geopolitical factors rather than the lack of productive capacity. The reconstruction of Western Europe required the abolition of the command economy and the liberalization of prices and wages, the elimination of the dollar shortage to enable countries ravaged by war to import the capital goods necessary to rebuild their infrastructure and restock their factories, the restoration of the European division of labor, and international cooperation to resolve the German question and remobilize German industry (Milward 1987, Eichengreen 2007).

These prerequisites were impossible to achieve without constructive American involvement in the rebuilding of the post-war order (Maier 1981). Recent scholarship has found the positive impact of the Marshall Plan not so much in the scale of material assistance, but rather in the political strings attached to it (Eichengreen 2007). Dollar aid enabled recipient nations to eliminate raw material shortages and invest in bottleneck industries, but only in exchange for trade liberalization. The resources afforded by the counterpart funds allowed governments to finance public investment projects without the need to cut back on welfare spending, but they were compelled to reintroduce free markets and lift wartime controls and rationing, despite fierce opposition from labor unions.

Perhaps most crucially, the Marshall Plan, passed in 1948, underpinned post-war political stability by marginalizing communist parties and supporting centrist governments, by forging a western alliance to contain Soviet expansionism, and by rehabilitating West Germany on the international stage. Indeed, it demonstrated a dramatic shift in Allied policy towards German economic recovery, which until 1947 was inhibiting, and it offered sufficient compensation for the leading claimants on German reparations.

Last but not least, in 1945, a series of agreements was created in the city of Bretton Woods (USA), known as the Bretton Woods system to facilitate international transactions and help countries affected by war. These agreements also establish a monetary system of fixed items, based on the convertibility into gold of money, which results in the dollar becoming a means of global payment since the Americans were the only ones who could guarantee their convertibility into gold. This has the consequence that the International Monetary Fund is created to ensure the rules and maintain the fixed exchange rates of the currencies. To help the areas affected by war, the World Bank is created. In 1948, the Marshall Plan was launched by the Americans, so that the European countries could carry out the reconstruction processes of the areas affected by the war.

 

Lastly, during this year, the European Economic Cooperation Organization was also created to manage the loans that the US offers to the countries of Europe. One of the characteristics of the development of the capitalist economy of the early twentieth century was the succession of periods of prosperity, followed by economic crises. But it is in 1945 when a new form of economic development known as free trade appears, which manages to create a great stage of expansion and continuous economic growth. This stage comes to an end in 1973. What characterizes this crisis is that there is at the same time a rise in prices and unemployment with a static growth of production, this is known as stagnation. In this way I could say that within this crisis can differentiate several moments, which are: in the 70 great crisis, in the 80 there is a small growth and at the beginning of the 90s we find a strong economic secession. 

 

 

Mutoko Priest Brother in Adultery Storm

File pic

By correspondent

A Roman Catholic Priest was caught red handed having sexual intercourse with a married woman at Mutoko center. The spiritual father known as brother Ray is stationed at Mutemwa Leprosy Centre was dragged before Mutoko Magistrate’s court facing Adultery charges.

The Catholic brother has been referred by many as a double edged sword when it comes to issues of bedding local women.

It is alleged, after being caught in an uncompromising position with complainant’s wife, the catholic brother went on to assault complainant. It is alleged Brother Ray assaulted the complainant with the help of one Takaiwana who is also a member of the Roman Catholic Church. The so called Takaiwana is said to be on the run and police are looking for him.

The matter will be set down for trial soon before Mutoko Magistrates Court once all investigations are complete and Public Prosecutors are ready for trial.

Residents Associations welcomes the proclamation for by-elections

Members of the Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms

Christadel Tambandini

The Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms (RACER) welcomes the proclamation of dates for by-elections which they say is consistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The by-elections in Zimbabwe were suspended from December 24 2021 to January 26 through the Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 following the Covid19 outbreak.

Addressing a press at Media Centre Thursday, RACER Spokesperson Marvelous Kumalo announced the coalition’s position regards the proclamation.

“We are still concerned over the continued existence of Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 which suspended holding of by-elections and call upon Parliament to repeal the Statutory Instrument,’’ said Kumalo

“We view the upcoming local government Election dates as a huge relief to residents across Zimbabwe who suffered from poor representation, deteriorating service delivery and impacted negatively on the practice of good democratic in local authorities,” said Kumalo.

Meanwhile, the Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms said they are preparing for a massive voter mobilization drive.

“The coalition and its members are in the process of putting in place mechanisms for a massive voter mobilization drive aimed at addressing voter apathy witnessed in past by-elections,” added Kumalo.

The Coalition also raised concern over registration centers which are inaccessible because of distance and failure by the Registrar’s department to issue National Identification documents that would permit citizens to register as voters.

“We note with concern the inaccessibility of voting registration centers in some parts of the country due to long distances involved which resulted in ZEC registering very few people.

RACER said electoral choices will depend on the service provided and representation and hence urges citizens to come in their numbers to choose their representatives.

“We affirm that electoral choices are inseparably connected with the quality of service provision and representation. We urge residents to turn up in their huge numbers to elect their representatives in the local government by-elections,” said Kumalo

“It is incumbent upon the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to fulfil its mandate in an independent and impartial manner as this is a panacea to free and fair elections.  The credibility of the upcoming elections largely depends on the conduct of ZEC, state media and the security sector,” added Kumalo.

“We call upon political parties to exercise peace and political tolerance. All contesting parties must be afforded equal access to all electoral events and all candidates must be granted fair media access for campaigning and advertising purposes,” said Kumalo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mudzi lax in implementation of COVID-19 regulations a ticking time bomb

Panashe Chikonyora

The country’s fight against Covid-19 (coronavirus) is proving to be almost an impossible battle as citizens in most of the country’s rural communities are now becoming resistant with little or no adherence to Government’s COVID-19 regulations.

Curfews, observing social distancing, wearing face masks, hand sanitizing Covid-19 testing and screening are some of the regulations which government has implemented as part of its efforts to prevent the coronavirus from spreading in the country. The regulations are in line with the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s protocols (masking, social distancing and sanitizing) – which many countries have been observing since 2019 when the virus broke out.

However, people living in the country’s rural communities like  in Mudzi  seem not to be taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously due to various misconceptions they have about the virus.

“Many people are testing positive for COVID-19 because a lot of people do not appreciate the need for adhering to the preventive measures, especially of the new Omicron variant mainly due to ignorance. They are not taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously despite the educational campaigns we conduct and they do not value their health as a result they may at times come to the clinic for treatment without wearing face masks and even at times refusing to get tested for Covid. However, we will continue educating them and we hope to engage influential leaders in the process, so that we try and make people see the importance of following the COVID-19 regulations in reducing the spread of the virus in the area and country at large,” said a nurse in one of the local clinics in Mudzi.

In Makaha, a rural community under Mudzi district, traveling or walking without wearing a face mask has become a normalcy. Most people move around unhesitant without wearing face masks, while some even gather without maintaining social distance. People have become ignorant and are turning a blind eye to the health risks posed by such negligence. This is worrying as it is contributing in the surge in number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country.

According to the Health and Child Care Ministry, as of  13 January 2022, Mashonaland East province, where Mudzi district is located, had the highest number of 3 783 Covid-19 active cases out of the ten provinces (Bulawayo, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Midlands, Masvingo, Matebeleland North and Matebeleland South). The province was also the third lowest to record few PCR Covid-19 tests with only 310 tests having been done. Overally the country recorded 225 084 cumulative cases with 651 of the cases being new, while the total number of deaths was 5 222.

A diagram showing current covid-19 statistics taken from the Ministry of Health and Child Care Twitter handle.

From the above snapshot it is evident that the Omicron variant is not taken seriously and is not being treated as an issue of great concern in Mudzi, despite reports  by health experts and health organisations which point to it becoming even more deadly than other previous variants.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SARS-CoV-2_Omicron_variant

The Omicron variant was first detected on 22 November last year, in laboratories in Botswana and South Africa and the variant is believed to be far more contagious (spreading much more quickly and multiplying faster than the Delta variant. As of 7 January 2022, the variant has been confirmed in 135 countries, including Zimbabwe. In   order to strengthen its response to the threat posed by the new Omicron variant, government reviewed Covid-19 regulations in December last year.

Hands off Second Republic, G40 told

Ephraim Chizola in T-shirt flanked by fellow members of Mjunhumutapa Royal Charter

By correspondent

Former Zanu-Pf politician, Savior Kasukuwere who is currently exiled in South Africa since the 2017 change of Zimbabwean government has been castigated for attempting to taint the reputation of President Mnangagwa.

Ephraim Chizola, national leader of Munhumutapa Royal Charter, a grouping of likeminded business persons aligned to the ruling party told journalists at a press conference in Harare Thursday afternoon that no amount of mudslinging by the G40 will discredit the progress achieved by President Mnangagwa and his government as witnessed by major projects currently being undertaken countrywide.

“As you are aware, within all the country’s ten provinces there are numerous developmental projects that have since taken shape as a result of the Second Republic. These have since started to transform our economy towards the attainment of VISION 2030. The projects include but not limited to the following; the mighty RGM International Airport expansion, the world Class New City and Parliament Building, the Magnificent New Road Infrastructural projects and, the Giant Tugwi Murkosi Dam. It is also through the Second Republic that the country honored long and forgotten fallen heroes of our struggles, the likes of the Mbuya Nehanda, whose face has been inscribed on the country’s currency and the subsequent erection of a life sized monumental statue of the same Mbuya Nehanda in the city of Harare,” said Chizola.

“However, it is disheartening to note that regardless of these historic achievements, our various media houses and Government information and publicity agencies remains low key in their roles of apprising the general populace of these achievements. This has left our own Munhumutapa, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde ED MNANGAGWA to run a lone race towards the heralding of the great works by the Second Republic,” he added.

MRC seeks to contribute towards the mobilization of 5 million votes targeted for Mnangagwa through what they have dubbed 14 Million Smiles campaign.

Zanu-Pf is currently embroiled in factional fights which saw their recently held provincial elections largely characterized by violent contestations and disputes.  It is suspected there is a bigger chunk of current Zanu-Pf members who still sympathize with those who were expelled at the inception of the second republic. Savior Kasukuwere is reported to be considering a return to Zanu-Pf to challenge the re-election of President Mnangagwa in the 2023 harmonized elections.

The other side of Covid 19 the master pandemic of the era as the drive force of the new international trade and worlds diplomacy?

Covid 19 has been seen as an evil one of the most devastating pandemics of all time claiming lives as well as disturbing economies and also the normal functioning of societies around the world. However, this misery brought about changes that the world needed and can be called “benefits” when it comes to international trade as well as international diplomacy which refers to the interaction between states that is both in relations and the exchange of goods. In this writing, I will be looking at the other side of Covid 19 not as misery but rather as a mother of a new form of international diplomacy and also a catalyst in the trade of new and another set of trades between nations.

Covid 19 has brought about improvements in the science and technology sector. In this case, as a result of covid 19 countries and communities have resorted to lockdown measures as a way of curbing the spread of the virus. Thus this resulted in online lessons for schools and we’ll as meetings. For example, the 2020 G20 Riyadh summit held on November 21-22 was supposed to take place in the capital city of Saudi Arabia but however, due to covid 19, this meeting was done virtually. In this regard, we also see an upgrade of the African Union Headquarters by the Chinese whereby they inserted a technology whereby officials can attend their meetings in their respective countries. Thus this is another improvement to the diplomacy due to COVID-19

We also see a boost in the trading center during the COVID-19 era whereby we see the importing of some goods necessary for the pandemic. I’m this case a case study of Zimbabwe comes into light whereby there has been a lot of vehicle imports in the COVID-19 era Speaking during his delivery of the 2021 national budget in parliament on Thursday, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said about 800million U.S. dollars was spent on importing buses and light commercial and passenger vehicles from 2020 to September 2021. Due to the abolishing of an unregistered transport systems that is the Kombis and mushika Shika system. A lot of people in Zimbabwe had resulted in purchasing of private vehicles from abroad, also due to the taking over of the government transport system Zupco, it has put more pressure on the transport system since those with no private transport now depended on Zupco thus we saw The government of Zimbabwe under Zupco purchase more bases to cater for these needs. This improved trade between Zimbabwe and as well as other countries we traded in

Moreover, this period has brought peace around the nations. In this case, it has improved the living and working together concept as the whole world. Due to a common goal and a common enemy which is Covid 19 all states around the world has become one family and has set all the difference aside so as to focus on the problem at hand. As a result, we see countries joining hands to find a cure for Covid 19 in light of this we see the production of vaccines Where nations wherein a race to produce vaccines, and also the Free distribution of these vaccines. This issue is very critical in the diplomacy and trading corners at an international scale

It will also be unjust if it happens that Improvements in the medical and pharmaceutical arena. In this case, a rise in improvements in the medical arena is also seen during the Covid 19 era whereby nations now began to focus more on the medical field of their nations. For example, Zimbabwe the purchasing of ventilators and also the rise of infrared thermometers as and also surgical masks.

Last but not least the rise of the forgotten and underrated traditional medicines as helpers for Covid 19 as an illness. This has also brought another trading factor to light Which is traditional medicines for Example Madagascar came forward which is their traditional drink which they claimed that it cures Covid 19 though this was never approved. There is also the rise of traditional medicines like the Zumbani in Zimbabwe. This has now been available in supermarkets some pharmacies and well as is also being exported to other countries as far as Europe.

Though we are in agreement and trying to support the pandemic it was misery however, I had to look to the other side of the coin and accept that it is now among us and see what we had gained from its discovery those are some of the positive changes brought about by the Covid 19 era

 

Brighton B Chingwara

A Masters Student in International Trade and Diplomacy at The University Of Zimbabwe 2022

 

Residents associations welcome by-elections declaration

Members of the Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms addressing the press

By correspondent

The Residents Associations Coalition for Electoral Reforms has welcomed the announcement of the by-elections for local councils and house of assembly representatives saying that they were long overdue. They have have accused state institutions allowing to be used to influence electoral processes.
Addressing a presser held in Harare this Thursday, Mr Marvellous Kumalo said;

“The credibility of these elections depends on the cooperation of ZEC, state media and security”

He further said that these entities have historically been used to prejudice the electoral processes and results.
The association called for the immediate repeal of SI 225A (2020) which suspends the running of by-elections.
Residents were also encouraged to utilise the by elections as a chance to correct the gender discrepancies in Parliament by voting in female representatives.
The association also encouraged the electorate to vote competent representatives who are capable to match the demands of the offices.