Category: zimbabwe

Africa Moyo Deputy News Editor

The true yesteryear spirit of celebrating Christmas is yet to die down, as most of Zimbabwe’s tourist centres, including Victoria Falls, experienced an influx of visitors while growth points and entertainment joints in urban areas, were also a hive of activity on Christmas and Boxing Days.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi, who has been criss-crossing the country encouraging locals to visit their tourist attraction centres under the ZimBHO campaign, was at Matopos National Park on Christmas Day, mixing and mingling with local and international tourists.

In Victoria Falls, large numbers of people visited the rain forest while others were having lunch and dinner at the hotels and lodges. More people were also in Nyanga, Great Zimbabwe in Masvingo and other places.

In Matopos, Minister Rwodzi visited Rhodes’ Grave, Maleme Dam and Matopo Hills.

“I am very impressed with what I have seen so far since the festive season begun and since the launch of our domestic tourism campaign to promote our own destination to our people, and the diaspora community coming back home to spend time with family and friends,” Minister Rwodzi told journalists.

“We are in Matopos and many families are here. I am happy people are coming in their numbers to visit this site and to learn more about this place. We see families coming together in this place, having lunches, braais, and food.”

On December 24, Minister Rwodzi was at Beitbridge Border Post where she interacted with Zimbabweans coming home for the festive season from South Africa. She encouraged them to visit local tourist centres to promote domestic tourism.

In an interview, Matabeleland North Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe past president Mr Farai Chimba yesterday said he was impressed by the numbers of people in the country’s tourism capital of Victoria Falls.

“The numbers have been quite good and we expect the numbers to continue rising,” he said.

“We have the Mapopoma Festival here from December 30 to 31 and we expect more people to come for the event, including international tourists.”

In Harare, the usual crowd pulling hideouts were teeming with people who went out with families, friends and relatives to celebrate the day.

Mr Knowledge Matanda of Mabvuku, who was at Kwamereki with his family, said: “Christmas Day is a day to celebrate with family. Yes, we acknowledge that we will have to pay school fees for the new term beginning in January 2024 but we just have to have some time out with family.

“I am happy to see many individuals and families out here taking time out from their busy schedules they had during the course of the year.”

In the Avenues area, people congregated at several places including Montague Shopping Centre where they mixed and mingled with friends.

In Chitungwiza, Chikwanha Shopping Centre was the place to be for many people. People enjoyed roasted gizzards, while others were braaing and having drinks.

Mr Fortune Sithole and wife Mrs Margaret Sithole, who were with their four children, said they were glad to be away from home.

“It is good to be out with family celebrating Christmas Day. We will visit another place on New Year’s Day so that we, together with the kids, refresh our minds.

“But we have seen some dangerous driving along the way. We call on motorists to take care on the roads so that we celebrate together, not to have other people forced to attend funerals because of reckless drivers,” said Mrs Sithole.

In Warren Park D, Dzivaresekwa, Kuwadzana and Westlea, people of all ages were enjoying the day in their areas.

In Dzivaresekwa 4, the busiest place was the fast food restaurant situated along Bulawayo Road where families relaxed with children playing on the trampoline. In Dzivaresekwa 2 and 3, the Christmas of old was on show as young children could be seen with new clothes and a soft drink in hand interacting with friends.

Other families took their lunch to the verandas to enjoy while checking on passers-by, extending a greeting to those they know.

But mechanics had a tough time as they remained at their backyard garages fixing vehicles for those that wanted to drive around, or even go to tourist centres and the rural areas.

Yesterday was a bit subdued as some parts of Harare, Chiredzi, Gutu and Victoria Falls, experienced rains, preventing people from going out.

A sizable number of families were at the Lake Chivero feasting the day away.

Herald Reporters

Over 130 babies were born on Christmas Day in some of the country’s major hospitals with a lot more born in clinics, private maternity units and other centres.

At Harare’s three major hospitals, 92 babies were born, with boys topping the births.

Chitungwiza Central Hospital had 23 babies, 12 boys and 11 girls while Sally Mugabe Central Hospital had 44 babies, 30 boys and 14 girls.

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals’ Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Wing registered 25 babies, comprising 15 boys and 10 girls.

These three hospitals will generally handle the more complicated births, or births where there might be complications for mother or child, while the clinics will handle the far larger number of trouble-free births.

In interviews, some of the mothers said they were not expecting to give birth on Christmas Day as their pregnancies were not due on the day.

At Chitungwiza Central Hospital, Ms Perseverance Bhasera of Epworth said she never imagined that she would give birth on Christmas Day.

“I was not expecting to give birth on Christmas Day, but I am very happy to have given birth on this day. This is my first baby and she is a girl. She has no name as we are still yet to decide the name,” she said.

Ms Mazvitaishe Mujeyi said she was happy to give birth on Christmas Day.

“I was not expecting to give birth on Christmas Day because my days were after Christmas, but I am so excited to give birth on this day,” she said.

Ms Faith Chumuka from Unit A Extension in Chitungwiza said she was not expecting God to bless her with a bouncing baby boy on Christmas Day.

“He is my baby Jesus and the best gift ever this year as he is my first baby. His father was very happy when he received the news that I had given birth and he named the baby Justin,” she said.

At Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, Ms Agnes Makuwerere said her baby came before time.

“He is seven months, but by God’s grace, I gave birth to a healthy baby on Christmas Day,” she said.

Ms Patience Nyambira also said she had already passed her expected date of delivery, but never thought the baby would come on Christmas Day. “But I am so excited that God blessed me with a baby.”

Ms Florence Chatikobo said: “I feel happy to give birth on Christmas Day. I delivered a baby boy and he is yet to be named.”

At Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Wing, Ms Shylet Manyengavana, who delivered twins, said: “I am so happy to deliver twins. They are boys and I was not expecting to give birth on this day. It is a blessing to give birth on a day when Jesus was born and I am so happy.”

Her husband, Mr Tawanda Mupingo, said: “I am so excited because this is a blessing to us. These are my first children and I feel so blessed.”

In Masvingo, 10 births were recorded at Masvingo General Hospital, five boys and five girls, with a set of twin girls born through Caesarian section.

In Beitbridge, five babies were born on Christmas Day at the Beitbridge District Hospital, which is also a referral centre for people from neighbouring Mwenezi and Gwanda districts.

An average of 350 deliveries are handled at the health facility per month.

In Bulawayo, 27 babies were born at Bulawayo’s major hospitals, Mpilo Central Hospital and the United Bulawayo Hospitals.

Of the 27 babies, 12 were delivered at Mpilo Hospital while 15 were born at the UBH with 11 being girls and 16 boys.

Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter

Military Commanders in SADC have congratulated Acting President Dr Constantino Chiwenga and his wife, Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga, on their wedding.

Acting President Chiwenga is a retired Commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces who worked with regional counterparts from days of the liberation struggle and as an army general, including on several missions such as fighting insurgency in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Acting President Chiwenga’s former colleagues in the military attended the wedding including, former Chief of Defence Forces of Namibia Lieutenant-General Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, former Chief of the South African National Defence Force General Solly Zacharia Shoke, former Chief of the Tanzania People’s Defence Force General Davis Adolf Mwamunyange and former Mozambique Chief of Defence Forces General Paulino Jose Macaringue.

Gen Ndaitwah, who was the best man said the former commanders in the region formed a bond when they were all serving as top soldiers of their respective countries which was the basis of the unity the armed forces enjoy to this date.

He said they used to refer to Gen Chiwenga as “Dean of Generals” since he was the most senior and they would listen whenever he spoke.

“Our brother here (Acting President Chiwenga), his brotherhood has gone beyond Zimbabwe. We served together as Chief of the Defence Forces. It was from that time when we formed a bond,” said Gen Ndaitwah.

“We have all retired from the uniform. But before we retired this bond did wonders. In terms of who came in first, he came in before us. So, I looked at other generals and I said we must know him as our Dean of Generals or Dean of Chiefs, that is how we worked.

“When he spoke, we would try to understand what this Dean of Generals wanted to say. We would always caucus, what do you think so that one of us will intervene or come in support of what Zimbabwe said.

“The General has been joined with our sister (Colonel Chiwenga) here. Congratulations. That is a short history of who we are. Our Dean of Generals, our Dean of Chiefs,” said Gen Ndaitwah.

VP Chiwenga’s former colleagues in the Defence Forces and liberation war comrades, among them Senate Deputy President Lt-Gen (Rtd) Mike Nyambuya, Commander Zimbabwe National Army Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe, Air Marshal (Rtd) Shebba Shumbayawonda accompanied the Acting President as part of his bridal team at the ceremony.

Maxwell Tapatapa Herald Reporter

At least 5 000 teachers will be recruited next year, with Government expanding its teaching force as it seeks to continue reducing teacher to pupil ratio from 1:45 towards the target of 1:35.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Torerayi Moyo said in an interview with The Herald that although the Government had a job freeze on recruitment, teachers were an exception and recruitment would continue, resources permitting.

“We wait for allocation from the fiscus as the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion looks at the Budget for a particular year and he is able to tell us how many teachers are going to be absorbed. From next year, we are going to recruit 5 000, but we can’t absorb all of them who are at home,” said Minister Moyo.

“Let’s do domestic mobilisation. Then the national cake when it expands more people will be recruited, but now we are limited by resources, that’s the limiting factor.”

In 2020, Government also recruited 5 000 teachers.

Teachers who are unemployed are supposed to register with the Public Service Commission as well as their own districts for the smooth employment process to take place.

Minister Moyo commended teachers and heads for heeding the Government’s call of not sending away learners for non-payments of school fees.

“We have seen a number of schools sending away learners for non-payments of school fees. The numbers have declined and it’s a milestone on our part. We have some penalties for rogue schools. We use statutory instrument 1 of 2 000 which a teacher or head can be charged for excluding learners from school on the grounds of non-payment of fees,” said Minister Moyo.

“We encourage payment plans to be done rather than excluding the learner. It’s not the fault of the learner for failing to pay fees. It’s the fault of the parent, hence the parent and school authority should sit down and have a working plan.”

Minister Moyo challenged schools to use the law and bring in debt collectors on parents resisting payment of school fees.

“Schools can use debt collectors; they are allowed by the law to do that to recover their money. They can use the law to sue the parents. That is allowed. If parents refuse to pay fees don’t chase away students, but invoke the law, contract debt collectors to cover the debts accrued for non-payment of fees and levies. That is within the confines of the law.

“And also some schools can charge interest for delayed payment. They can charge 5 percent of delayed fees payment instead of sending away the child. They can put interest for delayed payment,” added the Minister.