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When John Moyo (not his real name) relocated to the United Kingdom, his decision was met with mixed feelings. In the eyes of his family, John was doing well as a teacher in Zimbabwe. He had risen to be a headmaster. When he kissed Zimbabwe goodbye, nobody believed that John might not come back. While in the UK, John retrained and became a nurse. The new profession brought so many

Zimbabwe's justice minister has threatened to prosecute three female opposition members who allege they were arrested and then abducted from police custody and sexually assaulted. They say they were beaten and forced to drink each other's urine. The three, including an MP, are being treated in hospital for their injuries. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the women made up the story

Source: Informal traders lobby for roller meal monitoring – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY PRAISEMORE SITHOLE

INFORMAL traders in Bulawayo have called on authorities to monitor subsidised roller meal distribution, claiming the commodity was being sold for US$6 on the black market through telesales.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association director Michael Ndiweni said roller meal should be monitored from miller to consumer to curb leakages.

“What is key is that the mealie-meal is coming from unscrupulous retailers and millers because there is no way you find local brands being sold on mobile sources while there is an association of mealie-meal in the city,” Ndiweni said.

“It is very sad that there is a collaboration between some retailers and millers to ship the commodity to the black market at the expense of the suffering citizens.”

Added Ndiweni: “The biggest challenge is that if there are leakages between the millers and retailers, it becomes difficult to control the vendors. The authorities must enforce the law at the source. There should be penalties from the source.”

He said the commodity was being sold at exorbitant prices, which were beyond the reach of many.

Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe spokesperson Garikai Chaunza declined to comment.

“Kindly refer that issue to the Competition and Tariff Commission sir, and if you may kindly let us know which brands are on the black market,” he said.

Industry and Commerce minister Sekai Nzenza said her ministry worked closely with millers to ensure there were no leakages, saying they were, however, reviewing the subsidy programme.

“My ministry worked closely with the millers and carried out due diligence and verification exercises. Once our records showed that the miller had been compliant with the requirements, we paid the millers. Consumers were able to get roller meal at the stipulated cheaper price from the supermarkets,” she said.

“However, there were problems with hoarding, arbitrage and overpricing. As government, we are currently reviewing the subsidy programme and plan to develop an efficient system that targets the most vulnerable in our society. The informal traders should be able to access roller meal as well once this mechanism comes into place very soon.”

Nzenza said technical teams from line ministries such as Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Finance and her ministry as well as the Grain Marketing Board were collaborating in the exercise which would provide cheaper roller meal to everyone, particularly the vulnerable.

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Source: Late opening of cotton market affects farmers | Herald (Business)

Business Reporter

Some cotton farmers have expressed concern over the late start of the marketing season as Government is yet to announce the producer price for this year.

The season normally starts end of April and runs until September, depending on the amount of yields.

Government has not yet announced price of one of the country’s largest foreign currency earners amid growing worries that this may endanger their crop due to lack of proper storage facilities.

Last week, the Government said it was considering a subsidy on producer price after world prices plunged due to coronavirus.

The Agriculture Marketing Authority (AMA) chief executive Mrs Nancy Zitsanza, told The Herald Finance & Business that “preparations were at an advanced stage” for the intake season, but could not provide specific time. AMA regulates the cotton sector.

Early this month, global lint price plunged to lowest levels since the global financial crisis in 2008 due to coronavirus, denting growth prospects of Zimbabwe’s cotton industry, which has been on a recovery path since 2015. The lowest price was in 2008 during the global financial crisis when prices fell to US 44 per pound.

Cotton industry players have already warned prevailing international lint prices would exert pressure on the margins of ginners if the Government does not chip in with a subsidy.

Edison Kalungwe, a farmer from Zhombe in Gokwe District appealed to Government to “immediately” set the price as this was putting livelihoods of farmers at stake.

Last year, nearly 400 000 cotton farmers were contracted by various companies, including private players. The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), which administers the Presidential Free Inputs Scheme supported about 70 percent of the farmers.

“I have a very large family. They want to eat but we have nothing since our cotton, which is our major source of livelihood, is not yet on the market,” said Mr Kalungwe.

House of Assembly member of Gokwe — Kubuyuni Leonard Chikomba, said many farmers in his constituency were now “desperate” and this has been worsened by the lockdown.

“The worrying thing now is that the crop is not yet priced yet some other crops like maize and tobacco are already being sold,” said Mr Chikomba. “Government should understand the desperation of cotton farmers especially in this lockdown period.”

Another farmer from Sanyati said: “My life is dependent on cotton. This year I am expecting more than 60 bales. I have harvested 24 bales already. These bales are at home.

“I will deliver my cotton to buying points only if the price is announced. The delay is actually putting our livelihood at risk. Three years ago, I lost all my cotton produce due to fire. The Government must set the price so that we also release our cotton.”

However, some farmers have already delivered their thousands of bales at buying points.

“I cannot keep my cotton home because it can be destroyed by fire. I have taken my bales to buying points and we are waiting for the price so that we can be paid,” Private Muzore, a farmer from Gokwe-Nembudziya said.

“Also, by delaying to buy cotton, the Government is brewing conflict between farmers and contractors.

“This is because some contractors will take advantage to lure farmers into side marketing.”

Meanwhile, farmers in Gokwe and Sanyati, mostly contracted by Cottco said the yields were likely to be much higher than last season despite uneven distribution of rainfall.

The post Late opening of cotton market affects farmers appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Corruption in issuance of exemption letters exposed | The Herald

Midlands Bureau Chief

Government has unearthed corruption in the issuance of exemptions letters for travellers during the Covid-19 lockdown by officials in the Gweru District Development Coordinator’s office.

The officers are allegedly demanding bribes of up to US$50 to facilitate the issuance of the letters to unauthorised people intending to move around during the lockdown.

While Government has generally relaxed the lockdown regulations, including the need for people to produce exemption letters at check points, security personnel at the check points can still demand to see them.

The office has since been ordered to stop issuing anymore travelling exemption letters to ordinary people and businesses during this Covid-19 induced lockdown.

In an interview yesterday, Midlands Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Abiot Maronge said they were looking into the alleged corruption in the issuance of travelling exemptions by officers in Gweru District Development Coordinator’s office.

He said people in need of such documents should go to the police while investigations were taking place.

Mr Maronge said his office had since asked the Gweru District Development Coordinator Mr Jorum Chimedza to compile a report.

“Investigations are underway,” he said.

“Different figures of alleged bribe money are being thrown around and we will get to the bottom of this. It is Government position that people don’t pay a single cent for the document.”

The Minister of State Security Owen Ncube recently warned Members of Parliament and councillors against issuing the travelling exemptions, saying only police and District Development Coordinators had the prerogative to issue the letters.

As such, security forces who are enforcing the lockdown are not recognising exemptions issued by MPs and councillors.

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