Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

A prison officer is being accused of allegedly raping a teenager at Chikurubi Prison Camp on Monday. Proud Bhanya is alleged to have lured his lover, 19,  from Glenwood to his room at the camp where he raped her once without protection. Harare provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Luckmore Chakanza, confirmed the case saying investigations were in progress.“Police are investigating a

A banker, who allegedly manipulated the banking system he was supposed to protect and created fake accounts to swindle his employer of about US$2,3million, has had his fleet of five cars seized as part of investigations into his criminal enterprise. Cletas Tonderai Nyakambiro, 38, who was employed as an Internal Control Officer at Stanchart, has already appeared in court. His suspected

The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has called for an urgent review of the recently introduced heritage-based curriculum, saying it is unnecessarily demanding, complicated and detached from reality. “We have a strong conviction that the current form of SBPs is far detached from reality and cannot assist in the transformation of our education system based on the facts on the ground

Source: 13km stretch of Byo-Nkayi Road set to be tarred – The Southern Eye

A 13-KILOMETRE stretch of the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road is set to be tarred under a phased rehabilitation programme, Southern Eye has established.

Site foreman John Rajah confirmed that work on the next phase of the project is underway, with preparations in place to begin tarring the newly cleared 13km section.

“We are progressing smoothly with no major challenges so far,” he said.

“The groundwork is set and we are ready to lay the tar.”

During a site inspection on Tuesday, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Richard Moyo emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum to complete the project on schedule.

“We are seeing first-hand the progress being made here,” he said.

“As long as the contractor stays on site and work continues without delay, we are confident this road will be completed as planned.”

Motorists and residents have welcomed the ongoing rehabilitation, noting that the improvements are already making a difference in travel safety and efficiency.

“Repairs to this road are important as we use it frequently for both commercial and public transportation,” one motorist said.

A community member added: “This is a crucial route for us. We appreciate government’s commitment to upgrading this road.”

The Bulawayo-Nkayi Road serves as a critical link in Matabeleland North, connecting rural communities with urban centres and facilitating both public and commercial transport.

Construction of the road, which is in a sorry state, began in 1996, three years after the completion of feasibility studies.

The initial deadline for the construction of the road was 2009.

Former Vice-President Joice Mujuru once blamed hunger for government’s failure to finish constructing the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road, saying billions of dollars meant for the project were diverted to feed hungry Zimbabweans.

Zanu PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu also defended government’s failure to work on the road, telling State media that the construction of the road was affected by sanctions as partners pulled out before the work was complete.

Critics, however, argue that government has never been serious in ensuring the completion of the project.

Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Felix Mhona said the government was committed in ensuring the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road is trafficable, adding that his ministry had prioritised the project under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Project.

The rehabilitation of the Bulawayo-Nkayi Road is one of several projects aimed at boosting regional connectivity and ensuring equitable development across provinces.

The post 13km stretch of Byo-Nkayi Road set to be tarred  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Deforestation negatively impacts tobacco sector: TIMB -Newsday Zimbabwe

THE Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) is conducting afforestation and fire mitigation strategies in major tobacco-producing regions to promote long-term growth of the sector.

Zimbabwe is recording losses of thousands of hectares of forests annually due to a variety of activities, including agriculture, domestic use and veld fires, leading to major tobacco companies pushing for the protection of natural resources.

The rate at which Zimbabwe is losing virgin forests has increased fears of desertification, which has affected some parts of the country, including tobacco woodlots.

In a statement, TIMB said its environmental, social and governance (ESG) officers had been deployed to assess fire preparedness in tobacco woodlots to promote sustainability and safeguard afforestation efforts.

“As the fire season approaches, our ESG officers are actively conducting woodlot assessment across Zimbabwe to ensure sustainability and fire safety in tobacco-growing regions,” TIMB said.

The organisation said the inspections are not only focused on fire prevention, but also form part of its long-term commitment to responsible environmental management.

“These proactive efforts are part of our commitment to ESG standards, protecting community assets and ensuring the long-term success of afforestation programmes,” the regulator said.

Deforestation is defined as the removal of forest land, and put it to non-forestry use.

In Zimbabwe, the problem is threatening to decimate the country’s forests, leading to loss of bio-diversity, general forest land degradation, loss of animal habitats and reduction of water supply — both in terms of quality and quantity.

Other challenges caused by deforestation in Zimbabwe include desertification and the exacerbation of climate change that all negatively impact agricultural productivity.

As climate change continues to exacerbate drought and fire conditions, regulatory bodies like TIMB are increasingly focusing on long-term environmental protection to ensure the viability of one of Zimbabwe’s largest export crops

TIMB urged farmers to maintain firebreaks.

The post Deforestation negatively impacts tobacco sector: TIMB appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.