Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Kimberly Mhembere

THE SUNDAY MAIL editor Victoria Ruzvidzo was named among the 50 Most Inspirational Women in Zimbabwe last week by the Women Corporate Directors Network Zimbabwe (WCDNZ) — which honoured trailblazing women, in recognition of their management excellence and contribution to national development.

Ruzvidzo walked away with the top gong in the Leadership and Governance: Listed Companies category.

Dubbed 50 Most Inspirational Women in Zimbabwe 2023, the awards were held under the theme “GRIT: Gumption, Resilience, Integrity, Tenacity”.

Speaking at the event, WCDNZ chairperson Mrs Lucy Mary Marowa said women from diverse sectors were recognised for their leadership excellence.

“The event is a celebration of the amazing accomplishments of women across Zimbabwe, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, resilience and tenacity in their fields,” she said.

Women and gender affairs chief director (Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development) Mrs Lillian Matsika-Takaendese, who was the guest of honour, said recognising outstanding women
in the corporate sector was a noble initiative.

“My admiration and deep gratitude go to the WCDNZ for their noble initiative and unwavering support in catalysing transformative growth and success in the corporate space by recognising achievements made by women in this day.

“The Women Corporate Directors Network Zimbabwe has set a standard of excellence by empowering women directors on how to anticipate, influence and address present and future boardroom challenges,” she said.

Other honourees included former  Auditor-General Mrs Mildred Chiri, who landed the Lifetime Achievement Award; and editor of The Independent Faith Zaba, who walked away with the unlisted Large Corporate Bodies Award.

Silvergill Enterprises chief executive officer Engineer Clara Sadomba received the Environmental, Social and Governance Leadership Award.

The following were also recognised for their excellence: Ms Priscilla Sadomba (head of change and culture at FBC), former Zimpapers journalist Shamiso Yikoniko, Sunday Mail columnist and Human Resources consultant Rutendo Gwatidzo and Kuvimba Mining House executive Ms Tendai Madondo.

ZBC CEO Adelaide Chikunguru won under Leadership and Governance: Government and Parastatals, Prosecutor-General Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo; Attorney-General Mrs Virginia Mabiza; and Permanent Secretaries Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, Dr Beullar Chirume, Dr Mavis Sibanda, Engineer Joy Makumbe and Engineer Gloria Magombo also got special mention for their work in Government administrative roles.

X: @Kimberlymhembe1

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LESS than half of the 65 000 people who took road tests between April and June this year failed to pass the examination, which is mandatory for one to acquire a driver’s licence, with the authorities attributing the high failure rate to lack of practice and nervousness among prospective drivers. A new report by the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) shows that only 45,5 percent (about

Theseus Shambare

MORE than three million farmers have completed training in Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation agriculture, while around two million plots have been prepared for planting ahead of commencement of the 2023-2024 summer cropping season.

The Government plans to train at least 3,5 million smallholder farmers by the end of this month to ensure crops are planted in time when the rainy season begins.

Inputs such as seed and fertiliser have now been stockpiled at Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots countrywide ahead of delivery to beneficiaries.

Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services director for training and information Mr Sibangilizwe Dlodlo said the training of farmers was progressing well.

“According to our weather experts, the 2023-2024 summer cropping season will be affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon, threatening our food production.

“This calls for us to climate-proof our agriculture. Failure is never part of our vocabulary or DNA.

“At least 3 132 322 farmers have been trained on climate-proofing production under the Pfumvudza programme,” said Mr Dlodlo.

“A total of 1 711 313 plots have been prepared, translating to 116 972 hectares.”

Climate-proofing production, he said, was key to ensuring a successful cropping season.

“The training covered technical aspects of Pfumvudza/Intwasa.

“The concept is hinged on three principles: crop rotation, mulching and minimum tillage. These concepts aim to boost yields and increase resilience to the negative impacts of climate change.”

Mr Dlodlo said the overwhelming interest in Pfumvudza had prompted Government to increase the number of beneficiaries from 2,3 million households in the 2021-2022 season to the current 3,5 million households.

“Farmers have been very co-operative,” he said.

“According to the 2023 ZimVAC (Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee) report, 47 percent of our farmers had taken up the Pfumvudza/Intwasa concept or technology only two years into its inception.

“This motivated us to raise the mobilisation bar even higher, so we went on a Pfumvudza/Intwasa mobilisation and training blitz in preparation for the 2023-2024 summer season.”

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe welcomed the expansive mobilisation drive.

“With the El Niño phenomenon upon us, farmers need to have enough time to prepare their land for Pfumvudza, knowing they have inputs in place,” he said.

“However, we also urge farmers to practise rainwater harvesting throughout the season for any probable mid-season dry spell so that they can irrigate their crops since they are small plots, which are manageable.”

To ensure transparent and corruption-free input distribution, Government has set up a committee in every ward to ensure intended beneficiaries receive inputs on time.

Farmers who spoke to The Sunday Mail said they have embraced Pfumvudza to mitigate the effects of El Niño.

“I got the training from our ward extension officers,” said Mrs Tamari Bizure-Kupfuma, a farmer under Chief Nenguwo in Marondera, Mashonaland East province, last week.

“Initially, I was hesitant to join, but after seeing how the method helped some of my fellow villagers get better yields last season, I decided to consider the programme.

“I am currently preparing my plots to benefit from the scheme.”

The Government has since adopted a new seed distribution method based on agro-ecological regions.

Farmers in drier regions — 4 and 5 — will receive drought-tolerant traditional grains seed, while those in region 3 will get seed for small grains and maize.

Farmers in high-potential areas such as regions 1 and 2 will be receiving high-yielding maize varieties and traditional grains, in addition to soya bean and sugar bean seed.

 X: @TheseusShambare

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Sunday Mail Reporter

PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA yesterday appointed Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) Commander General Philip Valerio Sibanda into the ZANU PF Politburo as an ex-officio member.

Cde Rose Mpofu was also appointed Secretary for People with Disabilities in the Politburo, replacing the late national hero, Cde Joshua Teke Malinga, who passed away last month.

The President announced the new designations while giving his closing remarks at the 20th ZANU PF Annual National People’s Conference held at the Midlands Convention Centre in Gweru.

 

“During the course of the year, we lost one of our party stalwarts, Cde Joshua Teke Malinga, who was the Secretary for People with Disabilities,” he said. “To fill the vacancy, I am appointing Cde Rose Mpofu of Matabeleland South province as a Politburo member and the new Secretary for People with Disabilities. Additionally, ‘Cde Gwenzi’, General Philip Valerio Sibanda, as an ex-officio member of the Politburo.”

General Sibanda has served as ZDF Commander since December 2017.

Before assuming leadership of the ZDF, he was Commander of the Zimbabwe National Army.

The decorated soldier, whose nom de guerre was Cde Ananias Gwenzi, trained and served as a ZIPRA combatant during the Second Chimurenga after leaving the country in 1973 to join the war.

He received military training in Morogoro, Tanzania.

In 1974, after completing his training in the East African country, he was sent to Lebanon, where he spent nine months of rigorous training under the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

On the other hand, Cde Mpofu is a veteran politician and the ruling party’s National Assembly representative for Matobo constituency (women’s quota).

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Kuda Bwititi in GWERU

THE ZANU PF Government is committed to accelerating the country’s development through policies that are geared towards lifting many Zimbabweans out of poverty and into prosperity, President Mnangagwa has said.

In his closing remarks at the 20th ZANU PF National People’s Conference here yesterday, the President rallied the ruling party to provide guidance for speedy implementation of programmes that improve the well-being of people and communities.

He said devolution, which is highly transformative, especially in rural areas, where the majority of Zimbabweans live, will be given impetus in the next five years.

“The amended 2023 party constitution gives impetus, urgency and renewed focus to the socio-economic and political realities of our country towards lifting many out of poverty and into prosperity,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Going forward, I urge the party to assume a greater sense of responsibility and renewed resolve towards providing the requisite leadership, guidance and support for the speedy implementation of policies, programmes and projects.

“Our ruling ZANU PF party must fully exercise the mandate entrusted on us to drive the success and prosperity of our nation.

“All the wings of the party must pull their weight.”

President Mnangagwa, who is also ZANU PF’s First Secretary, said the just-ended conference showed that the revolutionary party has a vision to provide a prosperous future for Zimbabweans.

“The presentations on the socio-economic and political situation in our country were reflective that the successes we continue to score as a ZANU PF-led Government demonstrate that we have a vision for a brighter and more prosperous future for the people of Zimbabwe.

“The discipline, focus and commitment demonstrated by delegates throughout the conference are applauded.

“This is reflective that we are a party that is fully aware of the weighty responsibility that we have to drive the development, modernisation and industrialisation of our beloved motherland.”

The theme for this year’s conference, he said, was tailor-made to emphasise the party’s commitment to improving people’s lives.

“The theme of this 20th National People’s Conference — ‘Towards Vision 2030 through Devolution, Industrialisation and Modernisation’ — provides enormous motivation for all of us to remain focused and consistent in the implementation of programmes and projects that uplift the standard of living across communities.”

The ruling party, the President added, is rejuvenating as it positions itself to deliver on its development agenda.

“ZANU PF is a party of our heritage and a party for the future; we are modernising, reorganising, recalibrating and rejuvenating.

“Forward ever, backward never.

“The insightful, open, constructive and solution-centred debates, which culminated in our sound and implementable conference resolutions, are applauded.”

President Mnangagwa said ZANU PF must remain inspired and guided by the national development philosophy — Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo.

“Mere talk harms the nation but hard, honest work flourishes the nation, hence, as we modernise and industrialise our country, we must continue to be a party of action and results,” he said.

He also said the impending by-elections provide the people of Zimbabwe with another opportunity to “democratically kick out the opportunistic, heartless and politically immature puppets of our detractors, which pretend to be opposition political parties”.

“ZANU PF is a people’s party; a party by the people and for the people,” he said.

“I once again call for unity, peace, love and non-violence before, during and after the by-elections.”

The country’s traditional leaders were hailed for nurturing peace and supporting the national development agenda.

Delegates were also exhorted to take back to the people plans and responsive policy interventions that were adopted at the annual indaba.

“The ongoing programme-driven grassroots mobilisation should remain the cornerstone of our colossal mass party. The party must continue being strong, village by village, while also consolidating support in cities and towns.”

He applauded Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries for once again showing solidarity with Zimbabwe during the Anti-Sanctions Day on Wednesday.

“The meeting was convened against a background of several activities,” he said.

“These included the SADC Anti-Sanctions Day, where we received increased support and solidarity from SADC and the progressive peoples of the global community on our call for the immediate and unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions.”

He also thanked China’s President Xi Jinping for sending his special envoy and China International Development Cooperation Agency vice chairperson Mr Tang Wenhong to officially hand over the new Parliament building to Government last week.

“Only on Thursday, I was pleased to receive a high-level delegation from my dear brother and colleague, His Excellency President Xi Jinping, which was sent to officially hand over to us the new Parliament of Zimbabwe building. On behalf of the people of Zimbabwe, our revolutionary party ZANU PF, and indeed on my own behalf, we express our deep gratitude to the Communist Party of China, President Xi Jinping and the people of China for this kind donation to our nation,” he said.

In his remarks, Vice President and ZANU PF Second Secretary Dr Constantino Chiwenga lauded President Mnangagwa for his unwavering commitment to improving people’s lives.

Vice President and ZANU PF Second Secretary Cde Kembo Mohadi, party national chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Politburo members, senior party and Government officials, service chiefs, diplomats and delegates from all the country’s 10 provinces attended the conference — which ended yesterday with an all-night musical concert.

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