The US$3.65 Million Heist: How a Chinese Executive Looted Millions of Cash from a Zimbabwean Lithium Mine HARARE – In the high-stakes world of Zimbabwe’s lithium rush, where the promise of “white gold” has attracted billions in foreign investment, a staggering case of corporate betrayal has laid bare the fragile underbelly of the nation’s most […]

The post Chinese Executive in US$3.65 Million Heist, Zimbabwe-based Lithium Mine Crumbles first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Something’s been catching my attention lately. Every time ZESA kills our electricity, I notice a pattern.

My younger brother and his friends pull out their phones the moment lights go out. They’re not checking Facebook or playing Candy Crush. They’re gambling on crash games—not football betting like everyone used to be obsessed with.

These games show numbers climbing from 1.0x upward, and you decide when to cash out. Do you grab your money at 1.87x or hold your breath and pray it reaches 3.2x before it crashes? Last Tuesday I watched my brother play aviator bet for 47 minutes during a blackout. He made $23 profit off his original $10, then lost $15 back the next afternoon.

The Appeal Makes Sense When You Think About It

I talked to regular players to understand why this gambling type has blown up among people aged 18 to 29 in Harare and Bulawayo.

You don’t need to know sports statistics or which teams are in form. Zero studying required. Just fast fingers and luck. Each round is super short—sometimes 2 seconds, sometimes 90 seconds if you’re lucky. Compare that to sitting through an entire 90-minute football match while your money hangs in limbo.

My cousin Janet, 24, works retail. She explained: “I can play during lunch break, win or lose, and get back to work. I’m not sitting there stressed about some match happening in England at 9pm.”

But Here’s Where I Get Concerned

The speed is legitimately addictive. You can finish 40 complete rounds while drinking one Coke. Your money disappears so fast you barely register what’s happening. I watched one guy blow through $50 in about 11 minutes. After every loss he kept muttering “just one more round.”

There’s basically no visible regulation happening with these games. Our economy’s already a mess without piling gambling addiction problems on top, but I don’t see anyone tracking this trend or building support systems for folks who spiral too deep.

The marketing is everywhere on social media—flashy videos showing massive wins, people celebrating, money raining. You know what they never show? The fact that most sessions end with losses.

Real Stories From Real People

Met a guy named Tendai at a coffee shop in Avondale. He’s 27, does IT work. Started playing these crash games in January, and by March he’d lost roughly $340—more than most Zimbabweans earn in an entire month. He quit after that, which took serious willpower. But the urge to play again hits him hard every time he scrolls past an ad or hears friends bragging about wins.

Flip side: I know a woman who plays with iron discipline. She budgets exactly $20 monthly, treating it like entertainment money for movies or drinks. When that $20 disappears, she stops completely until next month. Been doing this for 6 months straight without breaking her rule once. That’s rare though.

We need honest conversations about this situation. Not fake outraged panic, but actual real discussions about risks and responsible gambling for those who’ll do it anyway. Pretending this trend doesn’t exist won’t make it disappear.

The post Why Young Zimbabweans Are Turning to Quick-Win Games During Power Cuts appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

The nation of Zimbabwe has been cast into a sombre mood following the sudden passing of Mrs Chipo Reza, the esteemed wife of Mr Michael Reza, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC). Mrs Reza, aged 63, reportedly collapsed at her residence on a Sunday afternoon, a tragic event that has naturally prompted an investigative […]

The post ZACC Chairperson Mr Michael Reza’s Wife Dies: Is There More to This Tragic Loss? first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Tragedy Strikes Mushunje High School as Classroom Altercation Turns Fatal MUTARE – Mushunje High School in the Marange area of Manicaland province, has been plunged into mourning following a devastating incident where a Form One learner tragically died after a physical altercation with a fellow student on the school premises. The incident, which occurred on […]

The post Bloody Fight in Class: Boy Dies After Being Thoroughly Beaten at Mushunje High School, Form 1 Learner Arrested for Murder first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Source: Club champions healthy ageing in Nkulumane – herald

Eliah Saushoma, elisaushoma@gmail.com

A GROUP of elderly women from Bulawayo’s Nkulumane suburb is proving that age is no barrier to healthy living, using regular exercise to improve their wellbeing while supporting Government efforts to promote preventive healthcare and active ageing.

The women, who belong to the Qinisani Fitness Club, have become an inspiration in their community after transforming their lives through structured fitness programmes. Their commitment to healthy living was recently recognised when they received medals for championing wellness and active ageing.

Speaking after receiving the award, the club’s founder, Mrs Yonah Mpofu, said she started the initiative after noticing that many elderly people were living sedentary lifestyles despite the well-documented health benefits of regular physical activity.

“As we grow older, our bodies naturally undergo changes, but regular exercise remains one of the most effective ways of maintaining good health. That inspired me to invite other elderly people so that we could exercise together,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said the club started with just 11 members and initially exercised without professional guidance until a young volunteer from the community offered to train them on proper exercise techniques.

“We now have a structured timetable and meet every Monday, Tuesday and Friday between 7AM and 8.30AM,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu said the programme has produced remarkable health improvements among members.

“One of our members who suffered a stroke is now able to walk again because of these exercises. She continues to inspire us. We have also seen improvements among members who had high blood pressure and diabetes,” she said.

Mrs Mpofu urged elderly Zimbabweans to embrace physical activity, saying regular exercise helps reduce the burden of preventable illnesses and expensive medical treatment.

She said members also encourage one another to adopt healthier eating habits by consuming more vegetables, fruits and white meat while reducing sugar, fatty foods, fizzy drinks and excessive red meat.
Club member Mrs Rebecca Nyoni (54) said joining the fitness group had transformed her health.

“Before joining Qinisani Fitness Club, I struggled with high blood pressure. After only two months of exercising, my blood pressure has stabilised and is now normal,” she said.

Mrs Nyoni said the club also promotes healthy traditional diets, encouraging members to eat pumpkins, dried vegetables, mopane worms and other nutritious local foods.

“I encourage other elderly women to join us. Regular exercise keeps us fit and healthy and reduces our dependence on medication because many diseases can be prevented through physical activity,” she said.

The Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, who officiated at the awards ceremony, commended the women for taking charge of their health and supporting Government’s preventive healthcare agenda.

She said the initiative aligns with Vision 2030, which seeks to build an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society.

“A healthy nation is essential for achieving Vision 2030 because economic development depends on healthy citizens. Communities cannot fully participate in development if they are burdened by preventable illnesses,” said Minister Ncube.

She said Government recognises the important role senior citizens continue to play in national development and remains committed to promoting programmes that enhance their health, dignity and social inclusion.

“Development is not only about roads, buildings and infrastructure. Development is also about healthy people,” said the minister.
She noted that the Qinisani Fitness Club was doing more than promoting physical fitness by helping elderly people

overcome loneliness and social isolation.

“By coming together regularly, encouraging one another, laughing together and exercising together, you are strengthening not only your bodies but also your emotional and mental wellbeing. You are reminding one another that growing older does not mean becoming inactive or forgotten,” said Minister Ncube.

She urged the club to expand its membership so that more elderly people across Bulawayo Province could benefit from the programme.

The minister described exercise as one of the most affordable and effective forms of preventive healthcare, saying every walk, stretch and aerobic session contributes to a healthier nation.

The post Club champions healthy ageing in Nkulumane appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.