Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: ED set to  resume rallies | Daily News

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to resume his “thank you rallies” as the party’s commissariat is ceased with the matter, a senior Zanu PF official has said.

Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo said: “As soon as his schedule allows, he will resume the rallies, the cyclone issue takes precedence. He will advise as soon as the situation permits. The commissariat is ceased with that matter.”

This comes after Mnangagwa cancelled his rally which was scheduled for last Saturday in Shurugwi, Midlands Province, in order to attend to the cyclone disaster, which left over 100 people dead and thousands others homeless.

Announcing the postponement, Zanu PF Midlands provincial spokesperson Cornelius Mupereri said the event had been moved forward to enable the president to deal with the cyclone issue.

As part of the “thank you rallies”, Mnangagwa has been to Mwenezi in Masvingo Province, but snubbed an earlier gathering in Mashonaland Central Mt Darwin, under unclear circumstances.

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Source: Fish farming to  create 20 000 jobs | Daily News

FISH farming could be a turning point for Zimbabwe’s sinking employment sector with a capacity of creating 20 000 jobs, a major stakeholder in the industry has revealed.

Zimbabwe Fish Producers Association (ZFPA) says the country’s aquaculture sector can produce “20 000 metric tonnes of fish, creating 10 000 direct jobs and another 10 000 indirect ones”.

“Zimbabwe already boasts the largest fish farming operation in Africa and there is scope to grow small scale commercial fish production too in the country which holds 60 percent of all dammed water in the SADC region and has desirable climatic conditions for freshwater aquaculture,” ZFPA said in a statement.

“It is recognised that fish farming is the fastest growing food producing sector in the world and has a key role to play in feeding an increasing world population, as fish can be produced more efficiently and cost-effectively than most meat proteins.

“ZFPA believes that fish production in Zimbabwe will grow significantly, with aquaculture proudly taking its place alongside the chicken, pork and beef industries as a key supplier of tasty, nutritious, home-grown protein for a growing population.”

ZFPA is pushing for creation of an Aquaculture Development Fund, a strategy that stakeholders tabled during the planning phase of the Command Fisheries Programme.

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Source: Govt shuts down 40 Chimanimani schools | Daily News

GOVERNMENT has closed more than 40 Tropical Cyclone Idai-ravaged schools across Chimanimani over safety concerns.

Manicaland Provincial Education director Edward Shumba said the request for the early closure of schools was due to a huge infrastructural damage to the 43 primary and secondary schools which was now posing a danger to pupils and teachers.

“We requested for the closure of the schools because of the infrastructural damage to most schools in the area and even those that had no collapsed buildings would need experts to check them to ensure their safety,” Shumba said.
Some of the schools were never opened after several buildings were destroyed in the storm that killed over 300 people and left thousands homeless.

St Charles Lwanga was the first to close after its dining hall and a dormitory were crushed by a landslide that killed two students and a security guard.

Food supplies were also buried in the mudslide.
Most of the schools were struggling with the psychological trauma of multiple deaths of pupils and teachers with Dzingire Primary School missing 39 pupils and three staffers including the headmaster, hence making learning difficult.

Boarding schools were also now relying on helicopter-delivered food aid as they could no longer replenish their stocks as they were cut off after bridges were swept away and landslides buried roads in the mountainous region.

Rusitu High School headmaster Tenson Matende earlier this week sent a video message pleading for assistance after his school had completely run out of food. It has about 380 boarders.
Shumba said while some boarding schools were now accessible some would still need to care for the children until there was a way to extract them.

Some of the closed schools are in Biriiri, Tarka, Chisengu, Martin, Muchadziya, Vhimba, Ndima, Dzingire, Mutsvangwa, Museye, Roscommon,  Chikukwa, Ndakopa, Westward Hall, Hlabiso, Kushinga, Nyabanga, Nyahode, Mukombiwani, Thabanchu, Ndieme, Tiya, Mannase, Marirwe, Kwirire, Merrywaters and Cambridge among others.

Shumba said some schools are still completely inaccessible and their recommendations were based on information received from neighbouring schools.

“We are hoping to tour the schools to ascertain the number of pupils and teachers we lost as well as inspect their infrastructure once the roads become passable hopefully in two weeks,” Shumba said.

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South Africa Under-23 coach David Notoane expects a tough encounter against Zimbabwe in June‚ in a qualifier where the winner will reach the 2019 Africa Under-23 Cup of Nations. Young Bafana got off to a [...]

Source: ED appoints two acting presidents in four days | Daily News

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed two different acting presidents in a space of only four days when he was out of the country — a development described by critics as devoid of wisdom.

When Mnangagwa went to Angola last weekend on a one-day visit, he appointed one of his deputies, Kembo Mohadi as the acting president.

The ministry of Information posted on its Twitter handle that Mohadi was the interim leader while Mnangagwa was attending the commemoration of Southern African Liberation Day, the Cuito Cuanavale.

On his return from Luanda after a day, Mnangagwa, who critics have slammed for his “unproductive” globetrotting antics which have led to comparisons to his predecessor former President Robert Mugabe’s foreign jaunts, proceeded to South Africa on another one-day official visit — this time leaving the other of his two vice presidents, Constantino Chiwenga in charge.
The announcement was made by the Information and Publicity ministry in a tweet on Monday.

“Whilst His Excellency is in South Africa on official business (25 to 26 March 2019), Hon Gen (Rtd) C G D N Chiwenga will be Acting President,” the ministry said on its Twitter handle.
The opposition MDC wasted no time in twisting the knife into Mnangagwa and his deputies.

Jacob Mafume, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC spokesperson told the Daily News yesterday that Mnangagwa’s VPs when in acting capacity as Presidents are in the habit of going into hibernation when faced with crises as they cannot make critical decisions in the president’s absence.

“It’s a thoughtless merry go round where the individuals concerned see this as an unending sweet to share around,” Mafume said suggesting that Mnangagwa’s deputies are enjoying sharing the benefits that comes with being acting president even for just a day.

“The trips seem pointlessly endless and the ‘acting’ seems to achieve some bizarre ritualistic fairness for the VPs; nothing to benefit the nation at all.

“Even when disasters happen the appointed VP disappears until the president comes back,” he said further.
Presidential spokesperson George Charamba was not available for a comment as his phone was not reachable.

Government usually comes to a virtual standstill when Mnangagwa is away with even Cabinet not meeting until he is back to chair it. The same applies to critical Zanu PF meetings such as the politburo and central committee that he chairs but does not allow his deputies to take over in his absence.

This was the same situation when Mugabe was still in charge before he was deposed by Mnangagwa in November 2017 with the help of the military.

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