Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: National events postponed after Cyclone Idai | Daily News

SEVERAL national and international events have been put on ice to allow the mourning of victims of the recent Cyclone Idai which ravaged most parts in Eastern Zimbabwe where it killed more than 300 people.

There were a number of activities lined-up in March which include Zero Discrimination Day, International Women’s Day, World Wildlife Day, World Consumer Rights Day, International Happiness Day and World Water Day.
Zimbabwe was hit by the tropical cyclone just days after commemorating the International Women’s Day.

The cyclone which battered most parts in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts, in Manicaland Province, was declared a national disaster by President Emmerson Mnangagwa who set aside last weekend as national days of mourning.

Following the national days of mourning Harare City Council (HCC) joined others in postponing World Water Day celebrations.
World Water Day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

“The national celebrations have been postponed so we also have to postpone.
“There is really nothing to celebrate when the nation is mourning lives lost,” HCC public relations manager Michael Chideme told the Daily News.

Organisers of the annual National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) also postponed the 18th edition of the event which was scheduled for March 23 at Harare International Conference Centre as a mart of respect to victims of the deadly storms.

The post National events postponed after Cyclone Idai appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Divisions rock war veterans | Daily News

FRESH cracks have emerged in the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans’ Association (ZNLWVA) where secretary general Victor Matemadanda has come under attack for holding meetings without the consent of members.

Matemadanda, who is also Defence deputy minister is said to be leading a faction seeking to overthrow ZNLWVA chairperson and former Cabinet minister Christopher Mutsvangwa.
The war veterans’ secretary-general is on a national campaign to drum up support for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s spirited drive against sanctions.

However, Matemadanda’s critics have said the meetings have not been sanctioned by the executive and were meant to incite structures to dump Mutsvangwa.
Matemadanda, who was in Mashonaland West Province last week defended his Indabas.

“I do not need to consult anyone on that because I am the most senior war veterans’ representative in Zanu PF.
“Moreover, I am meeting not with ex-combatants but veterans of the liberation struggle and these include war collaborators”.
“People must able to distinguish the ZNLWVA’s work, Zanu PF work and government work.
“In fact I am not at liberty to respond to such silly allegations by people who are ignorant.

“I have better things to do,” Matemadanda told the Daily News.
ZNLWVA national executive member Charles Muchena said Matemadanda had not been mandated by the war veterans’ executive to hold such meetings.

“What we know is that such meetings are discussed at the national executive level and the chairperson should naturally know but in this case he is not aware.
“I don’t think the meetings he is holding have anything to do with us.

“When he came to Masvingo he met with Zanu PF structures as well as war veterans but that we thought he was acting in his capacity as deputy minister of Defence as well as politburo member so we did not worry about the nonsense that we are hearing about factionalism since it was not a ZNLWVA indaba which he is not mandated to tell what to do,” Muchena said.

Matemadanda and Mutsvangwa led the majority of war veterans in defending Mnangagwa at the height of Zanu PF’s deadly succession, tribal and factional fights which only ended after the military intervention which ousted former president Robert Mugabe in November 2017.

However, in recent months there have been signs that Matemadanda and Mutsvangwa might no longer be seeing things the same way.

In November last year, Mashonaland West and East war vets provincial executives pushed for  a no confidence vote against Mutsvangwa but he had the backing of 10 other provinces which easily knocked back the plan.

The post Divisions rock war veterans appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: . . as EU provides helicopter for Cyclone Idai relief operation | Daily News

THE EUROPEAN Union (EU) has provided a helicopter to support the relief efforts in the Eastern Highlands following the devastating impact of Cyclone Idai earlier this month.

The helicopter (Mi-8AMT), operated by the World Food Programme (WFP), started its mission yesterday from Mutare.
It can transport up to three metric tonnes or 19 people and will connect responders with cut-off and hard-to reach areas of Chimanimani and Chipinge.

This enables transportation of necessary relief items (NFIs), and also personnel and injured people for a period of approximately three weeks. The helicopter will be at the free disposal of about 20 humanitarian organisations, and will do about five rotations per day.

EU ambassador Timo Olkkonen, who will visit the affected areas tomorrow this week, said: “We believe that this helicopter will make a crucial difference to the difficult relief operations currently underway.

“The humanitarian teams are now able to reach the victims in the most remote areas, supply them with relief items, including medicines, shelter kits and hygiene packs, and to assist the medical evacuation where needed.
“Flying into the affected areas will also help us in gathering a better picture of the extent of damage and devastation and to coordinate further assistance.”

The helicopter’s cost of EUR250 000 is covered from the EUR3,5 million that the EU’s humanitarian arm, ECHO, has provided for relief operations in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

EU support is already on the ground through on-going EU-funded projects, such as the Health Development Fund, which just earmarked an additional US$600 000 for crucial medication, and the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund.

Beyond that, the EU’s Earth Observation Programme, Copernicus, provides Emergency Satellite Maps to gather updated information and assess the impact of Cyclone Idai, which will assist not only the relief mission, but also the EU in determining what additional support will be needed.

The post . . as EU provides helicopter for Cyclone Idai relief operation appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

A 35-year-old Chiredzi man, Austine Chitema, was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly killed Castina Moyo (71) and skinned her with a machete. Masvingo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Charity Mazula has confirmed the incident. According to a police report, Moyo of village 4 Chiumburu, under Chief Chitanga in Mwenezi and her four-year-old grandchild, were tending their millet

INMATES at Mutare Remand Prison have bemoaned inhumane conditions characterised by lack of clean water, balanced diet, clothing, blankets and overcrowding, which is making the penitentiary a haven for disease. This came out during a media tour of the prison on Saturday. Inmates claimed they cannot sleep owing to overcrowding and complained about acute shortages of food and medicines.