Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: CBZ trains 3 000  entrepreneurs | Daily News

CBZ Holdings (CBZ) says it has trained over 3 000 young entrepreneurs in the last three years, as the financial institution moves towards promoting financial inclusion and new startups.

Blessing Mudavanhu, the group’s chief executive, on Friday said the country’s largest financial institution was providing a platform for previously unbanked young people to participate in the banking system.

“The platform being created will allow youngsters to create jobs for themselves and others,” he said, adding that CBZ — through the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (Yep) — was bringing disruptive innovation into the economy.

“It’s all about the future. If we invest in the youths then we are investing for the future,” Mudavanhu added.
Yep is a practical and results-based initiative involving youths from all the 10 provinces, which is nurturing a new generation of growth-oriented business persons.

The programme seeks to improve Zimbabwe youths including those who are in the rural areas through offering business opportunities which will in turn create employment opportunities.

This is in line with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s 2016-2020 National Financial Inclusion Strategy, which seeks to foster economic and social development by increasing fiscal space for previously marginalised key players such as smallholder farmers, women, youth, micro-small to medium-scale enterprises in the formal banking system.
To date 2 900 entrepreneurs have gone through the programme, with 52 percent of them being women. More than 400 businesses have been registered and are functioning as a result of the programme according to CBZ.

As part of the programme, the selected businesses compete with each other over the set period until winners are crowned at the end of the programme. The winners are given seed money to invest into their businesses.

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Source: Command Agric biggest source of wheat, maize | Daily News

Command Agriculture programme has saved the country for the past three years as it has become the biggest source of local wheat and maize, Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (Gmaz) has said.

Speaking in Bulawayo recently at a gala exhibition dinner that was meant to showcase millers’ products and create a platform for engagement and interaction, Gmaz chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara said they have now stepped up contract farming activities as they aim to yield in excess of 100 000 metric tonnes of wheat every year for the next three years.

“Let me assure you of continued and stable supplies of maize meal and other related products we produce. Strenuous efforts are being exerted to normalise flour supplies.

“We are here to register to you that the milling industry is ready, willing and able to be your suppliers and allies as you commence the process of rebuilding in terms of restocking and replacement of capital equipment wantonly destroyed and looted during the disturbances of January 2019. We salute the resilience of those affected but keen to resume business,” said Musarara.

He added that following the announcement of Government’s intervention, Gmaz decided to host the exhibition and reconnect with customers.

“The milling sector has enjoyed tremendous support from retailers in this precious Metropolitan Province of Bulawayo. Many retailers have proved to be honest and consistent in their dealings with millers.  We are nothing without you our customers. Your role in providing us the key link with the consumers is immeasurable.”
Musarara said in the previous disturbances, the milling sector lost nearly $3 000 000 worth of stock, largely stocks that were on consignment in shops but yet to be paid, loss arising from non-productivity for nearly seven days.

“And also our stocks from our own premises were looted.”

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Source: Judgment in Veritas  appeal reserved | Daily News

The Supreme Court has reserved ruling in a case in which Veritas, a parliamentary and civic rights watchdog, is appealing against a decision by the High Court to dismiss its application to conduct voter education.

Last year, High Court judge Owen Tagu refused to delve into the merits of Veritas’ application, arguing the organisation had brought the matter before the court on a “wrong form”.

This prompted Veritas to approach the Supreme Court seeking to have its case heard on merits and be allowed to carry out voter education in Zimbabwe.

However, Supreme Court judges Anne-Marie Gowora, Antonia Guvava and Chinembiri Bhunu recently reserved ruling after hearing arguments from the lawyers representing the organisation, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission and the Justice ministry.

Making submissions, Tererai Mafukidze — who is representing Veritas — told the court that Tagu misdirected himself by dismissing the organisation’s application based on technicalities without looking at the merits of the case as a constitutional matter.

Veritas is challenging various sections of the Electoral Act, on the basis that they are not in line with the Constitution.

The post Judgment in Veritas  appeal reserved appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: MDC supporters crank up heat on Mwonzora | Daily News

Tempers rose during an MDC Alliance rally at Chisamba Grounds in Mutare over the weekend when the party’s supporters heckled secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora resulting in president Nelson Chamisa threatening to walk out of the gathering unless Mwonzora was allowed to speak.

This was after supporters sympathetic to the youthful leader heckled and booed Mwonzora as he took to the podium to address the rally.

Mwonzora has thrown his name in the hat and will be challenging Chamisa’s MDC Alliance presidency at the party’s crucial congress in May.

It was, however, clear from the onset of the rally that Mwonzora could have a torrid time as almost all high ranking MDC Alliance leaders who spoke seemed to accuse him of being Zanu PF by challenging Chamisa.
Dangamvura-Chikanga MP and MDC chief whip Prosper Mutseyami had set the tone of the rally by declaring that a caucus by all sitting MPs and senators backed Chamisa’s presidency beyond congress. Organising secretary Amos Chibaya who was directing proceedings also hammered home on the need for the party to maintain its momentum by retaining their young leader declaring that any thoughts of changing their leader was a Zanu PF agenda.
Youth Assembly leader Happison “General Bvondo” Chidziwa pronounced his position saying as young people they would support one of their own for the party’s presidency.

Lynette Karenyi-Kore, the women’s assembly leader also rose to add her voice to the endorsement of Chamisa’s continued leadership of the party beyond congress before it was Mwonzora’s turn to take to the podium.
Not to be outdone, Tendai Biti would also go on to declare that there was no need to change commanders in the middle of a war.

So by the time Mwonzora came to the podium, all anger was focused on him as he rose to deafening booing forcing Chamisa to rush to the stage and threatening to return without addressing the rally if they would not allow the party secretary-general to address them.

Chamisa told the rally he understood emotions were running high due to the impending congress but bemoaned what he termed Zanu PF culture in which it is a taboo for the presidency to be openly challenged.
“MDC people follow MDC culture… our secretary-general shall speak after that we will proceed with our programme otherwise; I’ll not address the rally myself,” Chamisa said before chiding a group of supporters who were already raising placards denouncing Mwonzora.
“Put down the placards, this is not the time,” he said.

“I know its congress time… I know you’re used to Zanu PF culture that says the leader should not be contested. I’ve heard what you said that you don’t change a commander during war but we want people to determine their leaders. I’ll have to allow those who want to contest to do so… He who contests me is the one who strengthens me,” Chamisa said.

He said he knew that when the party openly shows division it would be because of positions.
“I know that if it’s like this in Manicaland there will be positions being sought,” the MDC leader said.
Mwonzora on his part went on to deliver a speech in which he applauded the province’s exploits in the past election before declaring his vision for a united party.

“I want this MDC to be a united party, I want this MDC to be a party that chooses, I want this MDC to be a tolerant and democratic party. I want this MDC as secretary-general to be a disciplined party,” Mwonzora said in an emotional delivery.

The post MDC supporters crank up heat on Mwonzora appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Outrage over  deployment  of teachers  | Daily News

Communities in Bulawayo and its hinterland have expressed dismay over the continued deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers in the region.

This came after the ministry of Education released names of teachers to be deployed to different parts of Zimbabwe.
Most of those deployed into the Matabeleland region have Shona surnames.

Neutrals believe that the problem should not be the deployment of teachers from other regions into Matabeleland, but that it can only become an issue if they fail to speak the local language and to communicate meaningfully with the students.

But the militant Mthwakazi Republic Party insisted this week that Matabeleland jobs belong to people from the region and anything less than that will not be acceptable.

Contacted for comment on the issue, Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela said their job is not to select teachers but they receive names from the Public Service Commission (PSC), which deals with the recruitment of government employees.

Efforts to get comment from the PSC were fruitless.

Communities in Matabeleland fear that the deployment of non-Ndebele speaking teachers in the region will distort their language and erode their culture.

“We cannot appreciate the deployment of teachers who cannot even communicate in local languages at the expense of equally qualified locals, right now my Grade 3 daughter speaks proper Shona yet she is clueless when it comes to Ndebele words, which is really not fair,” said one parent who declined to be named.
Some activists are accusing government of intentionally trying to erode the Ndebele culture and working against devolution.

“The deployment of non-local languages speaking teachers in Matabeleland in large numbers by the government is not new and is also not a coincidence. It is a deliberate attempt to destroy Matabeleland identity, language and culture from the grassroots,” said Presia Ngulube, a Mthwakazi activist.

Some activists are therefore encouraging concerned citizens to raise their grievances through a petition.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said the concerns being raised are valid considering the recorded zero percent pass rate in Matabeleland.

Majongwe called for the establishment of a board to oversee appointments as is done in other countries.
“This mammoth responsibility cannot be left to five people sitting in an office at PSC, and to avoid such things government should involve stakeholders such that those with qualifications are selected properly,” Majongwe said.
“The coincidence that there are 90 percent Shona names raises eyebrows even when we know there are several who are born there. What of the Nambya, Tonga, Venda, Kalanga and Sotho names? Some who were there on the first list?”
They are some who feel that the problem is not the deployment of Shona teachers to Matabeleland, but it becomes an issue if the teachers fail to speak the local language and to communicate meaningfully with the students.
“The point whether one is Tonga, Kalanga, Ndebele or Shona doesn’t matter, anyone can teach in Zimbabwe because what matters is that person’s teaching skills, ability to adapt and above all have a good command of English as a teaching language,” said one Bulawayo resident.

“The only problem will then emanate when that same teacher is supposed to teach an infant and there is language barrier, infants communicate and understand concepts better in their own mother language.”

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