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Source: Mutare dangles carrot to ratepayers | Newsday (News)

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

MUTARE City Council has intensified efforts to raise revenue by introducing a competition, whereby ratepayers who settle their outstanding bills will win grand prizes, including residential stands.

This was revealed at a full council meeting held on Tuesday, where it was also revealed that the grand draw will be held at Sakubva Stadium in the next 10 months.

This also comes after Mutare town clerk Joshua Maligwa made shocking revelations that from 48 833 property holders in the city, only 18 000 were in their billing system.

City spokesperson Spren Mutiwi said the competition was set to restore a paying culture by residents in Mutare.

He said every account holder should pay at least $30 to enter into the competition.

“Our focus in this competition is to encourage our residents to pay their rates and restore the culture of paying their rentals and update their accounts,” he said.

“The competition will run for 10 months, with complementary prizes set to be won at the council banking halls. We are going to make sure that all the prizes will be branded council materials and every account holder just needs $30 to enter the competition.”

Maligwa told the same meeting that they were hoping to raise $5 million from the promotion.

“We have about 48 883 property holders in Mutare, whom we are saying come and pay. Out of the 48 883 property holders in Mutare, only 18 000 are in our billing system,”he said.

“If we play our cards very well, we will be the richest council in the country or maybe in the region. We used $55 000 in the promotion and we are hoping to raise $5 million.”

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Source: Stop the circus, end people's suffering | Daily News

Zimbabwean politics has for long been like reading a wrong syllabus for an examination and I see no end to this as we are already in the 2023 electioneering mode.

I have concluded that the definition of Zimbabwean politics is ensuring the citizenry are confined to economic suffering, hold them captives of patronage, limit their horizon of thinking, give them some crumbles for relief, feel the pain and hunger on their behalf, give them endless promises make them believe only politicians have got total control of answers and solutions to the suffering majority’s expectations, dreams and hope. Whilst the politicians and the privileged few are enjoying life now, the suffering majority followers are being promised better life not tomorrow but in the future! The situation which Zimbabwe has endured is testimony to a country that has lost hope, now looking up for divine intervention and an oasis of hope from our politicians’ conscience. — MK.

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Source: ZMDC to embark on riverbank mining | The Herald March 7, 2019

Minister Shiri

Mash Central Bureau
GOVERNMENT, through the  Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), will soon embark on riverbank mining along major rivers in a bid to tap into precious minerals, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri has said.

Speaking in Bindura recently, Cde Shiri said the exercise, which will also help in the desiltation of rivers, was a great opportunity for Mashonaland Central Province where gold is in abundance and would be starting with Mazowe and Angwa rivers which have become shallower because they are now clogged with sand.

The extracted sand will be sold interested parties.

“We have great rivers which are thought to be holding on to a great deal of precious minerals. We will start by desilting Mazowe and Angwa rivers. Government will be involved together with its partners, which means that Government arms like the MMCZ will be coming to mine in those rivers. The extracted sand will sold to those interested. Those interested in looking for minerals will do the processing of the precious minerals,” Minister Shiri said.

“It is an opportunity for this province where gold is in abundance. It is expected that minerals like gold will be found in these rivers.”

He said private players who are interested in the desiltation exercise should first acquire the requisite licences and look for partners who will bring in the technology and equipment.

Government had suspended the desilting of Mazowe River following illegal mining activities which were being carried out under the guise of river desiltation, forcing the river to divert its course and posing a serious threat to surrounding communities who depend on the river for water.

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Source: Vivo acquires Engen | Daily News

VIVO Energy Plc (Vivo) has concluded the takeover of Engen Holdings (Engen) operations in a number of countries including Zimbabwe in a transaction worth $62 million.

The transaction also involved an issue by Vivo of 63,2 million new shares, resulting in Engen holding a circa 5,0 percent shareholding. Christian Chammas, the Vivo chief executive officer, said the transaction adds operations in eight new countries and 230 Engen-branded service stations to Vivo Energy’s network, taking its total presence to over 2 000 service stations, across 23 African markets.

“The new markets for Vivo Energy are Gabon, Malawi, Mozambique, Reunion, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Engen’s Kenya operation, where Vivo Energy already operates is the ninth country included in the transaction,” he said.

Vivo is a downstream petroleum company with its headquarters in Netherlands. It is the company behind the Shell brand in Africa and is jointly owned by Vitol, Helios Investment Partners and Shell. In 2014, Engen Zimbabwe had 55 service stations. In December 2017, Vivo agreed to buy the operations of Engen in 10 African nations.

Chammas said the cash element of the consideration was funded by a draw down on Vivo Energy’s multi-currency facility. He added that on the basis of information provided by Engen, Vivo believes that the 2018 financial performance of the target group will be similar to 2017. “Increased fuel volumes, driven by the commercial segment, are expected to have been offset by lower margins,” Chammas said.

He noted that in Vivo’s first seven years, the company invested to grow the business, increasing service station network and adding new and refurbished convenience retail and quick service restaurant offers.

“We have an opportunity to replicate this successful business model to drive growth and profitability in our new markets. We must seize this in order to benefit all our customers, deliver value for our shareholders, and move closer to achieving our goal of becoming Africa’s most respected energy business,” Chammas said.

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MDC President Nelson Chamisa has inadvertently revealed what looks like an enticement for secretary general Douglas Mwonzora to abandon his bid to challenge him for president at a party elective congress May this year. Mwonzora [...]