Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

The much-anticipated 2019 Monetray Policy Statement came and saw the Reserve Bank liberalizing the foreign currency exchange market. However, the black (or parallel) market rate remains a premium compared to the official rate, as the updated obtaining rates as of Tuesday morning  show. The current bank exchange rates for the RTGS$ today are as follows […]

Source: Govt tightens screws on teachers | Newsday (News)

BY EVERSON MUSHAVA

GOVERNMENT yesterday started public hearings to solicit people’s views on the establishment of the Teaching Profession Council (TPC) that will require teachers to seek an annually renewable teaching practicing certificate. The move, which could spell the end of trade unions, according to critics, was aimed at making it difficult for teachers to go on strike.

The Teaching Profession Council Bill contains a raft of changes in the regulation and professional conduct of the teaching profession that has for long been the preserve of unions.

According to the Bill, the teaching profession will now be regulated by an 18-member council, consisting of one representative from the Law Society of Zimbabwe, Association of Trust Schools, Public Service Commission, Correspondence and Independent Colleges, two members recommended by the Higher and Tertiary Education ministry, from the Department of Teacher Education and Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, five registered teachers through an elected criteria set by council and five registered teachers from teachers’ unions, among others.

“A person shall apply to the council for registration as a teacher in the prescribed manner and form upon payment of the prescribed fee,” part of the Bill read.

“The council may, within 30 days of receipt of an application under subsection (I) grant or reject the application.”

The Bill added: “A teacher shall apply to the council for a practicing certificate in the prescribed manner and form upon payment of the prescribed fee. The council within 30 days of receipt of an application under subsection (l) and where the application meets such requirements as may be prescribed, issue the applicant with a practicing certificate. The council shall reject an application which does not meet the requirements of this Act, and inform the applicant, in writing, and give the reasons for the rejection.

On renewal, the Bill said: “A practicing certificate shall be renewed every year in the prescribed manner and form upon payment of the prescribed fee. A practicing certificate that is not renewed in accordance with subsection (1) is void. A certificate issued under this part shall contain such terms and conditions of the certificate as the council may determine.”

The council will have several functions that include registering of teachers, regulating the professional conduct of teachers, develop, maintain and improve appropriate standards of qualification in the teaching profession and promote continuing professional development among teachers as well as develop, promote and enforce international comparable teaching profession practice standard in order to improve the quality of education in Zimbabwe.

The council will also investigate allegations of professional misconduct on teachers and impose sanctions as may be necessary.

According to the Bill, the council shall appoint a registrar, who shall be its chief executive officer, on such terms and conditions as the council may determine.

The registration will recognise several classes of membership with each class of membership entitled to certain rights.

A person will not qualify for registration as a teacher under this Act if the person does not possess the prescribed qualifications, has, for any reason, ceased to practise as a teacher or been de-registered or has been convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty under this Act or any, among a raft of reasons.

A teacher can have the practising certificate cancelled if found guilty of any professional misconduct; declared to be of unsound mind under the Mental Health Act; obtained the practicing certificate through fraud, misrepresentation or concealment of a material fact and commits an offence under this Act or contravenes the code of ethics, among other reasons.

The post Govt tightens screws on teachers appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.

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Source: Zanu PF wants Mugabe stripped of honours | Daily News

ZANU PF youth league has escalated its  attacks on former leader Robert Mugabe, pictured, whom it now wants stripped of all honours bestowed on him during his disastrous 37 years at the helm of the country.

This follows Mugabe’s withering criticism of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s style of governance, particularly his government’s vicious crackdown against protesters in the January riots.
Last week, the youth league warned their former darling that he had crossed the line and agitated for harsher treatment by Mnangagwa who has, to his credit, so far remained unmoved by Mugabe’s attacks.

Zanu PF youth league leader Pupurai Togarepi has warned Mugabe that he could be stripped of his domestic honours because of his continued brawling with Mnangagwa and his government.
“As I reflected on events of the past month, itself a month of love, I thought about our former leader, a man whose birthday on February 21 is now a public holiday where youths from across the political divide take a breather and reflect, but do we really need to honour such a person? “Yes then but I am now confused.

“Can we keep our international airport named after a bitter man?  Can we walk on roads named after a person who destroyed the dreams and aspirations of a generation, these are questions that we need to discuss and debate.
“Least I am regarded as a revisionist, no I am not, I am only a Zanu PF son who loves his nation,” Togarepi said in a Facebook post.

During his reign, the ruling Zanu PF government honoured Mugabe by naming at one road in every city and town after the former strongman who ironically had the Harare International Airport named after him just months away from the stunning military coup which swept him from power.

The nonagenarian, who was ousted from power via a stunning military coup in November 2017, chose the occasion of his 95th birthday celebrations last month to once again stick the boot into Mnangagwa — whom he described as “cruel and rogue”.
Mugabe’s rant against Mnangagwa caught many by surprise as he was lately seen to be now tolerant of the country’s ‘new dispensation’ — even going to the extent, at some point, of praising his successor for “helping” his family.

Reacting to Mugabe’s latest attacks on Mnangagwa and his government, senior Zanu PF officials called for tough action against the frail nonagenarian this week, while also bemoaning the fact that he was being treated like a “little god” by his successor.

The officials from the ruling party’s youth and women’s leagues said as Mugabe was “unrepentant”, he did not deserve “the respect” that he was being accorded by Mnangagwa and the government.

Mugabe chose his 95th birthday celebrations at his palatial Borrowdale home — which is commonly referred to as the Blue Roof — to renew his feud with his once longtime aide, Mnangagwa, following his fall from power after nearly four decades at the helm of the country.

“You want to shower yourself with praises despite being at the top? You are not God ED. Today you are at the top, tomorrow you will be at the bottom. Keep that in mind. “God has his own way of punishing rogues and cruel people.

“He who is obsessed with seeing corpses everyday will soon realise that people would clamour too to see his corpse one day. I say to soldiers ‘stop killing people’. “What you are doing (killing people) is going to catch up with you very, very soon. Just tomorrow, it would have caught up with you,” the bitter Mugabe warned ominously in reports relayed to the outside world via his associates.

The nonagenarian was believed to be referring to the recent riots in which up to 20 people were killed when angry protesters clashed with security forces during a stayaway called by labour unions.
Pro-democracy and rights groups alleged that some rogue soldiers had also raped women during night raids, although the military has denied the allegations — saying this had been done by armed robbers and members who had deserted the security forces.

The January riots were sparked by steep fuel price hikes which were announced by Mnangagwa ahead of his trip to Eastern Europe.
“People should love their army … they should not fear the army. We can’t continue with people being bashed on the head.

“So, I say to you, ‘get your lessons correct’. Let’s create an environment where our people are happy, not what’s happening now.
“We will not shy away or be afraid to talk. No! Let’s be frank with each other,” Mugabe said further during his birthday celebrations.

The post Zanu PF wants Mugabe stripped of honours appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Zupco in bid to boost fleet | Daily News

Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (Zupco) is inviting bidders from suitable suppliers for semi luxury buses as it fails to meet transport demands. In an advertisement the bus company advised interested bidders to attach copies of certificate of incorporation, CR14 and administration.

“Tenders must be enclosed in a sealed envelope and endorsed on the outside with the advertised tender number, the description, the closing date and must be posted in time,” Zupco said. The tender comes a month after government said the bus company was expecting a delivery of 500 buses from Belarus and South Africa following negotiations with the two countries.

Commenting on the tender, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting services permanent secretary Nick Mangwana said government was working towards eliminating public transport related challenges in the country. “Sustainable long term public transportation systems should generally make it better and cheaper to commute by public transport than driving.

“We are not yet there but plans are in place to resolve current public transport system challenges with Zupco being a big part of it,” Mangwana said. This comes as plans to revive the State-owned transport operator, are moving forward after the parastatal also embarked on a recruitment drive.

Zupco last week advertised several vacant positions including bus conductors, cashiers, analysis clerks, automobile electricians, workshop foremen and artisan-motor mechanics/diesel plant fitters.
The company re-introduced its buses while hiring others from private transporters after kombis increased commuter fares following the infamous fuel price hikes in January.

More than 140 buses were mobilised to carry passengers for $1 per trip in and around Harare as part of long-term interventions to modernise the mass public transport system in Zimbabwe.
Commuters from Chitungwiza and Norton pay $1,50 and $2 per trip, respectively while the rest of the routes are charged a dollar.

The buses were also introduced in Bulawayo where they brought relief to commuters who were being charged exorbitant fares for a rough ride in commuter omnibuses. This development saw commuter omnibus operators reducing their fares following the introduction of these buses.

Passengers in Harare and Bulawayo slammed kombi operators for exploiting them, with some people calling for their immediate ban.
However, over the past few weeks passengers have once again been left stranded as Zupco buses have reportedly disappeared from the roads in Bulawayo and some parts of Harare.

Government reportedly failed to settle debts with some of the contractors that have pulled out of the deal.

The post Zupco in bid to boost fleet appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: BREAKING: Nkosana Moyo pulls out of ED’s insincere’ talks – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 5, 2019

By Ruvimbo Muchenje

The Alliance for the People’s Agenda (APA), led by Nkosana Moyo- who contested for presidency with 22 other candidates in last year’s elections – has withdrawn from the President Emmerson Mnangagwa-initiated national talks, accusing the president of insincerity.

Moyo becomes the fourth principal to dump the talks after both the main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, and the People’s Rainbow Coalition leader Joice Mujuru refused to join the dialogue, saying it was not inclusive.

Build Zimbabwe leader Noah Manyika and United Democratic Alliance leader Daniel Shumba pulled out after the first round of dialogue held at State House.

In a statement on Twitter, APA condemned Mnangagwa’s statements at a rally in Masvingo, where the president admitted to deploying the army during the January protests, where 17 people were reportedly shot dead by state security agents.

‘We observed with dismay as he (President Mnangagwa) spoke in the most un-presidential manner. Amongst other things he bragged about having deployed the army that as we know killed people.

‘More worrisomely he openly threatened that anyone who, according to him, engaged in acts of disorderliness would have their life shortened.”

“We do not feel it is appropriate for the president, or anyone to threaten anyone else with death”

Moyo says the withdrawal comes after realising that their proposal of inclusivity has not been taken seriously.

‘APA proposed that national representation needed to include Commerce and Industry, The Churches, Labour and Civic Society Organisation. To date this proposal has been rejected,’ read the statement.

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