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Source: Burglars storm Bulawayo, steal laptops, cash -Newsday Zimbabwe

BULAWAYO, Jun 26, (Newsday Live): -Police have launched a manhunt for suspects who broke into Ngwalo Ngwalo Primary School in Pumula and stole US$300 cash, laptops and four tablet cellphones before disappearing under cover of darkness.

Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said the value of the property stolen is yet to be advised.

“On June 24 around 0530am, police received a report of unlawful entry and theft from the informant Busani Mhlophe(41) from a Bulawayo City Council security guard currently working at Ngwalo Ngwalo Primary School,’’ Msebele said.

She said the suspects scaled the   school perimeter wall and proceeded to the administration block where they broke windows and burglar bars to gain acess to the reception, school dead office and teacher in charge’s offices.

According to police, the suspects then broke into the deputy head’s office where they got strongroom keys. They allegedly used the keys to open the strongroom where the gadgets and cash were stored.

“They stole two school HP laptops, four tablet cellphones and a cashbox containing US$300 and went away unnoticed. A report was made to police who attended the scene,” police said.

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Source: Tenderpreneurs milking govt dry -Newsday Zimbabwe

THE continued emergence of politically-connected individuals who profiteer from securing government contracts despite lacking the capacity to execute them, commonly known as tenderpreneurs, has turned out to be a major corruption concern within the country’s public procurement system.

The issue dominated discussions in Harare yesterday at a breakfast meeting organised by Transparency International Zimbabwe, which brought together key justice sector institutions to reflect on anti-corruption efforts and strengthen collaboration in combating graft.

The engagement was attended by officials from the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ministry, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, as well as other stakeholders.

It sought to sustain the momentum generated through previous interventions by promoting dialogue, relationship building and strategic reflection among justice sector institutions.

The meeting also served as a platform to consolidate gains achieved through previous anti-corruption initiatives, encourage knowledge sharing and explore sustainable approaches to institutionalising collaboration beyond project support.

Chief Nhema, born Rangarirai Bwawanda, raised concern about the prevalence of tenderpreneurs.

“There are people who are connected. They get tenders in the construction sector, for instance, when they do not have the equipment or capacity to do the jobs,” he said.

“They then subcontract capable companies but retain part of the money for themselves.

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“This results in financial leakages and there is always a danger of shoddy work being done.”

Concern was raised that the practice continues to drain public resources and undermine service delivery, with fears that projects awarded under such arrangements may fail to meet required standards.

However, officials from the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs ministry argued that procurement reforms introduced through the Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and the establishment of the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) had significantly reduced opportunities for abuse.

“We had those challenges before the Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.

“Then came Praz, which established standards and regulations that all procurement entities are expected to follow.

“The framework has helped to address many of those challenges,” a ministry official said.

The meeting also heard concerns over resource constraints being faced by the police, with Chief Nhema warning that inadequate transport and operational equipment were compromising law enforcement efforts, particularly in rural areas.

He said some police officers were forced to rely on transport provided by the public, a situation that could expose them to undue influence and compromise investigations.

“In some areas, a single vehicle services several communities,” Chief Nhema said.

“In rural districts, perpetrators are aware of these limitations and may take advantage of them. It becomes difficult to effectively combat corruption under such circumstances.”

However, national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi dismissed claims that police stations are operating without vehicles.

“For your own information, every police station in the country has an operational vehicle, unless otherwise. This is one of the areas which the Commissioner-General of Police, Stephen Mutamba, has addressed,” Nyathi said.

“I am surprised when people say police stations have no cars and are asking for vehicles from the public.

“There may be instances where members of the public assist police operations, but that does not mean the police have no vehicles.”

Nyathi said the government recently strengthened the police fleet through the acquisition of 500 motorcycles, which have since been distributed across the country.

“Some stations have a minimum of two motorcycles, while others have five or 10,” he said.

“As we speak, the government is in the process of acquiring 200 vehicles for the police.”

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Source: Govt introduces national quality policy -Newsday Zimbabwe

GOVERNMENT is set to introduce a national quality policy aimed at strengthening Zimbabwe’s quality infrastructure and improving the competitiveness of local products as the country pursues its industrialisation agenda.

Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndhlovu yesterday said the policy, which is at an advanced stage of development, would provide a framework for enhancing standards development, conformity assessment and accreditation systems across the economy.

He revealed this during the ongoing Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce annual congress in Victoria Falls.

Ndhlovu said the policy was expected to be presented to Cabinet in the coming weeks.

“The policy will provide a comprehensive framework for strengthening Zimbabwe’s quality infrastructure, enhancing standards development, conformity assessment and accreditation systems, and promoting a culture of quality across all sectors of the economy,” he said.

Ndhlovu said improving product quality was critical if Zimbabwean companies were to compete effectively under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which offers access to a market of more than 1,4 billion people.

He urged local businesses to capitalise on China’s decision to grant 100% zero tariff to African countries, describing it as a gateway to one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

“Market access without productive capacity yields limited benefits.

“The task before us is to produce competitively, consistently and at scale.”

The minister also called for greater focus on value addition and beneficiation, arguing that Zimbabwe must break the cycle of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.

ZNCC chief executive officer Christopher Mugaga welcomed China’s zero-tariff initiative, but warned that Zimbabwe should address structural challenges to fully benefit.

China’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Zhou Ding encouraged local businesses to leverage the arrangement to expand exports.

The calls come as government, industry and academia seek closer collaboration to achieve a US$12 billion industrial sector by 2030.

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Source: New UN resident coordinator presents credentials to Mnangagwa at State House -Newsday Zimbabwe

Newly-appointed United Nations resident coordinator for Zimbabwe, Rosemary Kalapurakal  presented her credentials to President Emmerson Mnangagwa this morning, pledging to foster partnership between the southern African with the rest of the world.

Kalapurakal, an Indian national, landed the post early this month following the departure of Edward Kallon.

As the most  senior United Nations official in Zimbabwe, Kalapurakal will serve as the primary liaison between the Harare administration and the entire UN development system.

Kalapurakal boasts more than 25 years experience within the United Nations system, spanning policy development, programme management, and sustainable development across several UN agencies.

Most recently, she served as deputy director of the UN Development Coordination Office (DCO) in New York, where she played a central role in managing the global resident coordinator system, and advancing reforms within the UN development architecture.

Before that, she was chief of policy and programmes at DCO, and previously served as lead adviser on the 2030 Agenda in the UNDP Bureau for Policy and Programme Support.

In a social media post soon after her appointment early this month, Karapurakal wrote: “Serving as UN Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe is a deep honour.

“When I visited last month, my first time back in nearly 30 years, I felt both a sense of return and that of beginning. The beauty of the country is undeniable, but it was the warmth, pride and openness of the people I met that stayed with me most.”

She framed her role as one grounded in partnership and dialogue.

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Source: War veterans, family pay tribute to Matemadanda – herald

Cde Douglas Mahiya

Joseph Madzimure

Zimpapers Politics Hub

RELATIVES and friends of the late national hero, Ambassador Victor Matemadanda, have eulogised him as a patriot, revolutionary and man of the people.

Thousands thronged the National Heroes Acre to give the firebrand former ZANU PF Political Commissar a befitting send-off. According to the National Museums and Monuments, Ambassador Matemadanda is the 203rd national hero to be buried at the shrine.

Alongside close comrades-in-arms — including ZANU PF Secretary for War Veterans Cde Douglas Mahiya, Deputy Secretary Cde Headman Moyo, and ZANU PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa — Cde Matemadanda contributed immensely to the birth of the Second Republic.

Speaking at the Heroes Acre, Cde Mahiya recalled a time when the nation grappled with succession challenges.

“There was a time when the nation struggled with succession issues, where we thought — and knew — that the person who would succeed the late former President Robert Mugabe might be someone unqualified. The new generation then was so close to manipulating the succession matrix in Zimbabwe.

“Cde Matemadanda’s value lay in his bravery, resilience, and resistance to things not progressive.

“I was Secretary for Information and Publicity of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA), reporting to Cde Matemadanda, who was Secretary-General. But he never minded mistakes — he believed one could only err when doing something, and mistakes can be corrected.”

Cde Mahiya added that Cde Matemadanda focused more on achievements than on errors.

“To me, he was like a brother. I have lost someone, and I believe the nation feels the same.”

His personal assistant, Cde Beauty Muchemwa, said the nation had lost a patriotic cadre who fought for the welfare of war veterans.

“He was always there for them. Even for those war veterans we left in Mozambique — those who perished there — he desired to ensure they received proper burials and that those sites were cleaned up. I will miss him personally. He was a good man, and I do not say that just because he has died.”

ZANU PF Deputy Secretary for Security Cde Tendai Chirau, who also worked closely with the late hero, described him as a warrior committed to results.

“I worked with Cde Matemadanda during his tenure as Political Commissar. He was a take-charge, go-getter. You could never tell him there was no money or no car — he would make things happen even without resources. Even if he knew some might not be happy, he believed in himself and in his ability to make things happen.”

Cde Chirau said the late hero related to everyone, rich and poor alike.

“He had a strong sense of justice, but most importantly, he loved his country and his party.” The late national hero’s son, Itai Matemadanda, expressed gratitude to President Mnangagwa for conferring national hero status on his father, describing the honour as a source of comfort and pride.

“As a family, we express deep gratitude to His Excellency President Mnangagwa for the honour bestowed upon our father.”

He said the family remained grateful for his sacrifices during the liberation struggle, recalling how he left his family behind to join the war so future generations could enjoy a better life.

Mr Matemadanda said the family drew comfort from knowing his father’s contribution had been permanently recognised in the country’s history.

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