Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Petros Kausiyo

Sports Editor

AFTER watching from a distance since suspending Zimbabwe from the international football family on February 24 last year, FIFA last week finally discovered the toxicity and rot that has choked the life out of ZIFA.

A FIFA delegation that was led by their head of development programmes in Africa, Solomon Mudege, and the senior member associations governance manager, Sarah Solemale, spent the week getting an appreciation of the situation obtaining in the domestic game.

The duo was later joined by CAF representatives Walter Nyamilandu of Malawi, COSAFA president Artur de Almeida e Silva and Botswana’s Maclean Letshwiti.

While FIFA remained tight-lipped last week, sources close to the discussions told The Sunday Mail Sport that Mudege and his team had impressed the need for FIFA conditions to be fulfilled as one of the key steps for the suspension to be lifted.

They, however, made it clear they were prepared to engage, hence the fact-finding mission.

It also emerged that the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC), Premier Soccer League (PSL), FUZ (Football Union of Zimbabwe), Women’s League and even the ZIFA board members told the visitors how broken the relationship between the Felton Kamambo leadership and Congress had become.

Their reinstatement, they said, might not be tenable.

FIFA conditions

The FIFA delegation was also told that their conditions had been overtaken by events.

“During the discussions, the issue of the FIFA conditions was thoroughly debated —  whether it was with the SRC, with the ZIFA executives, PSL or Women’s League.

“But in going through them, what came out clearly was that most of them no longer apply as circumstances changed over the year and in the end it was a case of one condition outstanding, which has its own legalities in terms of fulfilling it,’’ one source said.

FIFA had directed SRC to disband the Restructuring Committee, reinstate ZIFA chief executive officer Joseph Mamutse, drop fraud charges levelled against the recalled ZIFA executives and reinstate Kamambo as ZIFA president.

“The delegation was advised that the Restructuring Committee was automatically disbanded at the end of their mandate in December 2022, and any move to dissolve it is now academic . . .

“Mamutse’s suspension, which was effected together with that of the then SRC director-general Prince Mupazviriho, was lifted by the commission.

“In fact, the ZIFA Congress then held their EGM in April last year and asked the SRC to lift his suspension but Mamutse has refused to go back to work, vowing that he can only work at ZIFA under Kamambo’s presidency,” the source added.

This led to Mamutse’s fresh suspension by the ZIFA executive, which was now under interim president Gift Banda.

It has since become a labour matter between the association and their employee.

Further, FIFA had also demanded that the fraud charges against the recalled executives, including Mamutse, be dropped.

Added the source: “However, in similar fashion to what is happening in Kenya, their trial has started and it cannot be stopped as that is now a matter being handled by the country’s Prosecutor-General.”

A football analyst, who elected to be anonymous due to the sensitivity of the issue, indicated that what further made the whole case complex was the fact that the terms of office of the elected ZIFA executives came to an end in December.

“When the EGM was held, the recalled trio had a month within to appeal to Congress against the revocation and they didn’t do that.

“Then, as matters stand right now, their terms of office have also expired, while SRC and even FIFA risk having to undermine the ZIFA constitution if they reinstated them without taking into account those legalities.’’

It also emerged all football structures consulted during the weeklong mission were unanimous in rejecting a proposal for a return of the old executive, which presented a fresh conundrum for FIFA.

Return to international football

As they head back to their bases, the FIFA and CAF delegations left the hosts very optimistic.  What emerged from all the discussions was that all parties are determined to push for Zimbabwe’s reinstatement, which could pave the way for the Warriors to take part in this year’s COSAFA Cup, which starts on May 27, and the World Cup qualifiers scheduled to begin in July.

The SRC, PSL and even Kamambo expressed satisfaction with the manner the talks had gone.

“Throughout the week, FIFA and CAF engaged with various stakeholders and officials involved in Zimbabwean football to gather their perspectives,” the SRC said in a statement after the engagements.

“A common sentiment among these stakeholders was the need for strong, lawful governance structures to support Zimbabwe’s return to international football, as well as a commitment to implementing necessary reforms for the sport’s future development and success in the country.

“The SRC has also been involved in productive discussions with FIFA and CAF, including COSAFA with a mutual goal of resolving the issues surrounding the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).

“The conversations have been marked by good faith from all parties and a genuine interest in advancing solutions.

“The outcomes of these discussions have been promising, with the SRC, CAF and FIFA generally agreeing on the next steps to address ZIFA’s current situation.”

Last week, Kamambo said the visit by FIFA was long overdue. “I think the engagements really helped everyone to get an appreciation of what needs to be done,’’ he said.

After missing out on the initial meeting, the duo of Sugar Chagonda, who had been on a business trip out of the country, and Banda were present, while Malandule joined via Zoom from his Bulawayo base.

However, whether Kamambo, Machana, Malandule and even Central Region’s Stanley Chapeta will be part of the cast at ZIFA when Zimbabwe is readmitted remains a matter that will be pronounced by FIFA.

■   @petrospablo1

Business Reporter

OLD Mutual Zimbabwe, the country’s largest insurer and financial services group, plans to scale up resource mobilisation to support increased demand for US-dollar borrowings through its banking subsidiary CABS, particularly for mining and agriculture.

In the 2022 financial year, the group extended more than US$108 million to various sectors.

Old Mutual Zimbabwe group chief executive officer Mr Samuel Matsekete said the business has developed significant partnerships with development agencies, foreign banks and is in the process of forging new relationships.

“We will continue to mobilise funds through lines of credit. If we are supported by the right policies, there is a case to harness more local resources,” said Mr Matsekete recently.

“When we talk of foreign capital and being effective and cheaper, it must be partnered with significant local capital.

“The way we harness local capital is to ensure we support formalisation of savings schemes in the pensions and insurance industry, and deposits.”

Mobilisation of resources, he said, will be the key focus of the group.

“We have partnerships with bilateral institutions being strengthened. For instance, we have US$7,5 million specifically designed to support trade, established with AfDB (African Development Bank),” he said.

The group is still optimistic about the medium- to long-term outlook for the economy.

The promising green shoots, Mr Matsekete added, are within the primary agriculture sector, supported by increasing wheat yield, favourable rainfall patterns, horticulture and other agro exports.

Last week, Government upwardly revised its economic growth target for 2023 to 6 percent, up from the previous 4 percent, “on account of the positive performance of the agriculture sector”.

The second-round crop, livestock and fisheries assessment report indicates that cereal production for the 2022/2023 season is likely to top 2,6 million tonnes against local demand of 1,8 million tonnes.

Mining is also expected to benefit from good commodity prices and continuing investments in existing mines.

Experts are similarly bullish about prospects in infrastructure development.

According to Old Mutual, lending and investment activities continued with customers within key sub-sectors of the economy.

During 2022, 39 percent of the group’s total loan book was extended to agricultural activities, and the beneficiaries included players in primary and secondary sub-sectors.

About 4,5 percent of the total loan book was also disbursed to mining companies, while significant amounts were deployed to support manufacturing and distribution.

Added Mr Matsekete: “The support to economic development through lending and investment activities is impacting foreign currency generation, substitution of imports and food security.”

The group has also been actively involved in investments in the energy sector through funding several renewable energy projects.

An estimated US$9,5 million was sunk into solar and hydro energy projects such as the Great Zimbabwe Hydropower, Kupinga Renewable Energy, Solgas, Richaw and Centragrid, which are projected to generate over 42 megawatts in power, create over 370 jobs and provide power to 39 950 homes.

According to the National Development Strategy 1, energy is a key enabler to the acceleration of the country’s modernisation and industrialisation agenda, as well as sustainable socio-economic growth.

Sunday Mail Reporter

A PRIVATE company, Muduvuri Construction, has pledged to construct modern clinics in all 10 provinces, following successful commissioning of the Muduvuri African Hospital by President Mnangagwa in Kadoma a fortnight ago.

Muduvuri Construction is owned by businessman Mr Jimayi Muduvuri, who said his firm had started working on the modalities for the project that will principally target rural areas.

“Our vision is to benchmark with world-class health institutions and offer all aspects of health care, ranging from emergency and casualty services, maternity, pharmacy, theatre and rehabilitation to physiotherapy,” he said.

“With regard to this, we have submitted our papers to the relevant ministries to construct clinics in all of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces, with the main target being rural areas. We will also be constructing housing for doctors and nurses.”

Mr Muduvuri said the hospital in Kadoma was given a Pan-African title to challenge fellow businesspeople to engage in initiatives that contribute to nation-building.

The referral hospital’s two wards were named after President Mnangagwa’s late parents, Mhurai and Mafidi. Mr Muduvuri said President Mnangagwa inspired his vision for construction of clinics countrywide.

“I am an African businessman living with disability, who has fought against all the odds to demonstrate to the world that disability is not inability. My actions were inspired by the assistance the President gave me in 2007 to have my legs operated on. Having also suffered from the deadly Covid-19 virus in June 2021, it is my vision to provide quality health care to all Zimbabweans as my wife and I spent nearly two months at St Anne’s Hospital in Harare battling the virus,” he said.

Kimberly Mhembere

THERE is a disturbing development in most suburbs around the country.

Brothels masked as massage parlours are spreading like veld fire.

In fact, the “unholy” places have become common in medium- and high-density areas such as Eastlea, Belvedere, Avondale, Kuwadzana, Dzivarasekwa, Mabelreign and Highfield.

Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda and Senga in Gweru also have reported cases.

Professional massage parlours have largely been found in affluent areas  —  particularly in the northern side of Samora Machel Avenue, Harare  —  since they were considered a luxury beyond the reach of many.

However, “corrupted” versions are mushrooming everywhere.

It is now not unusual to come across brothels that are guised as massage shops or beauty salons. For instance, in the past year or so, at least four “massage parlours” have opened doors for business in Braeside, Harare.

However, reports are that they are offering more than massage services.

One of the infamous parlours is situated on Malta Road and is biased towards women, while the other one is close to a giant retail outlet on Chiremba Road.

“We offer everything that you can think of. Our services are tailor-made and we will not force you to do anything you are not comfortable with,” said one of the guys as he marketed their services to this publication after enquiries.

A massage spa is a place where people go and pay for a kneading by a massage therapist. However, some of the shady parlours are baiting clients with what they term a “happy ending”.

The X-rated and illegal service is openly being marketed on various online platforms using photos of so-called workers in skimpy outfits and provocative poses. The daring ones include their real names, phone numbers and addresses.

Upon engaging a potential client, he or she is hastily requested to pay a commitment fee that is usually not less than US$5 (or equivalent). The figure varies depending on the neighbourhood.

Both men and women are commercially operating in these shady parlours but the numbers are biased towards the fairer sex.

A report by the National Aids Council (NAC) revealed that about 36 percent of unemployed women who took part in a survey they carried out late last year listed their source of income as sex work.

But many have naturally sought new ways to attract clients yet remaining inconspicuous in their operations.

Standing on street corners is no longer considered fashionable. Rather, it is said to attract confrontations with the authorities and poses high risks for the ladies, especially from criminals, street kids and bad weather conditions.

Prostitution and related acts — including solicitation, procuring and operating a brothel — are considered illegal in Zimbabwe under Section 81 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Chapter 9:23).

Undercover

This writer sought to find out more about these illegal operations, posing as a prospective client.

Contact was established through online platforms and this publication was immediately taken through the catalogue of massage services on offer, namely, Swedish, Thai, Shiatsu, aromatherapy, sensual, yoni and nuru.

Nuru massage comes highly recommended and appears to be the most popular.

It involves a stimulating massage technique in which one or more massage therapists rub their bodies against the client’s body using odourless oils while undressed.

And it is the one that is often accompanied by a “happy ending”, which basically translates to being physically intimate.

Immediately after the client has gone through the catalogue, issues to do with pricing, location, time and privacy are discussed.

For US$40, one can get a 70-minute erotic massage that involves the use of adult toys.

We managed to strike a deal online and a booking was made after which a male masseur was provided. We will simply call him Kay for the purpose of this article.

Kay operates in Mabelreign, on Sherwood Drive, where we travelled for the physical meeting.

The writer went in alone, leaving the other crew outside so as not to blow our cover.

Clad in a pair of black jeans and an orange hoodie, Kay went out of his way to be courteous and reassuring during the brief meeting.

This writer was then immediately whisked away to a vacant guesthouse.

Surprisingly, there was no massage table or an assortment of oils in sight, which I queried. The place clearly resembled an ordinary room rather than a massage shop.

Naturally, the writer expressed disquiet and asked to leave.

However, Kay was not amused by the decision.

“A commitment fee of US$10 has to be paid, whether we have done something or not.

“Being at these premises means some transaction of sorts has to take place,” said Kay, as he displayed some bit of aggression.

“You are not the first to feel sceptical. Most of my clients start feeling comfortable after such face-to-face meetings and eventually going through the whole process. We are so discreet,” he reassured.

“If you are not comfortable with this service, we have other options that do not involve physical intimacy. They include house calls and virtual intimacy.

“I now have a good clientele that includes whites and some married women. They always come back to me because of the excellent services I provide,” he boasted.

He further claimed to have been in the business for over five years and with capacity to serve more than four women per day with extras.

“Outside regular check-ups from a close friend of mine in the medical profession, I always take pills or injections to prevent certain STIs (sexually transmitted infections)”, he said when quizzed about the health risk factors.

Websites and social media sites like Telegram, WhatsApp and Facebook are their biggest advertising platforms.

Traditionally, men are believed to be avid followers of these services and online sites, but trends have proven that women are fast joining the bandwagon as they feel “massage shops are best for experimenting”.

Sadly, there have been disturbing reports of under age girls and university students being lured to work in the shady massage spas.

Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, said brothels are illegal. He further urged the public to report any dubious activities in their neighbourhood.

“In such instances, the body of law is urging the general public to approach the police so that arrests can be made with immediate effect,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Talent Jumo, director of Katswe Sistahood, spoke against the worrying trend.

Katswe is a Shona word that means “pound it”. It speaks to young women pounding away the barriers to women’s emancipation.

“It is illegal for massage parlours to offer prostitution services as this effectively turns them into brothels. Solicitation is also a crime,” said Jumo.

“It is, however, a difficult crime to prosecute for the authorities because there must be a complaint and the public has to identify these places and report the crime.”

Confusion

Legitimate massage shop owners are not happy with the sad development as it is adversely affecting their operations.

“A lot of people in my profession have been victimised by clients demanding to be intimate or to be offered other gross favours. But we are professional and certified masseurs who do not engage in any illegal activities,” said Kunashe, a 24-year-old massage therapist who works at a local spa in Harare.

He reckons the manipulation of his profession by misguided elements is a serious issue that needs to be addressed.

His colleague, Patricia Moyo, weighed in.

“Some of the clients we deal with actually do not come for massages. They try by all means to push you to go the extra mile, which is wrong. Some of us are either married or have boyfriends. The same applies to the masseurs. I do not think our partners will feel comfortable with us dealing with such maniacs.”

Registration

According to the country’s laws, anyone who wishes to convert their private home for commercial use should follow due processes with the local authorities.

For instance, for one to operate a massage parlour, they must apply for change of use of the property in question in terms of Section 26 (3) of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act and obtain a conditional permit.

Failure to do so is contravention of Section 24 of the Act, which is a jailable offence.

“We have minimum standard requirements for registering such premises, which include but not limited to the following: approved building with the following brought to appropriate finishes — floors, walls, ceiling and doors; ventilation; lighting; separate sanitary facilities for gents and ladies —water closet, urinal, wash hand basins and sanitary bins; water supply and any other requirements as necessary and according to the scope of the business operation,” revealed Harare City Council acting spokesperson Innocent Ruwende.

He added that they conduct periodic raids to flush out those violating their licences or operating without proper documents.

“Massage parlours are registered under beauty parlours and it is not all beauty shops that are registered to do massaging. The frequency of our routine inspections is based on a risk approach, where high-risk businesses from a public health standpoint are inspected more frequently than low- risk businesses. But inspections should be conducted at least once quarterly,” explained Ruwende.

Business Reporter

ZB Financial Holdings Limited’s transformation, which started in early 2022, has helped the group achieve growth and profitability.

In a statement accompanying financial results for the year ended December 31, 2022, the group’s chairperson, Mrs Pamela Chiromo, said focus will continue to be on revenue growth and cost optimisation strategies.

“The group will continue with its organisational transformation programme, focusing more on improving the effectiveness and efficiencies of back-end systems,” said Mrs Chiromo.

ZBFH’s transformation programme entails reviewing its business model and organisational design.

It also involves repurposing bank branches into group-wide customer service centres to enhance client convenience.

“As at the end of December 2022, a total of 25 branches had been renovated and converted into customer service centres. The remaining 20 will be done in 2023,” said ZBFH chief executive officer Mr Shepherd Fungura.

For the year under review, the group’s total income grew by 75 percent to $70,5 billion, compared to $40,3 billion a year earlier, largely driven by a significant rise in trading income and fair value credits.

Net interest income increased by 77 percent, from $11,4 billion in 2021 to $20,1 billion in 2022, underpinned by the growth in loans and advances.

“As a result, net income from lending activities registered a growth of 41 percent from $9,2 billion in 2021 to $13,01 billion in 2022,” added Mr Fungura.

The group’s commissions and fees moved up 38 percent to $15,9 billion from $11,6 billion in 2021, supported by growth in both the number of customers and volume of transactions as a result of the group’s organisational transformation programme.

Other operating income improved by 394 percent, from $4,5 billion in 2021 to $22,2 billion, driven by realised foreign exchange gains from treasury trading activities and unrealised gains from revaluation of the group’s foreign-denominated balances.

“Profit from ordinary activities improved by 140 percent to $29,8 billion from $12,4 billion in 2021 and the performance was also enhanced by a 1 909 percent rise in share of associate companies’ profit net of tax, from $0,26 billion in 2021 to $5,4 billion in 2022,” said Mr Fungura.

During the year under review, total assets for the group increased by 85 percent in real terms to close the year at $321 billion.

Rebalancing of the asset mix was undertaken during the year through acquisition of Mashonaland Holdings, which saw a 516 percent increase in investment properties.

Deposits and other related funding account balances grew by 62 percent to $109,21 billion from $67,61 billion as at December 31, 2021.

On operations, ZB Bank Limited posted a profit after tax of $14,5 billion in 2022 compared to $6,4 billion in 2021.

The bank’s total assets stood at $200,4 billion from $127,29 billion a year ago.

ZB Building Society posted a net profit of $4,5 billion compared to $2,8 billion in 2021.

In terms of the group’s insurance operations, ZB Reinsurance posted a profit after tax of $1,95 billion in 2022 compared to $1,53 billion in 2021.

Similarly, ZB Life Assurance posted a profit of $2,3 billion in 2022, compared to a loss of $0,09 billion in 2021.

Mr Fungura said the group has adopted a regional expansion strategy.

In November last year, it successfully launched reinsurance operations in Botswana.

During the year, the group acquired additional equity interest in Mashonaland Holdings Limited and achieved a shareholding of above 50 percent.