02/12/2021
*Hey Sahwi*
*Wamuka bho here?*
_Wambonzwa here nhau dzanhasi kubva kuShaSha_
*MORNING NEWS*
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KbmBK7EVXhxLyAZWwZTYN4
*Thursday 2 December 2021*
*HEADLINES:*
*Mnangagwa Slams West Over Covid-19 Restrictions*
*.As Zimbabweans Fume Over Shock New Covid-19 Mandatory Quarantine Restrictions*
*Target To End HIV Within Reach: VP*
*Zimbabwean Embassy In SA Advises ZEP Permit Holders To Comply*
*Travel Bans Xenophobic: US-Based Zim Doctor*
*Schools Hit By Covid-19 Outbreak*
*Civil Servants Withdraw Forex Bonuses*
*Chaos At Chief Chiweshe’s Traditional Court*
*Falcon Quality Colleges Walk The Talk On Biogas & Waste Management*
*Zimdollar Falls By 69pc*
*All Is Set For 2021 African Economic Conference*
*Ethiopian Gov’t Says It Retook String Of Towns From Tigray Forces*
*Top US Judges Signal Support For Abortion Limits*
*DeMbare In Fresh Financial Woes*
*ZIFA Lawyer Cries Foul Over Suspension*
*Extra Covid-19 Measures Eclipse Musical Shows*
*Carl Joshua Ncube Pens 4th Book*
*STORIES IN DETAIL:*
*Mnangagwa Slams West Over Covid-19 Restrictions*
President Mnangagwa has raised alarm over the unjustified treatment of a number of SADC member states by some Western countries and their intrusive nature in the domestic affairs of sovereign states.
This follows last week’s knee-jerk reaction by some Western countries to impose travel bans on some SADC member states following an outbreak of a new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron, and the recent utterances by a United Kingdom junior minister that his country is working with local unions to influence Zimbabwe’s internal affairs.
Travel restrictions have been imposed by Western countries that include Britain and the European Union (EU) on Southern African countries which include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia following the discovery of the Omicron variant by South African scientists.
SADC has condemned the travel restrictions describing them as punitive and President Mnangagwa added his voice while addressing the 357th Zanu PF Politburo meeting yesterday, saying that the global community should be guided by science as the basis of decisions.
“We, thus, call upon the global community to remain guided by science as the basis of decisions, especially with regards to travel and destination classification of countries and other Covid-19 prevention and mitigation strategies,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also stressed that the discovery of a new Omicron Covid-19 variant requires the nation to remain vigilant, alert and cautious.
“The discovery of a new Omicron Covid-19 variant requires the nation to remain vigilant, alert andcautious.
“It is indeed incumbent on the structures of the party to be active towards keeping the people up-to-date with current developments and to equally mobilise many more to getvaccinated.
“On its part, Government has in store enough vaccines to cater for the ongoing national mass vaccination, which now covers teenagers above 16 years. *Herald*
*...As Zimbabweans Fume Over Shock New Covid-19 Mandatory Quarantine Restrictions*
Zimbabweans online have reacted with outrage and fury after the government announced new Covid-19 restrictions on Tuesday.
The government announced that all visitors and returning residents will undergo a mandatory quarantine for 14 days at their own cost.
In a televised address, President Emmerson Mnangagwa also announced that all visitors will be forced to undergo a PCR test on arrival at the country’s ports of entry.
The test costs US$60 and is mandatory for every visitor, including those who present a negative Covid-19 test certificate.
These new measures did not go down well with many Zimbabweans online who said they were planning to travel home or receive visitors for the Christmas holidays.
Many even questioned the scientific basis of the mandatory quarantine and accused the government of implementing poorly thought policies. *Zimbabwe Mail*
*Target To End HIV Within Reach: VP*
Zimbabwe has reached new milestones in its HIV interventions, reducing prevalence to 11,8 percent, cutting new infections and on course to meet the 95-95-95 targets by 2025, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said.
VP Chiwenga, who is also the Minister Health and Child Care, said Zimbabwe’s HIV delivery system had significantly recovered after lockdown-induced disruptions.
Dr Chiwenga said this in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Dr John Mangwiro, during this year’s World Aids Day commemorations in Chinhoyi.
The commemorations ran under the theme, “End Pandemics, End Inequalities, End Aids”.
His remarks come as the country recently met the 90-90-90 targets, which seek to ensure that 90 percent of people living with HIV know their status, 90 percent who are HIV positive are on anti-retroviral treatment and 90 percent on treatment are achieving viral suppression.
VP Chiwenga said Zimbabwe was on course to eliminate the epidemic through increased treatment coverage and other interventions.
“Despite the Covid-19-induced disruptions to HIV service delivery in 2020, our response to HIV has now rebounded and continued to firm,” he said.
“I am very pleased with the trajectory of new HIV infections, which shows a continued decline for all age groups over the years, from 40 900 to 24 900 between 2016 and 2020.”
At least 1,3 million people are living with HIV, with 91 percent of them now on ARVs, up from 88 percent in 2015. *Herald*
*Zimbabwean Embassy In SA Advises ZEP Permit Holders To Comply*
The Zimbabwean Embassy in South Africa has urged all Zimbabweans in that country who are holders of the special exemption permits to comply with that government’s directive and make necessary adjustments.
However, the embassy noted that since the South African government had decided on a 12 months grace period, the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs) will expire next year in 2022, on December 31 rather than this year to ‘accommodate people.’
The ZEPs were initially supposed to expire in December 31, 2021, with Zimbabweans hoping that the South African government would renew them.
On November 25, 2021, the Ministry in the Presidency of South Africa issued a statement on the Cabinet meeting that took place a day before, announcing that the government would no longer issue extensions to the ZEPs.
However, the South African Cabinet decided on 12 months grace period at the expiry of the current ZEP
“This permit, which was due to expire on December 31, 2021, will therefore expire on December 31 2021 on the basis of the 12 months grace period granted by the Cabinet,” said the Zimbabwean embassy based in Pretoria in a statement released Tuesday.
“The government of Zimbabwe takes note of this decision by the government of the Republic of South Africa, a close neighbour with which Zimbabwe enjoys excellent relations.”
The Zimbabwean envoy said its government, “urges and encourages all its nationals, beneficiaries of the special dispensation to comply with this decision and to cooperate in its implementation.”
Engagements and consultations with relevant authorities of the South African government had already been initiated, stated the Zimbabwean embassy. *CITE*
*Travel Bans Xenophobic: US-Based Zim Doctor*
United States of America (USA) based Zimbabwean doctor, Dr. Matifadza Hlatywayo Davis described decision to ban immigrants from the SADC region after the discovery of a new COVID mutant, Omicron, as xenophobic.
After Omicron was discovered there was unusual panic the world over since it was feared the mutant could be more deadly than those discovered before.
With the highest number of COVID 19 dearths America was among the first countries to ban immigrants from some countries in the SADC region.
Dr Hlatywayo, who is the director of Health in the city of St Louis in the American state of Missouri has vast knowledge and experience in infectious diseses.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Doctor Hlatywayo said the travel bans that targetted South Africa and other Southern African countries are unacceptable and perpetuates stigma and xenophobia against the targeted states.
“…when done in this way all they can do is perpetuate stigma and xenophobia”, Hlatywayo said.
Dr Hlatywayo said after the variant was discovered by a Botswana based Zimbabwean scientist, Sikhulile Moyo with his team, it only pointed to excellent science in the region and says nothing about where the variant originated.
“…After this variant was isolated by Dr. Sikulile Moyo, a Zimbabwean scientist based in Botswana, that says nothing about where it originated, it just mean that is where this superior science was done, the ability to use genomic sequencing was done”, Dr Hlatywayo retorted.
Dr Hlatywayo went on to say South Africa did the right thing by being open enough to announce the new mutant soon after its discovery as it showed efficient use of superior science to make life saving discoveries and so slapping the country together with seven other African countries with travel bans was unacceptable. *ZimVoice*
*Schools Hit By Covid-19 Outbreak*
A number of private boarding schools have closed down and sent students home after an alarming increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases at the learning institutions.
According to situational reports released by the Health and Child Care ministry, 399 new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday, with learning institutions accounting for 58 of the cases.
All the cases are local.
On Monday, 100 Masvingo Teachers’ College students tested positive to the virus.
Days before, 81 students and lecturers at the institution also tested positive.
The rise in confirmed cases has sent panic waves in schools amid an outbreak of a new Omicron COVID-19 variant detected in South Africa and Botswana.
Zimbabwe is yet to record a single case of the variant, but President Emmerson Mnangangwa re-imposed Level 2 lockdown measures on Tuesday to curb the spread of the virus.
According to memos from private schools that were sent to parents and seen by NewsDay, authorities said they were forced to close to control the spread of the virus.
“The letter serves to inform you that we have just received information that a member of our community has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus,” a memo from Heritage School dated November 30, 2021 signed by the school head teachers, F Manyanga , B Mate and C Mhike reads in part. *Newsday*
*Civil Servants Withdraw Forex Bonuses*
Civil servants were smiling all the way to the bank yesterday as they started receiving their bonuses in foreign currency.
They are receiving up to a maximum of US$700 and civil service pensioners are receiving US$100 per individual after President Mnangagwa decided on a once-off cushion following challenges experienced this year due to exchange rate fluctuations.
Those on pay scales requiring more than US$700 are getting the balance in local currency.
Government is expected to pay out over US$90 million.
By October, the country had recorded US$7,2 billion in foreign currency receipts, resulting in a positive current account of about US$1,7 billion, that is more foreign currency had come in than had been spent.
The duty and tax on some imports and on local sales in foreign currency are also paid in foreign currency.
The Minister for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Professor Paul Mavima said he had received confirmation from Treasury that some civil servants had started withdrawing their bonuses.
“Government has stuck to its promise of paying civil servants their bonuses and in foreign currency. Today (yesterday) some started withdrawing the hard currency bringing a lot of cheer to the civil servants.
Yes, there might be operational challenges which saw some failing to withdraw their money but I got confirmation from the Treasury to the effect that their accounts have been credited with the foreign currency,” said Prof Mavima. *Chronicle*
*Chaos At Chief Chiweshe’s Traditional Court*
Ten members of the same family from Chiweshe yesterday appeared at the Bindura Magistrates Court facing charges of threatening to assault a local chief over a civil matter he presided over at his traditional court.
Denis Gweshe (46), Dinky Gweshe (28), Edward Gweshe (48), Knowledge Gweshe (42), Farayi Chikukwa (32), Washington Gweshe (53), Factor Gweshe (39), Godfrey Gweshe, Shingirai Gweshe (39) and John Gweshe (44) appeared before Bindura magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura.
The State led by Sheillar Kudzai Maribha alleged that on June 6, Chief Chiweshe was presiding over a civil matter between Joyce Baradza and Factor, and the accused persons were in attendance.
During court proceedings, the family members accused the chief of bias and threatened to beat him up.
The chief’s aides saved the traditional leader from attack, but the angry suspects forced him to beg for forgiveness to avoid being assaulted and he complied.
A formal police report was later made leading to their arrest.
The matter continues on December 15. *Newsday*
*Falcon Quality Colleges Walk The Talk On Biogas & Waste Management*
While environmental management agency EMA is seen advocating sustainability, some colleges are doing their bit and improving their waste management systems in their premises too.
The partnership between MDCA aspiring councilor Blessing Duma and Falcon Quality college environmental club has seen the campuses, garbage being segregated and bio degradable waste ends up being used to generate biogas, which then fuels college canteen.
On other college grounds, organic waste is turned into fertilizer to grow vegetables and herbs in the gardens. Nothing goes to waste
Duma’s initiatives can be credited to the way the college is managing biodegradable waste. The college has a biogas plant that is powered by kitchen waste. That biogas is used to cook meals and snacks in the canteens.
Other kinds of biodegradable waste are collected for compost pits, which end up as natural fertilizer, said councilor Duma.
“Since last month, we haven’t let any biodegradable waste from the campus contribute to a landfill,” he says.
“We were handling the biogas plant on our own initially, but now we have outsourced manpower and skills from local graduates engineers it to takes care of the operations within the plant on campus.” He said
Falcon Quality college students are made aware of on-campus garbage segregation rules. Every week, a counselor Duma works with the administration and the college environmental club to sensitize students about waste-segregation and what e-waste means.
“We work with students to ensure they follow the methods. All student events including ECD, preschool students are educated about zero waste management, the three bin system,” he said
Students are handed toolkits and small explainers about the hazards of mismanaged waste. *ZimVoice*
*Zimdollar Falls By 69pc*
Zimbabwe’s local currency has fallen by nearly 70% since the beginning of the year on the parallel market, compared to about 30% on the official market, data from a leading advisory firm showed on Tuesday.
“Since the beginning of the year, the interbank rate has depreciated by 29,2% from 81,7866 to 105,6684. Despite the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) maintaining a hawkish approach on monetary policy and against our intuition, the parallel market rate has been on a run,” Inter Horizon Securities (IH) said in its latest report.
“Currently, at US$1:$194, the US$/ZW$ parallel exchange rate has increased by 68,6% from January’s rate of US$1:$115. The premium between the two rates continues to widen. Inflation has also started increasing as companies index prices on the parallel market exchange rate.”
With the 2021/22 agricultural season in full swing, IH said there would be increased government spending on agricultural activities.
“We also believe the need to remunerate civil servants as the year closes will exert additional pressure on government coffers and also contribute to extra liquidity in the economy. As a result, we anticipate the parallel rate premium to widen further,” IH said.
Since its inception, the RBZ foreign currency auction system has helped ameliorate foreign currency shortages in the country and contributed to the relative economic stability “we have been experiencing over the past few months.”
It said the auction had been successful in stabilising the economy through increased availability of foreign currency thus slowing down depreciation rate of the local currency.
The amount of money allotted on the auction has gradually increased from US$26,67 million disbursed on the first day of the auction to US$41,95 million recorded last week of October 2021, which translates to a growth rate of 57%. *AMH*
*All Is Set For 2021 African Economic Conference*
Heads of state and senior policymakers are expected to share their perspectives on how to reshape Africa’s development financing models at the 2021 African Economic Conference, which kicks off Thursday.
Cabo Verde Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Olavo Correia said the conference offered “an extraordinarily important moment” to chart the continent’s development course, including ways to mobilise domestic resources, and create modern and efficient fiscal and tax systems. He said this was especially important in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Correia said it was also an opportune time to explore ways to fight tax evasion, fraud and other offences that drain resources.
The 2021 edition of the African Economic Conference is being hosted by the government of Cabo Verde in a hybrid format, in line with pandemic health guidelines. A small group of conference participants will gather in Sal, a popular tourist destination in the archipelago nation.
The rest will take part virtually. The conference is jointly organised by the African Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Africa and the United Nations Development Programme.
The partners have assembled leading thinkers, including Nobel Laureate Roger Myerson, Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Cabo Verde, Masood Ahmed, President, Center for Global Development and Samba Bathily, CEO Africa Development Solutions Group, to deliberate on the continent’s most pressing challenges.
Discussions will focus on enhancing Africa’s position in the international financial system, reimagining development financing and domestic public and private resource mobilisation in the age of the digital revolution, among others. *BusinessTimes*
*Ethiopian Gov’t Says It Retook String Of Towns From Tigray Forces*
The Ethiopian government says its forces recaptured Shewa Robit, a town some 220km (135 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, which was claimed last week by fighters from the northern Tigray region.
Government spokesman Legesse Tulu said on Wednesday Shewa Robit was among several small towns retaken by Ethiopia’s army and regional forces loyal to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who last week announced he would head to the battlefield to lead a counteroffensive after the Tigrayan fighters threatened to march on Addis Ababa.
“In Shewa front, the Mezezo, Molale, Shewa Robit, Rasa and its surroundings have been freed from the terrorist TPLF,” Legesse said in comments broadcast on state media, referring to the Tigray People’s Liberation Front which has been locked in a war with Abiy’s government for more than a year.
The Ethiopian government said later on Wednesday that its forces had also recaptured the UNESCO World Heritage site Lalibela, which fell to Tigrayan fighters in August.
Pro-Abiy forces have “captured the historical town of Lalibela and Lalibela international airport,” the government communications service said in a statement.
The brutal conflict took a sharp turn about a month ago when Tigrayan forces claimed to have captured the strategic towns of Dessie and Kombolcha, located on a key highway to Addis Ababa.
Legesse said the government would “in a short period of time” retake Dessie, even as fighting reportedly rages on at least three fronts.
There was no immediate comment by the Tigrayan forces. *Al Jazeera*
*Top US Judges Signal Support For Abortion Limits*
The US Supreme Court appears poised to accept a Mississippi law that would bar abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, even in cases of r**e or in**st.
In Wednesday's hearing into the case, conservative justices hinted that a majority backed upholding the law.
A ruling, expected in June, may see millions of women lose abortion access.
Anti-abortion activists are urging the court to "protect unborn children", but experts warn of an increase in maternal mortality if abortion is restricted.
Both sides of the debate regard this case, known as Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, as an all-or-nothing fight over abortion rights.
Lawyers defending the Mississippi law have asked the court to overturn two previous landmark decisions regarding abortion.
The first, 1973's Roe v Wade, gave women in the US an absolute right to an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy, and limited rights in the second trimester.
In 1992, in Planned Parenthood v Casey, the court ruled that states could not place an "undue burden" on women seeking abortions before a foetus could survive outside the womb, at about 24 weeks.
In the years since, the "foetal viability" standard has acted as a red line in abortion law, preventing any bans on abortion before this time. *BBC*
*DeMbare In Fresh Financial Woes*
A war is brewing in the Dynamos camp between management and players, with reports suggesting that the footballers were not happy with their bosses’ reluctance to pay winning bonuses for the matches they played this season.
A source told NewsDay Sport yesterday that players had not been receiving bonuses since the start of the campaign, a development which is said to have severely affected morale in camp.
But the Dynamos top hierarchy has said it doesn’t owe players.
The reports say most of the players are yet to receive signing-on fees and already, there is talk that some key players want to leave.
Dynamos have played 14 matches in the Chibuku Super Cup, where they fell at the semi-final stage, and in the Premier League.
The Harare giants lost 1-0 to FC Platinum at the semi-final stage of the biggest cup competition locally, a game that was sandwiched by two league matches — a 1-0 win over Yadah and a 1-0 defeat to Triangle on Sunday.
It has since emerged that all is not well in the DeMbare camp, with a source saying club management had reneged on a promise to pay players US$100 each for every win, and US$50 for a draw.
The money was supposed to be paid at the interbank rate, NewsDay Sport heard.
Dynamos recorded eight wins, four draws and a defeat in the Chibuku Super Cup, to add to the two league matches. *Newsday*
*ZIFA Lawyer Cries Foul Over Suspension*
ZIFA legal advisor, Chenaimoyo Gumiro, says his clients are simply being harassed by the Sports Commission and have no case to answer at all in the fallout that hasdominated domestic football.
The Harare lawyer has now taken centre stage in terms of defending the ousted ZIFA board, and claims the SRC have been on a witch-hunt, to just find a way to nail the association’s elected leaders.
The SRC laid a number of charges against the suspended ZIFA board, including allegations of poor governance and lack of transparency.
However, Gumiro challenged the suspension of the board and hinted they will fight to overturn the decision.
“Pursuant to the suspension of the ZIFA executive committee by the SRC, through a letter dated 16 November 2021, I now wish to respond in detail to the allegations that have been levelled against the ZIFA executive committee,’’ he said.
“The first thing to note is that the suspension is done in terms of Section 30 of the SRC Act, which section permits SRC to intervene, in circumstances where a national association, has acted contrary to national interests.
“The Act does not permit the SRC to intervene in any other situations other than those provided for by the Act, which is a breach of national interest.
“In our situation, the SRC does not define the national interest that has been breached by ZIFA.
“The SRC alleges that ZIFA has failed to provide details pertaining to the money disbursed to it by Government, or the public, and that it has also failed to provide details of the charter plane that was used to ferry passengers to AFCON 2019, and the expenses surrounding that trip. *Herald*
*Extra Covid-19 Measures Eclipse Musical Shows*
After extra measures to deal with the new Covid-19 variant were unveiled on Tuesday, several musical shows set to host international artistes are now in doubt following the requirement of mandatory quarantine upon entry into the country.
Some of the shows lined up this month where foreigners are expected to perform take place in less than 14 days, the time one is expected to spend in self quarantine.
This has led to panic among show promoters and artistes who had already made arrangements.
According to the announced rules on quarantine, people are expected to isolate for 14 days when they enter into the country before mixing with the general public.
The measures were put in place to curb the spread of the virus, as the latest variant called Omicron has been detected in neighbouring South Africa and Botswana.
One of the biggest shows dubbed the “Home Coming”, featuring South African musician Focalistic, Buffalo Soul Jah, Nox, Stunner and Winky D is on the list of the affected shows.
The show is scheduled to take place on December 11 at Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
Now, the organisers are left with eight days which are short of the prescribed 14 days, with some artistes billed to perform on the night such as Focalistic, Buffalo Souljah and Nox coming from South Africa.
As if this was not enough, Winky D is scheduled to fly out this weekend for the “Johannesburg Shutdown Family Concert” featuring Busiswa and Paddy Watts. *Zimpapers*
*Carl Joshua Ncube Pens 4th Book*
Funny man, Carl Joshua Ncube has penned his fourth book titled Chikafu.
The digital recipe book is expected to be launched on the 15th of this month and is available for pre-order before the day of the launch.
Carl, who is a celebrity chef is not new to gourmet books and with this instalment, cooks must expect a century of Zimbabwean traditional recipes.
“My fourth book concentrates on traditional recipes. There are also DIY instructions on everyday stuff in the shops inclusive of ham, biltong, ginger beer and also 25 cocktail recipes as well,” said Carl.
He said he is using this as an escape route to depression that he is currently battling. *Chronicle*
^ShaSha News^
