InfocusNews 07 - 11 February 2022
reduced so that more people have access to the internet and are able to participate meaningfully in the global public sphere.
#DataMustFallZW: Zimbabweans speak out against data tariffs
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(ZIMCODD) cited that if unregulated, data charges will deter a majority from easy access to the internet.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency show that in January 2022, an average Zimbabwean needs at least $6153 for food whereas 5GB Econet data bundle is $6,600 while 25GB of NetOne is ZWL$6,500.
“The cost of data has a direct impact on one’s ability to access the internet and ultimately access to information. Universal access to the internet is still far from reality in Zimbabwe. The average salary for civil servants has remained constant at ZW$30,000. 2023 is a crucial year for us all. Low-income earners who constitute the majority are the hardest hit by high mobile data tariffs in Zimbabwe. The data regime is pushing for online spaces to be a preserve of the few and not the many as the digital gap keeps increasing,” read the statement.
HE past few days have seen the awakening of #DataMustFallZW, an online campaign set to address the continued increase of data charges in Zimbabwe following that its charges are now equivalent to the total one person can spend on food for one month.
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) said these charges were that internet use is now a luxury in Zimbabwe despite growing need of accessible and affordable internet which has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development
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Over the past few years, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) embarked on the Data Must Fall Campaign, an advocacy initiative to have the price of data
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MISA said people with low-income levels who happen to be the majority of Zimbabweans deserve internet access as that is part of human rights. “Internet access and affordability remain critical issues that need to be addressed particularly for purposes of promoting universal access to the internet for all. More so, for purposes of promoting digital inclusion. The continued increase in data tariffs, particularly in a country such as Zimbabwe, is widening the digital divide, hence, the need for urgent interventions,” said Misa in a statement. “Policymakers, consumers, private companies, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the regulator, should have meaningful, truthful and open conversations on this issue. This will not only be for purposes of understanding business or human rights perspectives, or the policy perspective but to ensure that a clear roadmap is in place as we move forward as a continent.” MISA will tonight hold a Twitter discussion on data charges and the impact on ordinary Zimbabweans. Decent Dube from Matobo Youth Development Initiative said since
InfocusNews online learning was incorporated into the education sector, data charges should accommodate even vulnerable communities in rural areas. He said despite charges, such communities were already struggling to catch up in terms of ensuring
they access gadgets to keep up with technological advancements. “We do not want anyone left behind in terms of development but data charges are a deterrent to our youths especially those in rural areas. Teachers and learners are affected too and if data charges
are not reviewed it means our learners will struggle to access the information they need to succeed in their studies. We, therefore, call on all service providers to consider their charges as we are all affected as clients, especially youths from rural areas,” said Dube. School in the area was open but only a handful of children were attending as teachers were not reporting for duty.
Teacher and Government impasse likely to worsen the education system
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HE ongoing impasse between the Government and teachers which has affected smooth opening of schools since Monday is likely worsen the crumbling education system as COVID-19 disrupted services. On Monday, schools opened officially for term one but teachers declared incapacitation and have not been reporting for duty ever since pending negotiations with the Government. Government on the other hand, announced that teachers will now receive part of their wages in forfacebook.com/wildtrustzim |
eign currency and other monetary benefits. Although teacher unions accepted the offer as part of their wishes, they emphasized that they will only report for duty once pay dates are out. In separate interviews, concerned parents said the impasse will worsen the crumbling education system as COVID-19 disrupted services. They also bemoaned low pass rate amongst 2021 Grade sevens who are expected to start Form one on Monday. Betty Makhulumo from Waterford in Bulawayo said the Primary
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“For starters we delayed opening and a month later we opened but teachers are at no show. I wish our policy makers could understand the damage that all these measures will bring about, our children will fail dismally and not even the Government or teachers will care,” she said. “We are surely going to deal with a generation of failures in the future because our teachers and Government cannot address their impasse. This cannot continue, inasmuch as we sympathize with teachers’ grievances, they need to work on ensuring our children have a better future.” For Nomagugu Ncube from Gwanda, the nationwide strike of teachers will affect children from public schools who have gone for close to two years without learning. “What pains me is a few privileged learners are continuing with their education, not even COVID-19 affected them but it’s our children whose ordinary parents cannot afford private schools who are
InfocusNews suffering. We wake up daily to prepare our children for schools only to have them come back after two hours saying there are no teachers,” she said. “Teachers are also suffering because they cannot afford to provide for their children and this means all of us will have to suffer because their needs are not catered for. We need the Government to act now and save us all from a bleak
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future.”
chooses not to report for duty.
Unions said teachers earn an average Z$21,000, about US$180 at the government’s controlled official exchange rate, or US$90 on the widely-used parallel market.
“The normal procedure is that if there is someone who does not report for duty, the normal procedure the world over is that there are remedial actions that are taken by an organisation and one of the measures is not to pay the absent teachers as they might not be part of the ministry anymore,” he said.
In response, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro said a no work no salary principal will be applied to every teacher who
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InfocusNews women pointed out few challenges that they face in their communities. “In Sigola, as young women we spend most of our productive time walking long distances to fetch water because there is shortage of water sources in our area,” said Priscilla Tendawafa from Sigola. She managed to articulate that even though they have engaged relevant stakeholders to mitigate this challenge, nothing much has been done to improve the provision of portable water in their area.
Young Women Exhibit Paintings and Drawings Depicting State of Service Delivery
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isual art is the way of expressing emotions in a non-generic way. However, a technique is no good until admirers can actually see and understand it considering that it helps bring that hidden essence and emotion before the people that admire and understand it. Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) in partnership with Amagugu International Heritage Centre conducted an exhibition of what young women from Sigola, Gwanda and Bulawayo managed to depict through
visual arts. After a series of penning down challenges faced by young women in the above-mentioned projects areas, WILD and Amagugu found it appropriate to exhibit their work at National Art Gallery Bulawayo. The exhibition accorded an opportunity for young women and the rest of the exhibitors to understand their culture, their lives, and the experience of their day to day living in a manner that cannot be achieved through other means. During the exhibition, young
“In Gwanda, early marriages and unplanned or unwanted pregnancies continue to ravage the area,” said Nkazimulo Sibanda. She strongly believes that early pregnancies among young girls carries a higher risk of illness and death, robs girls of their childhood, often forcing them to drop out of school, exposing them to sexual, physical and emotional violence and thrusting them into experiences that their young minds and bodies are not ready for, like motherhood. Sibanda managed to suggest that, through collaboration with youth, parents, community leaders and governments, they can change the story and end this harmful practice.
“In Gwanda, early marriages and unplanned or unwanted pregnancies continue to ravage the area...” facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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InfocusNews by 160 percent,” said Mpofu.
Government approves Council budget with 150% hike on domestic rates
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OVERNMENT approved Bulawayo City Council’s 2022 budget which will see residents paying 150 percent more for domestic rates while non-domestic property rates will increase by 177 percent. The increase was welcomed by the Council as productive as it is set to improve service delivery but the hike in tariff leaves many households incapacitated to pay rates consistently. BCC Corporate Communications Manager, Mrs Nesisa Mpofu said the increase is effective this month end as the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had approved the budget. “Waste water charges will increase by 150 percent for both domestic and non-domestic users, domestic charges for solid waste management (which includes refuse collection) will go up by 150 percent and for non-domestic it will go up
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“Shop licenses, liquor licenses garage licenses, trading permits route approval, development permits route approval, development permits and inspection fees classified as licenses will increase by 450 percent while Council’s rented properties will increase by 250 percent.” She added that charges such as admission fees into Council stadia and swimming pools, hire of council facilities, patient fees for use of an ambulance, cessation fees and similar charges classified as fees have also been increased by 450 percent. Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), Economic Affairs Secretary, Thembinkosi Dube said the rates were justified considering the country’s economic environment. The association, however, noted that the rates are too high for a majority of residents who are unemployed and without means to meet financial obligations. “This means that from most areas which were paying about $1 300 will be paying close to $3 000. This is going to be a burden to the unemployed and the elderly who are relying on pensions. In a normal set up we were expecting that when rates are increasing, they increase by between 10 to 25 percent,” said Dube. “However, at the same time, we are
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saying these rates are low compared to cities like Harare whose rates went up by 400 percent. We need Bulawayo to develop hence we should be able to facilitate that through the payment of rates.” Olivia Ndlovu a concerned vendor from Mpopoma said the increased rates may be justifiable but ordinary residents were already struggling to clear arrears incurred during the past three years. “We hear our rates are up and I am not sure if we will survive because we owe Council a lot and we may fail to keep up. The few cents we make from vending help us pay rent, buy food and school fees hence the need to improve the economy so that we get jobs or opportunities that will give us enough so that we support the council,” she said. “I live near families run by elderly people who are no longer working while some are child-headed and I am not sure if such will in any way afford to pay the new rate. The situation in this country gets tougher daily and sadly we continue sinking in debts and we wonder if any of this will improve in this lifetime.”
“We hear our rates are up and I am not sure if we will survive because we owe Council a lot...”
Electoral Information Blitz
out in terms of sections 160 and 161 of the Zimbabwean Constitution. The community voter education outreach has been designed to target young women, particularly, first time voters.
Voter Registration Community Mobilisation reaches out to first time voters
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very election requires voter and civic education to ensure that all voters, men and women alike, are aware of their rights, the political system and the importance of registering to vote in their respective Constituencies. Following the rollout of the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) Blitz by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) carried out a community
outreach mobilisation exercise on voter education in Magwegwe Constituency and Bulawayo Central Business District (CBD). Despite the low turn-out of citizens at various registration centres, voter educators from WILD continued engaging the community in a bid to encourage and impart knowledge about the importance of registering to vote prior the upcoming Delimitation exercise. Delimitation is a process carried
To add on, the campaign was an opportunity to disseminate information that had relevant information on registering to vote. Fliers that were distributed encompassed information on voter registration eligibility criteria, location of registration centres, an voters’ roll inspection to ensure their names appear on the voters’ roll, and entered with correct information. The community outreach offered a platform that facilitated dialogue on the participation of women and young women in electoral processes with the hope of encouraging them to take up opportunities of this nature so they can practice their democratic rights. The Mobile Voter Registration Blitz is being rolled out in two phases with phase one having commenced on the 1st of February and is slated to draw to a close on the 28th of February. Phase two of the BVR Blitz will begin from the 11th of April and come to a close on the 30th of April.
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Electoral Information Blitz
Low Voter Registration of youths costing Constituencies
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ouths below the age of 25 years old undervalue the importance of registering to vote, an observation likely to cost Constituencies that risk being lost during the delimitation exercise. Speaking during a Biometric Voter Registration Radio Show, Sibusisiwe Masina, a Community Leader from Magwegwe who has been key in mobilizing youths to register to vote cited that youths do not understand the importance of registering to vote. “There are people who still do not understand the importance of registering to vote,” said Sibusisiwe Masina, a Community Leader based in Magwegwe. ”Whenever you deliberate with young people, you come to discover that youths who are above the age of 25 years old are demotivated from registering to vote. You find someone telling you that they can’t vote because they have been doing so since time immemorial.” Masina highlighted some of the strategies that she has been using in a bid to encourage youths to register to vote. “I have come to understand that I am supposed to humble myself when I am reaching out to young facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
Click on the poster to listen to the BVR Radio Program people when encouraging them to register to vote,” stated Masina. “Some youths continue informing me that voting is only for the elderly but I make it a point that I remind them that they are the future leaders who ought to be actively involved in electoral pro-
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cesses.” Mr Silas Silaigwana, Voter Education Coordinator from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) spoke at length on the voter registration exercise. He cited that decentralizing the registration
Electoral Information Blitz offices was influenced by the concerns raised by citizens over the transport costs incurred travelling to the District offices. “As the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, we urge citizens to utilize this opportunity to register to vote as registration centres are now within citizens’ reach,” said Silaigwana. “Now that ZEC yielded to the call to decentralize, those
eligible should take up the chance to register to vote.” Mrs Sithembiso Khupe, the District Elections Officer from ZEC stated how there has been a low turn out of citizens in the mobile BVR Blitz since the day of the rollout. “We decentralized from Windsor Park so that we could be nearer to the people,” added Khupe. “ZEC
BVR Blitz Picture Gallery Monday
Tuesday
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registration centres are in all the 12 Constituencies. As it is, you will notice that our District Office is still open for the benefit of those who are located in Famona.” Silaigwana encouraged citizens, particularly the youth and firsttime voters to take advantage of the ongoing mobile voter registration Blitz and make it a priority that they register to vote.
Electoral Information Blitz Wednesday
Thursday
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Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
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