InfocusNews 18 - 22 Oct 2021
CO enjoys a monopoly and they deliberately hike fares and down tools knowing very well that we are desperate with no other means of getting into town,” she said. “I rely on my daily sales for all our meals, rent and general upkeep hence the need for constant need of reliable transport.
ZUPCO industrial action impacting on informal traders’ businesses
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he Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO) industrial action over poor working has affected informal traders who rely on public entities for transportation into the city centre. On Monday, Bulawayo residents woke up to a strike as drivers and conductors downed their tools over salaries and poor conditions, which left commuters, a majority being informal traders with no access to the city centre for business. This was not the first time ZUPCO workers took industrial action this year and this has also fuelled debates on bus fare hikes which are beyond reach for ordinary citizens
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who rely on selling wares for a living. Since the introduction of the ZUPCO monopoly a year ago in response to the COVID pandemic, passengers have been lamenting over poor service provision by the sole public transport provider. WILD Infocus News caught up with Nyasha Masuku, a vendor from Mabuthweni who usually leaves her home at 5AM to buy vegetables from the market. “I usually leave home while it’s dark to catch the morning bus but this week, we have been having challenges. The reason why these problems persist is because ZUP-
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We hear the drivers have not been paid and this means soon fares will be hiked which is not fair at all for Zimbabweans who are already struggling to make ends meet.” Tanatswa Khabo who works at the Bulawayo market said most commuters were not happy with the service being offered by the bus company. “On Monday ZUPCO drivers just decided strike out of the blue without any heads up so that we prepare and our children even missed school as we are now dependent on Zupco. This could be a stunt to justify fare hikes which won’t work because we are making less than we need as informal traders,” said Khabo. Recently a representative from ZUPCO Raymond Nyandoro said ZUPCO is overwhelmed by the number of residents in need of public transport. He said Bulawayo has 169 buses
InfocusNews and 170 omnibuses and is in need of an additional 47 buses and 35 omnibuses (kombi) to address public transport challenges in light
of Covid-19 which requires residents to social distance as means of protecting themselves. Accord-
ing to the Zupco ticketing system, about 300 000 residents use the facility daily. According to Rusike, the government should consider improving and maintaining response capacities through reviewing conditions of service and maintaining health worker motivation.
Vaccine hesitancy could affect plans to achieve herd immunity by year end
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accine hesitancy and low-uptake especially in rural areas may affect the country’s goal of vaccinating about 10 million people by this December to achieve herd immunity. This follows reports that despite availability, most communities in the rural areas are failing to access the vaccine due to long distances that they have to travel to get to the nearest health centre. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe 132 540 confirmed cases, including 126 776 recoveries and 4 662 deaths have been recorded. To date, a total of 3 251 466 people have received their first dose of facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
the Covid-19 while 2 517 653 have received their second dose. Community Working Group on Health Director Itai Rusike said multilingual public education campaigns involving communities may address hesitancy in many communities. “There is need to strengthen coordination of the public health response so that we address the issue of vaccine equity as it is very worrying that vaccines are said to be available in the country but are not reaching some health facilities in the remote locations such as rural communities and the resettlement areas, thus defeating the noble efforts of bringing the vaccines into the country,” he said
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“A majority of our health institutions are overstretched due to the numerous resignations of the health workers, leaving just a few overwhelmed health workers manning the health facilities to deal with the usual essential health services and the Covid-19 vaccination program. “The current low vaccination rates and the high levels of public complacency may result in the country’s health care system being overwhelmed by the looming threat of a 4th wave of Covid-19. I hope that the people of Zimbabwe can learn something from what is currently happening in the UK where they are now experiencing an upsurge of new Covid-19 cases, hospitalisation and deaths including the mutation of the Delta variant,” said Rusike. To this, COVID taskforce coordinator Dr Agnes Mahomva said the Government was working modalities to ensure that communities access the vaccination as the country is still targeting to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year. “Government has secured enough doses for everyone who wants to
InfocusNews be vaccinated but we have logistical problems which have resulted in some areas not accessing the vaccine. We are working on that
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and we urge communities to show a willing spirit to get vaccinated so that we achieve our target,” she said.
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Mahomva also highlighted that government requires buy-in from communities in fighting COVID-19.
InfocusNews
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InfocusNews term and long-term objectives,” Shumba said.
WILD Conducts Business proposal and financial literacy workshop for Bulawayo female Entrepreneurs
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ULAWAYO Female Entrepreneurs have been urged to be deliberate and strategic in their business ventures as this will help them to focus on the necessary steps for them to make business ideas succeed as well as achieve short-term and long-term objectives for their businesses. Speaking during a Business proposal and financial literacy workshop for Bulawayo female entrepreneurs organised by Women’s Institute for Leadership Development, Business Management Lecturer at Lupane State University, Victor Shumba emphasised the need for a coherent business plan. “A business plan is a written document that describes in detail how a business – usually a startup – defines its objectives and how it will go about achieving its goals. facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
“It is very important for any serious entrepreneur to have a solid business plan as this helps establish business milestones, better understand your competition and customers as well as enunciating previously unstated assumptions,” Shumba said. Shumba also said a solid business plan is a roadmap that helps entrepreneurs to focus on the necessary steps to take if their businesses are to succeed. “Not only does having a business plan show that you are serious about your business but it also helps to assess the feasibility of a business venture, determine financial needs and how to attract investors or partners. “This is very important as it reduces the risk of pursuing the wrong opportunities but achieves short-
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Echoing the same sentiments was WILD Programs Manager Permanent Ngoma who said: “A business plan is like a roadmap if you don’t plan for your business, you are likely to run a loss. A business plan helps an entrepreneur to have a vision, keep track of any developments and plan accordingly moving forward.” Ngoma said. Shumba also urged entrepreneurs to have a solid marketing and financial plan in place. “With the advent of social media, it is advisable to leverage social media to market your products. Always know the trends and which platforms to market your products as this can broaden your clientele. “It is also advisable to have a financial plan in place as this helps to detail how you anticipate bringing in revenue and the funding you will need to get started. The financial plan should include financial statements, an analysis of these statements as well as a cash flow projection.” Shumba said. A representative from the Women’s Bank, Thandolwenkosi Gumbo said the Bank is offering up to 2million RTGs in loans to entrepreneurs. “The Women’s Bank is currently assisting entrepreneurs from diverse sectors with accessing loans and many other opportunities. “All you need is your proof of residence and national ID. Once we
InfocusNews assess your capabilities to pay back the loan based on your business plan we proceed to the next steps,” Gumbo said. Gumbo also encouraged entrepreneurs to apply in groups. “We also offer start-up loans to
entrepreneurs applying in groups. These groups can consist of about 3 people going up. One important rule is to always work with people you trust for the avoidance of financial problems,” she said. The workshop was attended by a total of 15 female entrepreneurs
drawn from the formal and informal sector. As a follow up to the workshop, participants will go through a Business Proposal writing exercise and these proposals will be pitched before a panel of judges to select the winning business proposal.
Click on the Whatsapp icon to join the group WILDINFOCUSNEWS WhatsApp group provides information on community issues from across Bulawayo, Matebeleland South, and Matabeleland North. Join this group to access latest updates from these communities. #InFocusNews
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Community Voices
issue for many years.
By Lungile Masuku Our concern is that residents should not be left out in key decision making processes and the local authority should ensure that there is transparency in the implementation of budget plans.
Citizens’ involvement is key in public finances management
Residents in Gwanda have continuously expressed concern regarding lack of citizens’ involvement and consultation on issues concerning the use of public funds especially the devolution funds. Municipality of Gwanda was allocated ZWL 6.8 million on the second quarter of the year 2021 and as residents we are concerned that this
information was not shared to us through formal community structures. Recently, the Municipality purchased a truck but residents are concerned that funds that went towards the purchase of the truck could have been used to improve sewer and water reticulation in the area as this has remained a thorny
This will enable citizens to develop mutual trust and confidence in the local authority processes. The local authority needs to improve the effectiveness of communication channels with community members so that information on council projects is readily available. This will prevent speculation and strengthen cooperation and coordination between residents and duty bearers.
Views on Continuous Assessment Learning Activities In the past two weeks, Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) engaged girls of school going age to get their perspectives and opinion on the recently introduced Continuous Assessment Learning Activity projects (CALA). This is a learning activity or assessment that requires learners to perform, demonstrate their knowledge, understanding and proficiency. Continuous Assessment Learning Activity is meant to yield a tangible product and/or performance that serves as evidence of learning. WILD In Focus News spoke to Dumoluhle Ndlovu a form four student at Sobukazi High school on the implementation of CALAs. facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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I can say that the whole process was not implemented at the right time considering the fact that there is too much pressure on us as students and I think that it should have been implemented maybe next year because at-least then the students will have enough time to effectively complete the projects. For example, for us doing form four, we have to do 30 projects since most of us are doing 10 subjects and with the pressure we have right now most of us are finding it hard to cope, considering that we were not even doing online lessons during the long lock down so we have a lot of catching up to do.
By Dumoluhle Ndlovu
The other thing is that the CALAs are too demanding in terms of money as we have to buy files and it requires a lot of effort in terms of the researches that are needed one really needs to take their time and I believe we don’t need that kind of pressure right now. Although we have only done four CALAs in four subjects I still believe that we still have a lot of work to do and with the remaining subjects I still think we won’t have enough time to complete all of them. www.womenforleadership.org
Community Voices
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Electoral Information Blitz the government. There is every need for the ZEC to be as credible and independent as possible,” reads the report.
Outcry over delay of by-elections
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ivil society organisations have bemoaned the delay of by-elections amongst other electoral anomalies affecting Zimbabweans. In a report released this month dubbed the Zimbabwe African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Popular Sensitization Project (ZAPS), it was revealed that ZEC lacks public trust from citizens. The report is Africa’s voluntary governance review and promotion tool established in 2003 which is based on the belief that dialogue, diplomacy and civil society involvement can catalyse continuous reform around the area of good governance. According to the ZAPS, ZEC has disenfranchised some communities by not conducting voter registration. The delay in by-elections and other election related anomalies reflect negatively on ZEC. “On 30 September 2020, the gov-
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ernment of Zimbabwe promulgated SI 225A of 2020, entitled Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment, and Treatment) (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 (No. 4), which suspended the holding of by-elections due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the easing of lockdown measures in February 2021, the suspension remains,” reads the report. “In a press statement released on 16 April 2021, the ZEC announced the indefinite suspension of by-elections noting that ‘some lockdown measures of Statutory Instrument 10 of 2021 are still in force.’ This move is, however, inconsistent with the Constitution.” Section 158(3) of the Constitution states that by-elections must take place within ninety days after the vacancies occurred and is mandatory. “The indefinite suspension of by-elections shows the ZEC’s lack of substantive independence from
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“With the next harmonised elections two years away, the ZEC has a lot of work to do if these elections are to be conducted in a credible manner, producing an indisputable outcome.” The ZAPS also argued that Zimbabwe’s voters’ roll has been problematic since independence. “The refusal by the government to make public an electronic voters’ roll has heightened suspicion of vote rigging through this instrument. Electoral management in Zimbabwe has thus been riddled with constitutional, legal and institutional problems, which have led to disagreements on electoral outcome,” reads the report. Activists in the past have also raised concerns over names of deceased people, double entries, omitted voters and names that do not appear in their rightful constituencies being common in the Zimbabwe voters’ roll.
“With the next harmonised elections two years away, the ZEC has a lot of work to do...”
Click on the picture to watch Women in Bulawayo’s Ward 2 mobilized each other to register to vote and we provided them with transport from where they live to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commis-
sion District office in Bulawayo. These women are excited because they have exercised their right and are now eligible to vote. If you have not yet registered to vote, what are
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you waiting for? Mobilize women in your community and go to your nearest voter registration centre #registertovote #myvotespeaks #hervotespeaks
Listen as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Voter Education Coordinator for Bulawayo Silas Silaigwana speaks about the requirements for voter registration and where you can register to vote #registertovote #myvotespeaks #hervotespeaks
Loading…Watch the space for details! #EkhayaVote2023 #RegisterToVoteZW facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
VOTERS’ ROLL LINK facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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