InfocusNews 29 Nov - 03 Dec 2021
tariffs, Martin Ncube, a member of the area committee said that the local authority needs to ensure that the budget processes are all inclusive.
Residents call for inclusive approaches on budget processes
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omen’s Institute for Leadership Development took part in a budget consultation for various stakeholders in Umzingwane Ward 16. The meeting was facilitated by the Ward 16 Councillor Partson Sibanda who presented the proposed 2022 tariffs for licenses, application fees, land administration fees, service charges and penalties. The stakeholders present included the Resident Association, Church fraternity, Business community, Small Scale Miners Association and informal traders. Making his submissions during the budget consultations Gift Ndlela, the chairperson for Esigodini Residents Association said it seemed
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the budget consultations are not being done in good faith. “What we have seen over the years is that budget consultations are just done so as to tick boxes. We feel like the local authority is not sincere. Right now, we are seeing an increase of up to 200% in the proposed 2022 tariffs. Residents here in Habane are still struggling with the economic impacts of COVID-19, they cannot afford such high rates. If the local authority is sincere, we request that such factors be taken into consideration when the tariffs are being reviewed. What we are proposing is that the rates should not be reviewed for 2022,” submitted Ndlela. Responding to the proposed 2022
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“The challenge that we have noted is that residents end up neglecting payment of council rates as they say that these tariffs are imposed on them. Each and every year the budget consultations are conducted but at the end of the day these are more like rubber stamping processes whereby the views of the residents are never adopted by the council.” “Another challenge is that citizens are only consulted on the drafting of the budget but are side-lined from the rest of the budget cycle especially on expenditure and this weakens accountability mechanisms. Budget consultations should not be an event but rather an ongoing process with regular updates and consultations with residents. This can foster ownership of the budget and cooperation between council and residents,” submitted Ncube. Margaret Moyo a member of Esigodini Residents Association who was also in attendance said that the local authority needs to improve the implementation of the budget as agreed with residents. “What I have seen is that when tariffs are being proposed to res-
InfocusNews idents, the local authority highlights priorities and projects to be undertaken for that fiscal year. However, at the end of the year, development stays at a standstill. As we speak right now the houses at Emlanjeni still do not have running water and toilets. We have been raising this as a priority over the years during the budget consultations. We are calling upon the local authority to prioritise what is identified as important by residents during these budget consultations,” said Moyo. Representing the Council of
Churches, Qiniso Mpofu expressed concern over revenue collection after Councilor Sibanda highlighted in his presentation that the local authority has only managed to collect 9% for the 2021 financial year. “The local authority needs to come up with strategies for solving the revenue collection crisis. I am proposing as one of the strategies for the local authority to give incentives for consistent rate payers. This could serve as motivation for the rest of the residents. Another strategy will be for the local au-
thority to improve service delivery. Residents are more likely to pay their rates when service is satisfactory,” highlighted Mpofu. Nkosiphile Ncube who was also in attendance proposed that Ward 16 residents should compile a position paper which will be submitted to the local authority. He proposed that the position paper be used as an advocacy tool where residents can highlight strategies that can be used to improve budget processes so as to foster inclusivity and accountability. budget targets growth in 2022, it lacked mechanisms on addressing inequality. She said the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development allocation of ZWL 4.7 billion, a mere 0.5% of the total budget, is not enough to address the deep social and economic challenges faced by women in Zimbabwe.
National budget not addressing women’s needs – Rights activists
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lthough the 2022 national budget projects an increase of ZWL 505.7 billion from the 2021 budget which was pegged at ZWL 421.6, human rights activists say it leaves a lot to be desired in terms of addressing women’s challenges and gender inequalities in Zimbabwe. Last week Finance and Economic facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said part of the money will be channelled to infrastructure and state-owned companies, including to recapitalize the national airline. In an interview, Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD) Executive Director Janet Zhou said although the
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“It is regrettable that women affairs are still lumped together with community, small and medium enterprises which poses risks of expenditure tracking to ascertain the amount of funds that have been used towards addressing the specific challenges faced by women. This is despite the 2022 National Budget recognizing the role of women in economic development as producers, leaders, entrepreneurs and service providers and that there is a positive relationship between “women’s access to financial products and services and increased economic growth and
InfocusNews development of the country,” said Zhou. “Although the 2022 budget has tried to address some of the key challenges faced by women especially productive health issues through for instance by making provisions for free antenatal health care services for disadvantaged expecting mothers as well as sanitary wear in support for the girl child targeting primary school children, women are still affected by some of the budget pronouncements,” she said. According to Zhou, women will be negatively impacted by some of the budget provisions which include
the US$50 Cellphone tax as it is known that Zimbabwean women are still trying to keep pace with technological advancement and pace, the tax will therefore compromise women’s digital rights. “Furthermore, the tax further widens educational inequalities as it means the poor rural and urban learners will find it difficult to access online lessons and again the burden of home-schooling will remain on the shoulders of the mothers. To this, local activist Lindile Ndebele said the allocation did not factor in challenges faced by women that need to be addressed. She
said there was a need for funding to empower women who often find themselves as victims of gender based violence. “We understand that as a country we need to work on infrastructure but we also need to consider investing in income generating projects for women as a long term solutions to gender based violence which affects more than a third of women and girls. We wish the budget would have had an allocation for women empowerment because we know that this will in turn solve a multitude of social ills that we have in our community,” added Ms Ndebele. The Ministry of Health and Child Care approved the vaccination of those aged 16 and 17 and said it is conducting tests on the eligibility of vaccinating minors. Council is undertaking the programme in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Child Care as well as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Low uptake of Covid-19 vaccine by 16-17 year olds
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he vaccination of 16-17-year-old learners has entered into week two with concerns of low uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine despite fears of a looming fourth wave as a result of the recently facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
detected Omicron variant. Last week the new variant was detected in the neighbouring South Africa and Botswana leaving many worried that the development may precede a national lockdown.
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While health experts are battling to explain the new variant, Zimbabwe is heading towards herd immunity which may be affected by low turnout as the number of people being vaccinated daily continues to decrease. Bulawayo Provincial Medical Director Dr Maphios Siamuchembu said although the program had started, only a few learners were willing to take up the vaccine. “We are in trouble as we all know
InfocusNews that a new variant has been detected which means we should be on our best behaviour so that it does not find its way into the country. Scientists are still researching and while they are at it, it will be wise for all of us to get vaccinated, every adult aged from 16 should approach our health centres for the lifesaving jabs,” said Dr Siamuchembu. One of the learners from Sobukazi High School in Makokoba said more awareness is needed for peo-
ple to go in their numbers. “I have just been vaccinated as one of the first learners but the truth is many of us are not willing yet to come hence the need for awareness campaigns,” she said. “We haven’t reached that stage where all of us voluntarily take the vaccine and that information gap should be filled so that we get vaccinated and reach herd immunity. Another student identified as
Nkosilothando Ncube urged other learners to get vaccinated. “We know that in other countries they are vaccinating even 12-yearolds hence we have no excuse but to support our parents and Government to reach herd immunity. I want to add that this exercise in a way is tempering with our studies as we are too anxious about the side effects and I believe that is the reason why some choose to stay at home.” in schools. The poetry slam was conducted by Women’s institute for Leadership Development in partnership with HIVOS and the Embassy of Ireland in Pretoria.
Click on the image to watch Baby Poet
GBV tackled through poetry
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t least eight poets on Saturday 27 November participated in a poetry slam with an aim of promoting conversations on gender-based violence.
The poetry slam allowed poets from Bulawayo to challenge discriminatory gender-based violence narratives, norms and practices which undermine women’s participation and leadership.
The poets developed poetic pieces on the challenges that women and men face with regards to gender-based violence. They also noted the need to uphold women’s human rights as well as their dignity.
Presenting her poem, Baby Poet dramatized how women often feel obliged to stay in relationships with abusers as long as they are providing financial support for them. The poems also explained issues of child abuse and sextortion
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Eight poets rose up to the spoken word challenge and these included Percy, TWS, Lethu, Chester, Lorraine, Baby Poet, Priscy, Thandoe. Of the 8 poets, two received accolades for being the best-spoken word poets. The commemorations were conducted under the theme “Orange the World: Stop Gender Based Violence now!” Moderating the event, Poet Asa noted that it is artiste’s responsibility to develop socially conscious works of art which are meant to inspire and change the world. “During this time as we commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we need to make sure that as artists we
InfocusNews develop content that will prevent gender-based violence within the community. GBV continues to affect so many people who often suffer in silence but now is the time to talk about it and help survivors to speak out,” he said. Male poets who attended the event, performed pieces that demonstrated that men also experience Gender Based Violence, explaining that when they do, they are often left to suffer in silence.
Click on the image to watch Chester the Poet
“During this time as we commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, we need to make sure that as artists we develop content that will prevent gender-based violence within the community.
Click on the image to watch Thandoe the Poet
Community women in Makokoba use drama to explain GBV
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eports have shown that in times of crises, the numbers of Gender Based Violence cases rise, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of
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InfocusNews violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified thus raising awareness to end GBV is much needed. Civil Society Organizations and the world at large are marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from 25 November to 10 December 2021, under the global theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”. It is against this background that Ward Coordinator, Thandi Moyo from Makokoba facilitated a GBV awareness outreach which was held at Makokoba Stanley Hall. The meeting was graced by community women who are keen to
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end and prevent all forms of violence against women in their area.
actors in the fight against violence,” said one of the participants.
“COVID-19 caused cases of GBV to rise considering that families were now spending more time together due to lockdown restrictions thus there is need for a global collective effort to stop it,” said Thandi Moyo.
Participants showcased how GBV affects their day to day lives through the use of visual arts. Women who attended the awareness articulated that, arts have avenues that appeal to the human mind of reason, the heart of emotion and soul of conscience thus using it as a tool to stop GBV was indeed vital.
Participants also called for the involvement of men in tackling gender-based violence considering that they have been ignored as part of the solution. “Men are often labelled as perpetrators of violence, but they are too infrequently considered as potential victims, or as partners and
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The visual art performances harnessed visual aspects that appeal to thought and empathy and this was used to start conversations about GBV, and therefore, break the silence.
InfocusNews
Did you Know? According to UNWomen, at least 1 in 3 women are abused in their lifetime and only 1 in 10 of these women report their cases to the police. Source: UNWomen
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InfocusNews
towards women. “One of the challenges we face in politics is the fact that people look down on us as women. What I say might be disregarded just because I am a woman. In some cases, I won’t even have the emancipation to wear what I want because I’m afraid of what people think,” she said.
Women discuss how GBV affects women’s participation in politics and leadership.
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emale politicians have expressed that women in politics tend to suffer more from GBV in most, if not all, of its forms. This was said during the Women’s Round Table that was attended by female politicians and aspiring candidates from Bulawayo. Gender-Based Violence comes in different forms, including physical, sexual, emotional, and economic. Most studies show that women are the primary victims as they are deemed the softer targets. “I have witnessed a lot of gen-
der-based violence. You will realise that, as a woman, you will face such abuses at home, in church, in the community and in the country at large. GBV is mainly fuelled by the patriarchal nature of our Zimbabwean society which perpetuates inequalities in the power dynamics. Patriarchy is very rife in politics, as a result women are easily victimised leading to a decrease in their participation,” said Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo. Aspiring candidate Lezina Mohamed highlighted that one of the challenges that she faces is the condescending nature of society
Women in attendance emphasised that gender-based violence is also perpetrated through the internet, and that this causes a lot of women to give up on politics. “I personally was a victim of gender-based violence when I was campaigning to be a councillor and this is why a lot of women tend to shy away from politics, whether as candidates or as participants. There has to be a way of ensuring that within the party women are protected and there is need for women to support each other in the fight against cyberbullying and not be each other’s enemies,” said Keresia Dagwaira, one of the meeting participants. The meeting facilitator, Sibusisiwe Dube, encouraged women to know their rights, uplift each other, and help in the fight to end violence against women.
“I personally was a victim of gender-based violence when I was campaigning to be a councillor and this is why a lot of women tend to shy away from politics..” facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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InfocusNews “Mental clinics and centers are flooded with young people who are succumbing to mental illnesses as a result of these drugs. It is quite saddening that we are losing our future leaders to drugs because, as they affect your central nervous system, your ability to make sound decisions is compromised. Many end up opting for suicide and some become violent, which in turn leads to gender-based violence,” highlighted Moyo.
Pumula residents meet for a drug abuse and gender-based violence community outreach
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omen’s Institute for Leadership Development participated in a community fun day, which was hosted by Pumula Youths under the “Safe and Inclusive Cities” project. In attendance were different stakeholders, which included representatives from the Ministry of Youth, CSOs, the media, community leaders, local artists, and Pumula residents. The community outreach was conducted in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence as well as to combat drug abuse in the community which has exacerbated incidences of GBV. One of the participants Thando Ncube who did a side interview with WILD, highlighted that the lockdown is the reason why a lot of youths have resorted to drug and facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
substance abuse. “A lot of youths in our community have resorted to drugs and substance abuse following the coming of the COVID-19 induced lockdowns, which led to the closure of a lot of businesses, retrenchments, and generally the closure of a lot of recreational centers. Youths ‘escaped’ their troubles by abusing drugs which in the long run affects their central nervous system. Drug abuse has led to GBV and there is need to address this as it has now become a serious problem in our community,” said Ncube. One of the speakers, Patrick Moyo, a pastor in one of the community churches, pleaded with the residents not to resort to drugs, emphasising that, contrary to popular belief, these drugs make one low instead of high.
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During her presentation, Councillor Sikhulekile Moyo highlighted that members of the public have to join hands in the fight against gender-based violence. “The rampant cases of drug abuse and GBV can only be mitigated if everyone in the community joins hands in this fight. As the community we should thrive to provide safe spaces for young people who have fallen into this destructive lifestyle and give all the help that we are able to offer. This will create support systems that are key in the fight against drug abuse and GBV,” said Moyo. The Youth Support Network also took an opportunity to educate the audience about common illegal drugs and encouraged the public, especially school children and youths, to abstain from drugs and put an end to gender-based violence to create a safe and conducive community for all. The outreach program was concluded with dances from local dance groups and presentations from community poets.
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InfocusNews sexual abuse to the extent of being married to a man who abused her, until she met a woman who helped her heal and open up and finally get the strength to leave the abusive marriage.”
Call to stiffen penalties for perpetrators of GBV
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omen’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) conducted a radio programme focusing on the impact of Gender Based Violence (GBV) on women’s participation in electoral processes. Two guest speakers who attended the radio programme highlighted that there is need to stiffen penalties for perpetrators if GBV, so as to put an end to GBV. The first speaker Thandiwe Moyo, a ward coordinator from Makokoba, revealed that she is a victim of GBV and shared her experiences on the physical abuse that she experienced, until she managed to escape from the abuse with the help from her family and the police. Speaking from her experience, Thandiwe submitted that “the reason why most women opt to be silent on cases of GBV is because of the treatment that they get from the police at the charge offices.” facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
She explained that, some of the police officers tend to drag the process of opening dockets for cases of gender-based violence especially on cases of emotional and verbal abuse. Also present was Kuda Kunze, the Founder and Director of Women Association of Survivors, who also revealed that she is a survivor of GBV and explained how this experience affected her. She said that “being sexually violated at a young age had serious psychological effects on her as she experienced post traumatic disorders, because the court case dragged for too long and it also affected her as the word about her misfortune spread at school and in her community.” Kunze revealed that due to all the trauma she ended up resorting to alcohol abuse and later in life she ended up being a survivor of
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To wrap up the radio programme the presenter asked the guests to share their views on how best we can ensure that we end violence against women. Kunze advised that “there is need to bring men to the table because in order to end GBV we have to attack it from the root cause, which is to punish the perpetrators.” She explained that there is need to have male role models who will fight against other male perpetrators and stand up against GBV. She also said that “there is need for the justice system to stiffen sentences on perpetrators of GBV crimes.” Answering to the same question, Thandiwe said that there is need for women to break the silence and normalise speaking about GBV as this does not only affect the survivors but also the future generations of women who will also practice the norm of suffering in silence.
“There is need to bring men to the table because in order to end GBV we have to attack it from the root cause, which is to punish the perpetrators.”
InfocusNews and secular society has left thousands of people being abused and perpetrators getting away with it without justice prevailing. if we continue to have these discussions, this may deter perpertrators of GBV,” said Lezina the facilitator.
SGBV discussions important for ending GBV- Community women
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exual and gender-based violence is regarded as a real community issue affecting everyone and women from Makokoba and Mpopoma have noted that more conversations on SGBV may deter and reduce GBV. It is against this background that WILD through their Ward Coordinators, Lezina Mohammed and Patricia Tshabalala conducted GBV awareness programmes in Mpopoma and Makokoba suburbs. In Mpopoma, women were taught on gender-based violence by a representative from Musasa who explained the different types of abuses ranging from rape, physical violence, denial of resources and opportunities and harmful traditional practices such as early marriages. WILD representative Bridgette Ndlovu explained the impact of GBV on women’s participation in political and electoral
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processes. “It is essential for women to report GBV and actively seek gender-based violence responses services as well as promote gender-based violence prevention. This will ensure that women can participate actively in electoral processes without fear. When a woman is abused, they often lack confidence to participate and this is not what we want,” she said. In Makokoba, women from the Methodist Church were enlightened on GBV causes and impact. Women articulated that because of stigma and lack of consensus in the church sector, it is often lost in the global dialogue considering that congregants are more focused on faith-based issues rather than social life. “The lack of attention to this important issue both by the church
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Women were of the view that gender-based violence initiatives would be incomplete and ineffective if not accompanied with prevention activities. These preventative actions range from awareness raising about what gender-based violence is and what people’s rights are, to supporting community-led initiatives and women’s rights groups in their efforts to reduce gender-based violence. Women from the Methodist church called for the inclusion of men and boys in the fight of GBV. “Stripping away toxic masculinity is vital in preventing GBV thus inclusion of men is much important,” said one of the participants. Participants recommended that local organisations should constantly conduct these outreach activities with communities, to raise awareness of human rights and gender equality issues and promote discussions on gender-based violence prevention and response. “These activities can increase trust in the police, and should also ensure that community members and organizations are aware of the responsibilities of security personnel with respect to the issue,” said one of the participants.
The Legal Space
Implications of the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill on Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs)
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he Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Bill which was gazetted on the 5th of November 2021, is highly intrusive and poses high risks of closing of civic space due a number of unconstitutional provisions, cumbersome processes for compliance, financial, legal and security risks. The Bill poses a risk on legitimate human rights work, development work and humanitarian work being carried out by Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs). By conferring excessive powers to the Minister to interfere in internal affairs of NPOs, there will be over-regulation and undue targeting. The Amendment Bill is an affront to freedom of association as provided in Section 58 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. The Bill seeks to amend the Private Voluntary Organisations Act [Chapter 17:05]. facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
The Bill’s memorandum provides that amendments are being made in order to comply with the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) recommendations made to Zimbabwe. FATF is an Intergovernmental organisation whose main objective is to develop policies to combat money laundering and Zimbabwe is a member. The amendment is therefore meant to ensure that PVOs in Zimbabwe are not used as conduits for money laundering and funding of terrorist activities in compliance with recommendation 8 of the FATF. The Bill also prohibits PVOs from political involvement, and requires them to discharge their mandate for the benefit of society’s most vulnerable. In terms of the Bill, PVOs are prohibited from undertaking political lobbying on behalf of any individual, organisation or
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political party, and the Bill stipulates penalties for those PVOs that violate the Act. The Bill amends the definition of “private voluntary organisation” to remove the exemption of Trusts collecting contributions from the public or outside the country for prescribed charitable purposes by providing for such trusts to fall under the scope of PVOs. As a result, Trusts will be required by the Registrar of PVOs to register as PVOs with failure to comply resulting in criminal charges against the said Trust. The Bill confers broad powers on the PVO Board to compel organisations which it deems to be at high risk of or vulnerable to money laundering, funding terrorism, terrorist organizations or terrorist causes, to register as a PVO. The provision draws an unjustified or unwarranted link between NPOs and terrorism. The wide powers that the Bill confers on the Board to compel an organisation to register as a PVO on the grounds that it is advancing terrorist activities and money laundering may be abused to muzzle the operations of NPOs so as to silence dissenting views. Such unilateral discretion conferred on the Minister is contrary to the FATF risk-based approach and leaves the process open to abuse as the criteria for the assessment is not provided in the Bill. The Bill also confers powers on the Board to prescribe additional or special requirements, obligations
The Legal Space or measures which are not set out in the Act in regulating the activities of the said organisation which can limit its independence and autonomy. The imposition of special measures which may include increased monitoring and enforcement powers by the Registrar such as revoking a licence, ordering the removal of the director, trustee, employee or another office bearer which is in violation of Labour Laws as due process is not prescribed by the Bill.
repression and heavy handedness in the NGO sector.
imprisonment are recommended for offences in terms of this Act.
The Bill further provides for the criminalisation of NPOs for supporting or opposing any political party or candidate, however it does not make provision for the conduct that is deemed to amount to supporting or opposing political parties or candidates. The provision is vague and open to abuse in criminalising legitimate work being carried out by NPOs.
The Bill makes provision to the effect that the Board may at any time cancel any certificate of registration if the organisation has failed to comply with any condition of its registration or if it is considered that the objects in respect of which it was registered are merely incidental to the other objects of the organisation. As much as there is need to regulate the operations of NPOs, this clause may be used in silencing dissenting views and clamping down on organisations which are said to be deviating from their mandate. The provision significantly shrinks democratic space for NPOs and pushes the government ever closer to outright
The Bill provides for criminalisation of certain conduct within the operations of NPOs and the harshest penalty is a level fourteen fine or imprisonment not exceeding five years. Imprisonment is a harsh remedy as it means that once one has been convicted of a criminal offence involving dishonesty and sentenced to imprisonment, they will be disqualified from taking part in the activities of a PVO in any capacity. In addition to numerous criminal offences introduced in the Bill, there is provision also of Civil Penalty Orders which creates even more penalisation of the sector. Civil remedies or administrative fines without the option for
The Bill makes provision for the Minister to suspend members of the executive committee and appoint provisional trustees to run the affairs of the organisation for a period not exceeding sixty days pending the election of members of a new executive committee. The Minister may exercise such powers after receiving information to the effect that the organisation is not operating in furtherance of its objectives, that there is maladministration within the organisation, that the organisation is involved in any illegal activities or it is in the public interest to do so. The Bill confers powers on the provisional to run affairs of the organisation and can even dispose of funds and assets with the approval of the Minister. Even if the Minister’s appointment of provisional trustees is subsequently revoked by the court, anything done “in good faith” in the 60 days is deemed valid and cannot be reversed. This provision is an attack on the autonomy and independence of NPOs and poses a risk of misuse of assets by the provisional trustees.
The Bill confers broad powers on the PVO Board to compel organisations which it deems to be at high risk of or vulnerable to money laundering, funding terrorism, terrorist organizations or terrorist causes, to register as a PVO. facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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The Legal Space National Budget Statement which the Minister then tabled in the National Assembly after his speech.
Assessing the advancement of socio-economic rights in the 2022 National Budget
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he failure by the government to prioritise funding for social services in the 2022 budget is a violation of the socio-economic rights of citizens as entrenched in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, SDGs as well as the regional and international human rights instruments. In a country such as Zimbabwe where many are deprived of opportunities and resources owing in part to the economic meltdown, the protection of socio-economic rights is of the outmost importance. Socio-economic rights are entrenched in the Constitution of Zimbabwe, regional and international human rights instruments that the country has ratified such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
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Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter). In terms of these human rights instruments, socio-economic rights are the indispensable and inalienable rights of all human beings. On the 25th of November 2021, the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube delivered the 2022 Budget speech in the National Assembly. In his presentation the Minister highlighted that the 2022 Budget theme is “Building Resilience and Sustainable Economic Recovery” which speaks to economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has wreaked havoc in the country since March 2020. The speech that was presented by the Minister was a summary of the detailed 2022
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The statement comes at a time when citizens especially women are struggling to make ends meet due to the continued devaluing of incomes and wages alongside the high inflation which stands at 58%. The country is also facing shortfalls in social services funding including water, food, education and healthcare which is a violation of the basic human rights of the citizens of Zimbabwe. The 2022 national budget allocations for social services are pegged way below the recommended targets such as the 20% for education as set out in the Dakar Declaration 2020, 15% for healthcare as set out in the Abuja Declaration, 9.6 % for housing as set out in the African Union Social Protection as well as 4.5% for Social Welfare as stipulated in the Social Policy for Africa. These targets were drafted so as to provide minimum standards for countries in ensuring that social services are prioritised towards ending poverty and inequalities especially amongst vulnerable groups such as women, children and persons with disabilities. The failure by the Government of Zimbabwe to meet these minimum standards in allocating funds for social services in the 2022 national budget further perpetuates the vicious cycle of poverty and inequality which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Women especially in the informal sector have experienced massive loss of income and livelihoods due to the
The Legal Space COVID-19 lockdown regulations which deemed their businesses non-essential leading to their closure for prolonged periods of time. After the Minister’s speech the National Assembly adjourned until Tuesday 7th December, when the Budget debate on the speech will resume. The Senate also adjourned and will resume sitting on Tuesday 14th December. This programme is designed to allow Members of Parliament time to digest and analyse the Budget before the resumption of the Budget debate on 7th December. Summary of the 2022 budget allocations relating to social services At least ZWL$2.1 billion has been allocated for water in local authorities and ZWL$1.9 billion for rural water, sanitation and hygiene. ZWL$22.4 billion has been allocated for dam construction, notably Gwayi-Shangani, Chivhu, Kunzvi, Bindura, Dande and Semwa dams. ZWL$1.1 billion has been allocated to the health sector for the rehabilitation of
hospitals, delivery of ambulances, introduction of a National Health Equipment Maintenance Plan as well as continuation of COVID-19 vaccination programs. ZWL$4.4 billion has been allocated for the second education project targeting 200 schools. ZWL$4.1 billion has been allocated towards BEAM covering tuition, uniforms and stationery for vulnerable children. ZWL$3.4 billion has been allocated for the rehabilitation of Higher and Tertiary institutions, notably the resumption of work at Bindura Female Hostel as well as rehabilitation of Gwanda University, NUST, and Midlands State University. ZWL$2 billion has been allocated towards social protection for grain procurement and cash for grains to labour constrained households, including people with disabilities, child headed families; food distribution on rural areas targeting 1.1 million food insecure beneficiaries. ZWL$160 million has been allocated to support income generating activities for poor households, ZWL$2.2 billion for cash transfers to 97 000 labour constrained
households, ZWL$270 million for child protection services and ZWL$220 million for social protection programmes benefiting people with disabilities. ZWL$29 billion for housing delivery has been allocated for rehabilitation and upgrading of existing housing facilities for public servants and capitalisation of the civil service housing scheme. ZWL$43.9 billion has been allocated for roads development programme, with a target of 200 km for Harare-Beitbridge Road. ZWL$2.5 billion has been allocated for the modernization of border posts and ZWL$16.9 billion for the emergency road rehabilitation programme for maintenance and re-gravelling. ZWL$3 billion has been allocated for rural road infrastructure. ZWL$42.5 billion has been allocated for inter-governmental fiscal transfer to local authorities and ZWL$825 million for disaster risk management. ZWL$3.7 billion has been allocated for the Urban mass transport system.
At least ZWL$2.1 billion has been allocated for water in local authorities and ZWL$1.9 billion for rural water, sanitation and hygiene.
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Community Voices
appealed to the government to revive industries so that people can be gainfully employed.
Women in Gwanda call for setting up of GBV response mechanisms
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wanda Community Economic Justice Development Trust with support from Women’s Institute for Leadership Development (WILD) conducted a GBV Awareness on 30 November 2021. The activity created a platform for women and youths to share experiences on GBV cases that have become high in Gwanda urban since COVID-19 started in 2020. By Lungile Masuku Chilling stories of GBV were shared and what came out is that most women and men do not speak out but they bottle these experiences and that has led to depression and suicide among the victims. What was also noted is that there are no adequate safe spaces for GBV victims to especially in Gwanda District. facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
Currently there is a one stop centre located at Gwanda Provincial Hospital and the services are not visible to many. There is need for a setting up a one stop centre and a victim friendly unit to reach out to the communities for awareness because people are not aware about these departments. During the meeting, there was also a recommendation for CBOs in Gwanda to collaborate and build the capacity of women and girls on entrepreneurship so that they do not depend on third parties but be able to fend for themselves as this reduces incidences of GBV. Participants also lamented the economic hardships that people are facing and unavailability of employment for the youths saying these are some of the root causes of gender-based violence and they
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Residents and students raise alarm over high number of teenage pregnancies and child marriages
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n commemorating the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Esigodini Residents Association conducted a GBV Awareness campaign with students from Mvuthu High school in Umzingwane. A total of 93 students and 3 teachers were in attendance. The topic of discussion was the prevalence of teenage pregnancies and child marriages which have been on the rise during the COVID-19 lockdown. Early in the year, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small
Community Voices that are prevalent in their area. These have mostly been as a result of traditional practices which violate some rights and also as a direct result of ignorance about what gender-based violence is and the different forms it takes. Sibanye Animal Welfare and Conservancy conducted a gender-based violence outreach program to push for the eradication of these violations that have been normalised through some traditional archaic practices. By Thembelihle Mhlanga
and Medium Enterprises Minister Sithembiso Nyonipresented a report on the level of public service delivery related to gender-based violence during the pandemic to Parliament. According to her report, there has been a sharp increase in teenage pregnancies and child marriages in Zimbabwe during the COVID-19 lockdown, with at least 4,959 school going girls falling pregnant, and 1,174 cases of child marriages being recorded By Asan Mhlanga A prolonged lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic has seen children going for months without attending school, exacerbating the complex factors that drive teenage pregnancies and early marriages. While school policies cater for pregnant pupils to continue in school, the systems for mental and emotional support and reintegrafacebook.com/wildtrustzim |
tion of students after pregnancy are still weak. The campaign created a platform for the participants to discuss strategies that can be employed in addressing this trend which has deprived girls of their right to education. The participants said going forward everyone including parents, teachers and students need to work together in addressing this issue which amounts to GBV mainly towards school going girls.
Traditional norms violating women – Lupane Community
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upane residents have expressed concern over gender-based violence issues
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The outreach raised awareness on gender-based violence and the different forms it takes. The meeting provided an opportunity for the community to set examples of the violence from their lived experiences and from what they observe in their surroundings. It was brought out that instead of having family meetings after a violation has occurred within the family, such incidences should be reported to the relevant authorities. This norm whereby incidences of sexual violence are dealt with at family level have resulted in a lot of unreported cases. Another issue that was raised is the traditional practice where after the death of their husband, the family of the deceased expels the widow from the matrimonial home. This amounts to GBV and violates women’s rights to equality.
Electoral Information Blitz during a meeting with civic society this week where ZEC also announced that by-elections will be held during the first quarter of 2022.
ZEC removes more than 22000 deceased persons from voter’s roll
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HE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has removed a total of 22 656 dead people from the voters’ roll, a process which members of the public can appeal against in cases where there are mistakes. According to the electoral body, the routine removal comes ahead of the by-elections and harmonised elections which have been scheduled for 2022 and 2023 respectively. This follows an outcry over the transparency and independence of ZEC as over years the voter’s roll has been a bone of contention with fears that it is often manipulated to suit the ruling party.
So far Zimbabwe had a total of 133 elective by-elections at National Assembly and local authority levels which were necessitated by deaths, dismissals from political parties and recalls from the National Assembly and local authorities. ZEC spokesperson Commissioner Joyce Kazembe said the figure could change as the electoral body keeps receiving updates from the registrar general office which is in charge of registering deaths. She called on members of the public to also approach to amend the list if there are errors and to also register more deaths which have not yet been captured by the RG’s office. “Those figures are not primarily sourced by ZEC, we get them from the Registrar General. Once we are given, we go back to our voters’ roll to remove the deceased,” said Comm Kazembe. “The statistics and figures provided by the RG’s office serve as a guideline to coming up with an authentic and accurate voters’ roll. We are going to gazette another batch soon so there is no need for people to fear that anyone is tempering with the voters roll.”
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She also highlighted that the postponement of the voter registration blitz was to allow the RG’s office to issue ID cards to members of the public so that they become eligible voters. “The issuance of national identity and death certificate documents is a responsibility of the RG’s office which provides the statistics and figures of citizens that have obtained national identity cards or those that are now deceased,” added Comm Kazembe.
“The statistics and figures provided by the RG’s office serve as a guideline to coming up with an authentic and accurate voters’ roll...”
Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
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Electoral Information Blitz
VOTERS’ ROLL LINK facebook.com/wildtrustzim |
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