Empower girl child- CCDIZ play

Sengwe- Villagers in Sengwe under Chief Nyamhunga are keen to see girl child being assisted to get education as a right.
Those who get sexually abused must report it as soon as possible to responsible authorities.
This came out after a post mortem of a play where a rural girl is raped by a teacher.
The girl, Julia Moffat falls pregnant after she was lured by teacher, played by Edison Chitimbe who denies responsibility in front of headmaster Joel Zilala.

 

Part of the crowd at Sengwe business center during the drama

The play is part of Center for Community Development Initiative in Zimbabwe rural tour in Mashonaland West as they aim to sustain development of human rights at grass roots level.

 

Headmaster (Joel Zilala) quizzing teacher (Edson Chitimbe) who made pregnant a girl at school

 

Dumped by teacher- Juliet exposes her HIV status

 

In a fit of rage, the girl child says, ‘’Even if you deny responsibility I wanted you to understand that I am HIV positive and we must agree on the future of our child’’ that sends forces the teacher to admit that he had sex with her once.
Villagers under headman Mangisi admitted that some children are victims.
‘’Not all teachers are sexual monsters but our children must be wary and report advances made to them on time.’’ Said a villager.
Skumbuzo Sibanda who directs the play said, ‘’It is hoped that through peace building advocacy, people must be able to break the cycles of violence and human rights abuse’’

 

 

MDC- T street politicians waste of time

Movement for Democratic Change supporters and some Zimbabweans are smarting themselves from the so called defeat by Zanu PF in the last elections.

It has been described as ‘’death of democracy’’ by some sections of international media.

Time will tell if it is true as Zanu PF is on the spotlight from both within local citizens and the international community. We wait for them to deliver after landslide victory.

Allegations and counter allegations of vote intimidation and abuse of voters roll was the catch word during the MDC-T court case that they later withdrew.

MDC-T as a political party may have themselves to blame.

Our major surprise is why MDC-T is taking people for granted with street politicians.

Wilson Makanyaire the provincial organizing secretary for Mashonaland West enjoyed independent press coverage with impunity created divisions and unnecessary factionalism.

He is behind the so called Zvipani declaration faction linked to top officials aiming to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during next congress.

It is far fetched dream if facing a monster like Zanu PF with over 50 years in existence.

The old guard called Zvinguruve was labeled worst devils to take Zanu PF head on besides snatching some rural constituencies in 2008 polls.

Makanyaire garnered 3200 votes during the party primaries, sitting Member of Parliament for Hurungwe West Severino Tall Chambati got 125 votes.

Three weeks after elections, Makanyaire can not account why he got 2000 votes besides the popularity he enjoyed from some newspapers.

Zanu PF’s Temba Mliswa got over 5000 votes while Chambati got 400 votes.

None of the newspapers are keen to ask him: what went wrong Mr. Wilson Makanyaire in Hurungwe West?

The answer is simple- MDC-T is party full of street politicians.

While Zanu PF made its mistakes by failing to separate Government and party politics since independence and other failures, MDC-T worse characters played a pivotal role in killing their own party from within.

MDC-T must learn to be a political party serious about the electorate and not take voters for granted.

They shortchanged some with dubious characters who deceived some reporters but the truth is some are not politicians at all

Zanu PF is a party that employs political ploys to remain in power but MDC-T must look itself in the mirror and reflect on why they lost.

They must do away with street politicians for a future party that will keep the light of democracy shining.

It is not the death of democracy yet.

 

Play tackles abusive father on girl child

Hibula being consoled by brother Simoro after being raped by father Simieon in Karuru, Hurungwe

Hurungwe- Some men are still are still tormenting girl child and get away with it due to lack of power from the oppressed children.

A play by Center for Community Development Initiative in Zimbabwe, CCDIZ, highlights how some families are torn apart to decide on whose rights are good, perpetrator or the victim more so if it is the father abusing his own girl child.

The play, ‘’But she screamed’’ is set in rural area where Simeon played by Edwin Chitimbe as father who is a divorcee with two children, Hibula aged 13 years and Simoro aged 8 years.

It was payed at Karuru business center about 50 kilometers out of Karoi town.

As an abusive father he demands that the girl child drop out of school, just before she could write her Grade Seven exams.

‘’Mwanasikana haafanire kudzidza zvakanyanya asi kuverenga kusvika panopera mwedzi, kuitira kana ave amai’’ meaning girl child must learn to count up to month-end for her family planning tablets.

After forcing Hibula drop out of school, he rapes her during her brother’s absence.

He later makes a plan to send Simoro to an aunt a few kilometers away.

Unfortunately, Simoro returns just as the father breaks his own daughter’s virginity.

It is a cat and mouse fight between the father and favored son Simoro aiming to expose the abusive father to the community.

As Simoro, (Joel Zilala) and Hibula played by Julia Moffat walk out the stage villagers at Karuru business centre are taken aback as reality dawn on some.

Godwin Gutsa asks the audience lesson learnt.

‘’The play is touching as it is a reality of what is going on in some families. It is shameful as girl child is ill-treated and abused. ’’ Thomas Makanda under headman Chimwanja says.

This is part of CCDIZ plays around Hurungwe striving to influence the life of oppressed in some societies.

‘’The action targets the victim and perpetrators (directly or indirectly) at community level especially women and children. They must be empowered at all costs. We are creating peace building initiative for the communities’’ says Skumbuzo Sibanda who is the director of Baptism of Fire that falls under CCDIZ projects.

 

Back to basics on HIV and AIDS

By Nhau Mangirazi

During the mid eighties when I was doing my secondary school in the small town of Karoi in Mashonaland West province, many of my friends from Hurungwe rural areas who had come to school in town were free as ‘’lodgers’’
They had the independence that I envied as I stayed with my parents and my father though now late was strict.

Although I was staying with my parents, I joined my friends who had the independence of visiting Pedzanyota hotel in Chikangwe high density surburb, but chased away, never to set my foot around again. I did not want to disappoint my father.

I used to get snippets of previous night errands from my friends whose parents were in rural areas, farming for their survival in town.

However, I remember a Karoi town council policewoman who used to also work as a neighborhood watch police officer, though now late.

Her name, Mai Jingura rings a bell to many during her days, may her soul rest in eternal peace.

She was heavily built, admirable to many men including some of my friends who frequented the beer hall and the hotel during the night.
She took an initiative that lacks from our elders now those sugar daddies, and sugar mamas of this world.
She was ”hooked” to some of my friends during beer drink in the beer-hall but she would sneak away with men of her age.
However, during one night errand one of my friends insisted that he wanted to book her for the night although it was tough to convince her for the outing.
They agreed on payment before they went to her house.
As my friend who I will call Joe since he may now be married or dead, Mai Jingura was a ‘’good woman to experiment manhood’’
He was just eager to go for it and he had the freedom to do it.
‘’When we arrived at her house, I was welcome only to discover that she wanted to teach me a lesson. She undressed but demanded money before we could get on bed. She slapped me on the face and asked me to leave. She told me to make a report if I was offended by her action’’ Joe told us the following morning.

His night experience shocked us all.

He had taken part of his monthly food allowance from his rural parents but threw it into the deep well for nothing.
We told him that it was part of adult life experience.

None of us gave him assurance if he could get his money back as we all knew Mai Jingura was both council police officer who used to wear Zimbabwe Republic Police uniform.

She knew the law and was doing it within the law, we assured him.
Though her name was later associated with robbery as she ‘’demanded’’ money from many young men especially schoolboys, Mai Jingura’s defence was simple- ‘’I want boys to desist temptation of engaging in early sexual life’’

She was never arrested as none of those who were ‘’robbed’’ made police report.

Though few remember her role in shaping the small Karoi community, she tried to mold some of us that we must face the reality of early sexual encounters at our own risks.

She is never remembered.

Her bold stance saw her being called a thief but I personally respect her because she set a tone of how people in society must strive to build a better future of young generations.

Some of her victims may respect her that she taught them the hard way but at least some agree with me that HIV and AIDS is all about going back to basics and RESPECT the time when we are old enough to face the consequences .

We need to teach our children the risks of early sexual life, sexual transmission infections, early pregnancies, HIV and AIDS and how it is negatively affecting our social, political and economic gains since independence.

The productive age group in the country and elsewhere is greatly affected by this pandemic but none like the late Mai Jingura take leading role in our societies and give in a small way?

Lets us all have positive attitude to this challenge of HIV and AIDS.

In a small way we can change our destiny as a country against the spread of HIV and AIDS.

Let us all go back to real basics about HIV and AIDS and ACT.

Posted by nhaudzacho blog

Zimbabwe-bribes, sex and a ballooning debt

By Nhau Mangirazi

Karoi– A number of Zimbabweans owe substantial sums of money for electricity they don’t receive, while others get free electricity thanks to corruption at Zimbabwe’s electricity utility company.

Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), the southern African country’s electricity utility company is owed over $700 million, with domestic users accounting for nearly $261 million of the debt.

Some defaulters enjoy free service due to deals organised by corrupt junior workers, asking for bribes to bury active accounts, and officers, demanding sex as payment in kind to desperate defaulting women.

Since the dollarisation of the economy in 2009, Zesa has been battling to pay its outstanding international bills.

In Karoi town, about 200 kilometers north-west of Harare, several households said the amounts owed to Zesa are “not real.”

Some officials are buying cars and houses where huge debts are buried in a sophisticated way. The country is losing out financially

Tellmore Mukarakate, a local resident, is saddled by an escalating debt that Zesa officials are reluctant to stop, besides the fact that he is… not connected.

“I tried to engage Zesa officials over the mounting bill they are charging monthly when there is no service delivery. Our house was disconnected in 2008 over cable failure.

“Due to high inflation then, I never bothered to have it reconnected. I owe them $1073 and it is balance brought forward monthly. Why should they charge me? And for what purpose?” fumed Mukarakate.

The 44 year old father of two children is unemployed, but said the three roomed house is his source of income after it was left in his custody by his brother who currently lives in Harare. The mounting debt, he said, is scaring away tenants.

Fixed charge

Mukarakate added that his crime is that his electricity bill is under the fixed charge category, where they must pay regardless of using power or not.

“The officials cannot cancel this debt, but they cannot justify why they are charging us every month without any services at all” he added.

Mukarakate is not alone in this predicament. Skumbuzo Sibanda is also suffering the same fate over “misfired debts”.

Sibanda, who hails from Kadoma, 290 kilometers north-east of Harare, said: “Zesa’s monthly audits look as if we are utilising power but debt is falsified.”

A teacher at a resettlement school near Tengwe business centre within Mashonaland West province said they were failing to settle a debt of over $2000, incurred when Zesa took away the school’s transformer in 2009.

“The school was using a transformer the officials claim was for commercial use and took it away. They claim it is now company property, although it was bought by the previous white farmer, before land reform, when he established the school here” said the teacher.

A 68 year old widow Janet Panasi in Karoi town said her six roomed house is in the dark.

“The Zesa officers removed the breaker, claiming we were not paying fixed charges on time in May 2010. As you know that the US dollar is elusive, I could not pay anything then of the $1200 we owed them. When they removed the breaker I thought we could have a break on monthly charges” said the widow, who has four tenants.

However, there were mixed responses from junior meter readers with some claiming the monthly charge is fixed and there is no reverse.

“The customers must pay up as they owe Zesa the amount and will be charged monthly” said a junior officer at Kadoma depot.

In Karoi, some junior officers blamed their counterparts of forging the arrears as a cover-up for their criminal activities.

However some sources within the loss and control department of the company said the mounting debts, cover-ups and burying of active accounts is only the tip of the iceberg.

“Anyone with such queries must approach the depot manager so that he can write a report to have the account reversed. When there are no services being offered, the monthly charges must be terminated.”

“This is massive fraud. Many people come with such complains, but no action is being taken” admitted a junior officer in Kadoma, who refused to be named. Karoi depot manager Engineer Chikwanda refused to comment.

Chaotic billing

Harare Residents Trust coordinator Precious Shumba said “Zesa is getting money from unrealistic electricity charges on fixed charges for customers. The billing system is in mess. They are raising money but nothing is being done to transform it into a transparent organisation.”

He added that the fixed meter billing system was disorganised and baffling. “It is creating inconsistencies that affect services delivery.”

An internal Zesa investigation carried in June last year unearthed massive corrupt tendencies by some workers in Mashonaland West region who were tampering with some accounts.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Dandemutande (Cobweb), started in April and exposed how some workers were deleting accounts with huge amounts and replacing them with new accounts at clean sheet.

A report, secured by the Forum for African Investigative Reporters, says the officers colluded with defaulting account holders who paid them in cash or kind.

The probing team covered Karoi, Kariba, and Mhangura; farming and rural business centers areas within the province.

The results addressed to Field Commander of the area give a glimpse into massive scam common in all parts of the country involving the importation of electricity from neighbouring countries.

Dandemutande audit, commissioned by Energy Minister Elton Mangoma, targeted unauthorised rural and urban reconnections that prejudiced the loss-making parastatal.

Sexual demands over debt

The document’s findings exposed how some workers abused their authority by demanding bribes.

A number of officials accepted kickbacks of as little as $4 for reconnections from defaulting customers.

Some officials got bribes running into several thousands of dollars while others were paid in kind after demanding sexual favours from desperate defaulting women account holders, said the probing team.

Karoi town was described as a “haven of corrupt ZEDTC workers” where investigators say customers implicated a worker for demanding at least $10 or $20 every month to bury the accounts.

The same senior official received several thousands of dollars from clients with huge bills.

The document cited how an account that owed Zesa $2261.11 was “buried” and a new account reopened in the same name.

There is also an alleged case where an official demanded a beast from a client who owed the power utility company $984.90.

Inside sources revealed that no one was suspended over the irregularities.

“Some officials are buying cars and houses where huge debts are buried in a sophisticated way. The country is losing out financially.

“They claim customers owe it several millions but individuals are pocketing the monies for their own benefit” said a senior worker in the loss and control department in Harare, speaking on condition of anonymity for professional reasons.

A ballooned debt

Zesa chief executive Josh Chifamba said coperate companies are big debtors, accounting to nearly a third of $730 million.

”The money we are owed is over $730 million and, of this total amount, domestic consumers owe us $261 million.” he said.

He called it a ”ballooned debt”.

The Competition and Tariff Commission gave an order in July 2010 that Zesa must exclude fixed charges.

From 1 December 2009 onwards, the charge for such customers must be based “on power availed, taking into account load shedding … All outstanding charges arising from electricity consumed prior to this date should be written off.”

The government resolved that Zesa must not disconnect defaulting customers.

Zimbabwe is currently generating 1 400 megawatts against a demand of 2 200 megawatts at its peak. It is importing the rest from regional neighbours, including Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia among others.

The author, Nhau Mangirazi, is a Zimbabwean journalist who has published in Al Jazeera among other publications. He is a member of Forum for African Investigative Reporters, a pan-African organisation of investigative journalists.

Original article published Theafricareport.com

Police at MDC-T payouts

Karoi- Nearly 160 Movement for Democratic Change election agents in Karoi town were briefly forced to disperse on Monday after three officers from Police Internal Security Intelligence, PISI busted during their payouts for election fees at a senior party official’s residence.

According to some party insiders, the elections agents gathered at the party district chairman David Mutambirwa’s house in Chikangwe high density suburb as they were waiting for election fees handouts when the three officers came.

‘’Initially no one ever thought it was something that could warrant police attention as we were all party members and there was no-ways we could have asked for police clearance as it was not a political gathering but people were being paid their dues. We were surprised that they came claiming to be part of us when message was conveyed that provincial officers with money were in town. It was embarrassing as Mutambirwa asked them why they were creating disharmony among Zimbabweans’’ said one source who declined to be named.

Hurungwe Central covering Karoi town was won by Zanu PF’s Godfrey Beremauro who beat MDC-T’s Simbarashe Takawira.

Police deployed several officers throughout the country as a move to cramp down any possibility of uprising following the disputed polls that President Robert Mugabe roped to victory with a two third majority but have created divisions both internally, regionally and internationally with the Western countries condemning the ‘’electoral fraud’’ but  Sadc observers missions  endorsed.

Uncertainty grips villagers as Zanu PF claim victory

Kazangarare- Movement for Democratic Change led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai supporters under Chief Kazangarare in Hurungwe North are living in fear amid revelations that Zanu PF supporters are planning retribution.

Linos Mubwandarikwa who is a well known activist says a gloomy future awaits villagers here.

He is a victim of political brutality from Zanu PF supporters among them self proclaimed political commissar Peter Madamombe.

He lost a brother, Tapiwa who was stabbed to death during the bloody 2008 presidential run-off.

‘’We are living in fear here as Zanu PF supporters have drawn up their list of MDC-T supporters who they say are sell outs. We have nowhere to report these deadly threats. We wish if elections were never done as it is about to bring bloodshed ’’ said Mubwandarikwa in an interview near Masokoti business centre about 44 kilometers north of Karoi town.

He is not alone living in fear here as some villagers here say they unsure about what the future hold for them.

Loosing councilor in Ward 9 Tafadzwa Chekai Mapiravana of MDC-T admits that all is not well for them.

‘’Personally I was pre warned by Shaw Marisi who is my neighbor that he will get rid of me whatever the results and worse I have lost it out’’ he says.

Madamombe is the gang leaders of terror group with others named as Bhero Kaunda, Jack Zvekunye, headman Muoneka in Kazangarare.

However some junior officers said the law of arresting perpetrators f violence has not changed.

‘’We believe suspects will be brought to book unless there is a directive not to arrest them. The scenario has changed’’ said one officer who declined to be named for professional reasons.

‘’Ironically, MDC-T won the previous elections since 2000 but there was no retribution against Zanu PF supporters as we believe that is democracy and we have to respect each other’s views’’ summed up Mubwandarikwa.

Zanu PF’s Reuben Marumahoko was facing MDC-’s Albert Chitaunhike

 

Housewives officers aided Zanu PF

Karoi- Mai Paradzai (not her real name) is a well known housewife of a junior member of Zimbabwe Republic Police in Karoi town.

Her eldest daughter is doing grade 4 at nearby school in Chikangwe high density suburb.

As a young family their early 30s, they have been struggling to make ends meet.

Her neighbors have known her as a cross boarder who sells shoes, handbags and other house hold goods to surrounding farms of Karoi town.

But for the past three weeks she has crossed her housewife role into a ‘’police officer’’.

She is among several women married to police officers who are now Zimbabwe‘s auxiliary police force in Karoi town.

Clad in her husband’s blue uniform, Mai Paradzai struggles to salute and has never been assigned to any crime scene.

Whenever some residents have seen the untrained recruits, are left pondering.

‘’We were there to assist during elections and by 5 August, our contract will be over’’ she boosts to some housewives near her home.

She explains that they were paid $200.00 each for their ‘’role’’ during the elections.

Some police officers admitted that their wives are part of the ‘’back up’’ force recruited ahead of the just ended elections.

‘’I am surprised that some of us had their names missing from the voters’ roll but our wives had their names there. It was a calculated move to deny us the right to vote’’ says a junior officer speaking on condition that he is not named.

Police officers are among uniformed forces who failed to vote during the chaotic special vote on 16 July.

Outgoing finance minister Tendai Biti complained of a ballooned government salary bill due some ‘’ghost workers’’ employed as youths officer throughout the country.

There was no immediate comment from Public Service Commission if the police officer’s wives are civil servants by marriage.

Zec headhunt blacklisted officers

 

 Karoi- Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was forced to head hunt some polling officers black listed by a senior Government officer in Hurungwe.

According to some civil servants, the officer an inspector blacklisted mostly teachers during the exercise that saw junior workers among them messengers assigned as polling officers.

However late on Tuesday it was discovered that there were no enough polling officers forcing them to head hunt those they had snubbed.

‘’It was unfortunate that the senior officers including the Inspector blacklisted some names of people who could have assisted. He was targeting mostly teachers but they had to turn back and look for their assistance.’’ Said one of the sources.

However another added that he was deployed in the remote parts of Hurungwe.

‘’I thought people snubbed the remote area only to discover that they were few officers for the exercise.  The good part of the deal was that we were paid for all the days they were not at work. We have some people who are emotional leading such organizations’, added another teacher recruited at the eleventh hour.

It could not be established how many positions were finally secured after the blundering top official move to blacklist some teachers within Hurungwe.

 

Zanu PF youths fined over posters

 

Karoi- Two Zanu PF youths who spend the weekend in custody, were fined by Karoi magistrate on Tuesday.

The two, Sheppard Mahwande and Francis Makazhu were remanded in custody last Friday when they appeared in court facing allegations of tearing 30 campaign posters belong to Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

They did this against Electoral Act 115 that makes it a crime to tear campaign material for political parties. 

Magistrate Robson Finsin convicted the two following a full trial.

It is the state case that the two were spotted by one Collin Muchena while tearing the posters at a bill board near Karoi town council guest house.

Magistrate Finsin fined them $100.00 each and said it must be paid by 30 August 2013.