Zimbabwe - The African Mirror

Nov

2023

Zimbabwe minibus crash leaves 22 dead, two hurt

ZIMBABWEAN police said 22 people were killed and two injured after a minibus collided with a truck on a highway, which links the country to the South African border. The fatal accident, on the Bulawayo-Beitbridge road, involved the minibus, which was carrying 21 passengers, and the truck with one passenger on board, police said on X, formerly known as Twitter. It was not immediately clear if bystanders were also hurt or killed. The two people who were wounded were receiving treatment in the southwestern city of Bulawayo. Road accidents are frequent in Zimbabwe, where transport operators are often accused of…

Nov

2023

By The African Mirror

Zimbabwe opposition party says activist found dead after abduction

NEWS

A Zimbabwe opposition activist has been found dead after he was abducted on Saturday during a political campaign just outside Harare, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party said, the second abduction in weeks of an opposition party member. Tapfumaneyi Masaya was reportedly bundled into a vehicle by unknown men while campaigning for the main opposition party CCC's candidate ahead of by-elections on December 9, the party said. CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi told Reuters on Tuesday that Masaya was tortured and dumped on the outskirts of Harare. Masaya's body was later moved to a mortuary at Parirenyatwa Hospital, about 5km from central…

Nov

2023

By ENOS DENHERE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

When life serves you lemons… a Zimbabwean tale

NEWS

FOR someone who only began their business during the Covid lockdown, Marlvin Chieza certainly doesn't lack ambition. "My future goal is to get financing lending so that we can make a lot of products so that they can be found in every area of Zimbabwe and Africa before extending globally," said the three-years-in entrepreneur responsible for a brand new business that has become a runaway success. "I was a rural boy until I got an opportunity from this end business, and now I live in Harare, the business generates thousands of dollars monthly, and our products range in price from…

Nov

2023

By NYASHA CHINGONO

Abduction of opposition MP draws anger in Zimbabwe

NEWS

A Zimbabwean opposition lawmaker was abducted by unknown armed men, assaulted and then dumped about 50 km north of the capital Harare, members of his party said. Takudzwa Ngadziore, 25, one of the youngest legislators for the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) posted a live video on Facebook showing a man running toward him with a rifle before it cut off after seven seconds. He was later found near mine shafts in the village of Mazowe naked, badly assaulted and injected with an unknown substance, said CCC chief whip in parliament Amos Chibaya. "Ngadziore was this morning on his way…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Zimbabwe extends multi-currency system to 2030

BUSINESS

ZIMBABWE'S government will maintain its multi-currency system, anchored by the U.S. dollar, to 2030, it said on Friday. The government had previously said that the multi-currency system would end in 2025. This triggered uncertainty in the banking sector, with some banks refusing to give loans past 2025. In a government gazette, President Emmerson Mnangagwa repealed the 2019 order which had given 2025 as a deadline. "Settlement of any transaction or payment for goods and services in foreign currency, shall ... be valid until the 31st December 2030," reads the gazette. Economists say nearly 80% of local transactions are in U.S.…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

HIV-positive parents in Zimbabwe struggle to manage their children’s education – study shows how

HEALTH

OVER the past three decades, researchers have explored various aspects of the impact of the HIV pandemic. One focus area has been children who have lost their parents to AIDS. Less attention has been given to children who are raised by parents living with HIV. This group has become much bigger as more people have access to antiretroviral therapy and are therefore expected to raise their children. TATENDA ZINYEMBA, Researcher of Economics, Health, and Governance, United Nations University Our research in Zimbabwe looked at the effects the HIV status of parents had on their children’s education. In Zimbabwe, the current…

Oct

2023

By CLEMENCE MANYUKWE, BIRD STORY AGENCY

The outsize contribution of the women scientists of Zimbabwe to the fight against HIV

NEWS

WHEN Dr Wadzanai Samaneka began working as a newly graduated doctor, patients who contracted AIDS knew they were going to die. It was a scary time to be a doctor - and an even scarier time to be a sex worker. However, in Zimbabwe and in many other countries in the region, AIDS was prevalent everywhere. “During my years as a medical student and later as an internist, the diagnosis of HIV infection was like a life sentence. There were no Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in Zimbabwe and patients would simply be discharged for home-based care. Not only were patients dying,…

Oct

2023

By NYASHA CHINGONO

Zimbabwe wants new IMF staff-monitored programme by April

BUSINESS

ZIMBABWE hopes to agree on a new staff-monitored programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by April next year, with an IMF team due to visit later this month for initial talks, its finance minister said. "Our intention is that by the time we go for the Spring Meetings in April 2024, we should have signed off on a staff-monitored programme," Mthuli Ncube told reporters in Marrakech at the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings. "It will focus on maintaining discipline on the fiscal front and continue fine-tuning our exchange rate system and maintaining a tight monetary policy." An IMF…

Oct

2023

By TONDERAI GONORENDA and NYASHA CHINGONO

Zimbabwe searches for mine survivors as relatives lose hope

NEWS

ZIMBABWEAN authorities were still searching for survivors trapped underground when a disused gold mine collapsed last week, as some relatives started to lose hope their loved ones could be saved. Accidents in disused mines are common in Zimbabwe, where artisanal or small-scale miners defy authorities by mining in old shafts that are prone to collapse. The latest incident happened in Chegutu, some 100 km (62 miles) west of the capital Harare on Friday. Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga told the local Sunday Mail newspaper that 13 had died in the collapse at the site which had not been properly sealed off. Deputy…

Oct

2023

By The African Mirror

Six dead, 15 trapped underground in Zimbabwe mine accident, state TV reports

NEWS

SIX miners died after a ground collapse at Zimbabwe's Bay Horse mine in Chegutu, 100 kilometres (62 miles) west of the capital Harare, state television reported. ZBC TV said six bodies had been retrieved from the mine by Friday night, while another 15 miners were still trapped underground and rescue efforts were underway. The mine collapsed around 0800 GMT on Friday, trapping 34 miners underground. Although 13 miners managed to escape, 21 had remained trapped underground, ZBC reported.