Mash Central News

Katswe-Mbire injustice matrix, setting the record straight.

By Daniel Chigunwe

Whilst a lot has been written about Mbire, it will be catastrophically unfair for one to tell the story of this beloved Dande motherland through the eyes of Joseph Conrad 1899 publication, ‘Heart of Darkness’.

This is the current prevailing sentiments among the many Mash Centralians who encountered a recent article by one of the local tabloids in the country headlined, “Mbire men rape daughters in bizarre rituals”.

The story which quoted Katswe Sistahood programs officer Fadziso Mawunganidze reads that, “disturbing reports have surfaced from some remotes parts of Mbire district in Mashonaland Central where some fathers are allegedly raping their daughters and forcing them into incestuous relationships which they believe guarantee them a bumper crop harvest,”.

It further reveals how the chief courts solely remain the pivot of justice in the Mbire community due to the difficult accessibility of law enforcers though with overtones of undermining the ability of the traditional courts in dispensing justice.

“These remote areas are far from police posts and clinics so chief’s courts are their only source of justice”

It is only someone who is still divorced from reality or rather who chooses to be economical with the truth who will look at Mbire as a backward land of savages, ritualists, rapists or uncivilized folks.

In as much as rape cases are prevalent in the province with statistical evidence showing so, it will be a misrepresentation of facts for one speculate that these acts of sexual abuse are motivated by rituals undertaken to boost crop harvest. That’s a spit in the face of Mbire community!!

Though Katswe Sistahood has tried to distance itself from the effects of the story several analysts have fumed over such negative publicity.

“I went to Mbire to clarify the issue. My comment was the work we are doing in the area. But she (journalist) said we did a study on that. The meeting we had clarified the issue as we thought the local leadership will deal with the matter.

“They even vowed to investigate and help the girls affected. So our comment was on the work we are doing with the local leadership in trying to address issues of child marriages and GBV,” replied Mawunganidze.

However social analyst Mckenzie Kamhere said the province has received bad publicity due to certain civic organizations that seeks to gain mileage and attract donor funding.

“Whilst it is welcoming to have the civic groups complementing efforts by government in building health social structures, there is need for seriousness and proper investigation to avoid misinforming the outside world.

“It’s unfortunate that several civic personnel are screen happy as well as press lovers mainly to attract donor funding but that should be done in earnest reality. Mash Central is lagging behind because of such misinformation,” he said.

Mbire community is a fast changing and developing part of the province and has so far courted the attention of several investors and tourists, “we have of late witnessed overwhelming good reports from the district, with Kanyembe being a tourism jewel of this Mbire.

“ All roads in the province are now leading here for different expos, conferences, government meetings and we are thankful to the activities by VP Chiwenga and Amai Auxillia Mnangangwa who are tirelessly working in line with vision 2030 to make Mbire a tourist destination,” said political analyst Regius Madenyika.

Daniel Chigunwe is a journalist, blogger and multi-media journalist in Mashonaland Central province.

Local News

Mugweni takes strong stance on education

By Daniel Chigunwe

Government is committed towards the improvement of the learning welfare of students in the rural areas’ schools which are recording low pass rates due to inadequate provision of basic needs like water, food and shelter.

Speaking recently on the sidelines of the commissioning of a water borehole at Madombwe Primary School where he also donated US$ 3 000 for classroom furniture, Member of Parliament for Mazowe North Cde Campion Mugweni said there is need to revive the education system in rural areas school.

Madombwe which is in the mountainous part of Chiweshe village is constantly haunted by water woes with villager journeying long distances in search of clean water which was among one of the most repeated calls by villagers during the run up to the 2018 harmonized elections.

“Yes we did commission a new borehole at the school on Tuesday after drilling and providing the tanks and pumps. This is part of our electoral promises fulfillment to come up with more boreholes in this part of the constituency especially when we are being faced by one of the driest season which has been characterized by low rains, water will be a challenge.

“As government we have also discovered that we are having continued low pass rates in rural areas school chief among the main contributory factors is the lack of access to basic rights to water, shelter and food which negatively impacts on the welfare of pupils,” said Mugweni.

The MP said there is need to raise better standards for schools in the constituency despite the ongoing economic challenges.

“We have to try to fulfill the many promises that we made to the people even when we are being faced with the current economic challenges and in my constituency we will mainly see to it that schools have been well equipped,”.

Cde Mugweni has since began putting a Midas touch to ward 26 Mudavanhu Primary School of the Vadzidzi Vajesu where he recently gave $500 for the ablution facilities, drilled a borehole and made a donation of 200bags of cement towards the construction of the Grade 7 classroom block.

“Our committed efforts towards the improvement of education can also be visible in the current ongoing activities at Mudavanhu Primary School where we are ear making to commission the borehole which is at advanced stages now.

“We are also facilitating that the school be able to register for a center number as per the requirement of the Ministry of Education which entails that they have to be an administration block and Grade 7 classroom.

“To that cause, through the Rickman Enteprises we are giving 200 bags of cement for the construction of these blocks,” added Mugweni.

Mudavanhu is one of the upcoming schools in the constituency which is a fulfillment of the prophetic word by the late Mudzidzi Wimbo being spearheaded by the members of the church.

Farmers feel drought sting, elephant herds destroy crops in Mbire

Mazowe North,Pembi Chase farmer, Billy Chifodya

 By Daniel Chigunwe

Several farmers in Zimbabwe are faced with one of the most grueling season after the skies have failed to give the precious rains to the scorched crops which are thinning due to prolonged exposure to the high temperatures whilst villagers in Mbire are wailing over the destruction of crop fields by marauding herds of furious elephants declaring hunger war to the province of Mashonaland Central.

The drought has even seen several districts from the agrarian province of Mashonaland Central extending a begging hand to the government to increase more food relief allocation with Guruve District already feeling the sting of this dry season.

The Media in Communities Development Trust this week visited young farmer, Billy Chifodya (22) of Plot Number 22 Pembi Chase farm, Mazowe North Constituency who expressed disappointment of this year’s season dryness saying his hope for a better future has been heavily compromised.

“It is quite a difficult farming experience for many of us farmers after the current season showed little mercy for us. We have been met with so many farming challenges with the failure of rains to come as the major excruciating reality.

“I had planted a considerable hectare of maize and tobacco which had a promising potential of making a bumper yield however with the drought I am actually seeing that I can now only harvest about 30 percent of the expected yield which is something disappointing for a young farmer like me,” he said.

This farming season has also been heavily affected by price hikes which have seen almost every commodity priced three times more than the original price with a 50kg bag of Compound D priced at $100 RTGS at one time affecting seasonal budgets by farmers.

“The other challenge which faced many of the farmers was the issue of price hikes which took effect at the beginning of the farming season that seriously affected us.

“ As farmers we do make our budgets before we start the season meaning when manufacturers hiked inputs prices we were not prepared for such hefty charges and in a way it inconvenienced us to a larger extent,” added Chifodya.

Meanwhile in Mbire district the remaining hope of a better season has been thwarted by elephants which are reportedly wreaking havoc in the field damaging the drought spared crops.

Villagers in Mbire and some parts of Muzarabani District have called for the urgent intervention of Problem Animals Control (PAC) and responsible government authorities to capacitate the tragedy as several fields are being ravaged by herd of furious elephants.

Also as measures to mitigate drought effects amid global climatic changes, Gwebi College of Agriculture has called for farmers to awaken to the call for conservative agriculture saying there is hope for increased yields if farmers apply CA as part of good agronomics practice.