Editorial Comment

ON December 9, the country will hold nine parliamentary and several local authorities by-elections following the recent recall of Citizens Coalition for Change legislators and councillors by Sengezo Tshabangu, who asserts to be the party’s interim secretary-general. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had since established 513 polling stations in nine parliamentary constituencies and 58 councils in…

AFTER a near two-year exile from the global football family, the Warriors finally made their competitive return to international football with a goalless draw away to Rwanda. And while the general feeling among the Warriors faithful was that it was an opportunity missed given that Baltemar Brito’s hastily assembled team actually had the better of…

ZIMBABWEAN Forests are disappearing at a frightening rate, with the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe estimating that the country loses about 262 000 hectares of forest annually. According to the country’s regulatory authority for forests, 15 to 20 percent of this loss is due to tobacco. The United Nations Development Programme estimates that the rate of…

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa should move with speed and declare the current cholera outbreak a national disaster to allow the government to marshal and mobilise necessary resources from the private sector and development partners to fight the scourge. There is a phenomenal rise in cholera cases since the outbreak started in February. As of Monday, the…

IT IS important to heed the Meteorological Services Department’s advice to farmers to prioritise harvesting water in light of the likelihood of El Nino-induced droughts. The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has also urged locals to think about rainwater collecting as a solution to lessen the water shortages the local government is experiencing. It is crucial,…

NEWLY appointed Health minister Douglas Mombeshora has raised critical issues that need immediate attention – the flight of medical experts abroad and worsening drug shortages in the country’s public health institutions. Yes, this may appear to be not new issues, but it’s the continued lack of attention and redress to the matters that is very…

THE country’s senior men’s national football team, the Warriors, are in Rwanda next week where they are set to play two opening matches of their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. The Warriors begin their campaign with an away match against Rwanda at Huye Stadium in Butare on November 15 before “hosting” Nigeria on November 19…

PUBLIC Service minister July Moyo recently told a parliamentary pre-budget seminar that the government is struggling to bankroll the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) programme. Beam, a programme that pays tuition fees to underprivileged and orphaned children, has year in and year out faced serious financial challenges after donors abandoned it at the turn of…

REPORTS that the Harare City Council is in a dire financial situation seriously affecting service delivery because it is owed nearly $500 billion by residents, businesses and government departments make for sad reading indeed. More often than not, we hear that the non-payment of rates by the city’s stakeholders is a form of protest against…

WE are concerned that lack of funding is impeding Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc)’s capacity to carry out its mandate in an effective and efficient manner. According to Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, the eff orts of the Zacc to fight corruption in the country are facing significant obstacles due to a shortage of financial resources. In…