THE Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) wishes to acknowledge and recognise the years of sterling service commissioner Joyce Kazembe has provided to this country throughout her career.
Currently, she is the most senior in terms of experience having served for a period in excess of 20 years. Commissioner Kazembe joined Zec in 2007 and served her term of office under the then Constitution. She was again appointed for a fresh term under the new Constitution following the promulgation of Constitutional Amendment No 20, which became operational after the 2013 referendum.
She was reappointed for a further two terms of which the second term under the 2013 Constitution is terminating in July 2022.
Prior to joining Zec, Kazembe had performed national service with the then Electoral Supervisory Commission which she joined in 2000.
The Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC) is the predecessor to Zec whose mandate was to supervise elections in Zimbabwe which were being conducted then by the Registrar-General’s Office.
Kazembe possesses vast experience in the conduct and management of elections and is well known for her service both in the region and internationally.
The commission appreciates and wishes to thank her for the unwavering dedication and quality service she has provided during her term of service.
She was the spokesperson of the commission and chairperson of the commission’s media monitoring committee. Sadly, as already stated, her term of office is terminating in July of this year.
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The commission wishes to tap from her experience in dealing with public relations and media issues. Pursuant to that objective, Zec has appointed Jasper Mangwana to take over the role of Zec spokesperson with effect from March 18, 2022 before commissioner Kazembe’s term of office expires.
This will allow a smooth handover-takeover process and enable the commissioner inheriting this portfolio to draw lessons on how to handle it while the outgoing commissioner is still in service.
In recognition of her outstanding contribution to Zec and the development of electoral processes in Zimbabwe, the commission is mooting the establishment of a Zec elders panel comprising personnel who have served it before.
The panel will be responsible for providing guidance and advice to the commission during critical electoral processes.
It is envisaged that the panel of elders will operate as a charitable trust wherein it donate its institutional memory by training, dispute resolution, recommendations on international best practices, technology and ethical practices in elections and championing youth participation and the role of women and people with disabilities in elections and electoral processes.
It is also proposed that Kazembe be designated as the honorary chairperson of the panel when it is finally established. Zec wishes her all the best in the remaining term and her future endeavours. –Justice Priscilla Chigumba, chairperson, Zec
Zim deserves leadership that cares
THIS year, Zimbabwe is in the throes of probably its worst drought in generations and the ruling party and government should be working on efforts to mitigate the effects of this lean period, instead of splashing money on very expensive and unending foreign trips.
Considering the state of Zimbabwe’s food security situation, it would be laudable if government mobilised resources to avail food aid to avert the disaster facing the country.
There is need for a cut in spending on foreign travel. Government officials should desist from travelling around the world attending useless meetings and celebrations when the country is burning.
Last week, President Emmerson Mnangagwa took a bloated entourage to the United Arab Emirates for the Dubai Expo.
The money used for such trips could buy maize for starving folks.
Our leaders cannot keep enjoying themselves in foreign lands while the majority is without food back home.
Many are failing to have three meals per day, let alone decent ones. Zimbabwe is in a mess hence we need leaders who are conscious of our situation.
These are extraordinary times needing extraordinary interventions and cutting back on useless foreign trips will be an indicator that Mnangagwa is a listening President.
What Zimbabwe needs now is a leadership that cares and Zanu PF can demonstrate that it has the people at heart by prioritising their needs. –Muzokomba Movers
Govt must implement economic reforms
IN 2017, Finance and Economic Development minister Mthuli Ncube, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya and the Zanu PF government lied to the people, saying the bond note was at par with the United States dollar.
Prior to that, we were told that bond notes were meant to incentivise exports. A few months down the line, they changed the song.
Ncube shocked the world when he said bond notes were in fact the country’s currency.
We were told Zimbabwe could not be competitive on the international market without its own currency.
We were also told that economic fundamentals were in place for the introduction of the local currency.
Some of us advised the minister to exercise caution before introducing the Zimdollar, which people had lost confidence in during the hyperinflationary period in 2008. People lost savings and pensions when the government declared that the fiat money was at par with the US dollar.
The exchange rate has since spiralled out of control and so is inflation. The wheels of the economy are coming off.
Ncube and Mangudya must be held responsible for all economic blunders. To have a strong currency, government should make sure industrial production increases. It should also address the issue of multiple farm ownership and non-productive farms.
Zimbabwe’s economy is anchored on agriculture so everything should be done to boost production in that sector.
Martin Luther King Jnr remarked that nothing in this world was more dangerous than “sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity”. This attitude of going all over the world with a big begging bowel has to stop now; it has since cost the nation.
We might talk of mega deals and foreign direct investment, but as long as the ordinary man is still roaming the streets with nothing to do, we have not achieved anything. Now, everyone knows that luring investors is not a stroll in the park in Zimbabwe.
As ordinary citizens, for how long are we going to be patient given that many of us are now close to a decade without employment? –Mukunda Chitova
IN response to Zanu PF has already won by-elections: Chiwenga, RIMAYI ACHIGERE says: Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga has crossed the Rubicon line. Is it not a crime to announce results before the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission does so, worse still before people go to polls?
ANDREW NYONI says: How do you win without having started the race? Unless Chiwenga is exposing vote rigging, how can he declare that Zanu PF has already won. If these Zanu PF leaders can let people vote peacefully without meddling in the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission affairs, the country would sing a different song while they listen on the sidelines.
EMMANUEL MWASANGWALE says: Of course, people who are politically inept would laugh their lungs out at Chiwenga, but in reality Zanu PF cannot concede defeat to a Western-sponsored political party.
IN response to People have lost confidence in Zimdollar: Minister, HON ISAAC BUTHOLEZWE MUTASA says: This is an honest observation by Finance deputy minister Clemence Chiduwa. But he should be reminded that Zimbabweans have not only lost confidence in the local currency, but government also. It is not a secret.
MARSHALL MIKE says: We did not lose confidence in the local currency, it was never there in the first place.
IN response to PSL games hit by poor attendance, RUSSELL JON says: Given a choice between watching local Premier Soccer League matches at the stadium and watching Liverpool versus Manchester City live on television every sensible person opts to watch the English Premier League match. There is nothing exciting in local matches. Gone are the days when we used to have skilful players such as Moses Chunga, Stix Mutizwa, Peter Ndlovu, Memory Mucherahowa, Joe Mugabe, Ronald “Gidhiza” Sibanda, among others, doing their thing. While we have a few notables in the likes of Denver “Mundikumbuke” Mukamba, who plays for Ngezi Platinum Stars and Bill “Mwana weDangwe” Antonio of Dynamos, there is a dearth of quality in Zimbabwe. Now the coaches employ rigid tactics that restrict players from exhibiting their natural talent.
