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By NQOBANI NDLOVU THE Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has taken the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to task for failing to authorise a vehicle parking management tender deal, resulting in potential revenue losses. AAG in a statement said the financial challenges faced by council could be eased if it regularised a parking tender deal which was awarded to a local private company in 2019. The parking tender caused divisions among city fathers, a development that saw government probing the tender process. “Nothing has been seen on the ground to show any development. “This is revenue loss to the council yet there is nothing on the side of management to show the urgency to push implementation of the deal,” the AAG statement read. “There is always urgency (by council) in pushing up rates and charges to residents. Who is really benefiting from these tenders? “It must be remembered that this same parking tender was delayed for years in the courts after a legal battle with a company that had links with one of the directors.” Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube yesterday said the local authority was still awaiting clearance from the Zimbabwe Development Agency (ZDA) before authorising the vehicle parking management deal. “It was sent back to ZDA for further adjudication and clearance, otherwise before that we can’t do anything. “Normally, clearance has to be sought from a council oversight committee but then this one needs clearance from ZDA,” Dube said. Reports show that one of the companies linked to the parking management system, Harare City Council’s Easypark made an unsolicited bid for the parking management tender. However, questions were raised over engaging Easypark after reports emerged that the company pampered some Bulawayo councillors by booking them into a five-star hotel and provided them with goodies to influence the awarding process. The parking management services tender in Bulawayo was cancelled in 2012 by council despite having been granted to Megalithic Marketing (Private) Limited. In cancelling the tender then, council cited a “shambolic tendering” process. This resulted in a long court battle with the company as it contested the cancellation. In April 2019, BCC shortlisted Ducretion Logistics (Private) Limited and Lauvax Trading (Private) Limited trading as Propark to manage the city’s parking system, but the deal is yet to be finalised.
The post AAG, BCC clash over vehicle parking tender appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.
A Nigeria Railways Corporation official said the train departs Ibadan for Lagos at 8am daily with a return trip scheduled at 4pm.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is notorious for heavy trucks and traffic gridlocks that can stretch for several kilometres.
The Lagos-Ibadan line is the first part of a new 2,733km Lagos-Kano standard gauge line. The total cost of the project was valued at $11.117bn.
Cam Girl Site Extends Offer To NBA To Keep Players Out Of The Strip Club Due To COVID-19 Restrictions
[The Herald] The return to normal shifts by all nurses in the public sector, with modest groups in central hospitals being the last to do so, is very welcome, since the health of the vast majority, those who cannot afford the very expensive private care now on offer, was at serious risk.
[Nation] The country is likely to miss out on its target to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) by 2022 as more girls undergo the cut. This is after schools were closed early this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
[Egypt Online] Egyptian banks' assets, reserves abroad jump 90% in 7 months
The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County chapter of the NAACP has chosen Al Jabbar to become their next president.
The post Jabbar named new president of local NAACP chapter appeared first on WS Chronicle.
Students, teachers, parents, and administrators face ever-rising challenges as the coronavirus pandemic continues to force…
The post The Challenges Black America Face with Distant and Virtual Learning during COVID-19 appeared first on Houston Forward Times.
Zambia has formally requested a financing arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deal with its debt crisis, the Fund said in a statement on Tuesday. The IMF is “currently assessing this request,” it said. The administration of President Edgar Lungu released a photo showing him in a meeting with officials of the IMF...
The post Zambia requests for cash from IMF to help navigate debt crisis appeared first on Face2Face Africa.
While the CDC said there should be enough doses for as many as 20 million people to receive vaccination by the end of December, health officials expect a much larger supply in the coming months. Still, with a justified distrust of unproven vaccines, and a perceived limited participation by African Americans in clinical the trials that lead to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, many question whether African Americans will accept vaccination.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell both support stimulus checks for Americans... View Article
The post McCarthy says he and McConnell both support $600 stimulus checks appeared first on TheGrio.
By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press LONDON (AP) — British regulators warned Wednesday that people who have a history of serious allergic reactions shouldn't receive the new Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine as they investigate two adverse reactions that occurred on the first day of the country's mass vaccination program. The U.K.'s Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency is looking into whether the reactions were linked to the vaccine. The two people affected were staff members with the National Health Service who had a history of allergies, and both are recovering. Authorities have not specified what their reactions were. In the meantime, the regulator […]
The post UK probing if allergic reactions linked to Pfizer vaccine appeared first on Black News Channel.
So, on Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) issued a threat against purported and alleged cyber-bullying of government officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa. editorial comment Interestingly, ZRP issued its statement after Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said colonial masters had turned to social media to “discredit icons like Mnangagwa” who were “working for economic emancipation.” Well, the President is not God, he is very human. If we voted him into office, please allow us to hold him to account. Checks and balances must apply to him too. Didn’t he say he was “a listening president?” If he cannot stand criticism then he should stay out of public office or politics altogether. Perhaps the ZRP needs to furnish us with their definition of cyber-bullying. We may also need to know why we should be limited or be told what to and not to say. Why does the ZRP keep quiet when ordinary Zimbabweans are subjected to cyber-bullying only to grow teeth after politicians give them instructions? But things have changed from the old days of German philosopher Jürgen Habermas’ public sphere. It's high time government accepted that people think, they have hopes and hunger for engagement. It should be easy especially in the internet age where social media has prompted the return of the public sphere. Social media platforms attract millions of users who connect digitally. Looking closely at all alleged cases of cyber-bullying, the people are simply calling on the government to act on corruption, poor governance and lack of accountability. It’s only particular individuals who carry the burden of excessive bootlicking who try to gag people. There should be no intimidatory tactics on social media platforms. Citizens must express their opinions freely. Some issues are tip offs on corrupt activities which the ZRP ignore and focus on threatening people. A government that does not allow for checks and balances is likely to be involved in unconstitutional acts which it fears could be exposed. The arrests of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume, a politician, and the hounding of another scribe, Mduduzi Mathuthu, are exactly what is wrong with a regime that fears being made to look into the mirror. The media or social media users did not create the animal you see in that mirror. Mnangagwa and his administration should respect freedom of expression and engagement as prescribed by the Constitution. It should sink into politicians' heads that a healthy functioning democracy is premised on the electorate making informed choices based on engagement. Clearly, the government of Zimbabwe wants people to live in fear and not to openly express their wishes and hopes, it’s not new. We saw it even during the Mugabe era. A process where citizens are empowered to participate in public decision-making is an effective means to tackle “democracy deficits” and improve public accountability.
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) - US regulators yesterday released their first scientific evaluation of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and confirmed it offers strong protection, setting the stage for the government to green-light the biggest vaccination effort in the nation's history.
[The Herald] The Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, as chairperson of the Covid-19 Ad-Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force, presented an update report on the country's response to the Covid-19 outbreak, which was adopted by Cabinet.
A HUMAN rights group has urged authorities in Bulawayo to immediately activate disaster response mechanisms as flash floods continue to pound parts of the city, destroying infrastructure and property. By NQOBANI NDLOVU/PATRICIA SIBANDA Flash floods hit Bulawayo on Monday, leaving several houses waterlogged and in the process destroying household property. Some of the affected areas include Pumula, Nketa, Emganwini, Nkulumane and Cowdray Park, among others. The Matabeleland Institute of Human Rights (MIHR) said the damage caused meant that the authority should immediately activate disaster response measures to prevent loss of lives and property. “MIHR urges responsible authorities to immediately start instituting climate crisis disaster response measures to avert loss of lives and human rights violations due to floods,” the MIHR said in a statement. “We need climate resilient infrastructure and to partly solve this there is a need to localise disaster response mechanisms. Most of our urban local authorities are not doing disaster planning, and at the local level there are no disaster response committees.” Bulawayo deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube said the local authority had deployed disaster management teams in the western suburbs to rescue residents in the event of flooding. 'Our fire rescue team is ready to work in case floods occur. We do not usually have serious floods but what we have done is to dispatch our teams to the western areas to attend to any emergencies,” Ncube said. Last year, the State’s disaster management agency, Civil Protection Unit (CPU) was blamed for poor response mechanisms after failing to take measures to prepare for, and reduce the effects of Cyclone Idai which killed hundreds and displaced thousands in the country. In April 2019, human rights activist Khumbulani Maphosa petitioned the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) to investigate the CPU after accusing the disaster management agency of incompetence; omission and failure after Cyclone Idai hit the country. Zimbabwe is not spared the effects of climate change disasters such as drought and flash floods, which have become commonplace, destroying property and other infrastructure.
Early results from Pfizer suggests the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective according to an FDA report released Tuesday. Compiled ahead of an advisory committee scheduled for Thursday, the FDAs […]
The post Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine Found Safe, Effective In FDA Analysis appeared first on Essence.
FRANCE-BASED Zimbabwean Afro-pop sensation Queen Mashie (pictured) said resilience had made it possible her to push Zimbabwean music to crack the international airwaves. BY WINSTONE ANTONIO The songstress, born Tatenda Sandra Mashiringo, started singing at the tender age of four before she turned professional in 2000 when she joined her late brother Andy Brown as a backing vocalist. After about six years under other artistes, Queen Mashie, recorded her debut album titled Higher Heights in 2006 before she moved to Nairobi, Kenya. She now boasts five albums as part of her discography. In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style from her Geneva base yesterday, Queen Mashie said her style was influenced by a number of international musicians and producers and it enabled her to penetrate the international scene. “I started singing at the tender age of four and professionally in 2000 when I joined Andy Brown as a backing vocalist. I later joined the Vintage Band with the veteran guitarist Mudhara Timi Makaya where I became a lead singer,” she said. “To be the musician I am today, I was groomed by Andy, this is why my music reflects his influence. I do that so that his legacy lives on.” She attributes the huge strides she made in her musical career to determination. Since she became the lead singer, Queen Mashie has shown her preference for traditional instruments, particularly mbira which is salient in her compositions usually laden with social commentary messages. “With my productions, I always seek to put together something that will help me sell the Zimbabwean sound all over the world and push a proud legacy of Zimbabwean music and be able to crack the airwaves anywhere in the world,” she said. Meanwhile, Queen Mashie has released a single titled Unbreakable that seeks to celebrate womanhood as an appetiser to her forthcoming sixth album Let The Music Play. The song, that will have an accompanying video, is already available on different digital platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and SoundCloud. “With this Unbreakable song, I want to celebrate with every woman who has passed that stage which you say, if I come out of this alive, nothing in this life will ever break me. I am unbreakable,” she said. “I wrote this song Unbreakable because this is what I am, unbreakable, go getter, fear tackler and woman of steel. There are also so many women out there who have gone through the worst moments in their lives, but did not break down, instead they stood strong.” Queen Mashie, who is also a fashion designer, actress and beautician said people should not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in. “As they say, “what does not kill you makes you stronger’’, that moment you felt like there was that dark cloud covering you, which you thought was never going to pass, but you put your foot down and stood firm,” she said. “The reason to live is for one to have courage, determination, confidence, positivity, not to be afraid to stand up for what you believe in, recognising your importance, recognising your mistake
Vaccines and reducing public debt.
These are the key issues that European Union and African Union leaders will discuss at a virtual meeting Wednesday ahead of next year's 6th summit postponed in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To explore the subject matter, Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-born British entrepreneur and philanthropist who says efforts must be combined, sat down with Euronews.
[Nation] Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country in mid-March this year, cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) have been on the increase.
[CAJ News] Luanda -- ANGOLAN police and the military have allegedly killed ten people as authorities implement coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and quash anti-government protests.
Health is important for the development of any nation. In essence, health and development are symbiotic hybrids. guest column:Johannes Marisa So many people have lost confidence in the public health system in Zimbabwe with the private medical sector also being blamed for exorbitant charges which are beyond the reach of many. Many people blame the government for lack of hospital equipment, medicines and sundries that are required for a robust health service delivery. In 2007, World Health Organisation (WHO) came up with a framework describing health systems in terms of six core components or building blocks and these are leadership, medicines, health workforce, information systems, financing and service delivery. The Health and Child Care deputy minister, John Mangwiro, on Sunday at a Kadoma conference for private medical practitioners pointed out that the popularity of Karanda Mission Hospital was because of the attitude of its staff. I visited Karanda at one time, the reception even from the gate keeper was warming, the receptionists were always smiling, nurses and doctors were always mingling with patients in a jovial way. In contrast, government hospitals were labelled death traps. We need to know the other side of the coin if we are to unearth the real cause of public hospital service disintegration in our beautiful country. A lot of people have often rushed to blame the government or the Health ministers for the poor service being offered at some government hospitals. What I witnessed on Sunday at Chegutu Hospital exposes preventable staff failure. Some of these hospitals are dying today because of maladministration, poor attitude and being inconsiderate on the part of medical staff. If a hospital like Chegutu District Hospital, which is along a major highway, is allowed to run without emergency preparedness yet we are approaching the festive season, then our country is doomed. The events I am narrating will tell you who to blame for some of the medical mishaps in a lot of public hospitals. Bad attitude, maladministration, arrogance, lack of consideration and empathy have slaughtered our health sector. An accident occurred on Sunday just 7 kilometres after Chegutu Hospital. Two people lost their lives and the injured were rushed to Chegutu Hospital. When we got to the scene of the accident on our way from a conference in Kadoma, it was already 2 hours after the incident. My sixth sense told me to drive back to Chegutu Hospital to check on the state of the survivors. Upon arrival in the casualty department, we introduced ourselves and then asked for gloves, suture material and other things to use because the three patients were groaning in pain and two of them were bleeding from lacerations. To my surprise, the following is what we discovered: • The injured were yet to be attended to, three hours after the accident • There was no single pair of gloves available • There were no available suture packs, what was only available was vicryl, an absorbable suture • No surgical blade • No painkillers for emergency cases
While Congress debates another potential round of PPP funding for small businesses, the urgency for this money is becoming more acute by the minute. Alignable's latest poll conducted from 12/5 to 12/7/20 among 5,500 small business owners reveals that 85% say additional funding is very important for the survival of their businesses from now to June 2021. On […]
The post 85% Of Small Businesses Need New Federal Funds Now appeared first on Milwaukee Community Journal.
According to the Public School Forum of North Carolina, 72 percent of Black and Brown students in the state’s public schools have parents who lack secure employment, compared with 21 percent of white students.
BULAWAYO-BASED photographer, Mgcini Nyoni (pictured) has published a photobook titled #ConvergenceZW set to be launched at Amakhosi Cultural Centre on Saturday. BY SHARON SIBINDI In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, Nyoni said the official launch would be preceded by a publicity and book signing session at Zonkizizwe Shopping Centre on Friday. “The 244-page photobook that features over a hundred artists is a collection of images taken between 2015 and 2020. The book borrows its title from a project of the same name; a project that I set up in 2018 to create a convergence of creatives, spaces meant for consumption of art products and the market,” he said. Nyoni said the images in the book were of arts events and portrait sessions with artists that he interacted with, adding that the book would be available for sale on Saturday. “The work done consistently over a period of five years is one of the reasons why Mgcini Nyoni won the Bulawayo Arts Awards Outstanding Arts Photographer for three years in a row from 2017 to 2019,” he said. Nyoni said some of the artistes featured in the book were the late music hero Oliver Mtukudzi, the well-travelled veterans Black Umfolosi, the multi-award-winning Israel Israel, the legendary Busi Ncube, dancehall singer Winky D, the hip-hop king Asaph and the globe-trotting Iyasa. Follow Sharon on Twitter @SibindiSharon
