ZIFA has started planning for Zimbabwe’s crucial Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Botswana, with Warriors team manager Wellington Mupandare saying they want flawless preparations.
Last week Zifa set the ball rolling by sending out invitation letters to players’ clubs more than a month before the away fixture in Botswana.
The Warriors are second in the qualifying Group H with five points from four games, while Botswana is in third place and the two face each other on March 22.
On March 30, Zimbabwe will play host to Zambia at the National Sports Stadium.
These are must-win matches for Zimbabwe and flawless preparations are what the Warrios need in their quest to qualify for the continental showpiece.
Mpandare understands the importance of proper planning so that the technical staff and players focus on the job at hand.
Knowing “dirty” tactics used in African tournaments whereby some nations subject visiting teams to hostile treatment in a bid to frustrate their opponents, the Warriors have to be mentally and physically prepared.
FC Platinum was “frustrated” in their last Caf Champions League match against Simba SC of Tanzania, during which five key members of their squad were ruled out of the match after testing “positive” for Covid-19 on the eve of the match.
FC Platinum cried foul play as results were delivered to their opponents first hours before kick-off.
As a result, the Warriors might leave for Botswana on the eve of the match.
At the stage the Warriors are, they cannot leave anything to chance, hence Mpandare’s proposal for a late take off to Botswana.
“In terms of logistics, I’ve started doing research and there are daily flights to Botswana via South Africa, meaning that the ideal situation is to have all international players flying into Zimbabwe. Because of the Covid-19 situation, I think it would be ideal for us to leave on the eve of the match and use the results from tests done here for the game and come back. Please note that this is an option that I’ll present to the other guys and if they agree we will pursue it,” said Mpandare.
“Planning in advance is key and we don’t want to leave things to chance. We started the process of inviting players by writing to their clubs last week. This was done to avoid a situation whereby after we’ve announced the squad you hear that certain players are unavailable. It has happened in the past and now we’ve sent invites early to avoid such situations,” he said.
The Warriors will head to Botswana without playing any friendly matches, meaning that the technical team will pray that players called up are active at their clubs in the run-up to the crucial matches- Chronicle
As the Head Of Vaccines announced saying that the first phase of vaccinations will be an experiment to see if the Chinese Sinopharm works, the Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has said the nation goes full throttle tomorrow.
HEAD OF VACCINES AND OPPAH MUCHINGURI SAY THEY DOUBT CHINESE VACCINE https://t.co/RbXR8T9vLM
the national vaccination programme against Covid-19 will cost US$6,7 million, with Government targeting to vaccinate 10 million people, representing about 60 percent of the population.
Constantino Chiwenga
The Covid-19 vaccine roll-out would be done by between one and two teams made up of five people per district depending on its size.
This was said by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Health and Child Care Minister, in the National Assembly yesterday.
VP Chiwenga briefed parliamentarians on various issues concerning the vaccination campaign including distribution and storage mechanisms, budgets, training of personnel and safety of the vaccines.
He said the vaccination programme would be done within three phases with the first one expected to commence tomorrow.
The first phase will comprise of two stages; the first one targeting frontline workers while the second stage will target the elderly and those with underlying conditions.
The total budget for the vaccination programme is US$6 778 777 million. Under the plan, Harare would be allocated 11 teams for the first phase, Bulawayo four teams and Chitungwiza two teams.
“The assumption is vaccination will be conducted over 10 days in the first round and five days in the second round.
“Supervisors drawn from head office, provinces and all districts will monitor planning, implementation and outcomes,” he said.
VP Chiwenga said the Health ministry had already begun the training of trainers in all provinces and districts and they would in turn train all personnel at various service centres.
“Areas of training will include vaccine storage, communications, surveillance, vaccination monitoring and evaluation and waste management,” he said.
The VP said the vaccines would be distributed across the country following existing structures for other vaccines, which is from head office to the 10 provinces then to the 63 districts and the more than 1 800 service centres.
VP Chiwenga said a national virtual launch of the vaccination campaign would be done while promotional material using all forms of media had been designed.
Following the arrival of the Sinopham vaccine donated by China on Monday, other consignments are expected to arrive in the country at two to three weeks’ intervals.
All the vaccines to be procured will undergo rigorous tests to ascertain their efficacy. Herald/additional reporting.
Zimbabwe Republic Police Officers reportedly shot and killed one Marxwell Matembudze at his home in Zaka as he was resisting arrest.
Matembudze who is a village head in Ward 23 in Zaka was suspected to be part of the syndicate that robbed 2 businessmen Chivi South Zanu PF parliamentary candidate Munyaradzi Zizhou and Arnold Ncube on 11 February and got away with $20 000 and cell phones.
The incident was confirmed by Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa who told the publication that:
One suspect was shot and died after he tried to attack the police who had gone to arrest him. A number of electrical gadgets including cell phones, laptops and television sets were recovered at his home
Narrating the robbery that led ZRP officers to Matembudze’s door, ZRP sources said:
On February 11, at 05:00hrs in the morning, police manning a roadblock at 167 km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road stopped a truck for regular search.
The driver of the truck disembarked from the truck for the police to search but four unidentified males jumped out and ran away. The police gave chase and one of them dropped a satchel which was then picked up by the police.
On searching the bag, the police found a lockdown travel exemption letter which bore the deceased’s name among other documents that indicated he was part of a mining syndicate.
On February 13 the police established that Matembudze was from Zaka and investigations led them to his home around 21:00 hrs.
They knocked and identified themselves, then the deceased’s aunt identified as Chiedza Matembudze came out and talked to the police during which Matembudze is said to have came out and charged towards the police. They fired some warning shots but he continued and this prompted the police to shoot him.
He was taken to Msiso Mission Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.- TellZim
The prosecution’s appeal against the High Court decision to grant bail to Tatenda Gadzikwa, the ring leader of the recent US$2,7 million heist hit a snag after the Supreme Court refused to accept the appeal.
On Friday last week, Gadzikwa successfully applied for bail before Justice Webster Chinamora.
He was granted $50 000 coupled with stringent conditions. The State had opposed bail. Aggrieved by the court’s decision, the prosecution yesterday approached the Supreme Court intending to file its appeal but hit a snag after its papers were rejected.
Appeals are not covered under the practice directive issued by Chief Justice Malaba guiding courts operations during the national lockdown period, which has since been extended by another two weeks.
Under the Chief Justice’s practice directive issued yesterday, registries will only accept initial remands, urgent processes and applications plus bail applications.
The filing of new cases, processes, documents, pleadings and papers remain suspended for the period up to March 1. Gadzikwa (39) is facing armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm charges.
His co-accused Gerald Rutizirira 35, Kelvin Musakwa 25, Tendai Zuze 35, Neverson Mwamuka 35 and Trymore Chapfika, Fanuel Masakwa and Shadreck Njowa were also placed on remand on the same matter.
The State charges that on January 6, Gadzikwa and his alleged accomplices planned to rob the bank of cash that was in transit to be distributed to its branches across the country.
It is alleged that they conspired with several others and arranged three getaway vehicles and planned that three would be picked up while being accomplices to the heist.
Masakwa was in the ZB Bank cash-in-transit vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux with a canopy, and would frequently contact his accomplices on their way from Harare to Chinhoyi. Along the way they collected a box containing $43 090, which was supposed to be deposited at the bank and as they drove towards Chinhoyi, the driver picked up three ‘passengers’ on Masakwa’s instructions.
It is reported that when they reached the 60km peg, one of the accomplices pretended that he had reached his destination and the driver stopped the car to let him disembark, that was when the passengers produced a gun and threatened to shoot the crew.
Other accomplices arrived immediately driving an Isuzu twin-cab belonging to Rutizirira, a Toyota Passo and a Toyota Lexus. They were armed with pistols and fired two shots in the air then tied up the crew members before speeding away with seven boxes of the money leaving them at the scene.
The State alleges that Rutizirira led to the discovery of US$96 100 which remained from his share as well as a Toyota Hilux he bought soon after the offence and he also led the police to the red getaway car which had been repainted.
Musakwa reportedly led to the recovery of US$48 000, which he obtained as Musakwa’s proceeds of the crime while Zuze led to the discovery of US$35 082, which he remained with after buying a Toyota Baby Quantum.
Mwamuka led to the recovery of US$74 884, which he remained from his share and a Honda Fit he had bought with some of his money and the Lexus used in the robbery while Chapfika led to the recovery of US$38 900.
The State alleges that Gadzikwa led to the recovery of US$63 000 he had received as proceeds from the commission of the offence and a Toyota Hulux he had bought for US$18 000.
He was arrested after his accomplices implicated him. -Herald
Three bodies were retrieved from Pingo Mine in Mhondoro-Ngezi today after a shaft in which an undisclosed number of artisanal miners were working was flooded.
There were indications that at least four artisanal miners were trapped, but the number had not been verified.
Chief Ngezi, Mr Peter Pasipamire, confirmed the incident which took place in his jurisdiction. – Herald
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti has described the decision by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to extend the lockdown without putting in place proper safety nets as ridiculous.
On Monday Mr Mnangagwa extended the lockdown by two weeks.
Political analysts say Mr Mnangagwa is using the lockdown to close democratic space.
“The extension of the lockdown in the absence of social safety nets and a stimulus for business is pointless, harsh and ridiculous.
Regime needs to test and to have a roll out plan for vaccines It does not. Lock down decisions should be made on science & science alone not authoritarian whim,” Hon Biti argued.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti has described the decision by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to extend the lockdown without putting in place proper safety nets as ridiculous.
On Monday Mr Mnangagwa extended the lockdown by two weeks.
Political analysts say Mr Mnangagwa is using the lockdown to close democratic space.
“The extension of the lockdown in the absence of social safety nets and a stimulus for business is pointless, harsh and ridiculous.
Regime needs to test and to have a roll out plan for vaccines It does not. Lock down decisions should be made on science & science alone not authoritarian whim,” Hon Biti argued.
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Namibia has said Senator Morgen Komichi is a “hopeless daydreamer” who is desperate to please his handlers.
Senator Komichi shocked all and sundry when he claimed:”MDC Alliance belongs to us, everything that Morgan Tsvangirai left behind belongs us.”
However, the MDC Alliance dismissed Senator Komichi’s “reckless” comments.
See statement below:
“INHERIT YOUR NINE (9) BOGUS VOTERS NOT THE MDC ALLIANCE”, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA FUMES AT THE DESPERATE MORGAN KOMICHI.
16 FEBRUARY 2021
Mdc Alliance Namibia wants to clear the dust from the desperate and careless statement from the national Chairperson of the Zanupf surrogate outfit Mdc t now led by Mwonzora Togarasei. We desire to make it very open that Komichi, Mwonzora, Khupe, Mashakada, Dumbu and cabal have betrayed the vision and ideology of the late Icon of Democracy Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. By recalling our MPs and councillors from the mandate they were given by the social democrats in Zimbabwe, this frustrated team ceased to defend and promote Constitutional Democracy. It is foolish for ill-advised Komichi to think that he can paddle political lies discrediting our political mountain President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for his hard work to maintain the legacy of confrontation with Zanupf thugocrats.
In his insane remarks on the 3rd Anniversary since the death of our late paragon of virtue, Komichi said, “everything that belonged to Morgan Tsvangirai is ours, Nelson Chamisa doesn’t have supporters, they belong Tsvangirai”. It is quite pathetic to witness the highest level desperation from those who are masquerading as custodians of Tsvangirai’s legacy. How can the electorate be inherited by greedy Zanupf proxies who are working against the ideals and aspirations of the national democratic revolution. Mdc Alliance Namibia intends to clarify its position on these insane utterances since the electorate can’t be inherited by Zanupf surrogates who are working with enemies of the democratic project. Instead of inheriting the Morgan Tsvangirai House, Komichi and cabal should first inherit Save’s varlour and nerve to unite people in the big tent.
Moreover, Komichi and cronies must first remove their Zanupf political jackets for them to be accepted as defenders of the Tsvangirai legacy. How can we believe in people who are now friends to the clueless rogue Zanupf, the Herald and the Zbc? They are being celebrated by Zanupf supporters, Police, Soldiers, Cios and all captured securocrats for fighting against the Alliance which is the brainchild of our Father of Democracy. How can we be inherited by power greedy morons who have the audacity and tenacity to hire Zupco buses for party business? As a district , we emphasize that we never believed that the movement can be a one generation movement. Before he died , President Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai challenged us to keep the national democratic project alive. We shall continue to safeguard your idea of the politics of the big tent.
Moreso, Mdc Alliance Namibia is cognisant of the fact that our party is intact because of the annointed leadership of President Advocate Nelson Chamisa. We saluted the mammoth political score achieved by our late Icon when he appointed the organic and pragmatic leader of the newly born Mdc Alliance at a juncture when he was struggling with colon cancer in 2017. The district is grateful to the decision as we imagine being administered by belly politicians leading the judicially-constructed MdcT who have sold our struggle to Zanupf for three pieces of silver. Komichi’s sadist talk demonstrates that their fake political party lacks ideological orientation that is why they have resorted to Politics of Plunder and Self-enrichment.
Furthermore, Mdc Alliance Namibia was chargrined and perplexed to hear rapacious Komichi claiming the ownership of the Mdc Alliance. It is very clear that Mdc Alliance is the real deal because of its confrontational approach to the national democratic discourse and that is what Zanupf surrogates must emulate. They can take everything including Vincent Tsvangirai but the genuine revolutionaries in Mdc Alliance will remain resolute . We are clear that as Mdc Alliance, we shall win Zimbabwe for complete change. Political capital can only be inherited by genuine revolutionaries who are not aligned to Zanupf Satanists. The late President advocated for unity before he passed on, he managed to unite all Mdc formations but soon after his death the ones who claim to defend his legacy want to hijack the People’s Project and surrender it to Zanupf. That is going to be resisted with equal measure.
Tinashe Sambiri| Three MDC Alliance members were arrested in Mabvuku on Saturday for patching a damaged road.
The three, Millicent Mbundira, Mavis Katuka and Linda Mbundira are expected to appear in court on Friday.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police in Mabvuku have arrested 3 MDC Alliance members: -Millicent Mbundira, -Mavis Katuka and Linda Mbundira for pothole patching in Mabvuku Ward 19.
They are all detained at Mabvuku Police Station. ZLHR has been advised of the arrest.
This is out of order, they should be commended not arrested for doing some community good acts. They are expected to appear in court on Friday,” the MDC Alliance said in a statement.
Medically reviewed by Atli Arnarson Ph.D. — Written by Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD —
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwide (1, 2).
If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.
But there’s good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally, even without medication.
Here are 15 natural ways to combat high blood pressure.
Walk and exercise regularly Regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.
Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.
In fact, 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week, can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health (3, 4).
What’s more, doing even more exercise than this reduces your blood pressure even further, according to the National Walkers’ Health Study (5).
Bottom line: Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. More exercise helps reduce it even further.
Reduce your sodium intake Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods.
For this reason, many public health efforts are aimed at lowering salt in the food industry (6).
Many studies have linked high salt intake with high blood pressure and heart events, including stroke (7, 8).
However, more recent research indicates that the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure is less clear (9, 10).
One reason for this may be genetic differences in how people process sodium. About half of people with high blood pressure and a quarter of people with normal levels seem to have a sensitivity to salt (11).
If you already have high blood pressure, it’s worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference. Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices rather than salt.
Bottom line: Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend reducing sodium intake. However, that recommendation might make the most sense for people who are salt-sensitive.
Drink less alcohol Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. In fact, alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world (12).
While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by adverse effects (12).
In the U.S., moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. If you drink more than that, cut back.
Bottom line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your drinking in line with the recommendations.
Eat more potassium-rich foods Potassium is an important mineral.
It helps your body get rid of sodium and eases pressure on your blood vessels.
Modern diets have increased most people’s sodium intake while decreasing potassium intake (13).
To get a better balance of potassium to sodium in your diet, focus on eating fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods.
Foods that are particularly high in potassium include:
vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes fruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges, and apricots dairy, such as milk and yogurt tuna and salmon nuts and seeds beans Bottom line: Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, can help lower blood pressure.
Cut back on caffeine If you’ve ever downed a cup of coffee before you’ve had your blood pressure taken, you’ll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.
However, there’s not a lot of evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase (14).
In fact, people who drink caffeinated coffee and tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who don’t drink it (15, 16, 17, 18).
Caffeine may have a stronger effect on people who don’t consume it regularly (19).
If you suspect you’re caffeine-sensitive, cut back to see if it lowers your blood pressure (20).
Bottom line: Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure, although for many people, it does not cause a lasting increase.
Learn to manage stress Listening to soothing music may help lower stress. Stress is a key driver of high blood pressure.
When you’re chronically stressed, your body is in a constant fight-or-flight mode. On a physical level, that means a faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.
When you experience stress, you might also be more likely to engage in other behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthful food that can adversely affect blood pressure.
Several studies have explored how reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. Here are two evidence-based tips to try:
Listen to soothing music: Calming music can help relax your nervous system. Research has shown it’s an effective complement to other blood pressure therapies (21, 22). Work less: Working a lot, and stressful work situations, in general, are linked to high blood pressure (23, 24). Bottom line: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Finding ways to manage stress can help.
Eat dark chocolate or cocoa Here’s a piece of advice you can really get behind.
While eating massive amounts of dark chocolate probably won’t help your heart, small amounts may.
That’s because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate (25).
A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa improved several markers of heart health over the short term, including lowering blood pressure (25).
For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.
Bottom line: Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Lose weight In people with overweight, losing weight can make a big difference to heart health.
According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body mass could significantly lower high blood pressure (26).
In previous studies, losing 17.64 pounds (8 kilograms) was linked to lowering systolic blood pressure by 8.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg (27).
To put that in perspective, a healthy reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg (4).
The effect is even greater when weight loss is paired with exercise (27).
Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood.
Bottom line: Losing weight can significantly lower high blood pressure. This effect is even more significant when you exercise.
Quit smoking Among the many reasons to quit smoking is that the habit is a strong risk factor for heart disease.
Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels.
Surprisingly, studies haven’t found a conclusive link between smoking and high blood pressure. Perhaps this is because smokers develop a tolerance over time (28).
Still, since both smoking and high blood pressure raise the risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help lessen that risk.
Bottom line: There’s conflicting research about smoking and high blood pressure, but what is clear is that both increase the risk of heart disease.
Cut added sugar and refined carbs There’s a growing body of research showing a link between added sugar and high blood pressure (29, 30, 31).
In the Framingham Women’s Health Study, women who drank even one soda per day had higher levels than those who drank less than one soda per day (32).
Another study found that having one less sugar-sweetened beverage per day was linked to lower blood pressure (33).
And it’s not just sugar — all refined carbs, such as the kind found in white flour — convert rapidly to sugar in your bloodstream and may cause problems.
Some studies have shown that low carb diets may also help reduce blood pressure.
One study on people undergoing statin therapy found that those who went on a 6-week, carb-restricted diet saw a greater improvement in blood pressure and other heart disease markers than people who did not restrict carbs (34).
Bottom line: Refined carbs, especially sugar, may raise blood pressure. Some studies have shown that low carb diets may help reduce your levels.
Eat berries Berries are full of more than just juicy flavor.
They’re also packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that are good for your heart.
Polyphenols can reduce the risk of stroke, heart conditions, and diabetes, as well as improving blood pressure, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation (34).
One study assigned people with high blood pressure to a low-polyphenol diet or a high-polyphenol diet containing berries, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables (35).
Those consuming berries and polyphenol-rich foods experienced improved markers of heart disease risk.
Bottom line: Berries are rich in polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and the overall risk of heart disease.
Source: Medical News Today
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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A stray Hippo attacked and killed a 37-year-old man from Lushongwe Village in Gwanda district yesterday, the Chronicle reports.
The hippo, which is suspected to be one of the hippos that are staying at the Garanyemba Dam attacked the now deceased Nicholas Ndlovu at around 9 PM as he was walking towards a nearby mine where he worked.
After he was attacked he was taken to Gwanda hospital where he was reportedly pronounced dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, residents and villagers of Beitbridge are being terrorized by elephants that are destroying their crops and threatening to wipe out their bumper harvest while in other parts of Beitbridge lions are killing villagers’ livestock. -Chronicle
By A Correspondent- Officials from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority have gunned down a stray hippo in Zvishavane rural after it claimed the life of one villager.
Runde Rural District chief executive, Mr Gorden Moyo said the stray cow hippo which was nursing a calf was gunned down this afternoon by parks officias who have been tracking it since Sunday when it attacked and killed a villager.
“The hippo has been troublesome and on Sunday it attacked and killed a villager in Mabasa area who was coming from fishing at the nearby Runde Dam. It had become a manace charging at villagers and i hear it had a calf. We called the Parks officials and they are in the area,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the parks rangers were now tracking the calf.
A Bulawayo man was found dead in Nkulumane suburb and police suspect that his life was claimed in a hit and run accident.
The man has not yet been identified.
Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said they suspect that the accident happened over night as the body was discovered in the morning on Thursday.
“Police received a report of a hit and run of an unknown pedestrian who was hit by an unknown motor vehicle along Rangemore road near the Housing Office in Nkulumane and the man died on the spot,” said Insp Ncube. Insp Ncube said the deceased was believed to be between 25 – 35 years old.
At the time of his death, he was wearing a black jacket, a blue shirt, black trousers, black jersey and had no particulars on him. The body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) for post mortem.
“We are appealing to members of the public or relatives for information that may assist in identifying the body of the deceased to report to Nkulumane Traffic, UBH or any nearest police station where they will be assisted on body identification,” said Insp Ncube.
He urged motorists to follow lawful procedures following an accident. “We also appeal to motorists to respect life; once you are involved in an accident whether someone died or not, stop and give assistance than to run away,” he said.
On January 19 at around 1130PM another person was killed in another hit and run accident opposite Latter Day Saints Church along Matopos Road, Famona.Upon realising that the victim was dead, the unidentified driver dragged his victim a few metres away from the suspected point of impact and left the body face down.
The deceased sustained head injuries and multiple fractures on both legs.
On January 14, a male adult was hit by a car along Hyde Park Road near Maraa turnoff in Pumula East while crossing the road.The accident victim sustained head injuries and was ferried to Mpilo by an ambulance where he died upon admission.
According to police, the body was not claimed. Police are on record urging members of the public to avoid travelling at night or at least wear reflective clothing when doing so and to always carry identification particulars with them for easy identification.-statemedia
By James Gwati- Several people are feared dead at Pingo Mine in Mhondoro-Ngezi in Mashonaland West Province, after a shaft they were working in was flooded.
Confirmed reports say three bodies have so far been retrieved from the flooded shaft with authorities being said to be struggling to retrieve other bodies of artisanal miners who are believed to have perished in the sad development.
According to the state media, indications are that a dozen of artisanal miners who were underground had been trapped, but the number had not been verified.
The area’s local Chief, Mr Peter Pasipamire, told the state media that the incident had indeed occurred.
Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority through its subsidiary Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) will start penalizing property owners whose structures (buildings and or trees) damage power lines and cause electricity outages.
This was contained in a statement that was released by The Ministry Of Local government’s Provincial Development Coordinator’s office which stated that ZETDC will heftily penalise would-be offenders.
Said the office of the Provincial Development Director in a statement:
PRESS STATEMENT ON RECENT POWER OUTAGES AS A RESULT STRUCTURES DAMAGING POWER LINES
The Office of the Provincial Development Coordinator for Harare Metropolitan Province in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution company (ZETDC) would like to announce that with immediate effect all residents are to ensure that they trim or cut trees that have overgrown and are now posing as a risk to power lines. ln recent weeks, many trees have fallen on power lines causing unwarranted power outages.
ln particular, Harare Northern Suburbs are the most non-compliant as many homeowners are refusing to cut trees and also refusing ZETDC engineers to gain access to their properties, whilst illegal settlements across all Districts are building structures along power servitudes. ln terms of Section 39 of the Electricity Act, trees, buildings or any structures are not permitted anywhere near the power lines. Trees in particular and any overhanging branches are not permitted within 4,5 meters from any 11- kV line.
To ensure full compliance by all residents, kindly note that from the 16th of February 2O2L, failure to cut trees or building structures which eventually damage power lines will result in the property owner being charged a hefty penalty by ZETDC. The property owner will now be responsible for the full costs of repairs, labour and fuel costs incurred by ZETDC in repairing the power line in the property and any other damages caused to ZETDC infrastructure. All costs shall be allocated to that property’s electricity account as a penalty for negligence.
ln the same vein all local authorities are herein asked to cut trees that have overgrown and clear all illegal structures in power servitudes as guided bythe Provisions of Development Control, We therefore plead with all Harare Metropolitan Province residents and businesses to cooperate fully with ZETDC to avoid penalties and most importantly inconveniencing others with unwarranted power cuts that can be avoided.
By James Gwati- Zanu PF Chairman for Mashonaland Central Province who is also the Home Affairs Minister, Kazembe Kazembe, and his lieutenant the police chief, Godwin Matanga, have been dragged to the courts for violently grabbing a farm.
The two together with an unnamed senior officer at ZRP Support Unit Shamva, have been dragged to the High Court by a local farmer identified as Cyril Gunda who is claiming that the three government officials unlawfully invaded his farm.
Gunda is seeking an order barring the police from disturbing his peace and to declare him as the rightful owner of Shamva’s Grahamshade Farm-Stateland.
It is Gunda’s case through an urgent High Court application that the police through the blessings of Kazembe and Matanga has started production at his farm.
The disgruntled farmer in his court challenge papers stated that he was offered a lease for the farm by the Lands minister last November and started developing the farm.
“Sometime after my team arrived at the farm, a Sergeant Tangai from ZRP Support Unit at the next property, Maienzi Farm, approached my team armed with a gun and told them to vacate the premises forthwith. He advised my team that he had been ordered by his superiors to tell us to vacate the farm,” reads part of his founding affidavit.
Zanu PF and the police have a bad history of disrespecting human and property rights.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) has demanded that the Commissioner General of Police institutes an investigation into the case of a man who was shot by suspected state security agents. In a letter to the police boss, the Forum highlights the frustrations being faced by Victor Masunga who is trying to make a police report.
Machipisa Shopping Centre
Masunga was shot and arrested at his house in Harare by seven men who drove him to Machipisa Police Station. He was indiscriminately assaulted all over the body during interrogation for an undisclosed criminal offence. Upon realisation that Masunga was not the suspect, the men dumped him near his house and threatened him with disappearance if he reported the matter.
“The conduct of the police in this matter is a mockery to the eminent constitutional duty of the police to safeguard civilian lives,” said Darlington Marange, a lawyer at the Forum. Since 9 February, Masunga has been denied access to justice as police are reluctant to open a docket. He has also failed to access medical care in the absence of a request for medical report from police. In the absence of medical care, Masunga is currently in unbearable pain.
The Forum has demanded Commissioner Matanga to direct police to accept Masunga’s report and institute investigations into the case. Machipisa Police Station has been ordered to furnish Masunga with a request for medical report or the Forum will approach the courts for justice.
By A Correspondent- Appeal Bail hearing for student activist who has been in pre-trial detention for 71 days will be heard before Justice Chinamora tomorrow. This was revealed by Zimbabwe Lawyers for human rights which stated that the appeal hearing was first scheduled for Thursday 18 February before it was moved to tomorrow:
Appeal Bail Hearing for Alan Moyo has been set down for hearing at the High Court for 18 February at 09:00 hours before Justice Chinamora. @ZLHRLawyers will keep you updated on developments in this case
We have just been advised that the Appeal Bail Hearing for Alan Moyo will now be heard on Wednesday 17 February at 09:00 hrs before Justice Chinamora at Harare High Court
Moyo, a UZ student, has been in detention for 71 days after he was arrested in December for allegedly calling for a revolt against President Mnangagwa’s govt.
Moyo was arrested on 7 December during a protest by students and he has been in detention since then High court judge Justice Foroma dismissed Moyo’s bail appeal last mo
By A Correspondent- The Minister of Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga today in parliament said members of parliament are frontline workers which might mean they will also be prioritized when it comes to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Chiwenga was updating the legislators about the vaccine that was delivered yesterday and thanking different contributors according to the Parliament of Zimbabwe which said:
The Minister says that MPs are considered as front line workers as they directly deal with the people. He has stated that there are more frontline workers who have not been mentioned here. He has emphasised that there is need for accountability for all vaccinations.
However, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa has given the rollout plan to start on Thursday and in the first 2 phases MPs do not appear:
Phase 1 : priority will be given to
Health workers
Health personnel in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Defence Forces, and the Prisons and Correctional Services.
ZIMRA personnel – Immigration and Agritex workers
Persons who are over 60 years and other vulnerable groups
Phase 2:
Phase 2 will encompass college and university lecturers and school teachers, while the rest of the population at low risk will be catered for under Phase 3.
A ministry of health official said the effectiveness of the vaccine will be measured as they will be administering it, Meanwhile, those over 60 and those with chronic conditions are not supposed to take the vaccine.-Parliament
PHYSICAL Education and Arts (PEA) has been introduced as an examinable subject at Grade 7 with effect from this year, bringing to six the number of subjects written by final-year primary school pupils.
Since 2015, the subjects taught at Grade 7 were Agriculture, English, Mathematics, General Paper and Ndebele or Shona and were written in public examinations. Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) spokesperson Nicolette Dhlamini yesterday confirmed the introduction of PEA as an examinable subject, briefly saying “yes it now is”.
The subject content would include topics such as visual and performing arts, which will constitute 50 percent of the examination while physical education, sports and mass displays should make up the other 50 percent and shall be written as one multiple choice examination paper.
According to the other subjects’ structure, the former General Paper changes its name to Social Sciences with the family, religion and moral education (Fareme) as a topic which constitutes 50 percent of the examination. Topics completing the paper are heritage and social studies, which constitute 40 percent of the examination, while guidance and counselling make up the other 10 percent.
The subject would be divided into two papers with paper one as multiple choice while paper two will be structured questions. Agriculture, which was introduced in 2015, now includes science and technology with the agriculture component constituting 50 percent of the examination, while science and technology make up 30 percent, with information communication technology making up the rest.
The other three traditional subjects, Mathematics, English, Ndebele or Shona, however, remain largely unchanged. The introduction of the new subject is in line with the new education curriculum the government introduced in 2015 in both primary and secondary schools.
The curriculum emphasises the teaching and learning of STEM subjects to build a firm base for human capital development by inculcating critical foundation skills in pupils at an early stage. The government hopes to achieve the expansion in the capabilities of information communication technologies and the emergence of an information-driven economy underpinning the need for the development of new skill sets that enable citizens to live and work in a global village.
Own Correspondent| In a dramatic series of events, a Masvingo teenager reportedly stole his mother’s Valentine gift and gave it to his lover.
The teenager, Richard Ruzvidzo later discovered that the girl was also in love with his father.
Richard reportedly took the flowers to his lover’s place and he was shocked to see his father in the girl identified as Chiedza’s living room with the same type of flowers.
Chiedza is a “slay queen” who has been involved in many love scandals.
Reports say she got love charms from her spiritual father Isaac Makomichi. Chiedza is a member of Makomichi’s church.
Makomichi also reportedly gave love charms to the late Moana Mitchelle Amuli.
Richard’s friend identified as Albert said:
“He( Richard) is very disappointed by his father’s behaviour.
It means his father is cheating his mom, there will be no peace at all and he is ready to humiliate his father.”
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Chivi South parliamentary primary elections winner Munyaradzi Zizhou’s home in Lundi was last week raided by five armed robbers who got away with cash, cellphones and a Toyota double cab car.
The robbery, which happened in the early morning hours of Thursday, February 11 at around 0100 hours, is among the many armed robbery cases being reported in the province and country at large.
Zizhou, who was at home with his wife, told TellZim News that his family was safe and the robbers only demanded cash, cellphones and keys to his car.
“It happened so fast. I was at home sleeping at around 0100hours when I heard people trying to gain entry into my house.
“They were banging the door using a crow hammer and they managed to gain entry. They were five and two of them were armed with pistols.
“They pointed their guns at me and demanded cash. I did not have much money in the house. They also demanded the keys to my car and took my cellphone together with my wife’s,” said Zhizhou.
Zizhou said the robbers ordered him to take them to one Ncube, who is a fuel dealer in Rutenga, where they forced him to knock at the door.
“They took about US$2 000 from me and marched me at gun point to my associate Ncube where they ordered me to knock at the door.
“Ncube opened the door and the robbers pushed me inside taking us hostage before demanding cash. They took about US$17 000 from Ncube before marching me back to my house where they took my truck and drove off.
“We reported the matter to the police at Rutenga,” said Zizhou.
Zizhou’s car was later found dumped at Rutenga business centre.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa could not be drawn into comment as his mobile went unanswered but police sources say three suspects were already in custody and one was shot dead in Zaka on Saturday night.
The police are said to have tracked one of the suspect, Maxwell Matembudze, to Zaka where they spend three days hunting him down until the stakeout turned fatal when the suspect was shot dead when he attempted to run away.
Zizhou will represent Zanu PF in the Chivi South parliamentary by-elections once the blanket ban on all electoral process due to Covid-19 is lifted.-TellZim
“As we inject people, we’ll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn’t do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there’s no one who trusts it.” – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head…
“As we inject people, we’ll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn’t do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there’s no one who trusts it.” – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head…
Washington Arubi is in the top 10 of goalkeepers in the DStv Premiership in terms of clean sheets.
The former Warriors and Dynamos goalkeeper, who turns 36 in August, is on the ranks of Limpopo-based Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).
He has kept three clean sheets for his side and is ranked joint fouth on the goalkeepers who have been breached less in the South African top-flight this season.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
Evans Rusike will remain at SuperSport United for his last five months of his contract after failing to secure a move away during the mid-season transfer window in South Africa.
The Zimbabwean striker was linked with an exit and Maritzburg United were keen on re-signing him.
Speculation intensified in the past week after the player’s agent, Mike Makaab of Prosport International, confirmed that there was interest from other clubs.
The transfer was to be completed once Rusike had received his South African citizenship and become eligible to be registered as a local player. However, the processing of the application was delayed and the deal couldn’t be reached before the window closed on Monday.
The move is now likely to happen at the end of the season and when his contract expires.
Meanwhile, SuperSport United chairman Stan Matthews recently claimed in the media he won’t offer the 30-year old a new contract if he continues to struggle on the pitch.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
A Ghanaian journalist who covers African football Nuhu Adams, claims, with certainity, that Mamelodi Sundowns will sign Warriors defender Divine Lunga at the end of the current season.
Lunga (25) is currently on the ranks of Durban-based side Lamontville Golden Arrows but is reportedly a transfer target for Masandawana, since one of their co-coaches Steve Komphela is a huge fan of the Bulawayo-born left-back.
Nuhu, writing on Twitter, listed the former Chicken Inn star as one of the players the Brazilians will capture at the end of the Season.
“Mamelodi Sundowns will sign Nkosinathi Sibisi (25) , Divine Lunga (25) and Nstako Neverdie Makhubela (26) from Golden Arrows FC at the end of the season.The Brazilians are not leaving any stone unturned.They will continue to dominate South Africa for more years,” he noted. -Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance Namibia has said Senator Morgen Komichi is a “hopeless daydreamer” who is desperate to please his handlers.
Senator Komichi shocked all and sundry when he claimed:”MDC Alliance belongs to us, everything that Morgan Tsvangirai left behind belongs us.”
However, the MDC Alliance dismissed Senator Komichi’s “reckless” comments.
See statement below:
“INHERIT YOUR NINE (9) BOGUS VOTERS NOT THE MDC ALLIANCE”, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA FUMES AT THE DESPERATE MORGAN KOMICHI.
16 FEBRUARY 2021
Mdc Alliance Namibia wants to clear the dust from the desperate and careless statement from the national Chairperson of the Zanupf surrogate outfit Mdc t now led by Mwonzora Togarasei. We desire to make it very open that Komichi, Mwonzora, Khupe, Mashakada, Dumbu and cabal have betrayed the vision and ideology of the late Icon of Democracy Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. By recalling our MPs and councillors from the mandate they were given by the social democrats in Zimbabwe, this frustrated team ceased to defend and promote Constitutional Democracy. It is foolish for ill-advised Komichi to think that he can paddle political lies discrediting our political mountain President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for his hard work to maintain the legacy of confrontation with Zanupf thugocrats.
In his insane remarks on the 3rd Anniversary since the death of our late paragon of virtue, Komichi said, “everything that belonged to Morgan Tsvangirai is ours, Nelson Chamisa doesn’t have supporters, they belong Tsvangirai”. It is quite pathetic to witness the highest level desperation from those who are masquerading as custodians of Tsvangirai’s legacy. How can the electorate be inherited by greedy Zanupf proxies who are working against the ideals and aspirations of the national democratic revolution. Mdc Alliance Namibia intends to clarify its position on these insane utterances since the electorate can’t be inherited by Zanupf surrogates who are working with enemies of the democratic project. Instead of inheriting the Morgan Tsvangirai House, Komichi and cabal should first inherit Save’s varlour and nerve to unite people in the big tent.
Moreover, Komichi and cronies must first remove their Zanupf political jackets for them to be accepted as defenders of the Tsvangirai legacy. How can we believe in people who are now friends to the clueless rogue Zanupf, the Herald and the Zbc? They are being celebrated by Zanupf supporters, Police, Soldiers, Cios and all captured securocrats for fighting against the Alliance which is the brainchild of our Father of Democracy. How can we be inherited by power greedy morons who have the audacity and tenacity to hire Zupco buses for party business? As a district , we emphasize that we never believed that the movement can be a one generation movement. Before he died , President Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai challenged us to keep the national democratic project alive. We shall continue to safeguard your idea of the politics of the big tent.
Moreso, Mdc Alliance Namibia is cognisant of the fact that our party is intact because of the annointed leadership of President Advocate Nelson Chamisa. We saluted the mammoth political score achieved by our late Icon when he appointed the organic and pragmatic leader of the newly born Mdc Alliance at a juncture when he was struggling with colon cancer in 2017. The district is grateful to the decision as we imagine being administered by belly politicians leading the judicially-constructed MdcT who have sold our struggle to Zanupf for three pieces of silver. Komichi’s sadist talk demonstrates that their fake political party lacks ideological orientation that is why they have resorted to Politics of Plunder and Self-enrichment.
Furthermore, Mdc Alliance Namibia was chargrined and perplexed to hear rapacious Komichi claiming the ownership of the Mdc Alliance. It is very clear that Mdc Alliance is the real deal because of its confrontational approach to the national democratic discourse and that is what Zanupf surrogates must emulate. They can take everything including Vincent Tsvangirai but the genuine revolutionaries in Mdc Alliance will remain resolute . We are clear that as Mdc Alliance, we shall win Zimbabwe for complete change. Political capital can only be inherited by genuine revolutionaries who are not aligned to Zanupf Satanists. The late President advocated for unity before he passed on, he managed to unite all Mdc formations but soon after his death the ones who claim to defend his legacy want to hijack the People’s Project and surrender it to Zanupf. That is going to be resisted with equal measure.
The UEFA Champions League format could be changed from 2024 following a proposal tabled to the member associations last week.
Under the proposed format, the group stage would be phased out and replaced by a single league based on the so-called “Swiss model”. The number of teams in that stage will be increased from 32 to 36 with each side guaranteed at least 10 games against different opponents.
The top eight teams in the 36-team league would automatically qualify for the Last 16 round, while the next 16 teams in the table would feature in the play-offs for the final eight places.
Altogether there would be 225 matches in the competition compared to the current 125.
According to UEFA, this new format will avert the threat of a breakaway European Super League as the league would generate more revenue.- Soccer 24 Zimbabwe
By A Correspondent- First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa will this week launch a cooking competition aimed at promoting Zimbabwe’s traditional dishes.
According to the state media the countrywide competition branded Amai’s Traditional Cookout Competition will showcase the different cooking methods of Traditional foods in ZImbabwe.
According to the publication, this is how the competition will be executed:
Selected groups will be afforded an opportunity to take part in the competition open to all provinces, including the general populace with specific focus on chiefs’ wives, women in business, women from the religious sector, the disabled, hotels, cascading down to schoolchildren.
The entire event will be broken down into three distinct categories.
There will be a one-day pre-mentoring activity on cultural foods and contestants would be expected to share the skills learnt when they return to their communities
The planned competition will have a mystery basket from the First Lady under which contestants will be given a basket of ingredients and be required to create a traditional dish of their choice within a stipulated time frame. The basket will contain ingredients meant to challenge the contestant’s culinary ability and their capacity to think quickly under pressure.
A judging criteria and panel will be put in place to evaluate the dishes presented at provincial level then also at national level.
It is still not clear when the completion will take place given the current COVID-19 restrictions.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Chivi South parliamentary primary elections winner Munyaradzi Zizhou’s home in Lundi was last week raided by five armed robbers who got away with cash, cellphones and a Toyota double cab car.
The robbery, which happened in the early morning hours of Thursday, February 11 at around 0100 hours, is among the many armed robbery cases being reported in the province and country at large.
Zizhou, who was at home with his wife, told TellZim News that his family was safe and the robbers only demanded cash, cellphones and keys to his car.
“It happened so fast. I was at home sleeping at around 0100hours when I heard people trying to gain entry into my house.
“They were banging the door using a crow hammer and they managed to gain entry. They were five and two of them were armed with pistols.
“They pointed their guns at me and demanded cash. I did not have much money in the house. They also demanded the keys to my car and took my cellphone together with my wife’s,” said Zhizhou.
Zizhou said the robbers ordered him to take them to one Ncube, who is a fuel dealer in Rutenga, where they forced him to knock at the door.
“They took about US$2 000 from me and marched me at gun point to my associate Ncube where they ordered me to knock at the door.
“Ncube opened the door and the robbers pushed me inside taking us hostage before demanding cash. They took about US$17 000 from Ncube before marching me back to my house where they took my truck and drove off.
“We reported the matter to the police at Rutenga,” said Zizhou.
Zizhou’s car was later found dumped at Rutenga business centre.
Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa could not be drawn into comment as his mobile went unanswered but police sources say three suspects were already in custody and one was shot dead in Zaka on Saturday night.
The police are said to have tracked one of the suspect, Maxwell Matembudze, to Zaka where they spend three days hunting him down until the stakeout turned fatal when the suspect was shot dead when he attempted to run away.
Zizhou will represent Zanu PF in the Chivi South parliamentary by-elections once the blanket ban on all electoral process due to Covid-19 is lifted.-TellZim
Tinashe Sambiri| Three MDC Alliance members were arrested in Mabvuku on Saturday for patching a damaged road.
The three, Millicent Mbundira, Mavis Katuka and Linda Mbundira are expected to appear in court on Friday.
“Zimbabwe Republic Police in Mabvuku have arrested 3 MDC Alliance members: -Millicent Mbundira, -Mavis Katuka and Linda Mbundira for pothole patching in Mabvuku Ward 19.
They are all detained at Mabvuku Police Station. ZLHR has been advised of the arrest.
This is out of order, they should be commended not arrested for doing some community good acts. They are expected to appear in court on Friday,” the MDC Alliance said in a statement.
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has dismissed Zanu PF official, Obert Mpofu’s remarks on national dialogue.
MDC Alliance maintains it will not be forced into a dialogue that seeks to please Emmerson Mnangagwa without resolving matters of national interest.
See statement below:
16-02-2020
Dialogue remarks attributed to ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu in one of the local tabloids clearly expose ZANU PF’s egocentric and bullish attitude towards the very same political opponents they intend to dialogue with.
Mpofu’s bullish Polad ultimatum to the MDC Alliance only helps to raise alarm on what to expect from any dialogue with ZANU PF.
Platform and players remain key ingredients to any meaningful dialogue.
To his credit, President Nelson Chamisa has always reiterated that POLAD is a poisoned chalice hence it can never be an ideal platform for any meaningful dialogue.
That all players currently involved in POLAD agrees to everything Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF further pulverizes the platform thereby rendering it a monologue.
If the calls for dialogue are genuine, then it is only logical that those who disagree dialogue and clearly there is no need for various versions of ZANU PF at the same table.
Why wasting time dialoguing with various but same versions of ZANU PF when the same results can be achieved by dialoguing with one led by Mnangagwa himself.
Alternatively, why would Mnangagwa’s ZANU PF want to dialogue with some black market opposition when it is clear even from the 2018 ZEC cooked results that it is Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance that warrants any form of dialogue if the country is to move forward.
ZANU PF’s insistence on a platform, POLAD which they created raises alarm on the dangers that lies ahead if ever MDC Alliance joins such dead end platform.
Joining POLAD is akin to having a wrestling contest with a crocodile in water, its familiar surroundings.
Who in their right senses can accede to such a political suicide?
It is also important to track the background that led to the current situation which has led many a people to call for dialogue.
It is a public secret that our problems emanate from a 2018 disputed political contest that gave birth to the legitimacy question.
At the centre of that contestation is Emmerson Mnangagwa who subverted the will of the people by having an adulterous affair with the military through the gun on 01 August 2018.
On the other hand is a People’s President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa who has a social contract with the people to lead.
The components determine the solution we obtain!
We can not expect any meaningful results from a ‘dialogue’ between Mnangagwa and his puppets.
Anything else without Nelson Chamisa is like expecting flies in their various forms to produce honey.
OneMillionCampaign
YouthVoices4Change
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance vice president Hon Tendai Biti has described the decision by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration to extend the lockdown without putting in place proper safety nets as ridiculous.
On Monday Mr Mnangagwa extended the lockdown by two weeks.
Political analysts say Mr Mnangagwa is using the lockdown to close democratic space.
“The extension of the lockdown in the absence of social safety nets and a stimulus for business is pointless, harsh and ridiculous.
Regime needs to test and to have a roll out plan for vaccines It does not. Lock down decisions should be made on science & science alone not authoritarian whim,” Hon Biti argued.
IS SHE TELLING THE TRUTH? – Chartered Accountant says: I didn't think this was a contract, I thought we were approving the terms and conditions, not the whole contract | STATE CAPTURE INQUIRY https://t.co/yzAzaYidd5
Chartered Accountant says: I didn't think this was a contract, I thought we were approving the terms and conditions, not the whole contract. – @SABCNewspic.twitter.com/9qMCebFu9O
Medically reviewed by Atli Arnarson Ph.D. — Written by Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD —
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwide (1, 2).
If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.
But there’s good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally, even without medication.
Here are 15 natural ways to combat high blood pressure.
Walk and exercise regularly Regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.
Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.
In fact, 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week, can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health (3, 4).
What’s more, doing even more exercise than this reduces your blood pressure even further, according to the National Walkers’ Health Study (5).
Bottom line: Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. More exercise helps reduce it even further.
Reduce your sodium intake Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods.
For this reason, many public health efforts are aimed at lowering salt in the food industry (6).
Many studies have linked high salt intake with high blood pressure and heart events, including stroke (7, 8).
However, more recent research indicates that the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure is less clear (9, 10).
One reason for this may be genetic differences in how people process sodium. About half of people with high blood pressure and a quarter of people with normal levels seem to have a sensitivity to salt (11).
If you already have high blood pressure, it’s worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference. Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices rather than salt.
Bottom line: Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend reducing sodium intake. However, that recommendation might make the most sense for people who are salt-sensitive.
Drink less alcohol Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. In fact, alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world (12).
While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by adverse effects (12).
In the U.S., moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. If you drink more than that, cut back.
Bottom line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your drinking in line with the recommendations.
Eat more potassium-rich foods Potassium is an important mineral.
It helps your body get rid of sodium and eases pressure on your blood vessels.
Modern diets have increased most people’s sodium intake while decreasing potassium intake (13).
To get a better balance of potassium to sodium in your diet, focus on eating fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods.
Foods that are particularly high in potassium include:
vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes fruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges, and apricots dairy, such as milk and yogurt tuna and salmon nuts and seeds beans Bottom line: Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, can help lower blood pressure.
Cut back on caffeine If you’ve ever downed a cup of coffee before you’ve had your blood pressure taken, you’ll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.
However, there’s not a lot of evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase (14).
In fact, people who drink caffeinated coffee and tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who don’t drink it (15, 16, 17, 18).
Caffeine may have a stronger effect on people who don’t consume it regularly (19).
If you suspect you’re caffeine-sensitive, cut back to see if it lowers your blood pressure (20).
Bottom line: Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure, although for many people, it does not cause a lasting increase.
Learn to manage stress Listening to soothing music may help lower stress. Stress is a key driver of high blood pressure.
When you’re chronically stressed, your body is in a constant fight-or-flight mode. On a physical level, that means a faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.
When you experience stress, you might also be more likely to engage in other behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthful food that can adversely affect blood pressure.
Several studies have explored how reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. Here are two evidence-based tips to try:
Listen to soothing music: Calming music can help relax your nervous system. Research has shown it’s an effective complement to other blood pressure therapies (21, 22). Work less: Working a lot, and stressful work situations, in general, are linked to high blood pressure (23, 24). Bottom line: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Finding ways to manage stress can help.
Eat dark chocolate or cocoa Here’s a piece of advice you can really get behind.
While eating massive amounts of dark chocolate probably won’t help your heart, small amounts may.
That’s because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate (25).
A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa improved several markers of heart health over the short term, including lowering blood pressure (25).
For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.
Bottom line: Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Lose weight In people with overweight, losing weight can make a big difference to heart health.
According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body mass could significantly lower high blood pressure (26).
In previous studies, losing 17.64 pounds (8 kilograms) was linked to lowering systolic blood pressure by 8.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg (27).
To put that in perspective, a healthy reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg (4).
The effect is even greater when weight loss is paired with exercise (27).
Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood.
Bottom line: Losing weight can significantly lower high blood pressure. This effect is even more significant when you exercise.
Quit smoking Among the many reasons to quit smoking is that the habit is a strong risk factor for heart disease.
Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels.
Surprisingly, studies haven’t found a conclusive link between smoking and high blood pressure. Perhaps this is because smokers develop a tolerance over time (28).
Still, since both smoking and high blood pressure raise the risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help lessen that risk.
Bottom line: There’s conflicting research about smoking and high blood pressure, but what is clear is that both increase the risk of heart disease.
Cut added sugar and refined carbs There’s a growing body of research showing a link between added sugar and high blood pressure (29, 30, 31).
In the Framingham Women’s Health Study, women who drank even one soda per day had higher levels than those who drank less than one soda per day (32).
Another study found that having one less sugar-sweetened beverage per day was linked to lower blood pressure (33).
And it’s not just sugar — all refined carbs, such as the kind found in white flour — convert rapidly to sugar in your bloodstream and may cause problems.
Some studies have shown that low carb diets may also help reduce blood pressure.
One study on people undergoing statin therapy found that those who went on a 6-week, carb-restricted diet saw a greater improvement in blood pressure and other heart disease markers than people who did not restrict carbs (34).
Bottom line: Refined carbs, especially sugar, may raise blood pressure. Some studies have shown that low carb diets may help reduce your levels.
Eat berries Berries are full of more than just juicy flavor.
They’re also packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that are good for your heart.
Polyphenols can reduce the risk of stroke, heart conditions, and diabetes, as well as improving blood pressure, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation (34).
One study assigned people with high blood pressure to a low-polyphenol diet or a high-polyphenol diet containing berries, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables (35).
Those consuming berries and polyphenol-rich foods experienced improved markers of heart disease risk.
Bottom line: Berries are rich in polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and the overall risk of heart disease.
Source: Medical News Today
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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By Tichakunda Mhiko| Kae Chap’s saucy hit single ‘Juzi’ released this past Wednesday has been trending on the corridors of social media earning him the praise of local celebrities and social media users.
Juzi is a break up song laced with powerful lyrics that graphically depict the agonizing pain one endures after losing their beloved partner.
Afro pop sensation Jah Prayzah describing Juzi said: “What a masterpiece.”
Zim Hip hop prodigy Asaph also took to Twitter showering praises to Kae Chap’s hit single Juzi describing the gem as a trendsetter changing the music industry.
“I really hope you all are paying attention to the shift thats happening new urban genres are taking over and new stars are being given a chance to shine we want the more,” wrote ecstatic Asaph.
In the song Kae Chaps pleads with his ex lover to come to collect her jacket which evokes better day memories which are now painful to reminisce now that they are longer together.
Social media user @dvora_1 said the song took her back in memory lane over a heart wrecking break up she wants to forget.
“That Juzi song has got me going back to times I so much want to forget,” she said.
The budding artiste Kae Chaps in Juzi sings “I’m broke from all the dreams you were selling me urimboko yemunhu (you a bad person) felt I should tell you this, although we not enemies.”
To express how conflicted he is with his ex lover.
Unbridled socialite Shadaya couldn’t resist not to comment on the traction Juzi was getting on social media however, argued that the song resonated with ‘weak’ sentimental men.
“Most Zim guys can relate to this song Juzi because they are simps. I’m shocked at the comments, many men being emotional about the song.
“Then again, even me had I heard the song back in my simp days, I’d be emotional about the song as well,” he said.
LEAD opposition president Linda Masarira found herself entangled in Juzi and the emotions evoked by the song that she actually assumed that Kae Chaps was inspired by a bad break up to pen the tantalizing single.
“@Kae Chaps has a dope voice. The track Juzi so much emotion hope he ain’t going through some kind of relationship trauma in real life,”she said.
Dialogue remarks attributed to ZANU PF Secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu in one of the local tabloids clearly expose ZANU PF’s ego-centric and bullish attitude towards the very same political opponents they intend to dialogue with.
Mpofu’s bullish Polad ultimatum to the MDC Alliance only helps to raise alarm on what to expect from any dialogue with ZANU PF.
Platform and players remain key ingredients to any meaningful dialogue.
To his credit, President Nelson Chamisa has always reiterated that POLAD is a poisoned chalice hence it can never be an ideal platform for any meaningful dialogue.
That all players currently involved in POLAD agrees to everything Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU PF further pulverizes the platform thereby rendering it a monologue.
If the calls for dialogue are genuine, then it is only logical that those who disagree dialogue and clearly there is no need for various versions of ZANU PF at the same table.
Why wasting time dialoguing with various but same versions of ZANU PF when the same results can be achieved by dialoguing with one led by Mnangagwa himself.
Alternatively, why would Mnangagwa’s ZANU PF want to dialogue with some black market opposition when it is clear even from the 2018 ZEC cooked results that it is Advocate Nelson Chamisa’s MDC Alliance that warrants any form of dialogue if the country is to move forward.
ZANU PF’s insistence on a platform, POLAD which they created raises alarm on the dangers that lies ahead if ever MDC Alliance joins such dead end platform.
Joining POLAD is akin to having a wrestling contest with a crocodile in water, its familiar surroundings.
Who in their right senses can accede to such a political suicide?
It is also important to track the background that led to the current situation which has led many a people to call for dialogue.
It is a public secret that our problems emanate from a 2018 disputed political contest that gave birth to the legitimacy question.
At the centre of that contestation is Emmerson Mnangagwa who subverted the will of the people by having an adulterous affair with the military through the gun on 01 August 2018.
On the other hand is a People’s President, Advocate Nelson Chamisa who has a social contract with the people to lead.
The components determine the solution we obtain!
We can not expect any meaningful results from a ‘dialogue’ between Mnangagwa and his puppets.
Anything else without Nelson Chamisa is like expecting flies in their various forms to produce honey.
OneMillionCampaign
YouthVoices4Change
Stephen Sarkozy Chuma MDC Alliance Youth Assembly National Spokesperson
Below are unchallenged leaked WhatsApp chats between CIO Minister Owen Ncube and Norton MP Temba Mliswa’s Ex girlfriend Susan Mutami earlier this month just before the two (Mliswa and Mutami) had split. The CIO minister has been reached for a comment, several times over the last two weeks but declined commenting, refusing to challenge the allegations. Miss Mutami has also been reached for comment but declined commenting following a full 1 hour press conference, plus several calls to her, one of which she briefly answered and then audibly dropped the call.
“As we inject people, we’ll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn’t do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there’s no one who trusts it.” – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head…
Own Correspondent| In a dramatic series of events, a Masvingo teenager reportedly stole his mother’s Valentine gift and gave it to his lover.
The teenager, Richard Ruzvidzo later discovered that the girl was also in love with his father.
Richard reportedly took the flowers to his lover’s place and he was shocked to see his father in the girl identified as Chiedza’s living room with the same type of flowers.
Chiedza is a “slay queen” who has been involved in many love scandals.
Reports say she got love charms from her spiritual father Isaac Makomichi. Chiedza is a member of Makomichi’s church.
Makomichi also reportedly gave love charms to the late Moana Mitchelle Amuli.
Richard’s friend identified as Albert said:
“He( Richard) is very disappointed by his father’s behaviour.
It means his father is cheating his mom, there will be no peace at all and he is ready to humiliate his father.”
“INHERIT YOUR NINE (9) BOGUS VOTERS NOT THE MDC ALLIANCE”, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA FUMES AT THE DESPERATE MORGAN KOMICHI.
16 FEBRUARY 2021
Mdc Alliance Namibia wants to clear the dust from the desperate and careless statement from the national Chairperson of the Zanupf surrogate outfit Mdc t now led by Mwonzora Togarasei. We desire to make it very open that Komichi, Mwonzora, Khupe, Mashakada, Dumbu and cabal have betrayed the vision and ideology of the late Icon of Democracy Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. By recalling our MPs and councillors from the mandate they were given by the social democrats in Zimbabwe, this frustrated team ceased to defend and promote Constitutional Democracy. It is foolish for ill-advised Komichi to think that he can paddle political lies discrediting our political mountain President Advocate Nelson Chamisa for his hard work to maintain the legacy of confrontation with Zanupf thugocrats.
In his insane remarks on the 3rd Anniversary since the death of our late paragon of virtue, Komichi said, “everything that belonged to Morgan Tsvangirai is ours, Nelson Chamisa doesn’t have supporters, they belong Tsvangirai”. It is quite pathetic to witness the highest level desperation from those who are masquerading as custodians of Tsvangirai’s legacy. How can the electorate be inherited by greedy Zanupf proxies who are working against the ideals and aspirations of the national democratic revolution. Mdc Alliance Namibia intends to clarify its position on these insane utterances since the electorate can’t be inherited by Zanupf surrogates who are working with enemies of the democratic project. Instead of inheriting the Morgan Tsvangirai House, Komichi and cabal should first inherit Save’s varlour and nerve to unite people in the big tent.
Moreover, Komichi and cronies must first remove their Zanupf political jackets for them to be accepted as defenders of the Tsvangirai legacy. How can we believe in people who are now friends to the clueless rogue Zanupf, the Herald and the Zbc? They are being celebrated by Zanupf supporters, Police, Soldiers, Cios and all captured securocrats for fighting against the Alliance which is the brainchild of our Father of Democracy. How can we be inherited by power greedy morons who have the audacity and tenacity to hire Zupco buses for party business? As a district , we emphasize that we never believed that the movement can be a one generation movement. Before he died , President Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai challenged us to keep the national democratic project alive. We shall continue to safeguard your idea of the politics of the big tent.
Moreso, Mdc Alliance Namibia is cognisant of the fact that our party is intact because of the annointed leadership of President Advocate Nelson Chamisa. We saluted the mammoth political score achieved by our late Icon when he appointed the organic and pragmatic leader of the newly born Mdc Alliance at a juncture when he was struggling with colon cancer in 2017. The district is grateful to the decision as we imagine being administered by belly politicians leading the judicially-constructed MdcT who have sold our struggle to Zanupf for three pieces of silver. Komichi’s sadist talk demonstrates that their fake political party lacks ideological orientation that is why they have resorted to Politics of Plunder and Self-enrichment.
Furthermore, Mdc Alliance Namibia was chargrined and perplexed to hear rapacious Komichi claiming the ownership of the Mdc Alliance. It is very clear that Mdc Alliance is the real deal because of its confrontational approach to the national democratic discourse and that is what Zanupf surrogates must emulate. They can take everything including Vincent Tsvangirai but the genuine revolutionaries in Mdc Alliance will remain resolute . We are clear that as Mdc Alliance, we shall win Zimbabwe for complete change. Political capital can only be inherited by genuine revolutionaries who are not aligned to Zanupf Satanists. The late President advocated for unity before he passed on, he managed to unite all Mdc formations but soon after his death the ones who claim to defend his legacy want to hijack the People’s Project and surrender it to Zanupf. That is going to be resisted with equal measure.
The PTUZ leaders were accosted by some unidentified people with unknown intentions & motives from Harare Central Police Station to their homes. Saki said he was extremely concerned at Majongwe & Mangauzani's safety & security & urged @PoliceZimbabwe to undertake & guarantee such.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabweans are at risk of contracting deadly diseases from contaminated meat amid revelations that some farmers and butchers are selling condemned meat from livestock affected by diseases.
Some farmers are reportedly working in cahoots with butchers to slaughter beasts infected with diseases such as January disease and anthrax, and then selling the meat to unsuspecting consumers.
Veterinary Provincial director for Midlands Dr Martin Sibanda warned that anthrax can be transmitted to humans, and several people from Gokwe have already fallen sick after consuming contaminated meat.
He said:
Meat from infected animals should not be consumed. Diseases can be transmitted from animals to the people for example anthrax and foot and mouth are dangerous diseases which can cause death.
Anthrax is the major disease which is affecting people in the country, especially the Gokwe area, where we received more cases of people who fell sick after eating meat from animals infected with diseases.
Midlands Provincial medical director Dr Reginald Mhene confirmed that there were people in the province who had contracted anthrax but he could not give the exact figures.
In 2020, 87 people countrywide were hospitalised after eating meat from cattle affected by anthrax.
By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo-based consultant paediatrician Dr Wedu Ndebele has urged Zimbabweans to get vaccinated as this will reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
Dr Ndebele said that in the event that one is vaccinated, the infection would be much milder if they contract the virus.
He said:
For us to get what we call herd immunity there should be enough people vaccinated to curtail or stop the transmission.
Usually for you to do that you need to vaccinate about two-thirds of the population and that is why we are talking of between 60 to 70 per cent of the population.
As you can see now all the cases that we are getting are from the communities, which means that transmissions are from person to person.
If enough people are vaccinated, it means that even if one person has Covid-19 and gets into contact with a vaccinated person that person won’t be infected.
We encourage people to get vaccinated especially those that are at high risk.
Another health expert, Dr Rita Dlodlo also spoke in support of vaccination saying it will reduce the number of COVID-19 related deaths.
She also said that in Zimbabwe millions of children’s lives have been saved under the national immunisation programmes.
On Monday Zimbabwe took delivery of 200 000 Sinopharm vaccine doses donated by the People’s Republic of China.
It has however emerged that people with chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, high blood pressure among others, and those under the age of 18 should not receive the jab.
By A Correspondent| High Court judge, Justice Webster Chinamora will tomorrow 17 February preside over the bail hearing for University of Zimbabwe student leader Allan Moyo who has now clocked 71 days in detention following his arrest in December last year.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Moyo’s bail hearing had been set for the 18th before it was brought forward to tomorrow.
Moyo’s bail application on changed circumstances was dismissed by the magistrates court prompting him to approach the High Court for redress.
By A Correspondent- Both Houses of Parliament resume sitting today after a COVID-19-induced break which started in January, with the highly-infectious respiratory disease claiming lives of Members of Parliament and Cabinet ministers, among others.
Some civic society organisations had already raised concern that the continued closure of Parliament would affect the crafting of key legislation.
Several laws that were announced by President Emmerson Mnangagwa when he officially opened the Third Session of the Ninth Parliament last September need to be crafted, while other laws are at different stages of crafting.
A statement from Parliament yesterday said: “Both Houses of Parliament would resume sitting with effect from February 16, 2021 with only 30 MPs attending physically in the National Assembly and 25 senators attending physically in the Senate.”
Other MPs will follow the proceedings and contribute to debate through the Zoom platform after Parliament made moves to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Only four media houses will be allowed to physically cover Parliament proceedings, while others will follow virtually.
Zimbabwe has been on level four national lockdown since January 5 this year after the country recorded a sharp increase in the number of infections and deaths during the second wave of COVID-19.
Some farmers and butchers are selling condemned meat from livestock affected by diseases such as January disease and anthrax, instead of burning the carcasses.
Although cases of tick-borne diseases are on the decrease, in some areas isolated cases of January disease and anthrax are still prevalent.
Some farmers in collusion with butchers slaughter ailing beasts, flogging the meat to unsuspecting customers on the cheap.
Anthrax, primarily affects animals, but can be transmitted to humans, leading to skin lesions, ulcers and if left untreated, blood poisoning can prove fatal.
Veterinary Provincial director for Midlands Dr Martin Sibanda said a number of people in Gokwe were contracting anthrax from uninspected meat. He urged people to buy meat from reputable and registered butcheries.
Carcasses of cattle that die of anthrax or January disease, he said, must be burnt in the presence of a health inspector in terms of the health regulations.
“Meat from infected animals should not be consumed. Diseases can be transmitted from animals to the people for example anthrax and foot and mouth are dangerous diseases which can cause death,’’ he said.
“Anthrax is the major disease which is affecting people in the country, especially Gokwe area, where we received more cases of people who fell sick after eating meat from animals infected with diseases,” he said.
Midlands Provincial medical director Dr Reginald Mhene agreed that people had fallen sick with anthrax, saying he was yet to compile the figures of those infected.
“I have no statistics of the affected people, but anthrax cases are there in the province”, said Dr Mhene.
Masvingo City Council director of health and environmental services Ngonidzashe Mapamula said some uninspected beef is finding its way into butcheries in the cities, thereby putting the health of people at risk.
“It is a criminal offence for any butchery to sell or display meat that has not been processed in a registered slaughterhouse and inspected and certified as fit for human consumption,” said Mr Mapamula
Last year, Government launched an operation code-named “nyama yabvepi” where authorities intensified efforts to ensure that no sick animals are accepted for slaughter and no uninspected meat is sold.
In 2020, 87 people countrywide were hospitalised after eating meat from cattle affected by anthrax.
In Makonde, there was an unconfirmed report of one person dying, while 64 were hospitalised, while in Bikita, 28 people were reportedly diagnosed with the disease at different clinics. -Herald
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday further extended the lockdown by another two weeks with government saying it was not clear on the efficacy of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine received from China to contain the disease.
In his address to the nation on the new COVID-19 lockdown measures, Mnangagwa revealed that government would soon receive a vaccine sourced under the COVAX facility from the United Kingdom (UK) in what observers said was a U-turn after government officials had earlier on accused the UK of arm-twisting Harare to accept the vaccine offer.
The United Kingdom, through its ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson, last year offered to vaccinate 20% of Zimbabwe’s population against the coronavirus for free.
But the government indicated recently that it did not accept the offer extended to Vice-President and Health and Child Care minister Constantino Chiwenga as the offer was “vacuous” and “conditional.”
In his statement yesterday, Mnangagwa said the country was set to receive the UK vaccine together in addition to other vaccines from China, India and Russia to contain the highly infectious respiratory disease which has claimed 1 410 lives in Zimbabwe to date.
“Vaccines from other countries namely Russia, India and the United Kingdom are also on the way,” Mnangagwa said.
“That should see our pace of vaccinating willing Zimbabweans increase in tempo, thus drawing us nearer the goal of achieving herd immunity,” he said.
The British embassy in Harare could not immediately confirm what had changed for Zimbabwe to accept its vaccine, which was initially declined.
Last week, a British embassy spokesperson said they would not force the Zimbabwean government to take the vaccine under COVAX, which is a global coalition led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), GAVI and CEPI which extended 1,3 billion doses to the 92 poorest countries in the world.
Meanwhile, in his statement on the new COVID-19 lockdown measures, Mnangagwa said the level 4 lockdown period that began on January 5 this year and was initially extended to last night, had helped contain the number of deaths and infections that were spiralling out of control.
Statistics from the Health and Child Care ministry revealed that as of last night, the country had recorded 35 222 cumulative cases of COVID-19, 50 new cases, and two deaths, as well as 30 759 recoveries, an improvement from the figures recorded before the lockdown in January which had soared to 60 deaths per day.
“Since the implementation of the current lockdown which ends midnight today, we have witnessed a marked decrease in the number of COVID-19 infections,” Mnangagwa said.
He said the curfew would now run from 8pm to 5:30am, while business hours start from 8am to 5pm.
On intercity and interprovincial travelling, Mnangagwa said they still remained banned, while funeral gatherings will remained pegged at a maximum of 30 people.
“All social gatherings remain banned and all burials are to be held according WHO protocols and regulations,” he said.
The President said private companies wishing to operate would test their workers as mandated by (World Health Organisation) guidelines, while the Judiciary would only attend to urgent cases, and no one would be allowed in the gallery.
“Schools will remain closed for the duration of this extension.”
Mnangagwa later posted on Twitter stating:
“It is with deep sadness that I today announced that lockdown in Zimbabwe has been extended for two more weeks. I know that this will be painful for many Zimbabweans and this decision was not taken without great deliberation. But there is a light at the end of this tunnel.”
He said the second consignment of the vaccine procured from China would be received in a few weeks’ time, adding that the rollout programme would be announced by Chiwenga. Meanwhile, government said it would be testing the efficacy of the vaccine while the inoculation process is in progress.
According Health ministry acting permanent secretary, Robert Mudyiradima, who is in charge of the vaccination programme, the government was hoping to vaccinate between 60%-80% of the population by year-end.
“We have to vaccinate as many people as possible within the shortest possible time so that we can then protect them. We hope by the end of the year we should have vaccinated 60%-80% of the population. We will be doing some tests as we use it to collect that data to see the effectiveness against that variant,” he said.
Apart from rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine to targeted groups, government has also kept its land borders closed as part of measures to keep the disease on check.
Sadc secretary-general Stergomena Lawrence Tax yesterday hailed the move, saying: “Under the prevailing environment of #COVID-19, reopening of borders and economies in the Tripartite of Comesa-EAC-Sadc, needs to be done under a harmonised framework in line with set national, regional and international protocols on #COVID-19.”
By A Correspondent- It was the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) and not COVID-19 that caused the removal of soldiers from the streets
The presence of soldiers on our streets had become a permanent feature following the coup of November 2017 and this was a concern among human rights organisations and members of the international community.
Polad also successfully stopped government from enacting the Constitution of Zimbabwe Number 2 Amendment Bill.
Some of the positive economic policies being effected by the Finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe originated from an economic summit convened by Polad.
Polad is doing a lot to influence both economic and political reforms. Polad also initiated a draft Electoral and Political Parties Bill that is set to address concerns raised by political parties and other stakeholders in the manner in which elections are held in Zimbabwe.
The grouping sends condolence messages to families which lost loved ones to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current lockdown measures are a positive step, which must now be relaxed.
The government should come up with a clear roadmap for the rolling out of the COVID-19 vaccine, prioritising doctors, nurses and teachers.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- The Primary and Secondary Education ministry yesterday said students at public and private schools who do not possess national identity cards could still register and sit for examinations without producing the documents.
This was revealed by ministry spokesperson Taungana Ndoro who told NewsDay that schools should not turn away students if they do not produce identity cards (IDs) during examinations.
In 2019, the Primary and Secondary Education ministry said children without IDs would not be allowed to sit for public examinations.
“When a student is enrolled at a particular public or private school, there is no need to have an ID because, as the ministry, we assume that when a pupil is enrolled at a school, then automatically they are known, hence, we see no need for them to produce an ID,” he said.
Ndoro said most schools tended to request proof of identity during examinations from private candidates only.
“Private candidates should have an ID because they are not known to the school and they have never been enrolled at that particular school where they want to sit for their examination. Therefore, it becomes a must that they must produce their IDs before they are allowed to enter the examination room to avoid instances of cheating,” he said.
Ndoro encouraged students to acquire IDs on attainment of the age of 16 in order to avoid complications in the future.
The 2019 proposal that students must produce IDs in order for them to be allowed to sit for examinations was made by the Bulawayo acting provincial education director Olicah Fikelephi Kaira. This was during a public hearing by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) which discussed issues pertaining to access to identity documents by citizens.
Kaira said both birth certificates and national identity cards were requirements for pupils to register for examinations.
She also said birth certificates were a prerequisite when candidates register for any national examination.
Kaira further said that statistics showed that out of 54 479 pupils enrolled at secondary schools in the country, 961 did not have either a national ID or a birth certificate.
She said in primary schools, out of the 133 143 students enrolled, 12 808 did not have birth certificates.-newsday
By A Correspondent- Two members of the Presidential Guard and their two alleged accomplices appeared in court yesterday charged with stealing property worth $1,6 million from Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s Domboshava farm, Orchid Gardens.
Tempson Dhauramanzi (30) and Paul Ndhlovu (30), who are both members of the Zimbabwe National Army Presidential Guard, and their alleged accomplice Mind Makona (32) of Orchid Gardens and Edmore Huni (age not given) of Hatcliffe, Harare, were remanded in custody to today for bail application.
The 300-hectare farm, located in Domboshava, was originally owned by ARDA Seeds before it was seized by the Chiwengas in 2018.
The property is also at the centre of an ownership wrangle between Chiwenga and his extranged wife, Marry Mubaiwa.
The complainant in the property theft case was cited as Ernest Sazunza, a staff sergeant at the Zimbabwe National Army.
The State alleges that on February 10 this year, Dhauramanzi, Ndhlovu and Makona reported for duty, secured the property by locking all the doors to the warehouse and deployed themselves to different positions.
The following morning, they carried out perimeter fence checks and Makona discovered that a 10 000-litre tank was missing, and advised Sazunza who reported the matter at Borrowdale Police Station.
Police investigations led to the arrest of Dhauramanzi, who implicated Ndhlovu and Makona and two other accused persons, still at large.
Follow-up investigations led to the recovery of 10 bags of cement, a floor carpet, four sewing machines and two satchels from Huni’s residence.
The State alleges that two boxes containing eight folding plastic chairs, brick force, a wheel spanner, two butchery cranes, four wheelbarrows, 11 table cloths were also recovered from Ndhlovu and Makona, while Dhauramanzi’s girldfriend, Nomatter Sithole, was found in possession of Chiwenga’s 16 dinner plates and three wine glasses.
Sazunza positively identified the stolen property worth $1 million as belonging to Chiwenga.
By A Correspondent- Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen recently announced that he will not get the shot of the Chinese-developed Sinopharm vaccine due to “age limit condition”.
Sen had earlier announced that he would get the first shot of China’s coronavirus vaccine once the 600 000 doses, the first batch of the one million promised by China, arrived in Cambodia.
However, Sen later announced the sudden change of plan on his official Facebook page. He wrote:
I just received the information from Ministry of Health… that Sinopharm vaccine can only be injected on people who age between 18 and 59, and I, who is over 68, cannot be injected with it.
Sen revealed that Defence Minister Tea Banh, who is 75 years old, had already been vaccinated.
He, however, did not say when and where Banh received his shot or which vaccine he has been inoculated with.
Some media reports indicate that people with the following conditions should not receive the Sinopharm vaccine: HIV+, epileptic, meningitis, asthmatic, heart diseases, cancer patients, pregnant or lactating, below 18 years and above 60 years, prior COVID-19 infection, allergic to foods/medicine- Khmer Times
By A Correspondent| A speeding Honda fit car smashed onto a truck belonging to St John’s Catholic Mission from Hwange at the intersection of Jason Street and along King Mzilikazi Avenue near Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
The woman driver of the Honda Fit is seriously injured and been bleeding badly. She has been rushed to UBH, l hope she survives.
By A Correspondent- A pressure group, the Citizens COVID-19 Monitoring Mechanism, has warned the government against partisan distribution of the vaccine for the coronavirus, whose vaccination programme will start this week.
This follows the arrival of 200 000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine donated by China, which were received yesterday morning by the government and will undergo a 48hour verification exercise.
Spokesperson for the Citizens COVID-19 Mechanism, Effie Ncube told Southern Eye that the vaccination programme for the global respiratory disease should be led by scientists not by politicians.
He said his concerns arose from the fact that in the past, humanitarian aid and food handouts ended up benefiting Zanu-PF supporters. “The most important thing is to get the vaccine to the people. Proper logistics must be put in place, as well as storage facilities,” Ncube said.
“The government must also ensure that everyone gets the vaccine without consideration as to the political affiliation that they belong to.
“What we have seen in the past is that the government has been distributing other humanitarian aid such as farming inputs and food handouts to Zanu-PF supporters only.
“They are the ones that have been benefiting from different programmes at the expense of other citizens,” he said.
Government plans to inoculate approximately 10 million citizens to achieve herd immunity.
Frontline workers, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions would get preferential treatment when the inoculation exercise begins.
Government has also procured another 600 000 doses of the same vaccine, but the second lot is expected into the country early next month.
A Bulawayo man was found dead in Nkulumane suburb and police suspect that his life was claimed in a hit and run accident.
The man has not yet been identified.
Bulawayo provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said they suspect that the accident happened over night as the body was discovered in the morning on Thursday.
“Police received a report of a hit and run of an unknown pedestrian who was hit by an unknown motor vehicle along Rangemore road near the Housing Office in Nkulumane and the man died on the spot,” said Insp Ncube. Insp Ncube said the deceased was believed to be between 25 – 35 years old.
At the time of his death, he was wearing a black jacket, a blue shirt, black trousers, black jersey and had no particulars on him. The body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) for post mortem.
“We are appealing to members of the public or relatives for information that may assist in identifying the body of the deceased to report to Nkulumane Traffic, UBH or any nearest police station where they will be assisted on body identification,” said Insp Ncube.
He urged motorists to follow lawful procedures following an accident. “We also appeal to motorists to respect life; once you are involved in an accident whether someone died or not, stop and give assistance than to run away,” he said.
On January 19 at around 1130PM another person was killed in another hit and run accident opposite Latter Day Saints Church along Matopos Road, Famona.Upon realising that the victim was dead, the unidentified driver dragged his victim a few metres away from the suspected point of impact and left the body face down.
The deceased sustained head injuries and multiple fractures on both legs.
On January 14, a male adult was hit by a car along Hyde Park Road near Maraa turnoff in Pumula East while crossing the road.The accident victim sustained head injuries and was ferried to Mpilo by an ambulance where he died upon admission.
According to police, the body was not claimed. Police are on record urging members of the public to avoid travelling at night or at least wear reflective clothing when doing so and to always carry identification particulars with them for easy identification.
By A Correspondent- The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has urged government to consult teachers and parents among other key stakeholders before reopening schools for the 2021 calendar year.
PTUZ president Takavafira Zhou told NewsDay that a raft of reforms were required to ensure teachers and learners’ safety when schools reopen for the first term.
Zhou’s remarks came after Information secretary Ndavaningi Mangwana tweeted last Friday that Cabinet on Tuesday resolved to defer the reopening of schools by two weeks.
Schools closed on December 18, 2020 after briefly opening, save for examination classes which continued in January.
“A considerable number of people, academics, government officials and parents want schools to be unconditionally opened soon. As teachers, while we are ready to open schools anytime, we are worried that there was virtually no preparation to open schools except enrolment and collection of exorbitant fees for Form One classes. Failure to plan is planning to fail as evidenced by the disastrous Grade Seven results for 2020,” Zhou said.
It is our humble submission that a myriad of measures must be put in place before schools can open. Fundamentally, opening of schools must be a product of government engagement with stakeholders, particularly teachers and parents. There was need to collectively agree on a sound roadmap that has support of teachers as implementers of reforms in schools.”
The PTUZ called on government to address the issue of exorbitant fees demanded by schools for Form One enrolment.
Zhou said it would be foolhardy for the government to expect teachers to troop back to schools when they could not afford to send their own children to school.
“A teacher, who earns between $14 000 and $18 000 cannot be expected to pay US$200 fees and US$600 for school uniforms. It is impossible,” he said.
“Teachers and pupils must be tested for COVID-19 before congregating in schools. Above all, after such testing the government can also execute COVID-19 vaccines on teachers and pupils and, therefore, minimise the spread of the pandemic when schools finally open.”
He said it was imperative to put in place a taskforce comprising teachers’ unions, education and health officials to carry out COVID-19 assessments at schools to check on their level of preparedness.
Every living President should have a live shot at the same time on that television set, a CNBC channel presenter announces in the footage below as President Joseph Biden gets the vaccine in December
VIDEO LOADING BELOW
"As we inject people, we'll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn't do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there's no one who trusts it." – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head https://t.co/u5xhxc1Xpzpic.twitter.com/DXQnVea6y6
President Mnangagwa says vaccination of citizens will start this week following the arrival of 200 000 vaccines from China this morning.
In a tweet, the President said: “The first batch of vaccines for Zimbabwe has been successfully delivered. We start vaccinating Zimbabweans this week!
“The faster our country is protected against this virus; the faster Zimbabwe’s economy can flourish. God bless you all, God bless Zimbabwe!” The vaccines were donated by China and will cover 100 000 people, with each one expected to receive two.
Zimbabwe has also purchased 600 000 jabs from China that are expected to be delivered in March while more will be purchased from Russia. The country has set aside US$100 million for Covid-19 vaccines to ensure everyone in need of the jab gets it.
Zimbabwe can also get over three million doses of vaccines at a cost of US$25 million from the 270 million jabs available to the African continent.
The vaccines will cover 15 percent of Zimbabwe’s population, but the country has to inform the Afreximbank if it wants the vaccines, otherwise they will be reallocated.
The vaccines are being sourced by the Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Force set up by immediate-past African Union chairman and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
They will complement the vaccines secured via Covax, the globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort, which has clinched agreements to secure two billion doses.
Every African country has an allocation based on its population size and Zimbabwe’s share is about three million. It is expected that Zimbabwe will pay the almost US$25 million through drawing down from a facility at Afreximbank, payable over five years.
The Herald understands shipments of the vaccines will begin in March and all of them will be delivered this year, with 50 million vaccine doses supplied between April and June.
The vaccines being secured are the same as those being used in Europe and America such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson.
By Own Correspondent- Matembudze Village head Marxwell Matembudze was shot dead by the police at his home in Ward 23, Chief Nyakunuwa area in Zaka after he resisted arrest.
Matembudze was among five suspected robbers who raided Lundi business centre on February 11 and robbed two businessmen, Chivi South Zanu-PF parliamentary candidate Munyaradzi Zizhou and Arnold Ncube.
The robbers got away with close to US$20 000 and cell phones.
Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the incident and said it was unfortunate that one of the suspects in the Lundi robbery had resisted lawful police intentions to arrest him.
“One suspect was shot and died after he tried to attack the police who had gone to arrest him. A number of electrical gadgets including cell phones, laptops and television sets were recovered at his home,” said Dhewa.
Police sources said on February 11, at 05:00hrs in the morning, police manning a roadblock at 167 km peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road stopped a truck for regular search.
“The driver of the truck disembarked from the truck for the police to search but four unidentified males jumped out and ran away. The police gave chase and one of them dropped a satchel which was then picked up by the police,” said the source
On searching the bag, the police found a lockdown travel exemption letter which bore the deceased’s name among other documents that indicated he was part of a mining syndicate.
On February 13 the police established that Matembudze was from Zaka and investigations led them to his home around 21:00 hrs.
“They knocked and identified themselves, then the deceased’s aunt identified as Chiedza Matembudze came out and talked to the police during which Matembudze is said to have came out and charged towards the police. They fired some warning shots but he continued and this prompted the police to shoot him.
He was taken to Msiso Mission Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival.
A number of people in his area are celebrating his death as he is said to have been very troublesome and his subjects feared him.
“He was a bully even during his childhood. He was not a registered village head but he fought with his relatives over the village leadership until the registered village head gave up and left him to do as he pleased,” said one villager
Another one said the deceased was a known criminal and thief who used to tell people that he was a thief but a sophisticated one who never stole from local villagers as they did not have anything he prized.
Matembudze died barely a week after his first wife had tried to commit suicide by taking an unknown pesticide.
“He had accused his wife of killing his love child and the wife threatened to kill herself. Instead of restraining her, he gave her some rat poison to kill herself. She was then taken to Msiso Hospital where she later recovered and brought back home.-tellzim
By A Correspondent- Over 1 000 cattle died last month from Theileriosis also known as the January disease in Mashonaland West province.
Theileriosis is a disease caused by a blood-borne parasite called Theileria, and the disease only affects cattle and is primarily transmitted by ticks.
Chief director of livestock in the Division of Veterinary Services, Josphat Nyika, said three districts in the province have borne the brunt of the outbreak.
Said Nyika:
The disease has mainly affected areas like Zvimba, Chegutu and Mhondoro Ngezi. This is due to that the local manufacturing industry has not been venturing into animal vaccine production. As a result, most vaccines were imported.
However, efforts are currently underway to develop a vaccine for the January disease locally, with the first vaccine trial results expected by the end of this month.
Nyika added that outbreaks of Theileriosis were also being experienced in Manicaland, Midlands and Masvingo provinces.
Meanwhile, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Settlement director Jairus Machakwa has urged farmers to dip their cattle three times in two weeks since dipping is the most effective tick control method.
By A Correspondent- Muzarabani South legislator Tapera Saizi and traditional leader Chief Chiweshe Mukore-kore (Matthew Minyonga) on Sunday defied lockdown by conducting a Zanu-PF meeting with over 60 village heads.
It is alleged that over 60 village heads converged at Chitemamuswe Primary in Muzarabani for a meeting called by the duo.
Chief Chiweshe was allegedly persuading the heads to support sitting legislator Saizi in the next election, who is alleged to be his favorite candidate.
The agenda of the meeting was kept a secret till the meeting day.
The Chief urged village heads to take control of Pfumvudza program contradicting with the policy document.
“Madhumeni nemaCouncilors who are spearheading the program are corrupt saka imi masabhuku take over,” Chief Chiweshe said.
When contacted by this publication Chief Chiweshe confirmed that they had a meeting.
“Hongu ndakaita musangano nemasabhuku angu ese emuchiweshe nepamusana pevashandi vehurumende varikuba ma inputs epfumvudza”
Saizi together with his counterpart, Chief Chiweshe accused government officials of being corrupt.
The government is providing transport for the inputs and no one should be made to pay,” Saizi purpoted.
Saizi also said ‘they’ are working on modalities when someone asked if the government was paying to ward level.
People who spoke on anonymity alleged that the Chief and the Member of Parliament (MP) are causing unnecessary confusion in the district on most government programs and wondered why a Chief would want to poke his nose into government programs.
“He is the most corrupt chief ever and we wonder why only him of the four chiefs is always attacking government programs,”fumed one resident.
Another resident said,”At one time the same Chief took 32 bags of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) to his residents and stopped distribution accusing a councilor of wanting to steal.”
It is alleged that he was ordered by high authorities to retain the fertilizer after it was established that he wanted to use it for personal use.
Asked to comment one of the village heads said,”Varume ava havazive, worse the MP is using Chief to cling on to but haa zvasara ipapo pataitira musangano.”
Contacted for comment, Chief Chiweshe could not deny the charges as he said that the agenda of the meeting was to urge villagers to work hand-in-glove with the sitting leaders.
“Favor is everywhere, even you the wife you chose is the one that you love,” Chief Chiweshe said to the reporter.
MP Saizi was not picking up calls until the time of publication.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MDC founding President Dr Morgan Tsvangirai as a champion of freedom.
President Chamisa also described Dr Tsvangirai as a great mentor.
Read President Chamisa’s statement below:
Today is MORGAN TSVANGIRAI DAY:
CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF LOVE..We lost a peacemaker, doyen of democracy and freedom champion.
My father, mentor and a friend, I salute u for the free leadership mentorship and tutorship. You taught me love, forgiveness, humility, principle, consistency and loyalty. I and we ( all your true mentees) will never be purchased to compromise the PROMISE. The project promise is intact, uncompromisable and underailable.
We will WIN Zimbabwe for change! We are holding tight..Chinhu takabata!! Rest in Power Mdara!
Godisinit chinhu takabata machinja ese achapuhwa korona! Kunagumo kune nyaya Vamira pamuganhu kuti NDI!
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday extended the coronavirus lockdown by another two weeks.
Below is the President’s statement in full:
Fellow Zimbabweans, I wish to update you on the current state of the National Covid-19 pandemic as we revisit the lockdown that we introduced at the beginning of the year and hence map a way forward.
Since the implementation of the current lockdown which ends midnight today, we have witnessed a marked decrease in the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths.
I thank you all, most sincerely, for observing the fundamental lockdown measures.
As I address you, our Nation this morning received its first consignment of vaccines from the People’s Republic of China. Let me again thank the Chinese Government for this gesture of great humanity.
We will forever remain grateful to the Chinese Government and People for standing with us. I am also happy that the Second consignment of vaccines procured from the People’s Republic of China will be received in a few weeks’ time.
As already indicated, vaccines from other countries namely Russia, India and the United Kingdom, are also on the way.
That should see our pace of vaccinating willing Zimbabweans increase in tempo thus drawing us nearer the goal of achieving herd immunity.
The ultimate goal is a return to our normal lives so our children can go back to school, and that we all resume our collective effort towards recovery and growing our Economy for the realisation of Vision 2030.
Therefore the vaccine roll-out programme will be announced by the Minister of Health and Child Care.
Fellow Zimbabweans,
The following are the current measures:
staying at home thereby limiting community transmission,
the correct wearing of face masks, and the use of sanitisers,
keeping physical distancing in all places and in public transport such as on ZUPCO buses,
decongesting government offices to 10%, as was being strictly observed,
restriction on informal sector activities which pose a challenge on social distancing,
enforcement of the curfew, closure of bars, beer halls and restaurants.
While the National lockdown goals are now within sight, the numbers of active cases and deaths however are still very high.
These need to come down further. Every life lost is a big loss to us I, therefore, extend the National Lockdown by a further two weeks.
The extension will allow the number of active cases and those still in incubation to recede.
This extension should cause a great reduction in the pool of infected people, enable Health Personnel to investigate and, monitor the presence and circulation of new variants.
Fellow Zimbabweans,
The new measures will operate as follows:
Hours of business will be 0800 HRS to 1700 HRS
Curfew is from 2000 HRS to 0530 HRS,
No inter-city and inter-provincial commuting,
Funeral gatherings to remain pegged at 30 people, with all social gatherings remaining banned,
All burials are to be handled according to WHO regulations,
Essential services to remain functional,
Government manning levels to increase from 10% to 25%
The Ministry of Health and Child Care will increase testing. All private companies seeking resumption of operations should test their employees in compliance with WHO protocols,
Judiciary will open for only urgent cases to be heard. No one is allowed in the gallery. All who attend court will be tested,
Schools will remain closed for the duration of the extension,
Our markets shall remain open but observing social distancing and
Those in the informal sector may only open once they have satisfied WHO protocols.
Let me take this opportunity to remind you to remain vigilant, focused and to continue to adhere to all the lockdown measures.
By A Correspondent| MISA Zimbabwe calls upon the government to prioritise and also include journalists among the first priority groups listed for the COVID-19 vaccination rollout programme.
Our request is informed by the fact that the media was declared an essential service in terms of Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 regulations.
Journalists, together with other essential priority groups, are frontline workers that need to be prioritised as well given the critical role they play in keeping the nation informed on developments and measures the government is taking to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
In any case, the media, by virtue of its fundamental and normative role of informing and educating, is key to the coverage of the immunisation rollout.
The media can, therefore, not be left out for later consideration as journalists will be reporting from the frontline as the country rolls out immunisation of the essential groups identified to receive the first jabs.
The government can work closely with the Zimbabwe Media Commission, media houses and media representative organisations on how best to implement the immunisation for journalists as they are a critical component of the sectors and groups that have been declared essential services.
Journalists are frontline workers that risk their lives as they collect and disseminate information hence the need to prioritise their health and safety.
Lessons can be drawn from Zambia, which through its Ministry of Health, recently announced that journalists would be among the first recipients of the COVID-19 vaccines when they arrive in that country.
By A Correspondent- MDC Alliance secretary for rural strategies Happymore Chidziva has blamed greedy and selfish leaders for the sharp divisions within the opposition movement.
Chidziva, a former youth leader, posted the remarks on his Facebook page during commemorations of the party’s late founder Morgan Tsvangirai’s life, who died on 14 February 2018.
Since its formation in 1999, the MDC has experienced several splits, the latest being in 2018 when Thokozani Khupe took control of the MDC-T while Nelson Chamisa became the leader of the MDC Alliance.
Chidziva said Tsvangirai’s wish was for the party to survive from one generation to another. He wrote:
His last words to me as the then commander of the MDC youth assembly were that the movement is not one generational movement and that it must survive from generation to generation.
This can only be possible if we deal with issues like greed, selfishness and ego in the leaders of the party.
The party is not a centre of elite power struggles, No! It is a people’s project and all generations should be allowed their stake.
Chidziva warned those who “have tried to digress and detract the democratic project” saying history will judge them harshly.
In response to Chidziva’s remarks, MDC-T spokesperson Witness Dube said it was not in his party’s DNA to attack fellow opposition movements.
Two more people have drowned in disused pits in Bulawayo’s Pelandaba West suburb within a week with authorities urging members of the public to keep away from the water bodies.
Shane Ngona (20) from Pumula North drowned while taking a bath with Nqobizitha Mhlanga (18) from the same suburb also drowning while attempting to rescue his friend.
The incident occurred just five days after Keith Ncube (15) drowned in the pool of death.
The pits are scattered all over Bulawayo with some of them in Luveve, Nkulumane, Cowdray Park and Entumbane. They are mainly caused by sand poachers who after, extracting sand, leave them uncovered.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the two drowning incidents yesterday.
“Police in Bulawayo are handling two cases of sudden death by drowning which occurred on Saturday at about 7PM.
The two victims from Pumula North are said to have left their home to go and bath at Pelandaba West Emagodini area. Shane is said to have dived into the water and drowned and his brother who had followed them up started to search for him leading to Nqobizitha also drowning in the process,” said Insp Ncube.
He said a report was made to the police who dispatched a sub aqua unit from Zimbabwe Republic Police Fair Bridge who searched and retrieved their bodies.
“The deceased bodies were positively identified by their parents and police inspected them and observed that they did not have any injuries. The bodies were taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) for postmortem but no foul play is suspected,” he said.
“Police would like to urge members of the public, especially those who cannot swim to desist from playing in water bodies as they risk drowning.”
Bulawayo Deputy Mayor councillor Mlandu Ncube said it was worrying that lives continue to be lost unnecessarily.
“It’s sad that we are losing lives in such a manner especially as we are battling with the Covid-19 pandemic. But we hope that these were the last deaths to be reported in the city.
As council it is within our budgets to put perimeter fences around those areas and we also planning to try and cover those pits but this is work in progress as we are resource-constrained.
We also want to encourage residents to exercise caution during this rainy season and avoid playing near water bodies. We also want to pass our condolence messages to the families who have lost their loved ones,” Cllr Ncube.
Tinashe Sambiri|Team Pachedu has accused Mr Douglas Mwonzora of pretending to adore the late MDC founding President and icon of democracy Morgan Tsvangirai yet he betrayed the former Prime Minister when he was alive.
Team Pachedu is a coalition of Zimbabwean citizens.
According to Team Pachedu, Mwonzora has no moral compass to speak about President Tsvangirai’s legacy:
“Mwonzora was already a rebel before Tsvangirai died, going against National Council resolutions.
He was against MDC-Alliance, and wanted MDC-T to field all positions in the 2018 elections.
Mwonzora has no moral compass to lecture us about Tsvangirai’s legacy.”
MDC Alliance official, Antony Taruvinga wrote:
Dear Douglas Mwonzora, its not possible to separate Pres. Adv. Nelson Chamisa from Dr. Morgan Tsvangirai.
History speaks louder for the two gentlemen.
Everyone knows about that shared history. That history was made when you were not part of the MDC, you were actually opposing the MDC. That said, Zanu pf can assist you in illegally taking over the Harvest House, the MPs and the Councils but can not assist you in taking over the people. The people shall eventually speak. Your enjoyment won’t go beyond 2023…
ZIMBABWE Republic Police (ZRP) former Deputy Commissioner Moses Griffiths Mpofu has died. He was 66.
Mpofu died on Friday at the United Bulawayo Hospitals after a long illness.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed Mpofu’s death describing him as an astute cop. Asst Comm Nyathi said Mpofu served in the police force between 1981 and 2003, having been part of the Zapu intelligence wing during the liberation struggle.
“On attainment of the country’s independence the late ex-Deputy Commissioner Mpofu joined the police service in 1981 as a patrol officer and was posted at Mphoengs after training. He served at various stations across the country including Mayobodo, Fort Rixon, Esigodini, Gwanda, Bulawayo Central and Harare province.
He was an astute and disciplined officer who excelled in his career and rose through the ranks to the rank of Deputy Commissioner in 1999 a rank which he held until his retirement in December in 2003,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the retired top cop had joined the liberation struggle in 1975.
“A veteran of the liberation struggle of Zimbabwe, he crossed the border to Zambia under Zimbabwe People’s Republic Army (ZIPRA) banner in 1975 and received military training at Mwembeshi in Zambia and later Mgagao and Morogoro in Tanzania. His Chimurenga nom de guerre Matswata Witness Mhlanga,” said Asst Comm Nyathi.
“After training, the late veteran was deployed in Zambia under the Zapu intelligence wing, National Security Order, a counter-intelligence agency against Rhodesian forces. The late Deputy Commissioner Mpofu underwent several police command related courses between 1978 and 1979 at the Novocherkassk Advanced Police Academy under the United Soviet Social Republic (USSR).”- Chronicle
THREE people including an artisanal miner drowned in separate incidences in the Midlands Province
One of the three deceased persons drowned while fishing in a dam in Kwekwe while the other one drowned while swimming in a dam in Mberengwa.
The third one, an artisanal miner drowned after a pit he was working in was filled with water at a mine in Shurugwi.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko confirmed the three drowning incidents.
“Three separate drowning incidents have claimed a total of three lives in Kwekwe, Shurugwi and Mberengwa areas under the Midlands on February 9 and February 10,” he said.
Insp Mahoko said Godknows Gwanda (27) of Village 4, Moyo ranch in Kwekwe drowned while fishing in Mbembeswani Dam in Kwekwe.
“He is suspected to have slipped from the inflated tyre and drowned,” he said.- Chronicle
A stray Hippo attacked and killed a 37-year-old man from Lushongwe Village in Gwanda district yesterday, the Chronicle reports.
The hippo, which is suspected to be one of the hippos that are staying at the Garanyemba Dam attacked the now deceased Nicholas Ndlovu at around 9 PM as he was walking towards a nearby mine where he worked.
After he was attacked he was taken to Gwanda hospital where he was reportedly pronounced dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, residents and villagers of Beitbridge are being terrorized by elephants that are destroying their crops and threatening to wipe out their bumper harvest while in other parts of Beitbridge lions are killing villagers’ livestock. -Chronicle
Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa made the following announcements:
Businesses to operate from 8 am to 5 pm Curfew to start from 8 pm to 5.30 am No intercity travel Schools to remain closed 30 Funerals attendees per funeral Essential service to remain functional. Govt function moves to 25% Social gatherings remain prohibited.
A private fuel supplier, First Oil, has been ordered to refund CMED US$2,7 million it received from the State-run transport entity for the supply of three million litres of diesel in a botched fuel deal, in which the High Court found both companies to have breached their own agreement.
The money would be paid at the current bank rate plus interest at the prescribed rate.
The two companies have been slugging it out in court since 2014, arguing over the return of the money paid to First Oil, which reneged on its promise to supply the commodity until full payment of the agreed purchase price and duty fees amounting to US$720 000 was made.
The deal led to First Oil company being charged with fraud for unlawfully and with intent to defraud, misrepresented to CMED that they had capacity to supply three million litres of diesel. During the hearing, both companies were accusing each other of breaching the contract.
CMED had argued that it was entitled to specific performance as a right arguing that First Oil could not expect it to have paid the US$720 000 for import duties when the product was not delivered at all.
It was argued that the obligation was not to the amount of the duties and levies to First Oil, but directly to Zimra.
First Oil sought to argue that the release of funds to it without a signed agreement brought about by the breach of the agreement. The agreement was signed after CMED deposited the US$2,7 million into First Oil’s ZB Bank account.
It also argued that CMED breached the agreement as it did not pay the full purchase price by failing to pay the import duty that was due to Zimra.
However, in a recent judgment, Justice Owen Tagu found that both parties breached their own agreement, but would not allow First Oil to unjustly enrich itself.
It was the court’s finding that the specific performance sought by CMED could not stand as the State-run entity did not fully comply with the terms of the agreement.
On the part of First Oil, the judge ruled that it would be unjustly enriched because it received the money, but did not supply the fuel to CMED.
Justice Tagu criticised First Oil ,saying it could not claim that the agreement was unenforceable because it signed the agreement with eyes wide open, well after the amount of US$2,7 million had been deposited into its account.
“By signing the defendant (First Oil) rectified the contract, hence the agreement is valid and binding,” he said.
“If the defendant’s position is correct that the signed agreement is unenforceable because the plaintiff (CMED) paid before the agreement was signed, then in my view it follows that the defendant has no right to hold onto the US$2,7 million because doing so would unjustly enrich the company.
“Equally, the defendant would has also breached the contract by signing the agreement when the money had already been deposited into its account. It should have refused to sign the agreement.”
CMED was also seeking to recoup US$1 276 611,84 damages for cost of finance and loss of business stemming from the scam at the State-run transport entity two years ago involving First Oil directors. -Herald
By A Correspondent | Zimbabwe’s most senior government official responsible for vaccines has joined the country’s COVID Taskforce Head Oppah Muchinguri in throwing doubts on the Chinese Vaccine, Sinopharm.
The development is somewhat a revelation that among the national leadership no one trusts the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine ‘because it has not undergone clinical trials to prove its efficacy with the South African strain of COVID-19.’
The opinion flies against what the Chinese media has published which states the opposite.
Speaking just after the arrival of the first 200,000 vaccines, the National Vaccine Program Head, Dr Robert Madyirandima said injections will be experimental.
He said, “As we inject people, we’ll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn’t do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there’s no one who trusts it.”
His statement conjoins that of the Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri who on the sidelines of the funeral of the late Manicaland Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba told ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza that she will never take the vaccine, saying she will only trust locally produced jabs. RECORDINGS BELOW (PACHEDU)
"As we inject people, we'll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn't do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there's no one who trusts it." – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head https://t.co/u5xhxc1Xpzpic.twitter.com/DXQnVea6y6
Local authorities in the Midlands Province have been directed to stop allocating land to private developers while a recommendation has been made to demolish over 100 illegal settlements that exist in cities and growth points across the province.
Larry Mavima
Addressing local authority officials from across the province at a meeting in Gweru recently, Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima ordered that about 25 home-seekers who were settled on wetlands be allocated alternative land by the responsible private developer by June this year.
“As you may be aware, this is a follow-up meeting to the recent State of the Nation Address by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa on the unlawful and irregular settlements across the country and the subsequent meeting by Vice President Dr CDG Chiwenga on 5 February 2021,” he said.
“Pursuant to the direction given to provinces during the February 5 meeting in Harare, a provincial multi-sectorial team carried a comprehensive process of identifying and quantifying the extent of the problem of irregular and unlawful urban settlements across the province.
“The exercise confirmed that there are 100 urban dysfunctional settlements at outpoints, towns and cities in the Midlands province. Of these 25 are on wetlands.”
Minister Mavima said the illegal settlements were the major causes of flash flooding that hit Gweru city last month, and Government was working on correcting the issue and bringing to book some private developers who illegally parcelled out stands on undeveloped areas.
He said local authorities were now banned from allocating undeveloped pieces of land to protect desperate home-seekers from being swindled by land barons.
“I would like to underscore that the era of parallel developments in housing is gone. With immediate effect, no local authority shall allocate housing stands nor allow any housing development on unserviced land.
“For the benefit of people, any councillor, local authority official or private developer who may dare to do that shall be arrested and prosecuted for violation of the law,” he said.
Minister Mavima said in line with Government’s thrust to achieve an upper middle class economy by 2030, all illegal structures in the province should be removed while local authorities have been tasked to improve infrastructure.
District Development Coordinators and rural district council chief executives have been tasked with spearheading the removal of illegal structures identified across the province.
Minister Mavima said the performance of DDCs and RDC bosses this year shall be primarily determined by their capacity to drive the critical assignments.
“I expect baldness and effective leadership as you execute this task. I emphasise that this task is non-negotiable and must be achieved across the province,” he said. -Herald
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MDC founding President Dr Morgan Tsvangirai as a champion of freedom.
President Chamisa also described Dr Tsvangirai as a great mentor.
Read President Chamisa’s statement below:
Today is MORGAN TSVANGIRAI DAY:
CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF LOVE..We lost a peacemaker, doyen of democracy and freedom champion.
My father, mentor and a friend, I salute u for the free leadership mentorship and tutorship. You taught me love, forgiveness, humility, principle, consistency and loyalty. I and we ( all your true mentees) will never be purchased to compromise the PROMISE. The project promise is intact, uncompromisable and underailable.
We will WIN Zimbabwe for change! We are holding tight..Chinhu takabata!! Rest in Power Mdara!
Godisinit chinhu takabata machinja ese achapuhwa korona! Kunagumo kune nyaya Vamira pamuganhu kuti NDI!
By A Correspondent | Zimbabwe’s most senior government official responsible for vaccines has joined the country’s COVID Taskforce Head Oppah Muchinguri in throwing doubts on the Chinese Vaccine, Sinopharm.
The development is an announcement that that among the national leadership no one relies on the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine ‘because it has not undergone clinical trials to prove its efficacy with the South African strain of COVID-19.’
The opinion flies against what the Chinese media has published which states the opposite.
Speaking just after the arrival of the first 200,000 vaccines, the National Vaccine Program Head, Dr Robert Madyirandima spoke of the upcoming clinical trials, which will take over a week before the vaccines are rolled out.
He said, “As we inject people, we’ll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn’t do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there’s no one who trusts it.”
His statement conjoins that of the Defence Minister, Oppah Muchinguri who on the sidelines of the funeral of the late Manicaland Minister Ellen Gwaradzimba told ZimEye’s Simba Chikanza that she will never take the vaccine, saying she will only trust locally produced jabs. RECORDINGS BELOW (PACHEDU)
"As we inject people, we'll be experimenting, looking for evidence, to see if the #Sinopharm vaccine works… Because when they made it they didn't do any clinical tests on the SA variant, so at present there's no one who trusts it." – Dr. Robert Madyirandima, Vaccine Prog Head https://t.co/u5xhxc1Xpzpic.twitter.com/DXQnVea6y6
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC MDC Alliance leader, President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MDC founding President Dr Morgan Tsvangirai as a champion of freedom.
President Chamisa also described Dr Tsvangirai as a great mentor.
Read President Chamisa’s statement below:
Today is MORGAN TSVANGIRAI DAY:
CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF LOVE..We lost a peacemaker, doyen of democracy and freedom champion.
My father, mentor and a friend, I salute u for the free leadership mentorship and tutorship. You taught me love, forgiveness, humility, principle, consistency and loyalty. I and we ( all your true mentees) will never be purchased to compromise the PROMISE. The project promise is intact, uncompromisable and underailable.
We will WIN Zimbabwe for change! We are holding tight..Chinhu takabata!! Rest in Power Mdara!
Godisinit chinhu takabata machinja ese achapuhwa korona! Kunagumo kune nyaya Vamira pamuganhu kuti NDI!
Tinashe Sambiri|Team Pachedu has accused Mr Douglas Mwonzora of pretending to adore the late MDC founding President and icon of democracy Morgan Tsvangirai yet he betrayed the former Prime Minister when he was alive.
Team Pachedu is a coalition of Zimbabwean citizens.
According to Team Pachedu, Mwonzora has no moral compass to speak about President Tsvangirai’s legacy:
“Mwonzora was already a rebel before Tsvangirai died, going against National Council resolutions.
He was against MDC-Alliance, and wanted MDC-T to field all positions in the 2018 elections.
Mwonzora has no moral compass to lecture us about Tsvangirai’s legacy.”
MDC Alliance official, Antony Taruvinga wrote:
Dear Douglas Mwonzora, its not possible to separate Pres. Adv. Nelson Chamisa from Dr. Morgan Tsvangirai.
History speaks louder for the two gentlemen.
Everyone knows about that shared history. That history was made when you were not part of the MDC, you were actually opposing the MDC. That said, Zanu pf can assist you in illegally taking over the Harvest House, the MPs and the Councils but can not assist you in taking over the people. The people shall eventually speak. Your enjoyment won’t go beyond 2023…
Medically reviewed by Atli Arnarson Ph.D. — Written by Kerri-Ann Jennings, MS, RD —
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can damage your heart. It affects one in three people in the US and 1 billion people worldwide (1, 2).
If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease and stroke.
But there’s good news. There are a number of things you can do to lower your blood pressure naturally, even without medication.
Here are 15 natural ways to combat high blood pressure.
Walk and exercise regularly Regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure. Exercise is one of the best things you can do to lower high blood pressure.
Regular exercise helps make your heart stronger and more efficient at pumping blood, which lowers the pressure in your arteries.
In fact, 150 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, such as running, per week, can help lower blood pressure and improve your heart health (3, 4).
What’s more, doing even more exercise than this reduces your blood pressure even further, according to the National Walkers’ Health Study (5).
Bottom line: Walking just 30 minutes a day can help lower your blood pressure. More exercise helps reduce it even further.
Reduce your sodium intake Salt intake is high around the world. In large part, this is due to processed and prepared foods.
For this reason, many public health efforts are aimed at lowering salt in the food industry (6).
Many studies have linked high salt intake with high blood pressure and heart events, including stroke (7, 8).
However, more recent research indicates that the relationship between sodium and high blood pressure is less clear (9, 10).
One reason for this may be genetic differences in how people process sodium. About half of people with high blood pressure and a quarter of people with normal levels seem to have a sensitivity to salt (11).
If you already have high blood pressure, it’s worth cutting back your sodium intake to see if it makes a difference. Swap out processed foods with fresh ones and try seasoning with herbs and spices rather than salt.
Bottom line: Most guidelines for lowering blood pressure recommend reducing sodium intake. However, that recommendation might make the most sense for people who are salt-sensitive.
Drink less alcohol Drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. In fact, alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world (12).
While some research has suggested that low-to-moderate amounts of alcohol may protect the heart, those benefits may be offset by adverse effects (12).
In the U.S., moderate alcohol consumption is defined as no more than one drink a day for women and two for men. If you drink more than that, cut back.
Bottom line: Drinking alcohol in any quantity may raise your blood pressure. Limit your drinking in line with the recommendations.
Eat more potassium-rich foods Potassium is an important mineral.
It helps your body get rid of sodium and eases pressure on your blood vessels.
Modern diets have increased most people’s sodium intake while decreasing potassium intake (13).
To get a better balance of potassium to sodium in your diet, focus on eating fewer processed foods and more fresh, whole foods.
Foods that are particularly high in potassium include:
vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, and sweet potatoes fruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges, and apricots dairy, such as milk and yogurt tuna and salmon nuts and seeds beans Bottom line: Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, which are rich in potassium, can help lower blood pressure.
Cut back on caffeine If you’ve ever downed a cup of coffee before you’ve had your blood pressure taken, you’ll know that caffeine causes an instant boost.
However, there’s not a lot of evidence to suggest that drinking caffeine regularly can cause a lasting increase (14).
In fact, people who drink caffeinated coffee and tea tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, including high blood pressure, than those who don’t drink it (15, 16, 17, 18).
Caffeine may have a stronger effect on people who don’t consume it regularly (19).
If you suspect you’re caffeine-sensitive, cut back to see if it lowers your blood pressure (20).
Bottom line: Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure, although for many people, it does not cause a lasting increase.
Learn to manage stress Listening to soothing music may help lower stress. Stress is a key driver of high blood pressure.
When you’re chronically stressed, your body is in a constant fight-or-flight mode. On a physical level, that means a faster heart rate and constricted blood vessels.
When you experience stress, you might also be more likely to engage in other behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or eating unhealthful food that can adversely affect blood pressure.
Several studies have explored how reducing stress can help lower blood pressure. Here are two evidence-based tips to try:
Listen to soothing music: Calming music can help relax your nervous system. Research has shown it’s an effective complement to other blood pressure therapies (21, 22). Work less: Working a lot, and stressful work situations, in general, are linked to high blood pressure (23, 24). Bottom line: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Finding ways to manage stress can help.
Eat dark chocolate or cocoa Here’s a piece of advice you can really get behind.
While eating massive amounts of dark chocolate probably won’t help your heart, small amounts may.
That’s because dark chocolate and cocoa powder are rich in flavonoids, which are plant compounds that cause blood vessels to dilate (25).
A review of studies found that flavonoid-rich cocoa improved several markers of heart health over the short term, including lowering blood pressure (25).
For the strongest effects, use non-alkalized cocoa powder, which is especially high in flavonoids and has no added sugars.
Bottom line: Dark chocolate and cocoa powder contain plant compounds that help relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Lose weight In people with overweight, losing weight can make a big difference to heart health.
According to a 2016 study, losing 5% of your body mass could significantly lower high blood pressure (26).
In previous studies, losing 17.64 pounds (8 kilograms) was linked to lowering systolic blood pressure by 8.5 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 6.5 mm Hg (27).
To put that in perspective, a healthy reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg (4).
The effect is even greater when weight loss is paired with exercise (27).
Losing weight can help your blood vessels do a better job of expanding and contracting, making it easier for the left ventricle of the heart to pump blood.
Bottom line: Losing weight can significantly lower high blood pressure. This effect is even more significant when you exercise.
Quit smoking Among the many reasons to quit smoking is that the habit is a strong risk factor for heart disease.
Every puff of cigarette smoke causes a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure. The chemicals in tobacco are also known to damage blood vessels.
Surprisingly, studies haven’t found a conclusive link between smoking and high blood pressure. Perhaps this is because smokers develop a tolerance over time (28).
Still, since both smoking and high blood pressure raise the risk of heart disease, quitting smoking can help lessen that risk.
Bottom line: There’s conflicting research about smoking and high blood pressure, but what is clear is that both increase the risk of heart disease.
Cut added sugar and refined carbs There’s a growing body of research showing a link between added sugar and high blood pressure (29, 30, 31).
In the Framingham Women’s Health Study, women who drank even one soda per day had higher levels than those who drank less than one soda per day (32).
Another study found that having one less sugar-sweetened beverage per day was linked to lower blood pressure (33).
And it’s not just sugar — all refined carbs, such as the kind found in white flour — convert rapidly to sugar in your bloodstream and may cause problems.
Some studies have shown that low carb diets may also help reduce blood pressure.
One study on people undergoing statin therapy found that those who went on a 6-week, carb-restricted diet saw a greater improvement in blood pressure and other heart disease markers than people who did not restrict carbs (34).
Bottom line: Refined carbs, especially sugar, may raise blood pressure. Some studies have shown that low carb diets may help reduce your levels.
Eat berries Berries are full of more than just juicy flavor.
They’re also packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that are good for your heart.
Polyphenols can reduce the risk of stroke, heart conditions, and diabetes, as well as improving blood pressure, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation (34).
One study assigned people with high blood pressure to a low-polyphenol diet or a high-polyphenol diet containing berries, chocolate, fruits, and vegetables (35).
Those consuming berries and polyphenol-rich foods experienced improved markers of heart disease risk.
Bottom line: Berries are rich in polyphenols, which can help lower blood pressure and the overall risk of heart disease.
Source: Medical News Today
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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By A Correspondent- Vegetation conservationist and director of Isandla Esihle/Ruoko Rwakanaka Trust, Never Bonde has expressed fears that due to high demand as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Lippia Javanica/zumbani/umsuzwani plant could soon be extinct.
The herb has become one of the most sought after in the country having been traditionally used in fighting colds and other flu-like symptoms.
Bonde, who is also the national tree ambassador, yesterday said the manner in which the zumbani/umsuzwani tree is being recklessly harvested will result in its extinction.
“This shrub has been useful since time immemorial in our African traditional medicine base, but now everyone is hunting for it and is harvesting it as if it’s a new thing because of the coronavirus. People are now abusing the herb and it will soon be extinct,” Bonde said.
“The way people harvest the tree shows that even in their use of it, they do not use the right measurements. This might have side effects for them. People should learn to consult traditional healers on the use of the herb as excessive use might be dangerous for them.”
Bonde said the massive use of the zumbani/umsuzwani plant during the COVID-19 era proves that traditional remedies must be taken seriously and cherished.
He said the Environment Management Agency and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife management Authority must control the proper harvesting of the zumbani/umsuzwani plant.
