Cane Farmers Crippled

Sugarcane farmers in Chiredzi have appealed to investors to consider directing some of their funds to that sector.

This comes after those farmers have ran in short supply of transport and essential machinery like tractors needed to do their land preparation.

Director of Cangrowers Collin Togarepi said at the moment they are facing serious challenges due to depreciaion of machinery.

"We would like to be assisted with haulage trucks and heavy duty farming tractors," said Togarepi who is also a farmer in the area.

"We are also appealing for financial assistance to buy inputs like fertilisers and for the maintenance of the mills. We want to finance the scooping of our supply dams and the conditioning of the our cahnals," he said.


Togarepi said investment with them has less risks as they have collateral security in the form of land.

"We can either choose to hire machinery on a lease basis or arrange with Tonga Hullets who own the saw-mills to deduct some money from our output as they process our sugar," he said.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Seiso Moyo said farmers seeking financial assistance should go to the nearest Agrobank and borrow money.

"Due to the financial challenges the government is facing, it is moving away from offering free assistance," he said. 

Chiredzi is one of the key areas well known for sugarcane production in the South-east Lowveld of Zimbabwe.

Corruption marrs Zimbo-economics

Miss Barbara Jozziasse the Dutch Ambassador to Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe is a naturally rich country yet its citizens continue to live at the mercy of well wishers, research has revealed.

Speaking at a press conference recently held at Royal Hotel in Bulawayo, Barbara Joziasse the Dutch Ambassador to Zimbabwe said that Zimbabwe is one one of the richest countries in the world in natural resources.


She pointed out that the most unfortuanate part is that the the country is marred by corruption, lack of transparency, absence of property rights and the contemptualisation of the rule of law.

"Zimbabwe has a lot of opportunities that have to be exploited. She is number one in natural resources," said Jozziasse.

Now if these are the true results of research, one wonders why the City of Bulawayo is currently haloed by a dangerous water crisis.

Not only does this situation endanger residents' lives by increasing the chances of cholera outbreaks but it also encourages the exodus of industries to Harare which will deprive the city of economic prominence.

Yesterday this city was called the "City of Kings" but that has long ceased to exist. Centenary Park used to introduce those from the south to the beauty of the city but now it lies in rubble.

Roads also tell a different story, they are potholed and those that were tarred are now dust roads. Let me pause and ask: Zimbabwe, what is happening to you my dear country?

The political arena in Zimbabwe is currently dominated by people who work to fill their pockets and even stay there in office.

The sadest thing when you approach concepts from this angle is that politicians have cast a spell on youths to sing and praise them even if they looting on their behalf.

I got the shock of the world when one youth summoned all his strength to say JOMIC was doing its job excellently.

Now, let me take you through:

QN: What is JOMIC?
ANS: It is an ugly animal that moves in posh/desert cars while Zimbaweans are starving; while Bulawayo residents go for weeks without water. Can't that money be used to alleviate the water situation in the City of Kings? I suspect it was a creation of politicians through which they squander our country's resources. Visit shopping centres at dusk you will find some of the cars labelled "JOMIC" parked outside while the occupants are having their fill in bars (I don't want to upload a photo here which I clipped last Friday).

What has JOMIC done to make sure that diamonds at Marange are eploited for the benefit of the people?
ANS: Nothing.
WHY: because the elements in this pseudo-organ also want the lion's share in the diamonds.

Zimbabwe has a very weak civil body which explains why people get away with gross human rights crimes. I think the country has to be lectured on how to exploit natural resources for the benefit of everyone.

Real facts about Economics

To conclude, African remedies against genocide, violence and the conflict between state and the civil society should include:
• Defining national identity to be equitably accommodating to all the contending groups
• Developing principles of constitutionalism or constitutive management of power that creatively and flexibly balance the dynamics of diversity in unity to promote national consensus and collective purpose
• Designing a system of distribution or allocation of economic opportunities and resources that is particularly sensitive to the needs of minorities and disadvantaged groups and induces these groups to see unity as a source of security and not a deprivation
• Through all these measures, to challenge every group to recognize that it has a distinctive contribution to make the process of nation building by utilising its own cultural values, institutional structures, and a self propelling sense of purpose within a national framework of diversified unity and equitable pluralism. Where conditions make such a uniting sense of national identity impractical or too costly, the residual alternative, which should be internationally sanctioned, would be to allow the right of self-determination, including the option of partition (Deng, Francis M. 1980. Dinka Cosmology) on 213

Economics from a grassroot perspective.

The rural areas of Zimbabwe bear the brunt of the economic challenges of the country just like anyone else in the country.

Most often, these people undergo situations of unparrallelled intensity as some of them actually go for nights without anything to eat.

Catapalted by the exorbitant prices of both food and transport and even lack of it, these people actually find it very difficult to deal with these situations as they come in packs. While most of the roads there are dust roads, the buses are even very few, maybe just one very old and unroad worth AVM model bus that comes once in a blue moon.

The only moment that these people receive attention is just towards ellections when politicians will be trying to buy their votes using food tokens. The best way that these people use to survive is to plant a few crops being supplemented by a few goats and cattle, all of which are at the mercy of the ever changing climatic conditions.

"Life is difficult here my son. These people come out here to give us food tokens only when they want us to vote for them and once we do so they disappear for good until the next election again," protested the kraal head of a village in Madlambudzi, Plumtree.

"Last time we were promised boreholes here but none has been drilled so far and we still continue to live in poverty," added the leader.

"I last had something to eat the day before yesterday my son and as you can see right now all the pots are empty and clean," said a lady in her fifties who chose to be named MaDlodlo.

It is apparent here that people now confuse politics with economics. To allay such allegations, politicians should give undying support to their subjects regardless of whether it is time for elections or not.

The picture above is an example of the ideal roads found in all rural areas of Plumtree. Those that are crossing the road are the goats that the people keep in order to supplement their food supplies.

Signs of Economic Instability

The first signs of economic instability in any given situation are the standards of living which are inclusive of many issues like the state of roads, sanitary status, nature of buildings in cities and so on, a closer analysis can reveal.

Most of the streets and roads in Zimbabwe are now potholed to the extent that the combi drivers are now taking advantage of that and breaking traffic rules in the pretext of avoiding potholes, making it very difficult for the police to deal with although they are trying very hard to curb this corruption.

"These potholes are going to lead to the loss of many lives," commented an old man (name with held)who was in a combi involved in a "chase" as the passenger ferrers wresled and jostled for customers in the morning.

The clear matter now is that the economy of Zimbabwe has not yet recovered despite the "dollarisation" adopted by the GNU late in the year 2008 and moreso, the city council inh every town of Zimbabwe still has a huge task of renovating the roads such that large sums of money have to be pumped into this sector.

"I think the only solution to these fatal accidents is the renovation of the roads," commented Tapiwa Moyo who owns a garage along the Bulawyo-Plumtree road in Donnington and has witnessed an accident near his garage.

Tapiwa also suggested that it is the duty of every Zimbabwean however to be extra careful as the economy is not affecting one person but generally everyone, even the government although it is trying very hard to mend the economic loopholes caused by the ditching of the economy in 2008.

Marriage or Divorce - Economics and Prostitution?

There has been a constant debate on the linkage between economic situation and prostitution where women defend their practice of prostitution using the economic situation in a country, a close examination of Sunday News stories can reveal.

For instance the current Sunday News carries a story whereby it is said that university students are said to be resorting to prostitution as a result of the unstable economy of Zimbabwe.

A close and rather more realistic approach to concepts will show that for someone to be promiscuous or not depends on her moral values and not the economy of the country; meaning even if the economy is stable if someone wants to be a prostitute they can still be.

"Prostitution is just a personal sexual obsession which has nothing to do with economy whatsoever," commented a youth called Nkazimulo Moyo during a hot debate about this.

Brought to the attention of many people, the issue is a cause of concern as it compromises on the marriage institution and sex as a practice to show love for two married couples.

Economics and Nature - An Everlasting Marriage

This photo, taken by Bakidzanani Dube in 2011(July) shows the Victoria Falls which is undoubtedly the "halo" of the Zimbabwean beauty...

Nature and economics are two concepts that are closely linked to one another in that nature provides the resources from which the economy can prosper,a closer analysis can reveal

The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe provides a spectacular sight which makes Zimbabwe rank among the most beautiful countries of the world.

Close to the Victoria Falls is the Hwange National Park which is a home to a great deal of Zimbabwean wildlife and both natural gifts attract a large number of tourists who bring in foreign currency.

Meanwhile the soils of Zimbabwe are not just fertile for farming but they are also fertile in minerals like the most disputed Chiadzwa Diamonds and gold.

Given all this abundance of resources one then comes to wonder why scores of Zimbabweans continue to live the most miserable lives yet their country is "mother" to all these resources.

These are some of the questions that go a long way to reveal that management and natural resources are two closely linked concepts where a corrupt management can actually brew poverty and chaos for a nation.

Needles to say, Zimbabwe is a very rich country that should desist from any dependency syndrome and start exploiting these God given gifts so as to revive its economy.

The Truth About Zim-Ecos

The truth about Zimbabwe is that its economy has not fully recovered as most of its territories is still rocked by food shortages and poor samitation, Sunday News can reveal.

It seems the only way out of the dire situation is to make maximum use of the mining sector with regards to the seemingly large deposits of the Chiadzwa diamonds.

The international community is even admitting that the Zimbabwean effect in the world diamond market cannot just be taken for granted as commentators argue that it can actually supply twenty percent of the world's diamonds by 2020 if the resources are successfully exploited.

As revealed in the current Sunday News, it seems the economy has all its hopes in that sector of diamond mining especially as revealed by the Mbada's constant and unfailing sponsorship of Zimbabwean Soccer.

Meanwhile there are reports that female students are constantly falling easy prey for sugar dadies due to a dire economic situation but when one follows this closely he or she can come to a conclusion that these same diamond resources can be used in reviving student grants to curb the crisis.

Not only can these diamonds be exploited for grants but they can also be used to alleviate the food shortages that want to reverse or tarnish Zimbabwe's reputation

How Africa can be itself

The only way that Africa can use to free itself from economic oppression by the
west is to embark on extensive self expoloitative schemes that are meant to make
local maximum use of all the natural resources in the continent.

It has actually been observed that the constant granting of rights to foreigners to our natural resources like minerals will do nothing other than to continue encouraging the dependence syndrome which seems so prevalentin most African set-ups.

"The problem with an African is that whenever an African has been given a small portion of food relaxes and forgets about fending for himself," commented one teacher in a debate who chose to be called Miss Ncube for security reasons.

This debate comes after most people have been concerned by the fact that Africa is a home to a dozen of natural resources but is in shambles. Some critics even mention that the only way Africa can use to free itself is to have governments that are open to criticism and are accountable.

The problem can be completely solved once the people of Africa are taught how to exploit their own resources and the dependency syndrome cut as well.

Who is right - Gono, Biti, or Kasukuwere?

The Zimbabwean economic debate especially on the concept of indigenisation is slowly but surely taking an interesting turn, stories in the Sunday News can reveal.

The current Sunday Business carries a story in which Gono, Biti and Kasukuwere seem to at logger heads. All seem to be defending the indigenisation policy but from differnt angles.

While Kasukuwere wants a total indigenisation policy, Biti wants a moderate one,
both in contrast to Gono who actually seem to be wanting a laisezfaire.

All want the increase of banks and the revival of those that had closed down, a grand move which if used wisely can increase investment in Zimbabwe.

Gono wants a prosperous Zimbabwe which will emerge from relating with other countries as he allows the buying of shares from foreign investments.

Kasukuwere seem to be pursuing a policy of non foreign tolerance while Biti's stance is not very clear on this one. But what ever the case, either of the linesof operation is viable as long as it will benefit the Zimbabweans without allowing their squandering by foreigners.

The greatest question of the day however is to ascertain whether Zimbabwe is capable of prospering "alone" or not.

Meanwhile, the same paper carries a story of 93 000 people who are starving yet
on the other hand the economy is boasting of recovery.

Mbada Diamonds should be called to attend to this case instead of asking for foreign aid.

The link between Economics and Nature

There is a close linkage between nature and economics meaning to say that the
natural resources of a country have to be fully expropriated to achieve a balanced
economy.

Africa is one continent which is well provisioned with natural resources that can be exploited to achieve stable economies.

Zimbabwe for instance is one country that has a lot of resources such that it will be highly questionable why it is poor given those circumstances.

The Victoria Falls which is on the Zambezi River is Zimbabwe's pride as it generates thousands of cash every year and then one wonders why it is nonetheless poor.

This is just one of the many tourist attraction scenes that Zimbabwe has and can make maximum use of to stabilise its economy.

Economic meltdown

While the first world countries are soundly surging up in economics, Africa is slowly but surely receding. This is characterised by the rate at which prices rise in most African countries, how the rate of unemployment rise up and how businesses collapse.

Asked about how the economy of Zimbabwe affects him, Moyo who owns a motor spares company on the southern outskirts replied, "Of course this is a terrible period but I can say presently things are now better than how they were during the year 2008.

"I think those who are clever enough can now make it to the top now. I personally do not believe in people not being able but I do believe in people being lazy and hiding behind 'someone out there is mismanaging resources'"

"If people fail to buy cars this time, I bet they will never do it again," said Ronald, another youth in his first year at college.

These comments are just but part of many more that people always pass about the economic situation in Zimbabwe. The question now is what therefore is the real situation in the country: is the country stranded or what, pass a comment guys.

Is African poverty deliberate?

The concept of why Africa is poor yet it is the provisioned basket of the world will be answered after it has been debated at length by everyone.

World records can reveal that Africa has populations that are still leading one of the most proletariat lives in the world yet it has everything it needs.

The following points would help make people look at this more closely:

• most of the world's wildlife is here in Africa but nothing comes out of that. For example, the biggest elephant in the world is the loxodonta africana, a species found here in Africa and that can generate a lot of money through selling its ivory as well as tourist attraction;
• Zimbabwe is home to the Victoria Falls a picturesque scene in the world. So what is happening?

Economic trends

Global economics is of much concern to everyone such that even people at the back of beyond also find it very necessary to debate on such issues.

This was shown by a debate session which I decided to hold with my pupils to find out whether they really understood what economics was all about.

"I think economics is all about how people irk out a living from the natural resources of their country and each and everyone has a share in the exploitation of those resources," said a brilliant pupil (name withheld).

This would sound very mythic but it is shockingly true and it above all revealed that pupils are not ignorant of the fact that in economics each and everyone has to share equally and more over everyone has the right to be rich. such definitions would have been typical of economic gurus such as Rupert Murdock and other scholars but here they are today coming out of "mere" pupils who are not even a year old in their studies.

What was of much importance however was an issue raised by the same pupil who actually pointed out that the standard measure of being wealthy or poor is dominated by bias and I as a blogger in economics saw it necessary to push the debate further by adding flesh to it here.

America becomes a role model of how rich a person or country has to be defined and this lends the whole concept to the rise of horse-rider relationships in the world of economics. 

A wasted effort

Zimababwean economy will not be improved by the removal of ZANU-PF from power. Please leave ZANU-PF alone and mind your own business guys. Yesterday there was a clamour about the removal of Mammur Gaddafi and now he has been ousted but what is happening in Libya, chaos. So now we begin to wonder as to whether the death of Gaddafi was a justified move. To this effect I predict the same situation if people still believe that the replacement of Zanu-Pf would improve anything. The best solution in this case of Zimbabwe at this moment is to unite, examine the obstacles behind the hinderance of development and then surge forward. This comes in after many of the the so called noble campaigns of democracy have deteriorated into blood bath, thus entrenching hatred even more. The best way to free the Zimbabwean's mind is to teach him or her how to fend for himself or herself than to point fingers at someone and then blacklist them because what about if nothing happens after ousting that person?

Economic debates

The Zimbabwean Economists in a few years' time would have to account for the economic situation prevailing the country currently. It would be a very shamefulgesture to locate signs of corruption should bbthat audit be conducted. in my own iargument I think each and everyone is to blame for this ecnomic recession. First, there are the westerners who started the notion of colonisation which did not only "impoverish" the country but also bonded the minds of the people as well. Close analysis therefore reveals that most Zimbabweans thereafter never went back to independent thinking and this explains why most of them still rely on tokens. Secondly is the government which has not fully played its role of facilitating the full exploitation of these resources. It has to be non-partisan in its approach. lastly, the people themselves also are to blame especially now that tehy want to rely on foreign aid thus failing to help themselves. Zimbabwe is teirs and thus they are incharge but they think someone else is.

Economic mdness or what?

A certain ZAPU member on condition of anonimity yesterday commented that the future of Zimbabwean Economics lies with empowering the youth. The member, who chose to remain anonymous, even to the extent of denying me the permission to mention him by surname (for security reasons) actually rubbished the old policy of compensation adding that at this stage Zimbabwe is not yet ready for compensation as this is likely to manifest itself into corruption.
Thus to him the best way to solve the economic crisis is to employ reason and try to effect an equitable distribution of the Zimbabwean wealth. Some of this member's friends also voiced their concern on the lack of transparency on compensation to the former liberation fighters.
One man for instance actually said that in a week during the liberation struggle his grandmother had lost some thirty chickens to the ZANLA cadres(known as "oPasi") and to the ZIPRA but up to today no-one mentions that. So now, who deserves the lion's share in this whole issue: is it those who were fighting the enemy in the bush face to face or the masses who provided shelter and food to those who were fighting or both?
This actually serves to draw attention of the people to start looking closely at the criteria used for compensation as it is the one that leads to the gruntling of the general populace. Thus according to those ZAPU members, everyone has the right to the Zimbabwean Economic "cake".
For most people, this economic issue has remained "a thorn by the side" due to their exclusion in economics. Thus the best way is to empower youth and to be very clear on the expropriation of resources such as the Marange and Chiadzwa Diamonds. Infact output from here has to be used to rebuild Zimbabwe.

Others Enjoy, Others Suffer...

Just after I had posted my first posting, I took a walk down 9th Avenue (Bulawayo) and I accidentally stumbled upon the celebrations of BUSCOD, initially having been alerted by a police escorted parade of youngsteers who had been hired to do that. Then an official of the cafee which I were in commented in Shona, "vanhu vanoita mari nhai vedu we" (people make money there...). Then you will wonder why some people continue becoming filthy rich while others continue becoming filthy poor. To this cause, I will quote one of the renowned scholars who commented on why Africans (Zimbabweans in this context) continue to be poor yet Africa is a well provisioned continent. He said, "while 'external' causes for Africa's crises are signifi8fant, even more salient are internal ones, notablythe ineptitude, corruption and mismanagement of resources.

The plundering of public resources by officials of countries most of whose peoples live below the poverty line continues to be a major problem. Corruption is undoubtedly a key element in economic underperformance and deprivation" Hassan Bubacar Jallow here wanted to draw the attention of everyone that before we even point a finger at anyone for why we are so poor, we should first of all look at our own ways of resource management. This means we should to a certain extent blame

The ignored Reality

It is true that Almost all the Zimbabwean citizens are very much concerned about their economic situation. For example, today as I were in a combi on my way to town I heard bitter words from several passengers who for some of them it was clear that they were not that literate (from the way they were debating) but at least knew what is going on concerning the Zimbabwe economic situation. A certain old man exchanged bitter words with the the combi conductor concerning his change which he believed was supposed to be R3 but the conductor had given him R2 instead. The speaker went on to comment about the legal system's failure to arrest such "law breakers" who are "robbing fellow desperate ctizens" in broad day light. He stated that the rate of the dollar against the rand long stood at 1:8 so he wondered why these people were behaving in such a way. He lambusted them as "uncanny people" who should revise their tactis. This is just one of those endless robberies of Zimbabwean citizens, some of which have never been reported. i therefore believe that the best way to liberate Zimbabweans from poverty they should be given a say in the running of their economy.

Until when?

It is a sad reality to note that it is being said that Zimbabwe has at least economically redressed yet not everyone is participating in the economic cake. If one casts a glance at those living in the rural areas he or she will note that these people are still living in complete poverty, depending solely on food tokens that they receive from foreign donors like World Vision and ORAP. For example, recently I personally obseved the Hope Fountain Community receiving some food tokens from ORAP and you can just imagine how I felt when I saw the transaction. This shows that the economic setup is not only elitist but is politically biased as well. To say the people of Zimbabwe are poor or that they are rich is to be inherently blind to reality.First of all one has to think of the numercal disparities between those who are rich in Zimbabwe and those who are poor.

As arequisite to understand the issue, let us first of all look at the composition of the Zimbabwean Economic Beaurau. Neddless to say, it is to a certain extent balanced but only that these stake holders have their own definitions of poverty and being rich. Such definitions are those adapted from the mechanism of the swestern so-called poverty datam line which the country is failing to beat or achieve anyway. So why don't we then come up with our own definition of poverty or wealth which will accomodate our own capacities? Fancy that....

Political issues: Are elections necessary this year?

Political issues: Are elections necessary this year?: There has been a lot of debate surrounding the issue of elections, with some Zimbabweans saying that it necessary to have elections this yea...

ECONOMICS AT HAND

Looking at the current Zimbabwean economic situation guys what comments can you pass about its future in economics lets say in the next three years? In your view consider the "hot" $40m Bulawayo Development Fund. I think any reasonable head here would actually admit that this development fund should be used to the maximum to refurbish Bulawayo once more into a modern ity like what it once was. We should first of all admit that development in Zimbabwe is not evenly distributed and then we can start talking from there.