MP uses constituency funds to buy shoes, booze
A guardian of public funds becomes their plunderer by BERNARD CHIKETO IN A CASE that lays bare the rot within Zimbabwe’s governance, a sitting legislator has been charged with brazenly stealing money meant for his poorest constituents.
Zimbabwe child protection conference seeks to turn the tide against violence and neglect
by BERNARD CHIKETO A DECADE after launching its national case management system for child welfare, Zimbabwe is convening a high-level conference to confront what officials describe as a “solemn call to action” against persistent threats facing the country’s youngest citizens.
Of rivers and revenues – how Odzani Falls marries power with tourism
by BERNARD CHIKETO IN THE rugged highlands of Manicaland, where the Odzani River carves its path through ancient rock, a quiet revolution is underway. For decades, Zimbabwe has been caught in a debilitating cycle of energy poverty, with power outages stifling industry and dimming homes for up to 18 hours a day.
Zimbabwe’s budget roadshow reaches Buhera
by BERNARD CHIKETO RESIDENTS of Buhera district presented four demands at a pre-budget consultation in Murambinda on July 14th: road-maintenance machinery stationed in each ward, additional hospitals, income-generating projects and stronger security against theft.
Mermaid superstition delayed reporting of teen’s drowning in Zimbabwe, say police
STAFF WRITER A MOTHER in Zimbabwe delayed reporting her 16-year-old daughter’s disappearance for more than 24 hours due to a local belief that the girl could have been taken by a mermaid and might be returned alive if the community did not mourn, police have said.
Forensic botany
Drug case collapsed over the police’s failure to identify a plant by BERNARD CHIKETO IT WAS meant to be a routine conviction. The police had a tip, a search, and what they described as 352 grams of cannabis, with an estimated street value of $35.