IRIN : EPWORTH, 23 July 2010 (IRIN) – Simbarashe Choga, 65, a retired teacher, is the local butcher in Epworth, some 20km northeast of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare; he is also the principal of the primary school he runs out of his shop. “My teachers keep their records and other materials at my butchery, which operates as our head office because, as you can see, there are no buildings here,” Choga told IRIN. “We have a total enrolment of 182 pupils from the first to the seventh grades, and the majority of them learn outside.” Most of the houses in Epworth... Continue Reading
Fatal road accident involving a Harare-bound commuter omnibus and a haulage truck claimed five lives early Wednesday at the 66km peg along the Harare-Chirundu road. An undisclosed number of passengers were injured. Officer in charge of Administration in Mashonaland West Province, Assistant Commissioner Tsitsi Sakonda said the injured were taken to Banket Hospital. She said police are investigating the cause of the accident which took place at the Great Dyke. The haulage truck had swerved moments earlier to avoid the commuter omnibus heading from the opposite direction. Bus accidents, common in Zimbabwe, are blamed on speeding, poor maintenance and shortages... Continue Reading
By Ron Muvevererwi – Events preceding the formation of the coalition government between the three principals to the GPA have seen a relentless continued stranglehold of influence on the security forces by one political party arguably at the expense of national interest. Despite the fact that the coalition government was negotiated under the spirit of ‘inclusivity’ that has not been the case characterizing the order of the day. Each party is caught up in a dog eat dog survival of the fittest encounter. The security forces and the judiciary are the key main components to which the success of the... Continue Reading
By Samantha Perry – The Professional Journalists’ Association of South Africa (ProJourn) notes with concern the re-emergence of calls by the ANC for an ‘independent’ media tribunal. The call for a media tribunal constituted by the ruling party raises the spectre of Apartheid-era attempts to control the media and its right to report freely and without hindrance. Such a tribunal would rob the public of its right to information, set media freedom back decades and erode the hard won freedoms of our new democracy. ProJourn very strongly believes government should not be regulating the media in any way, let alone... Continue Reading
Best Western International expands its presence in Africa with the opening of three new hotels, including the Best Western Premier Accra Airport Hotel in Accra, Ghana, the Best Western Island Beach Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria, and the Best Western Port Harcourt Hotel in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. “Best Western membership is a great option for hotel developers in Africa, who want to retain local character in their properties, yet leverage the sales, marketing and brand recognition of a strong global brand,” said Suzi Yoder, Vice President of international operations. “We see great potential for continued growth in South Africa and Sub... Continue Reading
