Lazarus Sauti

Lazarus Sauti Despite the fact that 96 percent of Zimbabweans have cell phone services, according to a report by Afrobarometer, a pan-African and non-partisan research network, most women and girls in the country remain unconnected compared to men and boys. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MISC) 2014, testifies that 85.2 percent of young women aged 14-24 years and 88.6 percent of adult women aged 15-49 years used mobile or non-mobile phones during the last 12 months compared to 85.6 percent of young men aged 15-24 years and 90.3 percent of adult men aged 15-54 years. This disparity in the gender digital divide, which is not only an equality as well as social issue, but also a critical challenge to growing economic sustainability is also visible in Kenya where, according to a 2010 survey, at least 49 percent Kenyan women aged 16+ owned a cellphone. Further, countries such as Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have a mobile gender gap of more than 30 ...

Lazarus Sauti Zimbabwe, just like most countries in southern Africa, is losing its productive citizens due to road accidents. Figures released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) early this year show that Zimbabwe’s roads have become death traps with an average of 2 000 people dying each year on the roads. The statistics also revealed that 130 people lost their lives in 345 accidents during the festive season alone. In Namibia, car crashes have also killed 307 people between 1 January and 12 June, 2016, according to the latest Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund statistics highlighted at the recent MVA stakeholder dinner held to celebrate the fund’s financial progress and various initiatives linked to road safety. In a speech presented by Willem Goeiemann, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, on behalf of Minister Alpheus !Naruseb, a total of 1 772 crashes left close to 3 050 people injured in the same period. The statistics also stat...

Lazarus Sauti Last month two women died owing to reckless people operating in the public transport system. Jocelyn Gomba (17), a Form Four student at Harare Girl’s High, was run over by a speeding commuter omnibus at the corner of Leopold Takawira Street and Park Lane when she was on her way home from school. A 25-year-old pregnant woman, Lyn Chidawaya (nee Amisi), died with her unborn baby after touts operating at Mbudzi roundabout in Harare punched her in the stomach as she tried to board a Beitbridge-bound bus. According to her sister, Liona Misi, who was with her at the time, the two arrived at Mbudzi around 8pm on May 23, and a group of about five touts punched and assaulted them. Chidawaya is believed to have sustained internal injuries and was hospitalised, but died two days later. Shocked by these incidences, Chiedza Chitengu (32) from Mabvuku High Density suburb says women and girls are being abused by touts and transport operators daily. “The cur...

Lazarus Sauti Horrific accidents make headlines with alarming frequency in Zimbabwe. In early March this year, 31 people perished after a Pfochez Yutong Bus burst its front right tyre before side-swiping with a Mercedes Benz Sprinter commuter omnibus at the 232km peg along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway. The horror crash was declared a national disaster. Another dreadful accident that occurred on April 15 and also proclaimed a national disaster killed 12 people whilst 45 were injured when an MB Transport bus they were travelling in collided head on with a haulage truck 45km outside Beitbridge town. These accidents unravel the tragedy and show that Zimbabwe’s roads are fast becoming death snares. Further, statistics released by the police early this year, indicate that Zimbabwe’s roads have become death traps with an average of 2 000 people dying each year on the roads. “Every year since 2006, road accident fatalities have increased from a total of 1 037 deaths...

Lazarus Sauti It is not just bad roads and drink driving that are causing road accidents. Stray animals too have become a potential threat for motorists, especially in remote areas. Recently, 12 people were killed, while 45 others were injured when an MB Transport bus collided head-on with a haulage truck 45km outside Beitbridge town in an accident that has since been declared a national disaster. According to the police officer in charge of crime in Beitbridge District, Assistant Commissioner Bobby Murwira, the bus hit a donkey and swerved to the side of an on-coming truck resulting in a head-on collision that killed 10 people on the spot. Sadly, two other people died upon admission at Beitbridge District hospital. Metrine Mudau, Member of Parliament (MP) for Beitbridge West constituency, where the accident occurred, agreed that most accidents around her constituency are caused by stray animals. The accident buttressed the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) N...

Lazarus Sauti Driving at night is consuming Zimbabweans. 16 people, for instance, perished whilst 15 others were injured when two passenger vehicles collided head-on along Mutare-Chimanimani Road. The horror crash that happened near Zimunya and described as a dark chapter in the Manicaland province occurred about 15km outside Mutare after sunset when a Toyota Regius, which was travelling from Mutare, had a tyre resulting in the driver losing control.   Police in Mutare confirmed that the vehicle veered off the road resulting in a head-on collision with a Nissan Caravan which was on its way from Bezel Bridge in Marange. In May, 15 people also perished in a road accident when a Toyota Hiace travelling to Marondera was hit by a Chitungwiza-bound Hino truck at the 51km peg along the Harare-Wedza Road. The accident, according to national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba, happened at around 7pm. On approaching the 51km ...

Lazarus Sauti Women constitute 52 percent of the population in Zimbabwe and they contribute a lot to the economy of the country. Despite their contributions in various capacities, women entrepreneurs are finding it difficult to access financial resources from banks as well as other financial institutions. This lack of support from banks is incapacitating their operations, hindering not only their enterprises but the economic transformation of the nation. Erica Matikiti, an entrepreneur in Nyanga, concurs. “It is difficult to access financial support from banks and this is stalling our operations. Many banks are not willing to support us due to various reasons such as differences in land tenure rights between men and women,” she said, adding that “as a result, women entrepreneurs are disadvantaged, with less access to credit and market.” Matikiti is not the only one suffering as many women entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and other states in southern Africa are facing ...