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A nation in crisis: 280 children lost in four months – MP

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BY STAFF REPORTER 

In a somber and thought-provoking address, Member of Parliament Asendu Dube of Matabeleland South stood before parliament on Tuesday to shed light on a devastating issue plaguing the nation.

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“My point of interest is with regards to child mortality around the country,” MP Dube declared, setting the tone for a heartfelt and impassioned plea to tackle the alarming rise in deaths among Zimbabwe’s youngest citizens.

With a focus on the staggering figures emerging from Mpilo Hospital, where 98 children lost their lives in March 2024 alone, MP Dube’s speech painted a stark picture of a nation in crisis, prompting him to call for a comprehensive and collective response to curb the scourge of child mortality.

Below is his full speech:

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HON. DUBE: On a point of national interest Madam Speaker. My point of interest is with regard to child mortality around the country.  Child mortality refers to death of children under the age of five years and may include still births.  Neonatal deaths and deaths for those under five years among other types of child mortality. 

Madam Speaker, Zimbabwe has faced an increase in child mortality during the first half of the year 2024, with the most alarming figures coming from Mpilo Hospital where 98 children are reported to have died in the month of March 2024 alone. 

Between January and April 2024, a total of 280 children are reported to have died at Mpilo Hospital alone. 

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Madam Speaker, given that the National Assembly comprises of 280 MPs, this means that Zimbabwe potentially lost its entire future lower House in four months from one hospital.  More children were lost in other hospitals and this is a cause for concern. 

Madam Speaker, I rise to call for the whole society approach to curb child mortality, which should include an investigation by relevant Portfolio Committees on the cause of the rise in child mortality, a dedicated programme of ensuring all expectant mothers and mothers of infants have access to nutritious diets, adequate wages for nurses as well as availability of medicines at all baby clinics around the country.  I thank you.

THE HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER:  Thank you Hon. Dube. You have raised very important issues, but I advise you to raise a motion on this particular issue so it can be debated in this House.

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  1. Suzanne Baker

    July 28, 2024 at 8:43 am

    My brother suggested I might like this website. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!

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In the community

Avoid nightime movement and stoning elephants, communities told

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Following a recent spate of human-wildlife conflict incidents, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo has urged communities to exercise caution when encountering wild animals.

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Farawo emphasized the importance of avoiding confrontations with elephants, particularly when they encroach into community areas. “We would like to urge members of the communities to avoid throwing stones at elephants,” he said. “This action agitates them, leading to attacks on people.”

In addition to avoiding confrontations, Farawo advised community members to minimize movement at night, as this is when wild animals are most active. “We would like to urge communities to avoid moving at night to minimize casualties,” he said.

Farawo’s comments come after a 79-year-old man from Hwange was killed by an elephant yesterday. The incident is still under investigation by rangers. This is the second fatal incident in the area, following the death of another man who was attacked by an elephant while on his way to work in Hwange town several weeks ago.

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Elephant attack claims life of 79-year-old man in Mbizha

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BY STAFF REPORTER 

A 79-year-old man from Mbizha village met a tragic end yesterday when he was killed by a stray elephant, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

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Zimbabwe Parks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo, confirmed the incident, saying, “We confirm the sad and unfortunate incident that happened today where a 79-year-old man lost his life.”

The attack occurred four kilometers away from the community, although the exact time of the incident was not disclosed.

This latest incident brings the total number of human deaths caused by wild animals to 40 this year, with over 55 people injured, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority as of last month.

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Since 2019, over 370 people have been killed and 453 injured in similar incidents, highlighting the ongoing concern of human-wildlife conflict in the country.

 

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In the community

ZPC employees appear in court over US$3.8 million theft charges

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BY STAFF REPORTER

Two senior employees of the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) in Hwange, have been charged with the theft of company property valued at US$3 896 000.

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Tawanda Mhaka and Ruth Chiyani were arraigned in court following an extensive investigation into the alleged theft, which reportedly involved an accomplice, Hardlife Zimwenje, who remains at large.

The allegations stem from an incident that occurred on the 22 and 23 of August last month, during which a truck was captured on CCTV at the ZPC’s Turbine Hall loading stolen goods. The footage revealed that the loaded items included 15 electric motors, 48 tonnes of brass pipes, and a metal container. Notably, the loading occurred without proper documentation, raising immediate red flags for investigators.

Ruth Chiyani, who serves as a Loss Control Assistant, is accused of overseeing the illegal loading but failed to provide any invoices to justify the movement of the company’s assets.

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Tawanda Mhaka, acting as the Stores Officer, allegedly instructed a boilermaker to cut an electric motor and a storage container into smaller pieces to facilitate their loading onto the haulage trucks.

The stolen goods were reportedly transported using trucks hired by Zimwenje, further complicating the network of theft. Both Mhaka and Chiyani were arrested last week , following a comprehensive investigation that revealed substantial evidence against them, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the defendants.

“According to investigators, the evidence against them is substantial, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the pair. The pair was remanded to the 26th of September.”the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement.

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