In the community

Kept in check by tradition, Zimbabwe’s women cricketers focus on future

Published

3 years ago

August 26, 2022

BY NYASHA CHINGONO

Mitchell Chivare, a 20-year-old who used to play for Zimbabwe’s national junior cricket team, takes her kit off the washing line in preparation for her comeback match as a blistering sun beats down on her back yard.

She lives in Domboshava, a town just north of the capital Harare, and has spent more than a year away from the sport to have children.

A promising medium-pace swing bowler at one point earmarked for her country’s senior team, Chivare has been allowed by her husband to start playing again, but some of her former team-mates have not been so lucky.

“I have many of my friends who were very good at cricket but they have since stopped due to early marriages. Their husbands do not want them to play sports,” she told Reuters.

Harmony Kurisa, founder and coach at Domboshava’s Harmonics Cricket Academy, where Chivare has learnt the game, tells the same story.

“We have lost many girls to early marriages… some of whom we had groomed for the national team,” he said.

“Most of them …their husbands forbid them from playing. We hope they will come back one day,” he added, saying three players had failed to return to the academy in the past year after becoming pregnant.

Chivare said she married younger than she expected to, giving birth to her first child 18 months ago and her second two months ago and “I did not have anyone to leave them with when playing cricket.”

Now, with her mother able to look after both, she is free once more to pursue her dream of representing Zimbabwe as a full international.

“I believe I will come back stronger. I still have the passion and the talent,” she said.

Early marriages such as Chivare’s are common.

One in three Zimbabwean women aged 20 to 49 was married before the age of 18, according to UN agency Unicef, and while women are legally free to follow careers, cultural traditions mean many are still expected to play subservient roles within marriage.

But despite such barriers, women’s cricket in Zimbabwe is on the up.

The country was admitted last year to the 11-strong elite group of playing nations, and the team – including 17-year-old Harmony player Mitchell Mavunga – are currently in training for a T20 World Cup qualifying tournament in the United Arab Emirates in September. – Reuters

In the community

Population Services Zimbabwe to offer free family planning services in Nkayi

Published

3 days ago

September 11, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ) is set to provide free family planning services in Nkayi District from next week

The initiative which will run from 15-18, aims to enhance access to comprehensive reproductive health care and empower individuals and couples to make informed choices regarding family planning.

The outreach will kick off on Monday, September 15, at the Sivalo Rural Health Centre (RHC) and its outreach site. This will be followed by activities at various locations each day:

Tuesday, September 16:
Jabulisa at 9:00 AM
Ngabayide at 2:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17:
Sebhumane at 9:00 AM
Nesigwe RHC at 10:00 AM
Thursday, September 18:
Mateme RHC at 9:00 AM
Sembeule at 10:00 AM

The services offered during this campaign include:

Loop insertion and removal
Implant insertion and removal
Depo Provera injections
Secure and control pills
Emergency contraceptive pills
Counselling on reproductive health issues

In the community

Hwange driver convicted for negligent driving

Published

4 days ago

September 10, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 24-year-old Hwange man has been convicted for negligent driving following an incident that left a pedestrian severely injured.

The hearing took place at the Hwange Magistrates’ Courts, where the National Prosecuting Authority laid out the details of the case against Ndabezinhle Moyo.

On 21 November last year, Moyo was driving a Toyota Hilux along an unnamed road in Phase 4, when he collided with a pedestrian.

According to the prosecution, the vehicle struck the pedestrian with its left view mirror, resulting in a fractured lower limb. The victim was promptly taken to St. Patrick’s Hospital for medical treatment.

The state presented its case against Moyo, highlighting two key points of negligence. First, they argued that Moyo failed to maintain proper control of his vehicle, a crucial aspect of safe driving. Second, they contended that Moyo did not take reasonable action to prevent the accident when it became apparent that a collision was imminent.

During the proceedings, Moyo was found guilty as charged. The magistrate imposed a fine of US$600, emphasizing the importance of road safety and the consequences of negligent driving. Alternatively, if Moyo fails to pay the fine, he faces a six-month imprisonment sentence.

Additionally, he was ordered to surrender his driver’s license for endorsement, a decision meant to underscore the gravity of his actions and to encourage safer driving practices in the future.

In the community

Woman connives with boyfriend to kill step mother

Published

1 week ago

September 4, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A chilling murder case has unfolded in Tsholotsho, where a 34-year-old woman, Linnar Muzimela, and her boyfriend, Nkosi, are being sought by police for allegedly killing Muzimela’s 58-year-old step mother, Jenifer Dube.

According to the police, the brutal murder occurred in Magotsha Line in May 2025. The suspects allegedly buried Dube’s body in a shallow grave in the garden, where it was later retrieved by police on Tuesday, this week.

Police are now appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of Muzimela and Nkosi. The motive behind the murder is still unclear, but the police are working tirelessly to piece together the events surrounding Dube’s tragic death.