BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Hwange East legislator Joseph Bonda has called on the government to address what he describes as the marginalisation of the Nambya language in schools, arguing that current teacher deployment policies are undermining early learning in Matabeleland North.

According to the National Assembly’s official record of 7 April 2026, Bonda formally asked the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to explain why trained Nambya-speaking teachers are not being employed in Hwange District while non-speakers are posted to the area.

He said the practice was “depriving children of receiving instruction in their mother tongue at the early education stage”, which he described as critical to both educational outcomes and cultural development.

Under Zimbabwe’s language policy framework, learners are expected to be taught in their mother language in the early grades. Critics say failure to align teacher deployment with local languages weakens that principle in practice.

Despite the concerns raised, the matter remains unresolved in Parliament. The inquiry was deferred on 18 March and, at the latest sitting, the ministry had yet to provide a formal response.

Parents in the district say the issue has direct consequences for children’s performance.

“Our children are disadvantaged from the start,” said Ester Ncube, a parent in Jambezi under Chief Shana. “If a child cannot understand the teacher in Grade One, it affects everything that follows.”

Community leaders argue that the debate goes beyond classroom instruction and touches on identity.

“Language is part of who we are,” said local elder Eliziya Vashe Shoko. “If schools do not teach in Nambya, we are slowly losing our identity. Government must take this seriously.”

Young professionals in the province say the challenge is not a shortage of qualified personnel but gaps in recruitment and deployment.

“There are trained teachers who speak Nambya, Lozvi, Chidombe and other local languages, but they are not being deployed here,” said Lindiwe Sibanda, a recent graduate.

“At the same time, teachers from outside are brought in. It does not make sense. These languages should be prioritised so that communities feel a sense of belonging and respect.”

The language dispute forms part of a wider push for regional equity in Matabeleland North. Bonda has also raised concerns over local employment quotas in the wildlife sector and what he describes as the exclusion of Hwange from national weather forecasts. He argues that these issues reflect a broader mismatch between national policy and local needs.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Hwange East legislator, Joseph Bonda, has taken the fight for local employment in wildlife conservation to Parliament, questioning why communities living alongside dangerous animals are being sidelined in job opportunities.

In a question directed to the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Bonda pressed for clarity on what measures are in place to ensure that residents of Hwange District are prioritised for employment by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority. He argued that locals, who bear the brunt of human-wildlife conflict, should be first in line for jobs in the sector.

The matter, however, did not receive an immediate response in the National Assembly and was deferred on 18 March 2026, leaving the concerns unresolved for now. 

Bonda’s intervention has resonated strongly with communities in Hwange, where wildlife is both a resource and a risk.

“We live with these animals every day”

In Mabale, local villager Sibangani Ndlovu said it is unfair that outsiders benefit from jobs linked to wildlife while locals face constant danger.

“We live with these animals every day. Elephants destroy our crops, sometimes people are injured or killed. But when jobs come, they go to people from far away. That is not right,” he said.

“Employment should be compensation too”

Another r, Memory Moyo from Dete, said employment in parks and safari operations should be viewed as part of community compensation.

“If we are expected to conserve wildlife, then we must also benefit. Jobs are one of the biggest benefits. Otherwise, people will start to see animals as a burden, not a resource.”

Youth feel locked out

Young people in the district say lack of access to jobs in the wildlife sector is worsening unemployment.

Talent Ncube, a youth from Hwange, said many qualified locals are overlooked.

“We have people trained in tourism and conservation here, but they are not getting opportunities. It discourages us as young people because we feel excluded from our own resources.”

Growing pressure on government

Bonda’s question adds to mounting pressure on government to align conservation efforts with community benefits, especially in areas like Hwange where human-wildlife conflict is frequent.

With the issue now formally raised in Parliament, residents say they are waiting to see whether authorities will respond with concrete policy changes—or whether, like many rural concerns, it will remain unresolved.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The City of Victoria Falls has launched a promotional campaign offering prizes ranging from solar power systems to helicopter rides to encourage residents to settle their utility bills and rates.

The initiative, titled the “Pay and Stand a Chance to Win Promotion,” began on April 2, 2026, and is scheduled to run in three-month cycles through the end of the year. According to a notice issued by Town Clerk Ronnie Dube, the program aims to have residents work together to contribute to the continued growth and improvement of the city.

To qualify for the draws, domestic customers in high-density suburbs must pay at least 30% of their outstanding balance or a minimum of US$100. Residents in medium and low-density suburbs are required to pay at least 30% of their debt or a minimum of US$200.

The city is offering a tiered prize structure to incentivize different levels of payment. Four 3KVA solar systems are reserved as grand prizes for residents who achieve a zero-balance account. Other prizes in the pool include four refrigerators, four gas stoves, and 100 solar lights.

Leveraging its status as a World Heritage Site, the city is also offering four “Flight of Angels” helicopter rides, four boat cruise tickets, and four complimentary dinner tickets for two. Consolation prizes such as city-branded T-shirts will also be available.

The first draw is scheduled for the second week of July, followed by a second draw in October. The final and grand draw will take place in the second week of January 2027. Residents can enter by making payments at Council Pay Points and dropping their receipts into designated entry boxes.