Uncategorized

Zimbabwe banks on cows as inflation soars

Published

3 years ago

August 29, 2022

HARARE – They are an investment on four hooves. Cattle have become a safe financial option for some Zimbabweans.

Hyperinflation in the southern African nation has led to a loss of public confidence in banks and conventional pension systems.

Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate jumped to 192% in June, the highest level over a year. The reason behind this is the war in Ukraine, which is driving global commodity prices higher.

Over the last 20 years, many citizens have lost savings in banks and pension funds.

The “mooing bank”

Some are now looking for safer ways to protect their investments. And one option is investing in cattle.

Ted Edwards is the chief executive officer of Silverback Asset Managers, which some also mockingly call a “mooing bank.”

It is a unit trust primarily based on cattle. But, according to Edwards, business is booming.

“Cows seem to be a safe option for some,” Edwards said, adding that some asset management companies are creatively coming up with the old tradition of investing in cattle to create wealth for investors.

Edward’s asset company has established a unit trust investment vehicle where citizens can invest in cattle using the local currency.

Cattle holds stable value

Over time, cattle have proven that they can absorb inflationary shocks, Edwards told DW.

“What we have done is to create a unit trust fund called Mombe Mari trust fund. We have essentially unitized cattle into the trust fund as a means of attracting investment into the cattle industry.”

Currently, one unit is equivalent to hundred kilograms of live cattle.

“It is open to investment for anyone out there who wants to buy units in the unit trust.”

While a cattle unit trust may be a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe, cattle have traditionally been a source of wealth for rural farmers.

Investing in cows gives you more control: farmer

In the southern part of Zimbabwe, a region predominantly suitable for cattle ranching, farmer Zenzele Ndebele says he has never regretted investing in cattle.

Ndebele has managed to withstand the inflation pressures that the country is experiencing.

“I have a certain control over what I can do with my cattle,” Ndebele told DW.

“You can really calculate. Your cattle will add value over a period. Then, you can sell if you want to sell.”

Cattle essentially retain their value regardless of inflation swings.

In addition, they yield value long-term due to their potential reproduction rate of around one calf a year.

How the cow scheme works

While a group of investors can, for example, invest in a whole cow, individuals can buy shares in a cow or calf.

When a cow produces offspring, the value of that calf is added to the client’s portfolio.

Male calves can later be sold as a bull, and proceeds are used to procure the equivalent value in female calves.

Selling high-quality specimens also adds to the returns.

Risks involved: Droughts and diseases

Cattle have long been considered a measure of wealth across Africa.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), livestock accounts for 35 percent to 38 percent of Zimbabwe’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Investing in livestock has its own challenges though. Just as monetary investments could be eroded by inflation, cattle can be affected by droughts and diseases.

However, economists like Gift Mugano say the investment option is far much safer in a volatile environment like Zimbabwe.

Gold coins or cash cows?

“To have investments in cows or animals is a better investment opportunity than gold coins,” Mugano told DW.

“When the animals drop their offspring, that is your interest rate. It is a better bank than going to the bank and put money that is eroded by inflation.”

Zimbabwe’s central bank started selling gold coins to the public in July to help protect people’s savings against the country’s runaway inflation.

The gold coins are sold in local currency, US dollar, and other foreign currencies.

The Mosi-oa-Tunya gold coin, named after Victoria Falls, is mostly made of gold and can be used for purchases in shops as well as be used as security for loans and credit facilities. – DW

National

Zimbabwe fast-tracks approval of long-acting HIV prevention drug Lenacapavir

Published

10 hours ago

November 25, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Zimbabwe has taken a major step in the fight against HIV following the rapid approval of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking long-acting injectable for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) authorised the drug in just 23 days, marking one of the fastest regulatory approvals in the country’s history.

The application, submitted by pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences in October, underwent an expedited review because of its public health importance. MCAZ says the fast-tracked process did not compromise scientific scrutiny, with the product subjected to a rigorous assessment of its safety, efficacy and quality.

Lenacapavir is designed for adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg who are HIV-negative but at substantial risk of infection. Unlike traditional daily oral PrEP, the medicine is administered as a six-monthly injection, following an initiation phase that includes one injection and oral tablets on Days 1 and 2. Health authorities say this long-acting formulation could dramatically improve adherence and expand prevention options, particularly for communities where daily pill-taking is difficult.

MCAZ Director-General Richard T. Rukwata described the approval as a landmark moment in Zimbabwe’s HIV response.

“The rapid approval of Lenacapavir reflects MCAZ’s dedication to accelerating access to trusted, high-quality health products. This milestone brings new hope for HIV prevention and reinforces our commitment to safeguarding public health,” he said.

To fast-track the process, the Authority applied a regulatory reliance approach, drawing on scientific assessments from the World Health Organization’s Prequalification Programme (WHO PQ). This allowed evaluators to build on internationally recognised review processes while ensuring Zimbabwe’s own standards were met.

The introduction of Lenacapavir comes as Zimbabwe continues efforts to reduce new HIV infections, particularly among young people and key populations who face barriers to consistent PrEP use. Public health experts say the drug’s twice-yearly dosing could be a game changer in improving uptake and protection.

MCAZ says it remains committed to ensuring Zimbabweans have access to safe, effective and good-quality medical products, in line with its mandate under the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

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ZimParks to host first-ever International Wildlife Conservation symposium

Published

1 month ago

October 17, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) will hold its inaugural International Wildlife Conservation Symposium under the theme “Wildlife Conservation and Sustainable Development.”

The two-day event, scheduled for October 22 to 23, next week, will take place at the Management Training Bureau in Msasa, Harare. It will bring together conservationists, researchers, policymakers, and students to discuss key issues around wildlife protection and sustainable development.

The symposium will focus on eight sub-themes, namely Wildlife Conservation and Transboundary Management, Freshwater, Fisheries and Aquatic Management, Sustainable Tourism and Socio-Economic Development, Human-Wildlife Interactions, Environmental Health and Safety, Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Community-Based Natural Resource Management, and Natural Resource Policy and Governance.

ZimParks says the symposium will provide a platform to exchange ideas and deepen understanding of the link between wildlife conservation and sustainable development. Members of the public, students, and professionals are encouraged to attend.

National

CCC legislators in road accident, Nkulumane MP dies

Published

2 months ago

October 10, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

One Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator has died while four others were seriously injured in a road accident that occurred early Friday morning near Shangani along Bulawayo-Harare highway.

CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi confirmed the accident, saying it happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. when the vehicle carrying the members collided with an elephant.

“The vehicle hit an elephant along the Shangani area, and unfortunately Honourable Desire Moyo, the Member of Parliament for Ngulumane, died on the scene,” Nkwananzi said.

He added that the other occupants — Honourable Madalaboy Ndebele, Senator Rittah Ndlovu, Honourable Sethulo Ndebele, and Libion Sibanda — sustained serious injuries and were rushed to a hospital in Bulawayo.

Nkwananzi said he was deeply shocked by Moyo’s death, as he had met him just yesterday in Harare.

“I had seen Moyo yesterday and we spent about an hour chatting outside Jamieson Hotel about the party and our future plans for national development,” he said. “I’m gutted by his passing. It’s a huge loss for the party.”

He conveyed his condolences to the Moyo family and wished a speedy recovery and strength to the families of the other CCC members who remain in critical condition.

He said further details, including the name of the hospital where the injured are receiving treatment, would be released once confirmed.

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