Regional

BOTSWANA’S PRESIDENT MASISI CONCEDES DEFEAT

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  By Online Desk In a landmark moment for Botswana’s democracy, President Mokgweetsi Masisi has conceded defeat after his ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) suffered a huge loss in the country’s general elections held this week. The BDP, which has held power since Botswana gained independence in 1966, secured only four parliamentary seats as of today afternoon counts. The opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by Duma Boko, emerged victorious. In a concession speech this morning, Masisi acknowledged his party’s defeat, stating, “The party got it wrong big time.” He pledged to ensure a smooth transition of power and urged his supporters to remain calm and rally behind the new government. Masisi also congratulated UDC leader Duma Boko in a phone call, offering guidance and support during the transition period. Duma Boko, a 54-year-old former human rights lawyer, hailed the election outcome as a significant milestone for Botswana’s democracy. “What has happened today takes our democracy to a higher level,” Boko said. “It now means we’ve seen a successful, peaceful, orderly democratic transition.” The UDC’s victory marks the first time in 58 years that the BDP has lost power.

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4,465 GRADUATE AT GREAT ZIMBABWE UNIVERSITY

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By Lastword Musekiwa President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Chancellor of Great Zimbabwe University, has today presided over the university’s 18th graduation ceremony, where 4,465 students received their degrees. At least 56% of the graduates were female. The ceremony saw Masvingo Minister of State and Provincial Affairs, Ezra Chadzamira, graduating with a master’s degree. Among the graduates was also musician Jonah Moyo, who received an honorary Doctorate degree in Philosophy in Creative and Performing Arts. Moyo’s music career spans over four decades, beginning in 1975. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo highlighted the university’s commitment to social responsibility through its Law School’s law clinic, which provides free legal advice to the less privileged. Great Zimbabwe University continues to expand its offerings, with plans to introduce a School of Mining inline with the university’s focus on Heritage-Based Education 5.0, which encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. Some students are already engaged in income-generating projects as part of this initiative.

Regional

Kenyan new Deputy President sworn in

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Online Desk  Kenya’s new Deputy President Kithure Kindiki was sworn in on Friday after a court lifted orders barring his inauguration following weeks of legal challenges by his predecessor, who was impeached by parliament last month. The Senate voted to remove Rigathi Gachagua, the previous deputy president, from office in October on charges including gross violation of the constitution and stirring ethnic hatred – accusations that he rejects and has dismissed as politically motivated. Kenya’s High Court had put Kindiki’s inauguration on hold after Gachagua and his supporters filed over 30 court challenges to prevent his dismissal and replacement. But the stay order was lifted on Thursday, with judges saying that the deputy president position should not remain vacant according to the constitution. Gachagua’s legal battles extended months of political turbulence in the country, East Africa’s largest economy, that began with nationwide protests against unpopular tax hikes in June.

Local

ZIMBABWE MALARIA UPDATE: 330 NEW CASES REPORTED, NO DEATHS

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  By Online Desk Zimbabwe has recorded 330 new malaria cases and zero deaths according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s Disease Surveillance Report for the week ending October 20, 2024, – 330 new cases – Zero deaths – Highest affected provinces are Mashonaland Central (136 cases) and Manicaland (75 cases) – Cumulative Figures: – 37,450 malaria cases – 82 deaths Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease. Early diagnosis and treatment reduce disease severity, prevent deaths, and contribute to reducing transmission.

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Early war stalwart Chirinda declared national hero

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  By Online Desk The Zanu PF Politburo has conferred national hero status on Jaison William Chezhira Chakaipa Chirinda, who was one of the early cadres to receive military training before waging the liberation struggle. An Extraordinary Zanu PF Politburo meeting chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the ruling party’s First Secretary, was convened in Harare yesterday to deliberate on the hero status of Chirinda. Chirinda(82) died on October 27, 2024 owing to diabetic-related complications and Zanu PF Mashonaland Central Province submitted a request that he be conferred with the highest honour owing to his illustrious exploits during the liberation struggle. He was one of the decorated military cadres who were involved in the first military operation against the Rhodesian forces in the Sinoia area, now Chinhoyi, where he led one of the two groups deployed for an offensive against the Rhodesians. He was later arrested and served time in prison together with President Mnangagwa, who was serving a life term for his role in fighting the Ian Smith regime. During yesterday’s Extraordinary Politburo meeting, President Mnangagwa said the indaba was convened to consider Chirinda’s hero status. He directed Zanu PF Acting Secretary-General, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, to read out a letter from the party’s Mashonaland Central Province recommending the conferment of national hero status on Chirinda. Briefing journalists after the Politburo meeting, Zanu PF Secretary for Information and Publicity Christopher Mutsvangwa, said there was unanimity among Politburo members on the need to confer the highest honour on Chirinda. He said Zanu PF national chairman, Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, was tasked with conveying the message to the family of Chirinda in Madziva, Mashonaland Central Province, last night. The burial date has been set for Monday next week.

Regional

Botswana counts votes after pivotal election

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  Online Desk People in Botswana are waiting for results of Wednesday’s election which could extend the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s 58-year rule. Earlier in the day, the main opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) leader Duma Boko voiced concerns about the exercise. “We are worried about all these things because they speak to the integrity of the process and they tell you that we’re dealing with an IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) that is hellbent on ensuring that we do not have free, fair and credible elections, but we make do with what we have,” said Boko. Ballot counting began as soon polling closed at 17:00 GMT. But some voting stations stayed open long after the official closing time to allow voters queuing up to cast their ballots. The election will determine the makeup of the diamond-rich southern African country’s parliament, and lawmakers will later choose the president. The ruling party won won 38 of 57 contested seats in the last election in 2019. President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a 63-year-old former high school teacher, is seeking a second and final term. A party needs to win at least 31 parliament seats to be declared as the winner.

International, Regional

WHO reports record 8 million TB cases last year

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  Online Desk More than 8 million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis last year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, the highest number recorded since the U.N. health agency began keeping track. About 1.25 million people died of TB last year, the new report said, adding that TB likely returned to being the world’s top infectious disease killer after being replaced by COVID-19 during the pandemic. The deaths are almost double the number of people killed by HIV in 2023. WHO said TB continues to mostly affect people in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Western Pacific; India, Indonesia, China, the Philippines and Pakistan account for more than half of the world’s cases. “The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it and treat it,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. TB deaths continue to fall globally, however, and the number of people being newly infected is beginning to stabilize. The agency noted that of the 400,000 people estimated to have drug-resistant TB last year, fewer than half were diagnosed and treated. Tuberculosis is caused by airborne bacteria that mostly affect the lungs. Roughly a quarter of the global population is estimated to have TB, but only about 5-10% of those develop symptoms. Advocacy groups, including Doctors Without Borders, have long called for the U.S. company Cepheid, which produces TB tests used in poorer countries, to make them available for $5 per test to increase availability. Earlier this month, Doctors Without Borders and 150 global health partners sent Cepheid an open letter calling on them to “prioritize people’s lives” and to urgently help make TB testing more widespread globally.

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AFRICA URGED TO MAINSTREAM CLIMATE EXPERTISE IN HEALTH SECTOR

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  By Lastword Musekiwa The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO-AFRO) has called on African health ministries to integrate climate change experts into their departments to effectively address the growing climate-health challenges. Speaking at a high-level ministerial side meeting of the Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) in Harare yesterday, WHO-AFRO Director, Healthier Populations Cluster, Dr. Adelheid Onyango, emphasized the importance of climate expertise in health departments. Dr. Onyango “The health sector needs to identify the talent, the expertise and to get them equipped for us to send our best team forward as a region so that we get the best results as far as climate adaptation is concerned on the continent,” Dr. Onyango said. As the Director of the Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations Cluster, Dr. Onyango provides strategic leadership for WHO’s work with governments, development partners, civil society groups, and communities to promote and protect the health and well-being of all population groups in the WHO African Region . The high-level ministerial meeting, organized by WHO-AFRO and Wellcome Trust, aimed to develop strategies ahead of the 29th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) scheduled for next month in Baku, Azerbaijan. Speaking at the same event, Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care Minister and chairperson of the SADC Health Ministers Committee, Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, implored African health ministers to take the lead in ensuring their governments deliver on climate commitments. Dr. Mombeshora “Commitments are critical to safeguarding the health and well-being of the continent’s population. However, these commitments need to be operationalized and implemented. This calls for political commitment and leadership by Health Ministers to strategically implement with the Finance and Environment sectors in national climate action, capacity building, and the mobilization of resources to implement,” Dr. Mombeshora stressed. CHAC 2024, hosted by the Centre for Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife, and the Ministry of Health and Child Care, brings together researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to address the impacts of climate change on health and well-being in Africa.

Local, Top Stories

President Mnangagwa set to officially open first Climate and Health Africa Conference in Harare

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President Emmerson Mnangagwa is at Cresta Lodge in Harare where he is set to officially open the inaugural Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC 2024) which kicked off yesterday with different presentations by researchers on the impact of climate change on the health and wellbeing of people. #CHAC2024 aims to tackle the detrimental impacts of climate change on health and wellbeing of African. The conference is hosted by the Centre for Sexual Health,HIV and AIDS Research (CeSHHAR) Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Zimbabwean Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife and the Ministry of Health and Childcare. CHAC 2024 will incorporate cutting-edge research evidence into understanding climate-health mechanisms, the health impacts, effective adaptation and mitigation intervention strategies, equitable climate research, and discuss how to effectively translate research into policy. ag

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ZIMBABWE MAKES PROGRESS IN FOOD DEFICIT MITIGATION EFFORTS

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  By Online Desk Government says it has made significant strides in addressing food insecurity through its Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy and Urban Cash Transfer Programme. In a post Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday, Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr. Jenfan Muswere said: “Cabinet considered a report on the Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy and Urban Transfer Programme as presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Honourable July Moyo. “The nation is informed that under the 2nd Blitz Food distribution, a cumulative total of 94 527.64 metric tonnes has been moved across the nation as at 22nd October, 2024, out of the expected 139 854. 94 metric tonnes of cereal which translates to 62.7% coverage. “The grain was distributed to vulnerable and food insecure people across the country’s provinces as follows: a) Manicaland, 17 443. 58 metric tonnes; b) Mashonaland Central, 10 276.49 metric tonnes; c) Mashonaland East,17 525.21 metric tonnes; d) Mashonaland West, 10 987. 69 metric tonnes; e) Masvingo, 12 380.14 metric tonnes; f) Matabeleland North, 8 605.99 metric tonnes; g) Matabeleland South, 6 460.64 metric tonnes; and h) Midlands, 10 847.90 metric tonnes.”   The Minister added that over 4 300 metric tonnes has been collected to date by traditional leaders accross the country. “Furthermore, a total of 4 362.51 metric tonnes has been collected to date by Chiefs across all provinces under the Zunde RaMambo/Isiphala Senkosi Strategic Grain Reserve Distribution Programme. “Disbursement of funds to beneficiaries with correct details has since commenced under the Urban Cash for cereal Programme and a total of 28 726 beneficiaries have been reached with cash disbursements as at 28th October 2024. “Under the School Feeding Programme a cumulative total of 17 250.80 metric tonnes mealie-meal/ maize grain had been collected as at 25th October, 2024,” said Minister Muswere.

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