Harare Demolitions Begin: Council Cracks Down on Over 160 Illegal Settlement Sites

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  In a sweeping move to restore order to Harare’s chaotic urban expansion, the City of Harare has launched a major demolition campaign targeting over 160 illegal settlements across the capital. The action follows recommendations from the Town Clerk’s Office and the City’s Regularisation Task Force, which identified more than 222 illegal developments on wetlands, school sites, and low-density areas—all falling outside the scope of the national regularisation agenda. The demolitions are part of a broader effort to align with the National Human Settlement Policy and National Development…

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Zimbabwe Commemorates International Day of the Midwife with Call for Greater Support

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere in Chinhoyi Zimbabwe on Wednesday commemorated the 2025 International Day of the Midwife (IDM) with renewed calls to strengthen the capacity of midwives, particularly in times of crisis. Despite limited resources, midwives have played a pivotal role in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality. The IDM is traditionally held on May 5 across the globe and this year’s theme is, “Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis.” Speaking at the national commemorations in Chinhoyi, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Hon. Sleiman Kwidini emphasized the need to value and…

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WHO Unveils New Leadership Team Amid Sweeping Structural Reforms and Workforce Reductions

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced a major overhaul of its leadership and internal structure, reflecting a decisive push to improve cost efficiency and sharpen its focus on core health priorities. Speaking from Geneva, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus laid out the scale of the transformation, which includes deep organizational restructuring and significant reductions in staff numbers. In short, we are leaving no stone unturned in our efforts to improve cost efficiency,” said Dr Tedros. “But even so, the hard truth is that we need…

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From Perpetrator to Advocate: A Bindura Man’s Journey to Break the Cycle of Gender-Based Violence

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere recently in Kadoma An often-overlooked consequence of gender-based violence (GBV), is the bitter aftertaste it leaves on future generations—a legacy stained by silence, shame, and isolation. Chadwick Mangwiro* (not his real name), a man rooted in African family values, takes pride in his totem, Shumba—a name held dear by his father, relatives, and community. Yet behind this proud identity lies a painful past. His father, once a perpetrator of GBV, eventually turned a corner, committing himself to love and support his wife. Following in those reformed footsteps,…

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Zimbabwe’s Agriculture Ministry Receives ICT Equipment to Enhance Fodder Data Collection

Kuda Pembere

By Kuda Pembere In a move aimed at strengthening livestock policy through data-driven insights, Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development has received a consignment of ICT equipment to enhance the collection and management of feed and fodder data nationwide. The equipment — including six laptops, two desktop computers, and a printer — was purchased by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) through its Resilient African Feed and Fodder Systems (RAFFS) project. It was handed over to the Zimbabwe Feed and Fodder Multistakeholder Platform…

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Zimbabwe Joins Rollout of First-Ever Oral Treatment for Deadly Sleeping Sickness

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is among five African countries that have started administering the world’s first all-oral treatment for Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense sleeping sickness—a rare but deadly disease that has long affected communities in East and Southern Africa. The development marks a turning point in the fight against this neglected tropical disease, especially in endemic regions like Zimbabwe, where tsetse fly infestations remain a concern. The new drug, Fexinidazole Winthrop, is now being offered free of charge in specialized treatment centres in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Zambia. Its approval…

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Africa CDC Denies World Bank Ordered Layoffs, Clarifies Internal Staffing Review

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has strongly refuted claims that the World Bank directed the institution to cut dozens of staff positions, describing the assertion as factually incorrect and misleading. In an official statement issued on 12 May 2025, Africa CDC expressed concern over a recent article published by Devex, titled “Exclusive: World Bank directs Africa CDC to cut dozens of positions.” The organization said the headline and the article’s framing risk distorting internal developments that are part of a broader strategic…

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Motherhood and peer education roles help Melissa to reshape her life and prepares her for the future.

Michael Gwarisa

By Own Correspondent  Melissa Sibanda is a 25-year-old single mother who lives in Reuben, Epworth in the outskirts of Harare. For a year, she served as a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) peer educator in the Adolescents Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH) project, a project that provides comprehensive SRH healthcare to adolescents and young people in Mbare and Epworth suburbs. Melissa’s first hurdle in life was falling pregnant at an early age of 19. Difficult as it was, today, she looks back at how her experiences of motherhood and being a peer…

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Half of UNAIDS Employees Set to Lose Jobs Amid Major Restructuring

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa UNAIDS is set to cut half of its workforce as the organization grapples with significant funding shortfalls and a shifting global donor landscape. According to internal communications, staff were informed during a town hall meeting on Tuesday that the number of employees will be reduced from around 600 to between 280 and 300. The move is part of a broader restructuring effort triggered by deep funding cuts from traditional donors, including the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia. In response, UNAIDS is considering relocating many positions…

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US Cuts UNFPA Funding, Threatening Millions of Lives and Maternal Health Gains Globally

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, has expressed deep regret following the United States government’s decision to halt future funding to the organization, a move that could reverse decades of progress in maternal health and reproductive rights. The US government announced its intention to cut funding by invoking the Kemp-Kasten Amendment, citing long-debunked claims about UNFPA’s alleged involvement in coercive reproductive practices in China. Multiple independent investigations, including by US government agencies, have found no evidence to support these allegations.…

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