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By NQOBANI NDLOVU THE Affirmative Action Group (AAG) has taken the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to task for failing to authorise a vehicle parking management tender deal, resulting in potential revenue losses. AAG in a statement said the financial challenges faced by council could be eased if it regularised a parking tender deal which was awarded to a local private company in 2019. The parking tender caused divisions among city fathers, a development that saw government probing the tender process. “Nothing has been seen on the ground to show any development. “This is revenue loss to the council yet there is nothing on the side of management to show the urgency to push implementation of the deal,” the AAG statement read. “There is always urgency (by council) in pushing up rates and charges to residents. Who is really benefiting from these tenders? “It must be remembered that this same parking tender was delayed for years in the courts after a legal battle with a company that had links with one of the directors.” Bulawayo town clerk Christopher Dube yesterday said the local authority was still awaiting clearance from the Zimbabwe Development Agency (ZDA) before authorising the vehicle parking management deal. “It was sent back to ZDA for further adjudication and clearance, otherwise before that we can’t do anything. “Normally, clearance has to be sought from a council oversight committee but then this one needs clearance from ZDA,” Dube said. Reports show that one of the companies linked to the parking management system, Harare City Council’s Easypark made an unsolicited bid for the parking management tender. However, questions were raised over engaging Easypark after reports emerged that the company pampered some Bulawayo councillors by booking them into a five-star hotel and provided them with goodies to influence the awarding process. The parking management services tender in Bulawayo was cancelled in 2012 by council despite having been granted to Megalithic Marketing (Private) Limited. In cancelling the tender then, council cited a “shambolic tendering” process. This resulted in a long court battle with the company as it contested the cancellation. In April 2019, BCC shortlisted Ducretion Logistics (Private) Limited and Lauvax Trading (Private) Limited trading as Propark to manage the city’s parking system, but the deal is yet to be finalised.
The post AAG, BCC clash over vehicle parking tender appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.
A Nigeria Railways Corporation official said the train departs Ibadan for Lagos at 8am daily with a return trip scheduled at 4pm.
The Lagos-Ibadan expressway is notorious for heavy trucks and traffic gridlocks that can stretch for several kilometres.
The Lagos-Ibadan line is the first part of a new 2,733km Lagos-Kano standard gauge line. The total cost of the project was valued at $11.117bn.
By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia's situation is 'spiraling out of control with appalling impact on civilians' and urgently needs outside monitoring, the United Nations human rights chief warned Wednesday, but Ethiopia is rejecting calls for independent investigations into the deadly fighting in its Tigray region, saying it 'doesn't need a baby-sitter.' The government's declaration came amid international calls for more transparency into the month-long fighting between Ethiopian forces and those of the fugitive Tigray regional government that is thought to have killed thousands, including civilians. At least one large-scale massacre has been documented by human […]
The post UN: Ethiopia's conflict has 'appalling impact on civilians' appeared first on Black News Channel.
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (AP) - US regulators yesterday released their first scientific evaluation of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine and confirmed it offers strong protection, setting the stage for the government to green-light the biggest vaccination effort in the nation's history.
To receive the latest information about DCPS and policies related to COVID-19 for the 2020-21 academic term, go to DCPSReopenStrong.com to read a family FAQ, explore learning at home schedules by grade, and review health and safety commitments.
CHILD-FOCUSED non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Africa often use international policy guidelines in their efforts to protect children. They also depend on international donors to fund their activities. guest column:Sampson Addo Yeboah NGOs rely on standardised childhood policy frameworks, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Little attention is given to indigenous knowledge on childhood and its inclusion in child-focused interventions. We conducted a study to explore the interplay between these two worlds. The study, using an ethnographic method of participant observation and interviews, explored indigenous knowledge on child protection in a rural cocoa growing community of Ghana. We explored rural parents’ attitudes to an NGO intervention on children’s rights to basic schooling and the illegality of child labour. We focused mainly on the effects of indigenous knowledge on the outcomes of a child-rights based intervention; and interactions between parents and staff of a child-focused NGO. Using ethnographic methods enabled us to capture insights behind practices on rural childhood which would have been impossible with a quantitative approach. Findings from the study shows that parents perspectives on child protection were fundamentally different from those promoted by NGO frontline workers and the UNCRC. Rural parents viewed child protection as providing for the physical wellbeing of children and making sure they were trained in the norms and customs of the community. Based on our findings we recommended that for sustainable child protection interventions in rural Africa, child-focused NGOs working in these settings should meaningfully include local knowledge on childhood in their intervention programmes. This may ensure long-term local ownership by rural stakeholders and sustainability of the intervention. The history The idea of a “normative child” only came into being in Western Europe between the 17th and 19th century. During this period, childhood was constructed as a distinct phase of life separate from adulthood and children were seen as needing an enabling environment to play, receive formal education and to be free from work. Today these constructs are the embodiment of childhood in Western countries and are enshrined in documents such as the UNCRC which has become the conveying instrument of this approach. Organisations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and United Kingdom and US aid bodies work mostly with countries that have ratified the UNCRC. In most African countries, too, the legal construction of what a proper childhood should be is guided by the UNCRC. But, as realised in our study, traditional African childhoods differ from the child-rights based on UNCRC. The organisation and coherence of African childhoods are usefully oriented toward different contextual purposes to those reflected in the UNCRC approach. In traditional African societies, children get to know the ways of their community through family traditions. They work alon
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) commissioner Geoffrey Chada says the commission would look into the issue of the Gukurahundi genocide next year during public hearings. Evans Mathanda Chada said this on Tuesday during an NPRC capacity-building workshop in Harare which discussed the commission's activities to be rolled out next year, including the public hearings. He, however, said the commission was facing challenges in that there was lack of dialogue between the NPRC and citizens, adding that people also did not understand its role. Chada said lack of knowledge on the terms of reference of the NPRC, had hindered progress because people were not presenting complaints to the commission. “Issues like Gukurahundi are actually things that we expect to be raised during our public hearings, however, Gukurahundi is not the only crisis that the commission is going to be dealing with next year,” Chada said. “There are a lot of crisis situations in the country like the issue of resettling of the people in Chiyadzwa and other areas like Chimanimani that have been affected by natural disasters. All these issues of need to be well addressed in order to foster national healing”, he said. Chada said the NPRC was in the process of identifying issues of paramount importance that affected people, including those of electoral violence. “People are also allowed to come before the NPRC and ask whether the reports on the 2018 electoral violence were properly implemented so that they put forward their complaints before the commission. “There is nothing that we will leave behind in dealing with the issues. “We are not going to be challenged by anyone, we will work in accordance with the NPRC Act which empowers us to deal with issues of peace and reconciliation,” he said. Chada said there were a lot of sensitive things that would be exposed next year when the NPRC public hearings began, adding that some of the issues would be new to the media and the people of Zimbabwe.
Many Remember Their British Pop Star
Tuesday marked the 40th anniversary of the death of John Lennon — a quarter of the internationally celebrated English band The Beatles, who was fatally shot outside his New York City apartment building on the evening of December 8, 1980, at coincidentally just 40 years old. His former bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, his surviving widow Yoko — as well as other family members, took to social media to post messages in remembrance of the singer-songwriter.
Four friends from Liverpool, England, formed a music group that would become a worldwide phenomenon in the early 1960s, The Beatles.
The Black-American Influenced Beatles
The rock and roll musical style they adopted had its roots in Black American music and Lennon, in particular, was outspoken on the impact black artists had on the group’s sound and songs. Music stars like Elvis Presley were never known to publicly admit to the imitation and — in several occasions, the alleged outright stealing of musical styles and songs from black American artists who typically did not have access to the same platforms and production technology. A symptom of a structurally and historically racist and segregated society at the time in the USA.
The Beatles, however, were more open and honest about the musical and artistic influences on their songs — even naming highly innovative and legendary black American talents such as Chuck Berry, Arthur Alexander, and Barrett Strong.
Following the band’s breakup, Lennon sent a handwritten response to a piece published by the New York Times entitled 'So in the End, the Beatles Have Proved False Prophets,' accusing the band, among other things, of making off with black music for their own benefit.
Lennon’s reply read, \"We didn’t sing our own songs in the early days — they weren’t good enough. The one thing we always did was to make it known that there were black originals, we loved the music and wanted to spread it in any way we could.”
A sentiment apparently shared by bandmate McCartney who has also admitted, “We were the biggest nickers in town. Plagiarists extraordinaires.”
Nevertheless, both The Beatles and John Lennon were beloved worldwide by many of their fans, who continue to remember him on the anniversary of his passing.
So, on Monday, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) issued a threat against purported and alleged cyber-bullying of government officials including President Emmerson Mnangagwa. editorial comment Interestingly, ZRP issued its statement after Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said colonial masters had turned to social media to “discredit icons like Mnangagwa” who were “working for economic emancipation.” Well, the President is not God, he is very human. If we voted him into office, please allow us to hold him to account. Checks and balances must apply to him too. Didn’t he say he was “a listening president?” If he cannot stand criticism then he should stay out of public office or politics altogether. Perhaps the ZRP needs to furnish us with their definition of cyber-bullying. We may also need to know why we should be limited or be told what to and not to say. Why does the ZRP keep quiet when ordinary Zimbabweans are subjected to cyber-bullying only to grow teeth after politicians give them instructions? But things have changed from the old days of German philosopher Jürgen Habermas’ public sphere. It's high time government accepted that people think, they have hopes and hunger for engagement. It should be easy especially in the internet age where social media has prompted the return of the public sphere. Social media platforms attract millions of users who connect digitally. Looking closely at all alleged cases of cyber-bullying, the people are simply calling on the government to act on corruption, poor governance and lack of accountability. It’s only particular individuals who carry the burden of excessive bootlicking who try to gag people. There should be no intimidatory tactics on social media platforms. Citizens must express their opinions freely. Some issues are tip offs on corrupt activities which the ZRP ignore and focus on threatening people. A government that does not allow for checks and balances is likely to be involved in unconstitutional acts which it fears could be exposed. The arrests of journalist Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume, a politician, and the hounding of another scribe, Mduduzi Mathuthu, are exactly what is wrong with a regime that fears being made to look into the mirror. The media or social media users did not create the animal you see in that mirror. Mnangagwa and his administration should respect freedom of expression and engagement as prescribed by the Constitution. It should sink into politicians' heads that a healthy functioning democracy is premised on the electorate making informed choices based on engagement. Clearly, the government of Zimbabwe wants people to live in fear and not to openly express their wishes and hopes, it’s not new. We saw it even during the Mugabe era. A process where citizens are empowered to participate in public decision-making is an effective means to tackle “democracy deficits” and improve public accountability.
By Associated Press Undefined BEIJING (AP) — The world's highest mountain is now officially a little higher, and that might not be the end of the story. China and Nepal agreed this week on a new standard height for Mount Everest, the rugged Himalayan peak that straddles their border. As definitive as that sounds, geological changes, the complicated business of measuring a mountain and varying criteria for determining the world's highest peak will likely ensure the question isn't settled for good. GEOLOGICAL UPS AND DOWNS The mountain's height changes. The movement of tectonic plates can lift it up ever so […]
The post EXPLAINER: Why did Mount Everest's height change? appeared first on Black News Channel.
Zambia has formally requested a financing arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to deal with its debt crisis, the Fund said in a statement on Tuesday. The IMF is “currently assessing this request,” it said. The administration of President Edgar Lungu released a photo showing him in a meeting with officials of the IMF...
The post Zambia requests for cash from IMF to help navigate debt crisis appeared first on Face2Face Africa.
Alabama Sen. Doug Jones and federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland are emerging as the leading contenders to be nominated... View Article
The post Biden’s attorney general search is focused on Jones, Garland appeared first on TheGrio.
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have begun releasing plans on their inauguration ceremony set for January 20.
Ghana's incumbent president Nana Addo Akufo-Addo has been declared winner of the country's presidential election.
In an announcement on Wednesday, the country's election commission said Akufo Ado had polled 51.59 per cent as against main opposition candidate John Mahama's 47.36 per cent of votes.
\"At the end of the polls, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party, obtained 6,730,413 votes, being 51.595% of the total valid votes cast.\" Jean Mensa, Chairperson of the electoral commission announced before an audience made up of observersm political party officials and journalists.
Last week both leading candidates had signed a solemn undertaking to resolve any electoral disputes through legal channels and called on their supporters to refrain from violence.
Earlier on Wednesday the police said five people had been killed from electoral violence since Monday. The Ghanaian Police Service said it recorded over 60 incidents.
\"Twenty-one of the incidents are true cases of electoral violence, six of which involve gunshots resulting in the death of five,\" it said.
On Tuesday, opposition leader John Mahama warned President Nana Akufo-Addo against any attempt to steal this week's election, as both sides claimed they were winning ahead of official results of the vote.
The elections have largely been deemed free and fair by observers but the strong statement by John Mahama raised tensions after Monday's presidential and parliamentary polls in a country known for stability.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has made changes to next year’s sitting of the Primary Exit Profile (PEP), to take account of the interruption in students’ studies due to the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19)...
Police were deployed in DR Congo's parliament on Tuesday on the second day of clashes sparked by a crisis between Tshisekedi and supporters of his predecessor Joseph Kabila.
At least three people were hurt as rival groups, including lawmakers, brawled and hurled objects before police restored order.
The violence between the two sides started after Tshisekedi said on Sunday he planned to form a new coalition in order to push through reforms.
He warned he might be forced to dissolve parliament and hold fresh elections.
Meanwhile, a petition was filed on Tuesday for the resignation of the president of the National Assembly and Kabila supporter, Jeanine Mabunda, and other members.
The session was mainly attended by deputies who support President Tshisekedi, it was attended by 279 of the 500 lawmakers, said Mboso N'kodia Mpwanga, who chaired the session.
No roll call was made and Mabunda was not present.
The petitions will be considered in a plenary session on Thursday.
Kabila's supporters, the Common Front for the Congo (FCC), which holds more than 300 out of the 500 seats in the National Assembly, accused Tshisekedi of breaching the constitution.
After pro-Tshisekedi lawmakers on Monday trashed the assembly's podium, the plenary room was closed, even though legislators on both sides had called for a legislative session.
The tensions have sparked international alarm, reviving memories of the Democratic Republic of Congo's long record of volatility.
The African Union called on the country's leaders to \"work resolutely and sincerely for national harmony and to preserve peace and stability\".
Isabel dos Santos may be Africa's richest woman but she's just lost another legal battle, this time in the British Virgin Islands.
The Angolan businesswoman targeted in the \"Luanda leaks\" owned 25% of Unitel, Angola's telecommunications operator, which was registered under Vidatel in the British Virgin Islands.
According to a statement by PT Ventures, the supreme court decided, on 19 November, following a lawsuit, to set up judicial administrators for the management of specific assets of Vidatel, Limited, one of Isabel dos Santos's companies registered in the Virgin Islands, transferring to the management all bank accounts held and/or controlled by Vidatel.
The directors will also now control the 25% participation, including the rights inherent to such participation.
The Paris Arbitration Court ordered the \"founding shareholders\" of that telecommunications company to pay PT Ventures two indemnities totalling 654.2 million dollars (568.8 million euros).
The decision was disclosed at the time by Unitel, according to which the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ordered the company to pay compensation of US$339.4 million (295.1 million euros) and US$314.8 million (273.7 million euros).
Meanwhile, Unitel began legal proceedings in London last month against Unitel International Holdings (UIH), owned by Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, to recover a debt of over 350 million euros.
Dos Santos has been accused of embezzlement and money laundering by prosecutors in Angola.
Leaked documents showed how she got access to lucrative land, oil, diamond and telecoms deals when her father was president. They also show how Western firms helped her take her money out of Angola.
She has denied the accusations and alleged corruption revealed by leaked documents. Her fortune is believed to be $2.1 bn.
Black America has historically been skeptical of the medical profession. Nowhere is this more evident than when it comes to... View Article
The post Top 10 things Black Americans need to know about the vaccine appeared first on TheGrio.
One of the escapees is serving a life sentence for various crimes, while the other is serving a 20-year sentence.
Marcia Fudge will be nominated as the next Housing and Urban Development Secretary.
Title: Victor Trammell for Your Black World | Photo credits: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Philadelphia is working together with the city's tourism bureau, Visit Philly, to promote Black businesses that are struggling to stay open amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
[CAJ News] Luanda -- ANGOLAN police and the military have allegedly killed ten people as authorities implement coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions and quash anti-government protests.
THE adage that misfortunes never come single has proven correct for the people of Chipinge and Chimanimani who now suffer the double blow of fighting COVID-19, while at the same time they are also licking the wounds caused by Cyclone Idai which severely damaged their infrastructure. BY MAURICE DUNDU Sadly, most of the victims of this double tragedy are married women whose husbands work in South Africa, while they are left to bear the painful burden of taking care of their children alone. To add to their problems, in most cases their husbands have second wives or concubines in the neighbouring countries where they work. Chipinge has always experienced problems of young men, especially those that fail to make it educationally, and who then opt to travel to South Africa to look for work while leaving behind their families in Zimbabwe. Most of the families that are left behind suffer in times of natural disasters such as Cyclone Idai and during pandemics such as COVID-19. Their situation is further worsened by the fact that most Ndau men from Chipinge take long to return from South Africa as they want to first accumulate money and goods before coming back. Coming home empty handed is considered an insult to the women and children who would have endured the pain of missing them for a long time, only for them to return empty handed. The COVID-19 lockdown bailout package for workers in foreign countries also does not consider the plight of the poor women and children in Zimbabwe. The workers also have been struggling to survive during the lockdown period in that country, which means that after the relaxation of the lockdown period they have to work first to get more money before dreaming of coming back. A Ndau man who works in South Africa known as Baba aKali said coming back home after the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown will take long as he needs to work to make up for the time and money lost during lockdown. “Coming home will take long for many workers here as they need to recover the money lost during the lockdown period. Life here is not that rosy. It is difficult with this COVID-19,” aKali said. Audience Zondwayo from Chipinge West said the COVID-19 pandemic has further worsened the situation in Chipinge where people are still struggling to recover from the effects of Cyclone Idai. Zondwayo said some women whose husbands work in South Africa have started small businesses like vending, and market gardening as they tried to recover from the effects of Cyclone Idai. “After Cyclone Idai people resorted to vending to ameliorate hunger, but during the COVID-19 lockdown period their wares like vegetables got rotten as they could not go out to sell them,” Zondwayo said. He said this deprived the women from income to support their children given that their husbands were either also struggling or supporting other women in foreign lands. The women whose husbands work in foreign lands end up suffering materially, emotionally and they are also sex starved. Unfortunately for them, while their husbands can have concubines or sec
