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PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has been dragged to court by one of the families of the trapped miners in Esigodini, Matabeleland South which is demanding that the mine collapse be declared a disaster to allow for rescue efforts. By NQOBANI NDLOVU Six artisanal miners Nkosilathi Ndlovu (29), Christopher Dube (23), Ndumiso Dube (19), Blessed Ncube (24), Nduduzo Ntini (28) and another only identified as Mlilo have been trapped underground since November 10 when flash floods triggered the collapse of their mine shaft. Government, has however, abandoned rescue efforts saying the mission was too risky following advice given by chief government mining engineer Michael Munodawafa, dashing hopes of any rescue efforts. Munodawafa also noted that it would take over a year of continuous work before any success was achieved as the area “is characterised by friable ground, loose rock material and debris posing the danger for further collapse.” In an urgent chamber application filed at the Bulawayo High Court on Monday, Patience Ncube, mother to one of the trapped miners Nkosilathi, appealed for an order directing Mnangagwa and government agencies to implement an emergency rescue operation. “That the 5th respondent declares Matshetshe Mine collapse a disaster within the meaning of section 27 of the Civil Protection Unit Act. “That the provincial civil protection officer Matabeleland South province must within 48 hours of this order direct the 4th respondent within his area to prepare an emergency plan for the rescue/evacuation of the trapped miners or their bodies,” the application filed on behalf of the family by its lawyers Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, read in part. Mine owner Sakhile Ndlovu, Umzingwane Rural District Council, Provincial Co-ordinator for Matabeleland South province, Local Government ministry (Civil Protection Unit), Mines and Mining Development ministry and Mnangagwa are cited as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents, respectively. “That such emergency plan, referred to in 1, be compiled and submitted to the provincial civil protection officer, Matabeleland South within 24 hours of his direction. “Implementation of the emergency plan must begin, subject to the availability of resources, within 48 hours of such submission to the provincial civil protection officer, Matabeleland South.” According to the family, the miners or their bodies have to be retrieved to enable them to find closure. “One of the mothers of my sons’ fellow co-workers has actually developed a psychological illness and is currently admitted at Ingutsheni mental hospital as a result of this accident. “It is, therefore, important for us as families to find closure in this issue and possibly be allowed to do traditional family rites,” the application read. The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development recently visited the mine on a fact-finding mission to establish what transpired and to come up with recommendations on how to deal with the situation.
A November 26 letter from the presidency asked the head of Uganda's national drug authority to 'work out a mechanism' to clear the importation of the vaccines.
China has about five COVID-19 vaccine candidates at different levels of trials. It was not clear what vaccine was being imported into Uganda.
One of the frontrunners is the Sinopharm vaccine developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Product, a unit of Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG).
On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates said the vaccine has 86% efficacy, citing an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials.
China has used the drug to vaccinate up to a million people under its emergency use program.
On Tuesday, Morocco said it was ordering up to 10 million doses of the vaccine.
Record cases
Uganda on Monday registered 701 new COVID-19 cases, the highest-ever daily increase, bringing its national count to 23,200.
The new cases were out of the 5,578 samples tested for the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said in a statement.
Tuesday's tally was 606, the second-highest ever number of new infections, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the east African country to 23,860.
Health authorities have blamed ongoing election campaigns which have drawn huge crowds for the rise in infections.
While the CDC said there should be enough doses for as many as 20 million people to receive vaccination by the end of December, health officials expect a much larger supply in the coming months. Still, with a justified distrust of unproven vaccines, and a perceived limited participation by African Americans in clinical the trials that lead to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine, many question whether African Americans will accept vaccination.
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.
BULAWAYO youths linked to the militant Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) on Friday stopped a mining syndicate from prospecting for gold in the Matobo Hills World Heritage Site. BY NQOBANI NDLOVU In September, government bowed to pressure from Domboshaba villagers in Matobo district, Matabeleland South, and stopped a mining syndicate from conducting mining operations within the heritage site. This was after miners calling themselves Mazinahue Syndicate wanted to engage in mining activities armed with a fake prospecting licence from the Mines and Mining Development ministry to prospect for gold, but they were stopped by locals. In the latest incident, the mining syndicate returned to resume operations but was overpowered by locals who ganged up with MRP youths to stop them. “It appears the measure (evict ion of the syndicate in September) was just temporary, meant to blindfold MRP and Matobo community,” the MRP president Mqondisi Moyo said. “This is confirmed by the return of the invaders two weeks ago, and this time bringing with them fake letters from the Mines ministry and Matobo Rural District Council. “However, the MRP youths could not brook the nonsense, but ordered them to pack all their equipment and other stuff into the MRP truck… this was a victory worth celebrating by ululations.” Matobo District Development Co-ordinator Obey Chaputsira could not be reached for comment on his mobile phone. In September, Chaputsira said no mining would take place at the heritage site. He promised villagers that any such activity would be stopped. Land disputes involving villagers and mining syndicates are on the increase in Matabeleland South, where there are gold mining deposits. Reports indicate that mining syndicates work in cahoots with Mines and Lands and Resettlement ministry officials to evict villagers to ensure easy access to gold deposits.
A homeless count typically conducted in the Los Angeles area that relies on the help of thousands of volunteers during the month of January could be canceled amid concerns that it would be unsafe and impractical in the middle of a pandemic. In recent years, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) has been conducting […]
[Nation] The impeachment of Nairobi governor Mike Sonko will be considered by an 11-member special committee of the Senate.
To read Donald Trump's Twitter feed is to see a man seemingly obsessed with finding some way, any way, to hold onto the presidency. To watch what he does (or, more accurately, doesn't do) in his waning days in the White House suggests that Trump has already folded his tent - effectively not even trying to do the job that […]
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Vendors and merchants in the downtown Kingston market district will apparently not face a similar Grand Market clampdown as has been announced for the western city, Montego Bay. While committing to enforcing coronavirus health and safety protocols...
