Couldn’t agree more with Ashton Bumhira who sent us this story and photograph:

The problem of litter can be addressed through the provision of accessible bins to communities and education is an important tool in raising a sense of community ownership and responsibility. But people have to desist from vandalizing the infrastructure for litter management.

People who are aware of the dangers of litter often make more of an effort to always put their trash in the correct place. Every Zimbabwean has to spread the word to those they see littering, and teach them to dispose of garbage the right way. It is very important for the City authorities to quickly remove litter as this helps to keep it from growing into an unmanageable dump site.

It is a myth that litter control is not important. I strongly believe that litter control may not be the most dramatic, or exciting of the many problems that threaten the quality of our environment, but it is a problem which affects everyone in the community. Litter destroys the beauty of a community. People come from all over the world to see the beauty of our countryside, towns and cities. When litter mars their enjoyment, Zimbabwe loses valuable tourist dollars.

“Litterbugs” can be found among people of every age, sex, race and ethnic origin, at every level of society and in all geographic locations. The control and eradication of littering calls for the broader participation of people from diverse backgrounds – captains of industries, churches, schools and the community at large. Recently at the officially launch of the Bin It Zimbabwe Program Minister Nhema said that the problem of litter has led to the outbreak of various waste and water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery. Litter is a breeding ground for fire and disease and it is a breeding ground for rats and disease-causing bacteria. Litter needs to be controlled, and it requires Your participation.

 

Photo by Ashton Bumhira

Zimbabwe is currently undergoing a 30-day mobile voter registration exercise, in preparation for elections to be held later this year.

We’ve taken the schedule of dates and locations for the mobile voter registration exercise and put them onto a map to make it easier for Zimbabweans to know where to register to vote.

You can pan and zoom on the map to get to your area, then click on it to pull up the list of where and when the mobile voter registration teams will be in your area. If there will be more than one location in your ward, the teams will be at the first location on the list on the first dates listed, the second location on the second dates, etc.

This still picture of the map below gives you a teaser. To make use of it, view it full screen.

View map full screen

To find out more about voter registration, visit the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission website

If your area is not on the map or there are no centres listed for your ward let us know. Also, we want to hear about your voter registration experience! Have you already registered to vote? Have you gone to a registration centre this month? Email info [at] kubatana [dot] net and let us know.

Please note that the deadline for this opportunity has been extend to 24th June! Check it out below:

This story discusses how male dominated the technology industry is.

It looks like an alternate universe: Ridiculously long queues outside the men’s restroom while there’s not a single person waiting for the women’s. But while the image of men impatiently hopping from one foot to the other may make women across the nation giggle – it also reveals an issue that is no laughing matter. The image was taken at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday by CNET editor Dan Ackerman, who captioned it: ‘WWDC explained in one photo.’ The picture highlights how male-dominated the technology industry remains – and is just one of many similar photos taken at recent gadget conferences.

Read more and see images here

Julius Malema, an expelled former leader of the ANC Youth League in South Africa has launched a political party platform, Economic Freedom Fighters. Malema says it’s a platform for garnering support from the masses to demand economic freedom from the ANC. Analysts however say Malema is preparing to launch a party and is testing the waters with such moves. Some have likened his move to that done earlier this year by Agang leader, Ramphele, who set up a platform prior to applying to register the political party.

Malema in his launch speech outlines principles that will govern the consultations they will carry out around South Africa. The first two being expropriation of South Africa’s land without compensation for equal redistribution and nationalisation of mines, banks, and other strategic sectors of the economy. This has seen some readers likening Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters to a mini Mugabe state.

Dear Harare Westerners

I just got my “marching orders” from the Clerk of Parliament Mr. A. M. Zvoma who reminded me that my time is up as my term of office as Member of the House of Assembly for Harare West constituency will expire at midnight on 29 June 2013 when Parliament shall stand dissolved by operation of Section 63 of the Constitution which states that:

“63 Prorogation or dissolution

(2)Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the President may at any time dissolve Parliament.
(4)Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall last for five years, which period shall be deemed to commence on the day the person elected as President enters office in terms of section 28(5) after an election referred to in section 28(3)(a), and shall stand dissolved:”

It’s funny how 5 years fly so fast, it seems like yesterday when I was sworn in on 27 August 2008, to serve you Harare West. It is a privilege and honour that I enjoyed.

A message of appreciation from Hon Jessie Majome’s Facebook page should be a reminder to all those Zimbabwean legislators who have been thinking that it is by their birthright to be in Parliament. Such privileges have been abused by so many to an extent that they think that being a Member of Parliament or Senator is somehow related to chieftainship. Well as noted by Hon Majome after Parliament has been dissolved she will be jobless and it is the people who would bestow that privilege back on her so that she can have another term in office. The reality of being jobless to many MPs is still in the cloud, which is why some are still dreaming of an extension of the inclusive government. Its hard to leave an all expenses, paid hotel life and the unproductive time spent heckling in Parliament at the expense of the electorate and facing the daunting task of convincing these same people to grant you another opportunity to represent them again. The realities of being reduced to be another ordinary member of society will make some develop health complications as fear of rejection builds up.

Well suck it up and understand that what goes up really comes down and give others a chance in the next elections.