The drying up of donor funds to provide free blood is a major set back to pregnant women in Zimbabwe. Pregnant mothers will now have to pay more to get blood in the event that they encounter complications during delivery. According to the Herald, a pint of blood costs US$65 in Government institutions and US$50 in mission hospitals. This will automatically see an increase in maternal costs on pregnant mothers who have been struggling to pay maternity fees. Of note are very interesting points from the article where the National Blood Transfusion was quoted saying, “the cost of collecting and processing a pint of blood is about US$129 yet it is being sold to mission and Government hospitals at US$50 and US$65 respectively”. So one wonders whether if this is true since the organization gets free donations of blood from the public. The donor-funded progamme is coming to an end this month and government has not come up with a backup plan to avert a shortage of blood in public hospitals and clinics.

According to the laws of the country of Zimbabwe, to be found in possession of pornographic material constitutes an offence. So if what was on the front page today of the state weekly H-Metro newspaper doesn’t constitute a crime then maybe that law should be checked again. The tabloid, which publishes events happening on the social scene and nightlife, has developed a habit following people in their private lives and in public places. With the belief that sex sells, the weekly tabloid has been publishing nude pictures of people caught in uncompromising positions.

A couple of months ago in one of its nightlife adventures the tabloid published images of a popular pole dancer entertaining men at a local nightclub through her usual sexually gyrating moves. I guess this was the beginning of a marketing strategy of pushing sales through the use explicit material. Today’s copy of the tabloid was awash with obscene pictures of the same dancer but this time with the addition of bottles to spice up her show. The images, which featured the pole dancer inserting the tip of a bottle of a popular beer brand in her privates, were outrageous. I guess if the tabloid was privately owned we’d be reading of arrests before the end of the day.

Banner at the World Refugee Day commemorations in South Africa.
Photo credit: PASSOP

Faced with the world’s worst economic crisis and currently experiencing political uncertainties, Zimbabweans can still afford to be happy. More than our neighbors in South Africa, with Botswana occupying the last position. This is according to the recent 2012 Happy Planet survey.

“Even South Africa’s embattled northern neighbour, Zimbabwe, has a better outlook, being in 115th position, with Ethiopia 94th. Botswana occupies the bottom ranking.” – Sunday Times.

Private colleges now seem to dominate in most urban areas with many students preferring to enroll at these institutions. The growing number of private colleges offering primary and secondary education leaves one wondering whether its a sign of the shortage of public schools or the demand for better education. The wide selection of school uniforms used by most of these colleges will make Italian fashion designers go green with envy as some of them are now like fashion statements. Either the uniform is too short, tight, baggy, flashy or revealing. Anyway … who the hell cares as long as the college has a Ministry of Education accreditation symbol?

As beautiful as the colors of the rainbow may be, I wish that the beauty of the uniforms could be translated into the infrastructure found at these institutions of learning.  Most of these colleges don’t have proper learning structures. Some are situated in the middle of the town sharing space with nite clubs, food courts and conveniently located close movie houses. I saw one in town, which is just opposite to a movie house, and after school students in uniforms from that college, could be seen queuing to catch an afternoon flick. Shortage of textbooks is not only associated with Government schools but also with private colleges. Some may argue that due to the economic situation in the country private colleges are affordable. I believe when government introduced uniforms in schools it was a move to ensure that discipline is adhered to amongst students and I guess that’s the reason why the designs were so ugly and the colors dull so that it won’t be like a “Giorgio Armani show” at school. Do requiring students to wear uniforms directly affect the school environment and the student achievement or is it a matter of setting a standard for the uniforms?

“We need Chinese solidarity but we cannot have these erstwhile friends coming to cook sadza with offals for us and after that take tooth picks, and then we think, ‘Here are investors’. In economic terms, we are crowded out by people bringing sick capital into these sectors.” – Alson Darikayi Upfumi Kuvadiki/Inotho Kwabatsha president.

Foreigners who come and invest in retail businesses are no longer welcome in Bulawayo. The effects of the “Look East” are now being felt in Bulawayo as the Chinese and other foreigners crowd out local residents from the retail business. Upfumi Kuvadiki/Inotho Kwabatsha and Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions joined hands to demonstrate against foreign ownership of retail business. Lets who hope this will not fan xenophobia just like the South African scenario.