Open Space ZW

By Jean Claude             In a bid to complement efforts by various human rights groups in Zimbabwe, also at regional and international level, Open Space Zimbabwe has dedicated the month of January to bring to attention the issue of missing Itai Dzamara. Dzamara has been missing since March, 9, 2015 after a bravely lone protest and not much effort has been done by the government of Zimbabwe to bring him back, put the issue to closure or proffer a roadmap to establish the whereabouts of his disappearance. The campaign dubbed Picture with Itai Dzamara will be encouraging members of the public to post a picture with Itai or post a picture for Itai tagging Open Space Twitter and Facebook handles (@OpenSpaceZW) https://twitter.com/OpenSpaceZW   and Occupy Africa Unity Square handle at https://twitter.com/OccupyAUS (@OccupyAUS) the latter organization has been founded by Itai Dzamara before his shocking abduction.   The campaign will have different days in which the attentio

By Mugove Tafirenyika Prices of school uniforms have gone up once again ahead of the beginning of the first term for the 2019 calendar year on Tuesday. Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers president Denford Mutashu told the Daily News yesterday that the price increases were a result of the steep cost of accessing foreign currency on the black market required to import raw materials. Despite being a major producer of cotton, Zimbabwe is importing fabric, especially from the Far East, due to capacity constraints at key textile plants such as David Whitehead Textiles Limited in Chegutu. “We have noticed that prices of uniforms have increased dramatically first before Christmas and now they have increased again. We were told by the manufacturers that they are sourcing foreign currency on the parallel market and that is worrisome,” said Mutashu. “Getting foreign currency on the parallel market is triggering the price hikes because it attracts a huge premium,” he added.

  A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ! Mukoma Strive, In your response to Human Rights Watch’s Ken Roth in the context of the unedifying Dewa-Masiyiwa episode that opened our new year, you say: “Consider, Mr Roth, that it is possible that we Zimbabweans would like to have an opportunity [ON OUR OWN] to also re-evaluate some of the options and tools to bring peace, and true democracy . By Tawanda Mutasah    How will we achieve this, if you take it upon yourself to decide what we should think and what views we should hold or even who we should talk to without you passing withering judgement on us?” As a Zimbabwean, I disagree with you on this. Let me try to be very clear as to what specifically concerns me about what you say here. I believe you are correct to imply that the space for citizens of any given polity to deliberate and lead on their peace and democracy options should be protected. So, yes, Zimbabweans should, as you say, come together to “re-evaluate…options and tools…” B

 The striking doctors who were scheduled to undergo hearings at their respective working places today have snubbed the process insisting they will only turn up once their grievances have been met. By Lovejoy Mutongwiza  The strike, which has crippled Zimbabwe’s public health system, entered day 35 today amid concerns that more patients remain stranded and dying in hospitals as they are failing to acquire medical help. Zimbabwe Medical Doctors Association (ZMDA) spokesperson, Dr Mthabisi Bhebhe told 263Chat that despite numerous calls for them to attend the hearing, they are staying put because the government is failing to address the critical issues at hand. “None of our members attended the hearings today, they were all in the comfort of their homes because they are on an industrial action. They cannot go to work when their issues are not met. “The problem is that the government is failing to attend to our moist critical demands which range from improved work