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Africa Must Not Waste This Crisis
Africa Must Not Waste This Crisis By Trevor Ncube Last week in Marrakech I met with Africans determined to move the continent forward—and returned to the office energized. Hope is never a strategy, but without hope there is no strategy to talk about. The highlight was...
Zimbabwe First: Why Politics as Usual Can’t Build the Nation We Deserve
Zimbabwe First: Why Politics as Usual Can’t Build the Nation We Deserve By Trevor Ncube Zimbabwe stands at a painful but necessary reckoning: our nation is broken—and so are we. The politics of hate, division, and greed has shredded our social fabric and wounded our collective psyche. This is no...
Why l launched Trevor & Associates
Why l launched Trevor & Associates By Trevor Ncube In a world fracturing along fault lines of ideology, economics, and geopolitics, I have made a decision that some might call ambitious, others necessary. I have launched Trevor & Associates www.trevorandassociates.com —not merely as a consultancy, but...
We must find each other and put Zimbabwe first
We must find each other and put Zimbabwe first By Ibbo Mandaza For over four decades since our hard-won independence, Zimbabwe has been trapped in cycles of political contestation, economic decline, and social fragmentation. As someone who has lived through our nation's highest peaks and deepest...
As Trump Mimics African Dictators, Africa Offers a Lesson
ICWT Newsletter As Trump Mimics African Dictators, Africa Offers a Lesson By Trevor Ncube For decades, America cast itself as the world's moral compass—championing democracy, condemning autocracy, and lecturing countries like Zimbabwe on press freedom, human rights, and good governance. Sanctions were imposed. Diplomatic scoldings were issued. The message was...
Is Mnangagwa’s Government Helping You at All?
ICWT Newsletter Is Mnangagwa’s Government Helping You at All? By Trevor Ncube Let us be brutally honest with each other, Zimbabwe. Day after day, we wake up and survive by sheer grit. We build, we hustle, we mend what’s broken—and we dare to hope. But we do it all alone....
It Is Time to Stand Up and Build a New Zimbabwe
It Is Time to Stand Up and Build a New Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube It speaks volumes that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s first face-to-face meeting with local editors happened only three weeks ago—nearly two years into his second term. This underscores his administration’s deep contempt for the...
Trump’s Tough Love: A Wake-Up Call for Zimbabwe
Trump’s Tough Love: A Wake-Up Call for Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube President Donald Trump’s rapid and ruthless dismantling of USAID is a bitter but necessary medicine for Zimbabwe. While initial outrage against Trump and Elon Musk may dominate headlines, a sober reflection will reveal an opportunity...
Mnangagwa’s Failure and the Urgent Call for a New Zimbabwe
Mnangagwa’s Failure and the Urgent Call for a New Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube Zimbabwe’s deep-seated economic and political crises will not be solved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa—or by merely replacing him. While a change in leadership might bring fleeting relief, the entrenched rot at the core...
How is 2025 treating your New Year resolutions?
How is 2025 treating your New Year resolutions? By Trevor Ncube How is 2025 treating your New Year resolutions so far? Crushing it? Or are you among the silent majority watching their commitments crumble? If global statistics are anything to go by, somewhere between 63% and 71%...
The 9 Things I Love About Zimbabwe
The 9 Things I Love About Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube As the year winds down, I often find myself diving into deep reflections, assessing what I’ve accomplished against the backdrop of the goals I set at its beginning. This year, as my travels and the whirlwind...
Jury is in: ‘Blacks don’t care about environment!’
Jury is in: ‘Blacks don’t care about environment!’ By Nevanji Madanhire Debate rages on social media on whether white people in Zimbabwe generally care more about the environment than their black compatriots, many attributing the difference in approach to a dysfunctional local governmental system while others blame bad attitudes on...
Do whites care more about the environment than blacks?
Do whites care more about the environment than blacks? A picture story by Nevanji Madanhire Many years ago a white friend asked me the question: “Do whites care more about the environment than blacks?” At first I was outraged and felt like defending myself and my...
Why you should attend #IdeasFestival2024
Why you should attend #IdeasFestival2024 By Trevor Ncube IN just over two weeks, we will be making our way to the Troutbeck Hotel in Nyanga for the third edition of the In Conversation With Trevor (ICWT) Ideas Festival. This is a place where visionaries connect to collaborate, network and inspire...
The 7 things that cause me anguish about Zimbabwe
The 7 things that cause me anguish about Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube The numerous struggles the majority of Zimbabweans endure are written large on their faces. Their melancholy, sorrowful gait and the manner of dress for the majority betray a life on the margins of existence....
Where would you rather live, in Zimbabwe or the Diaspora?
Where would you rather live, in Zimbabwe or the Diaspora? By Trevor Ncube I recently had spontaneous but organic conversations with two Zimbabweans living in the Diaspora. Both discussions reminded me of the fundamental human tendency to compare oneself to others. Yet comparisons are essentially maladroit because...
The ICWT UK Series is now an annual event
The ICWT UK Series is now an annual event By Trevor Ncube I am ecstatic to report that the first #icwtUKSeries was such a groundbreaking project so much so that we have decided that it will now be an annual event. Philip Mataranyika and the entire...
From London with love
From London with love By Trevor Ncube ICWT is in London this week after spending a week in Johannesburg. We have been fortunate to meet so many of you and are overwhelmed by your love and support. Your genuine and unsolicited feedback on the impact the...
11 ways to fix our crumbling cities
11 ways to fix our crumbling cities By Trevor Ncube Urban and rural councils in Zimbabwe have been rendered impotent due to political interference, poor calibre of councillors and incompetent managers. For the past three decades government policies have robbed councils of financial resources, management expertise and authority. The perilous...
Will Mnangagwa succeed where Smith and Mugabe failed?
Will Mnangagwa succeed where Smith and Mugabe failed? By Trevor Ncube What name do you give to what almost always happens at the end of years of brutal repression? The thing that happens when people say, enough is enough of the gratuitous insults, political arrogance, authoritarianism, incarceration and torture? I...
Zimbabweans must act on Auditor Generals shocking findings
Zimbabweans must act on Auditor Generals shocking findings By Trevor Ncube The reports of the Office of the Auditor-General (OAG) for the year ended December 31, 2023 read like a tragicomedy with multiple and dramatic cliffhangers. There is a strong stench of multiple crimes. There is also strong evidence...
Great books I have read so far in 2024
Great books I have read so far in 2024 By Trevor Ncube Yey, we are halfway through the year! This is a perfect time to share the great books I have read so far. But before doing so, let me deal with the question of why it is important...
Roads to impress SADC and prisons to suppress citizens
Roads to impress SADC and prisons to suppress citizens By Trevor Ncube The current disruptive roadworks in Harare to impress visiting SADC delegates in August and the arrest and detention of 78 opposition activists are emblematic of the acute contradictions tripping President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration. High on the list...
The art of diplomacy and Charamba’s toxicity
The art of diplomacy and Charamba’s toxicity By Trevor Ncube Twice in as many weeks, first at the residency of the Swedish Ambassador and then at the British Ambassador’s residence, I witnessed Sheillah Chikomo, Zimbabwe’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade put up a fine performance that made...
Has Chamisa learnt from his mistakes?
Has Chamisa learnt from his mistakes? By Trevor Ncube MY chance encounter with Nelson Chamisa at the British ambassador’s residence last week triggered some reflection. At this beautiful garden party to celebrate King Charles III’s birthday, I noticed that Chamisa’s body language now communicated a sense of humility, which is...
Zimbabwe needs you, stand up and be counted
Zimbabwe needs you, stand up and be counted By Trevor Ncube At the heart of Zimbabwe’s crises is failed leadership by most of us through omission or commission. The urgency of now that we face is not the need for new leaders, but an informed, active and engaged citizenry with...
Caution – Drought relief scandal ahead!
Caution - Drought relief scandal ahead! By Trevor Ncube “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santanya (1905) In 1982 Zimbabwe suffered a severe drought, which was declared a national disaster. Out of this national crisis emerged the Samson Benard Paweni corruption scandal. Paweni bribed...
Selective application of the law and Chris Mutsvangwa’s grievance
Selective application of the law and Chris Mutsvangwa’s grievance By Trevor Ncube Most parents deeply love their children and want nothing, but the best for them. Most children adore their parents and desire the best for them. So, I can imagine the pain that Monica and Christopher Mutsvangwa feel over...
10 Things that will transform Zimbabwe
10 Things that will transform Zimbabwe By Trevor Ncube Zimbabwe’s fortunes are a burden to many who love this beautiful country. Our country cries out for a collective purposeful focus to lift it out of this man-made quagmire. We must look past the preoccupation with sectional party-political interests. Our future...
ZiG will stand or fall on public trust, nothing else
ZiG will stand or fall on public trust, nothing else By Trevor Ncube The manner in which the government introduced the new currency, Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG), is proof little or nothing has been learnt from previous similar experiences. Zimbabweans are still traumatised from the wealth destruction that was caused by...
My close encounter with corruption
My close encounter with corruption By Trevor Ncube Our gruelling negotiations had ended and l was taking my knackered self- upstairs to my office. John Kunyara (not real name) followed me and whispered that l could get the fee discount l had requested if l was comfortable doing a side...
Back to the rural village movement
Back to the rural village movement By Trevor Ncube Many of us were born and bred in rural areas where approximately 68% of Zimbabweans reside. Some of us still maintain close ties with family and relatives in rural areas. While we might have prospered as individuals our rural settings, this...
Zimbabwe’s enemy within
Zimbabwe's enemy within By Trevor Ncube I recently visited Rowan Martin Complex for municipal business. Our consultant suggested this and assured me council officials wouldn’t ask me for a bribe, a practice they are notorious for. As a town planner our consultant deals with council in his daily business and...
Mnangagwa third term bid is an awful idea and must be stopped.
Mnangagwa third term bid is an awful idea and must be stopped By Trevor Ncube Once upon a time in Africa coups were the only sure method of changing governments. And then, multiparty states emerged with fixed presidential term limits. These were soon replaced by amending constitutions, by hook or...
Sanctions against Zimbabwe must go! But how?
Sanctions against Zimbabwe must go! But how? By Trevor Ncube The issue of sanctions against Zimbabwe causes a level of cognitive dissonance in my mind. I fully understand why they were imposed in the first place, but l am also firmly persuaded that they are hurting the economy and the...
Zimbabwe’s Chinese problem
Zimbabwe’s Chinese problem By Trevor Ncube It is too early to tell how history will view the impact of the role of China on Zimbabwe. Suffice to say as things stand, the score is an indictment on China and Zimbabwe’s political elite. This is an exploitative relationship, with benefits flowing...
What have you done for Zimbabwe lately?
What have you done for Zimbabwe lately? By Trevor Ncube “We live in a society where the state has collapsed and, in its place, the party rules through fear and intimidation,” says the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) in its State of Peace Report 2022. Zimbabwe is sliding into a...
Turning youth bulge into a national dividend
Turning youth bulge into a national dividend By Trevor Ncube Zimbabwe commemorated National Youth Day last week amidst the worst conditions, by any measure, that our young people have experienced in decades. It is easy to be overwhelmed by the negativity and yet the enormity of the challenge demands leadership,...
A wonderful opportunity to build a patriotic opposition beckons
A wonderful opportunity to build a patriotic opposition beckons By Trevor Ncube “Never let a good crisis go to waste,” someone once said. The crisis in Zimbabwe’s main opposition the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) suddenly presents a fantastic opportunity to rebuild something beautiful from these smouldering ashes. Zimbabwe’s opposition...
Press freedom is everyone’s responsibility
Press freedom is everyone’s responsibility By Trevor Ncube Last week’s episode with Cris Chinaka was a painful reminder of what afflicts the state of journalism in Zimbabwe, and by extension our democracy. Like so many things in our beloved country our journalism is broken. And I take my share of...
Zimbabwe must use education for nation building
Zimbabwe must use education for nation building By Trevor Ncube Love him or hate him, former President Robert Mugabe prioritised education in Zimbabwe’s transition after 1980 with huge generational benefits for the country. Teacher training was ramped up and our schools, colleges and universities delivered quality talent imbued with an...
Finding common purpose will fuel a beautiful revolution
Finding common purpose will fuel a beautiful revolution By Trevor Ncube We have a lot that we disagree on as a nation. We also have a penchant for spending our time amplifying our disagreements rather than what we agree on. In the cacophony of our disagreements during which we have...
My book recommendations for 2024
My book recommendations for 2024 By Trevor Ncube It is Harry S. Truman who said, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.” I discovered the gift of reading in my 30s and l now l can’t imagine life without books. Evidence points to the fact that there...
Inaugural Ideas Festival a resounding success
Inaugural Ideas Festival a resounding success By Trevor Ncube My heart is overflowing with gratitude. The inaugural Ideas Festival was a huge success. Attendance was great with high levels of engagement. The quality of speakers and panellists was top notch. All the event partners who happened to be in the...
Why you should be at the 2023 Ideas Festival (IF)
Why you should be at the 2023 Ideas Festival (IF) By Trevor Ncube The three-year In Conversation With Trevor (ICWT) journey has shined a light on creative and enterprising people in a country that faces so many political, economic and social problems. The journey has drawn our attention to beautiful...
The Ideas Festival (IF) Conference is upon us
The Ideas Festival (IF) Conference is upon us By Trevor Ncube The 2023 (ICWT) Ideas Festival (IF) edition takes place next week in Nyanga, Troutbeck Hotel from November 22-24. This annual event is a gathering of ICWT alumni, entrepreneurs, innovators, creators and those in the start-up space. In December last...
IMF sees gloomy outlook for Zimbabwe in 2024
IMF sees gloomy outlook for Zimbabwe in 2024 By Professor Gift Mugano (Ph. D) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently presented a report concluding its consultations with the Government of Zimbabwe. Key highlights from the report which are likely to weigh down on the country’s economic prospects include unsustainable...
A clarion call to my generation- get off your butts, do something!
A clarion call to my generation- get off your butts, do something! By Eleph Gula-Ndebele “Every generation uses the ashes of the previous generation’s misdeeds as the foundation upon which to build its own dreams and aspirations…” said no one, ever. However, that is probably what Franz Fanon should...
We must fix this dishonourable and low-level politics
We must fix this dishonourable and low-level politics ICWT Newsletter | Issue 61 By Dr Musa Kika We all watched the 2023 general elections happen and grave concerns raised, including by SADC. We desired to move on from the polarity of elections and shift conversations towards development...
The mischaracterization of SMEs is our Achilles heel!
The mischaracterization of SMEs is our Achilles heel! ICWT Newsletter | Issue 60 By Prechard Mhako In Zimbabwe, a micro enterprise is defined as any enterprise that has an annual turnover not exceeding US$30 000.00 per annum and employs between 1-5 people, whilst a small enterprise is...
The pitfalls of a warped sense of nationhood
The pitfalls of a warped sense of nationhood ICWT Newsletter | Issue 59 By Nevanji Madanhire The trouble with Zimbabwe presently is the question of nationhood. Put simply, at the centre of our troubles is the question: “Who are we?” After the euphoria that characterised the birth...
Zimbabwe, you are on your own
Zimbabwe, you are on your own ICWT Newsletter | Issue 58 By Trevor Ncube Our fortunes as a nation will only change when we realise we are the masters of our destiny. Our neighbours and the international community have a limited role in resolving our political and...
Misogyny, cyberbullying and toxicity in Zim politics
Misogyny, cyberbullying and toxicity in Zim politics By Faith Zaba ELECTIONS have come and gone. The contestation between the ruling Zanu PF and the main opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) is now mainly on the diplomatic front. It’s back to basics for many Zimbabweans. There...
Whither Zimbabwe?
Whither Zimbabwe? By Trevor Ncube The 2023 elections have not resolved our national problems. If anything, we are worse off compared to our circumstances before August 23. And yet, there are opportunities in this crisis if there is willingness to find each other for the good...
Rural tourism has huge potential for economic growth
Rural tourism has huge potential for economic growth By Carl Joshua Ncube Rural tourism has potential for growth if given the right support. This form of tourism not only offers unique experiences but also brings numerous benefits to both travellers and the local communities they visit....
Bitterness of sugar will soon spoil the party
Bitterness of sugar will soon spoil the party By Nevanji Madanhire The turf war between the country’s two major producers of carbonated drinks have brought sweetness to many Zimbabweans but the same sweetness will sooner rather than later manifest in the bitterness of a long list...
2023 “election” winners and losers must all be ashamed, but there is a silver lining
2023 “election” winners and losers must all be ashamed, but there is a silver lining By Dr. Musa Kika Beyond any reasonable doubt, the 2023 Zimbabwe elections are the worst since independence. Yet this plebiscite, in a strange way, leads us closer to a collective response...
Zimbabwean voters deserve some respect
Zimbabwean voters deserve some respect By Kholwani Nyathi FOR probably the first time in its history, Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu PF party will go into an election without a manifesto in a clear demonstration of its disdain for voters. Zanu PF, which has been in power for...
It’s about the people, Stupid
It’s about the people, Stupid By Blessed Mhlanga Over the past few weeks a lot has happened which has cast grave doubts over the integrity of the plebiscite which is likely to be just another damp squib. Is it worth voting when it is clear the...
Zimbabwe will change when you change
Zimbabwe will change when you change ICWT Newsletter | Issue 50 By Trevor Ncube Every day I reflect on what it would take for Zimbabwe to change. Much of what l look at during my daily commute screams: “Change me!” As l reflect on what my...
The case for the Zimbabwe diaspora vote
The case for the Zimbabwe diaspora vote ICWT Newsletter | Issue 49 By Trevor Ncube The exodus of Zimbabweans into the diaspora due to political and economic turmoil over the past two decades has presented both opportunities and challenges to the affected citizens and the country...
Texting while driving is against the law
Texting while driving is against the law ICWT Newsletter | Issue 48 By Trevor Ncube Approximately five people die on our roads every day. Reflect on that for a moment. A staggering 77% of the fatalities and injuries are of economically active people. It is estimated...
Releasing Chihambakwe report key to honouring Joshua Nkomo
Releasing Chihambakwe report key to honouring Joshua Nkomo By Trevor Ncube Twenty-four years ago, politicians who caused Joshua Nkomo tremendous grief during his lifetime shed crocodile tears and speechified at his funeral. Their supporters joined in. Two weeks ago Zanu-PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa abused the...
Mnangagwa and Chamisa must be stopped for Zimbabwe to win
Mnangagwa and Chamisa must be stopped for Zimbabwe to win By Trevor Ncube The only result acceptable from the 2023 elections is a win for Zimbabwe not a victory for an individual or a political party. Our nation is in dire straits and no single individual...
Zimbabwe 2023 polls: Democracy for sale
Zimbabwe 2023 polls: Democracy for sale By Kholwani Nyathi An imperfect stage is now set for Zimbabweans to elect new leaders after processes to confirm candidates for presidential, parliamentary and local government positions were concluded on June 21. The presidential race will be a crowded field...
Pan-African rebirth needed to fight imperialist bullying
ICWT Newsletter Pan-African rebirth needed to fight imperialist bullying By Nevanji Madanhire It must be the greatest wish of every sub-Saharan leader to, in their lifetime, witness the collapse of the American empire which many think- tanks have concluded is nigh. America’s global domination has hung like a dark cloud over...
Who will tame the elephant in the room
ICWT Newsletter Who will tame the elephant in the room By Tinashe Murapata Inflation, Milton Friedman cautioned, “is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon”. The two economists heading Zimbabwe’s central bank and treasury understand this all too well. In fact, the former Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono startled the nation...
Parliament does an unpatriotic thing
Parliament does an unpatriotic thing. By Trevor Ncube Zimbabweans have experienced acute economic hardships in the past few months courtesy of a collapsing currency. Amidst this, it is clear President Mnangagwa’s government has no intention of running free and fair elections if reports of gerrymandering and missing names...
Where are Zimbabwe’s leaders?
Where are Zimbabwe’s leaders? By Nevanji Madanhire There comes a time when one has to look up and ask: “Hey guys, what’s our problem?” This calls for deep self-introspection. All the hardships experienced everyday are the signs and symptoms, of a deep national malaise. What explains...
Business sector has contributed to national collapse
Business sector has contributed to national collapse By Trevor Ncube Business leaders have been complicit in the mess Zimbabwe finds itself in. There is a woeful lack of integrity in the country’s corporate sector. Our business leaders blend with, and mimic the leadership style of the...
Beware of those who loot in the “national interest”
Beware of those who loot in the “national interest” By Trevor Ncube I think there is someone very close to President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is fixated on looting public resources. I hope and pray that it is not the president himself or his wife. But how else do...
Mnangagwa not a born again democrat
Mnangagwa not a born again democrat By Kholwani Nyathi President Emmerson Mnangagwa almost succeeded in fooling everyone with his pretence that he had suddenly become a born again democrat after the coup that toppled strongman Robert Mugabe six years ago. Mnangagwa, who was ever present in Mugabe’s governments for...
New world order beckons: Is Zimbabwe ready for it?
New world order beckons: Is Zimbabwe ready for it? By Nevanji Madanhire Zimbabwe is one country which would benefit a great deal if a New World Order materializes. We all must have read about this new world where the United States will no longer lead the world through the...
Zimbabwe’s 43 years of economic and political unfreedom
Zimbabwe’s 43 years of economic and political unfreedom By Trevor Ncube April 18 excites mixed emotions for many Zimbabweans. It is about the most momentous and emotional date on our calendar; so much pain and loss of life for so many who delivered Independence. The shattered...
Zimbabwe corruption becomes the gold standard
Zimbabwe corruption becomes the gold standard By Trevor Ncube In 2021 when President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed Uebert Angel Ambassador-at-Large to the Americas and Europe, there was shock and consternation among those familiar with the man’s shady background. None of his questionable background appeared relevant to his appointer. We...
Why blame Chamisa for all that is wrong in Zimbabwe?
Why blame Chamisa for all that is wrong in Zimbabwe? BY BLESSED MHLANGA THE past few weeks have shown that in Zimbabwe we have the unfortunate culture of holding the weak to account, instead of confronting the powerful. It starts with the arrest and incarceration of Job Sikhala. Many...
PVO Bill: a different perspective.
PVO Bill: a different perspective. by Nevanji Madanhire The Zimbabwe government has over the years complained about foreign influence in its governmental processes, particularly in elections. It accuses private voluntary organisations (PVO) of being conduits through which electoral manipulation is channelled, hence it is about to pass...
Which dictatorship do you prefer, CCC or Zanu-PF?
Which dictatorship do you prefer, CCC or Zanu-PF? By Trevor Ncube Since Independence in 1980, Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF had been hell-bent on establishing a one-party Marxist-Leninist state. It almost achieved this; main opposition PF-Zapu led by Joshua Nkomo had, by 1987, been cornered into a one-sided unity...
Ease of doing business is, well, everyone’s business.
Ease of doing business is, well, everyone’s business. SHAME MAKOSHORI EVERYONE rightfully complains about the challenges of doing business in Zimbabwe but, individually, rarely introspect on their roles in this. While the government has failed to provide an enabling environment, all players must face up to their...
The man who will capitalise on voter apathy
The man who will capitalise on voter apathy by Nevanji Madanhire Leader of Democratic Union of Zimbabwe (DUZ) Robert Howard Chapman is a fascinating man. Sharp and erudite, he has brought an interesting perspective to Zimbabwean politics. He has taken out the toxicity that has characterised...
Startups and youth entrepreneurship key to economic growth
Startups and youth entrepreneurship key to economic growth by Unique Zimuto “We don’t stop going to war just because the terrain is difficult,” so says Lesley Marange, the young founder and CEO of Glytime Foods, a startup that is making waves in Zimbabwe and the region....
Texting while driving kills and hurts the economy
Texting while driving kills and hurts the economy Approximately five people die on our roads every day. Reflect on that for a moment. A staggering 77% of the fatalities and injuries are of economically active people. It is estimated that road accidents cost Zimbabwe 3%...
Weak Zimbabwe opposition not good for democracy
Weak Zimbabwe opposition not good for democracy Opposition political parties in Zimbabwe have been a great let-down; faced with an important election in a few months’ time they offer only but a whimper. The electorate, like in many elections before, is faced with a Hobson’s...
Zimbabwe scraping the barrel for friends and investors
Zimbabwe scraping the barrel for friends and investors The visit last week by the Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and his business delegation points to the friends President Emmerson Mnangagwa keeps. Our beloved country, Zimbabwe, is an international pariah and because of that our leadership is scraping the...
Zimbabwe needs national psychological safety
Zimbabwe needs national psychological safety Nations that prosper do so on the back of the collective ingenuity and creativity of their citizens. Ideas and creativity thrive in a culture where citizens feel they have freedom of creative expression and freedom of speech without negative repercussions. This...
Borehole drilling. To regulate or not to regulate!
Borehole drilling. To regulate or not to regulate! By Unique Zimuto Zimbabwe is facing a serious potable water problem. Cities are particularly hard hit. The density of people living in urban settlements means water has to always be readily available for domestic use and for sewer...
No new dispensation at Makombe Building
No new dispensation at Makombe Building I hate visiting government offices because of the unpleasant encounters I always have with front-office staff and senior government officials. Petty officialdom, and crass rudeness are some of the experiences I have had dealing with government officials. I am not...
Power and poor strategic thinking
Power and poor strategic thinking It has been known for decades that there would be a serious power deficit in the Southern African Development Community. The establishment of the Harare-headquartered Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) in 1995 was one way the region hoped to mitigate the...
Corruption in the Newsroom
Corruption in the Newsroom Last week I had a shocking encounter with what is so wrong with our society in general and the profession of journalism in particular. I received a WhatsApp message from a senior journalist (name withheld) at a renowned local media organisation who...
The Other State of the Nation Address (OSONA)
The Other State of the Nation Address (OSONA) Dear Compatriots, Comrades, and Friends. Since independence in 1980, our nation has experienced moments of joy punctuated with anguish and trauma. The dream of our liberation struggle of a “government for the people, by the people, for the...
Press freedom and responsibility
Press freedom and responsibility The Commonwealth team that was in Zimbabwe recently to assess whether the country was ready for readmission into the club of mainly former British colonies implored the local media to play a part in reuniting the country. Addressing the media, team leader Luis Franceschi...
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 1
14 July 2022 Greetings We launched In Conversation With Trevor (ICWT) three years ago at a live event with Zimbabwe’s Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube as the guest. Since then, I have had over 140 impactful conversations with some awesome people in Zimbabwe and abroad.I have learnt a...
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 2
21 July 2022 | Newsletter Greetings Over the weekend I watched the Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis Conversation on Netflix. In her new book, “Finding Me” Viola Davis writes about the impact that the Covid-19 lockdown had on her mental state. I identified with her sentiments as this time...
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 3
28 July 2022 Government should get out of the way The release of preliminary Zimbabwe 2022 census results this week is welcome and should see a fresh trove of data critical for planning for both government and business. From the census business will gain critical insights for planning...
Gold Coins and the Census
August 4 Newsletter Gold Coins and the Census Zimbabwe is a polarised and toxic country. This sad state of affairs has debilitating consequences on our society. There is almost nothing that we seem to agree on, yet there is so much that could unite us if we made...
Water Delivery
11 August 2022 Water Delivery Zimbabwe has normalised water delivery by tanker trucks for those without portable water at home and work. This is very sad.Apart from the fact that this is a form of tax for the already overtaxed public, the inconvenience and the cost...
Second National Reconciliation
Second National Reconciliation On Independence Day – 18 April 1980 – Zimbabwe was a war-torn nation after a painful liberation struggle that had played out in the previous decade. That war had claimed an estimated 20 000 lives – some say the figure is understated –...
Power of language in Nation Building
Power of language in Nation Building Zimbabwe's indigenous languages have a lot in common; one only has to listen carefully to notice, for example, the number of Ndebele words that have been incorporated into Shona, and vice versa. This is natural; no two languages can exist in close...
Sanctions and corruption are hurting Zimbabwe
Sanctions and corruption are hurting Zimbabwe Imagine President Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa embarking on an international campaign against sanctions. That move alone would be a sign of political maturity and patriotism and would contribute to national common purpose and unity. But to do so...
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 15
Do we deserve our leaders? by Nevanji Madanhire This week’s episode with Jerry Nyazungu hit home an issue which has the power to transform Zimbabwe: We must realise that we can make progress in our personal circumstances in spite of the suffocating power of politicians. But because of...
