Zimbabwe’s Informal Is The New Formal
Zimbabwe’s Informal Is The New Formal By Trevor Ncube “We must destroy the informal sector!” This threat was issued at the recent CEO Africa Roundtable in Victoria Falls. It landed like…
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Thoughts
Notes, essays and reflections from Trevor Ncube, between the conversations.
Africa Must Not Waste This Crisis
Zimbabwe’s Informal Is The New Formal By Trevor Ncube “We must destroy the informal sector!” This threat was issued at the recent CEO Africa Roundtable in Victoria Falls. It landed like…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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;…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Creating a Pink Mindset
17 Oct 2022 | Newsletter Issue 14 Creating a Pink Mindset Breast Cancer Awareness Month is upon us yet again. And yet there is no evidence on the ground that…
Electoral Reforms
11 Oct 2022 | Newsletter Issue 13 Electoral Reforms Pre-election pact on electoral reforms It is encouraging that the government, the opposition and civil society are all talking about electoral reforms. This…
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 12
1 Oct 2022 | Newsletter Issue 12 Job Sikhala – A plea for tolerance Job Sikhala entering court Prison is a terrible place no matter the conditions. I was in…
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ICWT Newsletter | Issue 11
23 Sep 2022 | Newsletter Issue 11 Zimbabwe Diaspora – the good and the bad (Picture of Samantha Nyikadzino) Last week we received two pieces of news from the…
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 10
16 September 2022 | Newsletter Issue 10 Beautiful Zimbabwe needs our love Old Dairiboard print advert (Source: Pindula) In Magwegwe, Bulawayo, where I grew up, we would put two empty…
ICWT Newsletter | Issue 6
15 August 2022 | Newsletter Issue 6 Remembering International Youth Day-Why Intergenerational Solidarity Matters? This year International Youth Day was being celebrated under the theme “intergenerational solidarity: creating a world…
