CUZ ePublications (Catholic University of Zimbabwe)
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Disability and Traditional Shona Societies: A Reflection on Disability in the Shona Folktales and Taboos
Full text linkDisability among the traditional Shona societies was perceived with mixed attitudes and feelings. At one time the Shona would view disability with an abusive and denigrating attitude while at other times they would discourage the abuse and ill-treatment of people with disability. The Shona may view people with disabilities with suspicion because it is generally agreed that such mishaps are related to certain actions or non-actions by parents or family members. The punishment and retribution of vadzimu (ancestors) can be manifested in the form of deformities in the children of the offending persons. Disability is also blamed on the works of jealous witches who do not want to see a certain family having able-bodied children. The diversity of Shona people’s attitudes towards people living with disability has been and is exhibited through taboos and folktales. It is in light of this view that this paper is set to reflect on the rich legacy of traditional Shona taboos and folktales and see the extent to which they exhibit both negative and positive attitudes of the Shona people towards people with disability. The paper will start by giving the beliefs of the Shona people on the types and causes of disability and then proceed to give Shona taboos and folktales which either accommodate or denigrate people with disability. Document and story analysis methods will be used to glean data for this paper
From Voting to Torture’: Examining the pyscho-social effects of the 2008 political election processes in Zimbabwe
Full text linkThis paper is an assessment of the psycho-social effects of the harmonised elections of 2008 in Zimbabwe. After the highly contentious election results in which the main opposition party, the MDC3 defeated the then ruling ZANU-PF party, calculated violence broke out4. The general elections were held on the 29th of March 2008, but it took the ZEC5 two months to release the election results. In the first round of the elections, Morgan Tsvangirai of the MDC was said to have won 47.9% of the vote and Robert Mugabe 43.2%, necessitating a run-off which was to be held on the 27th of June 2008. It is during this period after the announcement of the first round of results and the preparations for the second round of voting that extreme violence ensued, perpetrated mainly against the opposition MDC party supporters by the ZANU PF organs. This forced Tsvangirai to withdraw his candidature from the run-off. The ‘political bases’ created by ZANU PF members especially in the rural areas, but also in the high-densityurban areas, opposition supporters were subjected to extreme torture, killings and sexual abuse. This led to the discreditation of the second round of results by the AU and the SADC, prompting the formation of an inclusive government. Despite the fact that there was the creation of an Organ of National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration after the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), the paper argues that it did not do enough to ‘heal’ the victims of the post-election violence. Many people are still suffering from the psychosocial effects of the 2008 election violence; therefore, the paper makes some recommendations that would assist the victims and ensure a more effective national healing proces
Gendered impacts of Climate Change in Africa: The case of Cyclone Idai, Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, March 2019
Full text linkThis paper seeks to discuss the nexus between climate change and social relations in Africa using a case study approach of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani district, Zimbabwe. Disaster induced displacement remains another affirmation of the flawed notion of pre and post-disaster preparedness and human security as a gendered caveat. This paper theoretically and empirically unravels the incessant feminisation of socio-economic insecurity in the contexts of forced displacement post Cyclone Idai. The researcher alludes to the prevalence of epitomising gender dichotomies of victimhood among displaced men and women, yet again framing social relations and human security on masculine-feminine asymmetries. The article empirically espouses feminized intricacies of security from the everyday experiences and narratives of men and women in the case study area as a basis for pragmatic solutions that should inform strategies and policies meant to deconstruct the androcentric anchorages militating against the equitable strategies in post-displacement contexts. Methodologically the paper proceeds through a qualitative research orientation where in-depth interviews and observations constituted the major data collection tools. Chief among the numerous findings of this study was not only that post-displacement scenarios are reminiscent of post-conflict contexts in terms of gendering human security, but, that any effortto emancipate women should pragmatically embrace gender as an essential variable
Land, Agriculture, and Struggles for Belonging in Colonial Zimbabwe: A Case of Buhera, 1960-1970.
Full text linkThe article explores the dynamics of belonging in Zimbabwe using the belonging matrix. The study uses the case of the Gwebu area in the Sabi Reserve and covers the period between 1960 and 1970. The Gwebu area of the Sabi Reserve was home to a community of descendants of Ndebele migrants who migrated to the area in 1925. This group was led by Chief Daniel Fish Gwebu, and this resulted in the whole community being referred to as the Gwebu people. The study uses agriculture as a lens to explore various dynamics of belonging during the period between 1960 and 1970. Carefully balancing oral traditions and documentary evidence, the study sets off by identifying the agricultural prowess of the Gwebu Ndebele speakers as one of the major factors that allowed them to establish a semblance of independence from their neighbouring Shona speaking chieftaincies; the Makumbe (also known as the Njanja), as well as the Nyashanu. It also argues that the agricultural prowess of the Gwebu Ndebele people was a result of several historical factors. One such factor given special emphasis in this study is the evident historical interactions between white commercial farmers and the Gwebu people. These connections are traced back to the early years of settler rule in the Matabeleland region of the then Rhodesia colony. The study concludes by arguing that the agricultural success of the Gwebu people over the neighbouring Shona enabled them to build a Ndebele enclave, an aspect that allowed them to sustain their sense of particularism over time
The Factors Influencing Effective Policy Implementation in Remote Rural Areas: A Case of Gokwe District
No full textDevelopment policies, if effectively implemented can bring a lot of improvement in the livelihoods of the targeted population as well as economic growth at national levels. Many developing countries have formulated and implemented policies with questionable results where people continue to ail in poverty despite the existence of seemingly sound development policies. This paper argues that the different levels of success of development policies are influenced by some existing factors, which the paper intends to explore and discuss. The information presented here was gathered using a questionnaire and some focus group discussions during the period May 2020 and May 2021.The study found that factors ranging from corruption, inefficiency on the part of Government officials, lack of technology, funding, and negative perceptions from the policy recipients, among other factors, contributed immensely towards the success or failure of development policies in remote rural areas. The paper recommends that the policy cycle be followed with strict Government monitoring, evaluation and inclusion of other stakeholders like the policy recipients, local businesspeople and NGOs amongst others. This can lead to increased transparency and increased participation of all sectors of the population irrespective of gender, age, race, or beliefs so more people. especially rural women can enjoy the benefits of development policies in their respective area
Challenges and Prospects of Children’s Homes: Opportunities for Transition from Dormitory to Family Unit Setup
Full text linkThis study makes a cursory exploration of the challenges and prospects of transitioning childcare institutions from dormitory to family unit systems to promote child development. Desk research was utilised as the primary research approach in this paper, which is part of a wider qualitative research on childcare systems in Zimbabwe. This was complemented by a systematic literature review. Literature has indicated that variances in culture and contexts have persistently showcased the positive effects associated with family care on child development. There are dangers to children, associated with living outside family care. Accordingly, the present study proposes interventions that empower families to raise and care for children. In Zimbabwe, institutional dormitory care has emerged as the most dominant form of childcare. The responsibility of child placement rests with the Department of Social Services which unfortunately is known to have a history of being under-resourced to conduct all the necessary work required. Resultantly, this continually forces the department to ‘relapse’ and seek the services of non-state institutions as the only available remedy to their shortcomings. Institutions, which in most cases are organised in the form of dormitories face a fair share of challenges that affect child development hence the need to transition to family-based units. Children who suffer mostly from social problems associated with institutionalization have shown great improvements when placed in family care spheres
'A monster in the convent’. The lived experiences of the Catholic religious sisters who contracted Covid-19 at a convent in Mutare diocese, Zimbabwe.
Full text linkCovid-19 took a toll worldwide and yet has not yielded all the knowledge necessary of the lived experiences of the diverse survivors. This paper seeks to contribute to the many studies that have been undertaken. It is a phenomenological, qualitative in-depth exploration of the lived experiences of the Catholic religious sisters who contracted and survived Covid-19. The data was collected through semi-structured questions, phone call and face to face interviews, with a total of ten Catholic religious sisters who tested positive for Covid-19, stayed in isolation from others and later recovered, in the Catholic diocese of Mutare. Transcribed data was used to construct themes that portrayed the Sisters’ lived experiences through the pandemic. The findings revealed that the selected survivors suffered psychological, social and physical maladjustments during their period of confinement. The study recommends disaster preparedness for religious communities to facilitate proper adjustment in possible future pandemics. The research developed a model as an intervention strategy that includes continuous community empowerment programs for nuns, organizing training in adaptive coping skills for religious leaders, strengthening the support system during the time of illness, constructing specialized care facilities for the sick and abiding by the professional advice of health care officials such as vaccinations and other measure
Effective Leadership as a Panacea for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Africa
Full text linkAddressing climate change has become a top priority for the entire world because without urgent action, calamitous consequences are inevitable. This will result in humans paying a heavy price in the areas of food security, water resources and public health. Although Africa as a continent contributes less to global emissions, evidence shows that it is one of the most severely affected regions of the world. It is predicted that climate change will produce both social and political problems for Africa, weakening states and societies in the process. This will inevitably threaten economic and political stability on the continent. Having said this, what is disheartening is that the current climate change agenda continues to fail Africa. Time has come for the continent to engender the leadership necessary to deal with climate change in a sustainable way. Although research has shown leadership as a significant component in the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, effective leadership continues to be elusive in Africa, more than six decades after the first country gained political independence. Despite the continent being blessed with both human and natural resources in abundance, it has unfortunately been plagued for a long time with poor, and ineffective leadership. There is need for transformational leaders who will advocate for substantial change in existing institutional and societal values in terms of ecologically sustainable practices. Mitigating climate change in Africa requires courageous leaders who are able to make decisions that maybe inconvenient in the short term. Innovative leaders should recognise and vigorously promote a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy source
Artificial Insemination in Smallholder Farming: An Exploration of Farmer Perspectives and Determinants in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe
Full text linkThis study investigated the perceptions of communal farmers in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, regarding the adoption of artificial insemination (AI) technology in cattle breeding. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 80 cattle farmers who had participated in the Zimbabwe Resilient Building Fund Government Communal Cattle Insemination program between 2017 and 2021. The results revealed that 99% of the farmers did not regularly utilize AI services due to the absence of locally based AI service providers (97.5%), discontinuation of service between government programs, and insufficient knowledge of AI technology (72%). Uncontrolled breeding systems and poor seasonal nutrition were identified as major challenges by 100% and 80% of the farmers, respectively. The majority of farmers (77.5%) preferred using both AI and natural mating if available. The perceived low adoption of AI in communal areas was attributed to a shortage of locally based inseminators, inadequate farmer awareness of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), and the absence of structured communal breeding programs. The study recommends collaboration among cattle stakeholders to address the challenges in optimizing cattle productivity through ART implementation and adoption in rural areas, including enhancing the capacity of government workers and lead farmers, decentralizing service providers, and institutionalizing community-led sustainability frameworks. Alternative methods of technology dissemination are also needed to improve farmers' awareness of fundamental aspects of AI and synchronization protocols.
Climate Change Financing for a Just Transition in Africa: Avoiding ‘A race to the bottom scenario’.
Full text linkThe article deploys the theory of stupidity to unpack the concept of the ‘race to the bottom’ scenario. The article argues that stupidity has incentives, and not inherently a mental defect. In the context of Africa’s response to the climate change funding crisis, “the race to ruin" entails a downward spiral scenario which results in anthropocentric extractivism in poor African countries. By competing in lowering standards so as to remain competitive in attracting foreign investment, African states are competing for environmental ruin and social dislocation. While the immediate effect of the scenario may boost economic activity, the long-term consequences can be disastrous. The article uses documentary analysis to argue that Africa’s response to the climate change crisis has been mixed and at worst characterised by ruin and dislocation. This scenario underscores the need for African states to balance economic competitiveness with the need for ecocentrism and sustainable practices. The article proposes that Africa must of necessity take a united stand against neo-imperialistic and green washing solutions for climate justice to be achieved on the continent. Additionally, it emphasizes the necessity of responsible practices in the adoption of financing models that are underpinned by a resolute commitment to good governance