National Research Database of Zimbabwe
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Tracing humour in Paul Matavire's selected songs
No full textPaul Matavire is well known in musical circles, as well as within popular culture in general for his sting and critical sharpness in social commentary. His songs, addressing various themes of a mostly social-marital nature such as intimacy, romance and social relations, have earned him the name “Doctor Loveâ€. His well-calculated social commentary disseminated to the general public through Sungura music, continues to earn a special place of reverence within the populace in Zimbabwe, even long after his death. Matavire’s songs have been unique in the manner in which he accorded humour a special space within his songs to drive his concerns home. This article traces that humour in some of his selected songs to demonstrate how through the same, social and cultural values crucial for the maintenance of the society are advanced
Whitelier than white? Inversions of the racial gaze in white Zimbabwean writing
No full textThis article looks at inscriptions of whiteness in selected white Zimbabwean narratives. Through a reading of Andrea Eames’ The Cry of the Go-Away Bird (2011), Alexandra Fuller’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight (2003) and John Eppel’s Absent: the English Teacher (2009), the argument proposes that white Zimbabwean narratives situate whiteness within the context of change and marginality in Zimbabwe. The narratives deal with experiences of change and apprehensions of lived reality marked by the transfer of power from white minority to black majority rule. Our reading of The Cry of the Go-Away Bird examines how whiteness in the postcolonial Zimbabwean state is perceived through an outsider’s gaze, resulting in a kind of double
consciousness within the (racialized, white) subject of the gaze. It is argued that the text depicts whites as torn between two unreconciled streams of possibility, reinforcing their sense of alienation. Fuller’s Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight represents whiteness as a thoroughly ephemeral experience. The meaning of whiteness is mediated through perpetual physical movement as whites travel from one point to another. Eppel’s Absent: the English Teacher affords a rethinking of whiteness as an unstable form of identity contingent on historical and political factors
High Frequency Mesh Network for Control and Sensor Arrays
No full textThis is a journal article,This paper explores wireless mesh networking by establishing short-range telemetry links in the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) frequency band of 13.56MHz and demonstrating the forwarding capabilities of a mesh network. For this purpose three transceivers are designed and built which act as nodes on the network, two of which are embedded nodes.The transceivers are designed using Phase Locked Loops (PLLs)both as a signal source and a direct Frequency
Modulation (FM) demodulator
Is Relativity?s Equal Footing Treatment of Space and Time Correct in its Entirety?
No full textThis is an article,Both the Special and General Theories of Relativity (hereafter: STR and
GTR respectively) put forward by Professor Albert Einstein enjoy an impressive, spectacular,
unparalleled and unprecedented success in explaining physical phenomenon as it
is revealed by experience. So successful are these theories ? so much that ? their very
foundations are no-longer questioned from a pessimist?s standpoint but from that of an
optimist? viewpoint. Any envisioned or proposed (new) experiment or observational measurement
is naturally expected to confirm the STR and GTR. Amongst the foundation
stones of the STR and GTR is the treatment of space and time on an equal footing. While
in-principle this treatment has no problem when dealing with reference frames, we urge
herein that this treat may not be correct when it comes to handling coordinate systems
Lunar Drift Explains Lunar Eccentricity Rate
No full textHerein, we argue that the observed +38mm/yr secular Lunar drift from the Earth does ? to an admirable degree of agreement between theory and observations; explain the observed secular increase in the Lunar eccentricity. At present, the recession of the Moon from the Earth is not any more considered as an anomaly as this is believed to be well explained by conventional physics of Lunar-Earth tides. However, the same is not true when it come to the observed increase in the Lunar eccentricity which is considered to be an anomaly requiring an explanation as to what is the cause behind this phenomenon. We not only demonstrate an intimate connection between these two seemingly unrelated phenomenon, but show that the intimate relationship that we deduce fits so well with observations to a point that ? logic dictates that, the Lunar drift must surely be the cause of the secular increase in the Lunar eccentricity
Response of selected Groundnut Genotypes to irrigated and non-irrigated conditions
No full textGroundnut is among the most important crops for smallholder farmers in semi-arid regions, providing both food, feed and income for households. The main objective of this study was to strengthen groundnut production by smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe using available improved genotypes. The specific objectives of this study were to evaluate morphological traits of groundnut genotypes under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions and to assess various groundnut yield parameters under these conditions. Selected qualitative and quantitative characters were assessed during the development of the groundnut crop under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions in sandy soils. A Randomized Complete Block Design was used in the field experiment and data subjected to a two way analysis of variance using Genstat 13th Edition. ANOVA was done at 5% least of significant difference (LSD) to check for the differences between the 12 genotypes across the irrigated and non- irrigated conditions. Prior to analysis, data were subjected to normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test and normal square root transformation was done where necessary. From the analyses, there were significant differences across the 12 genotypes for quantitative characters plant height, pod length and number of pods per plants. For all the genotypes yield was higher under irrigated conditions for both unshelled and shelled weight. Most genotypes exhibited dynamic stability with higher yields under irrigated conditions except for SC Orion that out yielded all the genotypes with 2.8 t /ha shelled weight under non-irrigated conditions. Accordingly, SC Orion is recommended for production by farmers in sandy soils of Natural Region IV
Amelioration and demelioration of words and names: contemporary discourse in Zimbabwe
No full textWhen the second liberation war guns died down in Zimbabwe, a cease fire, and a Lancaster House Agreement and independence followed. Post-colonial Zimbabwe has been another country in terms of what transpired in the dispensation that set in. Of interest has been how the different events strewn in the contemporary era that has seen words changing their meaning. In common use, almost every word has many shades of meaning and, therefore the need to interpret meaning cannot be over emphasized. Meaning has been influenced invariably in the context of gender, generations and historical epochs which are sometimes driven by politics, the economy, socio-cultural and religious happenings. Using different events
in contemporary Zimbabwe as its background, this research sets out to identify and trace how meaning of words has been altered over time. Purposive convenience sampling was used to collect data from different parts of Zimbabwe, at each particular time depending on the event that occurred in Zimbabwe, for example, words on diamonds were gotten from informants in Chiadzwa, words on „Operation Drive Out Dirty‟ were mostly from informants in Harare and other towns. The research discovered that words continue to mutate depending on the events taking place and how people want to use them. Observation was also used to explain the changing of meanings over time and space
The effects of gender based violence on children: the case of Chikanga ward 14-Mutare
No full textThe study focused on the effects of Gender Based Violence on children in Chikanga ward 14, a high density suburb in Mutare. The children have experienced the violence at home due to poverty, unemployment, infidelity and economic challenges among other causes. Twenty children from this area were identified as a sample of the study to have experienced the effects of violence directly or indirectly. All twenty of the children are of school going age between the ages of 10-18 years. The researcher used interviews and questionnaires as the data collection tools. The results are based on questionnaires and interviews directed to the children. The study found that Gender Based Violence has positive and negative effects on children. Due to Gender Based Violence some families have being legally disconnected from abusive relationships and because some are paying maintenance the children now have good education, good health facilities, good food and good shelter among many other basic necessities. Generally the children's standards of living have improved for the better. However, it is important to note that 80% of the respondents confirmed that Gender Based Violence has brought more evil compared to the good. The affected children highlighted issues like school drop outs, low self esteem, engaging into prostitution, crime, dropping grades in school, fear of the perpetrator, vulnerable to be abused by other people, looking up to other family units, attitude and behaviour bound to change and also early marriages to be the effects they experience due to Gender Based Violence. To survive these children beg, steal, do vending and also engage into piece jobs. Despite the few that have said to benefit from the Gender Based Violence it is a fundamental reality that cannot afford to be ignored that the larger number of children have been affected negatively by the viol
Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle era conflicts and the pitfalls of reconciliation after independence: a case study of Bikita district 1976-2013.
No full textThis study interrogates the dynamics of conflict resolution, healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe using Bikita as a case study. It identifies and critiques state driven approaches used by the Zimbabwean government such as blanket amnesties, deliberate amnesia and presidential pardons among others, to promote healing and reconciliation in the aftermath of the 1970s liberation war and in the post-independence electoral violence. My central argument is that state-driven approaches alone have not provide sustainable solutions to challenges facing communities emerging from violent conflict unless they are co-ordinated and harmonized with indigenous approaches. Bikita demonstrated that conflict destroys physical property as well as the social, emotional and psychological capital leaving victims insecure and traumatized. In cases such as these, state-driven approaches alone are inadequate to heal and reconcile conflicting parties. They lack the necessary mechanisms to reach and heal the emotional, spiritual and psychological aspects of the conflict hence the need for
multifaceted and interactive interventions if sustainable reconciliation is to be achieved. Bikita demonstrated that indigenous approaches such as kuripa mhosva/ ngozi. (payment for one`s crime or the appeasement of avenging spirits) dare (the chief`s court), and the performing of burial rituals such as kurova guva and kudzosa mweya wemufi mumusha (rituals to bring back home the spirit of one who dies away from home) among others are holistic and can attend to both the physical and psychological aspects of the conflict, thereby filling the gap left out by state-driven approaches. Furthermore, the approaches are deeply embedded in the people`s culture hence the community has a strong sense of ownership of, and belonging to, them. I also seek to recast discourses on healing and reconciliation in Zimbabwe. Most works argue for institutional transformation, a perspective which does not pay much attention to the history, cultural nuances, wounds, emotions and deeply rooted perceptions of the violated communities. By drawing on the lived experiences of the people of Bikita, the study reveals everyday practices and local perspectives of justice and culturally sensitive methods of healing and reconciliation. The study is qualitative in nature. This was
preferred given that the research sought to understand lived experiences of those directly involved in the period under study. Oral interviews, focus group discussions and testimonies on people`s experiences, feelings, views, perceptions, and interpretation about the events under study were complemented by written documents, academic, government and nongovernmental report
Social capital interventions at firm level affecting performance in the Zimbabwean manufacturing sector
No full textSocial capital research has largely focused on developed economies and there is conflict of acceptance on
the legality of some network relations across cultures. This study pioneered the interventions at firm level
aimed at building social capital for company performance in the Zimbabwean manufacturing sector. This
was in an effort to provide evidence of the need for network relations to enhance business performance. A
survey method was used to collect data to confirm empirically the social capital interventions existing in
the sector. Using an econometric model, 10 social capital variables were regressed to determine
importance of the interventions. The bivariate results indicated that networks, level of trust and
entertainment were significantly associated to firm performance. On the multivariate level, trust,
presences of an entertainment budget and government liaison were positively associated with firm
performance. It was concluded that investment in social capital through entertainment budget created
profitable relationships which if nurtured builds trust which reduces transaction costs thus affecting the
bottom line. So social variables which were significantly associated with performance worked in a
symbiotic, cyclical nature