Mandy Kanyemba

SOME people are born to be champions even if they face challenges as big as a mountain, but who said life was easy for some? It has become common that gender and disability can be a great hindrance for some people to achieve their dreams.
But for one woman living with disability, she has proved that she can not be limited by her disability and status.
   Soneni Gwizi recently won an award with JCI Top 10 outstanding young persons of Zimbabwe in the contributing to children, world peace and human rights category.
This dynamic radio talk~show host is based in Bulawayo where she is the producer/presenter for disability issues on ZBC's SFM. She is also a motivational speaker, a poet and gender/disability activist.
Q: What is the significance of the JCI award you won?
S.G: This award is a result of hard work and determination. We should always be selfless in our work no matter how challenging it may be. As a woman with a disability this is a great achievement and an honour to have won it. It is also an achievement for Zimbabwe.
It is proving that society is recognising unique talents, gifts and that women are considered or seen for their contribution towards the development of this nation using their skills. Someone nominated me for this award and then it was left to the judges to do their work and they did it. This makes this award unique and special for me.
Q. What are the challenges you face as woman with a disability?
S.G: I believe and trust in God therefore I see things from a positive manner and believe that I am able to produce good results if I trust in Him. In cases such as getting access to buildings with stairs and experiencing transport problems due to not being able to catch public transport because of the disability challenge, I seek help from friends and I get it but, I still maintain my independence as a woman.
When one is disabled you have to learn to embrace that in life there are challenges and these challenges can be overcome in which some of these challenges are manmade. Just like being a woman, the gender status can be a challenge in its own in the male dominated environment.
Q: People living with disabilities are often discriminated in society, what is your attitude or comment towards such treatment?
S.G: It all boils down to information dissemination and how disability is perceived by society or community they live in, the teachings they have received at home about persons with disability and this plays a massive influence. This issue is a mind attitude weakness just like how you have people looking down on poor people or not respecting women.
I strive to educate people that "disabled persons are normal people who look different physically. I also encourage persons with disabilities to be open-minded and not take it to the heart. My radio shows help to inform and educate listeners on such matters. On the other hand, discrimination is found in all sectors of life, it is how you deal with it that matters.
Q: As a woman with a disability working in a male dominated environment, what are some of the experiences you have encountered so far?
S.G: When it comes to work, I am not limited by my gender or disability. I work like any other person and make sure my programmes are on air or I am speaking to a group of people.
I have an excellent personality that makes it comfortable for non-disabled people to offer help or they ask help from me. Sometimes I do not attend certain workshops due to mode of transport used to get to the workshop venue.
That becomes a challenge, but I make sure that I abreast myself with information by reading and keeping in touch with my fellow journalist friends.
Q: How did your family receive the news that you are among the 10 outstanding young persons in Zimbabwe?
S.G:  They are happy and it has given them the pride that having a disabled daughter and educating her was the right thing to do. It has also has set a standard for the rest of the family to follow suit.
Q: What do you do besides being a radio broadcaster?
S.G: I am motivational speaker,  I write poems and I mentor girls on life skills such as living beyond your challenges and achieving your dreams using the little means you have. I find time to go to church, be with my family & friends. I laugh a lot and maintain a good company of friends.
Q: What makes you tick?
S.G: I am a dreamer and I dream big, this makes me a positive person. One of my dreams is to become an ambassador of a strong brand in Zimbabwe because I believe I have those qualities. Society should include persons with disabilities in their planning.
Disability issues are human rights issues not social welfare matters, so "think disability every time you are planning a new project".
Q: What are your last words to all women?
S.G: Do not let your gender status or disability become a mountain and do not let people talk you down.
You are more than dynamite, just believe in yourself. I appeal to the men out there to say we are not fighting you or want to take your place! All we ask for is that we need to be treated in fairness and appreciated in our work. Whatever you do trust God, He is faithful to see you through.
genderwithmandy@gmail.com or sms 0773 851 633.

Sithokozile Hlahla

HELLO, hello hello!
Hope I find you all in good spirits today because for some of you, you really have to be in good spirits to be able to swallow the pill I am administering today.
Today, I thought I would swing my eye towards our judiciary system and the now not-so-esteemed people running it.
I say "not so esteemed" because there was a time when people such as police officers, magistrates, prosecutors, lawyers and judges were very well respected, revered and dignified members of the society. Alas, that is not the case today!
Why is this so? Well, I don't know - that is why I ask you these questions every week so we can help each other figure out the answers.
Let me start by defining wisdom and education so that you get my drift. According to the dictionary, education is a body of knowledge acquired or information about or training in a particular subject. It is also defined as the act or process of imparting or acquiring particular knowledge or skills, as for a profession.
Wisdom, on the other hand is the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the ability to discern or judge what is true and right.
With this in mind, I am saying some professions such as those of lawmen need wisdom more than education.
Now, just so we are on the same page, by "lawmen" (forgive me feminists) I am referring to people tasked with enforcing the law and punishing those who break it.
 So my definition encompasses the group of people I mentioned above, police officers, magistrates, prosecutors and judges. I am sure I am not the only one who has noticed this but of late, these individuals have been involved in a lot of shady deals and situations and even crimes that leave a lot to be desired and have made members of the general public like me lose faith in them.
Without naming any names (these people can sue you waya waya) there have been reports of lawmen conniving with criminals, breaking the law, passing questionable judgments on cases and a whole lot of other misdemeanors that they should never be associated with as protectors/guardians of our precious Law.
I am not interested in the shenanigans several lawmen have recently been involved in, if you read the papers, you will know what I am talking about and that is only the symptoms of the problem manifesting.
I am interested in the root cause that results in these cases, chaita kuti musoro uteme ndochandiri kutsvaga, and I have a theory…
Methinks the law should be entrusted to mature, wise people as opposed to just-educated -enough people.
As I said earlier, wisdom not education maketh good lawmen! That's my theory.
I have nothing against young people being educated and taking up powerful positions in society, but eish, there are some areas, such as the judiciary, where I think, wisdom should take precedence over education.
Some positions, like that of a judge come with a lot of power and responsibility as well as benefits and perks in society.
Now all of these can go to a person's head, making it as big as a balloon or inflate the ego such that the person entrusted with such responsibilities ends up feeling like a minor god.
It is this power that is getting the best of some of our learned but as yet unwise lawmen, leading them astray.
I believe that such positions that come with such power should instead be conferred  on people who are old and mature enough to handle the pressures and power that comes with it, otherwise tichapera tese nemapere (don't ask where that came from, I don't know either).
Just to be clear, I don't have anything against these lawmen and I don't want to have anything against them, but someone has to say it.
If there can be minimum age limits for kombi drivers, why not do the same for say magistrates, instead of allowing any Tom, Dick and Harry who can get a law degree to become a magistrate and pass dubious judgments not to mention dining with the devil.
In other sectors they are already practising it, why not the judiciary?
In this day and age when everyone and anyone can get a degree, it is time they base their selection criteria on more than education and it won't hurt to borrow from our traditional system of law enforcement.
There is a good reason why at our traditional courts, those who preside over matters or help the chief/headman preside over matters are old and wizened people.
 It's because they have the most important required characteristic- WISDOM, ndoovane yese, the same with the High Court where we have retired esteemed people as assessors.
I am not saying all lawmen should be old and grey haired, but surely it won't hurt to add a certain level of maturity requirement to the requirements.
If I had a degree in law, I could be a magistrate by now, imagine that! I love myself dearly, but I will be the first to admit that I am not yet wise enough to preside over someone's life and try cases day in and day out. What if they brought in my favourite musician, Winky D, for me to try in court, I would obviously let him go , iya !
The scenario I have described above might be funny to some of you but it's a reality somewhere, that's all I will say.
I know some of you are fuming by now, kikiki, so let me round up by saying there are areas or professions whereby education is enough and others where wisdom is also required; if not more important and the judiciary is one of them.
 Why, because decisions made there can make or break a person, and can ruin a person or people's lives for ever. So I hope you see where I am coming from.
It is my humble and crazy appeal to the powers that be to please look into this or else with all these whizkids emerging, we may have 18 year olds trying cases whilst they listen to Lil Wayne on their iphones. Hezvo ndazvitaura!

For feedback and comments SMS to 0777 409 751 or email at tokohlahla@yahoo.com or visit the Facebook page Thoughts of Craziness and post your comments there.

Tapiwa Makwarimba

AGAIN I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19-20).

Sithokozile Hlahla

THIS week's article is inspired by my own personal experiences.
You see, it's the first week of October and I am already broke.
You may not believe me, but it is the absolute truth and I have a strong suspicion that I am not the only one kikiki.

Mandy Kanyemba

I RECEIVED a call from one reader but I unfortunately could not capture his name since he preferred to remain anonymous.

Post Reporters
AFTER years of underperformance owing to a harsh economic environment, clouds are finally lifting on the Manicaland Agricultural Show if the increasing number of exhibitors as well as attendees at this year's edition of the event is anything to go by.

Cletus Mushanawani
News Editor
FALLEN on hard times is the once bastion of education in Manicaland.
At one time, people would say if you did not attend school at either Hartzell or St Augustine's you are not learned, but the two schools are now living in the shadow of Marist Nyanga High School and St Faith's Mission.
While significant improvements can be noted at Hartzell Central Primary School, it is a different story for the high school, as all buildings are desperately crying for a fresh coat of paint and major refurbishment.
Things are just falling apart, with everything almost run down. Some toilets in the halls of residence like the Dodge Hall, which houses Lower Six pupils, resemble pigsties.

The doors are broken down and at one time the pupils were subjected to a monotonous diet of either sadza with beans or vegetables in the afternoon, while in the evening they were served with kapenta fish on Mondays, beef on Tuesdays and Fridays, mackerel fish on Wednesdays and Saturdays and beans on Thursday and Sundays.
They only had a special diet of rice and chicken on Sunday afternoon.
Although the school has a thriving dairy project, the pupils only enjoyed milk during tea time only, while the remaining milk found its way to the market in Mutare.
Former pupil and Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara summed it all in a telephone interview this week, saying institutions like Hartzell High School should not be allowed to die.
"Institutions must not deteriorate, but must get better. A lot of luminaries were produced at Hartzell and it is time for them to stand up and be counted by giving back to an institution that helped to shape their careers. To that effect, we will be holding a fundraising dinner for all former students, well-wishers, teachers and the corporate world for us to spruce up the image of a place we are so much attached to. The dinner will be held on Saturday, October 27 at the school and we expect a large turnout because Hartzell is a giant on its own because it produced so many outstanding Zimbabweans in the public and private sector both here at home and the Diaspora," said Prof Mutambara.

He said it was a pity that the school had fallen on hard times.
"Everything needs attention from educational infrastructure to water and sewage reticulation. This is not just acceptable and we are saying all different generations of Hartzell it is time to contribute something that will help to turn around the fortunes of this school. We want donations in both cash and kind because Hartzell High School must be saved. We are working with all stakeholders including the school authorities, the board, United Methodist Church and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture so that we will have buy-in from all stakeholders," he said.
Addressing pupils and guests at the school's speech and prize giving day last Saturday, Prof Mutambara gave them three lessons, which he said would help them to be better citizens.
"For one to be successful, you need to find out what you are passionate about and pursue that dream. You should also be driven by self belief. You should stay hungry for knowledge and seek to leave a legacy. You should embrace both risk taking and failure. Failure is an opportunity to learn. We say no guts no glory. Success is a decision which people make and no one is born successful," he said.

Former pupil and teacher at the school and now Zimpapers Group Chief Executive, Mr Justin Mutasa, said the raised money would go towards the refurbishment of laboratories, upgrading the sewer system and almost everything that has deteriorated at the school.
"There is a glaring difference from the institution which we used to be proud of during our stay both as pupils and teachers at the school. Our Jerusalem has literary died and we cannot allow that to happen. The school needs funds and they will only come from us those who have their roots at the school. I know we have the who is who in the corporate world who passed through the school and they will not take it lightly to see their school suffering from years of neglect.
"So we are saying, let us meet on October 27 and play our role as the school's new midwives. This is time for the rebirth of the school. We want Hartzell to retain its old sparkle in everything," he said.
Among some of the luminaries who have passed through Hartzell High School are Cde George Charamba, Mr Thankful Musukutwa, Mr Pearson Govere, Dr Samuel Mashiri, Mr Albert Katsande, Mr Beset Chimhini, Mr Washington Matsaira, Mr Munyaradzi Mutsvairo, Mr George Makomva, Justice Charles Hungwe, Justice Susan Mavhangira among others.

Gilbert Mhlanga
SAYING sorry can be so difficult for some, yet an easy going for some  people. Perhaps is it because they hold such power or have a compassionate and tolerant heart. An apology can mend relationships, dissolve anger, soothe shattered pride or heal a broken heart.

Sithokozile Hlahla

I WOKE up this morning to brilliant light. I always enjoy waking up in a properly lit room and stretching lazily while planning what to cook for breakfast.

Cletus Mushanawani
News Editor
WHEN one turns into the Mahenye road, a few metres from the Jack Quinton Bridge that borders Manicaland and Masvingo provinces, thoughts of the horror movie, Wrong Turn suddenly come flooding into the mind.
The 2003 blockbuster is an American horror film directed by Rob Schmidt and written by Alan McElroy.

Mandy Kanyemba

THE month of October is a time when women and supportive men wear a pink ribbon to show their concern, dedication, partnership and participation on the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.
Therefore, this week Gender Issues will focus on the BCA Campaign, with basic research questions and answers which women and men may need to know about breast cancer.