Metro

‘Prepare to suffer if you don’t vote for me’, Zimbabwe President, Mnangagwa threatens voters

Published

1 year ago

August 10, 2023

As Zimbabweans get set to go to the polls on August 23 for the presidential election, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has told the citizens that they would suffer untold hardship if they failed to re-elect him.

Mnangagwa gave the warning on Wednesday while addressing more than 150,000 supporters who attended his campaign rally in the capital, Harare.

Mnangagwa also told his supporters that none of the opposition candidates, whom he termed as clueless failures, would alleviate their suffering.

The president insisted that only he had the magic wand to lead the country to further prosperity and that no one would stop him or his party from winning the elections amid accusations of political crackdowns and intimidation against opposition politicians, and suspicions of planned election rigging.

“We, Zanu-PF, will not stand by and let our people suffer at the hands of these clueless opposition-led councils. We must kick them out on 23 August,” the 80-year-old Mnangagwa said.

“If Harare fails to vote Zanu-PF, you will be lost. No one will stop us from ruling this country,” he said at the party’s first major rally in the capital.

According to the president, Zanu-PF, which has been in power since the country’s independence in 1980, is the only party with the capacity to lead the country.

Zimbabwe is set for presidential and parliamentary elections, with the presidential race having 11 candidates, including the incumbent president and the main opposition candidate, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC), and whom many Zimbabweans consider to be the most formidable challenger to Mr Mnangagwa.

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Metro

EU launches initiative to reintegrate over 417,661 out-of-school children in Nigeria

Published

9 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The European Union (EU) has launched an initiative to reintegrate over 417,661 out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly in the northwestern parts of the country.

Mrs. Tobi Ransomed, who is the consortium lead, disclosed this during the launching of the “Accelerating Basic Education and Livelihood Opportunities for Children and Youth in North West Nigeria Program” (ABEP), held in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, on Thursday.

While declaring the event open, Ransomed noted that the high rate of out-of-school children in the region required a holistic approach from all relevant stakeholders to ensure these children reached their potential.

Speaking further, she said the ABEP three-year pilot program would be implemented through Save the Children International, PLAN, and Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAG) across twelve local government areas in Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto States.

“Data from Save the Children International (SCI), has shown that 10% of the world’s out-of-school children are in Nigeria, with over 10 million primary school-age children not in school. Approximately 25% of girls and 10% of boys in the country have been victims of sexual violence,” she stated.

“The program aims to increase access to safe, quality, and inclusive alternative and accelerated education programs for 324,000 young girls and boys, as well as 32,400 persons with disabilities, supporting their transition into formal or non-formal education.

“This project plans to increase access to livelihood opportunities, vocational education, and green job opportunities for 60,000 youths and 6,000 persons with disabilities, with 20,000 beneficiaries in each participating state.

“The overall objective is to contribute to the empowerment of the poorest, underserved, and most marginalized population groups, including women, girls, and youth, by providing access to quality, inclusive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive education in northwestern Nigeria with a special focus on Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto States,” she stated.

Metro

World Bank pledges $3b to support Zambia’s development goals

Published

1 day ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The World Bank Group has pledged to avail Zambia with approximately $3 billion to support the country’s development goals under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2025-2029, with nearly half of the funds already disbursed.

World Bank Country Manager, Achim Fock, who made this known at the CPF launch at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka on Wednesday, outlined the global lender’s focus areas, which included enhancing jobs, human capital, and climate resilience.

Fock highlighted that $200 million had been approved to strengthen Zambia’s social protection programs, including the Refugee and Host Community Project.

He also expressed optimism for upcoming approvals, including the Climate and Economic Resilience Financing and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector.

Zambia’s Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who also spoke at the event, noted that 2.3 million Zambian households have so far benefited from social protection interventions such as the Cash for Work Programme, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives amid crises like the recent drought.

Musokotwane further reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting lives during times of crises such as the recent drought.

“More than two thirds of the Zambian population was affected by the drought. It was the government’s view that the first priority was to save lives,” Musokotwane stated.