Syngenta develops fall armyworm-protected seed
ZESA has switched off power at Mnene Hospital over a bill of about $700 000, plunging the institution into darkness.
Authorities at the 27-bed hospital said they have been without power since last week and besides the problem of emergency care, there are fears over the state of the mortuary.
“We are the district’s referral hospital and the situation is bad,” said a hospital official who requested not to be named.
“We can’t attend to emergencies with no power. The situation at the mortuary is also very bad.”
The official said they have since approached the local Member of Parliament, Cde Tafanana Zhou, so that he can engage Zesa over the matter.
“We are a critical institution and for them to switch off power is a sign they don’t care about human life,” said the official.
Cde Zhou said he was aware of the situation at the hospital, but could not help.
He said the hospital was not a Government hospital.
“The challenge that there is nothing I can do because the hospital is not a Government hospital and its Zesa bill should be settled by the authorities that run it,” said Cde Zhou. “It is a mission hospital.”
Zesa southern region representative Engineer King Dube said they did not switch off the entire hospital.
“Mnene Hospital owes about $700 000 on its electricity bill and what we have done is to switch off other sections like the hospital staff cottages and other areas,” he said.
“We did not cut power to the critical sections of the hospital like wards and mortuary.”
Eng Dube urged institutions to service their electricity bills so that the power utility is able to purchase power which he said was in short supply.
STEPS are being taken to fight fall armyworm, an invasive species from the Americas that arrived in Africa in 2016 and has spread across the continent attacking maize crops.
The fall armyworm is not related to the true armyworm that Zimbabwean farmers have become used to for decades, since it too was introduced from the Americas.
Fall armyworm caught Zimbabwean farmers off guard last year, and caused extensive damage to crops, while farmers struggled to find ways to control it.
The pest can have multiple generations per year as the female moth can lay up to 2 000 eggs in her life time.
Seed houses and chemical manufacturing companies had to be at their innovative best to control the fall armyworm that
Joseph Madzimure
ZIMBABWE Development Party (ZDP) leader and presidential aspirant Mr Kisinoti Mukwazhe, who died on Sunday night at Karanda Mission Hospital in Mt Darwin, was a larger than life character who added a very individual touch to the country’s presidential elections.
His challenge to the top office in the country was largely seen as a mere additive that spiced the land scape with political humour. In one election there were seven times more spoilt ballot papers than his own votes.
Mr Mukwazhe, who died at the age of 49, was admitted to the hospital after complaining of a sore throat.
Friends and relatives have described him as a humble and patriotic leader who loved his country.
Mr Mukwazhe, who was always in the media, was confident of one day becoming president of the country despite a poor showing during elections, culminating in withdrawal and support for rival candidates.
Speaking to the media after filing his papers for the presidential elections in 2013, a bullish Mr Mukwazhe said he was positive about causing a major upset.
“I am certain I am going to make a big impact on the ground. We are going to make some surprises. We are for the voiceless people. If we employ our tactics well, we are going to do something big,” he said.
Mr Mukwazhe later pulled out of the race, but his name remained on the ballot. had threatened the maize crop last season.
Zimbabwe is said to have suffered at least 30-60 percent harvest losses at the hands of this destructive pest.
Scientific and technological innovations were called into place for seed houses and chemical suppliers to find a lasting solution for the marauding fall armyworm that threatens food security.
Syngenta has scored a first by developing a seed treatment chemical (Fortenza Duo) that can be used to treat any maize seed variety to protect it from Fall Armyworm and other pests.
In an Interview with The Herald, Syngenta Consultant Mr Joe Mkandla said because the fall armyworm is a threat to food security and country’s bread basket status, they were forced to call to action their scientific expertise to minimise the damage caused by the pest by launching
Out of five candidates, Mr Mukwazhe got the least votes, 9 931. The winner, Zanu-PF’s Cde Robert Mugabe, received 2 110 434.
Even the spoilt ballots tally of 69 280 was seven-times Mr Mukwazhe’s total.
In 2015, Mr Mukwazhe wrote a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs complaining over what he termed mistreatment by the German Embassy in Harare.
Mr Mukwazhe had failed to attend a five- day workshop in Germany after being denied a visa by the embassy. What irritated Mr Mukwazhe most was the a resistant maize variety.
“The fall armyworm was first reported in south west Nigeria in late January 2016, and quickly spread to almost all maize growing countries in Africa including Zimbabwe.
“Most countries were caught off guard not knowing with what pest they were dealing or the devastation it could cause. Fortenza Duo insecticide seed treatment targets a range of pests from the earliest stage possible and protects the plant for 30 days.
“Seed treatments are a crucial part of an effective FAW control strategy. They protect the seed from the start and can mitigate a few of the challenges that occur with foliar applications.
“Protecting seeds and young plants from the very beginning gives them the opportunity to survive during the critical fact that the embassy communicated its decision in German.
“For you to know their reasons for denial, they ask you to see interpreters who will easily access your private information, which is a violation to individual privacy. Remember Zimbabwe is internationally known as an English-speaking country,” read part of his letter.
In 2017, Mr Mukwazhe and Voice of the People leader Mr Moreprecision Muzadzi sued late MDC president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai in the High Court demanding payment for their role in uniting opposition parties to rally behind Mr Tsvangirai during the 2013 elections.
Mr Mukwazhe later dropped out of the suit, leaving Mr Muzadzi out in the cold.
Last year, Mr Mukwazhe and Mr Muzadzi filed an urgent chamber application seeking the deferment of the 2018 harmonised elections to enable the amendment of the law to allow minority parties to get funding from Treasury.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba, however, dismissed the application saying “the formation of a political party is not an income generating project”.
Mr Mukwazhe’s best friend, Mr Muzadzi, described him as a humble, patriotic and fearless politician who loved his country.
“He championed for the economic empowerment of the majority of Zimbabweans though his party, ZDP. However, he did not participate in the 2018 harmonised elections citing financial constraints. He did not feel motivated to take part in the 2018 elections because he was not financially stable,” said Mr first days after planting, even under high insect pressure conditions,” he said.
Mr Mkandla said the protecting seed chemical has potential to aid the crop to have big yields as it can reduce pest presence from an early age.
“Fortenza Duo will significantly reduce pests present in and around the crop and will prevent them to reproduce.
“It ( Fortenza Duo) will kill the first occurrence of the pest in all larvae stages of the pest’s life cycle.
“Fall armyworms have an immense appetite, occur in great numbers and can damage entire fields in a few days.”
The pathways of the pest’s introduction into Africa are yet unknown, there are multiple possibilities, but it is assumed that it travelled to Africa either as an unwanted passenger on a plane or with cargo on a ship.
Muzadzi.
The late Mr Mukwazhe also contributed immensely in the formulation of the new Constitution.
Recently, Mr Mukwazhe wrote a letter to United States of America president Mr Donald Trump calling for the removal of sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
“We beg the mighty power of the USA government to be used to appreciate that Zimbabwe is emerging from a disastrous era and should the baby steps made so far to reform are rewarded with magnanimity and relief it’s our conviction that Zimbabwe will emerge from the debris of economic Chernobyl and be a worth all with interests that dovetail with yours.
“The collateral damage from ZIDERA has strayed and has undermined our national pride, dignity, values, economy, fundamental human rights,” read the letter in part. ZDP chairman Mr Phillip Simango said Mr Mukwazhe was a fearless fighter who contributed immensely to democratic processes in Zimbabwe.
“He was very open minded, he worked with the MDC-T leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, ZAPU leader Dumiso Dabengwa, Simba Makoni, and other political parties.
“After the fall out with Tsvangirai, he jumped the ship and worked with the late former President Robert Mugabe,” Mr Simango said.
Burial arrangements will be announced in due course. Mr Mukwazhe left behind his wife, Shaderah, and seven children.
Mourners are gathered at 11 Ceres Road, Hatfield, Harare.