WEEKLY NEWS ROUND-UP

Monday

GOVERNMENT has made a breakthrough in negotiations with mobile network operators who have agreed to provide free access to online learning platforms for university students.

Econet and its subsidiary, Liquid Telecommunications, acceded to a Government request to assist learning institutions in their blended learning approach.

There had been concerns by student unions that data costs would inhibit most students from accessing remote learning.

Tuesday

Police in Harare blocked human and vehicular traffic into the central business district to enforce Covid-19 lockdown measures.

A survey conducted by The Herald

showed that police and soldiers mounted all major roads leading into the city centre. Combined security forces stationed at several checkpoints at the intersections of Seke and Cripps Roads (Coke Corner), Simon Mazorodze and Birmingham, at Harare Show Grounds, along Robert Mugabe Road at the Vehicle Inspection Department, Pennywise Shops at Eastlea were turning away motorists in private vehicles and conventional buses.

Wednesday

Council ( ZIMSEC) has set new dates for June examinations and extended the November 2020 candidate registration deadline despite calls by some unions to delay exams until adequate safety measures against Covid-19 are in place.

Zimsec board chairman Professor Eddie Mwenje announced the new dates at a press conference in Harare last week.

Thursday

Tobacco growers have delivered 41 million kg worth US$ 94 million to the market.

However, the farmers are concerned over the fixed exchange rate of US$ 1:$25. At the same time last year, farmers had sold 19 million kg worth US$ 33 million.

This year, farmers are being paid half of what their tobacco sells for as free funds deposited into a US dollar account, but the other half is paid into local currency bank accounts at the pegged interbank rate.

Friday

The Dr Thokozani Khupe-led MDC has kicked out a faction led by Mr Nelson Chamisa from its Morgan Tsvangirai headquarters.

Although there was some resistance from Mr Chamisa’s loyalists, the MDC national chairperson Senator Morgen Komichi said they were now calling the shots from the Morgan Tsvangirai House.