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146 000 megalitres of raw sewage gush into Chivero – The … – NewsDay

Ema, the City of Harare and other local authorities have clashed over water pollution for many years.

ALMOST 146 000 mega litres of partially treated raw sewerage are flowing back to Lake Chivero annually, exposing Harare’s estimated 3,5 million consumers to grave danger, official data showed this week, as the Environmental Management Authority (Ema) raised more red flags.

This translates to about 400 mega litres of toxic sewerage flowing back to Lake Chivero daily.

Ema, the City of Harare and other local authorities have clashed over water pollution for many years.

Several local authorities have been fined by the agency for leaving partially treated sewerage to flow into water sources.

The data demonstrates why Harare residents have abandoned drinking or cooking with Lake Chivero’s water, preferring to buy purified water.

In an interview with the Zimbabwe Independent, Amkela Sidange, environmental education and publicity manager at Ema, said apart from the raw sewerage, the decimation of wetlands has also compounded the situation.

Across cities, wetlands have been invaded by people setting up homes, following a rapid rise in urban population.

In cities, Zimbabweans hope for a better life as the country’s economy relapses.

Illegal settlers in Zimbabwe’s wetlands have been receiving support from politically connected land barons, who collect money and parcel out swaths of land to home-seekers, promising them protection from government and local  authorities.

On several occasions, local and state  authorities have threatened to demolish illegal structures.

But even after such drastic actions, settlements have continued to grow.

Environmental campaigners have been piling pressure on government and local authorities to protect wetlands, which form an integral part of the ecosystem, acting as sponges that filter and purify groundwater.

Sidange said there was hope that under the National Wetland Masterplan, some of the factors driving the construction of houses on wetlands would be addressed.

Still, some experts argued this week that while it was important for authorities to take action, extensive damage had already been inflicted on Zimbabwe’s wetlands.Countrywide, there are at least 1,2 million hectares of wetlands and Harare has about 29 wetlands covering a total area of 23 000 hectares, most of which have been invaded by land barons.

“Surveys by Ema indicate that an estimated 399 mega litres of raw and partially treated sewer are discharged into Lake Chivero (daily), which is one of the most pronounced drivers in pollution of the lake thus contaminating and polluting both terrestrial ecosystems and water bodies,” Sidange told the Independent.“Wetland utilisation should only be done under a licence from Ema, failure of which can result in prosecution. Commendable government efforts have been recorded recently, including the gazetting of the National Wetland Master Plan.“Increasing wetland area under sustainable management is one of the key objectives of the National Development Strategy. To date, an estimated 252 000 hectares against a target of 500 000 hectares have been put under sustainable management,” she said.The latest spate of wetlands invasion has forced local authorities to use more chemicals than normally required when purifying water, which is an expensive undertaking.Apart from raw sewerage, Lake Chivero has also been taking enormous amounts of pollution from industries.Hope Chizuzu, acting head of communications at Harare City Council, said the local authority’s growing population was also piling pressure on the city’s capacity to provide water.“The obvious growth in population in and around Harare informs that the water demand is higher than can be availed,” Chizuzu said.“The infrastructural capacity of the waterworks was designed to serve a population of under a million.“But Harare has a day population of over 3,5 million where people require services during business hours, meaning demand is at an optimum always. “The structural capacity to supply more water to consumers also informs that the source should be increased, which is impossible at the moment, hence the need to defer to other sources like the Kunzvi Dam Project,” he said.Zimbabwe became a signatory of the Ramsar Treaty in 2011. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.It is also known as the Convention on Wetlands and is named after the city of Ramsar in Iran, where the Convention was signed in 1971.Zimbabwe has seven wetlands that are designated as Ramsar sites under the convention notably: Monavale Vlei, Cleveland Dam, Mana Pools, Lake Chivero and Manyame, Chinhoyi Caves, Victoria Falls National Park and Driefontein Grasslands.Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection Regulations of 2007, which falls under Ema, provides for the protection of wetlands.Ema is a statutory body established under the Environmental Management Act, and is responsible for ensuring the sustainable utilisation of natural resources and the protection of the environment.    

 

 

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African 2026 World Cup Qualifying Fixtures


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Although the 2026 FIFA World Cup is still years away, the African qualifiers are set to begin soon. The next World Cup will be held in three locations for the first time in history – the US, Canada, and Mexico. CAF has secured 9 slots for African teams who will battle it out for a chance to play on the global stage. Below, we review the African 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification schedule and fixtures.

New Qualification Format

Nine CAF teams will make it to the World Cup. This is a change from the previous five, which means local and international betting sites have to update their betting lines even as the CAF adjusts its qualification format. The CAF announced this new format on May 19 this year. Now, participating teams will be drawn into nine groups of six teams, with each group winner qualifying directly for the World Cup. 

Draw and Groups

On July 13, the CAF performed the draw for the qualifications in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. All 54 CAF football associations will be represented, and the teams will be divided into the following groups:

  1. Group I: Chad, Comoros, CAR, Madagascar, Ghana, Mali
  2. Group H: Sao Tome and Principe, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia
  3. Group G: Somalia, Botswana, Mozambique, Uganda, Guinea, Algeria
  4. Group F: Seychelles, Burundi, Gambia, Kenya, Gabon, Ivory Coast
  5. Group E: Eritrea, Niger, Tanzania, Congo, Zambia, Morocco
  6. Group D: Mauritius, Eswatini, Libya, Angola, Cape Verde, Cameroon
  7. Group C: Lesotho, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Benin, South Africa, Nigeria
  8. Group B: South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Mauritania, DR Congo, Senegal
  9. Group A: Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Egypt

Schedule

The qualifiers will be held across 10 match days with some combined dates for the playoff semifinals and finals. The closest dates to look forward to are:

Matchday One: Nov. 13-21, 2023

  1. Group I: Comoros Vs. Central African Republic, Ghana Vs. Madagascar, Mali Vs. Chad
  2. Group H: Liberia Vs. Malawi, Equatorial Guinea Vs. Namibia, Tunisia Vs. Sao Tome e Principe
  3. Group G: Botswana Vs. Mozambique, Guinea Vs. Uganda, Algeria Vs. Somalia
  4. Group F: Burundi Vs. Gambia, Gabon Vs. Kenya, Ivory Coast Vs. Seychelles
  5. Group E: Niger Vs. Tanzania, Zambia Vs. Congo Brazzaville, Morocco Vs. Eritrea
  6. Group D: Eswatini Vs. Libya, Cape Verde Vs. Angola, Cameroon Vs. Mauritius
  7. Group C: Rwanda Vs. Zimbabwe, South Africa Vs. Benin, Nigeria Vs. Lesotho
  8. Group B: Sudan Vs. Togo, Senegal Vs. South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo Vs. Mauritania,
  9. Group A: Ethiopia Vs. Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso Vs. Guinea-Bissau, Egypt Vs. Djibouti

Matchday Two: Nov. 13-21, 2023

  1. Group I: Chad Vs. Madagascar, Comoros Vs. Ghana, CAR Vs. Mali
  2. Group H: Sao Tome Vs. Namibia, Liberia Vs. E. Guinea, Malawi Vs. Tunisia
  3. Group G: Somalia Vs. Uganda, Botswana Vs. Guinea, Mozambique Vs. Algeria
  4. Group F: Seychelles Vs. Kenya, Burundi Vs. Gabon, Gambia Vs. I. Coast
  5. Group E: Eritrea Vs. Congo, Niger Vs. Zambia, Tanzania Vs. Morocco
  6. Group D: Mauritius Vs. Angola, Eswatini Vs. Cape Verde, Libya Vs. Cameroon
  7. Group C: Lesotho Vs. Benin, Rwanda Vs. S. Africa, Zimbabwe Vs. Nigeria
  8. Group B: S. Sudan Vs. Mauritania, Sudan Vs. DR Congo, Togo Vs. Senegal
  9. Group A: Djibouti Vs. G. Bissau, Ethiopia Vs. B. Faso, S. Leone Vs. Egypt

Wrapping Up

The African (CAF) qualification campaign will kick off in November and set the stage for the 54 participating countries to compete for the 9 World Cup slots. Meanwhile, Morocco’s run in the 2022 World Cup has revitalized enough hope on the continent for a real shot at the trophy.

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We do not recognise Mnangagwa as President – says opposition as MPs boycott 10th Parliament opening, SONA address


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By Staff Reporter


CITIZENS Coalition for Change legislators have snubbed the State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered by President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the opening of the 10th Parliament.

According to a source, the decision to steer clear of the SONA along with the official opening of the 10th Parliament came from the party.

This is the latest protest by the opposition party following the conclusion of the general elections in August.

President Mnangagwa emerged winner with a 52,6% share of the vote while Chamisa got 44%.

CCC has since disputed the election results while calling for a rerun.

“We have been told to remain in our constituencies. The directive came as a party position,” revealed the source.

Opposition spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said: “We are boycotting the processes that Mnangagwa wants us to undertake on the basis of the fact that we as CCC do not recognize an election that put him there. The election was a sham, it did not go well. If fell abysmally short of the expected standards of a free and fair election in terms of the laws of Zimbabwe as well as in terms of SADC and AU protocols on free and fair elections.

“Accordingly, we are not attending that process. We want to send a clear message that there should be a free election in Zimbabwe under the auspices of SADC. So, that is the message that will be sending out.”

After the contested 2018 general election, then MDC-Alliance MPs walked out as soon as Mnangagwa began his SONA in protest.

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Zanu PF dispels any hope for Transitional government, maintains August elections were free and fair

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By Leopold Munhende | Chief Correspondent


ZANU PF Treasurer General Patrick Chinamasa has dispelled hopes for a transitional government or rerun, options being pushed regionally after Zimbabwe’s heavily criticised August polls.

Chinamasa took to Twitter Monday to declare that, despite regional and international criticism of the election, Zanu PF maintained it was free and fair.

He described calls for a rerun of the elections won by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as neocolonial.

Mnangagwa claimed 52.6% of the presidential vote against main contender Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) President Nelson Chamisa’s 44%.

“I ask the CCC class and its Prefect, Nelson Chamisa, to repeat after me the following that the 23rd of August 2023 was free, fair, transparent, and credible; that there will be no rerun of the elections,” said Chinamasa.

“There will be no Government of National Unity (GNU), there will be no so-called Transitional Authority (whatever that may mean), Zimbabwe, under Zanu PF’s watch will never be a banana republic.

“Zanu PF will forever say “NO” to neocolonialism and hegemonism and an emphatic “NO” to subjugation by sanctions-imposing Western countries, Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo, Ichitongwa Nevene Vayo, Ichinamatirwa Nevene Vayo, Ichichengetedzwa Nevene Vayo, Ichidzivirirwa Nevene Vayo. 

Zimbabwe will never, never, never be a colony again.”

Mnangagwa’s re-election has received massive criticism after heavy bungling by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on August 23.

Late provision of voting material, allegations of voter intimidation by Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) backed Forever Associates Zimbabwe (FAZ), barring of opposition rallies, arrest of opposing politicians and accusations ZEC had been captured by the military all worked against its credibility.

The European Union (EU), Commonwealth, United Kingdom (UK), regional body SADC and AU all questioned its fairness.

Zanu PF has spent the greater part of Zimbabwe’s post election period to lay into Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema whom it accuses of orchestrating negative reviews of Zimbabwe’s polls by SADC.

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