Kubatana.net ~ an online community of Zimbabwean activists

Zimbabwean elections by end of July

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Friday, May 31st, 2013 by Bev Clark

The Guardian reports

A Zimbabwean court has ordered Robert Mugabe to hold elections before the end of July, adding to a political dispute over the timing and funding of the vote in the country. “The elections should take place no later than 31 July 2013,” said the chief justice of the constitutional court, Godfrey Chidyausiku. More

Zanu PF broke? That’s a joke

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Friday, May 31st, 2013 by Marko Phiri

A report today says Zanu PF “recently acquired 550 vehicles, – an assortment of single and double cab 4X4 vehicles Toyota Hilux, Nissan NP300, Ford Ranger and Mazda BT50s valued at USD14$million.” All this from a party supposedly broke? And was it not only this month that we read that cops had impounded MDC-T bikes on allegations that the motorbikes “were smuggled into the country?” SMH

Zimbabwean politicians must learn to take responsibility

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Friday, May 31st, 2013 by Fungayi Mukosera

Groupon Inc former CEO was fired on 1 March 2013 and he said, “After four and a half intense and wonderful years as CEO of Groupon, I’ve decided that I’d like to spend more time with my family. Just kidding – I was fired today. If you’re wondering why… you haven’t been paying attention, from controversial metrics in our S1 to our material weakness to two quarters of missing our own expectations and a stock price that’s hovering around one quarter of our listing price, the events of the last year and a half speak for themselves. As CEO, I am accountable.” This is what he wrote in a memo to the people of Groupon. What attracted me here is that he wrote in the most candid way that most of us struggle to do.

On 11 October 2010 Newsday published a story entitled ‘perpetrators apologise for political violence. In Matebeleland South, Zanu Pf member Makheyi Ncube lifted up his hands in front of the whole community and confessed his involvement in the 2008 election violence and the people were appeased by the humility he showed. Here is a man who did not choose the finger pointing solution but rather went head on with the problem in question. 2008 stands out as a very bad year in the history of Zimbabwe and I am surprised that there is no political party which has stood up to accept not even a single wrong.

Zimbabwe lost more than 300 hundred lives to political violence. Sometimes I get so angry to the extent that I feel that I have to be alone at a secluded place because some of the stories we had prior to the June 27 elections were so painful. Zimbabwean politics has in the past three decades lacked men of valour who not only think of today but uphold a quality of forecast and goal. If an honourable man apologises, he will only look stupid today but he knows the value of time and process of healing. In five years time when he starts preaching peace and campaigning again for re-election, it is easy for the people to see the sincerity in his talk because he is a man who sets a precedent of standing for the truth rather than justifying evil behaviour.

I am not a politician by profession myself but the bible that I read in John 8 vs 32 says to both me and the politicians that, ‘And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free’. If a politician knows the overwhelming evidence that his supporter killed someone (truth), what more soothing (free) would he need in his campaign camp than this?

I think a man who does not accept his own failures is just but an ignorant liar and should never be taken seriously because if he falters, the next thing is that he wants to craft a patch to make it an excuse to cover his own junk. Only noble and patient men do the honourable thing to accept their flaws. In Shona people say, ‘munhu anomira patsvina dzake’ (a man stands with his own dirt). The moment you try to justify your wrong doings, you will force other innocent people to step in and deal with your dirt.

NGO job vacancies in Zimbabwe

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Thursday, May 30th, 2013 by Bev Clark

Hey! Need a job? Want to work in the NGO/development sector in Zimbabwe? Check out the job vacancies below and apply today. If you want to receive regular civic and human rights information, together with NGO job vacancies and other opportunities like scholarships by getting our regular email newsletter, please email join [at] kubatana [dot] net

HIV Programme Officer – Zimbabwe Office: Trócaire
Deadline: 11 June 2013

Trócaire is the Development Agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland.  The Agency works in Zimbabwe under an MoU with the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference.  A vacancy for a HIV Programme Officer has arisen within its Zimbabwe Office. The successful candidate will be managed by the Programme Manager and will work in close collaboration with the other Programme officers as well as with our finance team. Trócaire has supported partners working on HIV in Zimbabwe for the past nine years. The HIV programme was a small programme, consisting of 2 – 3 partners, until early 2009. At present, the programme includes five partners. The programme is focused on the Rights of People living with HIV and the current programme cycle will come to an end in late 2013 when a new 5-year HIV programme will be developed.

Key Duties and Responsibilities include the following core areas
-Programme Development, Management & Monitoring
-Programme Administration and Finance
-Partner Relationship & capacity building
-Participating in broader work of the programme and country teams
-External links
-Mainstreaming

The ideal candidate will have
-At least 3 years proven experience in implementing and managing HIV programmes in a developing country context
-Experience of the partnership model of development work
-In-depth experience of Results Based Programme Management
-Knowledge of HIV and gender context in Zimbabwe, the region and globally
-Experience in managing budgets for development projects and programmes
-A proven track record in financial management
-Strong experience of providing capacity building support to NGOs in the areas of RBM, mainstreaming and advocacy
-Proven skills in facilitation using participatory approaches
-Understanding of and commitment to implementing MIPA in programmes and advocacy work
-Proven experience in mainstreaming HIV
-Experience in the implementation of HIV Workplace Policies
-Very good interpersonal skills, including excellent communications skills
-Good IT skills, including word processing, Excel
-Commitment to Trócaire values
-A team player

In return we offer a competitive salary and package commensurate with education and experience.

Full job description available on request from: fshereni [at] trocairezw [dot] org

To apply
Email your cover letter and detailed CV to: fshereni [at] trocairezw [dot] org with “HIV Programme Officer” in the subject line.

They are there because we are here

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Wednesday, May 29th, 2013 by Fungayi Mukosera

Zimbabwe stands above 85% of its whole population belonging to Christianity. Christians believe that as soon as life departs from a human being the spirit either goes into purgatory or lays in wait of God’s judgment on the earth. This is the reason why people cry in mourning the departed because as soon as life slithers out from a human body, never shall we see that same spirit-host union again in this life.
Our politicians are no strangers to this belief because from whence this faith is coined are their roots. I specifically singled out politicians because they are in these pre election times the only people I can think of who can, in the comfort of their offices, incite interference with our lives with the aim of retaining their political supremacy.

It is easy and in fact right for the ordinary man in the street to point fingers at police as perpetrators of disrespect of lives but the root cause is our councillors, MPs, and Ministers. They are the command centre and the epicentre of all the atrocities that we are suffering in our homes. How can a trusted politician and people representative stand on a podium and downplay democracy ingeniously saying that mere ink can never bring political change in Zimbabwe? The love of power in Zimbabwe has reigned supreme over everything else; superiority is now a force so deadly that our politicians will do anything to retain their thrones.

Our political representatives should come back to their senses and realise that they are there because we are here.

NGO job vacancies in Zimbabwe

del.icio.us TRACK TOP
Wednesday, May 29th, 2013 by Bev Clark

Hey! Need a job? Want to work in the NGO/development sector in Zimbabwe? Check out the job vacancies below and apply today. If you want to receive regular civic and human rights information, together with NGO job vacancies and other opportunities like scholarships by getting our regular email newsletter, please email join [at] kubatana [dot] net

Head of Programs: Catholic Relief Services
Deadline: 7 June 2013

Catholic Relief Services – Zimbabwe Program (PVO: 6/2002), an international humanitarian and development organization, seeks to fill the above named position.

CRS Zimbabwe seeks candidates for Head of Programs based in Harare, Zimbabwe. The main role of the Head of Programs (HoP) is to lead CRS/Zimbabwe’s programming department, to ensure the quality and growth of CRS programming and to support the development of CRS and partner programming staff. Vested with substantial decision-making authority, this individual will regularly undertake representational responsibilities with the local Church, government, and donors.

Requirements
-Master’s degree in international relations/development or a related field
-Five to seven years international management experience, including significant supervisory experience in complex development and relief programs in developing countries, with project management experience in one or more of the following areas: agriculture and/or livelihood recovery, WASH, nutrition, DRR, and conflict management
-Excellent personnel management and leadership abilities; effective team builder, facilitator & mentor; good networker; proactive & decisive thinker; both creative and analytical; consensus-builder
-Ability to manage interpersonal relationships facilitates meetings, build consensus within groups, manage interpersonal conflict, and juggle/prioritize multiple tasks
-Demonstrated strong ability with project grants management, including participatory project design, detailed planning, budget preparation, expenditure tracking, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting
-Experience accompanying civil society development and organizational strengthening, especially experience with partner strengthening and cross-sector engagement
-Familiarity with the social development function of the Catholic Church and experience in working with Church partners
-Excellent English written and verbal skills for project proposals, reports, and other communications
-Computer proficiency in Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
-Requires approximately 40 percent travel within Zimbabwe, plus attendance at regional conferences and workshops when requested

Apply
Those who meet the above criteria are invited to submit their applications together with a cover letter and detailed Curriculum Vitae that includes the names and contact details (plus e-mails addresses) of three traceable references. Applications should be clearly marked “HEAD OF PROGRAMS”. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.  Please submit by: Friday 7 June 2013 to: The Country Representative, 95 Park Lane, Harare or 33A Duncan Road Suburbs Bulawayo or P.O. Box CY 1111, Causeway, Harare, or to taurai.musakaruka [at] crs [dot] org

Country Director: Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ)
Deadline: 9 June 2013

Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ), an affiliate of Marie Stopes International (MSI), is a market focused and result oriented non-governmental organization. We develop the efficient, effective and sustainable family planning and reproductive health programmes, with particular emphasis on the lower and disadvantaged communities in Zimbabwe. PSZ’s goal is to meet the needs of underserved individuals and dramatically improve access to and use of family planning and other reproductive health services. PSZ is part of a Global Health Partnership, which operates in 40 countries providing over 5 million services worldwide annually.

PSZ are commencing a period of geographic and programmatic expansion and the Country Director (CD) is responsible for a successful and sustainable programme. S/he ensures the attainment of PSZ goals and objectives and provides leadership to the PSZ team to develop and implement and expand the national programme efficiently and effectively. The Country Director will provide professional, high-quality and effective strategic leadership in the continued development of PSZ. We are offering you the opportunity to take your career to the next level, whilst putting your skills to use assisting us to achieve our Mission of “Children by Choice, not Chance”.

Key Results Areas
1.The CD is expected to ensure excellent relationships are established and maintained with all key stakeholders and donors, while ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of PSZ’s distinct contribution to the attainment of these objectives.
2.External relations and resource development: To ensure PSZ is well regarded, well resourced and influential.
3.Strategic and Annual Planning: Ensure successful strategic development and national expansion of PSZ, in line with the values of the Global Partnership and the end goal of a sustainable organisation leading the way in the health sector.
4.Finance: Ensure PSZ has good financial health.
5.Programme implementation: Oversee the development and implementation of annual operational plans and working budgets, in conjunction with other team members, actively participating in meetings as needed.
6.Team Leadership: Provide overall leadership and strategic direction to the team and ensure existence of a motivated, productive and appropriately managed team.

Qualifications
-MBA/MBL
-Management/business qualification
-Have technical/clinical competence for Sexual Reproductive Health & FP services
-10-12 years of management experience in similar or allied roles in previous organization

Apply
Submit CV plus covering letter clearly marked “Country Director” to: populationserviceszimbabwe [at] gmail [dot] com

Only short listed candidates will be contacted