19 Dec 2016

Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa presented a US$4 billion budget on the  8 December 2016 and pledged to cut government expenditure further next year after a US$520 million overrun in 2016. Below are highlights:

• US$4,1 billion budget unveiled.
• Economy to grow by 1,7% in 2017.
• Revenue of US$2,876 billion collected between January and October 2016 against a target of US$3,158 billion, a negative variance of 9,8%.
• Cumulative expenditure for January to October 2016 amounts to US$3,84 billion against a target of 3,32 billion, representing US$520 million overspend.
• Employment costs to gobble 91% of revenue.
• Exports decline by 6,9% to US$3,365 billion.
• Import bill stands at US$5,35 billion against exports of US$3,365billion.
• A total of US$17 million of bond notes injected into the banking system.
• Freeze in prices and fees charged by public entities.
• Five cents health levy for every dollar spent on airtime and data.
• Resuscitation of Ziscosteel on the cards.
• Agriculture, which experienced a 3,7% decline in 2016, expected to grow by 12% in 2017.
• Mining sector seen growing by 0,9% in 2017.
• Manufacturing sector seen growing by 0,3%.
• 15% platinum tax reprieve extended to 2017.
• Growth rate of between 0,3 to 3% anticipated in other sectors in 2017.
• Capital inflows of US$692,4 million expected in 2016 against US$1,2 billion in 2015.
• Formal remittances fall to US$780 million in 2016 from US$935 million in 2015.
• Stock market turnover between January and October 2016 slumps by 29% to US$144,46 million.
• Primary and secondary education ministry gets highest vote of US$800,3 million followed by Home Affairs allocated US$364 million.
• Defence ministry allocated US$340,5 million while health and agriculture sectors receive US$208 million and US$244 million respectively.

1 Nov 2016

The PVF attracts hundreds of spectators at the 2012 NGO Expo during a live perfomance by Artists for Democracy.

This is an edutainment platform used by various NGOs to stimulate public debate on issues in line with the Expo theme. 2012 ‘s theme was coined in relation to the 50th anniversary celebration by NANGO.Artists for Democracy in Zimbabwe Trust (ADZT) held the NGO Expo Road show and Peace concert on the 5th of September 2012. The activity was conducted in two parts whereby the morning session was a roadshow in the Harare CBD mainly targeting bus terminuses such as Copacabana, Market Square, Charge Office and 4th street. This was done using a roadshow advertising truck roving around town playing music and an MC chanting out messages of peace. The selected roadshow bus terminuses are where most people catch their transport and drop off point; this was a mobilization strategy to invite people to the main concert later in the day. The concert then began in the afternoon at 1pm at the Harare gardens main stage, where artists performed preaching messages of peace. Lined artists were Zvido zvevanhu traditional dance group, Dino Mudondo and Sniper.