Nicholas Zakaria just died a month before turning 70, and the sungura legend got nicknamed Senior Lecturer because basically every major Zimbabwean musician from that era learned their craft under him. The guy founded Khiama Boys after ditching Shepherd Chinyani's Vhuka Boys over a tire blowout argument, and his crew featured future stars like Alick Macheso, System Tazvida, and Cephas Karushanga. Their hit Mabhauwa still slaps decades later.
Zakaria apparently rage-quit music at one point and locked up all the band equipment to become a truck driver, which pushed Macheso to start Orchestra Mberikwazvo. His wife, Margaret Gweshe, stuck with him through the whole journey, and he credited their relationship for surviving the AIDS crisis...
Bulawayo DJ Joe Da OG just hit 50, and he credits staying alive to divine intervention after losing mad talented friends this year, which is why he is throwing an All White Grand 50 bash at Cosmopolitan VIP Club with veteran spinners like Morris Touch, DJ Gqwetha, and Emity Smooth on the decks. The guy launched his career after winning the Mega Dance competition back in high school, and he started spinning professionally at Visions Night Club before bouncing through spots like Walkers and Jock, and Saddle.
He says the nightlife scene got wrecked because clubs stopped charging entry fees, and everyone shifted to lounges and car drinking after COVID changed the whole vibe. Gate money used to pay DJs way better when the industry actually...
First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa threw a Christmas party at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre for orphaned and vulnerable kids from group homes across the country. Public Service Minister Edgar Moyo showed up to represent her because she had other stuff going on. The kids got fed, received gifts, and spent the whole event dancing and celebrating.
Mnangagwa runs the Angel of Hope Foundation and uses it to complement government programs for street kids, orphans, and disabled children. She told everyone that all kids deserve love and opportunities regardless of their circumstances. The caregivers and social workers who look after these children at facilities like SOS Children's Home and Queen Elizabeth Children's Home got thanked...
The Ecobank heist from last year kept dominating headlines after cops finally nabbed the Terror Twins, Elijah and Abraham Vumbunu, who apparently pulled off the $4 million robbery that took less than three minutes to execute. Police caught them in South Africa and brought them back to face charges for crimes spanning over a decade. Their relative Sekai Vumbunu got busted alongside Florence Chisiri for a separate $36,000 spree that hit a currency exchange and a restaurant patron.
A machete-wielding crew terrorized Entumbane residents before getting hit with 72 years combined prison time. Leeroy Sibanda, Nkosilathi Dhlamini, and Ntandoyenkosi Nyoni attacked people on isolated pathways using blades and axes to steal cash and valuables...
Bulawayo just wrapped its second Eats Awards, and over 200 people showed up to watch local food spots get recognized for actually being good at what they do. Fairy Café grabbed Restaurant of the Year, while Slice Pizzeria took Takeaway of the Year, and Chef John from Sushi King scored Chef of the Year. Comedian Mbongeni Ignatius hosted the whole thing, and Shadow Circuit Band kept the vibes going throughout the night.
Shane Manjelo from the Bulawayo Eats team said they're already planning a bigger event for next year. Makhosi Mahlangu from African Food Revolution pointed out that these awards legitimately help restaurants get more customers and give chefs credibility beyond just customer reviews. He won an award himself back at the...
Zimbabwe's Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube is heading to Bulawayo to break down the 2026 National Budget at a post-budget breakfast meeting organized by Zimpapers and the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries. Local economist Stevenson Dlamini thinks the whole thing is really about signaling fiscal discipline to international creditors like the IMF, while businesses are more interested in networking opportunities and reading the room than listening to speeches.
The budget focuses on financing 10 strategic pillars under the new National Development Strategy 2 that runs until 2030. These pillars cover infrastructure upgrades, housing, food security, and inclusive growth. Ministries got mapped to specific priorities, and the government...
A 31-year-old entrepreneur with dwarfism just scored $550 at a Sightsavers Innovation Challenge in Zimbabwe, and Vimbai Mucheriwa is using the cash to level up her handbag business. She makes satchels and wallets by hand, but the prize money lets her buy a sewing machine that'll pump out way better products at higher volumes. The competition pulled in 34 people with disabilities who all pitched business ideas, with the top three nabbing between $400 and $550 while everyone else walked away with $300 consolation prizes.
Sightsavers partnered with Embrytech Zimbabwe and ZB Bank to train participants on running profitable businesses. Their country director, Peter Bare, said employers generally have zero clue how to accommodate workers...
Victoria Falls City Council dropped $4.5 million on water infrastructure without touching government cash or loans, and Deputy Minister Albert Mavhunga said that kind of self-funded hustle is exactly what local authorities should be doing. The package covers new reservoirs, a pump station, and network upgrades that boost supply capacity while keeping residents hooked up to clean water for 21 hours daily.
Mavhunga said the project checks all the boxes for National Development Strategy 2 since it leans heavily on devolution and local revenue collection instead of waiting for handouts. The council bankrolled everything through their internal collections, which sets a blueprint for other municipalities trying to hit sustainability targets...
Hwange District rolled out its 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, and officials zeroed in on digital abuse after women and girls kept getting tormented online through cyberbullying and image-based harassment. Alice Bishi spoke for Acting District Development Coordinator Nyaradzo Masoja and said tech-facilitated violence causes real trauma, even though people dismiss it as less serious than physical attacks. Stats show one in three Zimbabwean women aged 15 to 49 dealt with physical violence, and one in four faced sexual assault.
Junior Councillor Nomhle Mtshiya called out young people for treating online abuse like harmless jokes when hacking and non-consensual photo sharing qualify as actual violence. Local...
