Chinese companies dig for lithium across Zimbabwe's rural villages. Three major mines operate at Mandihongola, Sandawana and Arcadia where families have lived for generations. Electric car batteries need lithium but mining threatens local water and grazing areas. Companies pump 1000 tonnes daily from community land without fair payment to residents. Villagers lose their cattle pastures as mining expands through ancestral territories.
Government agencies stay silent about environmental damage from lithium processing. Mining waste flows into dams where cattle drink water causing health problems for livestock. Families depend on animals for income but companies ignore their concerns about pollution. The Environmental Management Agency...
Zimbabwe tobacco farmers broke their production record and earned more than one billion dollars. The farmers sold 299 million kilograms of tobacco during the 2024 marketing season. This amount beats last year's record of 296 million kilograms. Officials from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board announced the achievement after 71 days of selling. The farmers need just 841,376 more kilograms to reach 300 million kilograms.
Good rainfall and better farming methods helped create this record harvest. More farmers planted tobacco under the Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan. The plan helps farmers make more money and reduces the need for imported tobacco. Global demand for Zimbabwe tobacco remains strong. The country continues...
South Africa picked 16 players for two Test matches against Zimbabwe starting June 28 at Queens Sports Club. Temba Bavuma will captain the team as several new faces join the red-ball squad. The series comes after South Africa beat Australia at Lords to win their first ICC World Test Championship Final. The Proteas claimed their first ICC title after waiting 27 years.
Aiden Markram earned Player of the Match honors but will skip this tour along with fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. Tristan Stubbs, Ryan Rickelton, Senuran Muthusamy and Dane Paterson also received breaks from the squad. Their absence opens doors for younger players to prove themselves. Several World Test Championship winners like David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch...
Zimbabwe supports refugees living within the country's borders. Deputy Minister Mercy Dinha spoke before World Refugee Day celebrations at Tongogara Refugee Camp. She said Zimbabwe follows international laws that protect people who flee their home countries. The nation's 2013 Constitution gives refugees access to social services and paths to citizenship. Her ministry helps refugees obtain birth certificates and national identity documents.
World Refugee Day happens June 20 with the theme Solidarity with Refugees. UN refugee chief Boubacar Bamba said solidarity means taking action to help displaced people. He praised Zimbabwe for supporting refugees and noted that 17,000 refugees live at Tongogara camp. The refugees receive land for...
Uganda prepares for 2026 elections with strict new rules. Electoral Commission chairman Justice Simon Byabakama announced tight deadlines for all candidates. Special Interest Group elections started June 16 for elderly people and disabled voters. Youth committee elections follow on June 19 across all villages. The commission warns against forming private security groups during voting.
Presidential candidates must verify their school certificates before August 1, 2025. They also need to quit government jobs before October 1, 2025. Parliament hopefuls face earlier deadlines for both requirements. District chairman candidates have different dates to meet. Missing any deadline means automatic rejection from the ballot.
The commission...
Police arrested a top officer for killing a famous prosecutor nine years ago. Nixon Agasirwe worked as a Senior Superintendent of Police until his arrest. Joan Kagezi died when gunmen shot her car as she drove home with her children. The murder happened on March 30, 2015, outside Kampala. Agasirwe faces murder charges at Nakawa Chief Magistrate's court.
A convicted criminal testified that Agasirwe paid for the killing. Daniel Kisekka serves 35 years for his part in the murder. He told the court that Agasirwe gave money to the shooter. Three other men already stand trial for the same crime. Kagezi prosecuted terrorism cases before her death.
Agasirwe started life as a shoe cleaner before joining police work. Local people said he led...
Workers face serious dangers every day because they lack safety training. More than 860,000 people worldwide suffer job injuries daily. Construction workers in Kampala show the problem clearly. About 32 percent have been hurt at work. Most accidents happen during night shifts.
Universities held a workshop about workplace safety education. Teachers from three schools discussed the problem. They want safety lessons added to primary school classes. An expert said many deaths could be prevented with proper training. Road accidents and school fires often happen because people do not know basic safety rules.
Workers often get sick from chemicals or loud noises at their jobs. They receive medical treatment and return to the same dangerous...
Uganda announced its biggest national budget ever for 2025-26. The government plans to spend 72.3 trillion shillings on various programs and projects. Finance Minister Matia Kasaija said the budget focuses on farming, factories, and technology growth. Leaders want to make Uganda more modern and attractive to investors. The spending plan shows a small increase from last year's budget.
The government expects to collect 37.55 trillion shillings from taxes and other domestic sources. Officials will borrow 11.38 trillion shillings from local banks to help fund the budget. Foreign countries and organizations will provide 2.08 trillion shillings in grants and loans. Additional project funding from outside sources totals 11.33 trillion...
Some Ugandan schools force parents to buy specific brands of notebooks and pencils. Parents must purchase items from chosen suppliers instead of shopping anywhere. Schools create lists that require Shreeji exercise books or Nataraj pencils only. These rules limit where families can spend their money.
Uganda's Competition Act stops businesses from controlling markets unfairly. Schools break the law when they demand purchases from certain vendors. Parents cannot compare prices or find better deals elsewhere. Low-income families pay more for basic school supplies.
The Education Ministry wants to reduce costs for parents across the country. Officials released new rules to stop schools from charging too much money. Branded stationery...
