FACTSHEET: El Nino and La Nina – A Brief Overview
Introduction Zimbabwe is currently feeling the impact of the El Niño season which affected the 2023/24 summer cropping harvests. The governments of Zimbabwe along with Zambia, and Malawi have all declared national disasters due to El Niño-linked droughts. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said the country would need $2 billion to feed the 2.7 million people […]
Cell Phone Use Fines Do Not Exceed US$30 at Police Stations, Despite Rumours
CLAIM: … police are on a campaign to clamp down on cellphone use while driving. Fines start at $320 and can be in excess of $1000. Plus storage fees for your impounded vehicle.’ SOURCE: Social Media Viral Message VERDICT: False On June 21, 2024, a message circulated on WhatsApp and was forwarded many times. The author […]
Job Growth Overstated: Herald Mixes Up Employment Data
The Herald in an article headlined, ‘Economy creates 200,000 new jobs in first quarter’, makes a number of claims based on ZimStat employment figures. These claims range from increase in number of people employed to jobs created. What is fact and what is fiction? We checked. CLAIM 1: The latest data released by the Zimbabwe […]
Indeed, man has been convicted of ‘stealthing’, classified as rape in the UK, but he ain’t Zimbabwean
CLAIM: UK Court sentenced Zim man Guy Mukendi (39 years old) to 4 Years & 3 Months In Prison for ‘stealthing’ after removing condom without consent. SOURCE: Various Media Reports VERDICT: Partly False A British man, Guy Mukendi, has gone viral after being convicted of ‘stealthing’, taking off a condom during sex without consent. Non […]
Beyond the Buzz: A Look at KPMG’s Ranking of Zimbabwe’s Investment Potential
CLAIM: KPMG Identifies Zimbabwe as Top Investment Destination in Sub-Saharan Africa SOURCE: The Zimbabwe Mail VERDICT: False The Zimbabwe Mail, an online publication, on 5 June 2024, carried the headline: ’KPMG Identifies Zimbabwe as Top Investment Destination in Sub-Saharan Africa’. The story cites the audit firm’s latest report: ‘Doing Deals in Sub-Saharan Africa’. Carried out […]
Factsheet: International Albinism Awareness Day – dispel the myths with facts
Did you know? source: OHCHR The International Albinism Awareness Day is marked and recognised annually on the 13th of June. The day serves to promote awareness and dispel myths about albinism as well as advocate for the well-being and rights of people with albinism. Background On December 18, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted […]
Digging into gold flow: NewsDay misrepresents but SwissAid has holes in its data
CLAIM: In 2022 about 24,000kg of gold produced by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) were declared against an estimated 78,000kg that went undeclared. SOURCE: NewsDay VERDICT: False The NewsDay, a privately-owned daily newspaper on 3 June 2024 carried a story on its website under the headline: ‘Zim a top 5 gold smuggler.’ In the story, […]
FactSheet: Random facts about Bulawayo on the commemoration of Bulawayo Day
On the 1st of June each year, Bulawayo celebrates Bulawayo Day commemorating the day on which it attained town status. It had its first municipal council of 9 elected members in November 1897. Bulawayo became a city under Proclamation 41 on 4 November 1943. Its history dates back to pre-colonial times. In 1870, King Lobengula […]
Polish TikTokker False Gay Couple Claim based on another equally false claim
(Zimbabwańska kara śmierci za brak ciąży u gejów? TikTok mówi nieprawdę!) CLAIM: In Zimbabwe a homosexual couple has been put under house arrest for 12 months. If neither of them gets pregnant, they will be sentenced to death. SOURCE: Account on TikTok VERDICT: False On 13 May 2024, a Polish man reported on TikTok that […]
It’s Standard Chartered, not Standard Bank, that has exited Zimbabwe after 130 years
CLAIM: ‘Standard Bank has set its HQ in Lusaka. It has closed its office in Harare and crossed the border to build its headquarters in Zambia after 130 years in Zimbabwe.’ SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: False On 26 May 2024, an X (formerly Twitter) user Joseph Kalimbwe, @joseph_kalimbwe, posted a message claiming […]
Enjoying the Africa Day Public Holiday? Not all those on the continent get to do so
Africa Day,commemorates the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on May 25 1963. The First Conference of Independent African States was held in Accra, Ghana and it laid the foundation for the formation of the OAU. Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first Prime Minister , convened the conference which included representatives from several African […]
NewsDay, Not 2% of Zim women but 2% of the documented agricultural population are women
CLAIM: ‘Only 2% of Zim women own agricultural land: World Bank’ SOURCE: NewsDay VERDICT: Misleading On May 2, 2024, NewsDay, a local privately-owned daily newspaper published a story under the headline: ‘Only 2% of Zim women own agricultural land: World Bank.’ The publication attributed the claim to the World Bank (WB)’s Zimbabwe Gender Assessment Report. […]
BCC does not repossess residents’ houses, unless if the house you think is yours actually belongs to Council
Important information to note (i) THE city council does not deal with houses that have title deeds. In the event of a property owner, with title deeds, dying, the estate is handled under the Deceased Estate Act. The council plays no role in this process except to change the ownership as directed by the courts. […]
EXPLAINER: By-Laws on bookshelves – cities dilapidation not due to lack of enabling law
Bulawayo, declared a town on 1 June 1894, turns 130 years old this year. Interestingly, some of the buildings that stand today are almost as old as the town itself. Take the Bulawayo Club, for instance. It was established as a Gentleman’s Club in 1895. A popular account on X recently posted on the state […]
Zimbabwe’s Presidential Tally: Canaan Banana not executive but still counts
CLAIM: In its 44-year-old history Zimbabwe has only had two Presidents. SOURCE: David Coltart on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: False. Bulawayo Mayor, David Coltart, on May 13 2024 posted a message via his handle @DavidColtart on X (formerly Twitter) talking about Zimbabwe’s two-term Presidential limit in the Constitution. David Coltart goes on to say that […]
Factsheet: World Asthma Day – Take a deep breath
According to the Global Asthma Report, asthma is a greater problem than had been previously thought. Lower income countries have unmet needs which should be addressed comprehensively. It says asthma remains the most common non communicable disease in children and adolescents in Africa. Despite this, asthma remains largely undiagnosed and is associated with significant morbidity […]
Parliament holds the key: Constitutional change not needed to end Zimbabwe’s death penalty
CLAIM: Abolishing the death penalty would require a constitutional amendment. SOURCE: The Conversation Africa VERDICT: False Dzivarasekwa legislator and member of the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Edwin Mushoriwa began the legal process towards abolishing the death penalty in Zimbabwe when he first brought the motion to bring the Private Member’s Bill to Parliament in November 2023. […]
Govt says ‘at least’ while official says ‘at most’: A case of English gone wrong in Government Communication
CLAIM: Learners should write a maximum of eight subjects at O-level and a maximum of four A-level subjects, nothing more than four. SOURCE: Taungana Ndoro in the Sunday News VERDICT: Inconclusive Zimbabwe’s education system has undergone a shift. The curriculum, once allowing a limitless number of O and A Level subjects, now mandates a limit: […]
First in the EPL, But Not Quite First on the Plane: The facts on Peter Ndlovu’s EPL accolade
CLAIM: Peter Ndlovu, the first African to play in the modern EPL SOURCE: @ZBCNewsonline VERDICT: True The claim on Peter Ndlovu having been the first African player to feature in the English premier league has always been a cause for debate. This claim is not new. The one from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is only the […]
Dollar 6.0: yes, the ZiG is Zimbabwe’s 6th attempt to renew local currency
CLAIM: ‘The country has tried five times in the past to renew a local currency…’ SOURCE: ZimLive VERDICT: True Zimbabwe’s financial history has been a rollercoaster, and the local currency, the Zimbabwean dollar, has been on a particularly wild ride. From the pre-dollarisation trillionaires to the recently introduced ZiG, it might get a little bit […]
A Million Tourists, a Billion Dollars? Zimbabwe’s Tourism Math Examined
CLAIM: Zimbabwe generated $1.1 billion from 1.6 million international tourists in 2023 SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: True On the 4th of April 2024, an account on X (formerly Twitter) with the user name @AfricaFactsZone claimed that Zimbabwe generated US$1.1 billion from 1.6 million international tourists in 2023. This was quote tweeted by […]
Zimbabwe may not be the worst governed SADC country, but it is way up there with the bad
CLAIM: ‘Zimbabwe worst governed country in SADC’ SOURCE: NewsDay VERDICT: False The NewsDay, a local daily publication, on April 8, 2024 carried a story under the headline: ‘Zimbabwe worst governed country in SADC.’ The paper cited World Economics, a research institute based in the United Kingdom, as the source of the data. According to World […]
EXPLAINER: Math gone missing: wasn’t always part of the nursing equation
The recent advert for General Nurse Training really set the cat among the pigeons. Many were quick to react to media reports, here and here, that Mathematics was no longer a mandatory subject to pass to qualify for nurse training. This led to various reactions – from fears that this was going to pose a […]
Zimbabwe’s cyber city will not be the first in Africa: Mauritius already has one
CLAIM: ‘The FIRST cyber city in Africa is under construction in Zimbabwe … It’s not a dream, it’s a reality …It’s being implemented…A US$500 million investment.’ SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: False X (formerly Twitter) user, Kudzai Mutisi whose handle is @KMutisi, on 22 March 2024 posted a message accompanied by a video […]
Beyond the Misinformation: Understanding Autism
World Autism Awareness Day was first designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007. The resolution, known as ‘62/139’, declared April 2nd as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to improve the quality of life of individuals with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives. Since then, every year, organisations, […]
Zimbabweans are not happy, they are only better able to navigate and cope with life’s stresses
CLAIM: ‘Zimbabwe is third happiest country in Africa according to the 2024 Mental State of the World Report.’ SOURCE: NewZimbabwe.com VERDICT: Misleading On 15 March 2024, NewZimbabwe.com, an online publication posted a message on its X (formerly Twitter) account claiming that Zimbabwe is the third happiest African country’. The claim further states that this is […]
Marriage certificates issued after September 2022 under Chapter 5:11 are defective BUT this does not render your marriage null and void
CLAIM: ‘If you got married after September 2022 and your marriage certificate says Chapter 5:11, you must get the marriage certificate amended at the Marriages Registry otherwise the marriage is null and void. It should read chapter 5:17.’ SOURCE: WhatsApp message VERDICT: Misleading. Authorities have indicated that there is a pending statutory instrument to correct […]
Malaba benefited from a change in retirement age, not term limit. The term remains 15 years and he is set to serve 9
CLAIM: Incumbent Malaba benefited from a term limit change. Courts set a precedence (sic). SOURCE: Account on X (formerly X) VERDICT: False There have been recent allegations on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ZANU PF urging him to go for a third term, when the current one ends in 2028. Many articles have been written on the […]
No safe spaces: At least 49 percent of girls and women have been abused by their partners
CLAIM: At least 49% of ever-married adolescent girls and women aged 15-49 years have experienced some form of emotional, physical, or sexual violence committed by their current/recent partner. SOURCE: UNFPA on X (formerly Twitter) account VERDICT: True Gender-based violence is defined as violence directed against a person because of that person’s gender or violence that affects […]
Hold your horses: the Eswatini government is not about to fulfil anyone’s polygamy dreams
CLAIM: There is shortage of men in Eswatini SOURCE: Social Media post VERDICT: False Take off to a foreign country. Get there and find at LEAST 5 women waiting to marry you. Get married and have houses ready for occupation. All at the government’s expense. Sounds too good to be true? Yep. That’s because it […]
Did Obasanjo urge President Tinubu to get advice from the Zimbabwean government on how to address inflation? Not really
CLAIM: Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, also Brenthurst Foundation chair, has advised Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu to engage the government of Zimbabwe and get advice on how to address the current unprecedented level of inflation Nigeria is facing. SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: Misleading On March 6, 2024, an account on X, […]
Number of Food-insecure Zimbabweans: a tale of misquotes and opaque data figures
CLAIM: 26% of 15,1 million is 3,926,000 not 2,715,717 as you portray. Your figure is wrong by over 1,2 million. How can the Govt make such a grave mistake on such a life and death policy issue? SOURCE: Fadzayi Mahere, on X (formerly, Twitter) VERDICT: Partly true but based on incorrect data. In short 26% […]
No end to US sanctions on Zim while ZIDERA remains in place
CLAIM: The United States has terminated sanctions on Zimbabwe which has (sic) been in place since 2003. Source: Sophie Mokoena on X (formerly Twitter) Verdict: Misleading On the 4th of March 2024, President Joseph R. Biden of the United States of America issued an executive order on Zimbabwe, and really threw the cat among the […]
Paracetamol with ‘Machupo virus’ message is an old hoax
CLAIM: Paracetamol P/500 contains Machupo virus SOURCE: WhatsApp groups VERDICT: False An old claim has once again resurfaced. The message circulating on WhatsApp claims that a certain brand of paracetamol tablets contain the Machupo virus. The text reads, ‘Be careful not to take the paracetamol that comes written P/500. It is a new, very white […]
Chill Zimbabwe, your army ain’t all that. Not beyond the borders at least
CLAIM: Besides being the most powerful military in Africa (Ground Force),did you know that ZNA has the most and highly trained officers in the Continent? SOURCE: An Account on X (Twitter) VERDICT: False A post on an X (formerly Twitter) account using the name and picture of former Buhera Member of Parliament, Joseph Chinotimba (it […]
FactSheet: Land ownership and administration in Zimbabwe
On the 6th of February 2024, a local publication, The Masvingo Mirror on X formerly Twitter, had a post to the effect that several villagers in Masvingo Province had appeared at the Gutu Magistrates Court charged with illegal settlement on state land. This includes land bought illegally in resettlement, communal and urban areas. In a […]
Zimbabwe a Christian nation? Nope, just a regular secular one
CLAIM: Zimbabwe is a Christian Nation SOURCE: Vice President Constantine Chiwenga VERDICT: False The question of whether Zimbabwe is a Christian country or not, is not new. It comes up regularly, like clockwork, whenever issues of morality, women’s dressing and, of course, sexual orientation are discussed. In recent days, the question rose to the fore […]
Often used picture is not of Nelson Chamisa but Sanderson Makombe
CLAIM: A young Nelson Chamisa (left) is consoled by the late Morgan Tsvangirai after sharing his ordeal at the hands of state security agents at an opposition rally. SOURCE:The NewsDay VERDICT: False The Newsday newspaper in an opinion piece it ran on February 9, used a picture and captioned it as; “A young Nelson Chamisa(left) […]
Pagan or Christian holiday? Who cares. Love is in the air!!
February 14 across the globe, Zimbabwe included, is associated with love and exchange of gifts between lovers, in what is known as Valentine’s Day. But have you ever wondered how this day came into being? Below are some beliefs about Valentine’s Day, whose history dates back to ancient Rome and Victorian England. Valentine’s Day was […]
The Supreme Court has not ordered ZESA to pay $33 million – or any other amount – to Wicknell Chivayo
CLAIM: Zimbabwe Supreme Court has ordered ZESA to pay Wicknell Chivayo US$33 million. SOURCE: COZWVA on their X (formerly Twitter) page VERDICT: False On Wednesday, February 7th, a tweet by COZWVA claimed that the Supreme Court has ordered the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to pay controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo US$33 million for the former’s […]
