FunCheck: Musina or Beitbridge Border Post?
Carte Blanche, a South African television show will be airing an investigation into alleged corrupt activities happening at the main border post between South Africa and Zimbabwe. A post on X reads, ‘The Beitbridge border post is a place where corruption meets opportunity. We investigate how Home Affairs officials are helping some Zimbabwean nationals illegally […]
Factsheet: Protecting yourself from Mpox
The World Health Organization has declared Mpox, an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, a global health emergency following a surge of cases in Africa. The declaration follows Mpox outbreaks in 12 African nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic and other nations Mpox, also known as […]
HIV Positive Women, Not New Infections: Bulawayo Data Misinterpreted
CLAIM: APPROXIMATELY 90% of women aged between 16 and 50 plus tested for HIV in Bulawayo during the month of June this year tested positive of the virus SOURCE: Newsday VERDICT: False The NewsDay set the cat among the pigeons with its story headlined, ‘Alarming statistics on HIV positive women in Bulawayo’. The story begins […]
HIV Transmission Decriminalised, But Other STIs Still Prohibited
CLAIM: Deliberate Transmission of HIV Under Section 79 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, any person who knowingly infects another person with HIV, whether through sexual intercourse or any other means, can be charged with a criminal offense. SOURCE: Social media account on X VERDICT: False A post which garnered over 114,000 likes […]
Hold the outrage: Lyles not first athlete to compete in Paris after positive COVID-19 result
CLAIM: There are over 20 athletes that have competed bele (with) Covid including some Australian swimmers SOURCE: Social media account VERDICT: True It has been an interesting week at the Paris Olympics. From Noah Lyles’ photo finish in the 100m final that left a sour taste for some to the historical win by Botswana’s Letsile […]
FACTSHEET: World Breastfeeding Week – Closing the Gap
August 1 to 7 is commemorated throughout the world as Breastfeeding Week. World Breastfeeding Week aims to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and to support breastfeeding mothers. The theme for 2024 is Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all. According to UNICEF, 42% of children in Zimbabwe are exclusively breastfed for the first […]
Samsung Olympics Sponsorship: Satirical Article Misinterpreted as Fact
CLAIM: Samsung Withdraws $1 Billion Sponsorship from Paris Olympics. SOURCE: Social Media VERDICT: False The iconic Eiffel Tower in all her majesty, the Seine river flowing and thousands of the world’s elite athletes all gathered to compete in the 2024 edition of the Olympics Games. If the organisers of the opening ceremony were aiming to […]
FACTSHEET: Understanding sexual assault – it might not be always what you think
In early July, five teenagers went viral on social media for all the wrong reasons. A video (graphic: viewer discretion advised) of the 5 assaulting another teenager circulated until it got to the attention of the police leading to their arrest following investigations. The 5 were charged with, among other things, aggravated sexual assault. A […]
No anti-Mnangagwa billboards in Lusaka sponsored by US Embassy, or anyone else. Pictures manipulated
CLAIM: Hakainde Hichilema @HHichilema has enabled the placement of anti-Mnangagwa Billboards sponsored by the Zambia American embassy @usembassyzambia SOURCE: Account on X (formerly Twitter) VERDICT: False It has become common to see posts alleging frosty relations between Zimbabwe and Zambia in the past. These have, however, escalated from the friendly banter over who owns the […]
TB Free? Not Quite, Zimbabwe’s Progress Explained
CLAIM: The World Health Organization (WHO) removed Zimbabwe from the list of 30 high Tuberculosis burden countries in recognition of its success of reducing the burden of TB disease in recent years. SOURCE: Minister of Information (Post Cabinet Briefing) VERDICT: True, but missing context Between 2015 and 2019, Zimbabwe made significant progress in TB management, […]
Mnangagwa is only Government official from the 1980 Cabinet
CLAIM: ‘The only surviving government official from the post-independence Zimbabwe’s first ever cabinet in 1980, Mnangagwa….’ SOURCE: ZimLive VERDICT: True On July 4, 2024, ZimLive, a local online media house, in a story published under the headline: ‘Mnangagwa says will not extend his term beyond 2028,’ claims that the incumbent is the only remaining government […]
Headline Hype: Why Checking Facts Before Sharing News Matters
+10 years Car Import Ban still on – with exemptions CLAIM: Government lifts ban on imports of vehicles more than 10 years old SOURCE: NewZimbabwe.com VERDICT: Misleading What’s in a headline? Everything, apparently. People often skim headlines and share them on social media without reading the full article. A misleading headline can spread misinformation faster […]
Beyond Approval: Zimbabwe Paved the Way, Zambia Takes Action on Injectable PrEP
CLAIM: Zimbabwe is the first to introduce injectable long lasting ARV treatment. SOURCE: Social media account VERDICT: False Two years after protests against ViiV in 2022 for not making inexpensive versions of CAB-LA, a PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) injectable, also known as long-acting cabotegravir, available in Africa, the drug is here. There are various claims of […]
Setting the Record Straight: Zimbabwe’s Impressive Disease Control Continues
Information minister Jenfan Muswere in his post-Cabinet briefing of 2 July 2024 makes a number of claims. The Newsday in an article headlined, ‘Zim makes progress in Aids, malaria fight’, repeats these claims. Are these the facts? We checked. Claim 1: ‘In 2021, the proportion of people living with HIV who were put on antiretroviral […]
Not ours: Wiki edits responsible for Schreiber being Zimbabwean
CLAIM: Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber is a Zimbabwean foreigner SOURCE: Social Media VERDICT: False South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a cabinet of his Government of National Unity on 30 June 2024. It is the first such arrangement resulting from the failure by any single party to gain the majority 50% + 1 from […]
Sun’s Too Far Away? Don’t Blame It for Your Winter Blues
CLAIM: When the Earth is at its farthest, we experience lower temperatures here on earth the same way you feel when you sit far from a fireplace SOURCE: Social Media VERDICT: False It’s winter in the Southern Hemisphere and temperatures have been dropping lower and lower. And social media has found a reason for this. […]
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 […]