The Dyke

Disaster risk management: Taking a leaf from the priestly legacy and the African worldview.

Canisius Mwandayi — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Each moment a devastating disaster strikes, the age-old problem of evil inevitably comes to mind. God’s omnipotence and omniscience are once again called into question. The devastating 2019 Cyclone Idai, Covid-19, and Cyclone Freddy, temperatures hitting unprecedented record highs across the world in 2023 for example, remain mind-boggling disasters that call for explanation and by default efforts to avoid or minimise the repeat of such disasters. Faced with the remarkable, unprecedented, and terrifying reality of climate change, repeated warnings of global boiling have been issued and calls to adopt United Nations SMART-based plans of action are becoming louder as well. As the world pins its hopes on SMART action plans to unplug the tragic consequences of climate change, the paper bemoans what one views as a deliberate sidelining of religion in all these efforts. Through a comparative analysis, the paper interrogates the Priestly legacy and the African worldview in an attempt to salvage lessons from them on how ancients were tackling disaster risk reduction. Both emphasize a vital starting point to disaster reduction, namely: the concept of collective responsibility. Humans, according to Priestly teachings, are in control of their destiny and every act of social exploitation, and moral corruption, pollutes the sanctuary until such time God is driven out entirely and human society is devoured by its own viciousness and death-dealing. Similarly, from an African worldview, man is created as a moral agent in relation to God his Creator, and fellow men. The underlying argument thus in this paper is that not belittling the advances that have so far been made in the sciences to avert disasters, to offer a comprehensive response to disaster risks, there is a need to tap lessons from the religious traditions of the ancients.

“Segregated Spaces” Colonial mental health and associated health practices in Rhodesia 1890-1980

Tinashe Chikafa, Walter Obbie Mangezi ; Khameer Kidia — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Colonialism in Africa left a dark space more than what it had sought to extinguish from the continent, especially in Southern Rhodesia. Colonial practices of segregation were the most gruesome and inhumane practices Africans were ever subjected to by such systems of governance. Of interest was how segregation perfected the art of subalternity and relegated Africans to the lowest rung of society and dependence on the European system and not their own. Looking from a post-colonial lens, the paper traces how medical institutions became a battleground for proving master-servant relationships between African and European. Such a proving ground was clear in colonial psychiatry as it became a systematic tool that colonised the minds of an already vanquished and abused people through inhuman practices and treatment. The paper explores the institution of psychiatry practice and how it perfected colonial political administrative ambitions of servitude of Africans through denigration of African principles of healing, the person, beliefs, and healing systems. It utilises the subalternity principle to analyse the systems of European segregative practices and how they undermined the African through segregated practices and how these in turn affected indigenous medical and psychiatric beliefs Africans had in their own systems, in turn illustrating resistance of the newly adopted systems through the institution, healing, spirituality and the individual.

Water in Botswana: Selective distribution of a finite commodity among indigenes (San), African villages and non-indigenous white minority communities, 1880s-2020.

Mark Nyandoro — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines how water – a finite commodity, known in Setswana as metsi – has been distributed over time in Botswana. It argues that from pre-colonial times to the era of the post-colony there have been ever-growing calls for the rational and equitable distribution of water among all the inhabitants of the country. However, despite the increasing demand for equitable distribution of the resource, water has been unevenly and selectively distributed across space. Rain (known as pula in Setswana) is precarious. The disparities in the distribution of scarce water resources in a predominantly desert environment without much rain are historically evident in the distribution of the resources among indigenes (e.g. the San), village Africans, and non-indigenous minority communities occupying the so-called white enclaves. In the pre-colonial and colonial periods, water was administered and distributed by ‘tribal authorities with no serious focus on minority Indigenous groups (indigenes) such as the Kalahari San, who over time have been unequivocally displaced from their original lands or habitats. The colonial administration of the Bechuanaland Protectorate did not only neglected the San but was also disinclined towards developing the water sector beyond the few white enclaves dotted in parts of the arid-to-semi-arid country to beneft the ever-expanding African village settlements. Such a discriminatory, selective, and non-inclusive approach to water delivery had telling consequences for the sector’s development in colonial and post-colonial Botswana continued to negate a small, albeit increasingly growing Kalahari San voice for the extension of water and land rights to this marginalised community.

Employee resourcing strategies in local authorities in Zimbabwe: Contestations and fortuity.

Noah Mutongoreni, Dovan Reckson Thakhathi, Innocent Chirisa — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The study assesses the contribution of employee resourcing strategies to effective local government systems in Zimbabwe. The study adopted a mixed methods methodology. More succinctly, it followed an exploratory sequential mixed method methodology underpinned by pragmatism. The study was conducted on local authorities in Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe. Quantitative data was collected first using questionnaire surveys and was analysed using SPSS. The results of the quantitative data were then used to develop questions for the qualitative data. Focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, and content analysis were used to collect the qualitative data. A total of 200 questionnaires were issued, and 77 were returned, giving a return response rate of 39%. Questionnaires were analysed using SPSS whilst data collected through interviews, FGDs, and primary sources was analysed using thematic analysis. The study confirmed the existence of people resourcing strategies in local authorities. There was, however, a dearth of resources to fully actualise the people resourcing strategies. In addition, the study found out that local authorities were ‘theatres’ for national politics, and hence, this militated against the successful implementation of people resourcing strategies. There was evidence of excessive intervention in the day-to-day operations of local authorities by both the government officials and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works, and National Housing. The study recommended that appointments in local authorities be based on merit. The government should set aside at least 5 % of its budget for local authorities to enable them to have a sound financial base to fund resourcing strategies among others.

The depiction of masculinities in Wole Soyinka’s play, The Lion and the Jewel

Beatrice Nwawuloke Onuoha — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This paper challenges static notions of masculinity by examining its portrayal in Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel. Through textual analysis, it argues that masculinities within the play are socially constructed and fluid, adapting to specific situations. While feminist analyses have dominated critical interpretations, this paper foregrounds the male characters (Lakunle and Baroka) to explore their performances of masculinity within the play's gendered landscape. Drawing on Connell’s theory of hegemonic masculinity and Butler's concept of performativity, the analysis demonstrates the characters’ negotiations with and subversions of dominant masculine ideals. This approach aligns with a constructivist perspective on gender, which views masculinities as shaped by social expectations rather than inherent traits. By examining the play as a reflection of social realities, the paper contributes to a nuanced understanding of masculinity as a dynamic and context-dependent concept.

Prevalence and determinants of antenatal care service utilisation among pregnant youths (15-35) years in Harare: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2015 Zimbabwe demographic and health survey.

Tafadzwa Masona, Kudzaishe Mangombe , Brenda Muchabveyo — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Maternal mortality remains a public health challenge in most developing countries. Effective and efficient utilisation of maternal health care services can aid in alleviation of maternal mortality and morbidity. Antenatal care (ANC) is regarded as a vital health care and health promotion activity that seeks to enhance maternal and fetal well-being throughout pregnancy as well as favorable pregnancy outcomes. The study examines the factors associated with ANC service utilisation among pregnant youths (15-35) years in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study utilised secondary data extracted from the 2015 Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey to explore ANC service utilisation among pregnant youths (15-35) in Harare, Zimbabwe. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was done. The results showed that 67.6% of the respondents utilized ANC services. Wealth influenced ANC utilisation, the poorer were 11.1 times more likely to utilize ANC services in Harare. ANC service utilization in Harare was (OR=0.323, p<0.05) less likely among respondents who belonged to mainline churches compared to other religious groups. Only, the tetanus toxoid injection model was found to have significant background variables (Education and Wealth index). Respondents with primary education levels were less likely (OR=0.228, p<0.05), and those with secondary education were less likely to go for tetanus vaccination compared to those with tertiary education (OR=0.144, p<0.05). The poor were 5.6 times more likely to take Tetanus toxoid injections than the richest. There is a need to raise some awareness of the importance of Tetanus toxoid injection among the primary and secondary educated youth so as to meet the globally set developmental goals and targets with regards to maternal mortality and child health.

A content analysis of gender representation in primary school Heritage-Social Studies textbooks in Zimbabwe

Daniel Mawere — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The study explores gender representation in grades 4 to 7 Heritage – Social Studies textbooks available to teachers, and learners in Zimbabwe Primary Schools. The feminist theory, which questions gender inequality and injustice through challenging the hegemony of patriarchy, formed the basis of the study. The qualitative study engaged the tenets of content analysis in its analytical framework. The analysis was based on language use and pictures in the textbooks studied. A purposive sample of four Heritage – Social Studies textbooks was selected to investigate the phenomenon of gender representation. Five units of each of the four textbooks were the focus of the study. The findings in the study show that textbooks studied are gender biased, as men and boys dominate the first position in nouns and pronouns. Picture presentation in analysed textbooks was biased towards men and boys thereby depicting an inclination towards patriarchy. The positively skewed picture representations biased in favour of men and boys impact on school learners differently. The study indicated that imbalanced representation in HSS textbook discourse continues unabated. Stakeholders in the textbook production need to ensure that Heritage – Social Studies textbooks are devoid of gender bias and gender discrimination. This is possible if government, through the Ministry of Education put in place guidelines for gender representation in textbook writing. Gender fair language on which both masculine and feminine generics promote the visibility of both men and women as well as boys and girls should characterise HSS textbooks. The textbooks produced should have gender-balanced pictures in order to undo stereotypical portrayal of females as inferior beings and males as dominant beings.

Blended teaching and learning in Higher education institutions: Experiences of selected Universities in Zimbabwe.

James Munamati, Rufaro Mushonga, Simbarashe Munamati — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Higher education is experiencing phenomenal changes due to the advancement and use of information communication technology (ICT). Blended teaching and learning are an outcome of an advanced technology-based learning system. The traction of the blended teaching, and learning approach lies in the adaptation of technology-aided learning methods in addition to the existing traditional-based learning. Blended teaching and learning combine face-to-face and online delivery methods that influence students' perceptions of the learning environment and their study experiences, learning outcomes, and ultimately, academic achievement. The study’s objective was to explore the experiences of lecturers and students regarding blended teaching, and learning, in higher education institutions in Zimbabwe. A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews with lecturers and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with students from selected universities. The study employed snowball sampling to select respondents from lecturers and convenience sampling to select respondents from students. Both In-depth interviews and FGDs were conducted online through WhatsApp, telephone, and Zoom platforms. The study included five public universities in Zimbabwe. The data was analysed using thematic analysis and Nvivo Version 11 software. Findings revealed that poor technology infrastructure including poor internet connectivity, unavailability of computers, and poor technical skills to execute interactive online teaching as the major challenges facing lecturers. The study further noted that students continue to face challenges in accessing personal computers to facilitate blended learning. Despite these barriers, blended learning and teaching are the future of higher education hence the need to ensure that universities have sufficient resources to support the transition. The study recommends the need to align blended teaching and learning with overall institutional goals and priorities.

Colonial and post-colonial Zimbabwe’s responses to the Spanish Flu and COVID-19 Pandemics: A comparative assessment

Tapiwa Sisimayi, James Tauya Muperi — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The study focuses on the responses of the colonial and post-colonial Zimbabwean authorities to the Spanish flu and COVID-19 pandemics respectively. The colonial authorities had to grapple with the effects of the Spanish Flu pandemic from 1918 to 1920. About 102 years later, the post-colonial authorities (Government of Zimbabwe) were faced with the Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study is a comparative assessment of how the authorities responded to the pandemics using the concept of Disaster Risk Management as a lens of analysis. Desktop research was the major methodology employed for the study to examine the similarities and differences in the responses of the two administrations to these pandemics as well as identify factors that influenced their response strategies. The study draws on various sources, including newspapers, journal articles, published books, and government reports, to provide a comprehensive analysis of disaster management in Zimbabwe. The study reveals that the responses by the colonial government and the post-colonial Zimbabwean government are almost similar despite the longish generational gap between the pandemics. This is because the latter has not progressed from the traditional stance of disaster management 102 years later, as it waited for disaster to strike and then responded. The study recommends the adoption of a proactive disaster risk reduction mechanism.

Safety and hygiene interventions to protect learners in the school environment: PPE considerations for primary school learners in Zimbabwe.

Betty Shoko, Lois Mberengwa — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Many children in developing countries learn in unsanitary conditions, exposing them to diseases that threaten their educational performance and progress. As the world continues to evolve, and new challenges emerge, there is a need to review measures taken to mitigate the spread of disease and injury of learners as they clean the school environment. This study discussed potential hazards learners encounter and measures that are being implemented to safeguard the health and safety of learners during school cleaning activities. It also focused on generating prototype designs for personal protective equipment (PPE) that are appropriately sized, provide enhanced protection for learners, and are better suited for the specific activities involved. The study was underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s bio-ecological model as well as Dunlap’s Protection Theory. A multiple-site case study, mixed methods approach was used to study four rural and four urban primary schools in two districts in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe. Purposive sampling was employed to select a sample of eight schools based on the extent to which learners are involved in cleaning activities as well as 16 teachers and 96 learners. Potential hazards identified during the study include respiratory infections, dysentery, cholera, diarrhea, bilharzia, soil-transmitted worms, and injuries as potential hazards in primary schools. The results indicated a lack of PPE usage in most schools. Observations showed that during cleaning the majority of learners either wore school uniforms or substituted them with old clothes. For the schools that had any, the PPE was adult-sized and not suitable for primary school learners. The study recommends that the government puts in place legislation that would guide schools in safeguarding the health and safety of learners in schools.

The educational value of school-museum visits (SMV) to secondary school learners in Zimbabwe.

Simbarashe Chitima — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Zimbabwe’s school curriculum recognises the importance of learning through heritage institutions. National museums in Zimbabwe have been providing heritage education since the late 1900s and educational programmes such as the SMV are still being provided. This study investigated how the SMV empowers secondary school learners to learn curriculum content. This study was undertaken from 2018-2021. The study employed qualitative research approaches. The study reveals that secondary school learners are learning selected aspects of the Heritage Studies, History, Geography, and Science curriculum. The major barriers to learning among secondary school learners are the use of outdated permanent exhibitions, rigid and limited methods of content delivery, and less informed and enthusiastic teachers. National museums in Zimbabwe operate grounded on a behaviourist educational framework, which is restrictive to effective learning in museum settings. Furthermore, the museum’s use of permanent exhibitions inherited from the colonial period, and lack of will and financial resources to change or refocus exhibitions militated against effective learning among secondary school learners. Thus, the outdated exhibitions and limited methods of content delivery utilised by national museums is no longer in sync with the educational needs of the current generations.

An onomastics survey of contemporary Zimbabwe’s musical arts industry: Unpacking selected Dancehall, Urban Grooves and Afro-Jazz musicians’ stage names.

Tendai O. Chikara — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This study relies on broad semantic theory to understand names in the Zimbabwe music scene. The paper operates on Saussurean thinking that words are carriers of meaning. Another position the paper holds is that names and the naming ritual are never neutral affairs as names reflect ideas of who a person is thought or who they think themselves to be. The paper notes that names and naming practices in the Zimbabwean music industry are motivated and associated with several factors such as tradition (totemism), current developments in the cultural arts, body size and type; and gender, and there are a lot of power dynamics at play in the naming process.