Michael Gwarisa |

Zimbabwe Records Alarming Surge in Fathers Raping Their Own Children

August 26, 2025August 26, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

Tracey Mundanga, Principal Public Prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), speaking at the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe Action Indaba on Gender-Based Violence in Harare, where she raised concern over the rise in fathers raping their own children.

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe is facing a chilling rise in sexual gender-based violence (SGBV), with authorities reporting a surge in cases of fathers raping their own children. Officials from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) say the trend, which began escalating during the COVID-19 pandemic, is worsening with no signs of slowing down. Speaking at the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Action Indaba on Gender-Based Violence in Harare, Tracey Mundanga, Principal Public Prosecutor at the NPA, described the situation as deeply worrying. The father-daughter rapes…

ZRP Warns After Mentally Ill Patients Kill Eight in Karoi, Bulilima

August 26, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has raised alarm over a disturbing rise in violent killings linked to individuals with mental health challenges, after two separate incidents in Karoi and Bulilima claimed the lives of at least eight people within a week. The latest incident occurred in Makoni Village, Tengwe, Karoi, on August 18, 2025, where a 55-year-old woman, a child and a teenager were brutally killed. Police said Patrick Makufa, a mental health patient, allegedly struck Constaine Mabheka (55) several times on the head with an axe…

Women Frustrated by Delays in Identifying Rapist of Grade 7 Pupil at Rank

August 25, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Women’s organisations have expressed frustration over the failure to identify and bring to justice the tout reportedly responsible for raping a minor in a parked commuter omnibus at the Rezende bus rank. To voice their concerns, members of the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) converged on Friday at a Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Outreach Activity at the Ruzende Parkade Rank. The event, attended by women of all ages, was aimed at showing solidarity with the affected child and other women and girls who have suffered abuse at…

Bedroom Revolution? Condoms That Delay Ejaculation Hit Zim Market

August 25, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabweans are seeing a shift in sexual wellness products as new condoms designed to enhance pleasure and prolong intimacy enter the market. While condoms have traditionally been promoted for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, the latest options reflect changing consumer expectations and a growing interest in sexual wellbeing. “By introducing TRUST and LOVERS+ brands, PSH is expanding the range of options available to Zimbabweans, potentially increasing condom use and reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies,” said Kumbirai Chatora, the Population Solutions…

Zimbabwe’s Mobile One-Stop Centres Reveal Growing Cases of Women Abusing Men

August 21, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

A counselor speaks with a man at a Zimbabwe mobile one-stop centre for gender-based violence survivors, highlighting the growing number of men reporting abuse by women.

By Michael Gwarisa in Mutoko Mobile One-Stop Centres (MOSCs), designed to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), are revealing a lesser-known reality in Zimbabwe: men being physically and verbally abused by their female partners. These centres provide a safe space for men and women alike to report abuse and access critical services, challenging traditional perceptions that GBV affects only women. “My wife cut me with a knife,” said 51-year-old Shadreck Madziwa* from Mutoko, Mashonaland Central. “We had an argument, and she grabbed a knife and stabbed me. She joined hands…

City of Harare Health Insurance Officially Launched

August 21, 2025August 21, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Harare health insurance has taken a major step forward with the launch of the Community Health Equity Fund (CHEF), aimed at improving access to healthcare and reducing reliance on out-of-pocket payments. The scheme, supported by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), ZB Financial Holdings, and Harare Municipal Medical Aid Society (HHMAS), will see residents pay a once-off registration fee of US$1 and an annual subscription fee of US$2. The pilot will run in the Southern District of Harare, beginning…

Harare’s Expanding Sex Work Industry Amid Service Disruptions: A Public Health Time Bomb for Zimbabwe

August 18, 2025August 18, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In 2024, Theresa*, a 23-year-old from Chitungwiza, turned to sex work not by choice, but out of necessity. Zimbabwe’s faltering economy had left few opportunities for young women like her. What began as a means to survive quickly became a dangerous gamble with her health and safety. “At times, I risk and have unprotected sex,” she admits. “You either agree to it or you lose the client. The market is flooded now, and it’s survival of the fittest.” When she entered the industry, Theresa did not anticipate…

CMCOMMS Wins Top African Supply Chain Award, Vows to Intensify Fight Against Falsified Medicines

August 15, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

CMCOMMS Wins Top African Supply Chain Award, Vows to Intensify Fight Against Fake Medicines

By HealthTimes Reporter CMCOMMS, a regional leader in health supply chain management, has won the Outstanding Achievement Award in Humanitarian & Health Supply Chain Management at the 2025 Africa Supply Chain Excellence Awards (ASCEA). The accolade recognises the organisation’s leadership and innovation in promoting Good Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP) as a safeguard against substandard and falsified medical products (SFMPs) across Africa. The prestigious awards, guided by the principle “By the Industry, For the Industry”, celebrate organisations that demonstrate sustainable, world-class practices in supply chain management. This year’s competition attracted…

SC Johnson Wins WHO Backing for New Tool to Prevent Malaria and Other Insect-Borne Diseases

August 15, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter NAIROBI, KENYA, August 15, 2025 – Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a policy recommendation for spatial repellents to be used as an innovative tool to help fight insect-borne diseases like malaria. SC Johnson, maker of household brands such as OFF!®, Baygon® and Raid® and leaders in insect science, has been working towards this achievement for more than a decade and has already been distributing millions of its own company-developed and manufactured spatial repellents – SC Johnson Guardian™ and SC Johnson Mosquito Shield™ – to communities…

Viruses like COVID may ‘wake up’ dormant breast cancer cells, study finds

August 14, 2025 Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter The worry that breast cancer may someday return is a troubling source of anxiety for many survivors of the disease. This is because most relapses and metastatic cancers (those that have spread) are not caused by new tumours, but by dormant cancer cells that suddenly become active. These cells often settle in places like the lungs or bones, lying in wait for the right conditions to grow again. For years, researchers suspected that chronic inflammation from factors such as smoking or ageing could be one of those…