THE Friday, March 8, 2024

Norton’s story, in Norton’s own words

THE LADY BEHIND

COUNCILLOR International
Women’s Day
MUGWAGWA

THE RETURN OF SOME INTERESTING

SYRUP DEM BITS ABOUT
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

MUCHEGWA ON
NGUVA YACHIVHAYO
COMMUNITY, CRANBOURNE BULLETS TIE ON

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL
THE SUCCESSFUL WOMAN BEHIND
WARD 14’S CLLR MUGWAGWA
They say behind every
successful man a woman.
That may be true after all,
even in a world that has
dollarized and equalised
Friday, March 8, 2024
2
cessful man is a success-
ful woman”.
We were engaging Ward
14’s Cllr Charles Mug-
wagwa recently, and in
one of his responses, he
let a cat out of the bag.
“I owe my wife a big apol-
ogy”, said Cllr Mugwag-
wa. That spurred us into
action. “bring her here!”,
we pleaded.
We wanted to hear from
her about a man she has
called hubby for over
twenty years.
According to Cllr Mug-
wagwa, his being at that
plot in Ward 14, and sub-
sequently being voted
councillor of the ward, is
down to a decision taken
by Chiedza Paidamoyo
Mugwagwa (nee Muzon-
dori) years ago.
International
Women’s Day “She basically forced me
to come here, kicking and
gender. The Norton Times screaming”, said the for-
found a worthy case re- mer office clerk, narrating
cently, and we will re-
phrase the common ad-
age as “behind every suc-

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL
THE SUCCESSFUL WOMAN
BEHIND CLLR MUGWAGWA
events in Harare which
shaped his decisions up
to now. According to Cllr
Mugwagwa, a decision
made by his wife to settle
at their Ward 14 plot was
full of foresight in it.
At first, Cllr Mugwagwa,
still enjoying a clerical po-
sition and the leisures of a
karateka in the capital,
was not interested in set-
tling at the plot. But when
he eventually remained
with nothing in Harare,
everything taken to
“Mtuvha” by his wife and
family, he decided to join
them. He established him-
self as a productive
Friday, March 8, 2024
farmer, and soon made it
a point to use his tractors
in assisting elderly and
other farmers with free till-
age services.
In paying tribute to a
woman decision-maker,
whose decisions back
then shaped a whole
man’s outlook and even-
tual political career, we
had a brief interview with
Mai Mugwagwa.
The following is a summa-
rised version of the inter-
view we had, published
here in commemoration of
International Women’s
Day, Friday 8 March
2024.
TNT: How did you first re-
ceive the news that your
beloved clerk wanted to
enter politics?
CPM: Honestly I was ini-
tially against the idea. I
was comfortable with our
private life and knew that
such a role would destroy
all that privacy. I decided
to support my husband
when he convinced me
that it was actually the
3
International
Women’s Day
community at large that
was begging him to repre-
sent them. I thought in
that case, I could not fight
what our community want-
ed.
TNT: What have been the
positive or negative ef-
fects, at home, of him be-
ing a councillor?
We no longer spend time
with him the way we used
to. He is now mostly in
meetings and so on, and I
would say that is a nega-
tive to us as a family. On
the positives, I like the
way his character for the
better since he became a
councillor (laughs)
 Friday, March 8, 2024

4
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL
THE SUCCESSFUL WOMAN
BEHIND CLLR MUGWAGWA
Suppose he asks you to chicken
decide for him, would you (Although the drink was men-
advise him to pursue his
tioned, The Norton Times has
political career or quit it?
decided that tisataure mazita,
I don’t like making deci- Baba Harare and Madam Boss
sions for my husband. I might feel threatened in their
would rather support a de- ambassadorial roles)
cision he takes in that International
case. TNT: On the few days that Women’s Day
he finds time with his fam-
TNT: What is the council- ily now, how do you spend Chivero. We do not really
lor’s favourite meal and the day? take part in the activities
drink? but enjoy the atmosphere
CPM: We go out to leisure
CPM: He likes sadza rez- spots, for example, Lake while we eat and enjoy
viyo and roadrunner our drinks.

NEWS
“TOGETHER WE CAN SOLVE THIS”

COUNCILLOR
MUGWAGWA
SPEAKS ON
LYDIATE
EVICTIONS

CRDC Ward 14 Councillor Charles Mugwagwa

 Friday, March 8, 2024

5
NEWS
“TOGETHER WE CAN SOLVE THIS”

CLLR MUGWAGWA SPEAKS

ON LYDIATE EVICTIONS
Norton Ward 14 Council- that they have a right to
lor Charles Mugwagwa stay, even when no longer
says the predicament employed there, as the
faced by the people of compound is the only
Skeya and Lydiate com- place they have known as
pounds has to be under- home. Many of them are
stood from a legalistic offspring of long-
viewpoint if a proper deceased former workers CRDC Ward 14’s Cllr Mugwagwa
breakthrough that bene- dating back to when the
fits everyone is to be compound was part of a against court rulings. I re-
found. wider farm, before the on- ally feel for those being
Cllr Mugwagwa, who also set of the land reform pro- evicted, but the best way
chairs the Social Services gram. forward is not to fight the
Committee of the Cllr Mugwagwa feels a law”.
Chegutu Rural District win-win outcome can be He said the Civil Protec-
Council (CRDC), was found, if only everyone tion Unit was meant to
speaking to The Norton involved starts by re- deal with issues like in-
Times in a recent wide- specting the law. duced homelessness,
ranging interview. “Some of the evicted peo- and as chairperson of the
Recently, another group ple have come to me ask- organ in the area, he
of people was evicted ing that I intervene so that knew it could assist in
from the Lydiate com- they stay in the com- finding alternative dwell-
pound housed within the pound. But that would be ing for the evictees. All
premises of an agro- against what the courts that was needed was for
products grading compa- have ruled, and a council- them and local leaders to
ny. The company has ob- lor cannot really go work together instead of
tained and effected evic- playing the blame game.
tion orders over the years
against those no longer in
its employ.
However, the evictees
have resisted, contending
 Friday, March 8, 2024

6
MUSIC
“He is trending, no doubt about that. My main
CHIPO MUCHEGWA IN motivation, however, was the lure of riding a
NGUVA YACHIVHAYO riddim for the first time. I just thought, let me
participate and see how it goes”.
Trending musician Chipo Muchegwa says lay- Muchegwa also addressed the still-fresh loss
ing her lyrics on the recently-released Nguva of partner-in-music Terry Gee, correcting mis-
YaChivhayo riddim is ground-breaking in conceptions that Zvinondiremera was another
several ways. She was speaking to The Nor-
Terry G dedication.
ton Times.
“Yes I am still lonely, but Zvinondiremera is a
It is not only her first “Zimdancehall” track, but prayer to God to walk with us in difficult times”,
the first time she has worked with DJ Fantan she said.
and Levels at their famous Chillspot Records.
Muchegwa contributes the track Zvinondirem-
era to the superbly-subscribed riddim. The
riddim is a tribute to business mogul Wicknell
Chivhayo, who recently gifted several local
musicians, family and friends with brand new
upmarket vehicles.
There remains a high possibility that the free-
spending “Sir Wicknell”, as some call him, may
yet unleash his favourite gift, Toyota Aquas,
on the artistes riding the Nguva YaChivhayo Meanwhile, forgotten chanter Syrup Dem
riddim. (pictured) is back!
But Muchegwa says that an Aqua ride was not The talented artiste has a new track on
the motivation for her riding Nguva YaChivha- YouTube, Mabvi Nemagokora, and it is doing
yo. She however acknowledged that in- well so far.
deed, we are in Chivhayo times.
Produced by Cymplex, Mabvi Nemagokora is
Syrup Dem at his best, elicing comments
NORTON’S BEST HITS THIS WEEK likening him to a mix of Ras Caleb and Kinnah!
Syrup Dem is not new to the scene. He ap-
1 Vhale Chipo Muchegwa
peared to be on the way to the top in the years
2 Mapisarema Celscius before the outbreak of Covid-19, rated as one
3 Zvinondiremera Chipo Muchegwa of Norton’s brightest prospects.
4 Munoziva Vimbai Tenga However, a stint in prison seemed to have
Mabvi Nemagokora Syrup Dem sapped his artistic energy and this latest re-
5
lease testifies to him being finally back on
6 Body Shape Brooklyn track.
7 Bholoncha DaRuler
8 Murikurasika Prince Boyah
9 Radio Gail Davison
10 Ende Zvavo Avan K
 Friday, March 8, 2024

7
WORDSEARCH Set by Mayor

Find all the eight sports

hidden here.
J P O T R H D
Each one can read in A K S F E O I
any direction, but always
in a straight line V A I L C D V
(vertically, horizontally
and diagonally). E R N O C U I
Once you have crossed
out all of them, the re- L A N G O J N
maining unused letters
will spell something re- I T E R S Y G
lated to what you International
crossed out. N E T B A L L Women’s Day

SPOT-THE-DIFFERENCE Set by Mayor

Find the FIVE differences between the original and edited picture from the Norton Town
Council equipment commissioning ceremony held on 6 April 2023
 Friday, March 8, 2024

8
PICTURE BLOCKWORD Set by Mayor

Correctly solve this picture puzzle and reveal what reads along the yellow boxes. If at any point you
get stuck, we have given you a clue as part of this week’s MAYORTHEMATICS PUZZLE on our
YouTube channel, MayorTV at 1800hrs

AUCTION LATE ZIMBABWEAN

ITEM SOCCER LEGEND
EDUCATE

BLOOD
VESSEL
THUS

CURRENT
AFFAIRS

VASE
AFTER- RULE
NOON

ARRIVE THE
SHONA SLANG FOR CHOICE IS
RICH PERSON YOURS!

TOWARDS
INTEND
ACT

CAME STICK TOGETHER

ACROSS
NULLIFY

PARK
MATERIAL

NOT OFF
AGE
EXIST

HUGE

MUSIC TYPE OF
STAR CHEESE
 Friday, March 8, 2024

9
DIARY

FINALLY, THE GUNNERS ARE HERE!

GUNNERS FOR NORTON BRIGHT STARS TAKE ON BN

The friendly match between Norton Communi- Elsewhere, Norton’s biggest development initi-
ty FC and Cranbourne Bullets FC will finally go ative, Bright Stars Soccer Academy will be in
ahead at Norton’s Ngoni Stadium on Saturday Harare on Saturday 9 March 2024. They will
9 March 2024. play a series of age-group games against one
of Zimbabwe’s most-successful youth develop-
It was originally scheduled for last week, but
ment structures, BN Soccer Academy at Bel-
was cancelled at the last minute as the North-
gravia Sports Club.
ern Region Soccer League (NRSL) withheld
permission.
Bullets will play in the NRSL this season after
their relegation from the Premier Soccer
League (PSL) last term, while Community are
banking on boardroom decisions to confirm
their participation in the same league.
 Friday, March 8, 2024

10
LAST WEEK’S PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
CROSSWORD SPOT-THE-DIFFERENCE
A T D
E R J

C A R I O C A

T O L

M I N D S E T

N E O

G S L

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

1.The day was first commemorated in 1911.
Not every government was keen though, as it was started by a women workers
movement. The poster on the left was for the 1914 commemorations in Germa-
ny, but it was banned by governing authorities.
2.Clara Zetkin, who was in charge of the Women's Office in the Social Demo-
cratic Party in Germany, is credited with first proposing the worldwide obser-
vation of an International Women's Day.
3.The date itself has a link to the Russian Revolution. On that day in 1917,
women protested in a massive strike in Russia, forcing the emperor, (Tsar) to
abdicate within a week.
4.Many countries actually recognise International Women's Day as an official
holiday. In China, women can actually work half-day on 8 March while in Ser-
bia and Albania, the day is also celebrated as Mothers’ Day
5.While March is celebrated as Women’s month, the Shona name of the month
is masculine (Kurume). Ironically, the previous month, February, has a femi-
nine name (Kukadzi)!