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Living in social contexts characterised by poverty and inequality, street young people have limited access to healthcare, water sanitation and hygiene services; exacerbating effects of ill health, infections, lack of nutrition and substance abuse that undermine their wellbeing. In Harare, Zimbabwe, they are also excluded from Social Protection Programmes (SPPs) which potentially assist other impoverished Zimbabweans, two-thirds of whom live below the poverty line (WFP 2019. Zimbabwe Annual Country Report 2019. World Food Programme). In this paper, we propose a reassessment of SPPs, in particular the Assisted Medical Treatment Order (AMTO), identifying barriers to access, and benefits for extending access to street young people. Drawing on secondary analysis of data from Growing up on the Streets, this paper re-conceptualises Ingrid Robeyns' (2005. "The Capability Approach: A Theoretical Survey." Journal of Human Development 6 (1): 93–117. ) model of capabilities and applies it to the reversal of street youth exclusion and the application of government-targeted initiatives which have failed to reach those in the most vulnerable situations. In so doing, we propose an adapted model which recognises how the capabilities of street young people are enhanced when they are integrated into SPPs. This adapted model can be replicated and applied to relevant interventions for other groups of marginalised people in across contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deviates from the general trend to focus on big cities as research sites. It explores the impacts of deindustrialization on urban livelihoods in Norton – a small town west of Harare using the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) to unpack how deindustrialization compromised livelihood assets and outcomes in Norton. Data were collected using triangulation of methods, which comprised interviews and field observations. Findings showed that key industries collapsed, leading to massive job losses, and job-related benefits. Findings further point to reduced service delivery capacity, resulting in poor sanitation, water, and electricity supply in the town, and how these relate to sustainable livelihoods. Deindustrialization also triggered a surge in urban poverty, food insecurity, poor housing, and the rise of the informal economy in Norton. The study concludes that despite its rural origins, the SLA is an effective tool to analyse urban livelihoods. It suggests that deindustrialization tends to be rampant in small towns vis-à-vis big cities. The study further highlights that financial assets tend to be more important in building urban livelihoods than the other forms of assets constitutive of the SLA. It concludes by reflecting on how human skills easily become redundant and stranded assets where industry is dysfunctional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of informal settlements in human development remains contested in urban studies literature. For instance, some existing studies view urban informal settlements as hotspots of social unrest, squalor and precarious residential environments (poverty traps); while others perceive them as places where the poor become resourceful, ingenious, and develop necessary skills to navigate urban life (pathways out of poverty). The absence of systematic evidence on the nexus between informal settlements and human progress hinder sound urban policy practices. This paper examines the role of informal settlements in human development focusing on Hopley, Hatcliffe Extension and Epworth Ward 7– Harare’s three largest informal settlements. The study combines surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with selected residents from the three neighborhoods. The study reveals that despite feeling ‘trapped’ in conditions of precarious, overcrowded, and insecure housing, coupled with discursive territorial stigmatization, some informal settlement residents are hopeful that their settlements will eventually improve. The ambivalence of Harare’s urban policy toward informal settlements must be replaced by a more positive approach to improve the livelihoods of people living in these neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the year 2000, most parents have emigrated en masse due to a deepening socio-political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe, leaving their school-going children in the country. This paper assesses the experiences and challenges faced by these Left-Behind Learners (LBL), and ascertain the challenges faced by teachers in meeting the needs of these learners through inclusive education. The study followed a qualitative research approach with data collected at two high schools in Harare using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The results of the study indicate that LBL faced numerous challenges: excessive household chores, lack of help from guardians, inadequate representation at school meetings, and non-payment of school expenses. Teachers in the sample were not aware of the vulnerability of LBL, and were inadequately equipped to deal with this 'new' vulnerability. The study recommends the crafting of an inclusive education policy for the country so that new vulnerabilities are holistically dealt with, and that teachers be trained in inclusive education methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Betting and gambling have a long history in Zimbabwe. In the past lottery, horse racing and at times dog racing were an integral part of betting culture, especially among the employed and unemployed poor working classes. The socio-economic impacts of the crises that gripped Zimbabwe post 2000 has led to an increasing number of people turning to soccer betting as a livelihood activity. This paper focuses on an emerging and growing phenomenon of soccer-betting houses in urban Zimbabwe with a specific focus on Harare. The paper is based on participant observation of a soccer-betting house located just outside a high-density suburb in the city. The paper outlines the motivations, patterns and experiences with betting and whether supporting a particular club in Europe influences the way people bet. It also highlights the gendered dimensions of soccer-betting spaces and how soccer-betting houses are in many ways entrenching European football fandoms in Zimbabwe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ethnographic research, this paper explores self-understandings among same-sex attracted men in Harare along with the local terms such men use to refer to themselves as well as their adoption and modification of globally circulating sexual identity labels. All study participants related to some of the labels that are prominent in the present-day, western-inspired global discourse on same-sex relations. However, they were rarely understood in the exact same way that is represented as typical in the 'west', indicating that when understandings and labels travel, they are not simply copied and pasted into new contexts. In Harare, being gay was closely interwoven with considerations about one's gendered self, and many same-sex relations were gender-structured. At the same time, this characteristic appeared to be a matter of emerging dispute, as it was sternly criticised by some. The history of political homophobia in Zimbabwe shone through in many stories and could be identified in some of the local terms used to refer to gay people, some of which had been invented to conceal from outsiders what they laid bare for insiders, and others of which had sting and mocked those in power for ideas and rhetoric perceived to be misguided or bizarre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qatar 2022 World Cup provides a unique opportunity to explore how Zimbabwean football fans play out their 'Africanness' through supporting African teams. Most studies on transnational fandoms tend to focus on the growth of European football fandoms across the continent. Yet, there are transnational fandoms that are more regional and 'localized' to the continent. This paper uses the case of Zimbabwean soccer fans to explore these transnational fandoms within the context of supporting African teams at the Qatar World Cup. It utilized interviews with fans at various watching spaces during the competition and cyber ethnography focusing on the most popular social media sites related to Zimbabwean football. My main argument is that our understanding of transnational fandoms is enhanced by explaining the creation, recreation, celebration, and contestations related to supporting another African national football team. This is mainly because research has shown that football is intricately linked to national, ethnic, and social identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Critical African Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Between 1909 and 1915, the former Iron Age hill fort at Old Sarum was excavated under the aegis of the Society of Antiquaries of London. These excavations were abandoned in 1915, and although the findings of individual seasons were published in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, the principal interpreter of the archaeology, William St John Hope (1854–1919), died before the promised final report could be written. The absence of a final report complicates understanding of the constructional phases of the medieval castle and cathedral, while the lack of a detailed record of the find sites for the 11th- and 12th-century carved stonework hinders attempts to reconstruct the appearance of the cathedral. The following paper reviews the early-20th-century excavations and asks whether what was found is susceptible to alternative interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from ethnographic research, incorporating informal conversations, semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion, the paper explores the subjective meanings and construction of the "lesbian" identity in a "hostile" environment among selected same-sex attracted women in Harare. While the globally circulating identity labels are loaded with historical baggage which can be limiting or confusing in non-western contexts, most of the study participants related to some of the labels that are prominent in the present-day, western-inspired global discourse on same-sex relations. Self-styling and the quest to exhibit masculine decorum was a central aspect in the narratives of most "butch" identifying women. For most butch identifying women being lesbian was closely interwoven with considerations about one's gendered self. However not all participants were comfortable with the circulating identity labels as they found them restrictive and loaded. While subjective preferences of the participants demonstrate complexity in how "lesbianism" is locally constructed and experienced, the lesbian identity is certainly not obsolete in Harare among same-sex attracted women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Russian state-funded international broadcaster RT is often accused of pedalling misinformation and claiming legitimacy for nefarious Russian activities. Whilst studies have so far analysed the content of RT's media reports, they have yet to interrogate how Russian legitimation claims are often expressed on RT through a blurring of news reporting and comedy. This paper addresses this gap and places humour at the centre of analysis, arguing that comedy and satire are fundamental to how RT claims legitimacy for Russian foreign policy. We begin by introducing theories of legitimation to studies of comedy in global politics, before then examining RT's social media outputs and audience responses to those. In doing so, we demonstrate that humour is central to how RT claims legitimacy for Russian foreign policy. From military intervention in Syria, to the poisoning of the Skripals in Salisbury, humour shapes how RT's legitimation claims are interpreted by their audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes experiences of sexuality stigma among same-sex attracted men in Zimbabwe and analyses the consequences of such experiences for healthcare seeking. It draws on qualitative research carried out in Harare in 2017, which included in-depth interviews with sixteen gay and bisexual men, and key informant interviews with three representatives of organisations that work with gay men. There were numerous stories about sexuality stigma in the study participants´ social environments, including at home, in local communities and in healthcare facilities. We first offer a description of these and then go on to trace the implications of stigma on the relations between men who have sex with men on the one hand and the healthcare sector on the other. We conceive of stigma as a pushing force that exerts pressure on and in these relations, and identify five types of consequences of this. Stigma works to (1) produce geographical shifts in healthcare, (2) promote private over public care, (3) compartmentalise healthcare (with dedicated providers for queer persons), (4) deprofessionalise care, and (5) block access to appropriate healthcare altogether for some same-sex attracted men. Most of these consequences have negative implications for preventive or treatment-focused HIV programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Culture, Health & Sexuality is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines whether a proposed set of factors explains consumers' acceptance of artificial food sweeteners in a selected developing country. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on 938 female respondents aged between 18 and 24 who resided in the three largest cities in Zimbabwe (i.e., Harare, Bulawayo, and Gweru). Data collected in 2019 and 2020 were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The 'health consciousness' and 'preference for natural products' variables had a significant negative predictive influence on the 'acceptance of artificial sweeteners' variable. However, 'trust in regulators' had a positive effect on the same outcome variable. Moreover, the 'negative attitude toward sugars' variable significantly moderated the relationship between 'preference for natural products' and 'acceptance of artificial sweeteners.' These findings have fundamental practical implications related to the marketing of food innovations in Zimbabwe where deceptive marketing strategies continue to threaten consumers' welfare and affect their receptiveness to new products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing upon ethnographic fieldwork in Sake, a semi-rural area outside Harare, Zimbabwe, this paper explores the social mechanism behind the seeming invisibility of children left on their own and how this form of 'invisibility' challenges established notions of childhood, parenthood, kinship, and community. It argues that the prevailing explanations, such as HIV/AIDS-related stigma, poverty or anomie, are insufficient for understanding the isolation of the child-headed household and situations when children, in what should be a protective relationship, are exploited or abused. Through a detailed case-study, the paper explores the trajectory leading to the isolation of one particular child-headed household. It questions the biological assumptions that guide kinship interpretations and discusses the marriage transactions (the lobola exchange) that secure identity and belonging to the father's kin unit. Finally, it suggests that orphaned children ultimately stand alone because they are left in a specific time, in a specific situation, when the relationships that should surround them still have to be made, recognised and named. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the social sciences, not many theses have been as contentious as the underclass thesis. Nevertheless, whether as a heuristic device to study society or as a target of ideological or academic attack, the underclass thesis has been used a focus of attention by a wide spectrum of researchers, politicians and journalists. In post-industrial societies the debate on the existence, nature and causes of the underclass has been raging on for decades. There is a plethora of ideological, policy, ontological and methodological disputes around it. This discussion takes the underclass thesis to the streets of Harare in Zimbabwe. It explores the possibilities of the formation of an underclass among the inner-city youth of Harare. Using indicators developed by Roberts and other scholars, the paper suggests something different is happening among the inner-city youth. While not proclaiming the existence of an underclass, the paper traces the emergence of a distinct inner-city social group to both structural and cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large areas of Zimbabwean cites still reflect colonial planning traditions designed to promote racial segregation, which no longer adequately meet the demands of urban areas which are doubling in size every 10–15 years. This paper looks at the political, economic, and social influences on urban space production and use in Harare, and the extent to which the planning and regulatory system accommodates competing demands on public space in a fast-growing city. It argues that urban space is a crucial resource for poor households that cannot be ignored in the context of sustainable development, and that the failure of official policy and regulations to recognise its importance inhibits the ability of the urban poor to help themselves. Policy initiatives to redress this balance are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional studies on informal urbanism in Zimbabwe focused more on efforts in upgrading informal settlements but did not address their genesis. I argue that finding sustainable solutions to addressing informal settlements challenges and enhancing their liveability must be premised on exploring the factors influencing their genesis and temporal changes. Data were collected from Hopley Settlement, Harare, through interviews with 20 household heads and purposively selected key informants with a stake in human settlement planning. Findings suggest that the genesis of informal settlements in post-independent cities is complex and is influenced by politics, segregating the poor, constrained municipalities, and poor planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban planning bases its interventionist strategies on the reasoning that change has to be rationally managed and that control is necessary in the 'public interest'. In Africa, for various bureaucratic and political reasons, urban planning has often been notoriously lax. In the face of uncontrolled urban development, many urban governments have abandoned comprehensive planning and increasingly resort to ad-hoc 'sanitising' measures of various kinds. This paper explores the forces and rationales that lie behind the intensified use of such 'non-planning' strategies. It draws on examples from Harare and Maputo, where urban authorities applied forceful measures to remove unplanned settlements and market places. In these cases the forces at work behind the scenes included the political strategies of elites seeking to maintain and strengthen political control over urban areas, rationalising and legitimising such unpopular interventions by appealing to ongoing efforts at 'city marketing' through international events, and referring to the imperative of upholding a modern city image. We discuss the tensions that arose from these decisions and the subsequent political processes among the intended 'victims', and between them and the authorities. In comparing and contrasting the cases of Harare and Maputo, we bring out the dilemmas of planning resorting to 'non-planning' and the complex politics triggered by such interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between bridewealth, socio-demographics, and sexual and reproductive practices among a group of women in Harare, Zimbabwe. The study sample was recruited as part of a six-month safety trial of the diaphragm and a microbicide, between August 2004 and April 2005 in Harare, Zimbabwe. Women underwent two screening visits: first, women completed a demographic and behavioral interviewer-administered questionnaire which included questions on bridewealth; at the second visit, women were offered HIV testing and counseling. Our results included: 417 women were married (currently or in the past) and almost half had had bridewealth negotiated as part of the marriage process. In multivariate analyses, women who were married with bridewealth had more years of education (OR 1.17, 95%CI 1.03-1.32), a higher age of coital debut (OR 1.37, 95%CI 1.09-1.71), and increased likelihood of having ever used male condoms (OR 1.54, 95%CI 1.01-2.37) compared with women who had been married without bridewealth. Bridewealth may be a relevant area of traditional culture to further examine in relation to HIV risk, for its potential association with co-factors that can reduce risk of HIV infection among women in Southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the strategies Zimbabwean women use to help them manage their small-scale businesses in Harare. Based on three focus groups as well as semi-structured interviews with the same respondents (n = 21), we consider the advantages and disadvantages conferred on the women by their social capital. The women networked to create rotating credit associations (ROSCAs) to generate working capital. They devised several ingenious mechanisms to reduce the risks involved in contributing money to a common fund. They tried to overcome collective action problems by maximising both confidence and trust. Social capital facilitated their agency in a disempowering context while at the same time exposing them to the free riding behaviour of in-laws. Finally, the social networks of these women are not independent of the social networks of other, better-connected women with whom they are in competition, which points to a weakness of social capital and neo-institutionalist perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The informal street vendor in Zimbabwe has become a subject of abuse and neglect. The condition of subalternity suffered by blacks under colonial structures has been transferred to the vendor in the postcolonial epoch. The apparatus used by colonial regimes to keep the blacks at the peripheries of the city-scape are the ones now used to keep the vendor in subalternity – a condition where the vendor is a subject robbed of a voice, agency and visibility. In this study we situate the position of the subalternised vendor, showing how an intersection of identities of vulnerability subjugate the vendor to a neglected place at the periphery of economic society. Using sociological and postcolonial analysis we show how the position of the informal vendor in Harare as a subaltern has led policy makers in Zimbabwe to turn a blind eye to their plight and to treat them as a nuisance and as enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anthropology Southern Africa (2332-3256) is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding how the spatial configuration of land cover patterns of built-up areas and urban vegetation affect urban surface temperatures is crucial for improving the sustainability of cities as well as optimizing urban design and landscape planning. Because of their capability to detect distinct surface thermal features, satellite data have proved useful in exploring the impacts of spatial configuration of land cover on land surface temperature (LST). In this study, we examine how the spatial configuration of built-up and urban vegetation affects the LST in the Harare metropolitan city, Zimbabwe. In order to achieve this objective, we combined the LST, local spatial statistics of Getis-Ord Gi* and local Moran's I statistic, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Built-Up Index (NDBI) derived from multi-date Landsat satellite data (1994, 2001 and 2017). The results of local Moran's I statistic showed moderate and negative correlations between LST and Landsat derived NDVI. Overall, these results of local Moran's I statistic demonstrate that clustered vegetation tend to lower LST, providing thermal comfort conditions. In contrast, clustered spatial arrangements of NDBI based on the Getis-Ord Gi* elevate LST, implying that continued clustered built-up expansion has the potential to increase urban surface temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Small Business & Entrepreneurship is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study discusses the human security costs and benefits generated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-induced state monopoly on the urban public transport system in Zimbabwe through the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) since March 2020. Using empirical evidence from Harare, it argues that the ZUPCO initiative had far-reaching safety and security implications on urban residents' lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that though the ZUPCO initiative mainly benefited commuters through affordable fares, it had many human security costs. The costs included reduced safety and decreased and unreliable services, which exposed the commuting public to the risk of contracting COVID-19 and other security challenges. The state monopoly on urban transport exacerbated the social and economic impact of COVID-19, promoted inequalities, police corruption and urban residents' use of informal transport services, which were unsafe and costly. The study concludes that the Zimbabwean government lacks the capacity to provide services in the urban transport sector, akin to nearly every sector in the country. As a stop-gap measure, the government is encouraged to regulate and allow private players to complement its efforts for the benefit, convenience, security, and safety of commuters until it develops an efficient urban public transport system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During Zimbabwe's hyperinflation that ended in 2009, people turned to an illegal round-tripping transaction called 'burning money' to preserve purchasing power. The transaction involved illegally acquiring foreign currency at the official rate before converting back to domestic currency in the black market. After computing the widely used 'Old Mutual' parallel market rate from the ratio of prices of Old Mutual shares, which traded in London and Harare, we use the daily parallel market and official exchange rate data from 1999 to 2008 to estimate the monthly value of 'burning money'. While arguably vital, as the transactions were optional, we value them using a single-factor call exchange option formula, which accounts for the volatility of official and parallel market exchange rates and systematic parallel market risk and compare it to changes in the parallel market premium, often used to measure non-unified exchange rates. The 'burning money' option values exceed changes in the parallel market premium and respond more to institutional decline, measured using the cash component of M2 equal to one minus the non-cash component of M2 known as Contract Intensive Money, and especially political risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a survey of 501 television viewers, this study investigated factors moderating the effect of viewer satisfaction on viewer loyalty toward television channels. Research hypotheses were tested using moderated regression analysis. The study found that viewer satisfaction, perceived service quality, corporate reputation, switching cost and price all positively influenced viewer loyalty while corporate reputation, gender, age, education and income did not influence viewer loyalty. Only switching cost and price had significant moderating effects on the viewer satisfaction-viewer loyalty relationship; the rest of the hypothesized relationships were insignificant. The findings of this study have theoretical, practical and future research implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ostrich: The Journal of African Ornithology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Area Development & Policy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Training and skills acquisition have received widespread approval as one of the most important steps towards achieving human, organisational and national development. They are largely regarded as tools to fight poverty, inequality and unemployment. In Zimbabwe, the post-independence government has been heavily investing in formal training: primary, secondary and tertiary education. However, despite the critical role that formal training plays, we discovered that the informal economy is also playing an equally important part in providing skills especially to the disadvantaged groups of society. We use data collected from Norton and Harare to demonstrate the importance of informal sector training in building skills. We also identify lack of recognition as one of the challenges that informal training programmes encounter. We conclude by arguing for the introduction of skills assessment and standardisation initiatives to improve the quality of the skills and products generated from the sector to boost its recognition and competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Critical African Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The relevance of public libraries in the twenty-first century will depend on prioritizing access to information through the provision of space to spur inclusive development. Public libraries in Harare are struggling to provide for the diverse and dynamic needs of users. This is evidenced by the high number of school-going users frequenting these places because of the limited number of well-resourced school libraries especially in marginalised communities. Public libraries are providing for the information needs of communities and schools in order to enhance inclusivity. It has become imperative for public librarians to rethink, reinvent, and re-profile their services to meet the growing, diverse, and dynamic needs of users. The article explores the extent to which public libraries can incorporate cultural responsive services for the benefit of users. It will examine how public libraries can rethink and reconfigure their services and space to accommodate inter-cultural and inter-generational dialogue. It will recommend strategies for balanced inclusivity in the accessibility of public library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal migration is increasing within the African continent, but the processes by which migrants integrate and accumulate in the host community remain bewildering. Using ethnography as a method of enquiry, this article investigates 'marriages of convenience' between Nigerian migrant entrepreneurs and Zimbabwean nationals in Harare, Zimbabwe. It examines how these marriages serve as a strategy to negotiate an 'insider' identity so as to integrate and accumulate (business advancement) among Nigerian migrant entrepreneurs. However, the article also shows how local women are repurposing these relations for their own ends. Thus, these conjugal relationships are therefore represented as transactions that are mutually beneficial. This is an important addition to the body of knowledge on the complexities of South-South migration as it helps us to understand the politics of integration and belonging in the politically and economically troubled host communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland vegetation is an important bio-indicator of wetland physical or chemical degradation. Wetland vegetation continually faces threats from natural disturbance and unsustainable human activities. Traditionally, routine field observations are used to monitor wetlands. However, these methods are expensive and require a lot of human resources, as destructive sampling is required. Remote sensing offers non-destructive and real-time information useful for sustainable and effective management of wetland vegetation. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of hyperspectral remote sensing for wetland vegetation discrimination at the species level. In particular, the study focuses on enhancing or improving class separability among wetland vegetation species using hyperspectral data. In situ hyperspectral measurements were conducted on four dominant grass species in a wetland in Harare. One-way analysis of variance demonstrated significant statistical differences between hydrophytic vegetation species. Vegetation indices performed better compared to red-edge algorithms at discriminating wetland vegetation, with overall accuracy of 82% and 60%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the urban informality dilemma in Harare through the lens of a political economy theory. It examines the typologies of urban informality, the influence of political economy on urban informalities, and informs decision-making to address the urban informality dilemma. A qualitative approach was used where secondary data were collected through document analysis and primary data from interviews with 20 purposively selected key informants. Surveys and in-depth interviews were conducted with 585 individuals engaged in informal activities. It emerged that urban informality in Harare takes on different forms and aside from the economic crisis, politics played a role in the emergence and proliferation of urban informality. The article provides insight into, and raises awareness with regard to key areas of concern on how power influences decision-making relating to urban informality. Therefore, the article provides a basis for policy formulation and institutional reforms for effective measures to curb urban informality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need to quantify agriculture's potential to sequester carbon (C) to inform global approaches aimed at mitigating climate change effects. Many factors including climate, crop, soil management practices, and soil type can influence the contribution of agriculture to the global carbon cycle. The objective of this study was to investigate the C sequestration potential of conservation agriculture (CA) (defined by minimal soil disturbance, maintaining permanent soil cover, and crop rotations). This study used micrometeorological methods to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) flux from several alternative CA practices in Harare, central Zimbabwe. Micrometeorological methods can detect differences in total CO2 emissions of agricultural management practices; our results show that CA practices produce less CO2 emissions. Over three years of measurement, the mean and standard error (SE) of CO2 emissions for the plot with the most consistent CA practices was 0.564 ± 0.0122 g CO2 m−2 h−1, significantly less than 0.928 ± 0.00859 g CO2 m−2 h−1 for the conventional tillage practice. Overall CA practices of no-till with the use of cover crops produced fewer CO2 emissions than conventional tillage and fallow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the efficacy of adopting the sustainable city framework as an urban planning agenda with a view to addressing the dilemma of informal settlements in Harare, Zimbabwe. Data were collected through document review which was triangulated with key informant interviews. Thematic and content analysis was then used to analyse the data. The results of the study show that informal settlements in Harare are a result of a multiplicity of factors which include political economy, uncoordinated planning, invasion of land by land barons and inappropriate planning ideologies. The planning approaches to address informal settlements also tends to be too harsh at times when evictions are used though there are some instances where it is commendable-regularisation by UDC. The study recommends the adoption of planning approaches that conform to the local realities in Harare as well as considering the sustainable cities framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland management and conservation is a priority in southern Africa, and urban wetlands are particularly vulnerable to pollution, development and environmental degradation. This study focuses on the perceptions of urban residents towards two wetlands in Harare, Zimbabwe, as a means of better evaluating their sustainability and management challenges. Questionnaires, interviews and focus groups of wetland users and residents were used, focusing on their attitudes towards and understanding of wetlands, and how the wetlands are used and valued from different perspectives. Results showed that urban wetland use is driven by broader economic, social and political conditions, and has compromised wetland integrity. The majority of respondents are aware of the socioeconomic benefits of wetlands, and also the negative environmental effects associated with wetland use. However, despite this awareness, there is little institutional or governmental support for more effective wetland use by residents, and existing wetland legislation is not being effectively implemented, hindering their sustainable use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article adds to discussions on gender and collective memory. During the war, the nationalist movement was generally gender inclusive. This collective discourse was driven by the need for forming a united front against colonialism. However, this inclusive aspect ceased to exist in the post-independence because post-colonial policies were sexist. After the attainment of independence, the government made attempts to commemorate the war through an extensive place renaming process, among other efforts. Through analysing the place renaming process, this article interrogates the government's commitment to gender equality and women's empowerment when it consciously ignores other fronts in which women are marginalised. However, the place renaming process in Zimbabwe shows a nation which is imagined and invented along patriarchal discourses. This article analyses the renaming of the built environment, paying particular attention to streets and buildings in Harare because much of the renaming was done on these two components of the humanly constructed environment. The role of place names as components of the cityscape merits scholarly interrogation because they are neither politically neutral nor innocent. Place names, being part of a political regime's assemblage of symbols of power, usually further the interests of the politically powerful in the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May and June 2005, thousands of Zimbabweans were brutally displaced from urban areas. But ‘Operation Murambatsvina’ was not simply an unpredictable ‘tsunami,’ rather it provides a moment in which long-held prejudices and assumptions which shaped the developmental state became visible, reflecting not just the internalisation of the Rhodesian, modernist world-view, but also its imbrication with local understandings of home and home-ness. To see Murambatsvina as simply a politically expedient move is to miss the deep resonance of the political rhetoric, the ways it was embedded in the state, and how it is shaped by norms of citizenship. Contextualised against Harare's urban politics, the clearances reveal a long-standing set of policies designed to regulate and control urban life, forming part of a broader crisis of the post-colonial developmental state. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article investigates the extent of deprivation and vulnerability among children who live and work on the streets of Harare. A questionnaire survey was administered to 100 children in Harare's central business district; this was supplemented by in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The study found that these children suffered severe deprivation, in particular in terms of shelter and education. The majority of the children obtained their income from begging and selling small items. They were exposed to verbal, physical, sexual and emotional abuse by the public, as well as by other children and adults on the streets. Poverty was the main reason for the children being on the streets, while social factors such as family disintegration or the death of their parents also played a role. These push factors can be addressed through providing more social protection, cash transfers to families, and education and health assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Urban communities are heterogeneous and averages mask inequities and deprivations among poor and rich urban communities. This article examines the situation of households residing in two low-income, high-density suburbs of Harare, Zimbabwe. The aim of the research was to contextualise urban poverty by looking at selected urban communities and vertically analysing the patterns and determinants of poverty. A household survey was administered to 1000 households and qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions and key informant interviews. The study found high levels of income poverty and also found differences in poverty experiences between the two suburbs. The major proximate determinants of poverty were large family size; low education level of the household head; lack of income from permanent employment; low cash transfers; and short length of residence in the suburb. Increasing household income consumption can be addressed through scaling-up industries, which would result in more quality employment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study sought to explore the relationship between street childhood and adolescent ecological self-image. The research objectives were to investigate the nature of ecological self-image for street children and to determine the ecological behaviours for street children in Harare. A psycho-ethnographic research design was employed. The participants were 16 street-living adolescent children aged between 12 and 18 years and six key informants, all in Harare, Zimbabwe. A total of 22 participants took part in this study. Snowballing was used to recruit key informant interviewees, while purposive sampling was used to recruit participants for focus group discussions, in-depth interview, and participant and non-participant observations. Thematic content analysis was used for analysing the data. Data analysis revealed that the adolescent street children's ecological self-image is largely negative. These street children seemed to have estranged from their biological families to identify with the streets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

At the zenith of Zimbabwe’s protracted politico-economic crises around 2007, which resulted in record hyperinflation, the majority of ordinary people confronted monumental livelihood challenges and complex reconfigurations of social and economic relationships. Many people could hardly sustain themselves from their meagre salaries from formal employment. In spite of this seemingly insurmountable livelihood catastrophe, people did not remain passive victims of such economic quandary. Rather, in the midst of this economic crisis, many people demonstrated great ingenuity, resilience and displayed immense resourcefulness in terms of rationally navigating through the economic crisis. This study explores a widespread survival strategy adopted by many people in Harare as a response to economic conditions: that of “money burning” or illegally exchanging money on the black market through electronic transfers. It is argued in this study that the emergence of money “burning” was a clear manifestation of human agency directed at individual survival amid livelihood catastrophe. Research findings revealed that money burning had become the lifeblood of many urbanites’ survival and livelihood portfolio. Interestingly, people’s perceptions on the money-burning practice were rather ambivalent. In trying to dissect the money-burning practice, I adopted Giddens’s structuration thesis and more especially the “structure–agency” dichotomy as my analytical insight, showing how the structure constrains and enables simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the difference in development (cognition; receptive and expressive language; and fine and gross motor) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-exposedinfected(HEI) infants with the development of HIV-exposed butuninfected(HEU) infants using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). Sixty infants were enrolled in the study; 32 (53.33%) HEU infants and 28 (46.67%) HEI infants. The two groups were well-matched for infant demographics, anthropometry at birth and maternal demographics. Statistically significant differences were found in anthropometry and development between the HEI and HEU groups. The HEI infants had malnutrition, were stunted and had smaller head circumferences than HEU infants. The BSID-III showed that the mean developmental delay for the HEI group was approximately two months below their mean chronological age for all scales (cognitive; receptive and expressive communication; and fine and gross motor age). The HEI group showed that 64.29% had cognitive delay, 60.71% had language delay and 53.57% had motor delay, all of which were significantly different from the development of the HEU group for all domains (p< 0.001). In addition to using the BSID-III, the majority of mothers were able to correctly indicate whether their child was developing at the same or at a slower rate of development than children of the same age. This study demonstrates that infants who are HIV-exposed and infected are at risk of developmental delay. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

From 2000, ZANU(PF) suffered repeated electoral defeat in the cities and lost control of municipalities to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). This turned urban governance into a battlefield, as ZANU(PF) dramatically recentralised powers over local authorities, developed ‘parallel’ party structures and used militia to control central markets and peri-urban land. Taking the case of Harare and environs during the period of Zimbabwe's Inclusive Government (IG), this article explores contestations over urban authority, focusing on the office of councillor and urban spaces dominated by ZANU(PF)-aligned militia. I argue that surveillance was central to ZANU(PF)'s strategy for urban control and to the politics of patronage. Inconvenient councillors were disciplined by threats and enticements from the feared Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and were also vulnerable to suspension, while ZANU(PF) militia made political loyalty a condition of access to market stalls, land and housing cooperatives. Dominant political science characterisations of the African postcolonial state and ethnographic accounts of precarity and vigilance mislead in this context if they fail to capture the disciplining roles and social reach of a centralised partisan state security agency and militarised party structures that suffuse work and social life within local government institutions and contested city spaces. Analyses of power-sharing need to reach beyond the national stage not only because conflict over local authorities can undermine transitional political processes but also for the light they can shed on the changing character of the state and its relationship to reconstituted ZANU(PF) powers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Non-indigenous migrants dominated the African population of Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia's capital city, until the mid-1950s. ‘Nyasa’ labour migrants (from British colonial Nyasaland, now Malawi) enriched urban popular culture and played a major role in the development of the country's industrial and rural economies. Despite this, people of Malawian origin have been marginalised from political life during both the colonial and postcolonial periods, and neglected in Zimbabwe's urban historiography. This article foregrounds ‘Nyasa’ migrants in the city, highlighting three of their religious expressions that emerged in Salisbury and became a prominent feature of the city's urban culture and religious landscape. The ‘Church of Central Africa, Presbyterian’ (CCAP), Yao or ‘Chawa’ Muslim associations and the ‘Nyau’ society became well established in colonial Salisbury and continue to be associated with people of Malawian ancestry in contemporary Harare. These religious groups played a role in the construction of new urban identities and helped migrants to create a sense of belonging in the city particularly during periods of rapid urbanisation and political change. By exploring life histories and archival sources, this study furthers our understanding of Zimbabwe's urban past while informing current debates on identity politics, citizenship and belonging in the region. It raises two new issues: firstly, ‘Nyasa’ labour migrants were among the first Africans to work and settle in Salisbury during the colonial period, and many used religious networks to establish themselves within new urban communities. Secondly, despite the longevity and depth of their commitment to urban life in Salisbury (and later Harare) these migrants have been targeted by exclusionary state policies at moments of political and economic crisis, during both the colonial period and since 2000. The Zimbabwean government's selective accounts of national identity ignore these histories of migration and marginalise important minority groups because they lack cultural ties to the land, despite their central role in the shaping of Zimbabwe's cities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Much of the contemporary literature on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa has focused on the rural sector, with limited attention to urban areas whose inhabitants are equally vulnerable. Thus, little is known about how poor households deal with food insecurity under conditions of economic adversity and material deprivation in the urban environment. This article examines the strategies that poor urban households adopt to enhance their resilience in the face of food insecurity. Study results indicate that the resilience of poor urban households to food insecurity during a crisis situation such as that besetting Harare depends largely on 3 main factors: first, the resourcefulness of households in eking out a living through multiple income-generating activities; second, the existence of strong social links to rural households, which increases access to rural resources for urban survival; and third, the use of international remittances to increase household food security. In conclusion, the article argues that in a crisis situation such as that in Zimbabwe, survival largely depends on the ability of households to engage in multiple as well as multispatial activities that not only increase income sources but also reduce household expenses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]