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“Not a competitor” TelOne doesn’t see itself as a Starlink competitor, having already provided satellite service “for years”. TelOne is targeting business clients with its new Starlink partnership, adding to the internet products it already sells, CEO Lawrence Nkala says. In July, TelOne reached a similar distribution deal with OneWeb, a Starlink competitor. CEO Nkala said then that TelOne would seek more such contracts. TelOne generated more revenue from data than from its traditional voice service for the first time in the first quarter of 2018.

COLUMN | Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube’s recent budget review statement continued a long tradition of unchecked budget indiscipline. Our columnist Mike Murenzvi explains

Proplastics Zimbabwe looks to cut energy costs with new solar installation: The company, one of the country’s largest PVC piping and fittings manufacturers, has installed rooftop solar to cut reliance on expensive electricity and backup diesel. “With the installation and commissioning of the solar plant now complete, the business is expected to generate about 50,000 kWh of energy per month thus reducing electricity bill and generator fuel consumption. This will result in significant savings which will be reflected in the second half of the year.” The project was installed by Cicada Solar. In the first six months of 2024, Proplastics turnover fell by 18% to US$8.6m, after sales volumes dropped by 8%.

Not a great outlook for power for the rest of the year: * The new Hwange Units 7 & 8 are soon to undergo Class C maintenance, a statutory requirement. This will take 600MW off the grid, at a time Kariba output is down to just 215MW * Zimbabwe will rely on 5 Hwange units, some of which break down often * Imports will average only 250MW

The shifting gears in the car rental market: Avis, part of the ZSE-listed TSL group, suffered a drop in rentals in the three months to July this year. The once dominant brand is being run off the road by smaller car hire outfits. According to an update from TSL: "Avis’ rental days were 24% below prior year as a result of increased competition from unregulated operators"

Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has told Parliament that government’s US$4.5 billion valuation of Kuvimba Mining House is justified. But the generous valuation raises a few questions

World Bank: Zimbabwe needs to maintain macroeconomic stability for a period of at least 12 months to advance debt relief talks with creditors. At the end of 2023, Zimbabwe owed foreign creditors US$13.7 billion. Paris Club (Western creditors) are owed US$3.9 billion, while Zim owes China US$2 billion. Zimbabwe is talking to creditors to restructure its debt. Speaking at ZEDCON, an economic summit hosted by the Ministry of Finance and UNDP Zimbabwe, Victor Steenbergen, World Bank Zim Senior Country Economist, says for the talks to progress, Zimbabwe needs an uninterrupted period of stability if debt talks are to progress

“All constitutional office bearers make an oath or affirmation to the effect of being faithful to Zimbabwe and observing, upholding, and defending the Constitution and all other laws of the country. It’s high time they live up to it” Mike Murenzvi updates on the continued legal delays in the way of the proposed child protection law

The Chris Kabwato Column: It is difficult to explain the reasons for the destructive Zimbabwean psyche in the diaspora. A case of a broken country giving birth to a broken people?