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Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MUTARE residents have expressed mixed feelings over the coming Year 2024, with many optimistic of better fortunes.
Those interviewed by this publication shared their New Year’s goals, which include saving money, more travelling, learning new skills and spending more time with their loved ones.
Most of those interviewed said they were happy to turn over Year 2023, as they considered it a tough year.
They hoped things would get better in 2024, while others expressed fear that they would have a tough time navigating past the dreaded “January disease” phase.
Ms Charity Kufakunesu, of Chikanga, said she expects nothing but a blissful 2024 as she intends to save more for travelling and explore what Zimbabwe’s beautiful nature reserves have to offer.
“I have resolved that in 2024 I will travel more, whether it is to explore new places or to visit friends and family members. I will travel more than I did this year. I will visit my parents in Chivhu more often, something that I was not able to do in 2023 because the year was a tough one for me and I was cash-strapped for the greater part of the year.
“Visiting them over the Christmas holidays and the excitement they showed proved that I had not been visiting enough and they missed me so much. The visit also helped me to shake off all the stress that I had,” said Ms Kufakuneseu.
Mr Kudzai Matondo of Dangamvura said he was already planning for next year’s festive holidays as he expected to save more money in 2024.
“This festive season taught me that if one has no money to spend, they will be a lone ranger. Everyone is chasing the money and that is what I will be doing this coming year.
“I need to save more money so that I will be able to take out my family during the next holidays. I am looking forward to at least taking them to a tourist destination within the country,” he said.
While the Mutare community is a diverse one, other interviewed residents, said they faced many difficulties in 2023, and were uncertain of their 2024 expectations.
Mr Charles Chafanza of Greenside suburb, said he lost his job as a private school teacher recently, and had to rely on his savings and offering extra lessons to learners for survival.
He said he was worried that he would not survive the “January disease” phase and pay school fees for his children, while at the same time putting food on the table.
“The ‘January disease’ that everyone is talking about is my biggest fear because I recently lost my job. I have three school-going children, and they all rely on me for their fees and upkeep. I do not know what 2024 holds for me because I am yet to be called for a job interview. I am definitely not looking forward to a better new year,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs Letty Chirara said she is already preparing for her children’s return to school, and things are not looking good as everything seemed pricey.
She said: “I have been trying to buy uniforms, stationery and other essentials for my children, but the prices are too high. I don’t know how I will manage to send them to school with everything they need. The economy is very tough, and we are struggling to make ends meet. I hope Government will come up with more intervention measures to cushion the citizenry.”
A visit to many stationery and school uniforms shops in the city showed that a few parents had started shopping before the back to school rush next week.
In an interview, a school uniforms shop owner, Mrs Loveness Muterere of Mass More Enterprises, said they expect more parents to be busy with back to school preparations next week after the New Year holiday.
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