Opposition MDC legislator for Harare West Joana Mamombe has told Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube to test for coronavirus following his recent visit to Norway, a country that has recorded over 1 600 cases of the disease and six deaths.
The Harare West MP was speaking in Parliament Wednesday during the question and answer session where the Covid-19 subject dominated discussion.
Mamombe said Zimbabwe’s top government officials who include Ncube should take a cue from US President Donald Trump who has presented for test for coronavirus openly.
She said, in full:
“Thank you Madam Speaker for the protection. Madam Speaker, I was talking about Hon. Members that leaders in our communities, it would be good for us to be taught on the Coronavirus outside this Parliament so that we can educate our constituents when we go out there.
“Secondly, there is a marked shortage of sanitisers in local shops. There are some rich people who can afford to buy their own sanitisers to sanitise their hands against the virus. What is Government doing to make the sanitisers available in the shops?
“Lastly Madam Speaker, this morning, myself as a Member of Parliament, Joanna Mamombe and the Secretary General Hon. Hwende were at the High Court. What surprised me was that hundreds of people enter the High Court on daily basis yet there are no sanitisers or any form of protection against the virus at the court entrances. We are talking about preventing the disease yet our important institutions like the courts where many people gather, there are no sanitisers. We would not recommend for the courts to be closed but there must be measures in place to protect people. Still on the courts, I also want to talk about our prisons where there are more than hundreds of people. What is Government doing to prevent the disease from affecting prisoners?
“Before I sit down Madam Speaker, in different countries that the Hon. Minister mentioned, the likes of the United States of America, we saw the leaders especially the President, Donald Trump voluntarily being tested for the virus. He was the first to be tested for Coronavirus – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – Madam Speaker, I am saying this because I follow news on current affairs and if other Hon. Members are not following the news then it is their problem. The President of the United States of America, Donald Trump came out in the open, led by example and was tested for Covid-19. We are not seeing it in this country.
“Hon. Mthuli Ncube even went to Norway where there are several cases of the Coronavirus. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] – We want the Hon. Minister to tell us whether or not Hon. Ncube volunteered to be tested for Covid-19 upon his return from Norway. We want these things to be said openly so that other people understand the importance of this disease. As a leader, if you are tested first then those who follow you will be tested too. Hon. Mthuli Ncube should be tested and the results made public. I thank you. – [HON. MEMBERS: Inaudible interjections.] –”