Farai Dziva|Vibrant Harare West MP Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe has said Health Minister Obadiah Moyo must resign with immediate effect.
Mamombe accused Moyo of misleading the nation on Coronavirus.
“The Minister of Health and Childcare, Mr Obadiah Moyo MUST be arrested for misleading this Nation that the Gvt is prepared to deal with Covid19.
He should resign, why mislead the whole Nation??
I am so furious, I had to revisit the online Parliament Hansard of Wednesday the 18th of March to read the Minister’s Statement where he was talking about how prepared Zimbabwe is to deal with Coronavirus,”argued Mamombe.
Farai Dziva|MDC president, Nelson Chamisa has said government hospitals must be equipped with essential equipment to deal with Coronavirus.
See full statement below:
24 March 2020,
Fellow Zimbabweans,
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic. Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped.
We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers. Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions.
Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lock down to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other care givers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa
President
Movement For Democratic Change
Farai Dziva|MDC president, Nelson Chamisa has said government hospitals must be equipped with essential equipment to deal with Coronavirus.
See full statement below:
24 March 2020,
Fellow Zimbabweans,
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic. Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped.
We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers. Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions.
Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lock down to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other care givers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa
President
Movement For Democratic Change
Farai Dziva|Former City of Harare Mayor, Ben Manyenyeni, has said movements within Zimbabwe must be restricted as nation intensifies efforts to deal with the deadly Coronavirus.
See Manyenyeni’s statement :
Urban dwellers must NOT go to the rural areas until COVID-19 is under control.
Urban population density means infections are already high – though untested.
Urban is still business-as-usual in many high-risk spots
Rural ‘sparsity’ means ‘de facto’ isolations are already in force and this can be extended.
Chiefs and Rural/District Councillors must close off entry into your districts and villages.
No more buses out of towns.
Be decisive – LOCK US OUT.
You’re Zimbabwe’s best bet for COVID-19 loss control.
Farai Dziva|Former City of Harare Mayor, Ben Manyenyeni, has said movements within Zimbabwe must be restricted as nation intensifies efforts to deal with the deadly Coronavirus.
See Manyenyeni’s statement :
Urban dwellers must NOT go to the rural areas until COVID-19 is under control.
Urban population density means infections are already high – though untested.
Urban is still business-as-usual in many high-risk spots
Rural ‘sparsity’ means ‘de facto’ isolations are already in force and this can be extended.
Chiefs and Rural/District Councillors must close off entry into your districts and villages.
No more buses out of towns.
Be decisive – LOCK US OUT.
You’re Zimbabwe’s best bet for COVID-19 loss control.
Ministry or Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
UPDATE: 24 MARCH 2020
The Ministry would like to advise the nation that the second case of COVID-19 who deceased yesterday at Wilkins Hospital, was buried today under supervision by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in line with guidance from the Public Health Act [15: 171.
As of today(Tuesday), the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country is now three.
Today(Tuesday), the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested a total 15 specimens, the majority being from contacts of the deceased case. One male tested positive for COVID-19, more details to be provided later.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
The Ministry today received a consignment of commodities from the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation through the African Union, to help strengthen and intensify surveillance, laboratory testing and case management of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe.
The consignment included 20 000 laboratory diagnostic test kits, 100 000 medical face masks and 1 000 protective suits and face shields.
The Ministry is very grateful to the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations for their generosity and contribution to the National COVID-19 response and will ensure equitable distribution of this consignment so that they get to where there is the greatest need.
The Ministry would also like to inform the nation about the case of an adult, pregnant woman that was presented at Masvingo Provincial Hospital with a history of dry cough, shortness of breath, chest pains but no fever.
She had a history of having travelled to South Africa on the 28th February 2020 and returned on the 7th of March 2020.
The local Rapid Response Team went to assess her and advised that she be put under self-isolation at home. Specimens have been collected for COVID-19 testing and we will give an update of the results.
The Ministry would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant in the prevention of COVID-19 and practice good personal hygiene including.
Washing hands with soap and water frequently or use of an alcohol-based hand-rub,
Covering your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, coughing or sneezing.
Additionally, all non-essential travel is strongly discouraged.
If you suspect COVID-19 disease, or wish to obtain more information on this disease, you are advised to call the following Ministry of Health and Child Care TOLLFREE HOTLINE numbers for assistance: +263714 734 593 or +263774 112 531.
Ministry or Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
UPDATE: 24 MARCH 2020
The Ministry would like to advise the nation that the second case of COVID-19 who deceased yesterday at Wilkins Hospital, was buried today under supervision by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in line with guidance from the Public Health Act [15: 171.
As of today(Tuesday), the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country is now three.
Today(Tuesday), the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested a total 15 specimens, the majority being from contacts of the deceased case. One male tested positive for COVID-19, more details to be provided later.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
The Ministry today received a consignment of commodities from the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation through the African Union, to help strengthen and intensify surveillance, laboratory testing and case management of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe.
The consignment included 20 000 laboratory diagnostic test kits, 100 000 medical face masks and 1 000 protective suits and face shields.
The Ministry is very grateful to the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations for their generosity and contribution to the National COVID-19 response and will ensure equitable distribution of this consignment so that they get to where there is the greatest need.
The Ministry would also like to inform the nation about the case of an adult, pregnant woman that was presented at Masvingo Provincial Hospital with a history of dry cough, shortness of breath, chest pains but no fever.
She had a history of having travelled to South Africa on the 28th February 2020 and returned on the 7th of March 2020.
The local Rapid Response Team went to assess her and advised that she be put under self-isolation at home. Specimens have been collected for COVID-19 testing and we will give an update of the results.
The Ministry would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant in the prevention of COVID-19 and practice good personal hygiene including.
Washing hands with soap and water frequently or use of an alcohol-based hand-rub,
Covering your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, coughing or sneezing.
Additionally, all non-essential travel is strongly discouraged.
If you suspect COVID-19 disease, or wish to obtain more information on this disease, you are advised to call the following Ministry of Health and Child Care TOLLFREE HOTLINE numbers for assistance: +263714 734 593 or +263774 112 531.
Parliament has suspended public hearings on the Constitutional Amendment Bill that were supposed to start this weekend, as part of measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The suspension of the public consultations is part of a cocktail of measures adopted by Parliament to curb the spread of the contagious disease, which included suspension of sittings and international travel, among others.
“The public hearings on the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No 2) Bill scheduled to start at the end of March have been cancelled until further notice.
“The cancellation is part of the measures adopted by Parliament to give effect to the national effort to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus,” reads a notice from Parliament.
The portfolio committee on Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs led by Makoni South MP Misheck Mataranyika (Zanu PF) was set to lead the public hearings.
Some of the issues in the Bill include a clause that repeal the concept of running mates, extends the women’s quota in Parliament with another two terms, and extend retirement age for Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges to 75 years.
Government has indicated that there was need to repeal a clause on running mates saying it was undesirable.-State media
HERENTALS have described their latest expulsion from the Premier Soccer League as a weird act which they claim exposes a hidden agenda to destroy their club.
Yesterday, the Students were slapped with an expulsion by the PSL disciplinary committee for taking football matters to the court.
The decision comes barely a week after the club won their appeal against a guilty decision, in a match-fixing case, delivered by the same PSL disciplinary committee.
PSL spokesperson, Kudzai Bare, released a judgment in which she said their disciplinary committee had expelled Herentals for not withdrawing their case from the High Court.
According to the judgment, Order 31.1.5, states that a club will be charged for an act of misconduct if:
“It fails to comply with, or contravenes any provisions of the constitution, and those orders of the Zifa Constitution and Rules of the Association, the Caf Statutes and the Fifa Statutes as well as laws of the game.
“It, inclusive of its officials, players, servants or duly authorised (expressed or implied) representative or supporters, commits any act or makes any statement, either orally or in writing, or has been responsible for conduct which is considered ungentlemanly, insulting or improper behaviour or likely to bring the game, sponsors any member, the league, Zifa, Caf or Fifa into disrepute.
“The club also breached Article 53.1 of the PSL Statutes which states that:
“PSL, its members, players’ officials and match and player’s agents will not take any dispute to ordinary courts unless specifically provided for in the statutes and Fifa regulations.
“Any disagreement shall be submitted to the jurisdiction of PSL, Zifa, Caf, and Fifa.
“The club pleaded guilty to the offence and the PSL DC noted that the club had not withdrawn the matter from the courts.’’
Yesterday, the Harare club were expelled from the top-flight league and fined $100 000.
But, club secretary Fainos Madhumbu, said the decision – which was reached at without a hearing – appeared to suggest the league were not pursuing a personal case against them.
“To us, this came as a surprise. They were waiting for the Zifa Appeals Committee to come up with this weird judgment,’’ he said.-State media
By Jane Mlambo| Nurses have downed tools demanding that their employer takes heed to their demands for protective equipment and coronavirus risk allowance among other demands.
In their letter, the nurses under the Zimbabwe Nurses Association said a letter they submitted to their employer demanding that they attend to their urgent needs, fell on deaf ears hence their decision to withdraw their services with immediate effect.
The nurses said they will only get back to work once their employer provides protective equipment, water and risk allowance.
THE United Kingdom (UK) has ordered its citizens to leave Zimbabwe in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, the Daily News can report.
Posting on its Twitter account, the UK embassy said citizens who are on temporary visits must go home immediately.
“If you are a UK short-term visitor to #Zimbabwe you are strongly advised to make plans to return to the UK now.
“Please get hold of your airline or tour operator promptly and follow @FCO travel for updates,” the UK embassy posted.
UK ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson also said citizens must follow the directive.
“UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has advised all UK travellers to return to the UK now.
“If you’re a UK national on holiday in #Zimbabwe the time to go home is now. Please get hold of your airline or tour operator promptly, and follow @FCO travel for updates.”
This comes after Zimbabwe recorded its first known death from coronavirus after broadcaster Zororo Makamba succumbed to the disease at Wilkins Hospital in Harare on Monday.
This comes as health workers have said hospitals are ill-equipped to deal with the disease while experts said the government needs to do more to avoid the spread of the disease.
Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) secretary-general Norman Matara recently said due to lack of personal protective clothing and equipment, doctors were not willing to risk their lives working on coronavirus cases.
“We are currently receiving very worrying information from some doctors and health care workers who are saying that if there is a case of coronavirus and they are called to attend to it, they will not report for work because there is no sufficient personal protective clothing and equipment to shield them from the virus.
“Currently, there is a shortage of personal protective clothing, for example, N95 masks as well as protective suits, which places the lives of doctors, particularly those in district and provincial hospitals, at risk,” Matara said.
The doctors’ claim was buttressed by the Makamba family who revealed stunning details exposing on how ill-prepared the government is on dealing with the deadly coronavirus.
Zanu PF has postponed this year’s first Central Committee meeting which was scheduled for this week, as a measure to control the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking at the Politburo meeting at the party headquarters in Harare this morning, Zanu PF First Secretary President Mnangagwa said the Central Committee meeting which has been scheduled for this week has been postponed until further notice.
“As you aware, our party constitution obligates us to meet as the Central Committee at least three times a year, in Ordinary Session. The practice is that our meetings are held at the end of every quarter. Hence, this Politburo meeting would ordinarily be followed by the Central Committee meeting. However, due to the prevailing circumstances and the measures we have put in place to avert the spread of Covid-19, the scheduled meetings of the Central Committee stands postponed until further notice,” said the President.
He challenged the party leadership to lead by example in the fight against the spread of the pandemic. The Politburo meeting was held at the main hall instead of the usual boardroom to practice social distancing.
“As the party leadership we must lead by example by continuing to practice social distancing, it is in that spirit that we are holding this meeting in this hall as opposed to our usual venue,” said President Mnangagwa.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has suspended all electoral activities, including the holding of by-elections in line with the government’s measures to suppress the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a statement, ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said the suspension means that the Chiredzi Rural District Council ward 16 by-election will no longer be held on 4 April 2020 as been scheduled, but at a later date to be advised. She said:
The suspension affects a byelection which was due to be held in ward 16 of Chiredzi Rural District Council on 4 April 2020 and the filling of any other vacancy which may arise during this period.
New dates for the conduct of any by-election will be notified in due course.
Zimbabwe has so far confirmed three cases of coronavirus, with one of the patients sadly passing away on Monday this week.
The government has hitherto been reluctant to put the country on lockdown but there are fears that the virus could spread rapidly and affect a lot of people-StateMedia.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe nurses have embarked on job action with immediate after authorities failed to address their concerns within 48 hours.
In a notice dated 25 March and addressed to members, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) said:
Following our letter that was presented to our employer 48 hours ago, informing them to urgently attend to our demands as frontline workers, it seems our concerns are not getting the urgency it deserves.
So, in that regard, all nurses are withdrawing their services with immediate effect until there is genuine action taken by the employer.
We will only get back to work once our concerns have been swiftly acted upon.
I pointed out the folly of ICT Minister’s move of spending US$40mil in acquiring 60% of a pvt Mobile operator at the expense of health services that are not attractive to FDI like Mobile Comms. Excerpt from ‘The Birth& Growth of a cartel or cabal in the ICT sector in Zimbabwe”. pic.twitter.com/eOC07fGCyT
Exactly 5 days after submitting the document, I was arrested on the instructions of then ICT Minister, working in cahoots with an equally corrupt former Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commissioner, ZACC. Despite his arrest later, ex-ICT Minister was corruptly ‘acquitted’ without trial. pic.twitter.com/rTjNTfrf6b
By A Correspondent- Revelations by the MDC deputy president Tendai Biti comes following a statement by the former Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni that something fishy going on at the Rock Foundation Medical Centre in Mt. Pleasant, Harare, where reports say top Zanu-PF elites are putting in place an exclusive, well-resourced facility for their own coronavirus treatment.
Manyenyeni said he knows the area very well as it is in his neighborhood, and he visited it to find out what was going on.
Reports surfaced on social media that following the death from coronavirus of Zororo Makamba on Monday, it emerged that the deceased came into contact with top officials in the Office of the President and Cabinet as well as the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
The reports were corroborated by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet in Charge of Presidential Communications, George Charamba, who told State-owned online television ZTN that indeed top Government officials were in isolation after coming into contact with Makamba.
Said Manyenyeni of the rumored medical facility in northern Harare: “I have just been to the former Rock Foundation Medical facility. I am still in my pyjamas and gown.
“I know the place well enough – it is in our municipal ward.
“They advised that they are not open – not operating.
“What they told me is very different from today’s body language of the place itself – that I know well enough and can state confidently.
“There’s stuff happening there! The message of a exclusive medical facility for the politically-connected (or the elites) does not not sit well with ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe especially at this point in time.
“That said, any life saved is a life saved and any new medical offering is a welcome addition to the unfolding crisis.”
Following Zororo’s passing on, there was anger as images showed that his hospital room at Wilkins Hospital was not well equipped. His family revealed that the facility had no ventilators and it had no sockets for certain machinery to be connected to save the deceased’s life.
Zimbabwe yesterday received its share of the donations from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, who founded e-commerce giant AliBaba. Zimbabweans on social media expressed fear that some of the donated material could end up serving ruling party elites at a secret facility, as airlines have been grounded and coronavirus patients are not allowed to land in any territory for treatment.
Rock Foundation Medical Centre was owned by now jailed former Zanu-PF legislator Munyaradzi Kereke.
It thrived when he was working as an advisor to the then Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gideon Gono, but ran into financial deep waters after Kereke faced rape charges and was subsequently jailed for ten years in 2016.
By A Correspondent- With the world facing the Covid pandemic and Africa’s resources and readiness under the spotlight, another harsh reality of the dire economic situation has shown its ugly face.
This comes after 64 suspected illegal immigrants were found dead inside a sealed shipping container in Mozambique.
“The truck, transporting illegal immigrants from Malawi, suspected to be Ethiopians, was stopped at the Mussacana weight bridge in Tete, and 64 illegal immigrants were found dead. Only 14 survived,” the senior official, who asked not be named, told AFP.
The news has sent shockwaves across the continent as illegal immigration remains a big problem across the globe. More details on this will be made available. Late last week, South Africa announced that they would be erecting a 40km fence at the Beitbridge border post to curb illegal immigration and also the spread of Covid-19.
Relating to the fence, South Africa’s Public Works and Infrastructure minister Patricia De Lille said
“This is to ensure that no undocumented or infected persons cross into the country and vice versa, in line with one of the measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in that South Africa’s borders and ports are to be secured with immediate effect,” said De Lille.
The names of the 64 illegal immigrants could not be named as Mozambican authorities say most of them were undocumented and they faced a mammoth task of identifying their country of origin and contact details. The driver of the truck is believed to be under arrest as authorities investigate the case further. More arrests are expected.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has suspended all electoral activities, including the holding of by-elections in line with the government’s measures to suppress the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
In a statement, ZEC Chairperson Justice Priscilla Chigumba said the suspension means that the Chiredzi Rural District Council ward 16 by-election will no longer be held on 4 April 2020 as been scheduled, but at a later date to be advised. She said:
The suspension affects a byelection which was due to be held in ward 16 of Chiredzi Rural District Council on 4 April 2020 and the filling of any other vacancy which may arise during this period.
New dates for the conduct of any by-election will be notified in due course.
Zimbabwe has so far confirmed three cases of coronavirus, with one of the patients sadly passing away on Monday this week.
The government has hitherto been reluctant to put the country on lockdown but there are fears that the virus could spread rapidly and affect a lot of people-StateMedia.
A 41 year old miner (Stephen Chizola) at Mimosa Mine in Zvishavane died after sustaining serious injuries from a rock fall yesterday, 263Chat Business has learnt.
The fatal incident is the second at the mine in just 10 months following a similar incidence that claimed one life in June last year.
Chizola who was a Face Preparation Supervisor was barring down in 36 Level North when tragedy struck.
In a statement forwarded to this publication, the company said investigations were underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
“It is with deep regret that Mimosa Mining Company advises of a fatal accident at its mining location in Zvishavane. On Tuesday the 24th of March 2020, Stephen Chizola (41) was barring down in 36 Level North when a rock fell and seriously injured him in the process,” the company said in a statement.
First aid was promptly administered and Chizola was evacuated from underground before passing away upon admission at the mine clinic.
“The Mimosa Board, management and staff would like to express their deepest and sincere condolences to Stephen’s family, his relatives and friends. A full investigation is now underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the accident. Mimosa continues to urge all employees to exercise maximum diligence and reiterates its commitment to attaining ZERO HARM in all its activities,” further read the statement.
Efforts to get in touch with the Zimbabwe Republic Police for a comment were futile.
Last year, the platinum miner confirmed a similar incident when its then face preparation supervisor, Tichaona Nedziwe (39) had succumbed to injuries sustained when a rock fell on him while barring down in a supported area at 22 Level South.
The development has raised concern over the mine workers safety with another deaths having recorded in 2016.
South Africans are rushing against the clock to make it to their home towns before midnight 26 March 2020, as it has been announced by the president this will mean that almost all citizens will be under the strict rules of the lockdown. But most people still have questions to what you can and can’t do during this time and that has been a very difficult thing to answer as the healthcare system is also trying to prepare itself to take care of only patients that only really need their help.
Here are a few things you will not be happening:
No fast food or any type of restaurants or pubs or clubs will be open.
No deliveries of any sort whether it is food or any type of products.
Public transport is suspended except for those with permits – No Ubers, taxis and buses.
No large gatherings or travelling across borders.
No working outside the house unless you are part of the essential workforce.
Here is what you allowed to do during this lockdown:
Take a walk around your neighbourhood but not in large groups.
Go to the bank.
Go to the clinic or hospital.
Buy groceries or licensed spaza shop.
Network providers will also be working to ensure people are connected.
Sakunda Holdings has teamed up with its associates to resuscitate Rock Foundation and St Annes hospital in a multi million dollar initiative aimed at complementing government efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Government has been calling on the private sector to assist in its efforts to fight the pandemic that has so far claimed one life in the country.
The two facilities identified by Sakunda Holdings have been idle for long and will be used for Covid 19 response only.
The firm, which is currently undergoing several relevant processes, wants the medical facilities to be open to everyone contrary to media reports that they will be open to Government and ZanuPF bigwigs.
It is envisaged that if all processes are done on time one of the facilities will be operational by Wednesday next week.
Sakunda Holdings officials have already toured the health facilities and have so far moved their personnel at Rock Foundation after working with local medical experts and specialists to identify what is needed.
Negotiations are currently underway with management at St Annes hospital amid indications that the company is ready to foot all the refurbishment bills.
In correspondence between Sakunda Holdings and government, the firm indicated its desire to complement government efforts when they wrote to the permanent secretary in the ministry of health and chikd care seeking relevant licenses.
“the government of Zimbabwe has implemented raft of measures to curb and control the outbreak of the disease albeit under tough economic circumstances. It is against this background that Sakunda holdings (PVT) Ltd and its associates have come up with a private initiative to complement government efforts to curb this pandemic specifically in the provision of health facilities, equipment, training and vaccines. Sakunda has identified Rock Foundation Medical Centre as a facility in the fight against covid-19” said the letter signed by Everton Mlalazi un charge of special projects at Sakunda Holdings.
The firm is requesting government in facilitating the engagement with relevant bodies to expedite the process in view of the urgency required to deal with the pandemic.
“Licenses will be sought from the following bodies: MCAZ, Pharmacists Council, Radiation Protection Authority of Zimbabwe, Medical and Dental Council of Zimbabwe and Health Professions Authority,” said Mlalazi.
Ministry of Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary Dr Abigail Mahomva wrote to St Annes’ Hospital Manager expressing satisfactory following a tour which officials from the ministry and executives from Sakunda holdings had at their health facility.
“The team was satisfied with what they saw during the tour and would like you to finalise our request. Please note that we have since identified Sakunda holdings (copied) to be our partner to work with us and yourselves to do all the remaining renovations and refurbishments necessary for the hospital to function in the shortest period of time. Sakunda holdings has confirmed that they have the resources and funding to do the work and hence refurbishments will not be at your costs.
May you also note as discussed during the tour of your hospital our request to use this facility is for up to six months only for the covid-19 response,”,” said Dr Mahovha.
Sakunda Holdings wants to use its resources and support Government in the provision of health facilities, equipment, training of medical personnel and vaccines.
State Media|ONE of the pioneers of the country’s liberation war Clark Mpofu has died and the Zanu-PF leadership in Bulawayo has recommended that he been declared a national hero.
He was 81.
Mpofu succumbed to cardiac arrest at Mpilo Central Hospital where he had been hospitalised on Saturday.
Zanu-PF politburo member Retired Colonel Tshinga Dube said Mpofu was among the first liberation fighters to take up arms.
He said he trained in sabotage activities in China before returning into the country where with colleagues, he bombed the Tredgold Building and Bulawayo Post Office, when most blacks could not even imagine standing up to the settler colonial regime.
“Due to his contributions, we made a collective decision that he be declared a national hero and we have already submitted our recommendation to the party’s national leadership. He was once detained with President Mnangagwa at Khami Prison and was only released from jail after Independence due to his acts of sabotage. He remained committed to the people’s cause and we firmly believe he deserves a national hero status,” he said.
His son, Nhlanhla, said while the family is aware of his political activities, they mainly related to him as the family’s figurehead.
“To us he was really a pillar of strength. He really motivated us to be better people and encouraged that we pursue education as a source of empowerment. He also taught us a lot about the need to prepare for retirement and having a rural home. We might know about his political activities but to us he was really a father. His death is a serious blow for us,” said Nhlanhla.
He said Mpofu is survived by his wife, seven children, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Historian Pathisa Nyathi described Mpofu is one of the pioneering liberation struggle cadres who changed the nationalist struggle from accommodating the settler minority but directly and radically confronting it.
His actions led to his arrest in 1965 and he remained in jail until ceasefire in 1979.
He attended Zinyangeni Primary School in Nkayi and later came to Bulawayo where he joined the National Democratic Party and became active in its Youth League within the Makokoba Branch where the likes of Jaison Ziyaphapha Moyo, Benjamin Madlela and Ethan Dube and others were active.
Mpofu excelled in the Sabotage Campaign where they operated under the command of General Chedu and Enos Chikowore.
After training in sabotage activities, he was part of the group that bombed the Bulawayo Post Office, Tredgold Building and Circus Grounds near the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre grounds.
Upon his arrest Mpofu was sent to Khami Prison where one of his inmates was President Mnangagwa.
He was moved to other prisons such as Whawha and Gwelo prison.
Mpofu was released from jail following the conclusion of the Lancaster House Talks in 1979.
Mourners are gathered at house number 4592 Nketa 9.
As Zimbabwe confirms its third Covid-19 infection, the infection has been declared a formidable epidemic disease in terms of the Public Health Act, allowing the Minister of Health and Child Care to make sweeping regulations to control the spread of the disease and to have designated medical officers order the compulsory testing, quarantining, isolation and treatment of anyone who is exposed to infection or is confirmed as infected..
The new Public Health (Covid-19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment) Regulations 2020 were gazetted on Monday and are valid until May 20, although they then may be extended a month at a time.
The regulations follow the confirmation last night by the Health Ministry that one of the 15 tests done yesterday came out positive. Those tested were mostly contacts of the second confirmed case and first death, Zororo Makamba, who was buried yesterday after succumbing to Covid-19 coupled with a pre-existing condition on Monday.
The new regulations partly overlap with orders already given by President Mnangagwa following the declaration of a state of national disaster, such as the ban on gatherings over the set limit. The Health Minister, after consulting the President and accepting Presidential directions, can issue the legal orders that enforce any Government action on gatherings, curfews, closure of premises and the like.
But they go into great detail for new powers given to the Chief Health Officer, who is the professional Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the director of health services in every local authority, district health officers and every medical officer of health. These enforcement officers, who issue the instructions, are to be assisted by police officers, peace officers and members of municipal police forces who are explicitly given the authority to enforce the instructions from the medical professionals.
The medical enforcement officers may order compulsory medical examinations, including taking samples for testing, order compulsory treatment, order the sequestration or disinfection of baggage and personal effects, order the evacuation of any building for up to 24 hours where those exposed to the risk of infection may have gathered, and can order the compulsory detention, isolation or quarantining of anyone for 48 hours or until they have been formally cleared to be free of infection if this takes longer to do.
Once people are confirmed to be infected, they can be further quarantined for up to 14 days within their homes, a hospital or a place of isolation. If they are so quarantined the medical officer ordering the detention must ensure these infected people have access to or are provided with the basic necessities to maintain an acceptable standard of nutrition and hygiene and can be released temporarily under specified conditions.
Those who escape from where they have been ordered to be detained, isolated or quarantined, even if this is their own home, can be arrested without warrant.
The Health Minister can approve sites to be used for isolation and quarantine for those suspected or confirmed to be infected with Covid-19.
All those who disobey instructions from the designated health officers for testing, quarantine or isolation can face a stiff fine and a year in jail.
A second batch of clauses in the regulations gives the Health Minister, in consultation with the President and conforming to Presidential directions to: impose restrictions on public traffic and movement through curfews, close schools in any local authority, and close places and worship and restrict church gatherings, restrict or regulate places of entertainment, recreation and places where alcohol is served. This has already been done.
In the event of death the minister, acting again with the President, can make any inquiries into the cause, order post-mortems and exhumations, prohibit funerals in special circumstances until a medical officer has granted a certificate, and regulate burials.
To ensure that people cannot be infected by any other articles, the minister can regulate, restrict or ban removal of merchandise or articles in or out of any area, can facilitate the disinfection of any article by providing plant and equipment, or if necessary order that article’s destruction, authorise local authorities to inspect premises and fix sanitary or other defects likely to further the spread of Covid-19, and order the evacuation, closing, alteration or even demolition of premises which, if occupied, could render more difficult the eradication of Covid-19.
The health officers enforcing the regulations have to have certificates signed by the town clerk or other chief executive officer and must show these if anyone questions their orders.
The Prince of Wales has tested positive for coronavirus, Clarence House has announced.
Prince Charles, 71, is displaying mild symptoms “but otherwise remains in good health”, a spokesman said, adding that the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, has been tested but does not have the virus.
Both Charles and Camilla are now self-isolating at Balmoral.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen last saw her son on 12 March, but also “remains in good health”.
The Queen, the palace added, “is following all the appropriate advice with regard to her welfare”.
A Clarence House statement read: “In accordance with government and medical advice, the prince and the duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland.
“The tests were carried out by the NHS in Aberdeenshire, where they met the criteria required for testing.
“It is not possible to ascertain from whom the prince caught the virus owing to the high number of engagements he carried out in his public role during recent weeks.”
The prince’s last public engagement was on 12 March but has been working from home over the last few days.
The Press Association news agency reported he has had a number of private meetings with Highgrove and Duchy individuals, all of whom have been made aware.
According to the latest Department of Health and Social Care figures, there are now more than 8,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – although the actual number cases is likely to be far higher. Some 422 of those patients have died.-BBC
In fear of the looming country’s 21 days lockdown on Thursday evening, most Gauteng residents decided to leave to their countryside homes and villages to quarantine there.
Scenes from Johannesburg Park Station showed a congested crowds of people who are waiting for their transport amid the lockdown developments.
Gauteng MEC David Makhura warned residents not to leave to their rural homes and this would impose danger and increase cases in homelands.
”We are urging the people of Gauteng to remain in the province for the duration of the 21-day National Lockdown. By not remaining in the Province you run the risk of not only infecting others unaware, but also getting infected with covid-19,” Makhura warned.
Gauteng is the most hit provide with over 360 cases as indicated by the department of health.
South Africans will be expected to quarantine for 21 days in their homes of face consequences from Thursday midnight.
Government advised that going out will only be tolerated for buying groceries, seeking medical assistance with an appointment and when accessing banking facilities.
Pharmaceutical companies, some retails companies , medical staff, security personnel including police will be operational during the lockdown.
President Cyril Ramaphosa — in his capacity as African Union (AU) chairperson – expressed his sadness at the death of migrants in transit in Mozambique.
Immigration authorities in Mozambique on Tuesday discovered 64 migrants stowed away in a truck.
According to media reports, 14 migrants survived the ordeal of being transported in an airless shipping container.
Ramaphosa said: “Amid the focus of our continent and the global community on the coronavirus pandemic, the death of a large number of migrants reportedly in transit from Malawi to Mozambique is a devastating tragedy for our continent.”
Ramaphosa added that this incident was a reminder of the continuing toll exacted by the movement of people across the continent and the danger they face while undertaking such journeys.
“We must redouble our efforts to secure peace, stability and development in all parts of our continent to create opportunities that will allow people to actualise their human potential, wherever they are in Africa.
“The desperate movement of people across our continent, or between our continent and other destinations, is a clear call on all of us to create and sustain economic opportunities that will change the fortunes of all Africans for the better,” he concluded.
The Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) leader Julius Malema slammed the announcement by Miniser Zweli Mkhize to allow walking dogs during the 21 days lockdown in South Africa.
The Health Minister said South Africans will be allowed to walk dogs, buy groceries during lockdown provided they are not crowded in one place.
Mkhize announced on Wednesday as part of the guidelines that should be followed once the country hit the lockdown on Thursday midnight.
Taking it to Twitter, Julius Malema dismissed the announcement as rubbish and one that cannot be tolerated.
”I hear some people will be allowed to walk dogs; just don’t try us, please. We support the government’s intervention, but rubbish won’t be tolerated.” the EFF leader tweeted.
The Red Berets have since calmed in recent days with more party statements clearly supporting the president moves.
Malema also tweeted the president after the announcement of lockdown on Monday evening assuring him that he supports and understand the measures.
Zanu PF has postponed this year’s first Central Committee meeting which was scheduled for this week, as a measure to control the spread of Covid-19.
Speaking at the Politburo meeting at the party headquarters in Harare this morning, Zanu PF First Secretary President Mnangagwa said the Central Committee meeting which has been scheduled for this week has been postponed until further notice.
“As you aware, our party constitution obligates us to meet as the Central Committee at least three times a year, in Ordinary Session. The practice is that our meetings are held at the end of every quarter. Hence, this Politburo meeting would ordinarily be followed by the Central Committee meeting. However, due to the prevailing circumstances and the measures we have put in place to avert the spread of Covid-19, the scheduled meetings of the Central Committee stands postponed until further notice,” said the President.
He challenged the party leadership to lead by example in the fight against the spread of the pandemic. The Politburo meeting was held at the main hall instead of the usual boardroom to practice social distancing.
“As the party leadership we must lead by example by continuing to practice social distancing, it is in that spirit that we are holding this meeting in this hall as opposed to our usual venue,” said President Mnangagwa.
THE United Kingdom (UK) has ordered its citizens to leave Zimbabwe in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the country, the Daily News can report.
Posting on its Twitter account, the UK embassy said citizens who are on temporary visits must go home immediately.
“If you are a UK short-term visitor to #Zimbabwe you are strongly advised to make plans to return to the UK now.
“Please get hold of your airline or tour operator promptly and follow @FCO travel for updates,” the UK embassy posted.
UK ambassador to Zimbabwe Melanie Robinson also said citizens must follow the directive.
“UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has advised all UK travellers to return to the UK now.
“If you’re a UK national on holiday in #Zimbabwe the time to go home is now. Please get hold of your airline or tour operator promptly, and follow @FCO travel for updates.”
This comes after Zimbabwe recorded its first known death from coronavirus after broadcaster Zororo Makamba succumbed to the disease at Wilkins Hospital in Harare on Monday.
This comes as health workers have said hospitals are ill-equipped to deal with the disease while experts said the government needs to do more to avoid the spread of the disease.
Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) secretary-general Norman Matara recently said due to lack of personal protective clothing and equipment, doctors were not willing to risk their lives working on coronavirus cases.
“We are currently receiving very worrying information from some doctors and health care workers who are saying that if there is a case of coronavirus and they are called to attend to it, they will not report for work because there is no sufficient personal protective clothing and equipment to shield them from the virus.
“Currently, there is a shortage of personal protective clothing, for example, N95 masks as well as protective suits, which places the lives of doctors, particularly those in district and provincial hospitals, at risk,” Matara said.
The doctors’ claim was buttressed by the Makamba family who revealed stunning details exposing on how ill-prepared the government is on dealing with the deadly coronavirus.
Botswana, one of the few countries in Africa without a confirmed case of coronavirus, has moved to secure its borders after neighboring Zimbabwe recorded its first coronavirus-related death on Monday. Soldiers will be watching border crossings, but authorities say Zimbabweans who use unauthorized entry points present a real challenge.
Botswana’s government announced Tuesday it was closing all border crossing points with immediate effect.
Botswana’s Vice President Slumber Tsogwane addressed the nation on state television.
“The movement of people visiting neighboring countries including Lesotho and Swaziland is restricted. His excellency the President recently undertook an emergency official trip to Namibia to seize the presence of other regional heads of state to discuss critical COVID-19 measures taken in respect of countries sharing borders with Botswana,” said Tsogwane.
The closures will remain in place until further notice. Citizens will be allowed to return home, but must submit to a 14-day quarantine.
The move came a day after Zimbabwe registered the region’s first coronavirus-related death.
Soldiers are being deployed to watch border crossings. However, authorities say it will be difficult to prevent all illegal entries. Many Zimbabweans coming into Botswana use unauthorized entry points.
Botswana Defense Force official Khumo Morwagabuse said Monday that the situation could undermine efforts to keep out the coronavirus.
In 2018, Botswana deported nearly 29,000 illegal immigrants from Zimbabwe.
Gaborone resident Khumo Tlhakane said Botswana should now move to curb illegal immigration.
“Now our greatest threat is the border jumpers. They do not go through the same screening process like everyone who comes into Botswana. Now the government should step up and increase their measures, the soldiers should do more patrols,” said Tlhakane.
Botswana also has to keep an eagle eye on South Africa, which had recorded more than 500 COVID-19 cases as of Tuesday.
However, the number of border jumpers from South Africa and Botswana’s other neighbors is usually small.
MDC president, Nelson Chamisa has called for the immediate deployment of the army and police to help enforce strategies prescribed by government in the fight against the coronavirus within communities.
Chamisa made the plea while addressing journalists in Harare this week at the MDC Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House, his party’s main headquarters.
“We need to have a radical shift in our police force and military. Their civilian obligation must be turned into an active mode so that they begin to do what they know best,” he said.
“The fact that when you look outside the window you see people going about their normal business, that shows we are not doing enough to educate the people, it shows we are not doing enough also to press the button of emergency and drive the country into a mode of extraordinary.
“You have seen political parties being buried in South Africa, and national interest becoming the common denominator,” said Chamisa.
He said in rural communities, the people were not aware of the coronavirus, putting their daily lives at risk.
“In the rural areas people do not even know about it. They actually think it some animal that is being talked about, almost like some fairy-tale.”
In January last year, the deployment of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to quell disturbances following wildcat demonstrations after President Emmerson Mnangagwa had increased, resulted in soldiers using force.
Over a dozen of people were killed while more were injured as the army used force against the citizens.
Farai Dziva| Star midfielder Marvelous Nakamba could have been exposed to the risk of contracting coronavirus after his teammate and goalkeeper Pepe Reina said he showed symptoms of the disease some time ago.
The Spaniard who is on loan from AC Milan revealed on Tuesday that he was unable to take a test but says doctors considered his symptoms to be consistent with Covid-19.
“They don’t give you a test here unless you’re feeling really ill,” Reina told Spanish radio station Cope.
“I spoke with doctors and the symptoms I had were consistent with this (the virus) but there was no official confirmation.
“It was a different sort of week as I had to take precautions to avoid infecting those living with me.”
Villa, a long with other EPL clubs, suspended all training sessions and urged their players to isolate themselves as to minimise the chances of contracting the virus.
Several players around the world have tested positive while Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta was the first notable figure in the EPL to contract the disease.
Farai Dziva| Warriors coach Zdravko Logarusic’s salary has been revealed.
The 54-year-old Croat was unveiled as the senior men’s national soccer team coach by the ZIFA board at Cresta Oasis on the 13th of February but the the Felton Kamambo-led administration avoided questions on how much they would be paying the former Sudan coach.
According to The Herald however, Logarusic earns a monthly salary of US$7000, with the ZIFA board having offered him US$6500 initially.
The coach’s start to life at the helm of the Warriors has been marred by the outbreak of the Coronavirus epidemic, which has resulted in the cancellation of both CHAN 2020 and AFCON 2021 games.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has made a donation of £920 000 (US$ 1,090,650) to a hospital in his native Barcelona to help in the fight against the novel coronavirus.
The deadly pandemic has sent the whole into panic mode, with Spain being one of the most affected countries in Europe as evidenced by the suspension of all football activity there indefinitely.
The hospital, Angel Soler Daniel Foundation confirmed the development via a statement.
“Pep Guardiola has made a donation of one million euros to the Fundacio Angel Soler Daniel for the acquisition and supply of health equipment to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.
The fundraising campaign led by the the Official College of Doctors of Barcelona and managed through the Foundation, is aimed at obtaining cash donations from doctors who are members of the college and the general population to buy health equipment which is currently lacking in hospitals in Catalonia,” read the statement.-Soccer 24
ZIMBABWE Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) hereby expresses its grave concern and displeasure at the gross violation of rights of a suspect by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
ZLHR strongly condemns the use of torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment on any suspect.
It has come to our attention that on Tuesday 24 March 2020, at about 1500 hours, three members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police without a warrant arrested Munyaradzi Mawadze, from his home in Masvingo province. At about 2300 hours, Mawadze was transferred to Harare Central Police Station.
Of particular concern to us is reliable information that we have received to the effect that during his period of detention in police custody, he has suffered/ and continues to suffer the following violations;
#He has been denied access to his lawyers, despite the lawyers presenting themselves at Harare Central Police Station to represent their client;
#He has been subjected to acts of torture whilst in police custody. ZLHR is reliably informed that the acts of torture have been ongoing for the duration of his detention in custody. Mawadze has been assaulted with baton sticks and has also been subjected to other gross acts of torture that are indescribable and despicable;
#On demand, lawyers have not been informed of the criminal charges that Mawadze is facing.
ZLHR deeply regrets the conduct of the police which is a flagrant violation of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, in particular section 50 which provides for the rights of arrested and detained persons.
ZLHR wishes to advise members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police that are involved in the human rights violations, that they will be held personally liable and accountable for their violations of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Section 53 of the Constitution prohibits torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
ZLHR reiterates that errant security personnel, who continue to perpetrate torture and other crimes, should be charged in mainstream courts of law and judicial officers should make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties, which take into account that this is, in addition, an international crime.
As an organisation that is committed to seeking justice for all victims of torture through litigation and other forms of redress, ZLHR calls upon;
• The responsible members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police to cease forthwith the brutal acts of torture;
• The Commissioner-General of Police to investigate the alleged acts of torture that are being perpetrated on Mawadze;
• The National Prosecuting Authority to prosecute those responsible for Mawadze’s torture and other ill-treatment;
Former Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling has refused to rule out a return to Anfield and also expressed his undying love for the Reds.
The 25-year old who now plays for Manchester City made the claims during a Q&A on his agent – Colossal Sports Management’s Instagram account.
When asked if he will return to Liverpool, Sterling responded: “Would I ever go back to Liverpool? To be honest with you I love Liverpool.
“Don’t get it twisted, they are always in my heart. It’s a team that did a lot for me growing up so…”
The England star came through the academy with the Reds and broke into the first team in 2012. However, he acrimoniously left the club for the Etihad in 2015 in a £49million transfer.-Soccer 24
By A Correspondent- The leading mobile network operator Econet has closed down its Joina City Shop in Harare’s CBD “with immediate effect” after one of its staff members came into contact with a person who tested positive to coronavirus.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Econet said: “We have, with immediate effect, closed our Joina City Shop in Harare in the interests of public health and safety. One of our staff members from the shop voluntarily disclosed that they came in contact with a person who later tested positive for the Coronavirus.
“We have therefore immediately triggered our internal protocols to protect the rest of the staff and our customers, and to support the staff member in question at this time.
“We are working with the staff member, who has gone into self-quarantine with their family, to get tested for the Coronavirus, and we are supporting them to take all the necessary steps to ensure their safety and that of others.
“The shop is right now undergoing thorough sanitization and cleaning by professionals, including trained personnel from our Clean City sanitation sister business.
“The shop will remain closed to the public until further notice,” Econet said in the statement.
Econet said while the company has put in place stringent health and safety measures to combat the spread of the Coronavirus at its offices and customer service centres, it will continue to review those measures as the situation evolved to ensure absolute safety for its staff and customers.
The company has been leading a multipronged campaign to raise public awareness on how Zimbabweans can protect themselves from the COVID-19 epidemic, and how to prevent the spread of the virus.
Last week, it joined hands with the Harare City Council to disinfect some of the crowded hotspots of Harare’s Central Business District that include Copacabana, Market Square and Charge Office bus termini as the threats of coronavirus became real.
“I am in Chimanimani Village right now. One of the school children who went to China on social psycho support programme is said to be seriously ill prompting residents of the cyclone Idai struck area to speculate that it might be Covid 19,” revealed a ZimEye reader.
Watch the live video loading below for this and more……..
The development also comes amid indications that a Harare man, Mr Thomas Matosi has collapsed and died while serving customers at Colcom Butchery.
The mishap reportedly happened a few hours ago and close colleagues told ZimEye the man had been coughing while complaining that he is not feeling well.
Calls to the Colcom headoffice were not being picked up at the time of publishing.
It could not be immediately established if his death is due to Coronavirus.
At the time of writing, the family of Mr Thomas Matosi, had gone into mourning.
In another development, two women reportedly collapsed and died in Glen Norah Harare.
A ZimEye reader told the publication that the women died yesterday, Tuesday.
It could however not be immediately established where exactly the women died and the causes of their deaths.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates….
By A Correspondent- A prominent Bulawayo socialite who was allegedly robbed of nearly US$76 000 and 168 grammes of gold at gun point by four unidentified men was arrested while making a report at Kumalo Police Station, for possessing gold without a license.
Mike Marata (38) allegedly went to the police station to report his loss.
Officers allegedly asked him to produce a licence permitting him to possess gold but he failed, leading to his arrest.
He was not asked to plead to possessing gold without a license when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure.
Marata was remanded to April 7 on his own cognisance.
Prosecuting, Mr Terrence Chakabuda said on Friday last week at around 1PM, Marata went to Kumalo Police Station where he reported a case of armed robbery.
“The accused person alleged that he had been robbed of US$75 545 and 168 grammes of gold by four unknown men. He said the money which was in the car was for buying more gold and the stolen gold had just been bought from one Stanley Mhembere,” he said.
The court heard that Marata was asked to produce a licence authorising him to possess gold but he failed.-StateMedia
Farai Dziva|Vibrant Harare West MP Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe has said Health Minister Obadiah Moyo must resign with immediate effect.
Mamombe accused Moyo of misleading the nation on Coronavirus.
“The Minister of Health and Childcare, Mr Obadiah Moyo MUST be arrested for misleading this Nation that the Gvt is prepared to deal with Covid19.
He should resign, why mislead the whole Nation??
I am so furious, I had to revisit the online Parliament Hansard of Wednesday the 18th of March to read the Minister’s Statement where he was talking about how prepared Zimbabwe is to deal with Coronavirus,”argued Mamombe.
Instead of leading by example and staying at home to reduce the risk of spreading #coronavirus infections, the ZanuPF politburo is meeting at the party's headquarters in Harare with its members wearing masks to protect Mnangagwa; in a display of unprincipled & selfish leadership! pic.twitter.com/bLl6JohVfj
Farai Dziva|Vibrant Harare West MP Joana Ruvimbo Mamombe has said Health Minister Obadiah Moyo must resign with immediate effect.
Mamombe accused Moyo of misleading the nation on Coronavirus.
“The Minister of Health and Childcare, Mr Obadiah Moyo MUST be arrested for misleading this Nation that the Gvt is prepared to deal with Covid19.
He should resign, why mislead the whole Nation??
I am so furious, I had to revisit the online Parliament Hansard of Wednesday the 18th of March to read the Minister’s Statement where he was talking about how prepared Zimbabwe is to deal with Coronavirus,”argued Mamombe.
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic. Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped.
We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers. Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions.
Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lock down to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other care givers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa
President
Movement For Democratic Change
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic.
Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped. We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers.
Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions. Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lockdown to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high-risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other caregivers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you. God bless Zimbabwe. God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa President Movement For Democratic Change
Farai Dziva|MDC president, Nelson Chamisa has said government hospitals must be equipped with essential equipment to deal with Coronavirus.
See full statement below:
24 March 2020,
Fellow Zimbabweans,
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic. Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped.
We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers. Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions.
Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lock down to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other care givers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa
President
Movement For Democratic Change
Farai Dziva|MDC president, Nelson Chamisa has said government hospitals must be equipped with essential equipment to deal with Coronavirus.
See full statement below:
24 March 2020,
Fellow Zimbabweans,
These are extraordinary times in and for Zimbabwe.
In such times, we cannot continue to do the ordinary nor can we afford to bury our heads in the sand like an ostrich. We cannot conduct public affairs in terms of the old normal when we are faced with a new normal. The new normal is abnormal.
The situation occasioned by the coronavirus is extraordinary, and it has resulted in a new and dangerous normal.
Against this backdrop, Our nation sadly notes the tragic death of Zororo Makamba. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Makamba family.
Our great nation is facing a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic that is threatening the lives of the people. Although the deadly virus has not reached a spike in the number of the reported infections, we cannot afford to complacent in our efforts to stem the spread of the pandemic.
We take note that some measures have been put in place to combat the coronavirus. Zimbabwe’s development partners and civil society have complemented government measures in a commendable way.
While these interventions have gone quite some considerable way to address the pandemic, much more still needs to be done by all of us working together with a common purpose to raise public awareness of the coronavirus; protect the health of the people and safeguard their livelihoods.
It has been brought to my attention that the extent of our health infrastructure is grossly inadequate to cope with the looming pandemic. Our Intensive Care Units are limited in number and poorly equipped.
We lack Personal Protective Equipment for our health workers. Our hospitals are poorly staffed, and medicines are in short supply at our health institutions.
Generally, Zimbabwe’s preparedness is awfully inadequate.
In the circumstances, it is clear that the country needs a systematic lock down to enable the adoption of drastic measures to deal with the coronavirus. In this regard, I recommend that we must:
• Immediately unite all Zimbabweans to fight the virus as Team Zimbabwe.
• Close all borders and have detection and testing mechanisms at all our borders.
• People arriving from high risk countries must go into a mandatory 21-day quarantine. Mandatory testing must then be undertaken.
• Avail urgent support for nurses and doctors who are already working long hours with little support. Tools for trade for our frontline healthcare workers and other care givers.
• Limit number of passengers in buses, ban all standing and order all public transport vehicles to have hand sanitisers.
• Equip and designate hospitals in all the provinces to handle coronavirus patients.
• Discourage all gatherings other than funerals.
• Call upon Mobile Network Operators and Internet service providers to assist by availing cheaper data and sms charges for effective information dissemination. Online platforms should be utilized optimally to enhance effectiveness of social distancing.
• We call on government to consider tax rebates and waive duties to enable Philanthropists to bring in protective clothing, hand sanitizers, ventilators and other critical equipment and supplies.
• Government must provide masks, gloves and sanitizers at subsidized prices and provide these for free where possible.
• Issue special incentives to enable corporates and well-wishers to provide water and other necessities to the poor and vulnerable.
• All employees that can work from home and in isolation must be allowed to do so especially those in non-essential services.
• Open more well-equipped testing and quarantine zones.
• Have central government allocating foreign currency to local authorities for purposes of water treatment and provision in all the residential areas.
In addition to all the above, we must reorganize government and state organs to ensure that they are organized effectively to respond to the crisis. We must with immediate effect implement the following:
• Refocus arms of government and departments into a business unusual mode and into an emergency mode. Our men and women in uniform must be in an active mode to do what they know best in their civilian obligations.
• Reorganize capacity to detect, test, track, isolate, quarantine and treat the disease.
• Engage the Private sector and business to do more in fighting the pandemic, including setting up an emergency response fund.
• Have an Independent fund and Budget reallocations to pool resources and redeploy them to fight the pandemic.
• Mobilise Food handouts to vulnerable members of our society who are facing food shortages who will be affected by a lock down.
•Small businesses and Vendors need a special support mechanism to prevent collapse.
•Constant information and communication through media briefings daily.
Given the parlous state of the economy, and in particular the scarcity of resources, I appeal to churches, civil society and the international community to assist this collective endeavour with all the necessary support to deal with this pandemic.
In the same spirit, I call upon our faith leaders and indeed the whole nation to unite in prayer as we fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Remember to always wash your hands!
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
God bless Africa and the whole World.
Thank you.
Nelson Chamisa
President
Movement For Democratic Change
By A Correspondent- Former Mayor of Harare, Bernard Manyenyeni has said there is something fishy going on at the Rock Foundation Medical Centre in Mt. Pleasant, Harare, where reports say top Zanu-PF elites are putting in place an exclusive, well-resourced facility for their own coronavirus treatment.
Manyenyeni said he knows the area very well as it is in his neighborhood, and he visited it to find out what was going on.
Reports surfaced on social media that following the death from coronavirus of Zororo Makamba on Monday, it emerged that the deceased came into contact with top officials in the Office of the President and Cabinet as well as the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.
The reports were corroborated by Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet in Charge of Presidential Communications, George Charamba, who told State-owned online television ZTN that indeed top Government officials were in isolation after coming into contact with Makamba.
Said Manyenyeni of the rumored medical facility in northern Harare: “I have just been to the former Rock Foundation Medical facility. I am still in my pyjamas and gown.
“I know the place well enough – it is in our municipal ward.
“They advised that they are not open – not operating.
“What they told me is very different from today’s body language of the place itself – that I know well enough and can state confidently.
“There’s stuff happening there! The message of a exclusive medical facility for the politically-connected (or the elites) does not not sit well with ordinary citizens of Zimbabwe especially at this point in time.
“That said, any life saved is a life saved and any new medical offering is a welcome addition to the unfolding crisis.”
Following Zororo’s passing on, there was anger as images showed that his hospital room at Wilkins Hospital was not well equipped. His family revealed that the facility had no ventilators and it had no sockets for certain machinery to be connected to save the deceased’s life.
Zimbabwe yesterday received its share of the donations from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, who founded e-commerce giant AliBaba. Zimbabweans on social media expressed fear that some of the donated material could end up serving ruling party elites at a secret facility, as airlines have been grounded and coronavirus patients are not allowed to land in any territory for treatment.
Rock Foundation Medical Centre was owned by now jailed former Zanu-PF legislator Munyaradzi Kereke.
It thrived when he was working as an advisor to the then Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Gideon Gono, but ran into financial deep waters after Kereke faced rape charges and was subsequently jailed for ten years in 2016.
By Jane Mlambo| Nurses have downed tools demanding that their employer takes heed to their demands for protective equipment and coronavirus risk allowance among other demands.
In their letter, the nurses under the Zimbabwe Nurses Association said a letter they submitted to their employer demanding that they attend to their urgent needs, fell on deaf ears hence their decision to withdraw their services with immediate effect.
The nurses said they will only get back to work once their employer provides protective equipment, water and risk allowance.
Farai Dziva|Former City of Harare Mayor, Ben Manyenyeni, has said movements within Zimbabwe must be restricted as nation intensifies efforts to deal with the deadly Coronavirus.
See Manyenyeni’s statement :
Urban dwellers must NOT go to the rural areas until COVID-19 is under control.
Urban population density means infections are already high – though untested.
Urban is still business-as-usual in many high-risk spots
Rural ‘sparsity’ means ‘de facto’ isolations are already in force and this can be extended.
Chiefs and Rural/District Councillors must close off entry into your districts and villages.
No more buses out of towns.
Be decisive – LOCK US OUT.
You’re Zimbabwe’s best bet for COVID-19 loss control.
Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken cover of the country’s focus on the Corona crisis to promote cronyism by making a series of dubious appointments, including two appointments on the same individual.
Without questioning his credentials,Mnangagwa in succession has appointed Busisa Moyo to chair the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency(ZIDA) a few days after appointing the same man to the ZITF board in a similar capacity.
Even where competency is top notch, this cannot be right. Zimbabwe has many capable people of unquestionable integrity and there is therefore no reason to pile appointments on one individual who already seats on the PAC and the RBZ Boards, among other duties.
Media focus on the COVID-19 pandemic is no license to be surreptitious and to mischievously foist cronies on strategic institutions.
Ministry or Health and Child Care CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
UPDATE: 24 MARCH 2020
The Ministry would like to advise the nation that the second case of COVID-19 who deceased yesterday at Wilkins Hospital, was buried today under supervision by the Ministry of Health and Child Care in line with guidance from the Public Health Act [15: 171.
As of today(Tuesday), the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the country is now three.
Today(Tuesday), the National Microbiology Reference Laboratory tested a total 15 specimens, the majority being from contacts of the deceased case. One male tested positive for COVID-19, more details to be provided later.
The Ministry continues to be on HIGH alert to the COVID-I9 pandemic.
The Ministry today received a consignment of commodities from the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation through the African Union, to help strengthen and intensify surveillance, laboratory testing and case management of COVID-19 in Zimbabwe.
The consignment included 20 000 laboratory diagnostic test kits, 100 000 medical face masks and 1 000 protective suits and face shields.
The Ministry is very grateful to the Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundations for their generosity and contribution to the National COVID-19 response and will ensure equitable distribution of this consignment so that they get to where there is the greatest need.
The Ministry would also like to inform the nation about the case of an adult, pregnant woman that was presented at Masvingo Provincial Hospital with a history of dry cough, shortness of breath, chest pains but no fever.
She had a history of having travelled to South Africa on the 28th February 2020 and returned on the 7th of March 2020.
The local Rapid Response Team went to assess her and advised that she be put under self-isolation at home. Specimens have been collected for COVID-19 testing and we will give an update of the results.
The Ministry would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant in the prevention of COVID-19 and practice good personal hygiene including.
Washing hands with soap and water frequently or use of an alcohol-based hand-rub,
Covering your nose and mouth with tissue paper or flexed elbow when coughing and sneezing
Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, coughing or sneezing.
Additionally, all non-essential travel is strongly discouraged.
If you suspect COVID-19 disease, or wish to obtain more information on this disease, you are advised to call the following Ministry of Health and Child Care TOLLFREE HOTLINE numbers for assistance: +263714 734 593 or +263774 112 531.
Own Correspondent| The Zanu PF politburo has proceeded with its weekly meeting despite the coronavirus pandemic currently hitting the world.
To avoid contaminating and spreading the deadly disease, politburo members have put into effect the social distancing recommendation while putting on surgical masks.
Many people have questioned the logic of the Zanu PF politburo meeting when the country is grappling to keep out coronavirus.
Below is the picture from today’s politburo meeting.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF Masvingo provincial political commissar Jevas Masosota, is reported to have pulled a gun on a man whom he accused of impregnating his teenage daughter who is still in high school.
The drama is said to have happened in full view of Zanu PF provincial secretary for information Ronald Ndava, former Chiredzi Town Council Zanu PF chairperson Francis Moyo and former Chiredzi General Hospital medical superintendent Tungamirai Rukatya.
The three had a difficult time trying to restrain a raging Masosota as he bashed Dzingai and broke some household property which included a television set, a bicycle and dinner plates.
According to sources, it was Moyo who managed to calm Masosota down after Ndava had failed. When contacted for comment by TellZim, Dzingai confirmed the drama and said Masosota came to his home at 9pm in the evening without saying a word.
“It’s true. He came to my house at around 9pm driving a party vehicle and began to assault me using a chair before saying anything. He went on to destroy my some dinner plates, squeezed my two-year-old child against the wall before I retaliated.
“He was accusing me of impregnating his daughter, claiming that they had since aborted the pregnancy in Harare. He went to his car and brought a pistol which he threatened to gun me down with. He destroyed my plasma television, bicycle and other valuable property in my house as he stormed in,” said Dzingai.
However, Masosote denied the whole incident. “I never did such thing, it’s news to me,” Masosota said. A witness claimed that a drunk Masosota came and trashed Dzingai’s property at gunpoint as he accused him of impregnating his high school level daughter.
My name is Godfrey Tsenengamu. I am a young Zimbabwean politician and some of you could be knowing me from the past in so many different ways, good and bad.
After some critical reflections and introspection on my past political life and experiences, I have decided to come before you all to express myself in the best way possible.
It is my heartfelt desire that I open a new chapter marked by a new set of priorities, focus and direction dedicated to serving Zimbabwe and beyond.
Looking back at my past, I strongly believe that it is a reality that cannot be wished away hence the decision to take personal responsibility and ask for your forgiveness and find peace with my past.
Today, I humble and submit myself before you all my fellow countrymen, especially those Zimbabweans whose activities, views and opinions I would not appreciate, tolerate or accept and all the Zimbabweans in general, to say *I AM SORRY* for all the negative things I ever said, did or caused on you and your loved ones in any way that you may remember or have experienced.
It pains me to look back at my past and realise that so many a times I overlooked your happiness in an attempt to make myself happy, only to realize that my happiness lies in yours. I stand here to admit that a majority of times, I was selfish and self-centred and now feel ashamed of every negative thing I ever did, said or caused in my past. I haven’t got any excuses for whatever that I did, said or caused in the past. I take full responsibility for myself and my actions. I will not pawn this off on anybody. I am sorry it happened as I did hurt you directly or indirectly and in so many ways i.e. physically, emotionally or otherwise . Having taken this decision, I would like to reiterate that it is possible to turn from our selfish ways and refocus our energies to collectively building a Zimbabwe where our children are guaranteed of a prosperous future.
Personally, I have equally decided to take the conscious and deliberate decision to release my feelings of resentment, grudges, bitterness or vengeance towards those whom l felt offended me in any way in the past and I now feel relieved with my consciousness having been restored. I have realised that if I continue to hold on to hurt, pain, bitterness, resentment and anger, it harms me more than it harms those whom I feel offended me. I therefore decided to forgive those who offended me as this effectively brings healing and comfort to many of us as such a decision prevents and saves us from corrosive anger and negative emotions that may have a negative effect of polluting and defining us in the present and future.
I have learnt from my past and realised that any man who desires to revenge by killing another person should dig two graves as he will also die from his green wounds of bitterness and a stressful life. I therefore choose to live in the present where solutions will arise as I take lessons from my past experiences and commit to work and live in harmony with all progressive and peace loving Zimbabweans.
Once again, I am sorry Zimbabwe and continue to beg for your pardon though l may not deserve it. I know this might be a difficult proposition but I believe Zimbabwe stands to benefit more should we give chance and room to forgiveness, harmony, mutual tolerance, true love and mutual respect for each other.
I thank you.
Signed : Godfrey Tsenengamu (+263 77 551 9111) 25 March 2020.
The British palace says heir to the throne, Prince Charles (71) has tested positive for coronavirus.
Prince Charles – file
By Dorrothy Moyo| The British next heir to the throne, Prince Charles has tested positive to Coronavirus.
Clarence House confirmed in writing that the 71-year-old royal was diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease.
Charles is said to have displayed “mild symptoms” but “otherwise remains in good health.”
He has been self-isolating in Scotland with the Duchess of Cornwall, who has tested negative for coronavirus.
“The Prince of Wales has tested positive for coronavirus,” they said.
“He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.
“The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. In accordance with government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland.”
By A Correspondent- Veteran actor and radio drama presenter Emmanuel Mbirimi, who died on Monday, will be buried on Thursday at Zororo Memorial Park.
He was 65.
Mbirimi is survived by three children Tongayi, Tinashe and Chenai.
Mbirimi died in the late hours of Monday at Parkview Renal Facility, in Harare after battling kidney disease for years.
His first son, Tongayi, said the family was devastated.
“I am so devastated,” he said. “I came to see him from South Africa on Sunday. Baba died around 11pm on Monday. He was on dialysis machine and had a cardiac arrest as the kidney was affecting the heart. We have lost a father, an actor and advisor.”
Tongayi said the funeral wake was in Cranborne for a limited number of people.
“We were instructed to have 40 people at the funeral, including at the burial because of Covid-19,” he said.
“My brother and sister are not coming, they are based in the United Kingdom. We are managing the number sand we have sanitisers at the entrance. It is a very difficult time for us.”
Mbirimi featured in local films such as “Neria”, “Tanyaradzwa”, “The Poacher”, “Zvinhu Zvacho” and “The Letter”.
A former teacher who spent the better part of his life teaching English Literature at Heritage and Cranborne Boys High, Mbirimi was also a ZBC radio drama presenter back in the late 90s.
Film producer Joe Njagu who worked with Mbirimi on his last project, “The Letter”, said it was a great privilege working with the veteran actor who taught him a lot on acting.
“He was one of the most professional actors I have worked with in my career,” he said. “He was very humble. May his soul rest in peace. We have been robbed.”-StateMedia
By A Correspondent- Low cost airline, Fastjet Zimbabwe has revealed that it will suspend operations at the end of the week for 21 days as part of measures to combat Covid-19.
It becomes the latest airline to suspend flights into or from Zimbabwe, after Emirates announced a similar move two weeks ago over Covid-19. Fastjet Zimbabwe said its last flights will be on Thursday.
“Fastjet Zimbabwe announced (Tuesday) that as a result of the latest measures introduced in Zimbabwe and South Africa to control the spread of COVID-19, all Fastjet flight operations shall be suspended from Friday 27 March until Thursday 16 April 2020, both days fully inclusive,” it said.
It said it will offer free re-booking assistance to affected passengers, and there will be no fare increase.
By Dorrothy Moyo| The British next heir to the throne, Prince Charles has tested positive to Coronavirus.
Clarence House confirmed in writing that the 71-year-old royal was diagnosed with the COVID-19 disease.
Charles is said to have displayed “mild symptoms” but “otherwise remains in good health.”
He has been self-isolating in Scotland with the Duchess of Cornwall, who has tested negative for coronavirus.
“The Prince of Wales has tested positive for coronavirus,” they said.
“He has been displaying mild symptoms but otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.
“The Duchess of Cornwall has also been tested but does not have the virus. In accordance with government and medical advice, the Prince and the Duchess are now self-isolating at home in Scotland.”
By A Correspondent- 19yr A Zimbabwean student at St. Andrews University in the USA has died after contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to a family spokesperson, Takudzwa Mandaza.
Mandaza said his 19 year-old young sister, Mellisa Jacqueline, died yesterday.
He said the family is devastated by the death of Mellisa, whose mother lives in Michigan, USA.
Mandaza could not say when Mellisa will be laid to rest.
“Her dad passed on a while back and she was in Michigan with her mum and other siblings studying at St. Andrews University … She was asthmatic and she tested positive for the coronavirus and passed away yesterday in hospital,” said Mandaza.
He added that he will remember her cousin for her brilliance in her studies and her love for books as she was a bookworm like himself.
She is believed to be the second Zimbabwean to die of coronavirus COVID-19 following the death in Harare on Monday of Zororo Makamba, the son of former radio broadcaster and Telecel shareholder, James Makamba.
The Ministry of Health indicated that Zororo recently visited New York, which is recording high numbers of coronavirus COVID-19.
Before Zororo’s death, there were two people in Zimbabwe that tested positive for coronavirus.
The disease has killed thousands of people in China, Italy and other nations.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a raft of measures that include sealing off the country’s borders in an effort to control the spread of the infectious disease.-VOAZim
By A Correspondent- Stanbic Bank and First Capital Bank have closed some of their branches as the financial institutions intensify efforts to help contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.
This comes as ZB also announced plans yesterday to close some of its branches over the same reasons.
Some financial institutions — as part of measures to contain the disease — have also started rejecting all hard copy transactions, advising their customers to make all their payments through online platforms that eliminate human interface.
Said First Capital in a notice to customers:
“To protect clients and staff from the spread of Covid 19, we are reducing our branch network by temporarily closing Belmont (Bulawayo) Borrowdale, Harare Street and First Street branches (all in Harare) from the 24th of March.”
ZB Financial Holdings chief executive officer Ron Mutandagayi, said the banking group has started sending some of its employees’ home, while at the same time discouraging customers to come to the branches.-Online
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has donated 1m euros (£920,000) to fight the coronavirus outbreak in Spain.
Guardiola, who is at his home in Barcelona, has been working with his lawyers over the past few days to work out the best way of using the money.
It will go to a campaign being promoted by the Medical College of Barcelona and the Angel Soler Daniel Foundation.
Spain is one of the worst affected countries in Europe.
Official figures on Tuesday showed that 2,696 people had died in the country and close to 40,000 are infected.
The money will be used to help purchase medical equipment and protective material for the hospital staff involved in treating those admitted to hospital.
The Catalan region is one of the areas in Spain which has the most concentrated number of cases.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both reportedly donated 1m euros to coronavirus campaigns this week.
Mundo Deportivo reported that Barcelona forward Messi has donated a total of 1m euros to two hospitals, one in Barcelona and the other in his native Argentina.
Juventus and Portugal star Ronaldo and his agent Jorge Mendes have donated 1m euros to three intensive care units for patients suffering from coronavirus at hospitals in Lisbon and Porto.
Last week Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski donated 1m euros to fight the coronavirus pandemic in Germany.
By Own Correspondent| Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) workers at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe airport have downed tools citing possible exposure to COVID-19 due to their employer’s failure to abide by WHO recommended health guidelines.
In a letter below, the workers said they were exposed to possible hazard after the late Zororo Makamba passed through and was served by ZIMRA workers.
The workers also said there has not been any testing and quarantine of workers who were in contact with Makamba despite him being confirmed COVID-19 positive.
By A Correspondent- A man from Epworth has been jailed 30 years for robbing and killing a soldier.
Besta Masaya, who was charged along with Tonderai Rupiya, denied killing Innocent Majuta who was in army uniform in November 2018, near a footbridge linking Domboramwari and Maseko residential suburbs, when he appeared before High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi, but was convicted after a full trial.
According to a post-mortem report by two Government doctors, Majuta died of severe brain and head injuries.
Justice Chitapi last week convicted Masaya of murder with constructive intent, in view of the circumstantial evidence and his statement to the police confessing to being an accomplice to the murder.
He sentenced him to 30 years’ imprisonment. However, Rupiya was acquitted at the close of the State case.-StateMedia
Good morning Batswana, I wish to personally thank all of you for having done a splendid job so far keeping Corona Virus at bay. If we maintain these same levels of discipline and stick to advise from professionals we have a real chance of escaping without a recorded case. pic.twitter.com/f6qMRlPRja
— Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K Masisi (@OfficialMasisi) March 25, 2020
Yesterday, Our Vice President, His Honor. Slumber Tsogwane shared with you additional restrictions on travel to and from countries within the region considered risky. We have moved to restrict travel and only allow movement of goods into our country;
— Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K Masisi (@OfficialMasisi) March 25, 2020
we have also made quarantining of all returning citizens mandatory.
These set of additional measures are not the last; we shall keep observing the situation and adjusting our interventions as and when is necessary.
— Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K Masisi (@OfficialMasisi) March 25, 2020
When necessary, we will not shy away from instituting economic measures to sustain our businesses and people.
Let’s each play our role in fighting this pandemic: unless it’s absolutely critical that you step out, please stay home.
— Dr. Mokgweetsi E.K Masisi (@OfficialMasisi) March 25, 2020
By Own Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa continues to misfire and showing little understanding of the magnitude of the coronavirus problem as he has gathered his party politburo members for a meeting at the Zanu PF headquarters.
Mnangagwa this week reviewed downwards to a maximum of 50, the number of people allowed to gather as part of measures to combat the coronavirus that has so far claimed one life in Harare.
He also banned beerhalls, pubs, gymnasium and many other meeting places but surprisingly the politiburo is meeting today.
Last week soon after issuing a ban on public gatherings, Mnangagwa held a rally in Manicaland which was attended by thousands of party supporters.
He further flew out of the country to attend the inauguration of Namibian President, a move viewed by many as showing his lack of seriousness in dealing with the pandemic before the world.
By A Correspondent- The City of Harare is taking precautions to decongest workplaces revealing that some of its staff will now work from home save for critical workers.
The City advised that the changes are effective Thursday, 24th March 2020, and will continue indefinitely subject to the developments in future as the nation grapples with what looks set to be a pandemic of huge proportion.
“Council with effect from Thurs 25 March decongest workstations. Critical service delivery employees to report for duty. Some management staffers will work from home.
“Support staff given special leave. District offices remain open with skeletal staff until further notice,” said the City of Harare in a statement.
Zimpapers and other large organisations have since announced similar procedures of operation, while banks have also had to shut down branches across the country to curtail the spread of the pandemic.
By Wednesday mid-day (GMT + 2), coronavirus had infected over 428,000 people across the world, with 19,100 deaths. About 109,000 have recovered from the infections, while the rest are still ill.
Zimbabwe currently has three confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but cases are expected to rise as some who were exposed are yet to be tested or to realize they are at risk.-StateMedia
Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals are now only attending to emergency cases while all admitted patients who can cope will be discharged, measures which will remain in place until Covid-19 is no longer a threat.
All non-emergency operations are also being cancelled while the elderly have been advised to limit their visits.
Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya yesterday said they were trying to decongest the hospital as there were fears of the virus spreading in the country.
Three positive cases have already been reported in Victoria Falls and Harare. One patient has since died while the Government is yet to provide details on the third patient who was mentioned in a national update yesterday.
Dr Ngwenya said the elderly should by all means stay away from hospital grounds and confine themselves to their homes as they were vulnerable to the virus due to a weakened immune system associated with aging.
He urged the elderly running out of chronic illness medication to try and send relatives to hospital for supplies.
“The situation is bad and as way of protecting our patients and the rest of the public, we are trying to control the numbers at our hospitals. We will now be attending to emergency cases only and have closed the Outpatient Department. All non-emergency operations are suspended with immediate effect. This virus is deadly and we realise that people seem to be very relaxed as if they assume to be immune from it. The public must practice social distancing and avoid public spaces unless if it is necessary,” said Dr Ngwenya.
“We will have to discharge all our stable patients as we try to lower the numbers here in the hospital. Everyone with serious flu like or Covid-19 like symptoms must not come to the hospital or go to a clinic. They must call the rapid response team on their hotline to avoid possible infection of other people as they are in transit to hospital. The Covid-19 team will come to you.
“The world is faced with the fast spreading Covid-19 pandemic and everyone is at great risk of catching this highly infectious disease. Mpilo Central Hospital must take measures to reduce the risk of spreading the deadly virus.”
Asked what constitutes an emergency, he said: “A lot of situations, incidents and conditions can constitute an emergency. However, we advise patients that if someone is feeling unbearable discomfort, or excruciating pain, or can see that they are taking care of a person who has taken very ill, then that is an emergency. Emergencies can be accidents, burns, asthma attacks, strokes, diabetes related collapsing and coma, very low or very high blood pressure or sugar levels and many more. This list is not exhaustive but the bottom line is that if it’s an emergency you will be treated.”
Dr Ngwenya said those that are not very sick and cannot be listed under emergency cases will not be attended to at the hospital and said they can only come after the Covid-19 situation had been contained.
He advised such patients to receive care at home until the hospital can attend to them.
“Our Out-patients departments are closed till further notice. All elective operations are cancelled till further notice. We should enforce the One (1) visitor per patient as continued in SI 77 of 2020. We should encourage people not to make unnecessary visits to the hospital.
“All suspected cases of Covid-19 and their accompanying relatives should be assessed by the Rapid Response teams from Mpilo Central Hospital and Bulawayo City Health Department. Protective clothing for staff is reportedly on its way and soon the Government will send us supplies. Meanwhile, practice personal hygiene and social distancing.”
When Chronicle arrived at the hospital, scores of people, patients and accompanying relatives were being turned away as hospital staff informed them that the outpatient and causality departments had closed to the public and were only attending to emergency cases.
“We have been here since 8am. it’s now way past lunch time. We have not been served and are sitting in benches. We need our medication for hypertension and diabetes and we cannot opt for the pharmacies in town because it is too expensive. We hope that they attend to us today since they are saying tomorrow, they will not be taking any patients,” said Gogo Esther Mdlongwa (74).
United Bulawayo Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu could not be reached for comment yesterday on the phone. When Chronicle news crew arrived at the hospital, she was said to be in a meeting. However, the hospital was also limiting patients and advising the public that it would only attend to emergency cases only as a result of the Covid-19.
The UBH has also implemented the one visitor per patients per day programme policy and kas also reduced visiting sessions to one 30-minute visit per day.
Meanwhile, travellers are still accessing Zimbabwe and South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post pending the finalisation of a border operational plan but the number of travellers has been going down since last week.
As of yesterday, people were seen going to either sides of the border and some of them said they wanted to join their spouses in either country since schools had closed.
The assistant regional immigration officer in charge of Beitbridge (Zimbabwe), Mr Nqobile Ncube said traffic started declining at the port of entry as many travellers started complying with travel and preventative measures from regional countries. He said they were waiting for a comprehensive operation plan that will spell out the cut off period of access by human traffic at the border. “As you are aware there has been a Presidential declaration on the new border operations and everyone is willing to understand when it takes effect and also how and who exactly is affected by that declaration,” he said.
Your Excellency President Xi Jinping, I am writing this open letter to plead with you for the People’s Republic of China to assist the people of Zimbabwe to attack COVID19 with aggressive and targeted tactics in a manner similar to how you successfully fought the pandemic.
I am making this plea to you directly as the nephew of President Mugabe who worked directly with him as a senior national official of ZANU PF within the Central Committee and the Politburo for 15 years from 2003 till when he left ZANU PF and government in 2017.
I was a Member of Parliament for 8 years. I also served as a Government minister for 5 years serving as Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Development, as Cabinet Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment, and finally as Cabinet Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare .
I hope and pray that my appeal will find favour with you based on the very special relationship you had with President Mugabe and how President Mugabe regarded the People’s Republic of China highly. President Mugabe always described the relationship between China and Zimbabwe as that of all weather friends. Can you please honour and remember President Mugabe by directly assisting the people of Zimbabwe in their hour of special need.
Your Excellency, can the People’s Republic of China assist the people of Zimbabwe to implement the recommendation made in a tweet by the Director-General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on 23rd March 2020 when he said, “We need to attack the coronavirus with aggressive and targeted tactics – testing every suspected COVID19 case, isolating and caring for every confirmed case, and tracing and quarantining every close contact”. Whilst Zimbabwe may have the basic physical infrastructure and some of the people to be able to start on such a programme, the nation still requires specialist equipment, processes and systems for it to be effective.
Your Excellency, I would like to appeal to you for The People’s Republic of China to help in establishing and equipping 73 testing centres through-out Zimbabwe in 4 zones of the Metropolitan Province of Bulawayo, 6 zones of the Metropolitan Province of Harare, and the country’s 63 rural districts. The testing centres can be housed in physical infrastructure that currently house either the Government’s Composite District Offices or the local authority and council offices.
These areas are manned by senior level district officials from several government departments such as District Medical Officers and District Nursing Officers, as well as District Joint Operations Command (JOC) officials such as District Police Officers (DisPol) and DIOs from intelligence.
With adequate training, safe conditions of service, such as personal protective equipment, and decent remuneration, I am confident that these fine Zimbabwean men and women will make an appreciable difference.
With the district as the focal point for intervention, it is also necessary to institute and establish interventions at both higher and lower levels. At the higher level and in line with the WHO Director-General’s recommendation,
I would like to appeal for the People’s Republic of China to assist in establishing isolation, care and treatment centres for all confirmed cases in each of Zimbabwe’s 10 provinces. Zimbabwe has physical infrastructure which include Public Service Training Centres in some of the provinces, as well as teacher training centres, technical college and/or universities buildings.
This infrastructure can be rapidly pivoted to form the core and basis for isolation, care and treatment centres. Similarly, senior level provincial officials, including Provincial Joint Operations Command (JOC) officers, can assist in coordinating the operations of both the provincial isolation, care and treatment centres and the district testing centres within their respective provinces. I am requesting for the People’s Republic of China to assist in retrofitting infrastructure, equip the 10 isolation, care and treatment centres, and train the necessary staff.
Finally, Your Excellency, I am appealing to you for the People’s Republic of China to assist in establishing mechanisms for tracing and quarantining every close contact in each of Zimbabwe’s 1,958 local authority wards. I suggest that local infrastructure such as schools in those wards be used as the core and foundation of the ward quarantine centres. Public sector personnel such as nurses, police officers and even teachers and agricultural extension officers can assist in tracing and quarantine processes. Should there be need for extra personnel within the wards, officers who were retired can be recalled to assist based on their extensive knowledge of the communities, local conditions and local terrain. Such retired officials include retired nurses, teachers, village health workers, community development officers and ward coordinators.
As Zimbabwe’s former cabinet minister responsible for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, I am certain that provided with appropriate education and training, requisite tools and conditions of service including personal protective equipment, and reasonable allowances and remuneration, Zimbabwe has fine men and women who will stem the coronavirus.
I thank you in anticipation, Your Excellency.
Asante Sana. Iwe Neni Tine Basa. Umsebenzi lo Umkhulu.
By A Correspondent- Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) workers at the Robert Mugabe International airport have downed tools following the death of broadcaster Zororo Makamba who was diagnosed with coronavirus.
In a statement on Tuesday, the workers said Makamba used the airport and was served by the ZIMRA staff which exposed them to the virus.
The workers said they will only report for duty when measures are put to mitigate them from any more danger.
By A Correspondent- Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo has said government will not force President Emmerson Mnangagwa into self-quarantine following a trip to Namibia at the weekend.
Meanwhile, Information Ministry Permanent Secretary, Nick Mangwana has dismissed as false, reports circulating on social media that Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube has gone into self-isolation following his controversial trip to Norway and Belgium early this month.
Ncube was in Europe despite a ban on foreign travels by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for government officials in a bid to curb the coronavirus spread.
However, Mangwana dismissed claims that Ncube had gone into self-isolation as a precautionary measure.
“He is not,” Mangwana told NewZimbabwe.com Tuesday.
“He is actually in Cabinet (meeting). However, some officials from the ministry are in precautionary self-quarantine because they had been in contact with the late Zororo Makamba.”
Some officials in the Ministry of Finance last week came into contact with the now late Makamba at the ministry’s offices.
He at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital on Monday from coronavirus after his return from the US.
However, Mangwana said he could not shed more on the Finance Ministry officers now under self-quarantine as this was against their health privacy status.
“I can’t give that information without their consent as it pertains to individual health issues,” he said.
Zororo, son to prominent businessman and former Zanu-PF top official, James Makamba, is also understood to have visited a number of places and met different people including government officials, a class of media students at the Midlands State University’s Harare campus and BancABC officials, among other places in Harare.
By Jane Mlambo| Manicaland Senator Douglas Mwonzora has called for unity of purpose in fighting the novel coronavirus saying that politicization of the pandemic will not help the situation.
Posting on Twitter, Mwonzora said most people seemed not to take enough precaution to deal with the pandemic.
“Drove through Harare CBD yesterday. Sadly most people dont seem to be taking enough precautions to deal with Covid 19. The pandemic is too serious and calls for all people to unite in fighting it. Politicization of the disaster is clearly unhelpful,” said Mwonzora.
Medical doctors have questioned the rationale of gazetting Wilkins Hospital as a referral hospital for all COVID-19 cases saying the centre has no capacity.
Zimbabwe Doctors for Human Rights (ZDHR) Spokesperson Dr Matara in a Twitter thread raised the red flag over an alleged of neglect which befell a COVID-19 patient who visited Parirenyatwa with clear symptoms but could not be served as the hospital had to refer the patient to Wilkins which did not act with speed befitting a referral centre.
Below is the full thread….
1. The argument that Wilkins Hospital has no capacity to continue acting as the main referral centre for suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases has been put beyond reasonable doubt. Forget the Zororo saga, I make reference to two events that happened yesterday.
2. Patient was seen at Parirenyatwa isolation tent in the afternoon. Very sick, Temp 39.7, had dyspnea, saturating @80%, referred to Wilkins. The city of Harare said no free ambulance. Parirenyatwa can’t take him in, protocol is they cant take suspected infectious cases. The patient was left for almost 6 hours.
Wilkins calls in the evening, say even if the patient was to walk or get private transport, they can’t take him in since they have poor lighting. Eventually said they would send ambulance around 2000hrs.
3. The patient was seen at Pari again. Possible contact, works on the till at a local food outlet. Had respiratory symptoms, shortness of breathing, Flue symptoms, sore throat, uses public transport to go home, Wilkins just refused to take in patient, said: “it’s after 6, we have poor lighting.”
The city of Harare is refusing the UN protocol of diagnosis, saying govt hospitals should treat, Gvt hospitals are saying we are not mandated, capacitated, or trained to manage infectious diseases. The patient is there and sick, and is caught in the middle.
As @SibandaSibbs puts it here the decision to have major tertiary hospitals like Parirenyatwa referring serious cases to primary care centres like Wilkins was made without insight. IMO it queries the credentials of those who made such decisions.
The situation with the Covid-19 outbreak is changing rapidly. In recent days, many more countries have decided to extend school closures into May and June, making it impossible for many of our schools to hold examinations.
We have been consulting closely with our global community of schools, who need as much certainty as possible at an uncertain time. Our priority is to protect the safety and wellbeing of our students and teachers, ensure fairness for all our students and support them in continuing with their education.
Today, therefore, we have taken the difficult decision not to run our international examinations in the May/June 2020 series in any country. This includes Cambridge IGCSE, Cambridge O Level, Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge AICE Diploma and Cambridge Pre-U.
We recognise that students have been working very hard towards these exams. We will be working with schools to assess students’ achievements using the best available evidence. Students will receive a grade and a certificate from Cambridge International, given the knowledge and skills they have acquired in their programmes of study. This will ensure students do not face disadvantage as a result of these extraordinary circumstances.
We will provide guidance to schools on how students will receive those grades. We are talking to universities worldwide, and they are factoring these unprecedented circumstances into admissions decisions, so students can continue with their education journeys as soon as possible.
We are also aware of the impact the situation may have on student motivation and learning. Many of our schools are working hard to deliver teaching online to support their students’ learning. We will continue to offer a wide range of support and resources for schools, teachers and students on our dedicated pages on our website.
We will provide an update for schools on Thursday 26 March and as regularly as possible. We know that schools will need clear guidance very soon, and we are working around the clock on how to deliver valuable outcomes to students in the many countries where we work.
Harare City Council challenges anyone with information on council officials at Wilkins Hospital who demanded money and equipment from the Makamba family. We state categorically that our staff never made any such demands and that they did all they could to save Zororo‘s life.
The Mayor, cllrs and management join the Makamba family in mourning Zororo. One life lost is too many. We however feel there are desktop commentators with no idea what the inside of Wilkins looks like who are commenting based on false information.
Ladies and gentlemen lets focus our energies on what we can do as a nation to manage the further spread of COVID -19. Name calling and pouring out anger will just keep us in one place. Together we will perish if we do not proffer solutions.
Councillor Jacob Mafume chipped in as the Harare City Council Human Resources Committee chairperson saying Wilkins Hospital had a full staff complement.
As the chair of Human Resources , I can confirm ,the staff are there , and they are working ,reporting for duty & we thank them for that .It is a difficult time for them.They have been trained and are training other towns &government departments.They need support and equipment.
We take the criticism with the good faith it has been made .Any loss of life regrettable and we need to pull together to fix what needs to be fixed at Wilkins and other center across the country.We need equipment sooner rather later.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize has updated the confirmed number of Covid-19 infections to 709, a 28% increase from Tuesday. The number of Covid-19 cases in South Africa has increased by 155 more cases within 24 hours, health minister Zweli Mkhize said on Wednesday morning.
The biggest increases in reported cases since Tuesday are in Gauteng (64), Western Cape (61), KwaZulu Natal (11) and Free State (15), he said in an interview on SABC.
The minister said the concentration of cases around Mangaung in Free State was a worry, and the Red Cross was helping the health department trace people who had been at a church gathering attended by five travellers from overseas who tested positive for the disease.
“This is an area of great concern,” he said, describing Mangaung as an emerging epicentre.
There are also clusters of Covid-19 in Sandton, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and Cape Town, he said.
The main source of the disease remained travellers from European countries, but there was as growing number of cases of internal transmission, he said.
Speaking to the SABC on Wednesday, he said the Free State jumped because of 30 confirmed cases from a church in Bloemfontein. However, Gauteng has remained the epicentre of the outbreak.
The Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast hosted by the Divine Restoration Ministries in Bloemfontein saw five Covid-19-infected foreigners from the US, Israel and France taking part. Government is still looking for some of the 300 people who were there.
ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe, ACDP MP Steve Swart and pastor Angus Buchan attended, and all three have been tested.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, said Meshoe was among the leaders of political parties represented in Parliament who had met Ramaphosa in Cape Town last Tuesday.
Meshoe would therefore also have been with the leaders of other major parties, including the EFF’s Julius Malema and interim DA leader John Steenhuisen.
“We are looking at refining the definition of those who get tested for coronavirus,” said the health minister, adding that there were no doubt many more infections in the country. He conceded that the cost of the test was “very high”, at about R1,400 in the private sector, and that the delay in testing was being caused by having to move testing samples around the country to private labs.
Government was negotiating with private labs to lower the cost of the tests, with the minister saying it was unacceptable for anyone to be “profiteering” during a health crisis.
He clarified that the latest figures were from about 8pm on Tuesday.
“The [testing and results] delay has shortened. We’re trying to reduce the lag. The other issue is that the numbers of people who test is from the numbers of people who go to the doctor to test, and how fast the labs can test.” He added that the policy was not to test people on demand.
“We’re doing tests on the basis of symptoms.”
Government had already clarified this month that people wanting a test despite not showing any symptoms would have to pay for it themselves.
The minister was encouraged by the fact that five patients had gone from positive to negative within a short space of time and the country was yet to record its first coronavirus-related fatality. He also said most patients were showing signs of recovery, and only two people were in ICU in hospitals.
Three doctors had tested positive.
About 80% of people contracting the virus would only ever exhibit mild symptoms and would be able to self-isolate and recover successfully at home. He cautioned that treatment would have to be guided by the patient’s doctor.
“There is no cure for this virus. We can only treat the symptoms. Most people will not need any treatment.” He added that there was no evidence that ibuprofen worsened patients’ conditions, while he was aware that people were using chloroquine and other antivirals, though it was too soon to have definitive information on what was being truly effective.
As for a vaccine, numerous countries were making strides in developing one, though it was unlikely to be available anytime soon. Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday that South African researchers had started on creating a vaccine, but it could take as long as 18 months.
The health minister told the SABC he was not aware of a “second virus” starting to kill people. The question may have related to reports of a death in China caused by the hantavirus. He said that the country was entering the regular flu season, which would complicate the health sector’s efforts to battle Covid-19.
He added that it was essential that people be prevented from taking public transport, including taxis, trains and buses, during the 21-day lockdown.
“For the three weeks, people who must move must not be moving in the way we normally do.”
Globally, there were more than 420,000 recorded globally on Wednesday morning, with nearly 19,000 fatalities and about 110,000 recoveries.
Zimbabwe yesterday gazetted regulations to contain the coronavirus pandemic which include imprisonment of up to a year for those who breach limitations on public gathering.
Health minister Zweli Mkhize has announced that the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has increased to 709 cases over night.
There was an increase of 155 cases in a day up from 554 from Tuesday.
Speaking to the SABC on Wednesday morning, Mkhize said the most increases were in Gauteng where there are 64 new cases.
The Western Cape recorded 61 confirmed cases while KZN had 11 new cases.
“We are expecting quite an increase. We are still in very early days,” Mkhize said.
He said the 15 new cases in the Free State was concerning for him because it was all linked to a church in Mangaung.
South Africa has seen a big jump in confirmed coronavirus cases in the country, with the total now at 709 – up 155 from Tuesday’s report.
The large jump comes after at least 50 new positive coronavirus cases have been registered from a church in the Free State, health minister Zweli Mkhize said in an interview with the SABC.
On Tuesday, Mkhize said that the number of South African cases are expected to increase over the next week, with a change in cases hopefully being seen in the next two to three weeks as the effects of the lockdown are seen.
“We must not be shocked when we the number (of cases) increase, but these measures – if we all work together – will turn the curve around. It won’t happen tomorrow, it won’t happen next week, and if there is any change it will will probably be seen in a couple of weeks,” said Mkhize.
HARARE West legislator Joana Mamombe (MDC Alliance) says the Minister of Health and Child Care Obadiah Moyo must be arrested for misleading the nation that Government was ready to handle coronavirus, yet the official mortality so far has been 50% for Zimbabwe, far above the global average of less than 4%.
Zimbabwe has had two confirmed cases of COVID-19 infections, of which the second case, television personality Zororo Makamba, died Monday afternoon at Wilkins Hospital in Harare.
The medical facility is run by the City of Harare, which is controlled by the opposition MDC led by Nelson Chamisa.
Writing on social media, Mamombe called for Moyo to be punished: “The Minister of Health & Childcare, Mr Obadiah Moyo must be arrested for misleading this nation that the government is prepared to deal with Covid-19. He should also resign,” Mamombe fumed.
With over half a thousand confirmed cases of Covid-19, South Africa has moved its response a notch up.
The country has effected a 21-day lockdown starting from March 26.
This is aimed at reducing cases, which seem to be on an upward spiral.
An increase in positive South African cases should be a concern for Zimbabwe as there is a lot of human traffic in between the two countries.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africa is to close all businesses except a few exemptions, which included retail, service stations, essential banking services and telecommunications.
Categories of people who will be exempted from this lockdown are health workers in the public and private sectors, emergency personnel, those in security services — such as the police, traffic officers, military medical personnel and soldiers — and other “persons necessary for our response to the pandemic”.
Most of these professions do not employ as many foreigners and it may happen that there may be many Zimbabweans who belong to the South African military or police.
Jobs are on the line, as projections for the economy keep pointing to a recession and Covid-19 has not made the situation any easier.
Nedbank chief economist Nicky Weimar was quoted in the Sunday Times business saying she projects the South African economy to remain in recession in the first quarter prior to outbreak of Covid-19 and the national emergency or disaster declaration.
“The first quarter decline will now just be deeper and likely to extend into the early part of the second quarter.
Thereafter, some improvement off a low base is still possible, if the world and South Africa manage to stop the spread of the pandemic and manage to treat the ill effectively.
“Prior to the pandemic, we had GDP growth of 0,7 percent for this year, then we revised it to 0,3 percent after China and Italy imposed their lockdowns. We will now have to re-examine our forecasts, but the risk of the economy contracting over 2020 is very high,” Weimar said.
There are no official figures on how many Zimbabweans are in South Africa although unofficial estimates peg the number between 2 and 3 million.
The ambiguity that surrounds figures as noted by www.southafricanimmigration.org is a sign that there is no data even at government level.
Resultantly, even when there is planning for social cushioning in South Africa, Zimbabwean workers are going to be left out.
There is a big number of South African based Zimbabweans who are into menial jobs and this lockdown may plunge them into destitution.
What will become of cleaners and restaurant workers in a foreign land? Some of them who are undocumented.
There is hope in that industries will remain open but again there is no numerical breakdown to aid perspective on how many Zimbabweans occupy space in this sector.
Some families back home in Zimbabwe rely on South African remittances.
According to Finmark, a South African financial research organisation, about R6,7 billion is remitted back to Zimbabwe annually by workers based in South Africa.
This shows the extent to which business activity in South Africa contributes to the Zimbabwean economy and all that stands threatened at the moment.
At the 2019 Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission meeting, South Africa’s President Ramaphosa said the two countries were joined by a umbilical cord.
As a response to unemployment, some Zimbabweans were engaged in cross border trading where they would hoard cheaper goods in South Africa and resell them back home for a profit.
Musina’s boom is largely attributed to this economic activity.
Cross-Border Traders’ Association (CBTA) says about 10 000 cross-border traders travel to South Africa daily.
The association’s president, Killer Zivhu, recently instructed members to put on hold travel plans until the Covid-19 scare is over.
“The message is that let’s heed the President’s call and avoid travelling outside the country for the next two months. There will always be an opportunity to do business.
“A lot of people are leaving the country for cross-border trading and they are at risk of infection because sometimes they have to shop or sell in crowded places,” Zivhu said.
This plea was cemented by enhanced measures announced by President Mnangagwa recently, where he closed borders except for cargo.
A number of families that relied on cross border trading will have to find alternative sources of income in the meantime as measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 are implemented.
The same applies to self-styled runners who were becoming increasingly popular.
Known traditionally as Abomalayitsha, these people used to travel to buy groceries on other people’s behalf for a fee.
Now they have to halt operations until a conclusive end to the crisis facing Zimbabwe can be seen.
It is, however, not doom and gloom as there have been indications that the South African border will not be entirely shut.
Goods will be allowed in through the border but human movement is prohibited.
This means that even as Zimbabwean industries are yet to recover to a point of fully sustaining needs of the local market, South African products can still plug in gaps, provided they maintain their productive capacity.
South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi gave an assurance that their country will not close Beitbridge border.
“We have only one border post with Zimbabwe, that’s Beitbridge, and we will never close that one of course,” Motsoaledi said at a press conference recently.
It is not going to be a comfortable few days, weeks or months for Zimbabwe as its connection with South Africa will be trimmed only to the point of allowing essentials in.
But that is part of the script.
Everyone in the world is feeling the reality of Covid-19 and Zimbabwe has not been spared.
South Africa, who are pursuing a 21-day lockdown are on 554 confirmed cases and zero deaths as of yesterday, while Zimbabwe stands on two confirmed cases, one death.
There are fears that unregulated movement between the two countries may lead to cross infection and authorities have acted to mitigate this risk.
AP|RWANDA’S confirmed coronavirus cases have now tallied to 40 following four new cases on Tuesday.
The four new cases include two travellers from Dubai, UAE, one traveller from Brussels, Belgium while the other case is a contact of a previously confirmed case who was identified through tracing.
All three travellers have been isolation since arrival into the country after being tested. A statement from the Health ministry said all patients including the previously confirmed cases are under treatment and are in stable condition.
“The cooperation of Rwandans and residents is greatly appreciated as are the efforts of those working hard in the health sector who continue to be supported and appropriately protected as they work to protect the health and safety of all of us,” the statement reads in part.
Rwanda announced a total lockdown where internal and international travel is not permitted except for emergencies or freight services.
Rwanda Bankers Association urged banks in Kigali to temporarily close branches saying by still keeping the banks open they are exposing people to potential infections.
Correspondent|Several Zimbabwean banks have seen closures at some of their branches, while others are no longer accepting physical documents, as the southern African country ramps up preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Zimbabwe has so far confirmed two cases of Covid-19, with one having already succumbed to the virus.
Stanbic Bank, a unit of South Africa’s Standard Bank, was one of the first to announce preventive measures, telling customers on Monday that paper-based transactions would no longer be accepted.
“In the interest of public health, and with immediate effect, please be advised that we will only be accepting payments via Business Online.
“All other bank instructions and letters must be sent on email and accompanied by the attached email indemnity form, which must be completed and signed by the authorised signatories,” read a notice send to customers by the Bank.
Cabs, a subsidiary of Old Mutual Zimbabwe, announced similar measures, telling its customers that hard copy instructions would not be accepted until further notice.
“Due to the Covid-19 outbreak we shall not be accepting hard copy instructions, all communications and instructions are to be sent as soft copies going forward. We will advise once it becomes safe for us to accept hard copies,” read a note from Cabs.
Other banks are taking precautions further, with First Capital Bank (FCB), formerly Barclays Bank, temporarily closing at least four branches.
“To protect Clients & Staff from spread of Covid-19, we are reducing our Branch Network by temporarily closing Belmont,B/ Dale, Harare St, First St from 24/03/20,” read a note from FCB.
Stanbic also temporarily shut down its Victoria Falls and Hwange Branches, while Nedbank has announced the closure of six of its branches.
Zimbabwe’s first case of Covid-19 was recorded in the resort town of Victoria Falls, in the north-west of the country.
Head Corporate Affairs at Stanbic Bank, Palmer Mugavha, said the decision was testament to the fact that the bank would put human life “ahead of any potential to earn profit”.
President Mnangagwa has also announced measures to combat the pandemic, including the closure of bars and other entertainment establishments.
File Picture of Police officers awaiting deployment
POLICE have said they will arrest any persons who violate new regulations aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19.
Government has come up with a number of measures, including the gazetting of Statutory Instrument 77 of 2020 that provides for up to 12 months imprisonment for people who gather in crowds of more than 50 people.
Government has also announced a blanket ban on gatherings around recreational facilities such as night clubs, bars, beerhalls, movie houses, swimming pools, gymnasiums and sporting activities until further notice. So far one person has succumbed to Covid-19 in Zimbabwe and globally 16 000 people have been killed.
During an anti-crime campaign held yesterday led by Officer Commanding Bulawayo Central District Chief Superintendent Marshal Dube, who was in the company of the Bulawayo Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube, police said any persons or business people, including bars and churches who do not heed the new regulations face arrest.
“We urge the peace-loving people of Bulawayo to comply with the new laws that have been put out by Government. As police we will ensure that such laws are followed and that any offenders are arrested. We will work to ensure that people comply for the protection of the public as we cannot risk law abiding citizens from being infected with the virus because of rogue elements,” said Insp Ncube.
Police also urged school pupils to stay at home this holiday. Schoolchildren should avoid coming into the CBD as the country is practicing social distancing, police added.
Schools closed yesterday and the Central Business District, particularly the area around the City Hall was full of pupils, some from boarding schools.
As is the norm, some pupils were going around the city, making merry, others picking fights, despite calls for social distancing that have been made by Government.
Speaking during the campaign, Insp Ncube said it was important for police to convey the message on social distancing to schoolchildren as they were the most defiant age groups.
He said the notorious Vuzu parties that take place during school holidays were also a potential threat as pupils may infect each other with Covid-19 at the infamous gatherings.
“We call upon youths to heed the call to stay at home. Schools have closed today and it was a noble decision by the Government and this move is meant to protect them. Now that schools have closed, they must stay at home. They have absolutely no business galivanting round town at such a time. This is a very different situation and we know that usually boarding school pupils will want to spend time in the city centre catching up with friends and all sorts of things. However, this time we urge everybody to stay at home and avoid all sorts of visits. Practice social distancing for your own safety and protect yourself as well,” said Insp Ncube.
“We also call upon parents who drag children to town for no reason not to do so at such a time. You find a mother struggling with three children to get into a Zupco bus, not coming from a doctor or anything, but from shopping. People must be sensible enough to stay at home and we must work together to decongest our streets and protect our children. Even adults who do not have much business in town must stay at home.”
He said in residential areas, police were urging parents and guardians to ensure that children remain within the confines of their yards.
Insp Ncube said allowing children to play on the streets poses the risk of infection. “The situation that we find ourselves in requires us to carry ourselves around in a befitting manner,” said Inspector Ncube.
Police also warned motorists on theft from car cases.
Motorists were urged to secure vehicles and ensure that they leave no valuables in parked cars.
Police said women and girls to avoid the threat of sexual assault, including rape, by desisting from boarding pirate taxis.
People must use public registered public service vehicles. “Theft from motor vehicles are now worrying. We also have growing cases of robberies, especially from these mshikashikas, the pirate taxis. We urge people to, especially women and girls to board registered public service vehicles and urge motorists to secure their cars and keep their valuable properties with them and not leave them in parked cars,” said Insp Ncube.
State Media|Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals are now only attending to emergency cases while all admitted patients who can cope will be discharged, measures which will remain in place until Covid-19 is no longer a threat.
All non-emergency operations are also being cancelled while the elderly have been advised to limit their visits.
Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical Director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya yesterday said they were trying to decongest the hospital as there were fears of the virus spreading in the country.
Three positive cases have already been reported in Victoria Falls and Harare. One patient has since died while the Government is yet to provide details on the third patient who was mentioned in a national update yesterday.
Dr Ngwenya said the elderly should by all means stay away from hospital grounds and confine themselves to their homes as they were vulnerable to the virus due to a weakened immune system associated with aging.
He urged the elderly running out of chronic illness medication to try and send relatives to hospital for supplies.
“The situation is bad and as way of protecting our patients and the rest of the public, we are trying to control the numbers at our hospitals. We will now be attending to emergency cases only and have closed the Outpatient Department. All non-emergency operations are suspended with immediate effect. This virus is deadly and we realise that people seem to be very relaxed as if they assume to be immune from it. The public must practice social distancing and avoid public spaces unless if it is necessary,” said Dr Ngwenya.
“We will have to discharge all our stable patients as we try to lower the numbers here in the hospital. Everyone with serious flu like or Covid-19 like symptoms must not come to the hospital or go to a clinic. They must call the rapid response team on their hotline to avoid possible infection of other people as they are in transit to hospital. The Covid-19 team will come to you.
“The world is faced with the fast spreading Covid-19 pandemic and everyone is at great risk of catching this highly infectious disease. Mpilo Central Hospital must take measures to reduce the risk of spreading the deadly virus.”
Asked what constitutes an emergency, he said: “A lot of situations, incidents and conditions can constitute an emergency. However, we advise patients that if someone is feeling unbearable discomfort, or excruciating pain, or can see that they are taking care of a person who has taken very ill, then that is an emergency. Emergencies can be accidents, burns, asthma attacks, strokes, diabetes related collapsing and coma, very low or very high blood pressure or sugar levels and many more. This list is not exhaustive but the bottom line is that if it’s an emergency you will be treated.”
Dr Ngwenya said those that are not very sick and cannot be listed under emergency cases will not be attended to at the hospital and said they can only come after the Covid-19 situation had been contained.
He advised such patients to receive care at home until the hospital can attend to them.
“Our Out-patients departments are closed till further notice. All elective operations are cancelled till further notice. We should enforce the One (1) visitor per patient as continued in SI 77 of 2020. We should encourage people not to make unnecessary visits to the hospital.
“All suspected cases of Covid-19 and their accompanying relatives should be assessed by the Rapid Response teams from Mpilo Central Hospital and Bulawayo City Health Department. Protective clothing for staff is reportedly on its way and soon the Government will send us supplies. Meanwhile, practice personal hygiene and social distancing.”
When Chronicle arrived at the hospital, scores of people, patients and accompanying relatives were being turned away as hospital staff informed them that the outpatient and causality departments had closed to the public and were only attending to emergency cases.
“We have been here since 8am. it’s now way past lunch time. We have not been served and are sitting in benches. We need our medication for hypertension and diabetes and we cannot opt for the pharmacies in town because it is too expensive. We hope that they attend to us today since they are saying tomorrow, they will not be taking any patients,” said Gogo Esther Mdlongwa (74).
Dr Solwayo Ngwenya
United Bulawayo Hospital Chief Executive Officer Mrs Nonhlanhla Ndlovu could not be reached for comment yesterday on the phone. When Chronicle news crew arrived at the hospital, she was said to be in a meeting. However, the hospital was also limiting patients and advising the public that it would only attend to emergency cases only as a result of the Covid-19.
The UBH has also implemented the one visitor per patients per day programme policy and kas also reduced visiting sessions to one 30-minute visit per day.
Meanwhile, travellers are still accessing Zimbabwe and South Africa via Beitbridge Border Post pending the finalisation of a border operational plan but the number of travellers has been going down since last week.
As of yesterday, people were seen going to either sides of the border and some of them said they wanted to join their spouses in either country since schools had closed.
The assistant regional immigration officer in charge of Beitbridge (Zimbabwe), Mr Nqobile Ncube said traffic started declining at the port of entry as many travellers started complying with travel and preventative measures from regional countries. He said they were waiting for a comprehensive operation plan that will spell out the cut off period of access by human traffic at the border. “As you are aware there has been a Presidential declaration on the new border operations and everyone is willing to understand when it takes effect and also how and who exactly is affected by that declaration,” he said.
Sex workers from one of the world’s largest brothels appealed to the Bangladesh government on Monday for emergency funding after a ban on customers to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
More than 1,500 sex workers are based at the Daulatdia brothel, about 100km (60 miles) west of capital Dhaka, which is one of about 12 officially sanctioned brothels in the South Asian country, and receives an estimated 5,000 customers every day.
On Friday, the government announced the closure of the brothel – a series of shacks spread over a maze of alleyways – until at least April 5, but promised to give all of the sex workers a package of 30kgs of rice, $25, and a freeze on rent.
Government official Rubayet Hayat, executive officer of the sub-district of Goalanda where the brothel is located, said the aid was expected to arrive late this week.
Hand-to-mouth existence
But women working at Daulatdia appealed for immediate help, saying they no longer had money to pay for food for themselves or their children due to the sudden closure of the brothel.
“If we were informed beforehand, we could have tried to save up as much as possible. Now, many of us have to take loans to not stay hungry,” said Kalpona, a 30-year-old sex worker, who has been living in the brothel for nearly two decades.
“Right now, we need the government aid as soon as possible,” she added, declining to give her full name for fear of reprisals.
Sex work is legal in Bangladesh, although it is considered immoral by many in the Muslim-majority nation of about 160 million people, which has so far reported three deaths from COVID-19 with at least 33 other confirmed cases.
Daulatdia has been running for more than a century, set up until British colonial rule, although it moved to its current location near a ferry station in 1988 after fire destroyed the old premises. Charities say many sex workers are underage.
Ataur Rahman Manju, coordinator of the rights group Mukti Mahila Samity that supports sex workers, said most of them live hand-to-mouth existences, with only about one in nine having the ability to save up and feed themselves.
On an average, workers earn between $12 to $24 a day, according to Manju.
“The workers in high demand, about 100 or 200 of them, can probably survive for a month like this, but for the rest of the 1,500, the situation is really difficult. They immediately need food,” Manju told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.
Lily, 35, a sex worker, said she had not been able to send money to her 8-year-old son who lives with a family outside the brothel, and she feared he was not being fed properly.
While government aid was promised, Kalpona was unsure it was going to help them in the long term.
“Even if restrictions are lifted next month, I don’t think people will come to the brothel for a long time because of the disease,” she said.
Own Correspondent|In the wake of the imminent Coronavirus scourge which has already seen the death of young broadcaster Zororo Makamba, the ruling ZANU PF will today convene a session of the Politburo at its headquarters in Harare.
The party politburo is the biggest decision making body between congresses and is literally the grouping that whips government.
The party’s Secretary for Information and Publicity and spokesperson, Simon Khaya Moyo, confirmed the meeting in a statement.
“The Secretary for Administration Cde Dr O.M Mpofu wishes to advise all members that there shall be a Politburo meeting to be held on Wednesday 25 March, 2020 at the party’s headquarters commencing 1000hrs.
“All members should be seated by 0945hrs sharp,” said Khaya Moyo.
The Coronavirus pandemic is expected to top the agenda as government has already exhibited signs of gross unpreparedness for the disease that has shaken the world.
Over sixteen thousand people have succumbed to the deadly disease in four months.
WORKERS have demanded that government imposes a two-week lockdown on the country as part of efforts to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) and threatened to take the route of stayaways if the government ignores their demands.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), the country’s largest labour body yesterday engaged the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) over the issue, which has been escalated to the government for immediate action following the death of broadcaster Zororo Makamba from coronavirus.
“We have told the government to enforce a lockdown of the country for two weeks and no one should risk going to work specifically considering lack of preparedness the country faces to tackle the virus.
“We implore government to treat our request with the urgency it deserves or else no one will report for work because we are already recording deaths caused by Covid-19. It is necessary for government to follow what other nations are doing warding off nonessential workers,” ZCTU president Peter Mutasa said.
“We believe this will give us time to understand the disease and come up with better response mechanisms because at the moment, even the health care givers who are supposed to handle Covid-19 are not well equipped.” President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week imposed a ban on public gatherings of more than 100 people and early closure of schools as part of efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.
But, however, despite Mnangagwa’s ban, large crowds are still witnessed with people going on with their day-to-day business.
As Covid-19 death cases and deaths continue rising, some countries have put their citizens on lockdown and these include China, Denmark, El Salvador, France, Italy, New Zealand, Poland and Spain among others. This comes following the death of over 11 000 people globally.
New York, March 25, 2020 — Authorities in Niger should immediately release journalist Kaka Touda Mamane Goni and halt legal proceedings against him, the Committee to Protect Journalists said yesterday.
Security forces block a road during a demonstration over a corruption scandal in Niamey on March 15, 2020. – At least one person died on March 15 in Niamey in violent clashes between security forces and demonstrators demanding sanctions in a scandal of overcharging for military equipment purchases, AFP reported. (Photo by Boureima HAMA / AFP) …
On March 5, police arrested Kaka Touda, an independent journalist who publishes news reports on his Facebook and Twitter pages, at his home in Niamey, Niger’s capital, according to the journalist’s lawyer, Boudal Effred Mouloul, who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and news reports.
His arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by the local General Reference Hospital, which alleged that Kaka Touda’s posts on social media on March 4 about a suspected COVID-19 case at the hospital posed a threat to public order, according to Boudal and Chaibou Samna, the public prosecutor in charge of the case, who spoke to CPJ over the phone.
On March 9, Kaka Touda was presented before a public prosecutor, who said that the state would pursue a case against the journalist for “dissemination of data likely to disturb public order” under Niger’s 2019 cybercrime law, Boudal told CPJ. He said Kaka Touda’s next court date has been postponed twice, most recently on March 23 due to court delays related to the virus, and is now scheduled for March 26.
If found guilty, Kaka Touda could face up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of five million West African francs ($8,169), according to the cybercrime law.
Kaka Touda is being held at Niamey’s Civil Prison, Boudal said. The journalist is suffering from an upset stomach, dizziness, and a worsening injury to his left foot, according to an individual recently in contact with him who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisal.
“Kaka Touda Mamane Goni and all other journalists in Niger should be free to cover the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak without fearing that they will be thrown in jail. Niger authorities should release Kaka Touda immediately, ensure he is given proper medical care, and drop their case against him,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa program coordinator. “Authorities should not confuse censorship and the detention of a journalist with prudent public safety measures as part of their coronavirus response.”
Kaka Touda has over 3,800 followers on Facebook and over 6,300 followers on Twitter, where he frequently covers national defense and alleged corruption.
After Kaka Touda published his post about the suspected COVID-19 case on March 4, the General Reference Hospital issued a statement, which the journalist posted on Twitter, denying that it had any such case.
Nigerien authorities publically confirmed the country’s first coronavirus case on March 19, according to news reports.
Samna told CPJ that Kaka Touda was arrested because, after he posted his report that there was a suspected COVID-19 case at the hospital, “all the people ran away, and they refused to go to the hospital.”
Samna said that he was simply applying the law in the case, and added that he was traveling and had not yet reviewed the formal complaint.
CPJ called the General Reference Hospital at its publicly listed number, but the call did not go through. – CPJ
State Media|HUMAN traffic at some of the country’s border posts was still flowing as the directive to restrict access to all traffic except cargo and returning residents as directed by the President on Monday night was slowly coming into effect.
Although it was business as usual at Chirundu, Kariba and Beitbridge border posts, officials revealed that they were waiting for directives to effect a shutdown.
Forbes Border Post in Mutare was only allowing access to haulage trucks.
Yesterday travellers were going to either side of the border. Others were travelling to get basic commodities pending the lockdown in South Africa tomorrow.
The assistant regional immigration officer in charge of Beitbridge (Zimbabwe), Mr Nqobile Ncube said traffic has started declining at the port of entry.
“What you have seen on the ground is an accurate picture and is a result of the compliance measures being implemented by our Government and its neighbours,” said Mr Ncube.
“Since last week we have been recording a decline in inbound traffic with many travellers taking heed on the need to minimise the unnecessary travel and additionally the travel ban on those coming from the condition’s hotspots is effective on the ground.”
Visitors into Zimbabwe via Beitbridge Border Post have since dropped to around 5 000 daily.
Officials at Chirundu also indicated that they were waiting for further instructions
“People are coming in and going in as usual with health checks, but traffic has drastically reduced,” said one of the officials.
The official said they were seeing a decline in numbers of travellers, which he attributed to social media reports that the port had been closed.
Officials said they were waiting for communication from head office to close the border.
At Forbes Border Post Border officials were serving five truckers at a given time. This made movement of trucks very slow.
The Mbare Fresh Produce Market, Mupedzanhamo and other public markets with huge traffic can be closed any time if there is need to do so as a way of stopping the spread of coronavirus in the country, President Mnangagwa has hinted.
Government spared them in a raft of new measures announced by President Mnangagwa on Monday night to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but introduced screening at points of entry.
Fielding questions from journalists at State House on why the two markets were not closed, President Mnangagwa said: “The process is likely to follow, but for now we have decided to have health personnel around the area to monitor and make sure that people coming in or out of those places are screened.
“If need arises that we close Mbare (green market) and other markets, we will do so. But this is the first phase of our action to restrict free movement.”
President Mnangagwa said Government was taking resources from several areas to ensure that it enhanced health operations.
“Where there is no water, we will have the District Development Fund drilling boreholes in those areas,” said President Mnangagwa.
“We have informed the Minister of Health and Child Care to give us his bill to purchase so we should be able to purchase the needs to fight this pandemic.”
Clarifying on the issue of unnecessary movement in the country, President Mnangagwa said Government was not policing the movement of people, but encouraging people to minimise movements.
President Mnangagwa said it was important for people queuing for fuel to be disciplined and remain in their cars while those lining up for roller meal and other basics to observe the World Health Organisation social distance guidelines.
Said President Mnangagwa: “The pandemic today challenges all our normal chores, habits and behaviours, and we all now have to adapt a new, unusual social culture. The worldwide spread of this baneful virus has been rapid and surprising.”
In a press statement yesterday, the Zimbabwe Chamber for Informal Economies Association failed to understand the logic behind President Mnangagwa leaving the markets open demanding that government provides the requisite health equipment to fight the virus if the markets remained open.
“Whilst we appreciate the call by Government not to close informal markets for now so as not to put survival of many informal economy workers/traders’ and their families at serious risk, we are deeply concerned about the state of preventive measures through these market places. This includes need for spraying all market places, provision of sanitizers, masks and gloves to traders at these market places,” said Wisborn Malaya the Association’s Secretary General.
The Association hinted that the most logical thing that Mnangagwa could have done was to totally close the markets on order to protect its members.
“On a high note the best approach will be total lock down for a period with provision of emergency food subsidies to the traders,” said Malaya.
State Media|Zororo Makamba, the son to businessman Mr James Makamba, was buried yesterday.
He succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday, becoming the first such death in the country.
Zororo was buried next to his sister, Chiedza, at the family’s Blueridge Farm in Mazowe.
Confirming the burial on his Twitter handle yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana said Zororo was buried in line with all public health protocols followed inburying victims of coronavirus.
WHO guidelines dictate that victims of coronavirus must be buried within 24 hours.
“Mr Zororo Makamba was laid to rest today (Tuesday). All protocols in handling departed loved ones who pass on from infectious conditions were followed. May he rest in glory.
“His legacy will live on. He made 21 episodes of State of the Nation, which we will preserve and archive for posterity,” said Mr Mangwana.
The late Zororo launched his media career at ZiFM Stereo, where he hosted many current affairs programmes.
He then moved to television.
His most celebrated show was “Tonight with Zororo”, which aired on MNet’s Zambezi Magic.
He was also a producer and presenter of the weekly web-based political show, “State of the Nation”, which was produced by Eleven Dogs, a digital company he co-founded.
Zororo won several accolades including a National Arts and Merit Award (NAMA) and Best Male Achiever at the Zimbabwe Youth Achievers Awards.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care said Zororo had a previous medical history, which made him more vulnerable to Covid-19.
It is not clear where he picked up the infection from, but he started exhibiting signs and symptoms of coronavirus a few days after arriving from New York, the United States.
From the US, Zororo connected through South Africa.
The US and South Africa were already battling Covid-19 at the time of Zororo’s travel.
A few days after arriving in Zimbabwe, he started exhibiting signs and symptoms of coronavirus leading to his admission at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital where he died Monday.
Zororo was the second person in Zimbabwe to be confirmed as having contracted the coronavirus.
