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It’s 1 million members versus 5 million presidential votes

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It’s 1 million members versus 5 million presidential votes

Mapombi
just received her second jab of the donated Chinese Sinopharm Covid-19 jab and
I can tell you that I am still alive and kicking. Ndipo pandichauraiwa
nevaccine iyo Zanu PF yakanditadza here kkkkk. If you can survive in Zimbabwe
under Zanu PF misrule I can bet you mabanana angu akaora nemaputi kuti nothing
can touch you. Not Covid-19 and not even the vaccine. This vaccine tiri
kungoibaiwawo hedu as a preventive measure but the truth of the matter is that
we have been hardened and immunized by poverty. A lot of Western countries
predicted that our streets here in Africa would be littered with dead bodies
but we survived against all odds. No one can explain why Covid-19 did not
ravage Africa as predicted. Mwari ndewe munhu wese. He will never forsake us by
giving us dictators and looters then add Covid-19 to our misery, No. But kana
ndakamboona munhu anotya Covid-19, ED vari mberi kkkk. Dzinopfeka mask even
dzichiita zoom conference with other heads of state. Why wear a mask in front
of a camera as if Covid-19 can be transmitted through zoom. Our dearly beloved
President will be the only one wearing a mask in the zoom meeting woshaya kuti
hadzioniwo here kuti ndidzo zambiringa munyemba. Mapombi is not saying people
should not wear face masks but there is a place to do it.

Kazembe
Kazembe huya pano. Dear readers I want to tell you nezva Kazembe uyu. Some say
he is ED’s son but ini hangu Mapombi handidi kupinda munyaya dzisinei neni.
Just because vane saka and vakada kufanana mototi they are father and son, itai
mushe imi vanhu. Grace once told us that ED has many kids zvekuti chero kuma 50
ikoko vanosvika but again who can trust the unhinged Grace. She was a lunatic
who was ultimately put in her place. I do not want to talk about ED’s children
but I want to talk about this one anonzi Kazembe. This man a few days ago
decided to wake up from his palatial mansion and go undercover in a passport
queue hanzi ndoda kubata corruption. Yes, he wanted to arrest corruption. While
in that queue, someone who woke up from under a bridge kwakunobata nzvimbo on
the passport queue, decided to sell his space to the undercover Kazembe and
boom, he was arrested. Now, was there corruption committed here by this unsuspecting
man? The incident was hyped so much so that even Mapombi was curious to follow
the events of that day only to laugh at Kazembe for exposing himself and his
boss ED for running down the country.

Surely
how do you preside over a country where people become so desperate to the
extent of doing business of selling positions in a passport queue? Then a whole
minister gets so much publicity for nailing munhu ari kutongwavha ngwavha kuti
araramise mhuri. You promised people jobs jobs jobs but what have you done?
Since you took over, a lot of people have lost their jobs which is why they are
doing everything to earn honest means of living. That man who sold his place in
a passport queue did nothing wrong but the police will victimize him because he
was arrested by the minister of Home Affairs. The people are so desperate and
have suffered enough. Have you ever noticed how ritual murders have increased
under the new dispensation? Hatina kumboona zvakadai under Mugabe. Someone
somewhere is sitting in the wrong chair and has to go. We cannot watch and do
nothing when our people are being turned on each other. How does a regime
preside over people who kill each other for ritual purposes? Dear Zimbabweans,
you can never be rich through the blood, head or privates of another human
being. Stop killing our children. They have a future which you are failing to
safeguard for them because you are choosing to watch while very old guard
squander everything. Killing children will not make you reach so Stop It. Kana
muchida kurarama zvakanaka your problem is political endai munopedzerana naED
uko kkkk tione anofa ndiani. Leave innocent children alone please.

Its
high someone says it. There are no signs so far that things are going to get
better or Zanu PF would lose its footing and be kicked out of power. These guys
have mastered the tricks of winning, keeping and retaining power. Anyone or
anything that threatens their way to power is dealt with decisively. If it’s
the majority of people, poverty is inflicted on them and they end up fighting
for survival and lose focus on who is causing their suffering. Zanu PF has set
its sights on 5 million presidential votes in 2023 and MDC Alliance has
embarked on 1 million membership campaign. Can someone read between the lines
here? Someone is targeting 5 million votes and someone is targeting 1 million
members. It is obvious who will win the elections if we look at the above
figures. I have always been telling MDC Alliance people that the difference
between them and Zanu PF is on membership and supporters. Zanu PF has members
and MDC has supporters. The difference is that members are loyal and supporters
are fence seaters. Maybe this is why MDC is so hell bend on getting the million
membership.

MDC is
fighting for the rural vote while Zanu PF is fighting for the urban vote. Zanu
PF has made sure that urbanites see the worst in service delivery with the hope
that they would turn against the opposition led local authorities. They have
allowed mukoma Douglas to fire councillors and blocked by-elections. With the
current state of service delivery, many people think the worst of Chamisa’s
councillors. This is what Zanu PF is hoping to cash in on. Recently we heard
that an inter-ministerial taskforce led by VP Chiwenga will
take over all poorly run urban local authorities and many people see this with
a limited view. This is a calculated move and deliberate ploy to discredit the
opposition in their urban strongholds. Zanu PF is coming in full force to win
the urban vote but unfortunately they are playing dirty. The urbanites see Zanu
PF for who they really are unlike their rural counterparts. Chamisa on the
other hand has kept his cards close to his chest on how he hopes to win the
rural vote. What I am sure about is that Chamisa is more charismatic than ED
but charisma unfortunately does not win votes. Zanu PF has a grip on the rural
vote and they enjoy the advantage of incumbency.

Zanu PF
controls the means of production in the rural areas and one wonders what
Chamisa has up his sleeves. With the green bombers having been reactivated, we
wait to see what 2023 will bring for the political parties. Ini hangu Mapombi
ndotodawo kuti Chamisa atonge but so far handisati ndaona the seriousness of
the young man. Maybe he will give us a signal when the time is ripe but for now
we are stuck with Zanu PF and tiri mugango. I have said enough regai ndinokanga
maputi angu for lunch but before I go I want to tell Zesa Masvingo to respect
us. We will not allow them to urinate on us and make us believe it is raining.
The power crisis at the Bushmead Water Works must be solved as a matter of
urgency. How can a city like Masvingo go for a month without water because Zesa
is dragging their feet? We are coming for you kuZesa ikoko. Mapombi haazvidi
and I am happy vanaManyanga and Madzibaba Reginai are against that. Parisei
pasowe madzibaba Chiteme. Ehe kuZanu variko vana madzibaba kkkk. I hear a
transformer was found in Mwenezi to replace the faulty one at Bushmead but I
hope hapana vanosara vachichema kuMwenezi ikoko. Todii nevanhu veMasvingo. Shinga
mushandi shinga. Happy Workers’ Day everyone. Mboko imboko.

Who is Zanu PF national PC – Rugeje or Matemadanda?

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Who is Zanu PF national PC – Rugeje or Matemadanda?


. . .
Confusion reigns as Rugeje signs Chitepo certificates as national PC

TellZim Reporter

Confusion
continues to reign supreme in Zanu PF’s commissariat department as it is not
clear who is the current National Political Commissar (PC) between Victor Matemadanda
and Ltd Gen (Rtd) Engelbert Rugeje after the later signed the Herbert Chitepo
School of Ideology graduates’ certificates this week.

Rugeje’s
signature on the certificates is underlined by the caption of ‘Political
Commissar’.

Rugeje
was officially relieved off duty as the national PC in 2019 and was replaced by
Matemandada. Unconfirmed reports early this year also suggested that
Matemadanda was fired from the position of PC and was awaiting reassignment as
a diplomat in Mozambique. Matemadanda however, denied the allegations and
insisted that he was still the Zanu PF national PC.

The new
developments of Rugeje signing the Chitepo certificates as national PC might be
a signal that he bounced back as the head of the
commissariat department as Zanu PF is already preparing for 2023 elections.

When
TellZim News contacted him for comment, Rugeje could neither confirm nor deny
whether he was back at the helm of the commissariat, choosing to refer all the
questions to Munyaradzi Machacha who is the principal of Herbert Chitepo School
of Ideology.

“That
can be best explained by the principal of Chitepo School of Ideology
(Machacha). I have no further comment in that regard,” said Rugeje.

The certificates
bear the signatures of Munyaradzi Machacha, in his capacity as Chitepo School
of Ideology principal, and Rugeje as national political commissar.

When
contacted for comment, a jittery Machacha told TellZim News that the stationery
was printed long back when Rugeje was still the national political commissar.

“The
material was printed when Rugeje was still the national political commissar and
we are just using them as they are. This does not mean he is the political
commissar,” said Machacha.

Machacha’s
claims exposed a flawed system where a national PC could sign blank
certificates instead of signing only for those who would have successfully
completed the training.

It is
also interesting that the names of the participants were later printed on the
certificates which means Rugeje’s name and signature could have been easily
edited out if it was not supposed to be there.

Rugeje has
been out in the cold since his departure in June 2019 and this might be a sign
that he has bounced back on the hot seat as Zanu PF is readying itself for 2023
harmonised elections.

Some of
the people who have since received their certificates told TellZim News in
confidence that they did not understand why Rugeje signed the certificates as the
national political commissar.

“We
were surprised like everyone else. A lot of people have been asking questions
from the background but we can’t question authority.

“It is
not clear whether Matamadanda is no longer our national PC or not so this
development might be a signal that Rugeje has been reinstated as PC.  This is one of the developments in our party
which has remained shrouded in mystery.

“We
just wait to hear the official party position on the commissariat department,”
said one recipient of the Chitepo School of Ideology certificate.

President
Emmerson Mnangagwa seems to be playing his lieutenants one against the other
since the shock removal of Rugeje back in 2019 and his replacement with
Matemadanda.

However,
Matemadanda’s own sudden removal remains a matter of gossip, with no clear
communication from the party.

The
Chitepo School of Ideology is embarking on a massive drive to orient their
recently constituted District Coordinating Committee (DCC) structures,
government employees and chiefs among others ahead of the 2023 harmonised
elections. 

 

Water crisis: Masvingo pays ZESA for transformer replacement

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Water crisis: Masvingo pays ZESA for transformer replacement
Edward Mukaratirwa

Moses
Ziyambi

City of Masvingo on
Thursday, April 29, 2021 paid the full amount that the Zimbabwe Electricity
Supply Authority (ZESA) for the replacement of a high-voltage transformer which
fed the water intake tower at Bushmead before it got damaged earlier in April.

The city, which already
had been struggling to supply water to residents, reduced pumping further after
the transformer was damaged. The power utility responded by connecting the
intake tower to an alternative feeder which, however, does not carry sufficient
voltage to power both pumps.

On February 27, Zesa,
through its subsidiary the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution
(ZETDC) sent an almost $6 million quote to council for the replacement.

When contacted for
comment, acting Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa confirmed paying the full amount
$5 763 327.94 after council made a resolution to settle the amount as a matter
of urgency.

“We made the full
payment today and it is our hope that work will begin as a matter of urgency.
That would be our hope that the severe water shortage will come to an end,”
said Mukaratirwa.

He said Zesa had
indicated that a suitable transformer had been identified in Mwenezi but it was
not yet clear when it would be moved to the new site as the logistics were not
yet in place.

When asked why council
paid a public company for repair work on key infrastructure, Mukaratirwa said
ZESA had communicated that since council was the sole user of that
infrastructure, the cost of replacing that equipment should be shouldered by
the local authority.

“But should anybody
else get connected to that equipment in the future, we would be due for some
recompense,” said Mukaratirwa.

He also said the new
transformer would receive power from the Zesa substation located inside the
Bushmead Water Works premises, meaning that the intake tower would be connected
to a backup feeder line when the line that got disrupted gets back online.

 

Covid-19: PPEs required for prisoners in Midlands

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Covid-19: PPEs required for prisoners in Midlands
File Picture

 Tinaani
Nyabereka

GWERU – The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional
Services (ZPCS) has called upon its stakeholders under the Zimbabwe Associations
of Organisations Working with Prisoners (ZAOWP) to help provide inmates with
more Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to help combat the spread of the Covid-19
in prisons.

Speaking during the ZAOWP stakeholder engagement meeting
last Friday in Gweru, ZPCS provincial nursing officer Engelbert Dube said the
institution worked with various partners and Ministry of Health to closely
monitor the wellbeing of inmates.

He said overcrowding in prisons made it difficult to enforce
social distancing in prisons.

“Prison facilities were not spared from the devastating
effects of Covid-19 and we registered 36 cases. As of now, the situation in our
prisons is stable and we are conducting random tests to make sure that we
closely monitor Covid-19 cases.

“We restricting large visits and visitors must undergo
clearance process first as part of measures to protect inmates,” said Dube.

He pleaded for stakeholder support through the supply of facemasks
and sanitizers for prisoners.

Voluntary Services Oversee (VSO) programs officer, George
Matende said there was need for stakeholders to lobby and break down the cycle
of reoffending among ex-convicts.

“We have seen many offenders getting certificates, diplomas
and degrees while they are in prison but shortage of jobs remains the problem
when they are released.

“They have qualifications but they still fail to get
jobs due to the stigmatization due to their criminal records. Just as we accept
them back into society, let’s also accept them and recommend them to get work
in various institutions,” said Matende.

Another Bikita minor goes missing

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Another Bikita minor goes missing

Terrence
Ndowora

The Bikita community has once again
been thrown into shock after a 5-year-old girl went missing on April 26 barely
a week after another age mate went missing only to be found dead in a disused
septic tank.

Nokutenda Chirandu (5), who was
reported missing on April 26, was last seen in the afternoon at Hozvi Primary School
in Bikita.

Chirandu’s mother, Faith Kurungedye,
told TellZim News that her child went for school in the morning and never came
back.

“She went to school and it was her
first day attending school. After school, her cousin sister who’s in ECD B,
looked for her but didn’t find her. She later came back home and alerted me
that she had not found her sister at school,” said Kurungedye.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson
Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa said he was yet to receive the report.

A police report was made yesterday,
April 28 at Nyika police station in Bikita.

Recently, another 5-year-old Mitchel
Musharu from Bikita went missing on April 17 at Nyika Growth Point and her
lifeless body was discovered a week later in a disused septic tank by her
parents who immediately notified the police.

Women, youth take back seat on Mwenezi East elections

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Women, youth take back seat on Mwenezi East elections

 

Cephas Shava

Vying
for elected political posts, be it in the local authority or for the
legislature, has become somewhat ‘sacred’ for Mwenezi East’s dejected youths
and women who have seemingly ‘accepted’ to be back seaters and mere stairs for
propping up men into top political posts.

Mwenezi
East constituency, which last had a female councilor during the 2008 elections,
has since then seen the political field being a preserve for men with youths
also reluctant to break grounds in eyeing top elected political offices.

With
both Zanu PF and the MDC Alliance having opened the race for party primaries to
replace the late legislator Joosbi Omar, women and youth have once again failed
to rise to the occasion on the prospective candidates.

The MDC
Alliance has three male aspiring candidates who include, Tineyi Mapepa,
Tendekai Mandizvidza and Alfred Chihwakwa.

Zanu PF
has about ten male candidates for their primary elections slated for May 4 with
no youth and women in the pot.

Zanu PF
list of primary contestants include Master Makope, Simbarashe Mpofu-Mabhena,
Takura Mudavose, Jabulani Mberesi, Marvelous Chifumuro, Hassim Hoosen and
Tinashe Nyoni among others.

Mwenezi
District Zanu PF secretary for youth affairs Passmore Madzudzu acknowledged the
reluctance of youths to eye for top political post saying more still needs to
be done to encourage their participation.

“I
am yet to be officially informed of any party youth who is aspiring to join the
Mwenezi East race.

“As a
party, we are going to spearhead programmes that will encourage youth to fully
eye positions in the local authority and in the legislature. I am very sure that
by the time the 2023 elections are held more youths will be geared to grab such
posts,” said Madzudzu.

MDC
Alliance Masvingo provincial youth spokesperson Timothy Muswere told TellZim
News that youths were not only reluctant to eye top political post but they had
completely lost hope in the voting process.

He said
since women and youths constitute the majority of the voting population, they
need to forge an alliance such that when elections come they would be fully
supported to compete in the political arena.

“The
youth and women are not fully supported to take up the political space. They
are largely used by man as stairs to the top.

“The
youth have completely lost hope and trust in the electoral processes. We need
to make a paradigm shift and make sure that the youth and women are never left
behind.

“By
2023 we should have made progress and we hope to see more youth and women
rising to the occasion,” said Muswere.

Several
youths who spoke to TellZim News pointed out that, after realising that
elections were predetermined events, they do not see the need to waste their
time taking part in processes that will end with them being used as political
pawns.

Shumirai
Tshuma who is the MDC Alliance’s Mwenezi East chairlady attributed women’s
reluctance to participate in top political positions to fear of violence.

She
said if women are given a level playing field with man, they would be more than
willing to stand up and challenge for political positions.

“There
is a lot of violence associated with elections and sometimes women do not have
the bone for it.

“This
is the reason why we have more man than women taking up positions and women are
just there to support man,” said Tshuma.

Zanu PF
Mwenezi district secretary for women affairs Viola Maregedze said women lack
education to join the political race.

“Here
in Mwenezi most women have limited education. Besides lacking self-confidence
to lead, they also assume that they cannot afford to be councilors or
legislators given their limited education.

“As for
youths, most of them here are school dropouts who usually prioritised crossing
to neighboring South Africa to seek employment before finishing school.

“There
is need to initiate programmes that instill confidence among both women and
youths so that they exude confidence and understand that regardless of one’s
level of education anyone can occupy top political office and execute expected
duties with diligence,” said Maregere.

The
proposed Constitutional Amendment Bill Number II which is now awaits its second
Senate reading proposes the extension of the women’s quota to 2023 and also has
a provision of the youth quota at both national assembly and local authority
levels.

It was murder, police open investigation into death of Bikita minor

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It was murder, police open investigation into death of Bikita minor

The late Mitchel Musharu 

Terrence
Ndowora

The police, who had ruled out foul play
on the death of Mitchel Musharu, saying they suspected drowning have turned
around and opened a murder investigation after post mortem results are said to
have shown indications that the girl could have been murdered.

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson
Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the development saying the police now
suspect murder on the death of Musharu after the post mortem results.

“Initially the police had ruled out
foul play into the death of Musharu after the body was discovered without any
physical injuries.

“Now that the post mortem results are
out, it has been discovered that the cause of death was not drowning as
initially thought. We have since opened a murder investigation,” said Inspector
Dhewa.

He refused to shed light on the details
of the post mortem.

The deceased, who went missing on April
17 at Nyika Growth Point, was found a week later in a disused septic tank by
her parents who immediately notified the police.

Soldier killed over girlfriend

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Soldier killed over girlfriend
File Picture: soldiers showing of their fighting skills

 George
Chimwayange

ZAKA— A soldier from Makumire Village under
Chief Bota and based at 4.1 Infantry Brigade was killed over a girlfriend at
Svuure Shopping Centre in Zaka last week.

Munyaradzi Chikovore is alleged to have
been killed by his girlfriend Melody Munyaradzi’s ex-husband Samson Muzivirwa.

Efforts to get a comment from the
police where fruitless as Masvingo provincial police spokesperson Inspector
Kudakwashe Dhewa said they haven’t received anything concerning the story.

Sources privy to the incident said on
the fateful day, Chikovore and Munyaradzi were seated at a Church of Christ
building at Svuure Business Center when the latter’s ex-husband arrived.

Muzivirwa is alleged to have attacked his
ex-wife first on the head and arm with an iron bar before she escaped and
sought refuge nearby.

Sources say Muzivirwa was demanding his
lobola back while attacking his ex-wife.

The enraged Muzivirwa is said to have
pursued his ex-wife with the intention to attack her further but was restrained
by onlookers.

The ex-wife is said to have fled and
locked herself in a shop prompting Muzivirwa to go after Chikovore who was
ambushed and assaulted by an iron rod accusing him of snatching wife.

The now deceased tried to escape but
was pursued and the attack continued. Chikovore’s body was discovered close to
Svuure Business Centre the following morning by villagers who alerted the
police.

Zanu PF MP, CIO order Cottco to withdraw MDC member’s tender

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Zanu PF MP, CIO order Cottco to withdraw MDC member’s tender
Roy Bhila

 Beatific
Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI– Chiredzi North Member of Parliament
(MP) Roy Bhila has unwittingly exposed Zanu PF’s capture of state enterprises
through a leaked conversation with the local Cotton Company of Zimbabwe
(Cottco) business manager Innocent Gukwe whom he was arm-twisting to cancel a
tender won by a purported MDC member.

Bhila could be heard on the other end
of the conversation threatening Gukwe that he risked been fired if he did not
reverse the tender for a 31-seater Plaxton Mercedes Benz omnibus awarded to
Sasavona Logistics.

The tender required the omnibus to
ferry Cottco staff members to and from work.

The bus is alleged to be owned by John
Manganye, who contested in the 2018 harmonised elections in Chiredzi West against
the incumbent Zanu PF’s Farai Musikavanhu, as an independent candidate.

Bhila refused to entertain questions
when TellZim News sought him out for a comment on the leaked conversation.

The leaked conversation involves a
member of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) based in Chiredzi who
also piled pressure on Gukwe, who at first tried to stand his ground but later
on succumbed under political pressure.

Some names of government officials
including cabinet ministers were thrown around to intimidate Gukwe who
eventually buckled saying he would deal with the issue.

“I am saying withdraw that contract
with immediate effect. That bus belongs to an MDC Alliance member. Ministers
are coming here on the 23rd of April and the issue is going to be
briefed to those ministers.

“The owner of the bus is the one who
battled it out with Farai Musikavanhu in 2018 and Musikavanhu is saying he is
going to complain about the issue when briefing the minister.

“Leave that case otherwise you will be
in soup when it is discovered that you are giving money to an MDC member for
his next campaign. You have to make your way out on this issue,” charged Bhila
on one side of the conversation.

Gukwe tried to defend himself, saying
the company does not look into people’s political backgrounds when giving
tenders. He then tried to shift the blame to one of his colleague only
identified as Zimunya.

“No, we did not even know that the omnibus
belonged to an MDC Alliance member. We do not look into people’s political
backgrounds when awarding tenders.

“We thought it was just another local
business person. We are now following your decisions on the case because
Dingane Ncube (CIO) once came to me with the issue and said he was going to
advise me on how to handle the issue,” said Gukwe in his defence.

However, Bhila would have none of it,
reiterating that a delegation of cabinet ministers and government officials
which was in Chiredzi on April 23 would not take the matter lightly.

The cabinet delegation was led by
Agriculture minister Dr Anxious Masuka.

“I am saying cancel that tender,” said
Bhila before handing the phone to one Soul Nyangoni believed to be from the
CIO.

Nyangoni said that someone was going to
lose his job if they did not cancel the tender and strongly warned Gukwe to
recuse himself.

“You just have to follow the advice you
have been given by Bhila and we are managing the issue from our office. Zimunya
is always crossing roads with us and he is about to lose his job now,” said
Nyangoni.

TellZim News tracked the registered
owner of the bus, Israel Muchini, who said he was shocked to hear that his
tender has been revoked and his bus removed from the contracted list.

“I was surprised to be told that they
are withdrawing my omnibus from the contract because it is owned by an MDC
Alliance member. It is unfair. Why would they want to politicise everything?
Tenders should be awarded in a non-partisan manner,” said Muchini.

The supposed owner of the bus, Manganye
who is based in the United Kingdom, has been spear heading development in
Chiredzi.

He once donated a UK make Mercedes Benz
ambulance, water tanks and hospital beds at Chiredzi Poly Clinic which were
officially commissioned by Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs
and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira.

‘Govt failing HIV+ people in Covid-19 vaccination programme’

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‘Govt failing HIV+ people in Covid-19 vaccination programme’

Courage
Dutiro

With the country now approaching the third phase of
Covid-19 vaccination, People Living with HIV (PLHIV) in Zimbabwe are blaming
government for not disseminating enough and clear information to them
concerning the programme.

Network of Positive Women national coordinator Evelyn
Chamisa said lack of clear information on the vaccination programme affected
the participation of their members.

“People are complaining about lack of information. There
has not been much information on whether we should take the vaccine or not. We
don’t know if there are side effects to the vaccines.

“The government should provide information for people
living with HIV because there are fears that they may develop some unknown
life-long side effects because they do not know if their medication is
compatible with the vaccine.

“However I am encouraging those who are willing to
take the vaccine to be vaccinated. I also encourage them to seek advice from
health specialists before they get vaccinated,” said Chamisa.

One person who lives with HIV confided to TellZim News
that she was ready to be vaccinated but was fearful she could experience some
side-effects as she did when her medication was changed from Antiretroviral (ARV)
Stalanev 40 to ARV Tenolum.

“I experienced severe side effects and was admitted in
hospital for a whole month. I experienced severe diarrhea for nine months and I
lost almost 25kg of body weight. I escaped death with a whisker, I don’t
know what the Covid-19 vaccine will do to me and I am now hesitant to take it,”
she said.

Former Zimbabwe National
Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) national chairman Sebastian Chinhaire said
information about Covid-19 vaccination with regards to PLHIV was not clear.

“The main issue is the lack of information on the
after effects of Covid-19 vaccines on People Living with HIV who are on ART.

“Not enough information has been disseminated
concerning those on ART. This has resulted in misconceptions and
speculations.  Much of the information on
PLHIV is social media-based and this has worsened the misconceptions and
skepticism. The Ministry of Health has not done much in terms of information
dissemination on Covid-19 vaccination and people with chronic diseases.

“People Living with HIV have experienced life long
after effects because of ARVs, with some now suffering neuropathy (unequal
distribution of body fat). So you cannot blame some of us who are reluctant to
get the jab, we need enough information. We fear that these life-long side
effects could be worsened if we get vaccinated. The government should assure us
if we are to be vaccinated,” said Chinhaire.

David Maziva, who described himself as a health
promotion officer in Chiredzi, said the vaccine seems to be safe even to those
on ART.

“At the moment vaccines seem to be safe even to people
living with HIV. A person should continue taking ARVs even after taking the
vaccine. HIV patients are among people who are at high risk of disease
progression when they contract the Covid-19 virus.

“However, those
on some treatment regimes such as chemotherapy and those people with unstable
health conditions like high Blood Pressure (BP) should not be vaccinated,” he
said.

The government aims to vaccinate 10 million people in
its free and voluntary Covid-19 vaccination programme which is now on the
second phase.

The first phase consisted of the frontline workers who
include those in the health sector, the security sector, the media fraternity
among others.

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