“The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) would like to inform the public that is has lifted with immediate effect the suspension of electoral activities with immediate effect the suspension of electoral activities following measures taken by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reads the statement from ZEC.
“Electoral timelines for all pending by-elections will be published in the press through notices in due course.”
I strongly object to the holding of these by-elections for four reasons;
- Zimbabwe has not been conducting corona virus test at anywhere near the level it should be doing. As of end of July SA had done 3 million covid 19 tests out of a population of 60 million, i.e. test 1 in 20 South Africans. In the same period Zimbabwe had only done 145 000 tests out of a population of 16 million, i.e. test 1 in 110 Zimbabweans or 20% of what SA had done. Zimbabwe’s covid-19 confirmed cases and deaths have remained very low compared to SA but is only because we have not been testing! Likewise, the decision to ease the corona virus restrictions is based on conjecture and not science and reality. Allowing rallies and other political activities to resume will only allow the corona virus to spread.
- “The electoral commission (ZEC) lacked full independence and appeared to not always act in an impartial manner. The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” the EU Election Observer Mission stated in its final report. “As such, many aspects of the 2018 elections in Zimbabwe failed to meet international standard.” ZEC had failed to produce something as basic as a verified voters’ roll for Pete’s sake! Nothing has change since the rigged July 2018 elections. There is still no verified voters’ roll, no even one of the 3 million Zimbabweans in the diaspora denied a vote have been registered as voters, the oppressive system that has turned the rural voters into medieval serfs beholden to the Zanu PF leaders and their operatives is still in place, etc.
- Zanu PF rigged the July 2018 elections securing the 2/3 parliamentary majority and the presidency; the damage was done then. The by-elections are mainly over the opposition seats and the result will have no effect, Zimbabwe will still be stuck with a vote rigging and illegitimate Zanu PF regime.
- There could be as many as 50 parliamentary by-elections alone each costing US$2 million, at least. The by-elections have been triggered by Madam Thokozani Khupe who has been recalling MPs and councillors who have refused to switch loyalty from Chamisa to her. Zimbabwe is failing to mobilise money and resources to but covid-19 test kits, PPE for the covid-19 frontline workers, to ensure there is clean running water for hospitals and clinics, up to 8 million Zimbabweans are facing food shortage, etc. How can we justify splash US$100 million on by-election everyone knows are just a futile exercise!
According to the John Hopkins Research Centre SA has 650 749 confirmed covid-19 cases and 15 499 deaths. If Zimbabwe had been testing, tracing and tracking as aggressively as the World Health Organisation and common sense dictates the country will have 1/4 SA’s figures (give Zimbabwe population is 1/4 that of SA).
So instead of 162 000 or so cases and 3 800 deaths Zimbabwe has 7 531 cases and 224 deaths; all because Zimbabwe has not been testing. The price of not testing and having very low covid-19 figures, probably one of the lowest per capita in the world, is many people with the virus who should have been in isolation have continue to roam free spreading the virus.
Of course, it is insane to relax the corona virus restrictions at the very time when the virus is still spreading and, worst of all, do so for sake of keeping up the Zimbabwe is a healthy democratic nation appearance.
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World Bank Country Manager for Zimbabwe Mukami Kariuki has praised Vice President Constantino Chiwenga's vision on the health sector saying it was very unique.
Reporting on the matter the United Nations Zimbabwe said, "Appreciating the forward leaning vision that Hon VP Chiwenga enunciated for health sector, World Bank Country Manager Ms. Kariuki said that the National Development Strategy that #GoZ was working on offers unique opportunity 4 linkages across relevant sectors to build synergy.”
It is no secret that Zimbabwe’s health care service is a total mess, the country has not been testing for covid-19 even on those with all the symptoms of the virus and hence the reason the country’s covid-19 cases and deaths are one of the lowest. So what is it that Ms Kariuki is praising here is a complete mystery.
The sad reality with some of our foreign representatives is that they have sided with the ruling elite at the expense of the long suffering masses and the truth.
“Unlike (former President Robert) Mugabe who spent the first three years of his reign trying to build the country’s education, health and economy, Mnangagwa is spending his first three years plotting arrests, abductions and killing of political opponents,” said Kasukuwere.
“It (extradition) is going to be resisted, there are international laws that protect us. He has already convicted us before we even come and laws will protect us. We are even more innocent than Mnangagwa himself.”
Rubbish Mugabe plotted and rigged the 1980 elections, by making sure Zanu PF operative remain in the field to intimidate the voters. And as soon as he got into power he started corrupting the country’s state institutions to create a de facto one-party dictatorship. In 1983 Mugabe launched the murderous Gukurahundi massacre.
The Zimbabwe economy went into decline soon after independence, it did not show it then but only because it was burning the fat inherited in 1980.
Mnangagwa is corrupt and murderous thug and being “more innocent than Mnangagwa” means nothing. Kasukuwere, Mzembi and all the other G40 leaders shared in Mugabe’s corrupt and murderous schemes and in the spoils; they are all corrupt and lawless thugs.
“Cabinet approved the resumption of inter-city travel to facilitate the movement of examination candidates, citizens and tourism visitors,” said Mutsvangwa.
“Transporters who wish to ferry passengers should register with the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development to ensure that they strictly comply with Standard Operating Procedures for their sector which are compliant to the WHO guidelines and all COVID-19 regulations."
I have listened to a CNN News clip today and it was the first major media house to dismiss Zimbabwe's low covid-19 confirmed cases and deaths as a farce and to say why. "Zimbabwe is not testing!"
Of course, this is stupid because by not testing and doing the common sense thing of putting those with the virus into isolation Zimbabwe is only helping the virus spread far and wide.
It is a great tragedy that Zimbabweans themselves have been naive and gullible not to question the country's official covid-19 figures. Not even the nurses and doctors who had all the evidence of all the people who had corona virus but were never included in the official figures but only because the regime saw to it that they were never tested.
It is assay as a, b, c and d to see why the EU Election Observer Mission final report said, “The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability.” How can anyone verify and trace the cast votes when there is no verified voters’ roll?
Robert Mugabe wanted absolute power and what better way of achieving that than having a one-party state. When he failed to get a constitution that enshrined the one-party state at Lancaster House he set about to impose one. His big break came when he fell out with Joshua Nkomo and his PF Zapu, the world will never know who engineered it.
Mugabe launched the 1983 Gukurahundi massacre whose aim was to either force PF Zapu to disband and join Zanu PF or the party would be wiped off the face of the earth. PF Zapu signed the unity accord in 1987 clearing the way for the imposing of the de facto one party state.
In the 2008 elections the Zimbabwe economy was in a real mess and Zanu PF’s popularity was rock bottom and to stay in power the party blatantly cheated and used wanton violence to stay in power. This time not even SADC and AU who have turned a blind eye to Zanu PF’s culture of rigging elections could do so. SADC forced Mugabe to agree to the implementation of a raft of democratic reforms designed to stop the rigging. A GNU was formed and tasked to implement the reforms.
Mugabe bribed his MDC partners in the GNU to make sure no reforms are implemented in 5 years of the GNU. He also realised that as long as he allowed the opposition to win a few gravy train seats they would participate in the elections regardless how flawed and illegal the process became. Thus Zanu PF has managed to retain the de facto one party dictatorship with the active support of the opposition!
The opposition is so preoccupied fighting over the scraps they have all but forgotten about the reforms. Zanu PF, in its usual sadistic way enjoyed tormenting the opposition, throwing a elephant thigh bone at the jackals.
The by-elections are as meaningless and futile as participating in the main elections and it is a criminal waste of money, especially when the country is failing to buy covid-19 test kits, PPE, etc.
Without first implementing the democratic reforms elections are a farce. What is so desperately annoying is that it is none other than the opposition, who are supposedly fighting in polo’s corner for free and fair elections, who are giving the vote rigging and illegitimate Zanu PF regime some modicum of legitimacy!
CNN are the first major media house to acknowledge that Zimbabwe's corona virus figures were meaningless and to say why. Zimbabwe has not been testing.
When the late Minister of Agriculture, Perrance Shiri, died of corona virus the ruling elite were concerned that all workers in Munhumutapa Building, Zanu PF HQ and all other areas were the ruling elite are likely to be were tested for corona virus. No doubt, most of the test since are focused on the ruling elite, they are the only humans who matter in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe is going through the most difficult challenge in our history with corrupt and incompetent government and an equally corrupt and incompetent opposition. Ever since the court judgement that pitted Thokozani Khupe and Nelson Chamisa the two have been at each other's throat; they are not even aware of the corona virus sweeping the nation.
It real is a scandal that a country that is failing to do even the most basics in the fight against corona virus should be splashing millions of dollars on pointless by-elections. The country has a corrupt and incompetent government now and will still have a corrupt and incompetent government after the by-election!
Poor Zimbabwe we have done thing to end the curse of bad governance and now, with the worse existential crisis in our hands, we find ourselves stuck with a corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless government! We are paying dearly for our folly!
Mnangagwa praise Chiwenga for dealing with the striking nurses and doctors.
The suggestion we can deny nurses and doctors a living wage and still have a functioning health service is plain nonsense. What we have here is a regime that will not accept that it has all but destroyed the country's once productive and robust economy and has no clue what to do to revive it.
Mnangagwa thinks he can bully the nurses and doctors to continue working on a empty stomach, with no PPE, no equipment, in hospitals that are in a dilapidated state and yet still provide a 5 star health care service. The real surprise here is that we have allowed ourselves to have such buffoons for leaders for 40 years and counting.
A collapsed health care service could not happened at a worse time than now with the country in the middle of a corona virus pandemic. Officially Zimbabwe has one of the lowest per capita confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths. This reason for this is the regime has not been testing for the virus as diligently as it should. This was just another foolish decision because many people with the virus who would otherwise be in isolation have remain in society spreading the virus.
Zimbabwe has gone for seven days without recording a death associated with Covid-19, in a strong statement yet of the effectiveness of the country’s response.
Already, 224 lives have been claimed by Covid-19 in Zimbabwe, while over 900 000 people have died of the disease globally.
Yesterday, Zimbabwe registered 14 new cases, down from 26 cases on Thursday.
Overall, Zimbabwe has recorded 7 647 cases, although 5 883 people have recovered.
Speaking to state media on Friday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro, commended Zimbabweans for the discipline shown in adhering to the prescribed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines.
“It shows the message from President Mnangagwa is now cascading down to the people,” he said.
“He has always been saying people should continue following the health protocols. I need to thank the people of Zimbabwe who have been adhering to the prescribed regulations; their discipline is beginning to bear fruit.”
CNN was the only major media house to comment on Zimbabwe’s low confirmed covid-19 cases and deaths, one of the lowest per capita. What makes the figures even more striking is Zimbabwe’s economy was already in total meltdown and its health service had all but collapsed before the pandemic and therefore the country was the least prepared to deal with the virus. To therefore have one of the lowest cases and deaths per capita is at complete variance with what one would expect. CNN named the reason for this anomaly - Zimbabwe was not testing for the virus.
As of the end of July, Zimbabwe had only done 20% of the tests per capita compared to what SA had done. The regime reported that it was running out of test kits.
Seven days with no covid-19 death in totally meaningless when not even those who had the covid-19 symptoms before they died were tested! Of course, we are being deceived and not for the first time!
“The final results as announced by the Electoral Commission contained numerous errors and lacked adequate traceability, transparency and verifiability,” stated the EU 2018 Election Observer Mission final report. Zimbabweans themselves saw nothing wrong with the elections, it was all water off a duck’s back!
A hell lot more people have died of covid-19 in Zimbabwe than the official figure of 224! How anyone could be so indifferent to their own suffering and death beggars belief!
The Government is still deliberating on whether to re-open its land borders especially Beitbridge Border Post to international travellers following an announcement by South Africa that it will re-open its ports of entry on 1 October.
South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa last week announced that his country will open its borders from 1 October for international travel as the neighbouring country moves to the lowest level of its five-step coronavirus lockdown-Level 1.
At least SA has a robust testing, tracing and tracking system on the ground one that can pick up those with corona virus and put them into isolation. Zimbabwe has only managed to do 20% per capita tests of what SA has done. So only one in five people with corona virus will be pick up in Zimbabwe and put into isolation whilst the remaining four remain in the community spreading the virus.
Zimbabwe's confirmed covid-19 cases and death is one of the lowest per capita in the region and yet the country has the worst economic state and so too is its health care services. The explanation becomes obvious, Zimbabwe has not been test for the virus even those with the symptoms.
The real tragedy here is that so many Zimbabweans have accepted the official covid-19 figures as the truth and no questions asked. We are a naive and gullible people and are easily fooled.
SENIOR Government officials reportedly connived with private suppliers to siphon US$3 million from Treasury by inflating prices for Covid-19 consumables, it has been learnt.
The matter is being investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) after the lid was lifted by a whistle-blower.
No wonder donors have been reluctant to give Zimbabwe any assistance - nothing is sacred in Zimbabwe even life saving donated material is fair game to the looters! How many times has donated food aid ended up being sold whilst the people who needed it are left to starve!!!
The only way to end corruption is to uproot it at source by removing the corrupt from power in a free, fair and credible elections.
"Following communication from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to the effect that registrars enrolled for the University of Zimbabwe's Masters of Medicine and Masters of Obstetrics and Gynaecology programmes are no longer allowed to access public hospitals, the university has suspended classes for the programmes with immediate effect," Mutongereni said.
But a letter released by Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights secretary Norman Matara, addressed to the ministry by the registrars, revealed that the specialist students were being punished for requesting minimum requirements for their safety as well as that of patients.
"A number of registrars stationed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals have indicated their willingness to resume clinical services, but are hoping that minimum requirements for healthcare workers and patient safety are met as we continue in the pandemic," the letter read.
"These include the provision of Doppler's, CTGs [cardiotocography, a technical means of recording the feotal heartbeat and the uterine contractions during pregnancy], adequate personal protective equipment as appropriate for tasks, adequate nursing staff levels for theatres and the wards, two functional theatres at MMH at any given day and time including weekends, the ready availability of consultants to teach and assist, a commitment to resumption of elective surgeries and outpatient clinics and adequate junior levels."
The specialist students reiterated that the hospital and the university must treat them as qualified doctors and postgraduate students and not mere cheap labour.
"It is our expectations that both the hospital and the university treats us as qualified doctors and post-graduate students and not mere cheap labour providers. Our salaries amount to nothing and providing services on a voluntary basis like this, we hope will be accorded some level of kindness," they wrote.
VP Chiwenga boasted of transforming Zimbabwe’s health care services into one on the best in the world and he expects to achieve by having the poorest paid doctors and nurses in the world. This is a nightmare, we are in serious trouble and instead of offering a way out the likes of Chiwenga and Mnangagwa will only drag us deeper and deeper into the abyss.
No Covid-19 death was recorded yesterday.
“As at 24 September 2020, Zimbabwe had 7 752 confirmed cases, including 6 043 recoveries and 227 deaths,” reads the daily report.
How many tests were carried out? Zimbabwe has one of the lowest per capita covid-19 tests in the whole world.
The truth is the country has blundered in the handling of the pandemic and has successful hidden its failures by making sure the truth remains a closely guarded secret. Indeed, Zanu PF decided it was going to come out of the pandemic with its reputation as a competent regime enhanced and what better way of achieving that than carrying out as few tests as possible.
Failing to test and track the virus does not stop the virus but do the exact opposite; it only helps the virus spread.
What we have here is a regime that is more interested in promoting its imagine even if that means putting the lives of hundreds of thousands innocent people at risk!
GOVERNMENT'S decision to impose stiff measures on doctors intending to leave the country in pursuit of the proverbial greener pastures is quite unfortunate as it seems designed to punish health professionals who have over the past 12 months been playing cat and mouse games with the authorities, demanding better working conditions.
VP Chiwenga believes he can create a first class health service without having to pay the staff a living wage, buying them PPE, etc. He and his fellow Zanu PF ruling elite are the ones who must get the lion's share of the nation's wealth and the rest must make do with whatever scraps are left behind.
The country’s health care service has all but completely collapsed because of 40 years of Zanu PF misrule and greed. Mnangagwa, Chiwenga are just buffoons who have no clue what to do to revive the comatose economy, they are a continuum of the Zanu PF misrule and greed masquerading as change.
In the corona virus pandemic Zimbabwe, like the rest of the world, is facing its greatest existential threat of our generation. What a time to have buffoon in charge!!!!!
A Chinese medical team arrived in Zimbabwe to help local doctors handle the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country, local media reported Monday.
The 10-member team, the 18th of its kind to visit Zimbabwe, will assist the Zimbabwean doctors in fighting the virus for a year, local news website The Herald reported.
“We have very strong relations with China in the medical field and as you are aware, this is the 18th medical team from China to visit Zimbabwe. The 17th team will be leaving this Friday,” said Maxwell Hove, acting Chief Director of Curative Services in Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care. He received the Chinese medical team at the Robert Mugabe International Airport, according to the report.
The head of Chinese medical team, who is the deputy chief physician in the Radiology Department of the Zhuzhou Central Hospital, Dr. Luo Weiqiang said: “We want to assist Zimbabwe in the fight against COVID-19 as well as explore other areas in the traditional medicine field,” according to The Herald.
“We will also focus on the promotion of the Chinese Traditional Medicine,” he was quoted as saying.
Since March, at least 227 people have been killed and 7,812 infected with COVID-19 in the landlocked southern African country, according to figures compiled by the US-based John Hopkins University.
Zimbabwe’s official covid-19 cases and deaths are totally meaningless because the country has not been testing anywhere near enough. We are just shooting in the dark.
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