Ncube must explain US$120m COVID-19 money
WHAT has happened to the US$120 million that Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said was given to Zimbabwe to fight the coronavirus?
All we know is that US$60 million was awarded to a dodgy firm with links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s family. After Interpol raised the red flag, the contract was terminated. This was after four months.
There is little sign of much else the money could have been spent on. And Ncube has the audacity to approach the international community to give us debt relief !
When Zanu PF cadres were at war, they at least had guns to protect themselves and the locals to feed them, but they seem to expect doctors and nurses to fight this current COVID-19 war without protection and no money to buy food for themselves or their families.
They have been doing their job of saving lives at total risk of their own lives. We must be very grateful to them all, whether on strike or still struggling to save lives.
It seems that our esteemed President Emmerson Mnangagwa has only just woken up to the very real threat of coronavirus pandemic since the death of Lands minister Perrance Shiri.
Finally, he has appointed a minister and permanent secretary to the Health ministry. What about reinstating the former permanent secretary who by all accounts was very capable and honest?
Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa has also just announced the flighting of a 72-hour tender for $5,6 million to buy test kits.
Suddenly, the government has woken up to the urgency of the matter, but still no personal protective equipment for the medical staffers who are putting their lives on the line to help others.
The isolation centres are also obviously running on a shoe-string budget from what we have heard.
The government could have used part of that $120 million to rent hotels, etc, and isolate returnees in comfort so they did not abscond and spread the virus as has happened.
The government has shown just how totally selfish and ignorant it is.
Instead of blocking demonstrations by disgruntled citizens, they should do the right thing and own up to their incompetence and just resign before we are all dead.