Chipinge villagers fined for public violence
CASES of cholera are being worsened by community acts of resistance against recommended precautionary measures as well as mushrooming of homesteads without basic amenities such as toilets, a medical practitioner has said.
Speaking during an interactive session of Manicaland stakeholders at Checheche Primary School in Chipinge on Tuesday, Acting Chipinge District Medical Officer, Dr Ozmore Matekenya said cholera preventative guidelines on conducting funeral rites are not being observed.
The Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza was also part of the meeting.
“Government has done all it can to contain cholera, but communities are not playing their part at all. Recently, we received a truckload of cholera medication and preventative implements. This is part of Government’s efforts to halt the spread of the disease.
“However, it is sad that our people are resisting recommended precautionary measures. In most cases we are witnessing people conducting funerals in a way that is not congruent to the recommended precautionary measures.
“We have been saying let us shun cooking food, shaking hands and body viewing during funerals, but all this is being resisted by our communities. This is why we are having difficulties in containing the outbreak. It will be very difficult for as long as the people do not want to play their part,” said Dr Matekenya.
He said in some areas around in Chipinge, which is one of the cholera hotspots in the province, they have discovered the mushrooming of about 15 homesteads without a single toilet.
“We have discovered mushrooming homesteads in some areas where you will see more than 15 homesteads without a single toilet.
“This is just unacceptable because such situations are part of the super spreaders. In some areas, you have people constructing latrines a few metres from their source of drinking water,” he said.
Chipinge District has recorded 22 deaths since the start of the cholera pandemic in March last year.
Dr Matekenya said the same resistance against disease preventative measures is also affecting the fight against malaria.
“This is the same case with the fight against malaria. Some people bar our teams from accessing their homes when we carry out residual spraying exercises.
“At times, the first person to resist is a community leader, especially our respected traditional leaders. What will others do after their leader resist?” Dr Matekenya said.
Chipinge District Development Coordinator, Mr William Mashava weighed in saying: “Since the detection of the first case in March last year, Chipinge has had 22 deaths, and people need to be on the watch out.”
Ethanol producing concern, GreenFuel’s public relations officer, Mrs Merit Rumema, whose company has contributed in the fight against cholera said: “GreenFuel has imported solar panels to be installed at boreholes so that people can have access to clean and safe drinking water. We have started with assessing the existing boreholes with the aim of having them solar powered. We have set aside a budget for the fight against cholera in this area,” said Mrs Rumema.
Meanwhile, Manicaland recorded 16 new admissions and 47 discharges this week.
In Chipinge, eight cases were reported at St Peter’s Mission Hospital where five suspected cases emerged, while Veneka and Madhuku Clinics had a case each.
One new confirmed cholera case was recorded in Rusape.
Seventeen new suspected cholera cases were reported in Buhera.
Mutare Rural has three cases at Rowa Clinic (two) and Chitakatira (one).
Mutasa has one case at Old Mutare Mission Hospital, while Chimanimani had two cases that were reported at Chimanimani Clinic and Mutambara Mission Hospital.
Three suspected cholera deaths were recorded in Mutasa (one) and Chipinge (two).
A total of 57 cases are currently admitted in Manicaland, with one at Murambinda, Berenyazvivi (seven), Birchenough Bridge (one),Chabata (two), Chapanduka (two), Munyanyi (three), Betera (three), Buhera (three), Chiadzwa (two), Rowa (three), Nzvenga (one), Burma Valley (one), St Peter’s (36), Manzvire (three), Muswera (two), Chibuwe (one),Kondo (one), Madhuku (one), Veneka (one), Mutare (five), Mandeya (two) and two at Old Mutare in Mutasa District.
SEVEN Chipinge villagers were each fined US$100 for inciting public violence after they besieged Bangwe Primary School, accusing teachers of practicing satanism.
Clemence Bote (48), Willard Sithole (43), Abel Simba Sithole (55), Takudzwa Sithole (24), Edmore Maposa (34), Mollen Pepa (22) and Tendai Mabvuu (40), all of Murepa Village under Chief Mutema’s area were convicted on their own guilty plea when they appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Alfred Chinembiri early this week.
The seven were convicted of partaking in a gathering that incited public violence and breached peace as defined in Section 37(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
The court heard that on Monday, the seven villagers who were leading about 100 villagers stormed Bangwe Primary School, confronted and threatened the head, Mr Edward Chikwava, and the teacher-in-charge, Mrs Rumbidzai Masocha.
Prosecuting, Ms Chipo Matanga said the militant villagers accused Mr Chikwava and Mrs Masocha of initiating learners at the school into satanism.
“They proceeded to Mr Chikwava’s house and blocked the door and veranda with stones and logs,” said the Prosecutor.
After that, they proceeded to Mrs
Masocha’s house where they blocked the doors with logs. They also put stones on the windows.
“The mob broke into song and dance, denouncing Mr Chikwava and Mrs Masocha,” said Ms Matanga.
The mob said learners were mysteriously fainting and dying at the school and waved placards.
At Mrs Masocha’s house, the mob attacked Mrs Masocha’s husband, Mr George Masocha, who was taking videos of the demonstrators.
One of the accused persons snatched Mr Masocha’s smartphone and smashed it to the ground, thereby damaging it in the process.
A report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of the seven villagers.