PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government yesterday
suspended plans to buy new vehicles for the new Cabinet ministers and Members
of Parliament and channelled the money towards fighting the cholera epidemic,
which has claimed 32 lives and infected over 7 000 people in and outside Harare
in the past two weeks.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube, who yesterday launched a
health crowd-funding campaign to raise almost $64 million to fight the cholera
outbreak, confirmed the new austerity measures, saying government had decided
to prioritise citizens’ health above bureaucrats’ luxury perks.
“That is exactly what we have done. This $15 million that
the government has paid is exactly that. We have had to suspend certain things
to make sure that we deal with this endemic immediately. That is exactly what
we have done,” Ncube told journalists at the health crowdfund launch.
Of course, there is still a gap, but it is not an immediate
gap (but), it’s a long-term gap in the sense that we need further investment in
the (health) sector. For that again there will be a further outlay of
government resources plus resources from partners and we are already talking to
them about contributing to the $35 million long-term funding.”
Cabinet ministers are entitled to top-of-the-range
Mercedes-Benz sedans, Range Rovers and Toyota Land Cruisers.
Deputy ministers are entitled to the latest all-terrain
Mazda BT50s as well as Mercedes-Benz sedans.
Mnangagwa’s government has 20 Cabinet ministers, 13
deputies, 10 Provincial Affairs ministers and two Ministers of State in
Vice-Presidents Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi’s offices.
Government is expected to shell out over $20 million to buy
new vehicles for the 350 legislators.
Ncube defended his decision to crowdfund for the health
sector, saying the practice was common in most developed countries, and assured
contributors that their money would be properly accounted for.
He said more needed to be done in terms of creating
immediate and long-term solutions to the cholera scourge.
The new Treasury boss said they had since raised $29
million in pledges, with government contributing about $15,7 million towards
the cause.
Several corporates donated various amounts and materials to
fight cholera, among them Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, National Foods, OK
Zimbabwe, Delta Corporation, Spar Zimbabwe, Zimplats, Ecobank, Environmental
Management Agency, Southern Region Trading, Rainbow Tourism Group, Grain
Millers Association, Premier Service Medical Investments, Pharmaceuticals
Society and TelOne, among others.
Ncube said his Health counterpart Obadiah Moyo had assured
him that enough measures had been put in place to curb further spread of the
“medieval” waterborne disease, with the number of new infections sharply
dropping from about 500 to 100 per day.
Health deputy minister John Mangwiro said some of the
measures include discouraging handshakes.
“We need to change our habits. I know it’s very rude when
someone extends their hand and you don’t shake them, it might be very unfair,”
he said.
“Therefore, we have changed the way we greet so that we
don’t really clutch each other’s hand.” Newsday
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