News / National
Chamisa calls for health minister's arrest
15 Jul 2019 at 10:33hrs | Views
MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called for Health Minister Obadiah Moyo to be arrested for corruption after a leaked letter showed how Zanu-PF plans to use medical drugs as a campaign tool in the Lupane East by-election.
Chamisa said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) should step in and investigate potential abuse of office by Moyo.
Matemadanda wrote to Moyo on July 2 requesting medicines for six clinics in the constituency ahead of the August 3 by-election.
Moyo's response dated July 5 was leaked on social media. In the signed letter copied to NatPharm managing director Flora Sifeku, permanent secretary Agnes Mahomva and the director of pharmacy, one R Hove, with the subject: ‘Request for assistance in respect of the Lupane East by-election campaign', Moyo said: "Your letter of July 2, 2019, requesting for medicines for Lupaka, Gomoza, St Paul, Lake Alice, Lusulu and Lupanda clinics refers. I have instructed the permanent secretary Dr Mahomva to activate NatPharm to supply the clinics mentioned with medicines."
Chamisa said it was a clear breach of electoral laws and incontrovertible evidence of abuse of office by Moyo.
NatPharm supplies drugs to all government hospitals in the country, most of them sourced from international donors.
"In Lupane, there's a by-election coming. Matemadanda writes a letter to the minister of health saying please supply drugs to Lupane clinics because there's a by-election we must win. That level of corruption is serious. The minister replies and says yes, I will supply the drugs to help Zanu-PF win. That's abuse of public office," Chamisa told supporters at a rally at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on Sunday.
"A minister caught doing this should simply step aside. ZACC must step in and investigate such corruption and arrest that person."
Chamisa said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's pledge of "zero tolerance to corruption" rings hollow in the face of such conflation between the party and government.
Said Chamisa: "I've just given him just one example of corruption. Is one equal to zero?"
The MDC leader said his party would soon embark on a programme of "political and diplomatic pressure" which should culminate in dialogue between him and Mnangagwa about how to solve Zimbabwe's deepening economic and political crisis, sparked by a disputed election which Mnangagwa won in July last year.
Chamisa maintained that this dialogue should lead to a "transitional authority" taking over the running of the country with a mandate to institute wide-ranging electoral, economic and media reforms before the next elections in 2023.
The MDC is planning nationwide street protests, he said.
"We'll be blowing the whistle soon, stand ready to show your displeasure with what's happening in the country," Chamisa told thousands of cheering supporters.
"The time is coming, the day is coming. When we send the signal, let's all unite behind the call. We don't want violence but a peaceful, peaceful, peaceful expression of our circumstances."
Chamisa said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) should step in and investigate potential abuse of office by Moyo.
Matemadanda wrote to Moyo on July 2 requesting medicines for six clinics in the constituency ahead of the August 3 by-election.
Moyo's response dated July 5 was leaked on social media. In the signed letter copied to NatPharm managing director Flora Sifeku, permanent secretary Agnes Mahomva and the director of pharmacy, one R Hove, with the subject: ‘Request for assistance in respect of the Lupane East by-election campaign', Moyo said: "Your letter of July 2, 2019, requesting for medicines for Lupaka, Gomoza, St Paul, Lake Alice, Lusulu and Lupanda clinics refers. I have instructed the permanent secretary Dr Mahomva to activate NatPharm to supply the clinics mentioned with medicines."
Chamisa said it was a clear breach of electoral laws and incontrovertible evidence of abuse of office by Moyo.
NatPharm supplies drugs to all government hospitals in the country, most of them sourced from international donors.
"In Lupane, there's a by-election coming. Matemadanda writes a letter to the minister of health saying please supply drugs to Lupane clinics because there's a by-election we must win. That level of corruption is serious. The minister replies and says yes, I will supply the drugs to help Zanu-PF win. That's abuse of public office," Chamisa told supporters at a rally at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo on Sunday.
Chamisa said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's pledge of "zero tolerance to corruption" rings hollow in the face of such conflation between the party and government.
Said Chamisa: "I've just given him just one example of corruption. Is one equal to zero?"
The MDC leader said his party would soon embark on a programme of "political and diplomatic pressure" which should culminate in dialogue between him and Mnangagwa about how to solve Zimbabwe's deepening economic and political crisis, sparked by a disputed election which Mnangagwa won in July last year.
Chamisa maintained that this dialogue should lead to a "transitional authority" taking over the running of the country with a mandate to institute wide-ranging electoral, economic and media reforms before the next elections in 2023.
The MDC is planning nationwide street protests, he said.
"We'll be blowing the whistle soon, stand ready to show your displeasure with what's happening in the country," Chamisa told thousands of cheering supporters.
"The time is coming, the day is coming. When we send the signal, let's all unite behind the call. We don't want violence but a peaceful, peaceful, peaceful expression of our circumstances."
Source - zimlive
