News / National
Call for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act to provide burial costs for COVID-19 deaths honked
22 Dec 2020 at 08:17hrs | Views
President Maxwell Teedzai, the founder and leader of Emej Zimbabwe (Economic Movement for Equality and Justice) political party has urged legislators to urgently introduce a bill to try to force government to cover funeral expenses of coronavirus victims.
"We feel there is urgent need for government to introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act in order to provide burial costs for COVID-19 deaths," said Teedzai.
The bill must be formulated in such a manner as to require government to give the families of the deceased say, US$2 000 each to cover costs.
"COVID-19 has a disproportionate impact on the impoverished masses and low-income communities. The absolute least we can do is to help these families bury their loved ones. It is the very core, basic measure of human dignity. And in the richest country in the world, but with the biggest number of people starving in the midst of plenty, we should be able to allow people to bury their loved ones in dignity, that is if we stop being greedy to the point of diverting COVID-19 social safety nets funds into private coffers," Teedzai said in a statement.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has refused to free up funds to assist Zimbabweans with basic food items during a time when all business activities especially the informal sector which employs about 80 percent of the country's poor population has been shutdown since March, 2020.
"Government must not refuse to act to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Now, too many families are having their loved ones taken from them suddenly, many times unable to even say a proper goodbye. These families - who are disproportionately poor- are reeling from grief and economic duress. The last thing they need is to worry about how to pay for the funeral. This pandemic has spread unchecked because of the failures of our government; the least we can do for grieving families is help them overcome their financial strain," said Teedzai.
Emej Zimbabwe also known as the 'Wear Khaki Movement' is pushing a pro-poor moral policy agenda to heal our land and deliver a new Zimbabwe where everyone can thrive. The Khaki wear is symbol that Zimbabweans are prisoners of conscience.
Since its formation in November 2020, the party is putting legislative and policy priorities to heal this country at the forefront of its campaign.
"We have an administration that has been investing in punishing the poor and representing the elite; now invest in the welfare of all. They invest in systemic discrimination and voter suppression; now invest in expanding pro-poor democracy. Government has been investing in killing people; it must now invest in life. They've been investing in the wealthy and corporations; now invest in the people who have built up this country and make it run every day, the 20million and more who have been abandoned in an era of abundance - starving in the era of vast diamond reserves in the world."
Disbursements of funds would be backdated to January 21, 2020 to account for those that have already been buried.
"We feel there is urgent need for government to introduced the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Act in order to provide burial costs for COVID-19 deaths," said Teedzai.
The bill must be formulated in such a manner as to require government to give the families of the deceased say, US$2 000 each to cover costs.
"COVID-19 has a disproportionate impact on the impoverished masses and low-income communities. The absolute least we can do is to help these families bury their loved ones. It is the very core, basic measure of human dignity. And in the richest country in the world, but with the biggest number of people starving in the midst of plenty, we should be able to allow people to bury their loved ones in dignity, that is if we stop being greedy to the point of diverting COVID-19 social safety nets funds into private coffers," Teedzai said in a statement.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa has refused to free up funds to assist Zimbabweans with basic food items during a time when all business activities especially the informal sector which employs about 80 percent of the country's poor population has been shutdown since March, 2020.
Emej Zimbabwe also known as the 'Wear Khaki Movement' is pushing a pro-poor moral policy agenda to heal our land and deliver a new Zimbabwe where everyone can thrive. The Khaki wear is symbol that Zimbabweans are prisoners of conscience.
Since its formation in November 2020, the party is putting legislative and policy priorities to heal this country at the forefront of its campaign.
"We have an administration that has been investing in punishing the poor and representing the elite; now invest in the welfare of all. They invest in systemic discrimination and voter suppression; now invest in expanding pro-poor democracy. Government has been investing in killing people; it must now invest in life. They've been investing in the wealthy and corporations; now invest in the people who have built up this country and make it run every day, the 20million and more who have been abandoned in an era of abundance - starving in the era of vast diamond reserves in the world."
Disbursements of funds would be backdated to January 21, 2020 to account for those that have already been buried.
Source - own correspondent
