Zimbabwe lawmakers to undergo HIV testing, declare results

Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment have pledged to undergo public HIV testing and declare their results to fight stigma.

Committee chairperson and Zanu-PF Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Wadyajena yesterday said they wanted to lead by example.

He was addressing a workshop organised by Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust in Harare.

"We will be at the forefront of testing for HIV. We will lead by example. Our committee made a resolution that when we do awareness programmes, our committee will test for HIV and we will declare the results," said Wadyajena.

President Mugabe in 2012 challenged legislators to declare their HIV status to fight the stigma associated with the virus.

He bemoaned the loss of some Cabinet Ministers and public office bearers to the HIV/Aids pandemic.

President Mugabe made the remarks while officially launching the Zimbabwe Parliamentarians Against HIV and Aids (ZIPAH).

ZIPAH is a network of legislators who have voluntarily committed themselves to fighting HIV and Aids.

In what appeared to be a response to President Mugabe's call, more than 60 lawmakers in 2012 went for voluntary HIV test.