Mnangagwa slams West over unscientific Covid-19 restrictions

President Mnangagwa has raised alarm over the unjustified treatment of a number of SADC member states by some Western countries and their intrusive nature in the domestic affairs of sovereign states.

This follows last week's knee-jerk reaction by some Western countries to impose travel bans on some SADC member states following an outbreak of a new Covid-19 variant known as Omicron, and the recent utterances by a United Kingdom junior minister that his country is working with local unions to influence Zimbabwe's internal affairs.

Travel restrictions have been imposed by Western countries that include Britain and the European Union (EU) on Southern African countries which include South Africa, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia following the discovery of the Omicron variant by South African scientists.

SADC has condemned the travel restrictions describing them as punitive and President Mnangagwa added his voice while addressing the 357th Zanu-PF Politburo meeting yesterday, saying that the global community should be guided by science as the basis of decisions.

"We, thus, call upon the global community to remain guided by science as the basis of decisions, especially with regards to travel and destination classification of countries and other Covid-19 prevention and mitigation strategies,"  he said.

President Mnangagwa also stressed that the discovery of a new Omicron Covid-19 variant requires the nation to remain vigilant, alert and cautious.

"The discovery of a new Omicron Covid-19 variant requires the nation to remain vigilant, alert and cautious.

"It is indeed incumbent on the structures of the party to be active towards keeping the people up-to-date with current developments and to equally mobilise many more to get vaccinated.

"On its part, Government has in store enough vaccines to cater for the ongoing national mass vaccination, which now covers teenagers above 16 years.

"More vaccines will be sourced until the nation achieves herd immunity. Let us never let our guard down.

"The World Health Organisation set public health protocols and guidelines, including hand sanitisation, wearing of masks and practising social distance, must be religiously observed more strongly.

"We are concerned by the unjustified treatment of a number of Southern African countries, including Zimbabwe following the discovery of the new Covid-19 variant," said the President.

President Mnangagwa slammed Western countries and their proxies for interfering in the country's internal affairs.

He said the extra-territorial concern by a foreign legislature on a sovereign African state, which is a full and equal member of the United Nations, is grossly unwarranted.

"The brazen disclosure that the British Government has been meeting with various trade unions, including those for teachers, most recently in September 2021 in Harare, is yet another confirmation of very gross, unwarranted, and blatant interference in the domestic affairs of our country by the British Government.

"This is unwelcome and unacceptable. Professional ethics across the public service ecosystem must never be undermined by those who seek to promote an alien agenda.

"As a party and Government, we stand emboldened by the indisputable milestone we are making towards improving the plight of our people and lifting millions of people into prosperity," said the President.