News / National
HIV scare hits MDC
09 Apr 2019 at 01:16hrs | Views
The Opposition MDC Bulawayo Province has been rocked by infighting as it gets near to its Provincial Congress which has seen a camp aligned to National Chairperson Tabitha Khumalo hatching a plot to brand their rival as HIV positive.
Reports emanating from the Province are that one of Khumalo's loyalist Tendai Masocha is leading a spirited fight to stop one Sibusisiwe Dinah Adams being elected as National Executive Member representing Bulawayo.
Masocha allegedly connived with a number of youths to travel all around Bulawayo telling the structures not to vote for Adams because she is HIV positive and will be too occupied with her sickness instead of focusing on party issues.
So severe was the mudslinging campaign that it made Adams take a public HIV test which came out negative.
Commenting on the matter the Bulawayo Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BAPLA) said it condemns in strongest terms the use of HIV status as stigmatization and decampaigning strategy by some aspiring leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
"It has come to our attention that as MDC leaders jostle for power, a woman named Tendai Masocha has been on the forefront of alleging that Sibusisiwe Dinah Adams must not be elected into any position because she is allegedly living with HIV. Organising for one's political power on grounds of discrimination of any nature is undemocratic and archaic." BAPLA said.
"While as an organisation we are not privy to Adams' HIV status we believe that it should never be an issue in determining her leadership qualities. Discrimination of people living with or allegedly living with HIV is medieval conduct which must have no place in modern life, let alone amongst people who aspire to lead.
"As BAPLA we insist that it is a criminal offence to publish or announce someone's HIV status without their consent and would ordinarily provide legal support for people discriminated on account of their HIV/AIDS status regardless of whether or not they are HIV positive. We, however, leave it up to Adams to decide whether or not to seek legal recourse on the matter, lest we be accused of taking sides in
internal MDC processes."
Reports emanating from the Province are that one of Khumalo's loyalist Tendai Masocha is leading a spirited fight to stop one Sibusisiwe Dinah Adams being elected as National Executive Member representing Bulawayo.
Masocha allegedly connived with a number of youths to travel all around Bulawayo telling the structures not to vote for Adams because she is HIV positive and will be too occupied with her sickness instead of focusing on party issues.
So severe was the mudslinging campaign that it made Adams take a public HIV test which came out negative.
Commenting on the matter the Bulawayo Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BAPLA) said it condemns in strongest terms the use of HIV status as stigmatization and decampaigning strategy by some aspiring leaders of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
"It has come to our attention that as MDC leaders jostle for power, a woman named Tendai Masocha has been on the forefront of alleging that Sibusisiwe Dinah Adams must not be elected into any position because she is allegedly living with HIV. Organising for one's political power on grounds of discrimination of any nature is undemocratic and archaic." BAPLA said.
"While as an organisation we are not privy to Adams' HIV status we believe that it should never be an issue in determining her leadership qualities. Discrimination of people living with or allegedly living with HIV is medieval conduct which must have no place in modern life, let alone amongst people who aspire to lead.
"As BAPLA we insist that it is a criminal offence to publish or announce someone's HIV status without their consent and would ordinarily provide legal support for people discriminated on account of their HIV/AIDS status regardless of whether or not they are HIV positive. We, however, leave it up to Adams to decide whether or not to seek legal recourse on the matter, lest we be accused of taking sides in
internal MDC processes."
Source - Byo24News
