Govt blasted over traditional leaders COVID-19 campaigns snub

GOVERNMENT has been blasted for sidelining traditional leaders in COVID-19 advocacy and awareness campaigns, which has resulted in the country recording more cases of COVID-19.

This was said yesterday by headman Dhobia Katumha Manjiniwa and Chief Nematombo of Hurungwe during an interface meeting with traditional leaders which was facilitated by the Hurungwe Community Radio initiative in partnership with the Media Centre to discuss challenges experienced by communities during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

The traditional leaders also urged the country to come up with its own traditional sanitisers to lessen the import bill on things that can be manufactured locally.

"Traditional leaders need to be well equipped with basic COVID-19 information because our subjects listen to our commands and respect us, and therefore we could help communities by disseminating information on the pandemic," Manjingwa said.

"Traditional leaders still do not have much information about COVID 19 five months after the first cases were recorded in the country in March," he said.

Media Centre director Earnest Mudzengi said engagement with traditional leadership was pivotal during the COVID 19 period.