Government Officials Who Lied About Progress Muzuva, the Injured Nurse, Must Resign

Government Officials Who Lied About Progress Muzuva, the Injured Nurse, Must Resign

The lies told by government officials over the plight of injured rural nurse, Progress Muzuva, have been brutally exposed and those responsible must resign immediately if the government is to clear its name and restore public confidence.

Muzuva, a dedicated nurse from rural Masvingo, sustained life-threatening injuries in 2018 while saving both a newborn baby and her mother during a violent ambulance transfer. In the process of delivering the baby and ensuring the survival of both mother and child, she suffered spinal and leg fractures that have left her battling ill health for years. Hers is a story that should have inspired national gratitude and support. Instead, it has become a symbol of betrayal and dishonesty.

On 8 August 2025, the Ministry of Health issued a press statement claiming that Muzuva had been fully supported by government since her injury. The statement insisted she was receiving free treatment, had all her medical expenses covered, and continued to benefit from state support.

Within hours, however, Muzuva produced receipts and medical records that painted a very different picture. Only a day before the Ministry's announcement, she had paid for her own X-rays and consultation fees at Masvingo General Hospital. Other records stretching back years showed repeated out-of-pocket payments for treatment and medication. Her evidence demolished the government's narrative and exposed the statement as a deliberate attempt to mislead the nation.

Local journalists, following up on the case, confirmed her story. They retraced her medical journey, interviewed family and community members, and even met the now eight-year-old child she delivered in the ambulance that night. Their findings revealed a tale of courage and sacrifice betrayed by official deceit. Rather than honouring a frontline health worker who risked everything to save lives, the Ministry attempted to mask its years of neglect with a fabricated account of benevolence.

This was not a simple miscommunication. It was a calculated lie, crafted and released by officials who knew the truth but chose to deceive. The damage done goes beyond Muzuva herself. By portraying her as fully supported, the Ministry effectively discouraged well-wishers, NGOs and members of the public who might have come to her aid. They believed, wrongly, that she was already being looked after. In other words, the lie not only smeared the government's credibility but also deprived Muzuva of potential assistance.

Such dishonesty cannot be swept under the carpet. The officials involved in drafting, approving and releasing that false statement have betrayed the trust of the people of Zimbabwe. They have insulted the sacrifice of one of their own frontline workers, a hero, a woman whose bravery deserves national recognition, not abandonment.

The only way forward is accountability. Those responsible must resign immediately. Anything less would amount to condoning deceit and setting a dangerous precedent where government officials can lie with impunity. A government that fails to protect its heroes and then lies to its citizens has lost its moral compass.

The Zimbabwean public has endured many hardships, but it has always looked to its leaders for honesty. In this case, the Ministry of Health failed spectacularly. The resignation of those involved is not just about punishing wrongdoing, it is about sending a clear message that Zimbabwe is a nation that values truth, integrity and justice.

Progress Muzuva deserves better. Zimbabwe deserves better. The officials who lied must go.

Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
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