Jump to navigation

Vol 61 No 7

Published 2nd April 2020


Zimbabwe

Healthcare for dollars

The first reaction of Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front high-ups to the pandemic was to blame the West, or at least to gloat at its misfortune. Defence Minister and ZANU-PF national chairman Oppah Muchinguri said on 16 March that the pandemic was a punishment from God on the West for its economic sanctions on Zimbabwe. That was before the disease hit nearer home.

A 30-year-old television personality and son of a telecommunications magnate, Zororo Makamba, died in a Harare hospital from the disease on 23 March in a room with no electric socket, no running water, and no intensive care treatment available, shocking the country and galvanising the elite. Makamba had visited the offices of President Emmerson Mnangagwa just days earlier. Officials who had come into contact with Makamba were put into quarantine and the President moved out of his office.

Makamba's death caused panic in ruling circles, and oil importer Sakunda Holdings, which is owned by Kudakwashe Tagwirei and is strongly politically connected, was secretly mobilised (AC Vol 60 No 23, Cashing in on the crisis). Sakunda is re-opening an abandoned private hospital in Harare, the Rock Foundation Medical Centre, which is being turned into a facility to specialise in treating coronavirus cases.  

Sakunda is also taking over St. Anne's Hospital, previously run by the collapsed pharmaceutical firm, CAPS Holdings. The news triggered a public outcry because of the lack of medical facilities elsewhere. The Ministry of Health quickly backtracked, saying the facility would be available to the public. However, it is understood only patients who can pay in US dollars will be admitted to either hospital.

Sakunda is importing 100 ventilators, 10,000 rapid-test kits, 10,000 disposal protective gowns, 20,000 medical masks, and other medical equipment. Zimbabwe has 17 ventilators and a population of 16 million. 

Doctors and nurses went on strike at the public hospitals citing a lack of protective equipment for them. On 24 March Mnangagwa activated an 11-member task force, chaired by Health Minister, Obadiah Moyo. Moyo was soon removed, however, and replaced with General Constantino Chiwenga, the Vice-President. Seeing that Zimbabwe is under virtual martial law, this could be significant in the context of his continual rivalry with the President. A three-week nationwide lockdown started on 30 March, enforced by the security forces, which is probably the only realistic chance of preventing the spread of the disease, but workers in the informal economy will not be able to afford to stay put.



Related Articles

Cashing in on the crisis

As the country faces the worst drought for 30 years and inflation at over 440%, politically connected oligarchs see opportunities

Days after regional leaders called for dialogue across the political divide to resolve Zimbabwe's deepening crisis, police broke up a crowd outside the headquarters of the main opposition...


Spinning out of control

Four spin doctors vie for coverage on behalf of President Mugabe and his party as the battle over the next elections heats up

The official line from President Robert Gabriel Mugabe and the highest policy-making body of his Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, the Politburo, is that elections must be held...


Tsvangirai half free

Now the MDC must decide whether to fight next year's elections on Mugabe's terms

Morgan Tsvangirai will be back in the High Court on 2 November to face more treason charges, this time for planning a mass action campaign against the government...


It’s time for a vote

The courts say there must be bye-elections and that will impose change on all the political parties

The Supreme Court has finally forced President Robert Mugabe to hold long-outstanding bye-elections in three Matebeleland parliamentary seats. He had argued that the polls would be too expensive....


After Tsvangirai

Leadership rivalries within the opposition could leave ZANU-PF with a clear run at this year's elections

The death of veteran opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, announced on 14 February, has prompted a massive show of grief and support for one of the doughtiest campaigners against...