Opinion: VP Chiwenga should look onto himself before he judge others…

The country’s health sector faces challenges which include shortage of skilled personnel. These will not be addressed overnight, but over time” (…) “Our aim is to reduce the financially draining medical tourism where our citizens seek healthcare outside the country” – Vice President Constantino Chiwinga (Josephine Mugiyo – ‘Government aiming to reduce outward medical tourism – VP Chiwenga’ 15.07.2022).

The Vice-President of Zimbabwe, General Constantino Chiwenga has today addressed something important. Even though the message is fine in itself. His the wrong bearer of the message. Because, anyone who has followed his years in office. Knows that the VP has himself been a medical tourist.

The VP has in 2019 and in 2020 travelled abroad for medical treatment. A man or a person that is sick should be able to seek medical treatment. That should be an option for anyone. However, that doesn’t mean that everyone will be able to travel abroad for treatment.

VP Chiwenga has power and is a high ranking official in the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) and a the Vice President as well. This means that he abilities which other couldn’t afford or have access too. That’s why the VP could travel far and wide to get treatment.

Here is some stories… and what he did himself not to long ago.

In 2019:

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on Saturday returned to the country four months after he was flown to China to seek medical treatment, according to state broadcaster ZBC” (…) “Chiwenga, 63, was airlifted to China in July for further medical tests on an unspecified illness. Before that he had been out of office for more than two months and was admitted in a hospital in South Africa before being taken to China” (David Ochieng Mbewa – ‘Zimbabwe VP Chiwenga returns following medical treatment’ 23.11.2019, CGTN Africa).

In 2020:

HARARE – Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has been flown to China for treatment – just months after declaring that the government was banning health tourism, ZimLive can reveal” (…) “Chiwenga has received treatment in India, South Africa and China over the last year after going down with an undisclosed illness which manifested in loss of skin pigmentation, weight loss and an apparent skin irritation which caused him to sit animatedly whilst sweating profusely” (ZimLive – ‘Chiwenga flown out for treatment despite vow to ban medical tourism’ 08.12.2020).

If the VP had been anything alike other citizens in Harare. He wouldn’t have trips abroad to get treatment. Neither have the funds or the access to be there for months. People wouldn’t be able or have the funds to carry the costs of treatment for so long.

The VP should maybe seek medical treatment at Harare Central Hospital or Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Nevertheless, I doubt he would ever do that. As the VP he knows very well the state of the hospitals and why the health sector is having big challenges. That’s because the ZANU-PF haven’t invested or prioritized it. They haven’t cared or haven’t really been concerned about for years. The shortfall has been covered by the NGOs and CSOs. So, the ZANU-PF knows perfectly well why the health sector is struggling now.

The VP should personally not travel to South Africa, India or China for medical treatment. That is something he has does and everyone knows that. With this in mind, this doesn’t reflect well on his character. This is hypocrisy at its finest. Peace.

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Opinion: Museveni prefers his own rules…

The economy is growing. The other day, I had some arguments about whether we have gone to middle income or not. We reaffirm. I do not know where the World Bank is getting their data from” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (14.07.2022).

The former donor darling of the West and the Self-Styled President for Life, Yoweri Tibuhurwa Kaguta Museveni has yet again signalled the World Bank. That comes after the bank dismisses the claims of have becoming a “Middle-Income Country”. The Government of Uganda and it’s agency cannot trick the World Bank and their standards. Museveni can hoodwink his supporters and his fellow associates. However, the World Bank… not so much.

President Museveni is the sort of man that makes his own rules along with where his walking. His not the sort of fella to follow it himself, but expect everyone around to comply. He can talk of ethics and moral rights, but breach them himself on a regular. Secondly, laws and rules are for others to follow. He himself, not so much.

That’s why when there is stipulations and mechanisms for giving the stature of Middle Income Country from the World Bank. The Government of Uganda, and it’s Ministries should work to achieve that. Not just throwing numbers at the wall and hoping it sticks. That’s how this looks like. His just using figures and imprinted numbers to look extravagant. When the President should know that his far from achieving it.

The Republic cannot build a road without a loan, donation or sort of scheme to ensure funding to make it happen. The aid agencies has to come and intervene on the basics of structures. The bloated government structure is eating of the funds, the massive parliament and it’s expenses in combination of the State House and the Office of the Presidency. Is all accounts, which is having huge expenses, but not generating any sort of generational wealth or influx of foreign exchange into the economy. However, that is just draining the state budgets together with the interests on old loans and the growing debt ratio of the state. So, with that in mind….

I don’t know where his figuring out at the year of 2022 that the Republic has become a Middle-Income Country. Because, there is no signs of it. Unless, he has a screw loose or just wants to prove that he achieved something. Even if he sleep-walked to the destination and was more pre-occupied with destroying his political enemies. If the state has used half of the energy and resources it uses on locking up, monitoring and detaining political opponents. Maybe, it would have a shot of a better economy, but it is instead building prisons and buying tear-gas.

That’s why Museveni just making up the rules as he walks along. He thinks that’s how the world works, because he has done that for over 3 decades now. As President he has gotten away with it too and with little to no consequence. However, in this regard.. don’t expect the World Bank to budge. Because, Museveni needs the World Bank more than the World Bank need him. His a debtor and a man who needs grants from the World Bank. It is not the World Bank that needs validation from Museveni.

This is why this enterprise is futile. He cannot bushwhack this one. He cannot trick it and make it work. The shilling is the shilling. The economy and the finances is as dire as the people say they are. The Deficit financing and the lack of domestic revenue is a proof of that. His made up numbers and schemes to get grandeur isn’t helping either.

Museveni, you can chill on your farm and look after livestock. The sort of game your playing is only making a fool of yourself. So, do you want another rap? Peace.

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Salute of Struggle and Steadfastness

We have all witnessed the deterioration of the health condition of the revolutionary Seif al-Islam, son of Al Sahafa, who has been incarcerated in the cells of the putschists in Omdurman for over two months and due to the continuous torture, most of his senses were impaired, and he suffered frequent convulsions, fainting and inability to stand up. As usual, the regular authorities are colluding and refusing to release him or bring him to trial despite his deteriorating health.

We and our brothers and sisters in detention are well aware of the atrocities committed by the putschists to intimidate and abuse the revolutionaries, it did not succeed with their predecessors, and will not succeed now. And our heroes continue to write a new epic every day in the face of the aggressor, the coup regime and its corrupt justice departments, and we reiterate; no retreat or surrender.

We command them to immediately release all detainees and dismiss all malicious reports. Whether they do or not, there is no doubt that the storm will soon hit their cells, destroy their fortresses, and liberate our steadfast, free comrades.

East Khartoum Neighborhoods Resistance Committees Coordination

Media Office

July 14, 2022

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