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Mugabe
calls for forced HIV, Aids testing
Elias Mambo, Free and Fair Zimbabwe Election
August 19, 2013
http://zimbabweelection.com/2013/08/19/mugabe-calls-for-forced-hiv-aids-testing/
President Robert
Mugabe has suggested Sadc should adopt forced HIV and Aids testing
to curb the endemic because those who are volunteering to be tested
are not necessarily the infected people.
Addressing heads
of states and government at the 33rd Sadc summit in Lilongwe
during the Aids Watch Africa meeting yesterday, Mugabe said Sadc
should come up with methods to compulsorily test everyone in the
battle to stop the spread of the disease.
“While
there is need to respect rights of individuals, there is need to
subject everyone to examinations because those who volunteer are
not the ones who have been infected,” Mugabe said.
Mugabe also
urged Sadc member states to adopt an Aids levy which goes a long
way in purchasing of anti-retroviral drugs and support for the orphans.
“In my
country we are paying a levy, a small percentage, but it goes a
long way in making sure that the drugs are found as demand increases,”
he said.
However, the
new Sadc chairperson, Malawian President Joyce Banda, said if the
regional bloc adopted the Zimbabwean approach, then some would not
be elected come election time in their countries for introducing
high taxes.
There was drama
as Mugabe almost missed the meeting and appeared half an hour later
while the proceedings were underway.
Justice minister
Patrick Chinamasa, Foreign Affairs minister Simbararshe Mumbengegwi
and Central Intelligence Organisation boss Happyton Bonyongwe held
an impromptu meeting and decided Mumbengegwi should stand in for
Mugabe who did not show up on time.
Confusion reigned
supreme as no communication was sent to the delegation by presidential
spokesperson George Charamba. However, when he finally arrived,
a visibly tired Mugabe stole the media limelight as attention was
directed at him as he struggled to walk.
Heads of states
and governments were treated to a banquet at State House on Saturday
night.
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