The President Mnangagwa set up the Covid-19 Taskforce to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
The 11-member Coronavirus Taskforce which is being chaired by Health and Child Care Minister Obadiah Moyo has been tasked with coordinating the efforts to fight the coronavirus.
Members of the Taskforce were awarded ford brand new rangers labelled coronavirus taskforce
Ironically, Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri who went viral for celebrating the coronavirus claiming that it was God’s punishment on Western countries for placing Zimbabwe under sanctions is part of the Covid-19 Taskforce.
Below is the full statement from Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda on the establishment of the Covid-19 Taskforce.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AD-HOC INTER-MINISTERIAL TASK FORCE ON THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK
His Excellency the President has established an Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force in line with a decision made by Cabinet at its Seventh Meeting held on Tuesday, 17th March 2020.
The Task Force will be constituted by members as listed below:
Minister of Health and Child Care – (Chairman)
Minister of Local Government and Public Works – (Deputy Chairman) Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs – Member
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade – Member Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage – Member
Minister of Primary and Secondary Education – Member
Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development – Member
Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry – Member
Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services – Member
and Minister of Finance and Economic Development – Member
Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development – MemberThe following terms of reference will guide the Task Force’s operations:
a) to monitor the situation and manage the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and identify any gaps for corrective action;
b) to raise the general awareness of the public on the pandemic;
c) to mobilize domestic and international financial resources to adequately respond to the outbreak;
d) to engage private sector associations that include captains of industry and business, religious leaders, local authorities, Traditional Leaders and Zimbabweans in the diaspora for support in the implementation of identified initiatives;
e) to rally all stakeholders towards the successful fight of the pandemic. These include among others, the Zimbabwe Medical Association, its affiliates and all stakeholders in the medical and health field; and
f) to regularly update His Excellency the President, Cabinet, and the nation on the country’s state of preparedness and response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
As Chairman of the Task Force, Honourable O. Moyo is required to make use of the Civil Protection Unit which has the requisite geographical spread and representation for maximum, effective, collective response and action as displayed in the management of the Cyclone Idai Disaster.
By direction of the President
Dr MJM Sibanda
CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE PRESIDENT AND CABINET
