Africa Fighting Malaria was recently asked by the Zimbabwean Department of Health to attend a press conference and public event to mark Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) malaria week. Richard Tren agreed to attend and to assist the malaria control programme in communicating their new strategy of using DDT to control malaria. Using DDT is a wise move, but is overshadowed by the ongoing human rights abuses in that country. This statement clarifies Africa Fighting Malaria position on malaria control in Zimbabwe and the on the government of Zimbabwe itself.

Africa Fighting Malaria believes that the personnel running Zimbabwe’s malaria control programme are dedicated, hard working individuals, who, against all odds, are attempting to improve malaria control and to save lives. However under the current political climate in Zimbabwe, their work is being hampered, and this was most evident in the two recent malaria events held in Harare and at Lake Kariba in the north west of the country.

At the Department of Health press conference only individuals from the government controlled media, such as Radio Zimbabwe, The Herald and The Voice were included. No representatives from the remains of Zimbabwe’s independent media were invited, nor were they even aware of the event. Africa Fighting Malaria feels it is crucial to involve all sectors of the media in an issue of such importance and only including the government mouthpieces was a serious error in judgement.

At the event near Lake Kariba, Richard Tren was astonished and appalled that members of ZANU PF were given a platform and were allowed to use a Department of Health event (which presumably is paid for by all taxpayers) to advance their own party political agenda. It outrageous that, while attempting to educate the population on malaria, the Minister of Health and others, chanted “Forward with Mugabe” and “Down with the MDC”. These political chants were very disturbing and prompted Richard Tren to leave the event early.

As is very well documented, the Zimbabwean government withholds food from people who cannot demonstrate that they belong to and support the ruling ZANU PF party. Given the political nature of the malaria event, we are concerned that essential health services, such as indoor residual spraying for malaria control, may be withheld from non-ZANU PF supporters. While there is no evidence for this at the moment, it is something that we intend to monitor closely

Africa Fighting Malaria was the only non-governmental organisation at the event and Richard Tren noted that the Minister of Health recognised the NGOs and then said that he was glad that we complied with the country’s new NGO laws which force NGOs to fall into line with government and ZANU PF policy.

Africa Fighting Malaria rejects this assumption wholeheartedly. Africa Fighting Malaria is a health advocacy group and among other things, we campaign for improved malaria control, which frequently entails using DDT in indoor residual spraying programmes. Broadly, Africa Fighting Malaria stands for the classical liberal values of peace, democracy, individual liberty, economic freedom and political freedom. We encourage the respect and protection of basic human rights and respect for all people, regardless of their race, colour, creed, sexuality or political persuasions.

We regret that all of these values are completely lacking in Zimbabwe at present. So that there is no confusion, we would like to state very clearly that neither Africa Fighting Malaria nor any of its members support, in any conceivable way, the agenda, the principles, or the modus operandi of the Zimbabwean government. The state abuses of human rights in Zimbabwe are very well documented and cast a grim shadow over the whole region and are a source of shame for the whole SADC region.

Now that the NGO bill has been passed by parliament, Africa Fighting Malaria cannot consider working with the Zimbabwean government any longer. Even if we were given permission to operate, we would find it immoral and in conflict with out basic principles to work in Zimbabwe. Africa Fighting Malaria chooses to support and stand by the many other NGOs and church groups that have been shut down or censured by this draconian and unconstitutional law.

When Africa Fighting Malaria agreed to come to Zimbabwe it was with an open mind and with the sincere will to assist you with the public relations on DDT. We genuinely thought that I would be able to do some good. However, we were not prepared for a political slant which was added to the two events. We would find the politicisation of disease offensive in any country, however given the constant and ongoing abuse of any and every opponent of Mugabe, we found the way in which these events were handled to be utterly odious.

Africa Fighting Malaria acknowledges the good work that the individual members of the malaria control programme do and understands the difficulty of their position. However we cannot continue to work with the programme as this would give tacit support to the Zimbabwean political leadership and would call into question the good standing and reputation that Africa Fighting Malaria has.

We wish the individual members of the malaria control team the very best of luck and trust that they will be able to reduce the burden of malaria, in spite of the politicisation of disease.

14 December 2023