By Shorai Murwira
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned citizens who resist to be vaccinated against Covid-19 that they will be barred from public places and transport.
The President said he will take his jab when the second batch of vaccines are delivered in the country in the next two weeks.
Addressing hundreds of people who had gathered at the commission of a water project in Nyamandlovu Matabeleland North province Thursday Mnangagwa made reference to Vice President and Health Minister, Constantino Chiwenga that he was ‘fit and fine’.
Chiwenga was the first public official to be vaccinated at the launch of the vaccination programme last week.
“Cde ED Mnangagwa, today (Thursday) broke his silence on whether or not (to take) the Covid-19 vaccination remains voluntary forever,” Charamba said after Mnangagwa’s speech.
“Those wishing to abstain from the vaccination programme are free to do, for as long as they accept the onerous trade-off: namely that they may have to be barred from public spaces, including accessing offices, shops, or riding mass transits like ZUPCO.”
“The leadership has and continues to demonstrate safety of the country’s chosen vaccines by being the first ones to have the vaccines administered on them, added the President, revealing he is set to be vaccinated in the second batch of the vaccine which is expected in the country in the next week or two.
“So, too, will his Cabinet ministers. So, asked the President, who are you to resist the vaccination programme thus imperiling the general public, including yourself and your family? The President invited Vice President (Constantino Chiwenga) up as proof that the Sinopharm vaccine was indeed safe.
“Many medical staff, themselves the core frontline in the fight against Covid-19, have been vaccinated under the programme which is wholly government funded and is meant to get Zimbabwe back to normalcy.”
