News » Archive » 2008 » November » Further reading
Zimbabwejournalists.com - Hands off HIV/Aids funds, activists tell RBZ
24th November 2008
BULAWAYO - The Zimbabwe Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (ZNPP+) has called on the government to disburse donor money directly to AIDS service organisations to curb State misappropriation of funds.

ZNPP+ chairman, Benjamin Mazhindu said his organisation strongly condemns the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for diverting donor money meant to provide life-saving anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs) and food assistance to members of his organisation.

To ensure that the misappropriation does not recur, he said the central bank must give the money immediately non-governmental organisations and then institute measures to audit the funds to determine how the NGOs use it.

"It is ridiculous that at a time when people are dying of AIDS-related complications, the central bank is diverting money meant to save those lives," he said.

"Zvavakaita hazvina kusiyana nekudya mari yechema. Unoita munyama. (What the RBZ did is like squandering money meant to mourn the dead, it should never happen or bad luck will follow you)."

Mazhindu's angry remarks come after recent revelations that the central bank diverted US, 2 million that had been provided by the UN Global Fund to Fight HIV and AIDS, TB and Malaria.

The revelations created an international furore with the donor community and  NGOs expressing shock at the insensitivity with which the government misspent the money at a time the AIDS pandemic is killing thousands of  people because of lack of drugs, food, and equipment.

The diversion almost led to the withholding of US0 million more in assistance from the Global Fund, one of the world's biggest financiers of HIV and AIDS programmes.

However, the RBZ, which had diverted the US, 2 million to purchase tractors and other farm equipment, managed to raise the amount and paid it back to the donor agency.

This paved the way for the expected disbursement of the US0 million.

Mazhindu said what worries members of his organisation more is that none of  them were allocated any machinery, yet the money spent on importing the farm equipment was originally meant to provide for them.

"We are calling on the central bank not to hold the money for too long, once the donor community sends it here," he added.

"That money must be sent directly to organisations that represent the intended beneficiaries. This, we feel, will eliminate the possibility of the money being misappropriated again. They can then send their auditors from  time to time to get an appreciation of how the money is being used."

Zimbabwe's application to the Global Fund for assistance was approved a few  weeks ago. This is only the third time that her application has succeeded after five previous ones were rejected because of technical shortcomings.

Zimbabwe is one of the countries facing a huge HIV and AIDS crisis, worsened by the economic down turn that has deepened poverty, resulted in severe brain drain, widespread shortage of drugs and equipment.

Print      Send to a friend

---