Sadly this now seems the default solution to everything in Zimbabwe, that’s if we can call it a solution at all. Whenever a crisis crops out the presidium and the government in general is quick to create another mostly useless taskforce. The first prominent one was established when security forces shot people in broad day light, recently a taskforce was established to deal with the depreciating Zimbabwean dollar and now we have another taskforce to deal with Covid-19 that was announced by the president yesterday.

Suffice to say that none of these touted taskforces has achieved it’s set objectives.

The following terms of reference will guide the task force’s operations: to monitor the situation and manage the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and identify any gaps for corrective action; to raise the general awareness of the public on the pandemic; to mobilise domestic and international financial resources to adequately respond to the outbreak.
As chairman of the taskforce, Dr 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.
Notice made by the President’s Office