Government has dispatched military doctors to assist in public hospitals after medical doctors and nurses this week staged a protest and downed tools demanding the release of Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) acting president, Peter Magombeyi, who was allegedly been abducted.
Unconfirmed reports state that he is detained at Kabrit Baracks along Chitungwiza Road, a claim government has scoffed at.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo said investigations are afoot as security agents have been deployed and he encouraged doctors to pick up tools.
“In hospitals right now, we have few workers but we have requested doctors from Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Police, and Prisons to come and assist.“I want to as usual encourage our workers to come back to work while investigations are taking place.“We are all looking forward to the support we are getting from the security agents. It is very clear they want to give us as much assistance as possible.We want our doctor back, its straight forward,” he said.
In a statement released by Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister, Sibusiso Moyo, government said it had deployed security agents to search for Magombeyi.
Moyo insisted that government’s hands were clean, but expressed reservations over the timing of the abduction.
“Following this barbaric act, the government immediately activated its security agencies to make sure that Dr. Magombeyi is found and safely returned to his home,” Moyo said.
Magombeyi was allegedly kidnapped by unknown assailants from his Budiro home on Saturday. His family filed an urgent chamber application with the High Court on Sunday, seeking an order compelling the State to account for the whereabouts of the union leader.
High Court Judge Justice Edith Mushore on Monday 16 September 2019 ordered whoever is holding the leader of ZHDA to immediately release him or bring him to the High Court within 48 hours and for Home Affairs and State Security Ministers to determine his whereabouts and set up a team of investigators to search for him at all places in Zimbabwe.
Justice Mushore granted the order after hearing arguments from lawyers representing Magombeyi’s family.
Meanwhile, medical doctors and nurses on Monday staged a protest in Harare and served a petition of President Emmerson Mnangagwa expressing concern about the abduction of Magombeyi and advised him that they had withdrawn their services in protest against the ill-treatment of the ZHDA leader.
