The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has urged the Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACC) to investigate the theft of equipment in Harare City Council Health Centres.
In a letter dated 25 October 2022 and addressed to the ZACC chairperson, CHRA acting director Reuben Akili said there are 19 cases of theft of equipment at the health centres which occurred while municipal police officers were on duty.
Akili said the municipal police officers who were on duty when the crimes were committed should be investigated. He wrote:
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is calling for thorough investigations into the 19 cases of theft of equipment in Harare City Council Health Centres when Municipal Officers were on duty.
We are disturbed that in as much as there were municipal officers manning the health centres there is no explanation for the disappearance of the equipment, which includes big water tanks and solar panels.
We are of the view that the inaction by the Municipal Police Department in terms of disciplining the municipal officers who were on duty on the days when the thefts occurred, may be an indicator of serious issues of graft in the local authority.
We are worried that the theft which has crippled maternal health provision in the health centres will continuously deny women of their right to have access to basic healthcare services including reproductive healthcare services provided in Section 7641) of the Zimbabwean Constitution.