Sibongile Maruta and Panashe Machakaire
Norton Member of Parliament Temba Mliswa has dismissed social media stories projecting him as a paedophile who targets underage girls saying the claims have no basis.
Honourable Mliswa went through a public HIV test today after he was accused of infecting an A level pupil with an STI sometime in 2013.The exercise was carried outat a New Start Centre.
Mliswa, earlier on his Twitter account, said the public HIV test was more about turning negative social media into an awareness campaign against the stigma in society against those living with HIV.
“Tomorrow’s (today) public HIV testing is more about turning negative social mediaattitudes into an awareness campaign against the stigma that is clearly still prevalent in society against those living with HIV/AIDS. Laws must be enacted against those who knowingly infect partners with the virus,” read the twitter post.
Addressing a press conference in Harare, Hon Mliswa said social media has brought the worst in people, and it has been tuned into an ugly platform of obscenity.
“There are some incidents that are so bad that one wonders whether a law should be enacted to ensure that people are certified before being allowed to engage in social media. Personal vendettas and smear campaigns abound as social media is abused and many become gullible to every word or story that trends. Sensationalism does not signify authenticity and we must always be alert to hinge news on evidence just as a court of justice,” he said.
More to follow…