More PPE for Covid-19 fight President Mnangagwa receives donations to fight Covid-19 from Egyptian Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mahmoud Farouk Yousef Amer.

Herald Reporter

Donations towards Covid-19 continue to pour in as Egypt, the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the business community, presented an assortment of personal protective equipment (PPE) and food items to President Mnangagwa at State House yesterday.

Egypt donated medical supplies, while Parliament of Zimbabwe brought sanitisers worth $124 000 and the Hellenic community donated a truckload of goods worth US$15 000.

Mining firm Karo Resources chipped in with goods that included foodstuffs worth R125 000.

Others included Business Fighting Covid-19 in partnership with Fidelity Printers who donated PPE worth over $1 million and $10 million cash donation with Mukuvisi Cooperatives comprising traders at Siyaso-Magaba in Mbare coming in with seven tonnes of foodstuffs.

In his acceptance speech, President Mnangagwa commended Egyptian leader, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, saying it was high time the two countries convened a Joint Commission.

The Parliament of Zimbabwe represented by Senate president Mabel Chinomona donated sanitisers worth $124 000.

“This timely gesture by the people of Egypt will certainly go a long way in supporting my Government efforts in fighting Covid-19 pandemic ravaging all countries and in the case of Zimbabwe, it has resulted in a spike in local transmissions,” said President Mnangagwa, who said he got his first military training in the North African country.

He said Egypt found it prudent to donate to Zimbabwe despite the fact that it was equally facing similar challenges.

“The current challenges should motivate us to convene our Joint Commission for cooperation at the earliest convenience in order to explore cooperation especially in important sectors such as health and agriculture. This is in addition to your Government offer to organise training programmes for Zimbabwe through the Arab Fund for technical cooperation,” he said.

Turning to Parliament of Zimbabwe, President Mnangagwa said it was gratifying that the House put aside political differences to donate towards the fight against Covid-19.

“Knowing the composition of that Parliament you were able to rise above the well-known squabbles that we always see on television and collectively put hands together in order to contribute towards the fight against the pandemic.

“This is what it should be,” said President Mnangagwa.

To the Hellenic community, President Mnangagwa commended them saying they were equally Zimbabwean affected by the same challenges that might afflict other citizens. Turning to Karo Resources, President Mnangagwa said he was optimistic that they would soon become one of the mining giants in Zimbabwe.

The company inked a US$4 billion platinum deal in 2018.

President Mnangagwa commended the donation from cooperatives from Siyaso-Magaba, saying their donation would go a long way in assisting in the Covid-19 fight.

Traders at Siyaso Magaba in Mbare donated seven tonnes of foodstuffs.

Commenting on a donation from Business Fighting Covid-19 in partnership with Fidelity Printers, President Mnangagwa said it was prudent that they earmarked their revenue mostly from gold deliveries to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

Egypt’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Mahmoud Farouk Yousef, said his country has always supported Harare in its hour of need including foodstuffs provided during the Cyclone Idai disaster.

“Egypt has provided hundreds of training courses in all walks of life to Zimbabwe and other African brotherly nations to better upgrade human resources,” he said.

Business Fighting Covid-19 in partnership with Fidelity Printers donated personal protective equipment worth $1 million and $10 million cash. — Pictures: Tawanda Mudimu

Senate President Marble Chinomona said as legislators, they felt duty bound to make their contribution in efforts to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said they were excited that their donation coincided with President Mnangagwa’s 78th birthday.

“It is therefore no coincidence that though MPs collected these donations over a month ago and have been seeking a date for the official handover of the same to you, it had to be on this day, on your birthday that we finally got confirmation of an available date due to competing and equally compelling commitments,” said Cde Chinomona.

She was accompanied by Deputy President, Mike Nyambuya, Senator Tsitsi Muzenda and Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda.

Karo Resources chipped in with goods that included foodstuffs worth R125 000

Karo Resources representative, Mr Taka Marova said they were committed to the implementation of their project and were happy with Government support.

Business Fighting Covid-19 in partnership with Fidelity chairperson, Mr Azvinandawa Saburi, said as business they were happy with the decision by Government to extend trading hours from 6.30 to 6.30pm.

Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni spoke on behalf of the cooperatives from Siyaso-Magaba which she said was composed of 11 cooperatives.

The Hellenic community led by Mr Andrew Raft said they took heed of the President’s call to assist in the fight against Covid-19.

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