PROMINENT human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has joined thousands of disgruntled health workers and ordinary citizens in calling for Health minister Obadiah Moyo to be fired from government over alleged incompetence and mishandling of the US$60 million tender for procurement of COVID-19 test kits.

The prominent human rights lawyer said Moyo had dismally failed to discharge his duties as expected of a Health minister, including giving misleading statements on the country’s state of preparedness for the COVID-19, resulting in erratic, unco-ordinated interventions and spike in infections.

“We, the Concerned Citizens of Zimbabwe, hereby petition you, Your Excellency, to relieve and dismiss, with immediate effect, the Honourable Obadiah Moyo, from his portfolio as the Minister of Health and Child Care whose tenure at the ministry has been an unmitigated disaster,” the petition read.

“On February 3, 2020, the Honourable Obadiah Moyo assured the nation, through the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health that Zimbabwe was fully prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic and having noted the dismal failure to adequately prepare for the virus, thus leading to erratic and unco-ordinated interventions that have led to avoidable death and infections.

Mtetwa further said Moyo failed to ensure the constant and adequate availability of personal protective equipment for all health professionals on the frontline of the pandemic and to ensure that returnees are equally protected from contracting the virus at such centres.