David Parirenyatwa

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Dr.
David Parirenyatwa
Dr-Parirenyatwa.jpg
Born (1950-08-02) August 2, 1950 (age 73)
NationalityZimbabwean
EducationMedicine
Occupation
  • Medical Doctor
  • Politician
Political partyZanu-PF
Spouse(s)Choice Parirenyatwa
ChildrenRuvheneko Parirenyatwa
Parent(s)Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa (Father)
Emely Mkwananzi (Mother)

David Parirenyatwa is a medical practitioner and the former Minister of Health and Child Welfare. He is a politician affiliated to the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) party. In September 2018 Parirenyatwa was arrested over allegations of criminal abuse of office and was granted $500 bail. He was appointed Zanu PF's Acting Secretary for Health on 5 August 2020 replacing suspended Chizema.

Personal Details

Born - 2 August 1950. Pagwesese David Parirenyatwa
The Parirenyatwa group of hospitals are named after his father Tichafa Samuel Parirenyatwa who fought in the liberation struggle.
Married to Choice Parirenyatwa.

School / Education

He is a medical doctor by profession.

Service / Career

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Health and Child Care until he was appointed, substantive. (He was effective Minister before, due to Stamp's illness)
August 2002 to 2009 - Minister of the Ministry of Health and Child Care (replaced the ill Timothy Stamps).
March 2008 - elected MP, Murehwa North in Mashonaland East Province.
10 September 2013 - After Robert Mugabe's re-election, appointed as Minister of Health
7 September 2018 - Dropped from Cabinet by Emmerson Mnangagwa.
[1]

Events

Cholera Outbreak

In 2007, a cholera outbreak hit Harare starting from the Mabvuku-Tafara suburbs. The outbreak reportedly caused the death of about 400 people in its early stages. Parirenyatwa and his ministry were blamed for failing to provide adequate and safe water to Harare residents. The situation worsened with the Ministry recording 11 735 cholera cases with 484 deaths between August and December 2008.[2] The outbreak was reported to have claimed at least 4,000 people between 2008 and 2009 when water treatment and sanitation deteriorated.[3] Parirenyatwa declared the outbreak a National Disaster and called for International Aid in December 2008. Dr Parirenyatwa was quoted as citing the economic meltdown was the cause of the outbreak. The inflation at the time was reported to be over 231 million percent. Parirenyatwa was further reported indicating that his ministry could not provide enough drinking water and advised the public to avoid shaking hands at funerals. A popular act in Zimbabwe culture.[4]

HIV/AIDS Rate Reduction

Dr Parirenyatwa made efforts to curb the HIV and AIDS disease through providing Antiretroviral Therapy and encouraging the public to get tested. This resulted in the decline of the pandemic during his tenure in 2007. Through his ministry, Zimbabwe became the leading country in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in terms of the prevention of AIDS. The prevalence rate declined from 18,1% in 2006 to 15,6% in 2007 - the best ever decline recorded in the history of the country.[5] On the 5th of September 2008 he was elected Vice President of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa.[6]

PSMAS Corruption

In October 2015, Parirenyatwa was unprocedurally paid US $100,000 by Premier Service Medical Aid Society (PSMAS) for his services as a medical doctor. It was revealed that Parirenyatwa was well above his claims of patients he had seen at his surgery, which only amounted to $23 000. The minister was therefore overpaid $77,000 for services not rendered to the society. [7] Parirenyatwa did not deny that he was overpaid. He said: “This money would then be recovered through future claims to the insurer by the service provider. It is a common norm in the medical industry." He did not, however, explain why other doctors were owed huge amounts of money by PSMAS for services actually provided. As Parirenyatwa was Minister of Health at the time it is considered that he misused his position to gain trust and use this unfair advantage not only over PSMAS but also over his peers in the medical profession.[8]

Threats to kill opposition supporters

In 2007, Parirenyatwa allegedly promised to kill opposition supporters unless they voted for Robert Mugabe in the controversial 27 June 2008, Presidential election run-off. Those opposition supporters who did not vote for Mugabe in the first round were allegedly forced to attend Zanu- PF meetings were they were beaten. [9]

Farm Mechanisation Scheme

In July 2020, David Parirenyatwa was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.

The data is analysed by recipients origin:.

  • Mashonaland provinces had the most beneficiaries, both in terms of numbers and value.

Mashonaland East got US$47,5 million,
Mashonaland West US$44,7 million
Mashonaland Central had US$34,2 million.

  • Two Matebeleland provinces had a combined total of US$13,9 million.
  • Masvingo US$26,4 million,
  • Manicaland US$18 million
  • Midlands US$14 million.

David Parirenyatwa is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. According to the list, he (Tambawakaguta Farm) got a loan of US$88,631. [10]

Unlawfull Dismissal of Employees Lawsuit

In February 2018 20 student nurses at Bonda Mission Hospital who reportedly had their contracts terminated after a month of receipt of admission letters sued Parirenyatwa as the Minister, Bonda Mission Hospital and the provincial medical director for Manicaland. Dr. Mafaune. The matter was applied to the High Court of Zimbabwe.

NatPharm

David Parirenyatwa, awaits trial on charges of criminal abuse of office. The trial had to be postponed due to the absence of presiding magistrate Elijah Makomo. Prosecutor Brian Vito sought an adjournment to 17 July 2020 before Trynos Utahwashe.

Allegations are that Parirenyatwa abused his position by directing NatPharm chairman George Washaya to terminate the contract of Flora Sifeku as managing director, allegedly to allow Newman Madzikwa to take over. He had been fired in September 2009 as NatPharm's Masvingo branch manager for reportedly selling donated drugs. The board complied with Parirenyatwa's directive and gave both Ms Sifeku and Mr Madzikwa six months' contracts as managing directors. This is alleged to have created double expenditure of NatPharm funds as the company was paying two salaries towards the managing director's position, thereby prejudicing it of a total of $30 006. The State alleges that Parirenyatwa's actions were prejudicial to the good administration of NatPharm and the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

[11]

[12]

References

  1. David Parirenyatwa - Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Retrieved: 3 August 2020
  2. Cholera in Zimbabwe, World Health Organisation GAR, Published: December 2, 2008, Retrieved: July 2, 2014
  3. Incensed Harare says Cholera risk overstated, New Zimbabwe, Published: November 20, 2013, Retrieved: July 2, 2014
  4. Cholera strikes Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Today, Published: October 26, 2008, Retrieved: July 2, 2014
  5. HIV rate declines in Zimbabwe, Mail and Guardian, Published: October 31, 2007, Retrieved: July 2, 2014
  6. Dr David Parirenyatwa : Vice President of WHO Regional Committee for Africa, AIBST Newsletter, Published: September 2008, Retrieved:
  7. PSMAS funnels $100k to minister. . . money unprocedurally sent to Parirenyatwa’s company account, The Herald, Published:22 October 2015, Retrieved: 19 Nov 2015
  8. Alex Magaisa, Tale of Two Nations, Facebook. Published:18 Nov 2015, Retrieved:19 Nov 2015
  9. Mugabe minister accused of gun threats, Mail and Guardian, Published: April 21, 2008, Retrieved July 2014
  10. https://www.bigsr.co.uk/single-post/2020/07/18/BSR-EXCLUSIVE-Beneficiaries-of-the-RBZ loan of US$325,368.00-Farm-Mechanisation-Scheme BSR EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme], Big Saturday Read, Published: 18 July 2020 Retrieved: 18 July 2020
  11. Parirenyatwa Trial Postponed, All Africa, Published: 5 June 2020, Retrieved: 3 August 2020
  12. Parirenyatwa Trial Postponed, The Herald, Published: 5 June 2020, Retrieved: 3 August 2020

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