Exiled renowned Zimbabwean investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono says he has put on hold his idea to offer free medical assistance to the elderly after doctors who pledged to work with him on the project received threats.
He says the attacks have gone a step further, with Varakashi threatening to invade service providers who agreed to offer their services for free in pursuit of helping the elderly in deprived communities.
“For the security of the service providers, we have decided to put this assistance on hold until a time when their safety is guaranteed.
“I didn’t need to provide this service, I am not obliged to, I was merely doing this to assist citizens who have no healthcare!,” he says.
Chin’ono writes:
“I received this recording this morning from one of the doctors who agreed to work on the Diaspora initiative with us, an initiative meant to help, among other things, poor elderly people in Zimbabwe, using the doctors’ time and my personal funds.
Two weeks ago, I floated the idea of the Diaspora setting up an entity to assist our cause through advocacy internationally and practical initiatives back home.
I have been viciously attacked by politicians through their proxies, who organised three Twitter spaces to bash me, roping in charlatans like Simba Chikanza, Comfort Dondo, and a man who calls himself Hulu, spreading falsehoods!
I have never been afraid of attacks because I know that professional success comes with a lot of jealousy, envy, and hatred.
But this has gone a step further, with these people threatening to invade service providers who agreed to offer their services for free in our pursuit of helping the elderly in deprived communities.
For the security of the service providers, we have decided to put this assistance on hold until a time when their safety is guaranteed.
I didn’t need to provide this service, I am not obliged to, I was merely doing this to assist citizens who have no healthcare!
It is ridiculous for any politician to send their attack dogs in the name of transparency when I have never touched a penny of public money and am using my personal funds to do these things.
How does someone ignore the looting of billions of public money and focus on wanting to audit my personal money and a project driven by free time offered by health professionals?
I have fought for better healthcare for all Zimbabweans, but I never thought a day would come when I would be attacked daily for trying to demonstrate how things can be improved and for wanting to help the poor, and that private citizens, like doctors, offering to help would feel threatened.
It is important to remember that change can be difficult, and those who benefit from the status quo will resist efforts to disrupt it.
Additionally, some people feel threatened by new ideas or approaches that they cannot control, and respond defensively or aggressively.
The Diaspora project will continue,I will keep you posted once this is resolved and the health professionals security is guaranteed!
Please hate me if you have to, but don’t deprive poor people of the help they desperately need in your pursuit of hating me!
I am disappointed that after speaking to the health permanent secretary and not getting any negative feedback from him, it is Zimbabweans sitting comfortably in foreign countries that are coordinating these attacks!
