ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday hinted that citizens who refuse to take the Chinese made Covid-19 vaccine will pay a big price.

They won’t get jobs, will not be allowed to board public transport, and get any essential services.

Basically they will lose a lot of their basic rights and privileges.

He made the remarks while addressing party supporters at the commissioning of the Epping Forest Water Supply Augmentation Project for Bulawayo and the ground-breaking ceremony of the Gwayi-Shangani-Bulawayo pipeline project in Nyamandlovu, Umguza District, Matabeleland North.

“You are not forced to be vaccinated but time shall come when those who are not vaccinated won’t get jobs and won’t be able to board ZUPCO buses. So, decide what you do,” he said.

I-vaccine leyi irayithi, inhle liyithathe (this vaccine is safe, please take it up). The vice president of the party and the country had the first jab, he is still here.

President Mnangagwa’s warning was also confirmed by his spokesperson George Charamba who said;

“Cde ED Mnangagwa, today (Thursday) broke his silence on whether or not (to take) the Covid-19 vaccination remains voluntary forever.”

“Those wishing to abstain from the vaccination program are free to do, for as long as they accept the onerous trade-off: namely that they may have to be barred from public spaces, including accessing offices, shops, or riding mass transits like ZUPCO,” Charamba said after Mnangagwa’s speech.

The president spoke after his deputy Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga who is also the minister of Health and Child Care volunteered to be the first person to be vaccinated with the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine.