Senators from both Zanu PF and MDC have agreed to the notion that leaders should lead by example in the fight against HIV and AIDS as well as the need to change the policy on disclosure of one’s HIV status.

Timothy Mubhawu

Commenting on the issue though he came in late in the day, Member of Parliament for Mabvuku/Tafara, Mr Timothy Mubhawu said that most of these political leaders have the privileged of getting anti-retroviral drugs at the expense of ordinary people and at the same time go around spreading HIV.

“They get these drugs when others cannot access them. After that they don’t tell the young girls they are going out with that they are infected thus spreading the virus further. Something has to be done about this,” he said.

“Why can we not quarantine those with AIDS and HIV such that they live in their own places just like they do in Cuba and Uganda,” said Mubhawu.

If this statement was serious from a senator then it caused havoc from the public who felt it was discriminatory. However a lot was discussed in this meeting and most talk was of ending stigma. The senators highlighted that since HIV was perceived as coming only from sex, there was certain stigma linked to this epidemic that those who need help sometimes do not come out open fearing to be the talk of the society. The practise of getting married and using children as a measure of if one is infected rather than getting tested first before having kids was also of note and the senators said something should be done to sensitize people on this. They said some people bear children to please relatives even if they know that they have come a long way in life and have been exposed many a times to infection in the process.

The senators also noted that most urban dwellers are dumping their sick in the rural areas where relatives there are not told of the sick person’s status at the same time they do not have home base care kits to protect them when giving care.

The boy child came into spotlight in this discussion where he was said to be doing whatever he felt with his life but the girl child being monitored heavily and being told to maintain their virginity.

“Nothing is being said on the behavior of the boy child. No virginity testing, no asking about anything. A boy child does whatever he likes,” said one of the senators.

They said it was their role to send the correct messages to the people as legislatures. Some of the around 25 legislators who attended the workshop were senators Mawere, Mubhawu, Chikava, Gondo, Chipanga, Mdlongwa, Siwampande and Khumalo.

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