Zimbabwe: Covid-19 Relief Distribution Riddled With Corruption – Report Reveals

A recent survey by Mass Public Opinion Institute (MPOI) has revealed that distribution of Covid-19 relief was riddled with corruption as a majority of Zimbabweans failed to get any assistance from government.

According to the survey, whose results were released Monday, 92% of Zimbabweans failed to access much needed Covid-19 relief at the height of the pandemic.

“Zimbabweans overwhelmingly (92%) report that they did not receive assistance from the government. Two thirds (67%) of citizens say that the distribution of government support to citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic was ‘somewhat unfair’ or ‘very unfair’,” said the report.

The survey outcome also revealed that two in ten Zimbabweans tested Covid-19 positive while 38% said someone in their household lost a job, business or primary source of income due to the pandemic.

“Almost two in 10 Zimbabweans (18%) say a member of their household became ill with Covid-19 or tested positive for the virus. More than one-third of adults report that their household lost a primary source of income during the pandemic, but far fewer say they benefited from government assistance,” noted the survey.

The report noted that while most citizens say they have been vaccinated against Covid-19, about one in seven say they are unlikely to try to get vaccinated.

“Vaccine-hesitant respondents cite a wide variety of reasons they are unlikely to get vaccinated, most commonly related to mistrust of available vaccines,” reads the report.

The survey was conducted by MPOI on behalf of the Afrobarometer, a pan-African, non-partisan survey research network that provides reliable data on African experiences and evaluations of democracy, governance, and quality of life.

By New Zimbabwe.