Zimbabwean AIDS activists march to National AIDS Council demanding accountability for AIDS levy funds

Oct 12 2012

AIDS activists in Zimbabwe this week marched to the Harare headquarters of the country's National AIDS Council (NAC) and "demand[ed] the government account for millions of dollars it is raising through an AIDS-related tax," VOA News reports. Zimbabwe implemented the tax, meant to pay for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, in 1999, but people living with HIV say they are not receiving treatment, according to the news service. Spiwe Chabikwa, who traveled from Bulawayo to protest, said, "The demonstration is not against the government, just against corruption. ... Everyone is affected; the AIDS levy is paid by everyone whether HIV-positive or not," VOA states. In an interview with VOA, NAC Director Tapiwa Magure said, "We are up to date with our audits. There are tight controls ... All I am saying is, we are more than ready to explain everything." The news service notes the "Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights has petitioned the National AIDS Council demanding that the agency release information related to how the AIDS levy is being administered" (Mhofu, 10/10).