Obadiah Moyo

Obadiah Moyo is a Zimbabwean politician and former hospital administrator. In 2018, he was appointed the country's Minister of Health and Child Care. On the 19th of June 2020, he was arrested and charged with three counts of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, for his alleged participation in a scam that involves tens of millions of dollars.[1] After spending the night in police cells, he posted $50 000.00 bail, and is currently awaiting the start of his criminal trial.[2] On the 7th of July 2020, the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa dismissed Moyo from the office of Cabinet Minister, removing him for "conduct inappropriate for a Government Minister".[3]

Obadiah Moyo
Minister of Health and Child Care
In office
7 September 2018 – 7 July 2020
Preceded byDavid Parirenyatwa
Succeeded byConstantino Chiwenga
Personal details
Political partyZANU-PF

Previous career

Moyo served as the Executive Director of The Zimbabwe Kidney Fund Association's Renal Services and worked to bring more dialysis machines to hospitals.[4] Moyo was involved in providing dialysis care for Sally Mugabe, Robert Mugabe's first wife, when she battled renal disease.[5]

In 2005, he was appointed as the chief executive officer of Chitungwiza Central Hospital near Harare.[6] He held the position until 2018.[7]

Political career

Moyo is a member of Zanu-PF. He ran for parliament in 2018 in the Zengeza East constituency but lost the election to Goodrich Chimbaira.[8]

He had previously run for election in 2005 as the representative for Nkayi but was not successful.[9]

Moyo was appointed as the Minister of Health and Child Care in September 2018 in Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.[10] He replaced David Parirenyatwa.[11] During his first year in the ministerial role, the country faced a cholera outbreak[12] and doctor strikes over hospital conditions, a shortage of drugs and wages.[13] In March 2020, Moyo was appointed to lead the country's Coronavirus Task Force.[14] Moyo's tenure as Zimbabwe's Minister of Health was marred by frequent and persistent complaints that he is an academic imposter; that he faked his medical qualifications; and that he is not, as he claims to be, a medical doctor.[15]

In June 2020, Moyo was arrested for corruption and abuse of office.[16] He was charged with illegally awarding $60 million in contracts, through the Health Ministry, without a competitive tender process to purchase COVID-19 testing materials and equipment.[17] Moyo was removed from office on 7 July 2020.[18]

Personal life

Moyo was born in Gutu. As a young man he was known in local pubs as DJ The Mighty Biscuit.[19] He married Lucy Memory. They have four children together.[5]

References
  1. https://www.herald.co.zw/zacc-arrests-health-minister/
  2. https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/minister-obadiah-moyo-gets-50-000-bail/
  3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/07/zimbabwe-health-minister-obediah-moyo-sacked-graft-scandal-200708070434612.html
  4. "Hospitals Get Kidney Machines". All Africa. The Daily News. 8 April 2002. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  5. Chipunza, Paida (5 October 2018). "Dr Moyo: Father of dialysis". The Herald. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  6. Bangu, Respect (7 November 2005). "Chitungwiza Clinics Stop Providing Natal Services". All Africa. The Herald. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  7. "New CEOs for Hre, Chitungwiza hospitals". The Herald. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 2020-03-02.
  8. Herald Reporters (15 Jun 2018). "We're satisfied with nominations: ZEC". The Herald. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
  9. "Zim Polls Latest Results". Factiva. All Africa Global Media. 4 April 2005.
  10. "Zimbabwe president appoints new cabinet". Factiva. BBC Monitoring Africa. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  11. Mushava, Everson; Ncube, Xolisani (2018-09-09). "Axed ministers speak out". The Standard. Retrieved 2020-02-27.
  12. Dzirutwe, MacDonald (12 September 2018). "Zimbabwe police ban public gatherings in capital to contain cholera outbreak". Reuters. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  13. Dzirutwe, MacDonald (3 December 2018). "Zimbabwe doctors strike again for better pay as economy struggles". Reuters. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  14. Herald, The. "Coronavirus task force set up". The Herald. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  15. https://www.theindependent.co.zw/2018/10/12/health-minister-a-medical-impostor/
  16. "Zimbabwe minister charged with virus corruption". BBC News. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  17. "Zimbabwe's health minister granted bail over $60 mln graft claims". Reuters. 2020-06-20. Retrieved 2020-07-05.
  18. "Mnangagwa sacks Health minister Obadiah Moyo following corruption claims". Anti-corruption digest. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  19. Pfunde, Nigel (2020-06-16). "Covidgate: D-Day for DJ Biscuit". ZimMorningPost. Retrieved 2021-01-24.
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