Mudede must resign say youths

According to media reports circulated widely yesterday, Mudede is said to have urged Zimbabweans to stop using condoms religiously because they are a ploy by powerful nations to retard population growth in Africa and thereby weakening nations. “I’m pained when I am told my little daughter has to go on contraceptives. Why do you want these foreign products? It pains me a lot,” Mudede is quoted as saying.

“We believe that this is an unfortunate message to be sending to young people in a country which has, over the past decade, made significant gains in slowing down the HIV and STI infections. His office is responsible for keeping records of births and deaths in the country and you would expect him to know better about the high number numbers of HIV related deaths that still plague our country. Mudede’s call is, at best, reckless, misleading and dangerous. It reverses all the good work that government and civil society have made in the fight against HIV and STIs,” said the NYDT in a statement

“Further, Mudede’s comments do not help the cause of Zimbabwean women, many of whom are already sexually disempowered due to their husbands or partners’ reluctance in using condoms. His comments can fuel risky behaviour among Zimbabwean men and further disempower women.

“It is our belief that there are many other ways in which the slow growth of our population can be discussed, without advocating for reckless behaviour. Amongst some of the issues, emigration is a key factor. As things stand, we are told that more than 4 million Zimbabweans currently live in South Africa and other countries around the world. HIV related deaths have also played a part, and this has been worsened by the inability to access adequate healthcare due to our socio-economic environment in Zimbabwe.

“The Registrar-General also needs to be reminded of the high unemployment rates in this country, which do not exactly encourage couples to have large families.”