Staff ReporterPictures of Zimbabwean Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa “officially opening” a garbage bin at a ceremony the north-eastern town of Rusape have gone viral on social media.
In the photos, Chinamasa is wearing a brown suit with a falling flower lapel, and he is smiling widely while cutting a bright green ribbon stretched over a large bin.
According to ZWNews, the ceremony was attended by several government officials and members of the public.
The opening of the bin was “in line with the health ministry’s bid to promote a clean environment in the country following outbreaks of diseases as a result of garbage dumping at undesignated places”, the report said.
But following the ceremony, social media exploded, with Zimbabweans slamming Chinamasa for stepping “too low” in his attempt “to woo” voters in the forthcoming elections.
Zimbabwe was set to go to the polls on July 30.
Renowned cleric Evan Mawarire questioned the finance minister’s priorities saying the country’s future was not looking good.
Writing on his Facebook page, Mawarire said Chinamasa needed to focus on resolving the country’s cash shortages, and its moribund economy.
“No No No No, this can’t be the future guys NO! To see the sadness of this, think about how many SUV’s drove out hundreds of kilometres for this? How many high level civil servants were away from work accompanying the minister? How much man hours is this? Meanwhile cash is still not available for the poorest of our citizens and the economy is dead. Why is the minister of finance officially opening bins?? I’m done,” wrote Mawarire.
