VP Kembo Mohadi Cuts Ribbon For 10 Donated Chairs At Mpilo Hospital, Zimbabweans Unimpressed

“State Of The Art”? Zimbabweans Mock VP Mohadi’s Ceremony For 10 Chairs

The Acting President, Vice President Kembo Mohadi, on 22 August 2025, officially unveiled ten chemotherapy chairs at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo. The donation, made by Cancer Serve, was described as “state of the art.” However, the move has left many Zimbabweans unimpressed, sparking heated reactions online.

The official announcement

The Ministry of Health and Child Care announced the development on X, writing:

“Today, the Acting President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Hon. VP K.C.D. Mohadi unveiled 10 state of the art Chemotherapy chairs at Mpilo Central Hospital which were donated by Cancer Serve. A similar donation of 10 chairs will be handed over to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals Radiotherapy Centre.”

The post, shared on 22 August 2025, quickly went viral, drawing tens of thousands of views and hundreds of comments.

Social media backlash

Despite the Ministry’s optimism, social media users were far from impressed. Some questioned why such a small donation required the involvement of the Vice President, while others accused the government of misrepresenting the role it played.

Academic and researcher Dr Ishe Mukati was among the first to comment, writing:

“The fuel used to go there was enough to buy more chairs.”

Another critic, Dr Chipo Dendere, questioned the resources used for the event itself. She said:

“A whole VP cut ribbon for 10 chairs? What was the cost of gathering people, buying ribbon etc? How many more chairs would’ve been bought?”

For some, the frustration stemmed from what they viewed as the government taking credit for a private initiative. Thabisa Sibanda was direct:

“This is a private donation by Dr Makarau. The Ministry had zero input. Murikukowa keamusina kurima. Tonyarirepi? (You are reaping where you did not sow. Where is our shame?).”

Others echoed similar views. Muerà Dziva wrote:

“The fuel, the allowances used to go officiate this would have equipped another hospital. They don’t really care. Any sign of ailment, they fly themselves out.”

“State of the art” label mocked

The phrase “state of the art” was singled out for ridicule, with many saying it was being misused.

Zach Mundembe mocked the Ministry’s description, stating:

“Most abused phrase in Zim. State of the art… my foot.”

Another user, Simon Chikuni, highlighted the small scale of the handover with a sarcastic post:

“You mean 123456789 ten chairs only and cut the ribbon?”

The criticism carried undertones of frustration with Zimbabwe’s health system, where cancer patients often face shortages of medication, long queues, and high treatment costs. Nyambose, one of many who questioned the optics of the ceremony, commented:

“A whole Vice President and a whole Ministry celebrating this?”

Others, such as Prince Shumba, used humour to highlight despair:

“Zimbabwe ichabudirirawo here? (Will Zimbabwe ever prosper?).”

Despite the widespread backlash, the Ministry has stood by its announcement, maintaining that the donation is a significant step in improving cancer care facilities in Zimbabwe. A second batch of ten chairs is expected to be handed over to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.