In a statement released on Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa’s behalf by his Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji, Parirenyatwa clarified reports that Government had suspended mbanje (cannabis) farming. He said Government had not suspended the growing of cannabis popularly known as mbanje for medicinal and scientific purposes.
He revealed that the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) is working on necessary provisions before implementation begins. Parirenyatwa’s comments comes after Deputy Finance Minister Terrence Mukupe indicated that Government had suspended mbanje farming. Said Parirenyatwa:
There has been some miscommunication from different sources which has caused misunderstanding with regards to Government’s position to create a framework through legislation, in which the growing, processing and marketing of cannabis and its products for medicinal and industrial use, by duly licensed and monitored entities is legalized. SI 62 of 2018 whose parent Act is The Dangerous Drugs Act (Chap 15:02) puts the legal framework for this and this SI has not been repealed nor has its implementation been suspended. The relevant licensing entity for the Ministry of Health And Child Care, MCAZ is ceased with developing the necessary further guidelines to help in operationalisation of this SI from a regulatory point of view. Secondly work in the actual production of cannabis and its products calls for a multi-sectoral or multi- agency approach as several entities including Ministries responsible for Agriculture, Finance, Home Affairs, Technology and Security are also in the process of fine-tuning their roles and facilitation in this new industry. It is worth reminding ourselves that this is not a licence to grow mbanje for recreational use, neither is it a license to sell mbanje on the streets, and it is certainly not a licence to smoke mbanje.
More: Star FM
WhatsApp Group: 
Telegram Group:
Siyayi varimi vakohwe mbanje. Mbanje one mari
Why should you concentrate on mbanje instead of fixing the public health system which is inshambles? Please have your priorities right, you have failed as a Minister of Health.
indula – instead of celebrating a countryman who is helping put our country on the map in international waters, by winning the respect of his peers internationally, the first ever Zimbabwean to be elected to such an austere international body – you elect to post an article which you cannot resist to make a party-political agenda driven article.
What have you ever done of note, Editor? (or whichever misguided sphincter wrote this article). If his peers in their 20 years of interacting him give him respect ad kudos to lead them, why can you not celebrate that?
The fact that healthcare has been underfunded by Zimbabwean government from the top down – is not the fault of a cabinet minister. His job is to portfolio manage the scarce resource as best he can.
Your job – is put Zimbabwe on the map internationally and save the bar-room insults for home.