Five companies, parastatals sued for ordering mandatory vaccination

By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Courts |

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has sued five companies and government parastatals for forcing employees to take Covid-19 vaccines or lose their jobs.

According to the court papers seen by Nehanda Radio, ZCTU cited ZIMNAT Insurance Company, Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA), Telone, Windmill, Seed Co Zimbabwe and Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences as respondents following what they said was their ‘unconstitutional’ enforcement of the vaccines on employees.

“Application is hereby made for an order in terms of the Draft Order annexed to this urgent court application on the grounds that:

“Suddenly and purportedly as a response to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, some of the employers in Zimbabwe are prohibiting their unvaccinated employees from reporting for work and/or from continuing with the performance of their obligations under their contracts of employment,” read part on the application submitted to the High Court.

ZCTU accused the above companies of “taking the law into their own hands as there is no law providing for compulsory vaccination in respect of Covid-19. In the process, the aforesaid employers are infringing the fundamental rights of the affected employees protected by sections 51, 52, (a), 65(1) and 65(4) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

This comes at a time when the country is fighting a spiralling third wave of Covid-19 infections.

As of Thursday night, the Health Ministry said the country had 121 902 confirmed cases, including 104 034 recoveries and 4 198 deaths.

A total of 2 233 565 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19. Nehanda Radio