Government Promises Assistance to an 8-Year-Old Pregnant Girl
The government of Zimbabwe has pledged to support an eight-year-old girl who got pregnant after being raped by two 17-year-old men. The suspected rapists have since been arrested.
ZBC News reports that the Minister of Women Affairs, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, Honourable Sithembiso Nyoni visited the 8-year-old pregnant girl, who is admitted at Bindura Provincial Hospital.
Speaking after her visit, the minister said:
The case is still being investigated because the perpetrators are denying it. Maybe the girl will be able to tell who is guilty or who is the father, we will also not leave this girl alone. We will ensure she continues to be in safe custody so that her future is secured.
Mashonaland Central Provincial Medical Director, Dr Cremence Tshuma, said a government gynaecologist has been assigned to closely monitor the young victim of child sexual exploitation. Tshuma said:
She is 28 weeks pregnant today. All examinations are normal for someone of her age. We have assigned a gynaecologist to make a plan for her delivery.
The Social Welfare Department established that the pregnant girl comes from a broken family, which made it easy for perpetrators to take advantage of her as the mother often left her alone while fending for the family.
In other news,
Value-Added Tax Deferral Minimum Threshold Raised To $1 Million
Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube said that the minimum threshold for VAT deferral has been raised from US$500,000 to US$1 million.
The government approved a temporary exemption from paying VAT on selected capital items imported by enterprises in the manufacturing, agricultural, mining, aviation, transportation, and health sectors.
Ncube stated that the facility was being overused in his national budget presentation for 2023…continue reading
