In
a
letter
written
on
21
November
2024
to
the
Ministry
of
Finance,
Economic
Development
and
Investment
Promotion,
ZADHR,
which
is
represented
by
their
lawyer, Precious
Chakasikwa of Zimbabwe
Lawyers
for
Human
Rights,
asked
the
Ncube-led
ministry
to
provide
it
with
an
account
of
how
much
special
surtax
on
sugar
content
in
beverages
had
been
collected
from
9
February
2024,
when
government
gazetted
Statutory
Instrument
16/24,
the
Customs
and
Excise
(Tariff)
(Amendment)
Notice,
2024
(No.
5).
ZADHR
also
wants
the
Ministry
of
Finance,
Economic
Development
and
Investment
Promotion
to
furnish
it
with
an
account
of
what
cancer
drugs
and
equipment
have
been
procured
since
the
introduction
of
the
sugar
tax
and
the
list
of
hospitals
to
which
these
have
been
distributed
to.
The
doctor’s
association
made
the
request
for
access
to
the
information
in
terms
of
the
provisions
of
section
7
of
the
Freedom
of
Information
Act.
ZADHR’s
request
is
aimed
at
promoting
transparency
and
accountability
in
the
use
of
public
funds.
In
February,
government introduced
a
levy
on
sugary
beverages
claiming
that
this
was
aimed
at
discouraging
people
from
consuming
too
much
sugar,
which
it
blamed
for
causing
some
forms
of
cancer.
Ncube
justified
the
introduction
of
the
sugar
tax
as
a
response
to
growing
concerns
on
the
adverse
effects
of
consumption
of
sugar,
stating
that
the
funds
generated
from
the
levy
would
be
ring-fenced
for
therapy
and
procurement
of
cancer
equipment.
Post
published
in:
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