Bulawayo City Council Declares Health Alert After Suspected Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease Cases Reported
Bulawayo City Council has declared a health alert after suspected Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) cases were reported, warning schools and families to act fast as officials rush to contain the outbreak.
The notice, issued on Nov 13 by the Town Clerk’s office, comes amid fears the viral illness could spread rapidly in classrooms, homes and playgrounds.
HFMD is a highly contagious viral infection that mainly affects children under five, though adults can also contract it through close contact.
Health officials explained that the disease is transmitted through saliva, nasal mucus and fluid from blisters, making group environments especially vulnerable.
Symptoms include painful mouth sores, rashes or blisters on hands and feet, fever, sore throat, fatigue and loss of appetite.
Signs usually appear within three to six days after exposure.
Residents have been urged to wash hands frequently, disinfect commonly touched surfaces and avoid close contact — including hugging and sharing utensils with infected individuals.
Authorities stressed that anyone showing symptoms should isolate until fever subsides and blisters have dried.
Town Clerk Christopher Dube underscored the need for vigilance:
“The City of Bulawayo urges residents to report any suspected cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease to the nearest healthcare facility to prevent further spread.”
Officials did not disclose the number of suspected cases but confirmed monitoring and response measures are underway across clinics and schools.
HFMD outbreaks have previously been recorded in Zimbabwe, particularly among nursery and primary school children due to its rapid spread in group environments.
[18/11, 08:43] Brother Barns: *Zimbabwe MP’s Viral Photo Of Victoria Falls Road Sparks Heated Online Debate*
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cck3jv3a10D7Z4wQWEJ1dx?mode=wwc…
A photograph of a severely damaged road, posted by a member of parliament and purportedly leading to Zimbabwe’s premier tourist destination, Victoria Falls, has ignited a fierce and very public debate. The image, shared by Joanah Mamombe, the MP for Harare West, shows a bus stranded on a muddy, deeply rutted track, a scene that has drawn thousands of reactions and raised serious questions about the state of a critical national infrastructure project. This is not the first time such an image has caused a stir, echoing a previous incident where a photo of a giant pothole was also attributed to this key highway.
The controversy erupted on the evening of November 17, 2025, when Mamombe posted the picture with the caption, “The road to Zimbabwe’s prime Tourism destination, the Victoria Falls.” The post quickly amassed over 20,000 views and sparked an immediate and polarised response from the public. While many users expressed outrage and frustration, others were quick to defend the situation, leading to a heated exchange right under the MP’s post.
The central point of contention revolves around whether the pictured road is the main highway or a temporary detour. One user, Mabweadziva, argued in defence of the authorities, stating:
“This is a detour. A detour is a temporary route used when the usual road is blocked often because of road construction. It is not unusual for vehicles to get stuck in a detour if unexpected conditions arise. This can happen in both developed and developing areas.”
This explanation was fiercely contested by other commentators. A user named AYOBA GURU provided a starkly different on-the-ground account, directly challenging the ‘detour’ narrative:
“Those saying its a Detour are the worst useless booty licking bastard , used that road yesterday ,only 17km has been revamped so far , the Detours are even far much better than main road ,its a mess everywhere.Useless Zanu PF bribing companies working on tortoise pace.”
The debate was further inflamed by a user employing vernacular language to describe the road’s condition, calling it “pachimana nzombe,” which translates to a place where even an ox would struggle. The discussion also touched on long-standing grievances, with one user, Nfanomkhulu, making a historical comparison, writing, “l grew up in Lupane… in the 1970s during Ian Smith Rhodesian Era the road was always maintained.”
A History Of Viral Potholes And Official Denials
This recent online storm follows a remarkably similar event from March 2025. At that time, a different photo showing three people posing inside a massive pothole went viral on social media, also claimed to be on the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway. On that occasion, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development (MOTID) felt compelled to issue an official statement. The Ministry acknowledged that some sections of the highway were in “dire need of rehabilitation.” However, they explicitly denied the viral image’s location, asserting that the photo “does not correspond to any section of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway.”
The Ministry’s statement from March 2025 noted that work was underway through a collaboration between the Department of Roads and Bitumen World. The current official position, as reported by ZBC News on November 17, 2025, maintains that the rehabilitation is “progressing well.” The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Felix Mhona, was quoted outlining the government’s strategy:
“I am happy that the strategy we adopted in the ministry was to divide the entire 440 kilometres, focusing mainly between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, where each contractor is responsible for about 51 kilometres… This rehabilitation is crucial because the road is a gateway to the tourist hub of our country, Victoria Falls.”
The government maintains that the project, wholly funded by the Treasury, is a high priority and is on track for completion by mid-2026. The clash between the MP’s latest viral image, the history of the previous pothole photo, and the consistent official narrative has left the public to decide which version of reality reflects the true state of the road to Victoria Falls.
