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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE international football star, Tino Kadewere, has been granted a special exemption to travel to Zvimba for the burial of his brother, Prince, this afternoon.
The Kadewere family yesterday successfully appealed to Government for the France-based Warrior to attend the burial and pay his last respects.
His brother Prince, who was a football coach, died in Harare on Wednesday.
Kadewere arrived in the country on Thursday and immediately went into quarantine, in accordance with the Government health guidelines on the coronavirus pandemic.
Under normal circumstances, he would have been confined in quarantine for anything between eight to 14 days.
But, there is a window under the health provisions to apply for a waiver from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The family were yesterday running from one office to the other, seeking a waiver for the Olympique Lyon forward, to be able to travel to their Zvimba rural home where burial is set to take place today.
Kadewere had checked into the Bronte Hotel in Harare for quarantine after arriving on Thursday.
His elder brother, Prosper, confirmed the new development but said the family was still waiting for further instructions before the Warriors forward could join the family in mourning.
“Tino arrived in the afternoon yesterday (Thursday). He has been in quarantine since then but efforts have been made to seek clearances from the authorities for him to be able to attend the funeral,’’ said Prosper.
“We spoke to ZIFA and they seconded Mr Wellington Mpandare (former Warriors team manager) to assist.
“So, we have been running around the whole day.
“We are quite relieved that the ministry (of Health and Child Care) has granted the request and we are hopeful that Tino will be able to travel and pay his last respects to his brother.
“We are grateful to ZIFA and the Government.
“However, we are still waiting for further instruction from the ministry.”
The France-based forward caught the earliest flight on Wednesday evening, just hours after his brother died at a local medical facility on Wednesday, as he desperately wanted attend the funeral.
Kadewere will be allowed to attend the burial under strict monitoring guidelines and will be escorted by the support staff from the ministry officials who will ensure that he does not mingle with the other mourners before heading back into quarantine soon after the burial rituals.
Chief Coordinator of the national response to the national Covid-19 taskforce, Agnes Mahomva, yesterday explained it was possible to apply for the exemption for returning residents.
Mahomva explained there was no special treatment to any citizen.
“The quarantine conditions are all the same for all the returning citizens. When there is a funeral in the family we encourage the family to go ahead with the burial,’’ she said.
“But, there are special circumstances, let’s say there is a sudden death in the family, people can apply to the Ministry of Health and Child Care for exemption.
“But, there are strict conditions attached to that. The person in quarantine is tested and results should be negative.
“He, or she, will be escorted to the funeral by officials from the ministry who will make sure that he adheres to the laid-down conditions and will not mix and mingle with the other people.
“Soon, afterwards, that person is escorted again by the same officials back to the quarantine centre using the same procedure.
“It is the Ministry of Health and Child Care that does that.”
Government health guidelines stipulate that returning citizens should be subjected to a minimum eight to 10 days, and up to 21 days, in quarantine.
The health guidelines stipulate that returning citizens be tested using PCR on day one before they are even taken for compulsory quarantine, with those who test positive immediately taken into isolation facilities while those who test negative go into mandatory quarantine facilities.
A second test is done on day eight, for those in quarantine facilities, again, using the PCR test from which those who test positive would be taken to an isolation facility with those who are negative discharged and allowed to complete their 21-days of quarantine at home.
However, those discharged will have to undergo another PCR test, on day 21, before they are certified free of Covid-19.
But since Kadewere was coming from a club where they get tested twice a week, the family were advised there was a chance to get an exemption.
Kadewere and his wife were tested on arrival using the PCR tests and results turned out negative.
Reports in France had revealed he had been given the greenlight by his club to attend the funeral.
“Tino Kadewere, the Lyon striker, will leave town after learning of the death of a family member,’’ reported French daily sports newspaper, L’Equipe, on Wednesday.
“Not qualified for the Champions League and, therefore unavailable for the quarter-final against Manchester City on Saturday, the former Le Havre will return this Wednesday evening to Zimbabwe, in Harare.’’
His teammates are in Portugal for their Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City tonight.
Kadewere did not travel with the Olympic Lyon squad after completing his move when the deadline had passed.
The Warriors forward has already revealed his brother Prince was the one who provided the benchmark for him to try and be a successful football player.
A teenage prodigy, Prince shone during his school days and even played for the Zimbabwe Under-17 team.
He was billed for greatness but an injury brought his career to a premature end.
Prince was now a coach and left behind his wife and four children.
Online Reporter