By Prince Njagu- -Utterances by Defense Minister, Oppah Muchinguri on the COVID-19 death has left Zimbabweans and the international community in dismay. The ZANU PF top-dog uttered the most inhumane sentiments whilst addressing a Zimbabwe National Liberation War Collaborators Association meeting in Chinhoyi on Friday.
Remarks by Muchinguri, who is one of ZANU PF’s top-rated leaders leaves nothing to be desired, especially of a political party that has been oppressing and violating human rights for more than four decades.
Zimbabwean hospitals are in unprecedented crisis, dilapidated infrastructure, clashes between the ZANU PF led government and doctors over poor working conditions beings the talk of the day.
A global pandemic like the COVID-19 will leave thousands’ if not hundreds of thousands dead in the country.
In the wake of a global pandemic, Oppah Muchinguri described the coronavirus outbreak as God’s way of punishing western countries and the United States for imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe.
Such utterances from a top-brass, ZANU PF leader paints a true picture of how inhumane ZANU PF as a political party is.
A ministerial position is one of the highest political offices in a country and to hear a bearer of such an office utter such inconsiderate words is shocking.
In her statement, Oppah Muchinguri appeared to be mocking western countries and seemed very much unfazed of what was going on worldwide.
The country is already hit by high inflations rates, drought, corruption and now the coronavirus slowly creeping in. The Zimbabwe populace will suffer even more.
“This coronavirus that has come are sanctions against the countries that have imposed sanctions on us. God is punishing them now and they are staying indoors now while their economy is screaming like what they did to ours by imposing sanctions on us,” said Muchinguri.
The same European Union, Britain and the United States which the ZANU PF minister was scornful about continue to be the top aid givers to the troubled Southern African country.
The severity of the pandemic is no laughing matter, lives have been lost and people are still dying.
As it stands the death count stands at 7991 with over 198,959 infections and these figures are anticipated to be on the upsurge.
An office bearer of such a high office makes such scornful remarks about a global pandemic and the ZANU PF party does not take action to address the issue tells a lot about the political party and its leadership.
Muchinguri’s utterances impelled criticism from other Zimbabweans, and humanitarian organizations, but the ZANU PF party has remained silent about the entire incident.
ZANU PF as a political party has been known for its ruthlessness and uncalled for human rights abuses; but publicly taking scorn at the fact that people are dying as a result of a global pandemic was a new low for the party.
Neither the defense minister nor the ZANU PF President, Emmerson Mnagagwa has issued a statement apologising for the inhumane remarks.
On Monday Mnagagwa only restated his government’s commitment to fighting COVID-19 but did not make direct reference to utterances by his comrade, Oppah.
In Mnagagwa address he only said that there was a scientific explanation for COVID-19, and it cannot be blamed on anyone. The ZANU PF leader remarks have been interpreted as a bid to cushion Minister Muchinguri sentiments.
Mnagagwa is widely regarded as the newer version of Mugabe has seen the Zimbabwean economy hit an all-time low since before the formation of the Government of National Unity in 2009.
The healthcare sector is already dilapidated and the likelihood of spikes in cases of infected people in the country is also increasing.
The ZANU PF led administration has not yet put any concrete measures to curb its widespread.
A few cases have so far been reported in the capital of Harare and one tourist tested positive after having flew from Victoria Falls.
Mnagagwa and his ZANU PF government remain steadfast about the impact that an outbreak of COVID-19 will have on the country and they have not shown any signs of taking action to try an cushion the widespread of the pandemic since neighbouring countries are reporting an increase in the number of infections.
Zimbabweans are seating on a time bomb, and it is only a matter of time before more COVID-19 cases start sprouting.
COVID-19 will have devastating impacts on Zimbabwe as a whole and this will further worsen the countries already critical healthcare.
This very same government which is known for plundering and diverting donor funds into party projects whilst the people of Zimbabwe continue to suffer will turn to the same Western countries that their Minister was mocking for assistance.
As it stands, they are only two quarantine centers which have been set up in a country with more than 16 million inhabitants.
These two centers have 45 beds and an outbreak would be disastrous as most hospitals in the county are short staffed and have already been closed.
Neighbouring country, South Africa has reported 62, with no fatalities, but it has enforced travel restrictions on severely affected countries and Mnagagwa has not taken any action.