By Allan Muburwa Murozvi in Chipinge| As we enter into the 10th day out of the 21 days lock down order from the government, Platform for Youth and Community Development Trust (PYCD) continues to reflect through sharing our own response.
Our response is guided by a three week strategy already shared with the public, where we have pledged to monitor and report on the level of compliance by rural communities we are working with.
My reflection in this article is based on my observation under the banner of the PYCD, a community based organisation operating in Manicaland province with headquarters at Checheche growth point in Chipinge district. It is also important for the reader to take note that I am a resident of ward 8 in Chipinge Central constituency.
The announced lock down is bound to continue until the last day on the 21st of April 2020, but certainly it has brought some challenges that is pitting citizens and the government of Zimbabwe into a battle of survival versus order. The plight of vendors and most of the people whose livelihood depends on daily economic activities has given a headache to the government task force on Covid- 19 who are determined to ensure compliance on the lockdown laws.It has become a paradox of chasing the tail.
The revision on the directive is unavoidable as it is becoming glaring that some of the lockdown laws are untenable and not feasible to implement in a rural setting.It is within this context,that the directive to open up markets like Mbare and Sakubva is welcome.Based on my observation and that of my colleagues,this decision needs close monitoring so that the nation remains focused to comply with the health standards announced by the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare together with the World Health Organisation. In the revisionist announcement, Minister of State for Manicaland Cde Ellen Gwaradzimba addressed the vendors at Sakubva market pursuant to the directive urging the local authorities to provide basic and adequate facilities such as water and proper ablution facilities in the market places. The address was motivated by the need to ensure that there is compliance with the health standards during this lockdown.
This development is interpreted to mean that informal traders, and in particular vendors, have been given the status of essential service providers forcing Minister Gwaradzimba to apologise for the embarrassing incident in which police in Mutare confiscated and burnt some consignments for Sakubva vendors. Having been informed after making spot checks to assess the status of vendors in growth points like Checheche, Birchenough Bridge and in Chipinge town. I can confirm that the decision to revise the rules on vending is welcome and announced at the most important time.
After witnessing the running battles between the vendors and the police in Chipinge, it was gradually going to create a very difficult and ugly moment against the stay at home campaign. Vendors had confided in me during my interviews that they were going to defy the directive, and somehow it was beginning to be a well-coordinated feeling throughout the country that would have matured into defiance.
In the interest of sustaining the campaign against Covid-19, the local authorities in Chipinge district, and in particular Chipinge RDC and Chipinge Town Council should should engage all stakeholders including vendors to resolve livelihood issues and concerns. Great effort must therefore be made to ensure that services such as clean water and refuse collection and ablution facilities are in place in major market places.
I recommend that our local authorities comply with the presidential directive to enable farmers to supply their produce in towns and rural service centres. At the same time citizens should continue to adhere to the requirements of the lockdown because Covid-19 is real.
As a parting shot, I wish to reiterate that PYCD is working closely with relevant government stakeholders and other civic society organisations to ensure there is enough information and awareness meant to contain the spread of Corona-Virus. We raise concern for the government task force on Covid -19 to increase the number of people who are being tested so that our statistics truly reflects our situation and our level of preparedness as a country.
(Muburwa Allan Murozvi is a Local Governance practitioner and human rights defender and working with PYCD to achieve genuine community development)