By Patrick Guramatunhu- There is one thing to be said about Zimbabweans, we are a naïve and gullible lot!

Nowhere is this naivety more obvious that in the nation’s collective belief that Zanu PF’s imposed lockdown would make the corona virus disappear! The price of our naivety has never been higher than it is now!

Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies are corrupt, incompetent, vote rigging and murderous thugs, after 40 years of misrule and the country in economic ruins and political paralysis one would have thought there will be no Zimbabwean out there who still doubts Zanu PF is a curse to the nation.

When the details of the seriousness of the corona virus start to spread in the first few week of January 2020 and how easily the virus could find its way into Zimbabwe; this should have helped focus all Zimbabwean minds on the critical importance of the country having a competent government. The last thing any nation would ever wish for is to have a corrupt and incompetent government during a crisis and corona virus was the mother of all crisis!

Throughout January, February and March, Mnangagwa repeatedly assured the nation that Zimbabwe was ready to deal with the corona virus threat. The blundering incompetence with which the regime handled the late Zororo Makamba, may his soul rest in peace, said it all!

Zororo Makamba had all the usual symptoms of corona virus infection and the immigration officials had rightly detained him. Mr Makamba phoned his high ranking Zanu PF connections, an everyday occurrence in a country were corrupt is the norm, and Wala! he was allowed to go.

Of course, everyone knew just how contagious and dangerous corona virus is. In China, where the first outbreak had occurred, it was known that an infected person could pass the virus to two other a day. The three on start of the second day will become nine at the end of the day. By the end of the first week the one infected person has turned into 2 187. Give it another week the number swells to 4 782 969!

What makes corona virus so dangerous is that there is no vaccine and no cure. About 10% of the infected suffer from excruciating pains and have breathing difficulties requiring hospitalisation – overwhelming the health care services. About 1% of the infected die.

In Zimbabwe our health care services has already all but collapsed before the added burden brought on by the corona virus, thanks to the four decades of Zanu PF misrule. Without the medical help, even more people will die and the death toll could soar to 10% plus!

So, knowing just how deadly corona virus is, how was it possible that anyone, much less one in a position of power and authority could let the late Zororo Makamba go free knowing he had the virus? Worse still, why has President Mnangagwa failed to institute a full investigation into the matter and have all those responsible so such a serious dereliction of duty held to account? He has never lifted a finger!

Zororo Makamba and his family were shocked to see how ill prepared the nation was for the corona virus when he was admitted in Wilkins Hospital a few days after his release by immigration officials.

Mnangagwa and the country’s opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, had assured the nation the hospital was ready to treat corona virus patients. “So, encouraged by the preparedness!” Chamisa twittered.

Zororo was offered a bed, a bucket for a toilet and in attendance health workers with no protective clothing. There was no medicine to ease his pain, in running water in the tapes next to the bucket toilet, no ventilator, no monitors, etc. Once again no one was held to account for all the lies about the nation being prepared to deal with virus!

The decision to impose a nationwide lockdown on the basis of 10 confirmed corona virus cases has to be the most idiotic decision this idiotic Zanu PF regime has ever made! Surely it would have made more sense to trace all the 10 cases and their contacts and make sure they are isolated.

During the first 21-day lockdown this government has done little to test, trace, isolate and treat all those who are infected with the virus. This Zanu PF regime was more interested in enforcing the lockdown, flexing its tyrannical muscle, than in eliminating the virus.

No doubt the regime believed the virus will disappear completely after 21-days! Since it did happen, President Mnangagwa, in his infantile wisdom, has extended the lockdown by another 14 days – cocksure the virus will finally disappear!

Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF cronies are corrupt and incompetent, God only knows we should all know this by now. It is totally irresponsible for us to let such buffoons govern especially during a time when the nation’s very existence is at stake.

On its own, corona virus is set to cause the death of 1% on the population but given the assistance of a blundering regime many, many more, will die, as much as 10%!

By demanding democratic change and good governance Zimbabweans will save the country from the curse of bad governance, curse of Zanu PF dictatorship, and save hundreds of thousands of lives. Indeed, the life you save may well be your own!

“And so, my fellow Zimbabweans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do to save your country from peril and, in doing so, save your own life!” to paraphrase USA President JF Kennedy.