By Nomusa Garikai- As of 6 December 2021, Zimbabwe had 141 601 cumulated covid-19 cases, 2 555 new cases up from the 50 or less per day of last week.
The country has vaccinated 3.8 million and 2.8 million with the first and second jab respectively. As recent as July this year the Zanu PF government was promising to have the 10 million herd immunity double jabbed by the end of the year. The soaring number of cases would be worrying if had some line of defence; it is sickening when we have none.
“Health and childcare minister and vice President Constantino Chiwenga has confirmed that the new Omicron variant was already in the country in what could spoil Christmas festivities as the country is likely to announce tight lockdown measures to curb the further spread of the deadly disease,” reported Zimeye.
This is rich giving VP Chiwenga had assured the nation the country had measures in place to stop the Omicron variant getting into the country; the buffoon was just talking nonsense, as usual. Zimbabwe has not been testing for the virus nowhere near as vigorously as it should ever since the outbreak. Of course, if you do not test the number of cases and deaths will be low but at the price of not tracking and containing the virus.
No doubt, the 2 555 reported cases is but the ears of the hippo the rest of the beast is hiding in the muddy water and we are just blundering along hoping against hope that the variant will not be deadly.
The covid-19 pandemic has hit the whole world but those nations whose economy was a mess and health care services in shambles have suffered the most. There is no deny that Zimbabwe is one of those countries who economy was a mess and health care services had largely collapsed after 41 years and counting of corrupt and tyrannical Zanu PF dictatorship.
Corona virus must help focus the nation’s mind; Zimbabwe must implement the democratic reforms to ensure the 2023 elections are free, fair and credible – the only sure way to end the curse of bad governance. As things stand not even one token reform was implemented since the 2018 rigged elections; the 2023 elections are set to be a repeat of the 2018, 2013, 2008, etc.
MDC leaders had the golden opportunity to implement the democratic reforms during the 2008 to 2013 GNU. They wasted the opportunity and failed to get even one reform implemented in five years. Not even one reform!
MDC leaders and the other opposition opportunists have insisted in participating in the flawed elections giving vote rigging Zanu PF legitimacy. Zanu PF has offered the opposition a few gravy train seats to entice them to participate.
If Zimbabwe has under pressure to double our efforts to end the curse of given the country’s economic and political mess two years ago; the corona virus pandemic has made our situation even worse, we must redouble our efforts to make sure there is real political change in 2023.
Since it is too late for any meaningful democratic reforms to be implement before the 2023 elections. And there is no stopping Zanu PF holding the flawed and illegal elections. There signs are MDC and the usual opposition suspects will participate in the flawed elections. We must make sure the flawed election process is condemned and no legitimate government emerge of it.
If the 2023 elections go ahead with no reforms in place then it would be better for Zimbabwe to have no legitimate government and have an interim administration setup whose primary task will be to finally implement the democratic reforms and break the vicious cycle of rigged elections and bad governance Zanu PF dictatorship has fostered on the nation.