OPINION | The Real Change Times – It has become apparent that Mnangagwa and ZANUPF are not taking the lives of Zimbabweans seriously against the aggression of the Corona virus, which has claimed thousands of lives across the globe. Over the weekend, the government was forced by scribes to release information pertaining to a death suspected to have been caused by the virus.
In spectacular fashion, the government claimed that a Mutare woman had indeed passed away of other causes before arriving at the designated Wilkins Hospital for tests. It turns out that the “Mutare woman” was a Chinese national, a fact which the government of Zimbabwe is yet to disclose to date.
The lies and deception is not only unnecessary but puts Zimbabweans at risk. It is now clear that the government has not been telling the truth in respect of its tracking methods and preparedness to deal with the deadly diseases. Pictures of a sorry testing station at the Beitbridge border post surfaced on social media three weeks ago and the images do not inspire confidence, neither do they reflect any level of seriousness.
Citizens on different social media platforms are blaming the chaos on Mnangagwa’s appointment of a Minister of questionable credentials to head such an important portfolio. His tenure has been characterised by failure, lack of care and mediocrity. Under Obadiah Moyo, Zimbabwe was hit by a cholera epidemic which claimed lives and in similar fashion its extent was also understated. Just recently, a medical doctors’ strike went on for over four months, his proposed solution included a blanket expulsion of all junior doctors and an attempt to fast track medical students into graduation.
The MDC contends that availing accurate information to citizens would actually help them prepare and take precautions. Beyond that the government has to be able to test, track and isolate all those returning from affected areas, a vague statement about self-quarantine with no monitoring methods places everyone at risk.
The Real Change Times also learnt from a statement released by the South African government that the results of the tests take up to 48 hours, yet declarations have been made in the shortest of times by the Zimbabwean government. It would be prudent for the government to come out clean and inform the citizens that indeed they have better equipment than South Africa. World Health Organisation has already warned countries which are not taking the pandemic seriously.
The government of Zimbabwe must allow technical people in the Ministry of Health to update citizens on developments as opposed to the propaganda being churned out by Ministry of Information functionaries like Nick Mangwana and Energy Mutodi.
Developments are just too complex for their understanding, worsened by their affinity to mislead and paint a non-existent rosy image of themselves. – The Real Change Times