By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he is impressed by how Zimbabweans are adhering to the lockdown regulations.
Mnangagwa spoke to the media after he had a drive-through tour of Mabvuku, Tafara, Kuwadzana, Mufakose, Budiriro, Glen View, Zengeza and Chitungwiza on Sunday to see how people are coping with the lockdown which is set to last for three weeks.
Said Mnangagwa, “Wishing a blessed Sunday to my brothers and sisters in lockdown. I am proud of the way you have responded to this challenging situation, with discipline, commitment, and spirit. The road is long, but we are on the right path. Stay strong and keep it up. Together, we shall overcome!”
Presidential Spokesperson George Chamba said Mnangagwa wanted to see for himself how Zimbabweans were living during this period.
“The President was highly impressed by the level of self-discipline throughout the suburbs, with movements limited to securing necessities like water, medical services, and food. This unscheduled drive-through, caught everyone by surprise, including yours truly who scrambled out of bed to .catch up with the impromptu tour. This allowed the President to meet society in its spontaneous, unorganized form in order to gauge what really goes on behind protestations of compliance. Happily, Zimbabweans did not disappoint.
“Even on communal water points, joint ZRP and municipal police manned and organized communities for order and social distancing. It became clearer that the water supply situation in our cities and towns need urgent attention.”
Charamba added that the communities were happy to see the President visiting them.
“Communities really appreciated the fact of a leadership mindful of the need to show empathy and first-hand appreciation of how families are coping. The whistle trip became the only appropriate mode and approach in the wake of the severe lockdown during which crowds and crowding are disallowed.
Without discounting other possibilities, the President intimated that would keep reviewing the situation for appropriate adjustments and responses, bearing in mind the lockdown levies enormous social and economic costs on society.