COVID-19 taking no prisoners

THE deaths of notable figures in the country is fast showing everyone that the second wave of COVID-19 is not taking any prisoners, as more people, regardless of status are now infected while the number of those daily succumbing to the pandemic has been on the increase since the festive season.

According to health authorities, this second wave is more infectious and “merciless” especially if people do not heed calls to take preventative measures, wear masks and stay at home.

On Wednesday morning, Foreign Affairs and International Trade minister Sibusiso Moyo (60) became the third minister to succumb to COVID-19.

Moyo, a retired lieutenant general, rose to prominence in 2017 after he appeared on the national broadcaster ZBCTV announcing the coup d’état dubbed Operation Restore Legacy which removed late former President Robert Mugabe from power.

Last week, Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba (60) also succumbed to COVID-19.

In July last year, Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement minister Perrance Shiri (65) also lost his life to the virus, robbing Gukurahundi survivors of justice as he was alleged to be one of the architects of the 1980s genocide.

Globally, the COVID-19 virus has led to over two million deaths including celebrities and public figures.

Students studying postcoup studies also described Moyo’s death a “loss to source of information about the 2017 coup, as he was one of the chief makers”.

Bulawayo resident Witness Bhebhe believes that the second wave of COVID-19 that is now affecting familiar faces had awokened Zimbabweans to the reality that this pandemic is real and must be taken seriously.

A social analyst, Patrick Ndlovu, said people must not be surprised by the “takeno-prisoners” stance of COVID-19 because some people were taking half measures instead of following the guidelines.

He claims that some elitist individuals are not observing regulations that are being enforced on the poor people. Cite