ED must address lockdown confusion
STATEMENTS issued by the Zimbabwe Republic Police as well as Home Affairs ministry permanent secretary Aaron Nhepera all point to confusion and lack of strategic thinking in the house.
We are not encouraging people to resist the lockdown measures introduced by the government of the day, but we continue to demand clarity on grey areas though the pandemic is fierce enough to drive all of us off the streets.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga have gone a long way in trying to build hope and boost confidence among the citizens,, especially on the vaccine promises.
The nation is divided on the vaccine although I will personally take the vaccines only if the trial runs are conducted among the executive first.
The efforts being made and messages issued by government officials are greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to a life saving vaccine, not anything that will accelerate our time and speed to the grave.
We are eagerly waiting for the roadmap to the total eradication of the pandemic and start of processes that will fulfil promises made by our leaders. So many myths and fears are choking society and those need to be dealt with through educational outreach programmes if we are to fight ignorance resistance.
I personally doubt that the government in conjunction with other agencies will do their best to arrest the pandemic and if the vaccine proves to be safe from contamination we must embrace the efforts for purposes of saving lives. We have some desperate situations that require attention as we speak.
Extending the lockdown is not the solution to the spread of the pandemic Mr President.
Open up industry, informal sector and enforce preventive measures at the workplace as we battle the disease. It does not make sense to open city food outlets and medical facilities and mount roadblocks on all roads to avoid town visits. Another option is to allow businesses to be open until midday and give people ample time to get back home before the curfew.
Government does not seem to have the capacity to take care of vulnerable groups during lockdowns and the last time it tried, it failed dismally.
Total closure and deployment of hungry police officers and soldiers is not helping the situation because beer and food is being sold in open spaces and houses in broad daylight.
It does not work to open mining and manufacturing sectors and close the commercial sector accessed by the consumers.
Enforce sanitisation, masking up, maintain the curfew and limit purposeless movement and make COVID-19 testing and vaccination accessible to the poor. We are too poor to pay for testing at private centres.
Kurauone Chihwayi