An unwanted visitor for the festive season

GROWING up in Chitubu, Glen Norah, nothing sucked more than having visitors staying for an indefinite period.

I personally resented this because it meant a massive shift in the meals schedule, television watching routine and sleeping arrangements.

Each time a visitor walked through the gate, we automatically knew we had to contend with sleeping in the lounge and leaving the bedrooms for visitors.

Not only did it mean our food potions were rationed, but it meant we were strictly monitored as well, as our mother did not take kindly to children misbehaving in the presence of strangers.

The penalty for misbehaving in the presence of visitors, whether close relations or not, was either a good spanking or a tongue-lashing.

In my case, what made the situation abhorrent is the fact that most of the visitors who frequented our home were usually older than me, which meant extra work to make their stay comfortable.

Called “vayenzi”, “vayeni”, “hweni”, “forinezhi” or “dzvatsvatsva”, visitors were the most hated people in most ghetto homes. Warm hospitality had its own downside. It meant visitors would become a common feature much to the disadvantage of children in the frequented home.

But today it seems we are finding ourselves in the same situation as back then.

This time, the whole world is grappling with an unwanted visitor called Covid-19.

This particular visitor, however, spells doom. A new variant called Omicron has just been discovered.

It means this year’s Christmas holiday might not be all that pleasant, what with restrictions on travel and gatherings.

According to experts, the new coronavirus variant, which was first detected in South Africa and Botswana, poses fresh risks for regional economies that were beginning to recover from the fallout from the third wave of the pandemic.

The detection of Omicron, which has coincided with rising Covid-19 infections, has already come with travel bans from many countries. On its part, Zimbabwe has introduced a 9pm to 6am curfew. This may be reviewed depending on the evolving situation.

The coronavirus has caused deaths and suffering in many parts of the world, including Zimbabwe.

A number of people in the creative sector have had to find alternative things to live off as places of merriment and shows had been banned. The future is now uncertain considering rising cases. The hospitality industry, which was beginning to show signs of recovery, might be affected once again together with industry. What makes the situation worse is the fact that end of year is popular for mass celebrations.

Sadly, this year promises to be a different one.

“This visitor (coronavirus) is not welcome at all. What is happening requires us to follow World Health Organisation guidelines of masking up, washing hands and observing social distance.

“We need to ensure that we never go against the grain and follow what the authorities say,” said Mr Onismo Maponda of Warren Park.

People, he said, need to be careful as there was a thin line between life and death.

“Takuvara manje. There is no Christmas to talk about this year. We need to be watchful and follow the rules. This spells doom for the world. Coronavirus is threatening to wipe mankind from the face of the earth. Hakuna chakanaka,” said one lady who only identified herself as Melody. Worshippers hold another view. “What was prophesied is slowly being fulfilled. The world is coming to an end and people are now defenceless. We leave all in the hands of God, but everything that was written is being fulfilled.”

Everyone has to follow established guidelines and protocols to stay alive.