After 40 years of this corrupt, incompetent,
vote rigging and murderous Zanu PF dictatorship there is no debate – Zanu PF
has been a nightmare during the best of times. Four decades of Zanu PF misrule
have taken the country from being a jewel of Africa with a promising economy to
a failed Banana Republic.
The country, once upon a time with booming
economy and able to feed its own people and the breadbasket of the region has
seen its agricultural sector collapse and with it the economy. For the last 20
years Zimbabweans have depended on imported food aid and the economic collapse
has force unemployment to soared to the dizzying heights of 90%.
The ruling elite have creamed off the nation’s
wealth to build palatial mansions and finance their lavish lifestyles. In 2012
alone Mugabe made no few than 8 trips to Singapore for an eye check-up at a cost
of US$3 million per trip; moneys that should have been used in the country’s
own health care service. Our public health care service has all but totally
collapsed after decades of poor funding.
The corona virus outbreak is taking place at a time
when Zimbabwe’s health care is so broken even big referral hospitals like Mpilo
and Parerenyatwa Hospitals regularly run out of painkillers and go for days
without clean running water. The economy is in total meltdown there is no money
to shore up the broke the ramshackle health care service much less to build and
equip new corona virus hospitals.
“We urge health authorities to account for the
… management of the 79 year old corona virus patient who died in Bulawayo
recently. It took five days (from 2 to 7 April) to get the result of the
Covid-19 test, a period which is too long,” complained Zimbabwe Association of
Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR).
“The inability to diagnose on time is a clear
sign that health professionals attending the deceased were exposed, as they
lack essential protective equipment.
“The absence of diagnostic facilities for
Covid-19 also brings to question the state of preparedness of centres outside
Harare.
“What is the government doing to improve the
turn-around time for tests? The patient was treated at a local hospital. Is
this an infectious diseases hospital or a Covid-19 designated facility?”
A rhetorical exercise, of course. No one
expects this Zanu PF government to be competent and diligent, not after 40
years of being corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless!
This virus pandemic was set to be a very tragic
event throwing the national economy into deep depression, forcing 10% of the
population into abject poverty and killing 1% to 2% of the population. Most
developed country expect their economies to bounce back in a year or two.
In Zimbabwe the sheer breath-taking
incompetence of this Zanu PF regime is going to turn the tragic event into a
catastrophe of epic proportions. 34% of the population is already living in
abject poverty, we can expect the number to double. The Zimbabwe economy has
been in decline for the last 40 years the best one can expect is a recovery to
its present subsistence, informal, level in a year.
"The lockdown measures instituted by His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa have crippled the COVID-19 virus & prevented it from spreading internally. Current statistics show 73% of cases are imported while 27% are contacts of foreign travelers. Mortality stands at 27%.
ReplyDelete"97% of tested cases have come out negative. Compulsory testing in this case as suggested by Nelson Chamisa proves unwise. A stratified random sampling technique ensures tests focus on recent arrivals & their contacts. Probability of a COVID-19 foothold in Zimbabwe is next to zero", said Dr. Mutodi.
Zimbabwe has tested a mere 400 people and with over 11 confirmed corona cases there is no doubt the country has not been carrying out even the bare minimum test and track. Minister Mutodi’s comment is just pure guess work! It is totally irresponsible to be gambling so recklessly with the lives of hundreds of thousands of people especial from a regime that rig the elections to impose itself on the nation.
There is no doubt that this Zanu PF government is corrupt, incompetent and utterly useless, the evidence of the regime's failures is the sorry state of affairs in the country. The only reason the party has remain in power all these last 40 years is because Zanu PF rigs elections and wanton use of violence, notably during the 2008 elections and the Gukurahundi massacre.
ReplyDeleteThe nation had many opportunities to end the Zanu PF dictatorship but sadly these have all been wasted.
40 years of Zanu PF misrule have left the country is economic ruins and over 30 000 were murdered in cold blood for political gain. The outbreak of the corona virus is set to push the cost of Zanu PF misrule to new nauseating heights. The virus has hit hard sound, prosperous and stable nations but will deliver devasting blows to those nation already in economic and political chaos with corrupt and incompetent government to boot!
Corona virus is going to bring into sharp focus Zimbabwe’s curse of bad governance. The only reason why Zimbabwe will have significantly more corona virus deaths than many other countries will be the country’s chronic disease of bad governance. However, whether or not the people will have the intellect to ask why so many people died, open their eyes to see the root cause and to demand change is another matter!
@ Nduna
ReplyDelete“That ZANU is corrupt and incompetent needs no stressing. We are all aware. In my case I hate ZANU with a passion, and not apologetic. Can't we for a change expend our energies suggesting how we can fight this pandemic with our meagre resources?”
Zanu PF is the party in government and like it or not Mnangagwa and his ministers are making decision that affect us all. Instead of spending the nation’s meagre resourcing buying corona virus test kits Mnangagwa gave US$4.5 million to POLAD members to lobby SADC, AU and other world leaders to have the sanctions imposed on the regime lifted, for example.
If we are going to save any lives in the coming corona virus storm then we must be tireless in holding this Zanu PF regime to account and, better still, in demanding a competent and accountable government.
If you have ideas on how you and me can help reduce the suffering of our people, then let’s hear your suggestions. Patrick’s idea is to hold the regime to account; I do not see why your ideas and his should be mutually exclusive!