MDC president Nelson Chamisa has blasted his nemesis,
President Emmerson Mnangagwa for his lackadaisical approach at handling the
coronavirus, saying he should consider locking down the country’s borders to
avoid the spread of the deadly virus.
Chamisa also challenged Mnangagwa to go into self-isolation
after his trip to Namibia last Friday to attend the inauguration of Namibian
President Hage Geingob.
Botswana leader Mokgweetsi Masisi, has, after his Namibian
trip, started a 14-day self-isolation which will include testing for COVID-19.
Masisi will work from home over the period that he will
also be quarantined from his family.
Namibia has three confirmed cases and Botswana has no case,
while Zimbabwe has two confirmed cases, one of which has resulted in the death
of journalist Zororo Makamba.
In an interview yesterday, Chamisa’s spokesperson,
Nkululeko Sibanda said the country should close all entry points before people
die like flies, as the government is ill-equipped to fight COVID-19. He said
Mnangagwa’s trip to Namibia was not necessary and the money used to fund it
could have been used to improve the country’s ailing health facilities
designated to handle COVID-19 cases.
“Over night, we had three cases of COVID-19 confirmed in
Zimbabwe. Remember, that our ports of entry are still dangerously supervised,”
Sibanda said.
“The other day, a bus at Beitbridge Border Post was allowed
to cross the country at will, while a suspected case was quarantined. I am
terrified at the lack of urgency by government.”
He expressed fear that the coronavirus would spread like
veld fire at queues for fuel and Zupco buses.
“We need to lock up this country. Distance working is now
essential. We have too many flash points,” he said.
“He (ED) must as a gesture of seriousness and as a
precaution to protect our people and country, follow the steps taken by other
leaders,” Sibanda said.
“It is really saddening that he travelled to Namibia when
the country is facing such a terrible national crisis. There is virtually no
equipment in hospitals designated to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have less than 100 beds in the country (meant for
coronavirus patients). We have about 30 or so in Harare, and a slightly lower
number in Bulawayo,” he said.
“I believe that we should call these people to question.
The money that they used to fly out to Namibia for something that is
non-essential could have been put to better use. The Namibians can inaugurate
their own President under full understanding of the fact that the rest of the
world is busy dealing with COVID-19.”
Zimbabwe is facing a grim prospect of failing to control
the spread of COVID-19 after it emerged that the country’s health professionals
were yet to receive the requisite training and protective clothing to handle
the pandemic which has so far globally recorded over 15 000 deaths and 358 823
confirmed cases as of yesterday. Newsday
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