President Mnangagwa is still considering the next steps to
be taken when the extended lockdown ends on Sunday, but stresses the decision
will be informed by the need to save lives.
Speaking at State House in Harare while receiving donations
from various organisations yesterday, including gifts from the Indian embassy,
he said: “We as Government and as the President decided with this (Covid 19)
challenge what do we do? Balancing the need for economic growth and the lives
of people as well as saving lives, I came to the conclusion that if people die,
we cannot resuscitate them,” he said.
“The economy can die and it can be resuscitated now or in
future. It doesn’t matter, because as long as people are alive you can have
conferences and discuss ‘how do we resuscitate the economy’ but I have never
seen a conference where people are discussing how to resuscitate the dead.”
He said the Government’s bias has always been towards
preservation of life, adding that the organisations that were at State House to
donate had proved their understanding that the priority was to save lives.
The President said Zimbabwe had the first lockdown, which
he extended by another 14 days, and focus was now on what course of action to
take after Sunday.
“When she (Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah
Muchinguri-Kashiri) came to disturb me, I was thinking what happens after this
one ends. I am still working on that, but the primary objective is to give
priority to saving lives.
“I have been studying events worldwide, how governments are
reacting to these things. Some border on the line of carelessness: some border
on the line of over-cautiousness.
“So, we must find a way to err on the side of cautiousness
rather than on the side of carelessness,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said he was impressed by the responses
Zimbabwe was getting from industrialists and others.
He has engaged captains of industry, churches, and chiefs
and in the conversations, they agreed to be cautious as opposed to being
reckless.
Indian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rungsung Masakui, handed
over medicines donated by his country.
India has shipped 103 tonnes of essential medicine worth
US$400 000, which is part of the commitment it made of US$2 million, and the
medicine has arrived in Zimbabwe.
“The balance of US$1,6 million would be delivered once this
lockdown ended,” said Mr Masukui.
The medicines include chloroquine and hydroxycholoroquine,
which have been used worldwide as a potential treatment of the disease.
He said 1 000 tonnes of rice were being shipped, while 25
medical personnel were taking part in an online training programme sponsored by
his government on managing Covid 19.
African Sun donated linen valued at $1,2 million, while the
Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) handed over linen worth $800 000. Cresta handed
over linen valued at $450 000, while Gain Wholesalers donated various food
items.
FAW donated a tractor and boom sprayer to decontaminate
public spaces and 600 face masks for policemen manning road blocks.
Coverlink weighed in with hand sanitisers worth $20 000,
while Cottco handed over 500 knapsack sprayers, 12 000 face masks and 1 000
litres of hydrogen peroxide disinfectant. Herald
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