GOVERNMENT should disclose all the donations for COVID-19 from the local and international community.
By Kurauone Chihwayi, Our Reader
We read about donations from the United States and the United Nations in local newspapers, but until today, government has not yet confirmed or acknowledged any donation.
Recently, a multi-million-dollar package to fight coronavirus was unveiled, but until today, we haven’t seen the promised sanitisers, sprays, soap or masks in public places. We want an explanation from those in possession of the money.
We are expecting local authorities, security services and sectors to start spraying high-density areas and supplying gloves and masks, instead of deploying unprotected security personnel to beat us everyday. We appreciate all the much-publicised appeals for money, but we will be glad to see the income and expenditure account for the first 30 days under this COVID-19 siege.
It remains my prayer that President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s $2 billion plea will find takers as soon as possible. While we sympathise with the affected families, we are also keen to seek clarity on the correct number of people currently infected by the pandemic, a move that will clear the air on the levels of infection in the country.
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Our figures are not adding up ladies and gentlemen. We read about survivors, the sick and the deceased, but official information emanating from government offices only talk about the total number of sick people and the departed, and not mentioning the number of those who recovered. Does it mean that no one has recovered? Please provide us with the information we need, not the political statements because all is not adding up.
We can no longer speculate on figures because of the ministerial gagging and threats of jail terms. We are complying with the Presidential 21-day national lockdown order. I implore Mnangagwa to lead from the front instead of bending his own rules.
Currently, he is on a whirlwind tour to see if people are heeding the lockdown order. He has been to Chitungwiza, Harare’s high-density suburbs, Kadoma, Kwekwe and Gweru.
He needs to stay at his home as well.
The lockdown is a necessary evil and it remains important for everyone, including the President to stay indoors and observe social distancing.
It is also my expectation to hear Mnangagwa’s position regarding vaccines for COVID-19, if there is any plan to have them delivered any time soon. It remains my prayer again that if any trials are to be held in Zimbabwe, they should be conducted on decisionmakers and those within the echelons of power like the President, Cabinet and Members of Parliament since they always get everything first.
We are still waiting for the Cyclone Idai audit report.