by Shongedzai Mugwagwa
Government has with immediate effect declared the Covid-19 a national disaster citing that the spread of the pandemic has posed a risk to humanity, the Harare Post can report.
The announcement was made by President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his State of the Nation Address held at the State House today.
In his address, President Mnangagwa said that the virus posed a great risk to humanity since there was a lot to be known about the pandemic.
“What makes the problem even more challenging is that more still needs to be known about this virus whose spread within and between communities, countries, regions and continents, is proving very rapid and exponential. Humanity is at risk and stands at hazardous crossroads,” said the President.
The President revealed that his Government has decided to declare the Covid-19 pandemic a national disaster as a way of escalating the country’s national response
“Dear citizens, the pandemic has reached our region and we have to escalate our national response. Above all, we must re-adjust our lives and behaviours, including foregoing certain fixtures, activities and practices we had grown accustomed to, in order to keep the pandemic at bay. This holds true at all levels: personal, community and national,” said President Mnangagwa.
Apparently, the country was building up to a major trade event which brings together all captains of industry under the auspices of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). Also, this year’s 40th Independence celebrations were scheduled for Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo.
These two events were not spared by President Mnangagwa’s ban of public gatherings for the next coming 60 days in the country including church gatherings and weddings.
“Government has decided to postpone, curtail or cancel public events, gatherings and activities. In that respect, Government has postponed the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, all National Independence Celebrations previously planned and pending International sporting fixtures until the threat of Coronavirus recedes. All these activities will resume as soon as we are satisfied that our nation is no longer at risk,” declared the President.
Meanwhile, it has been declared that all resources originally earmarked for these events will now be redirected towards strengthening the country’s defences against the Covid-19 pandemic and some towards the drought mitigation.
Public gatherings of more than 100 people were banned for the next coming 30 days after which the suspension will be reviewed.
The unprecedented rise of ICTs brought with it threats of fake news and citizen journalism, and to that effect, Government has decided to setup a National Communication Task Force which will deal with the dissemination of the Covid-19 accurate information. This comes as a counter to fake news regards the pandemic.
The Task Force is mandated with disseminating accurate information and raising awareness on the pandemic.
Of paramount importance, the President implored the country to unite during this time as well as stretching out his hand to everyone across the political divide as the situation requires unity of purpose.
“Now is the time to show unity and purpose in our nation. We have to reach out to one another in fighting this deadly pandemic. It knows no political party; no ideological boundary; no colour; no creed, no nationality. We either unite in fighting it or it forces us together in shared grief. The choice is that stark and ours to make. That choice has to be made now while there is still time,” said the President.
To note, the country has not recorded any Covid-19 positive case yet.
