President Emmerson Mnangagwa has made remarks which suggest that the national lockdown that is due to expire on the 3rd of May may actually be extended.
He was addressing a group of business leaders and donors at State House on Wednesday where he said that he puts value on public health over the economy. The president said:
I was thinking about what happens after this one (extended lockdown) 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 this. Some border on the line of carelessness, some border on the line of over-cautiousness. So, we must find a way where, in my view, we err on the side of caution rather than err on the side of recklessness.
His remarks come when the nation is divided over the matter with some advocating the extension of the lockdown while some say the lockdown has worsened the economic and humanitarian crisis in the country hence the need to remove it or at least relax regulations.
This is happening when the country’s confirmed coronavirus cases have spiked to 40 after 8 people tested positive between Tuesday and Wednesday.
More: newZWire
It is good that he thinks this way but public health may suffer even more if we continue with lockdown as people will starve and this will leave them open to infection. Best a partial lockdown based on the Swedish model
While he is thinking why doesn’t he think about legitimacy and how to dismantle the zanu mess he thrives in