Dystopia, Mortality and Zimbabwe’s Covid19.

Dystopia, Mortality and the Political Economy of Zimbabwe’s Covid19.

By Takura Zhangazha*

Zimbabwe is currently in its second national lockdown as caused by a rapid expansion of the #Covid19 pandemic. Many Zimbabweans have lost loved ones or are at least trying their best to ensure the latter survive this pandemic in this moment.  It is as depressing as it is dystopian.  Or even unbelievable that this is possibly our new reality in the immediate.  

One in which we cannot mourn our lost loved ones normally or in most cases cannot afford support for further treatment measures for them when they fall ill from Covid19 complications.  While having to function on a wing and a prayer that they will hopefully get well soon. 

The pain of the latter experience has numbed some of us.  I know of comrades who no longer check their social media accounts/feeds for fear of receiving the terrible news of losing a loved one.  Or for fear of even further trauma via some people assuming ‘main actor tendencies’ about the death of others as though they will never be directly affected by the pandemic. 

In most cases however I reflect on the frontline workers in this pandemic.  The nurses, doctors, support staff and even those that are in the funeral services business. Not only in relation to their safety and health but also the fact that they have to deal with the potential and reality of mortality on a regular basis.  Hence it is important, always to salute their sterling work which they do at great risk to themselves and their families. All for our betterment.

As with any national health crises wrought by Covid19, we are wont however to try and behave in what we consider our ‘normal ways’.  Even when we should not. Either based on contradicting the science or refusing to accept the basic understanding that mortality in the time of a pandemic is not selective.  No matter how rich or how poor you may be. 

But we tend to miss this key point because of our desires to live beyond the pandemic.  To assume that we, either individually or collectively, cannot fall victim to it.  Until we arrive at a Saul on the road to Damascus moment.  Except that it always comes with terrible news about a loved one. 

But again we must begin to ask ourselves important questions about our Covid19 realities.  Particularly as they reflect on our Zimbabwean national political economy.

In these reflections we must understand at least two key points.

The first being that #Covid19 has no political affiliation.  It does not remember history nor does it function for a progressive future.  It is us, the humans, that can do so.  But that doing so involves us re-thinking about dismantling not only colonial or neoliberal approaches to public health and safety but also getting over our own inferiority complexes where it comes to not only to anticipating solutions from the global north but also within or own midst.  Wherein we assume that religion will pull us through this and not our own concerted, conscious and organic national agency.

Secondly we must come to terms with the reality that Covid19 will disrupt our relationships with our families.  Both within the immediate and long duree.  It will challenge previous cultural practices that we have been used to and create a more concentrated individualism that this time last year we would never have anticipated.

But we have to challenge these developments as they have emerged. And in doing so we must revert to the centrality of the state in looking after its inhabitants.  In this, we must understand that the state is fundamental to tackling the Covid19 pandemic.  Even in we prefer public private partnerships.  It is the state that remains the guarantor of human life.  Not those that are functioning for private profit.

For many Zimbabweans on social media our approach would be simply one of stemming corruption in the public service tender provision system.  The reality of the matter is that this is not what it is only about.  We need a holistic structural re-alignment of what we mean when we say public health is a human right in Zimbabwe.

To explain further, the right to public health is not an emotional feel good issue. It is more ideological than it is about who recognizes your social media write ups and/or persecution.

Those in the ruling Zanu Pf party or the mainstream MDC opposition need to realise this with the urgency it deserves.  While we may not claim to have a solution to the actual affliction of Covid19, we can act to make our preparedness for its societal impact much more organic and therefore better. 

Every life matters regardless of class, material wealth or geographical location.  Sally Mugabe Hospital is as important as the private ward at a Parirenyatwa referral hospital or the Avenues Clinic. 

Where we understand our basic humanity in this pandemic, we will be better for our own Zimbabwean humanity. While keeping in mind that we need to nationalize the entirety of our public health delivery system. For the many. Not the few.  

*Takura Zhangazha writes here in his personal capacity (takura-zhangazha.blogspot.com)