COMMENT: Let’s celebrate with Covid-19 in mind

As Africans, we are famed for our celebrations where we like to dance and sing. We love to celebrate our weddings, festivals and traditional ceremonies.

Above all, we love to celebrate independence. As a people, Africans were in bondage, slavery or colonisation for over 100 years.

That is why we cherish and celebrate freedom, independence and self-rule.

In two days’ time, Zimbabwe celebrates independence that was bought by blood. The blood of young Zimbabweans who did not taste independence but wanted generations to come to be able to be free in their own country.

While Zimbabweans love their independence – the most important holiday of the year – the Covid-19 pandemic has limited the freedom to celebrate.

Zimbabwe’s 41st Independence anniversary will be celebrated differently with a line-up of festivities to be held virtually in accordance with Covid-19 prevention regulations.

On Independence eve, President’s Mnangagwa’s wide-ranging interview will be televised on ZTV and ZTN.

Later, on the same day, an Independence Virtual Gala will be held and will be broadcast live on national television.

A children’s party for 50 children from the country’s 10 provinces will also be hosted at the State House on the evening of April 17.

Announcing a number of events leading to Independence Day on Sunday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said President Mnangagwa will on the day address the nation virtually.

“The President will address the nation at 1130hrs on the 18th of April 2021.This will be live on TV, all national radio stations and on online platforms. There will be repeats later on both radio and TV,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

In the afternoon on Independence Day, Minister Mutsvangwa said Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga will be the guest of honour as Zimbabwe football giants Highlanders FC and Dynamos FC lock horns for the Independence Trophy at the National Sports Stadium.

However, due to Covid-19 restrictions, no fans will be permitted into the stadium and Zimbabweans will watch the clash of the giants live on ZTV.

While the limited freedoms brought about by Covid-19 remove some of the cheer from independence celebrations, the day must serve as a reminder that together we can defeat our enemies.

Covid-19 is an enemy, an enemy that we will defeat the same way we defeated our racist colonisers: by working together.

During the liberation war, Zimbabweans came together. Some were nationalist leaders, some guerrillas and others collaborators. The soldiers needed to eat, the leaders needed to hide. They could not do it alone. They needed the people as fish need water. That, is the Maoist philosophy.

In the fight against Covid-19, our leaders and frontliners cannot do it alone. They are the fish and we are the water. If we comply to regulations, even during the Independence holiday, we save our lives and theirs too.

This year’s Independence theme “Zim @41 Together, Growing the Economy for a Prosperous, Resilient and Inclusive Society”, can only be fully achieved when we put Covid-19 behind us. When we defeat this global pandemic once and for all.