1. The COVID19 pandemic is a reminder of the scourge of global inequality. Zimbabwe and the U.K. announced new national lockdowns within a day of each other. The U.K. government is offering more grants so firms can stay afloat. The Zimbabwean government is offering nothing. 
2. Wealthy countries have spent billions of dollars intervening in their economies to save businesses. Free market fundamentalism is in abeyance during the crisis. Poor countries on the other hand have not done much to cushion their populations. They simply don’t have the means.
3. The same pattern applies to vaccines. Wealthy countries bought millions of vaccine doses well in advance. They have already started the roll outs. Their poorer cousins are waiting, many of them have to rely on handouts. After all their health budgets are funded by donors.
4. There is lots of corruption in poor countries but corruption over COVID19 procurement has by no means been limited to poor countries. There have been corruption and poor decision-making in the wealthy counties too, PEPs taking advantage of government contracts.
5. The inequalities are also visible at the local level in poor countries, where the gap between the rich & poor exists in access to testing & treatment facilities. When the danger became apparent, the well off ran around to construct COVID19 facilities in their leafy environs.
6. The poor are condemned to the bleak environs of decrepit public hospitals. The irony is that the wealthy are also the politicians. They are the ones who get exclusive access to state of the art facilities in the leafy suburbs. They run public health but they go private.
7. The inequalities also exist in law enforcement over the pandemic. A DJ who hosted a New Year’s Eve party in poor Mbare, Fantan was arrested. A video has emerged showing Kuda Tagwirei a wealthy associate of President Mnangagwa at a lavish party the same night. He’s a free man.
8. Consider the crowds at Beitbridge border post who are desperately trying to return to South Africa to earn a living & support families in Zimbabwe. Compare that to airports where they stroll in & out without hassles. They are all people, but the system treats them differently.
9. Zimbabwe is poor but it’s sitting on great potential. We should not be waiting for handouts. There was a time when we had state of the art facilities for everyone. Our crisis is compounded by a crisis of governance. We have a deep crisis but the COMMANDER is away on leave!
10. One day, when the crisis is over, the shame of inequality that has been exposed both globally and locally will haunt humanity for a long time. Meanwhile, the majority must know they are on their own. Therefore, mask up, wash your hands and practice social distancing.
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