Thread by @Wamagaisa

Trust, Leaders & COVID-19

1. According to the Afrobarometer Survey 2021, Zimbabweans have more trust in NGOs (79%) & religious leaders (78%) than the President (48%), MPs (44%) & councillors (38%). These figures are critically important in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The unelected wield enormous power over citizens. They are trusted. In a contest between the president & a priest (or prophet to use Zim’s favoured vocabulary) regarding COVID-19 vaccines, citizens are more likely to trust the priest/prophet’s word than the president’s.

3. It’s bad enough that citizens already have doubts over vaccine safety. Afrobarometer says 51% of Zimbabweans do not trust that the government will ensure that vaccines are safe while 51% said they were unlikely to try to get vaccinated. Vaccine skepticism is itself a pandemic.

4. If religious leaders who enjoy significant trust are at the forefront of vaccine skepticism, the problem is bigger & harder to manage. Their flock is likely to follow them. This creates potential for disaster. A fly that does not heed advice follows the corpse into the grave.

5. The irony is that well-meaning people are berating rich nations for vaccine hoarding, yet some religious leaders in poor countries are discouraging people from getting vaccinated. The same people are very happy to enjoy Western comforts & have access to the best medical care.

6. This is not the time to play games with people’s lives. We often say to politicians that those who have power must use it responsibly. But the unelected also have enormous power. NGOs, religious & traditional leaders must use the trust invested in them responsibly.

7. The rich world is getting vaccinated. Large sections of their populations now have some defence mechanism. It is not 100% & nobody said it is. But it is significantly better to be than not to be. Don’t listen to gossip & conspiracy theories. Protect yourself & your loved ones.

8. I was talking to a friend who said, “But Alex although you are unelected maybe there are some who trust you, why don’t you say something?” I don’t know if anyone trusts me. I just happen to speak and write a lot. But thought about it & said there’s no harm putting in a word.

9. For the record, I had my 2 AZ jabs in April & June. I had a few side effects after the first - the nausea was annoying, but none after the 2nd. I still tread with caution of course because I know it’s not 100%. But I did it. Please go & get vaccinated. Avoid voodoo theories.