The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu
Sunday Mail Reporter
THE coronavirus does not discriminate and Zimbabweans should rise above their differences to fight the scourge, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.
In thanking the nation for participating in three days of prayer and fasting, which she called for on Thursday, the First Lady exhorted people to remain vigilant and scrupulously follow prescribed health guidelines.
“I want to thank women, all Zimbabweans and friends that took time to pray and fast for the nation, supported by those that wanted to pray and those that spread the message encouraging us to collectively seek relief,” she said.
“To that end, I want to thank all the church leaders, leaders at various levels, especially our traditional leaders, members of the media, mothers and fathers as well as our children that heeded the call to reduce ourselves before the Lord.
“I keep praying that our word does not go in vain but will be accorded a hearing by the Lord, the Almighty. The nation is in pain and we request to be graced with strength and collective wisdom to go through the hard times.”
Amai Mnangagwa rallied Zimbabweans to unite and shun divisions for the nation to fight the disease as a united force.
“The pandemic is amongst us and is taking a heavy toll on us irrespective of position, political affiliation, status in society, race, tribe, sex or age. I thus call upon all to rise above things that divide us and unite to conquer. Calamities come but when united we mitigate suffering because the strength of unity so generated will help us through the difficulties we face,” she added.
“Allow me thus to reiterate that the solution to win against the pandemic is to unite behind the measures that have been set by the Government. Let us stay at home, mask-up properly, practice utmost hygiene and observe social and physical distancing; meanwhile testing and isolating when positive, those that get sick being accorded community support, and according our dead the dignity possible under the circumstances. Some of our customs in tending to the sick and sending off the dead have to change. We cannot afford to congregate, neither can we console each other with handshakes, let alone touch bodies of the departed.”
The First Lady urged the youth to be disciplined and heed the call to stay home to reduce infections.
“I want to deliver a special message to our youth. It is common knowledge that you carry the greatest energy to hustle and fend for the families. But you have seen your brother, your sister, your parent and grandparent, family friend succumbing to the deadly coronavirus.
“We can only reduce infection by being disciplined and heeding the call to stay at home, as much as we should compel ourselves to practicing the other measures that keep us safe with utmost determination.”
Although the three-day fasting and praying period had ended, she added, Zimbabweans should continue praying and doing the needful.
