Categories: Stories

Brickbats thrown at Chamisa for supporting Mnangagwa lockdown

Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa, who usually receives accolades from most of his 613 000 followers when he tweets something, had brickbats thrown at him when he welcomed  President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s decision to lock down the country for 21 days from Monday to help curb the coronavirus.

“The decision to lockdown Zimbabwe is necessary, wise and supported,” Chamisa tweeted, soon after Mnangagwa’s broadcast to the nation.

“We are in circumstances of a catastrophe. There is only one Zimbabwe. We are one people. Politics aside, we must unite to save lives. Measures to test, detect the virus and cushion the vulnerable essential!#ZimLOC.”

Mnangagwa said the lockdown was necessary to curb the spread of the virus as the country was now approaching winter which provided a conducive environment for it to thrive.

So far seven people have been confirmed positive of the deadly pandemic.

Chamisa’s tweet, however, did not go down well with some of his followers.

MunyaGumz, the first to respond, asked: “But is our economy able to sustain the lockdown because people live from hand to mouth.”

Michael Mutekedza did not believe Chamisa was sincere, tweeting: “The day I will see you quoting @MoHCCZim  before it’s too late is the day I will take you seriously in our fight against #Covid19Zim – is there not a cause.”

Phillipchisang1 queried: “But Mr president almost 90 percent of our people eat from hand to mouth how are we going to survive this 21 day’s.”

He received the support of TerrellDemorgan, who tweeted: “Most Zimbabweans live ‘hand to mouth’ , how are they meant to sustain their families during this time ?”

Patrick Gwaendepi added: “How do you sustain when you are dead, first things first bro!”

RealBeefactor said: “Locking down Zimbabwe is not a solution Sir. People are hungry and they want mealie meal. How do you lock down a country when pple need mealie meal?”

But some people welcomed Chamisa’s bold decision.

Tinofa Mutevedzi said: “Now you’re learning to be a national leader; a tweet befitting a presidential aspirant!”

Gerald Maguranyanga  added: “The best Tweet ever by Nelly.”

He was supported by Munya Rex Midzi who tweeted: “This is leadership mukoma Nelson.. I’m so happy to hear you say this.”

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This post was last modified on March 28, 2020 7:39 am

Charles Rukuni

The Insider is a political and business bulletin about Zimbabwe, edited by Charles Rukuni. Founded in 1990, it was a printed 12-page subscription only newsletter until 2003 when Zimbabwe's hyper-inflation made it impossible to continue printing.

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