ZIMBABWE: Cholera Drowns Christmas Spirit

• by Ephraim Nsingo (harare)
• Wednesday, December 24, 2008
• Inter Press Service

But this year, the party is off. If he had his way, Nzuza and most ordinary Zimbabweans would have postponed Christmas at least canceled it for this year.

After scrounging around for groceries and other items for the banquet, another hassle blocked Nzuza's way -- the cholera outbreak.

'My wife had traveled to the village to prepare for the traditional party,' Nzuza told IPS, 'but the message she brought from there was that the health authorities said people should not hold such big gatherings because of the cholera outbreak.'

As the death toll from cholera passes the 1,000 mark, Nzuza is not alone. The Zimbabwean authorities have become very strict on people planning to hold large gatherings.

'There is a whole lot of requirements in order to hold such a function. In addition to the strict hygienic requirements, they also require that you have a nurse and health inspector on standby. And when you go to the clinic, the nurses are not there. That effectively means one cannot do anything,' added Nzuza.

While Nzuza and many Zimbabweans think the authorities are being unfair by forcing people to cancel such events, health officials think otherwise.

Health Minister David Parirenyatwa says in as much as they understand the need for people to celebrate, the order against such gatherings in the public interest.

'We are simply fulfilling our mandate in terms of the Public Health Act,' said Parirenyatwa. 'It is not that we have completely banned the holding of gatherings, we have just stipulated minimum standards for people to abide by. It's all in the public interest.'

But opposition officials and some ordinary people believe they are being punished for the government's shortcomings.

'The problem with Parirenyatwa and his friends in government is that they create problems for us, knowing pretty well they do not experience what we go through. Their children are enjoying first world life elsewhere while we are suffering at the hands of their fathers,' fumed Carlos Madiwa from Tafara, a high density suburb in the east of Harare.

'I cannot even remember the last time we had running water here. What we have got from the government is just promises and nothing else. We understand the risk of cholera, but we cannot stop celebrating.'

Henry Madzorera, the Secretary for Health in the main opposition the Movement for Democratic Change said the government was in denial, and this was costing ordinanry people certain privileges, like celebrating Christmas in a manner of their choice.

''We cannot afford to be in denial mode as a nation,' said Madzorera. 'No amount of 'tough talking' will help our situation when we need all the help we can get to avert a serious health crisis punctuated by shortage of drugs and a frustrated and shrinking medical staff. We should be honest with ourselves and with the world. The truth is that cholera remains a major disaster in Zimbabwe.'

Even churches that usually hold big celebrations have been forced to scale down this year's Christmas and New Year's Day celebrations because of cholera. Pastor Lawrence Berejena, the Harare coordinator of the Zimbabwe National Pastors Conference (ZNPC) -- an interdenominational network of pastors -- told IPS that the cholera epidemic was a great challenge for churches this Christmas.

'We have already received calls from a number of our members saying they have been informed that it is not allowed to hold lengthy meetings as this could expose people to cholera,' said Berejena. 'The problem is they say people should first enlist the services of health personel before going ahead with any event, but where do you get nurses or health inspectors when hospitals are closed? There is no way Christians cannot congregate to commemorate this important day. We have already come up with a programme to roll out assistance to cholera victims.'

Instead of the usual all-night or all-day celebrations, most churches will this Christmas meet for a short while, an hour or two.

'In the past, things were difficult, but we would still manage to do something', said Nzuza. 'But this year I just failed. I tried to mobilise a few things, but it was just not enough. In as much as we understand the religious and historical significance of this day, it would have been good to postpone the commemorations here to some other date, or cancel it altogether for this year.'

Enter abductions. A number of political and human rights activists have already gone into hiding in fear they could be targeted by unknown agents who have abducted close to 50 known opposition supporters and human rights activists.

'There is no way I can go to public places on Christmas,'said one human rights lawyer, who requested anonymity. 'These people are on the prowl and they are following us wherever we are going. I will just buy my drinks and food, and will spend the day at home. Given what is currently going on, anything can happen.'

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) said although Christmas is supposed to be a time for workers to rest and prepare for the following year, ordinary workers would be under pressure this year.

'How can workers celebrate when the government is sitting back and watching prices being raised recklessly? It just shows how this government has run out of options to arrest the crisis,' said ZCTU Secretary General Wellington Chibebe.

'Most goods are now being sold in foreign currency, and workers still earn Zimbabwean dollars and do not have any other source of income. Where then would you expect them to get money to buy groceries for Christmas, or travel to their villages?'

© Inter Press Service (2008) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

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