Uncle Harvest writes on 2021 INDEPENDENCE MALAWI CELEBRATIONS

News is that the Malawi government has set aside over 220 million kwacha for the 2021 Independence Celebrations.

These celebrations are planned to take place at the regional level. All Covid19 prevention measures will be followed.

The celebration of our Independence is an important national ritual.

If however, we look at the prevailing situation with the Covid19 pandemic in the past month, it becomes questionable if this would be the most prudent thing for the country to do.

Chances of these regionally based celebrations becoming super Covid19 spreaders are very high.

Evidence is clear that success at making such public events Covid 19 prevention measures compliant have not been very successful as many attendants at such events do not wear masks, let alone social distance.

Enforcement is often weak or absent. Compliancy is only present among VVIPs of the function.

The Covid19 infections are currently on the rise by the day. We are surely at the inception stages of a third wave of the pandemic.

If we are to go by what is happening in Zambia, South Africa and Namibia within the SADC region Malawi would have better be cautious. A skip of the Independence Celebrations would have been the best option.

The finances that have been made available for this could be better used by being shifted to complement resource shortfalls in areas that are current hotspots for Covid19 transmission for the Coronavirus; Blantyre, Zomba, Lilongwe and Mzimba North. Such a decision would be to the best of the country.

Prudence must be exercised at all costs.

For once let the government think through this carefully. In the best interest of Malawians, to prioritize Covid 19 prevention than Independence Celebrations at the cost of spreading infection of the very population the government must protect.