Burundi: When does the military clique in power in Burundi will think to take the pandemic of Covid-19 seriously?
The question deserves to be asked because it is the life of a whole people who is in danger. Covid-19 is a pandemic that threatens the whole world, even more Burundi, which has very little way to fight against this pandemic and even less to heal those already contaminated.
More than 24 million people around the world have been contaminated by this pandemic; more than 2.74 million died. In Africa, the numbers are so terrible: more than 4,035,708 people would have already been affected; 3.620.340 are healed while more than 107,778 are already dead.
Burundi seems to be ignored that this pandemic exists. There have been times when the leaders say to the people that God protects the breathed air by the Burundians, that they cannot be contaminated by the pandemic; the speeches changed afterwards, inviting the population to fight against COVI-19. Some tests have been made; some screening centres have been created in the country, especially in Bujumbura. Today, these centres are closed, only that of the welcome hotel remains functional in Bujumbura.
Where is we today? The situation is mastered according to the Burundian Ministry of Health and the power of Evariste Ndayishimiye. At the moment when almost all the countries of the world have all their efforts to find vaccines for their people, Burundi believes that the vaccine is not yet necessary. It presents a rather positive record of the pandemic: only 192 people are tested positive from CVIV-19 throughout the territory, 6 people have already fallen in Burundi. This is the conclusion drawn at the end of the 17th meeting of the National Committee to Combat the Propagation and Contamination of COVID-19 in Burundi. Chaired by the Minister of the Interior, Security and Community Development, General Gervais Ndirakobuca on March 22, 2021, it was intended to evaluate the implementation of the CVVID-19 pandemic campaign in Burundi.
The leader is the example says. How can Burundian leaders say that they have initiated a pandemic campaign at the time no one among them can show an example by wearing at least one protective mask in public places. What kind of campaign do they speak? Has the population been aware of the barrier measures to protect against COVID-19? We see the Burundians in public places without masks, they do not know what it is social distancing; even less the regular washing of the hands. People kiss each other without any worries. In short, no barrier action is applied in Burundi. This is quite normal when this negligence begins with the leaders who should push the rest of the population to comply with these measures.
Three recent illustrations show the unconsciousness of Burundian leaders at all levels. The first and most banal concerns the holding of the evaluation meeting of the implementation of the famous pandemic campaign. The images circulating on social networks show members of the National Committee sitting in a room without social distancing and no one’s mask. Suppose they do not know the value of communication in an awareness campaign of the population, do not they have at least aware that they can contaminate each other? Had they all did the Covid-19 test before entering the room? How could people believe that they say when themselves cannot show an example?
The second case concerns President Evarist Ndayishimiye himself. He associated himself with the population of Kamenge in the Sunday prayer of March 21, 2021 at the Regina Pacis Socarti Parish of Kamenge. To see the images circulating on social networks, nobody in a full church to slam people, none of them carries a mask, social distancing is something non-existent at home, people are piled up like bean bags in a store. And, figure, the president dares to speak to fight against Covid-19 in this Mass. Was he serious or he said it by fantasy? If he and his entourage are not aware of the danger of this pandemic and dare to appear in a church where people are piled up in the way without masks, how could the population believe that the president was telling them?
As if it were not enough, at Melchior Ndadaye airport, when he left for Cairo in Egypt where he went visiting March 23, 2021 with a strong delegation of 4 ministers and 10 businessmen, we see the president Ndayishimiye with his entourage and all the delegation without masks. And yet, upon arrival in Cairo, the images show us President Ndayishimiye and his entourage, all with masks covering almost all the face. It looks like our chefs play comedies. Why do they wear the masks in Egypt when they do not dare to bring them to Burundi? Because in Burundi there is no Covid-19? Not at all. Coronavirus does damage in Burundi, and the government does not talk about it. The Minister Thaddée Ndikumana said so well: the numbers they give concern only those who have been detected, tested positive and who die in the hospital.
URN Hitamwoneza asks the Burundian people to realize that he does not have leaders who care about their health; it takes, each as far as it is concerned, take sufficient measures for its protection. The fight against this pandemic requires everyone’s conscience. But, if everyone remembers his mask in any public place, that he avoids the crowds as much as possible, is daily laundered or uses the adapted product, avoids touching the other hands, etc …, there is a way to minimize the risk of contamination. The risk is great that Burundi left behind compared to other countries in the world in the fight against Covid-19 to see, soon, isolate from all over the world. It is then to the people to remind his leaders that they must take substantial measures. In case of incapacity or refusal, the solution is to dismiss them from the country’s management so that those who can take over. We must be vigilant and take in hand the future of our nation the moment come.