This month has been strange and unsettling. Every day people are waking to the news of the death of a family member or someone they know. It has been a time of distress and overwhelming anxiety. People are understandably anxious, what with the fact that no one knows when the Covid-19 pandemic will end?
In many other ways though, this month, Malawians have shown their resilience. Instead of resigning to fate, Malawians have risen up to face the pandemic head-on. They have shown that not all is lost.
Malawians are doing all they can to arrest the situation, especially the lack of resources in the country’s health facilities. Malawians have realised they cannot fold their arms and wait for the government to do everything.
In every corner of the country, people are doing all they can to save the lives of their loved ones and fellow Malawians. There are those who are pouring out their material resources while others inspire hope in those that are sick, those mourning loved ones and cheering the frontline workers who are doing tremendous despite the resource constraints.
Malawians of all walks of life are proving that it is possible to come together to fight a common enemy—an enemy that is not discriminating against anyone based on their political affiliation, economic and social standing. This is something that should give every Malawian hope that as a country we can fight this pandemic if we all pull in the same direction.
This fight against Covid-19 is not a fight for government alone. The government can only do so much but the rest is up to each and every Malawian to do their part. Apart from resources, many Malawians are in need of large doses of hope. They need someone to tell them that everything will be alright. They want to hear someone ask them how they are doing or feeling. Simply put, they need someone to talk to and to give them a reason to fight on.
This is time that we all should strive to spread love and hope and not fear. There is no need to politicise the pandemic in a bid to score cheap political points—be it those in government or those in opposition. This is not the time for flexing some political muscles. What Malawians want to hear right now is what their leaders are doing to fight pandemic.
This however, does not stop every Malawian from questioning the government on how it’s spending the taxpayers’ money. When citizens demand to know how the money is being spent, the government should not play hide and seek with them rather it should be ready to show the receipts. This is also one way of inspiring hope in Malawians that they are not on their own.
Where there is life, there is hope so they say. Today make a decision to spread love and hope and not to be the fear monger. Let’s all fight on.
