From China to Zimbabwe COVID-19 came uninvited, unwanted, unwelcome, and above all without even paying an air ticket, striking every corner of Zimbabwe directly and indirectly.

In a country that used to be the breadbasket of Africa but is now rated among one of the world’s poorest nations, I was born during the federation era under the colonial rule of the British. Life back then was far much better during colonial days because we are now suffering in a free country.

On 29 March 2020, a 21-day lock down was announced by our president with all conditions that would stop the spread of coronavirus. Workshops, factories, shops, and all industries were closed sending almost everyone home. No one is allowed to go to his or her workplace unless one is providing essential service to the nation. Personally, I survive from hand to mouth business. What made my situation unbearable was that I had no savings and when the lockdown was put into effect, we were stopped from selling vegetables. I am in the fresh fruits and vegetable market business, and now my suffering has been aggravated by the loss of stock that I had before the lockdown as I had to dispose of it because they are perishables.

As if the situation in my business and finances isn’t enough to bear COVID-19 has me and my wife separated from each other, she had traveled on a business trip to a neighbouring country and when she was about to come back home, a lockdown was put into effect making it impossible for her to get back, this is making our lives very difficult as a married couple. Coronavirus is also keeping us away from each other. How much more problems can this virus cause?