Words – anguish, chaos, confusion, pain, suffering or death can never sufficiently describe the misery the people of Zimbabwe are going through. The citizens of this once prosperous nation have had to deal with one crisis after another.

The highest inflation in the world, running into several billions of percentages; shortages of everything necessary for human survival, cash, bread, milk, education, health care. Urban scavengers roam the streets.

Cholera is the latest scourge to hit this God forsaken nation. People are dying not in ones or two’s, but in their hundreds. Those who braved the harsh economic and political life; remaining inside the country, as thousands fled, keeping the fragile fabric of that society together are now under siege.

As if their woes are not enough, cholera has in recent weeks claimed at least 3,000 lives, of the speculative statistics reported so far. Zimbabweans have taken to burying their relatives, privately.

Morgues are full and cannot contain any more bodies.

The cynical solution meant to ease the suffering and the cost of cholera deaths has been the suggestion by those in charge that affected families receive free coffins and burial ground.

Soldiers and civilians run amok as they scramble for the remaining worthless local currency left on the streets. We are also starting to see in earnest the flipside of the international community’s policy towards Zimbabwe.

It is common cause that key donors who can assist Zimbabwe, save lives are withholding aid until a power sharing deal between the ruling Zanu PF party and the two formations of the Movement for Democratic Change is finalised.

Notwithstanding that such a deal only rewards the authors of the above crisis. Not taking into account the loss of human life or the suffering Zimbabweans have to endure, while their political elites figure out which position will suit them best  in a new reformed Zanu PF and MDC led government.

Zimbabweans let down, are paying the price of their leaders political expediency, at national and regional levels. They are paying the price for an international community that gets the kicks in screaming the Z word, but when it comes to real action, which can save lives and the little left of a battered country – all they get is inaction.

The shouts and screams from the so called pro-democracy and pro-human rights governments and movements are just hollow sounds. We are witness to the unfolding of yet another human tragedy. Ultimately history will be the judge of who stood where and did what at this time of Zimbabwe’s need!

Ends