The impact and implications of COVID-19: Reflections on the Zimbabwean society

Innocent Chirisa; Brilliant Mavhima; Tariro Nyevera; Andrew Chigudu; Albert Makochekanwa; Joefrey Matai; Thebeth Masunda; Eve K Chandaengerwa; Francis Machingura; Stanzia Moyo; Halleluah Chirisa; Marvellous Mhloyi; Ashton Murwira; Lawrence Mhandara; Rosalie Katsande; Kudakwashe Muchena; Elton Manjeya; Teresa Nyika; Langton Mundau

doi:10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100183

The impact and implications of COVID-19: Reflections on the Zimbabwean society

Soc Sci Humanit Open. 2021;4(1):100183. doi: 10.1016/j.ssaho.2021.100183. Epub 2021 Jul 2.

Authors

Innocent Chirisa^{1

2}, Brilliant Mavhima¹, Tariro Nyevera¹, Andrew Chigudu¹, Albert Makochekanwa³, Joefrey Matai¹, Thebeth Masunda⁴, Eve K Chandaengerwa⁵, Francis Machingura⁶, Stanzia Moyo⁷, Halleluah Chirisa⁸, Marvellous Mhloyi⁷, Ashton Murwira⁹, Lawrence Mhandara⁹, Rosalie Katsande¹⁰, Kudakwashe Muchena¹¹, Elton Manjeya¹, Teresa Nyika³, Langton Mundau⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Architecture and Real Estate, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
² Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, Zimbabwe.
³ Department of Economics & Development, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁴ Department of Social Work, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁵ Department of Community & Social Development, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁶ Postgraduate Centre, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁷ Demography Settlement and Development, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁸ Population Services International & National AIDS Council Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
⁹ Department of Governance and Public Management, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
¹⁰ Faculty of Law, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.
¹¹ Department of Applied Psychology, University of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe.

Abstract

The article is an attempt to provide a kaleidoscopic interpretation of how social science scholarship views the socio-cultural terrain of Zimbabwe during and after the global health crisis, and the societal and business haemorrhage induced by the coronavirus (COVID-19). Built through a multi-perspective and triangulation involving a modified Delphic approach that engages archival methods involving document and literature review, content analysis and expert interpretation; the article unveils the various effects of COVID-19 on Zimbabwe. It is concluded that COVID-19 by its nature is disruptive to everyday life, restrictive to human-social relations and is an instigator to tradition, spirituality and intellectuality in the country. The challenge of the virus brings to society a deliberate consciousness that global processes and events are converging (borders are porous) while local embeddedness is being entrenched through practices like lockdowns and confinement.

Keywords: Culture; Human movement; Human rights; Livelihoods; Rurality; Traditions and rites; Urbanity.