Abstract
The outbreak of the coronavirus in 2019 sparked an international crisis. The pandemic inevitably generated panic among various stakeholders. If there is anything to be learnt from COVID-19 on the African continent, it is the urgency of investing in human security. Using qualitative interviews and documentary evidence, this article analyses the social, economic and political reasons that made the Zimbabwean government's responses to the coronavirus largely ineffective. These reasons offer government and other stakeholders with huge opportunities for future improvement. This can go a long way in enhancing human security.