Staff Writer
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has ordered a fresh wave of the Covid19 lock down almost rewinding the embattled nation to a stage which is much tighter that Level one implemented three months ago.
In his address Tuesday , Mnangagwa said the move is aimed at containing the Covid19 cases whuch have been on the rise lately.
Below are the key highlights on the new measures:
- From tomorrow Wednesday 22 July until further notice stricter lock down measures.
- Non working public to stay at home.
- Only travel required is to go buy food, seeking medication
- All must wear masks.
- Mandatory screening at all public premises
- Businesses to open from 8am to 3pm.
- All security services to be on the road to enforce curfew from 6pm to 6am.
- Food markets to remain open but under strict supervision.
- No intercity travel and to rural areas.
- Public gatherings and church services now banned. * Funerals remain limited in terms of attendance at maximum of 50 people .
- Personal Liability for breach of COvid 19 measures is now in place .
- Mandatory screening in all public places now required.
- Business premises to operate from 8am to 3pm except for emergency services .
- Emphasis on regular testing of employees by businesses.
- National curfew now in place from 6pm to 6am
“I as your President, will come back to you to announce the easing of these measures once the situation has improved,” Mnangagwa said.
The Zimbabwean government declared the COVID-19 crisis a “national disaster” on Friday, March 27, a move allowing it to commandeer State resources towards fighting COVID-19, to use emergency regulations, and to deploy personnel for the same services.
To date, Zimbabwe has 1,714 confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and 26 deaths.
However , political analysts have allegedly accused Mnangagwa of cooking up Covid19 statistics to justify blocking mass protests which are scheduled to take place this month-end over rampant corruption and increasing economic decay.
The announcement automatically throws Zimbabweans into hardships as their sources of livelihood in the informal sector has been abruptly halted.
To date, government has not yet managed to cushion citizens in any way since the pandemic’s outbreak.
Other nations have been proactive by providing food assistance and tax reprieves.
Inflation has risen to a high of plus 700 % and the Zim dollar continues to weaken immensely against US$.
The announcement also comes shortly after the arrest of the #July 31 protest leaders , Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe polical party leader, Jacob Ngarivhume.
