SOLDIERS in Chivhu on Wednesday tightened lockdown measures
and banned residents from entering the central business district ahead of
Mashonaland East Provincial Affairs minister Aplonia Munzverengi’s visit to the
transit town.
Munzverengi visited Chivhu General Hospital, Range Clinic
and Beatrice District Hospital to assess the health institutions’ preparedness
to deal with coronavirus cases.
On Tuesday night, soldiers moved around Chivhu’s Northwood,
Skyview, Highview and Westwood suburbs in a truck warning residents to take the
lockdown seriously and avoid getting into town.
Zimbabwe today is on day 18 of lockdown and has 23
confirmed COVID-19 cases, including three deaths and one recovery. A senior
government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told NewsDay that the
security officers were barring people from getting into town because of the
minister’s scheduled visit.
But residents ignored the warnings and formed winding
queues for mealie-meal at supermarkets
Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers Alliance chairperson Collen
Zvarevashe said banning people from getting into town was a violation of human
rights which was aimed at giving the government a false impression that all was
well with the local residents, yet they were suffering from hunger.
“Government ministers are the policymakers, therefore, it
is important for them to get a clear picture of what is happening on the ground
in communities.
“Banning people to get into town will give the minister a
wrong impression, considering that each day; people congest some supermarkets
in search of mealie-meal. Do people stop eating because a minister is visiting
their town?” Zvarevashe asked. Newsday
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